It was almost sixteen years ago that I started LA DODGER TALK and up until a year ago, when I took a year off, it has been pretty much part of my life. When I originally started I had some rules which gradually eroded over the years. I am not going to get into the details or blame anyone, because to solve a problem you have to recognize your share…
Bluto had a good comment: The Grandal trade is borderline robbery. The Chris Reed for Grant Dayton trade is ridiculously good. OTHERS SAY: “They traded away Matt Kemp” “They sign injury-prone pitchers.” That got me thinking about FAZ has done, and I make no bones about it – FAZ has made their share of mistakes. Olivera was a big one, but they recovered nicely and moved him. However, I do…
A little over two years ago, I held these opinions: Julio Urias would someday be the Dodgers Ace or Co-Ace with Clayton Kershaw; Jose De Leon would be a close #2; Corey Seager would be an impact MVP-Type Shortstop; Joc Pederson would be a 4th or 5th outfielder (at best); Yasiel Puig had immense talent but we should trade him immediately; and THE TRADE (Crawfish and A-Gon) really hamstrings the…
Every Spring there seems to be some non-roster invitee who steps up and either makes the club or comes close and makes it interesting. This year, there 21 non-roster invitees who have a shot. Ken Gurnick of Dodgers .com lists them: The complete list: Pitchers: Ralston Cash, Fabio Castillo, Steve Geltz, Brandon Morrow, Trevor Oaks, Josh Sborz, Patrick Schuster, Yaisel Sierra and Madison Younginer. Catchers: Jack Murphy, Wynston Sawyer, Bobby Wilson….
In case you don’t know, a Wunderkind is “a child prodigy or one who succeeds in a competitive or highly difficult field or profession at an early age.” That would be Julio Urias. I find it incredulous that Julio Urias pitched 77 innings in the major leagues in 2016 as a 19 year old and compiled a 5-2 record with a 84 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA and yet some fans…
The Dodgers traded Jose De Leon straight up for Logan Forsythe. Jose De Leon is one of the top right-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball. Logan Forsythe is a second baseman who is entering his prime. Personally, I think Jose De Leon’s future is in the bullpen, but I have been wrong before. I liked Brian Dozier, but I also like Logan Forsythe a lot. I just did not…
Not Ferris Bueller, either… I am not sure how much you may know about Walker Buhler. Most fans know that he was a pitcher at Vanderbilt University. As a Freshman he was 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA. As a sophomore he was 12-2 with a 2.64 ERA as Vanderbilt won a College World Series. He was drafted by the Dodgers as the 24th pick in Andrew Friedman’s first Dodger Draft and…
Let’s just assume for a minute that the Dodgers are done. I mean done with deals this off-sesaon. No more acquisitions, trades or free agent signings. It’s over. This is the team with which they will start the season. Should we afraid or should we be excited? I guess it depends upon your perspective. Are a “glass half full person” or a “glass half empty” person? Before you answer that,…
What goes around, comes around, so that is why a team’s starting pitchers are called “a rotation?” Get it… Rotation? I say… Rotation… Son, Rotation? OK – I’ll stop. In 2016, the Dodgers used 109 different starting pitchers… well, that may be only a slight exaggeration, but they used a lot. At one point last year, the Dodgers had seven (count ’em 7) starting pitchers on the disabled list at…
The baseball season is right around the corner. Spring is a time that hope springs eternal and optimism soars – there is not a better time of the year because life is in motion. “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina “Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence. Winter passes…