Spring Training 2.0

July 7, 2020

DRAFT RESULTS Let’s remind what the penalties are for exceeding the slot bonus value.  Bonuses that exceed the slot value by < 5% are charged an overage tax of 75% of the amount in excess of the slot value.  If the bonuses exceed the stipulated slot value from between 5% to 10%, there remains  a 75% overage tax assessed for the excess bonus, AND lose next year’s #1 draft pick. …

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I Am At a Crossroad

First of all, thanks for putting words in my mouth Bums.  What you apparently read into what I wrote is that I think COVID-19 is a hoax.  Never said those words.  Never hinted those words.  But believe what you want.  COVID-19 is very personal to me. My son and granddaughter are both considered high risk, as am I having had two significant bouts with pneumonia. Last weekend both my son…

July 6, 2020
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Things That Make You Go Hmmm – July 5 Edition

July 5, 2020

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…

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Six Man Rotations and a Draft Update

July 1, 2020

Players are expected to report to camp beginning today and there are a couple of topics that have caught my attention. It has been close to 50 years since MLB moved from a four man rotation into the current five man rotation. However for 2020, in an abbreviated season, the six man rotation is being considered. There are now a couple of teams coming out indicating that they are going…

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Are MLB Owners Short Sighted?

June 22, 2020

I want to be clear from the start.  I am now, and I always have been on the side of the players when it comes to salary.  They are entitled to whatever they can get.  Scott Boras and Gerrit Cole can convince NYY that Cole should be paid $324MM, and that becomes his Fair Market Value (FMV). But Scott has no right to dictate to the owners as a group…

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Recent LAD Draft Results

June 9, 2020

We are on the eve of the one meaningful positive news event thus far for the 2020 MLB season.  Even the event has warts as we have reduced the number of draft picks from 40 to 5, but it still lends to something good to look forward to.  We have all read and heard what a throw of the dice the draft is, and with 6 picks, how does that…

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Things That Make You Go Hmmm

May 26, 2020

Monday was a bittersweet day for me. On the positive side, it was my wife’s and my 46th wedding anniversary.  It also marked the 16th anniversary of Andy’s MLB debut.  However, it also marked our first anniversary without our son Kris.  Kris was a nomad, but no matter wherever he was, he would ALWAYS call his mother on May 25 and wish her a Happy Anniversary.  Never failed.  I have…

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West Division Starting Pitching

May 16, 2020

Earlier I listed the teams in each of their proposed divisions.  At the time, it was anticipated that the Braves and Pirates would switch divisions, but otherwise the two West divisions, the two Central divisions, and the two East divisions would join together to form a single West, Central, and East division.  The starting pitching in the West figures to range from terrific to bad to really bad.  The Dodgers…

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2020 or 2021 or …

May 9, 2020

Multiple sources have indicated that a plan for a proposed 2020 MLB season is due to be presented to the MLBPA in the “next week or so”.  Former MLB infielder from Crespi High School in Encino, CA, Trevor Plouffe, in a tweet, has indicated that his sources are pointing to a report date of June 10, and a season start date “around”, July 1.  This date is congruent with Ken…

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Do Deep Teams Have an Advantage in a Short Season

May 7, 2020

Much has been said and written about the Dodgers depth and how that makes them a very dangerous team.  I do not think that there is a question (at least not for me), that the premier builder of the 40 man roster is Andrew Friedman.  During his tenure, over the last five years in a 162 game season, the Dodgers have 485 wins, more than any other team in MLB. …

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