67 posts
Bluntly stated: “ If you have one of the best farm systems in baseball, it is Felony Stupid to waste it. ” We have repeatedly seen that buying expensive free agents is no guarantee of anything. Baseball executives are becoming painfully aware that youth and energy, and…
I continue to read about the sensational LAD prospects. Mark has the Dodgers as a top 10 MiLB organization while no major publication does. After the loss of Keibert Ruiz and Jo Jo Gray, the publications dropped them to mid-level (around 15). Certainly not bad, but also not…
Now that the WS is over, the MLB calendar is set (maybe). Maybe because we have no idea what will become of the CBA after the current CBA expires on 12-1. Tentatively, the MLB dates: November 3 – 160 players were declared Free Agents. The Dodgers have 11. November 3 – 7 – Free…
What does Albert Pujols bring to the table? How about just poking the ball through the hole at SS to score Mookie from 3B. That play was better than a thousand words. When you have a chance to score the runner from 3B, you do it. Forget the long ball. Take notes, kids! This is what HOF ers do!
Let s get one thing straight: Andrew Friedman is the President and GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is his responsibility to oversee anything that is connected with Baseball Operation. For the sake of this blog, Andrew Friedman is responsible for building the Dodgers Bullpen. To date, most Dodgers fans are saying that he built a deplorable bullpen. I have heard one fan say it was an average bullpen. They
Disclaimer: What we are seeing is through the microcosm of Spring Training. Current performance is not evidence of future prospects. It is a small sampling. Some of it is skill and some of it is luck. Take it all with a grain of salt. The Position Players It was great to see Gavin Lux get two hits in three at-bats. If anything, all he needs is confidence and he should
Today is the day that pitchers and catchers are due to report to Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers. Tomorrow is the first day of workouts. Full squad reports February 22, with the first full squad workout scheduled for February 23. The Dodgers play their first spring training game on Sunday, February 28 against the Oakland A’s at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. There will be some rules in effect that
There is always the debate as to whether prospects are meant to be held onto so as to build from within, or should they be used as prospect capital to acquire existing MLB stars. Of course, these trades need to be made at the peak of the prospect trade value in order to maximize the return. The Dodgers have had a perennial top 10 farm club since AF signed on
Can you hear me now? Breathing, that is. When I first read J.P. Hoornstra’s breaking news that the Loons would no longer be a Dodger affiliate, I didn t stop breathing but held my breath which is just as uncomfortable. J.P. likes to be out front on things as we all do and sometimes does just that. I wasn’t sure but felt it might be fake news after checking
Yesterday Singing The Blue asked who Clayton McCullough the Dodgers new first base coach is and seemed to find the hiring out of the blue. Within the Dodgers coaching ranks it isn’t out of the blue and most likely is overdue as he marches toward becoming an MLB manager. This is an article I pulled out of the archives from April 23, 2016. The article has not been
Just for kicks, let’s look ahead to the 2026 MLB All-Star game. Here is a note from the color commentator. “Here in the second inning with two outs, the AL second base all-star is making his first all-star plate appearance. Tampa Bay Ray’s second sacker was selected as the best at his position in this, his third MLB season. Former North Carolina Tar Heel Michael Busch may not be a
This is really hard because we have nothing to go on insofar as for player development in 2020… and it is going to get worse! Next year, MLB is allegedly going to contract 40+ teams (if they stick to the plan). If there are 30 players on a team (counting the IL), that is almost 1,200 players who will be out of jobs. It’s sad, but it’s also a stark
The Hot Stove League is always fun for us armchair GMs, allowing us to look at ways of improving a reigning World Series championship team. Not just a WS championship team, but THE consensus choice of the best team in MLB for 2020. But changes must be made. Nothing can stay at the top by being stagnant. Changes can come internally or externally. AF is a master as to building
Over the past few days, I have listened to several interviews, heard rumors and news. Here are few things I would like to share: I am so impressed with Edwin Rios (the person). He is mature beyond his years, poised, thoughtful, determined, and fully understands the role hard work plays in becoming a great player. He has singled-out Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw, and Mookie Betts for teaching him the importance
The Los Angeles Dodgers have reported to Dodger Stadium; or at least some of them have. There are some who have apparently tested positive for the coronavirus, while others (so far only David Price) has opted to sit out the 2020 season. I am perfectly comfortable with any player or management personnel deciding that it is in their best interests to opt out for the season. I just hope that
There s not much to do with the MLB season on hold, the NBA season on hold, the NCAA Tournament canceled, High School Tournaments in limbo, schools closed, and restaurants and theaters are persona non-Grotta. My youngest son and I spent the day plumbing his house, the house he has had since he was 18 (he s almost 21 now) and has totally gutted and rebuilt it. It was built in 1900
I have followed Zach McKinstry since he was selected by the Dodgers in the 33rd round of the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. I especially took notice when he was advanced to the Loons in 2016 and became an important cog in their championship run by moving to the third base position, a position he had not previously played. The 6’/180
Count this as my latest of the “Dodger Codger” series. The older I get, the more I look at myself and realize that I sound like an old man. And then I realize, “I am an old man.” I’m nearing 60. I have followed the Dodgers for 55 years., and I could cite to you incidents from every Dodger season back to my years as a young child. We are
On Saturday, AC provided us with an amazing analysis of questions to be answered this spring. It prompted me to go back a few years and see what the pressing questions were in the spring for the past few seasons and how they were answered: Last year, the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were: • Is Clayton Kershaw definitely in decline? I would feel safe to
Time for Dodger Baseball. I like the sound of that as we begin Spring Training games today against the hated Giants. We all know ST games are meaningless in wins and losses, but I still want to see a win in every game. If you compete, compete to win. Before I get into ST, I want to offer my response to the apparent skepticism about the Dodger pitching. Are there
One of the problems the Dodgers have of going “big game hunting” is that in order to get someone special, one needs to give up someone special. More than most teams, the Dodgers are very reluctant to give up their top prospects. Is it any surprise that teams are requiring Gavin Lux or Dustin May for an elite difference making pitcher (or Lindor or Mookie)? There is a big gap
It is time for a little Devil’s Advocacy. I have been an unapologetic fan of Andrew Friedman and what he has accomplished, and just as critical as to what he has NOT accomplished. I was critical when AF did not beat out the Astros offer for Gerrit Cole before the 2018 season. The Astros traded a #5 SP in Joe Musgrove, a decent but unceremonious 3B, Colin Moran, a RHRP
The Dodgers Farm System produced nine new Dodgers last year, three of whom are still on the Baseball Prospectus Dodgers Top 20 Prospects (Lux, May, and Gonsolin): Gavin Lux, SS Dustin May, RHP Josiah Gray, RHP Miguel Vargas, 3B Keibert Ruiz, C Tony Gonsolin, RHP Diego Cartaya, C Jeter Downs, SS Kody Hoese, 3B Gerardo Carrillo, RHP Michael Busch, 2B DJ Peters, OF Jacob Amaya, IF Omar Estevez, IF Mitch
So many of us have been looking at FA possibilities and trade possibilities that most have not paid any attention to the first date that will impact the 2020 Dodgers roster. The 40 man roster needs to be set by November 20, 2019 with all Rule 5 eligible prospects protected. The actual Rule 5 draft will take place on Thursday, December 12, 2019. That gives AF and his staff less
Yesterday, I wrote that the Dodgers were a young team and what I was specifically referring to was that the core was young, especially if Ryu, Hill, Freese, and Martin are not back. The Dodgers had seven (7) rookies impact the team this year: Will Smith Alex Verdugo Gavin Lux Tony Gonsolin Dustin May Kyle Garlick Matt Beaty Next year they will also have a few. The Dodgers are built
The Arizona Fall League started nearly a month ago and Tonight they will have their All-Star Game and the Dodgers will be represented by one player, namely Brett de Geus, who has blossomed into an excellent prospect since signing for $75,000 as a 33rd-rounder from Cabrillo (Calif.) JC in 2017, developing a 93-98 mph fastball with running action, a hard slider and a power curveball. He excelled in his full-season
One of the many female artists (and trust there were many) on whom I had a boyhood crush, was the great country-western singer, Skeeter Davis. I loved her name, I mean how could you not love the name Skeeter? After reading some of the comments on Saturday and Sunday, I was reminded of her and her biggest hit song “The End of the World”, which goes in part(with apologies to
It may seem like last night s loss added some games to the number of games the Dodgers have to win, but it s still the same. What shocks me is how some people absolutely lose their minds in a game like that. If you look at the boxscore, Kershaw doesn t look great, but it s not bad: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K s. If you watched the game,
All season, many readers here and Dodger fans, in general, have been beating the drum and chanting the mantra that the Dodgers bullpen is somehow inferior. Pedro Moura of The Athletic wrote this: Despite their substandard start, despite fans’ continued frustration, despite the front office’s decision not to add much in July, Dodgers relievers finished the season among the best in baseball. Their 3.85 ERA was tied atop the National
Most often when I attempt to communicate the concept of time with my younger grandchildren, I talk in terms of “sleeps.” “Three more sleeps and I’ll be there, or 2 more sleeps and I go home.” We’re at that stage of the season, where we can communicate similarly about the Dodgers. 11 more wins, and we enjoy the parade!! Last year, we were flat out overmatched by the Red Sox.
