Speculation is rampant. The rumors are swirling. For baseball writers, “breaking a story” is a badge of honor and akin to winning the Writers’ World Series, so sometimes they see a story… even when there is none. So far, no significant deals or signings have occurred unless the Braves trade for Kelnick, Gonzalez, and White seems like it is a blockbuster (it isn’t) or Wade Miley signing is a revelation….
We have already talked about the significance of the Winter Meetings beginning today in Nashville. I feel the odds are pretty good that by tomorrow, there may be some significant movement, but you can never be sure. Any team is one blown-out elbow away from a ruined season. The Yankees of 2023 were a prime example of that. Their signing of Gerrit Cole continues to be outstanding, but the acquisition…
I heard some commentators on MLB.Radio suggesting that the Dodgers may hit Ohtani with a deal like this: 2023: $45 Million2024: $50 Million as long as he pitched a certain number of innings2025: $55 Million with a higher number of innings and an opt-out You could continue on this trajectory for up to eight years if Ohtani met the requisite innings pitched. I could go for that. I am not…
Baseball’s Winter Meetings are right around the corner. They start on Sunday, December 3rd, and run through Wednesday, December 6th. This year, the Winter Meetings are held in Nashville, Tennessee at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. This is the Fifth time since 2000 (2002, ’07, ’12, ’15) that the event has been held in Nashville. If you have never been there, it should be on your bucket list….
At first blush, those are three things that are not the same… and as you suspect, they are not. Let’s talk about them one at a time. However, before I go there, let’s discuss what team is the best-run franchise in baseball, courtesy of Ken Rosenthal. You already know the answer. Even the morons who blast Roberts and Friedman know better… Shohei Ohtani While he is a great player, he…
Andrew Friedman characterized 2023 as a “Transition Year” long before the 2023 season started. I do not think that Dodger Fans fully understood what that really meant. In 2022, the Dodgers won 111 games, but in 2023, they “only” won 100 games as they utilized sixteen (count ’em, 16) rookies in their transition year. Here are the rookies who debuted in 2023: Not all of them are impact players. Shoot,…
Coming off of two straight epic post-season meltdowns, is this Freidman’s most important off-season since he took over? I get the impression from reading many baseball blogs and websites that the Dodgers fan base wants something really big and really dramatic. I get the impression that half-measures and signing fringe guys is not going to satisfy the average Dodger fan. I see a lot of no more Peralta’s and no more…
I don’t think any Dodger fan (me included) has any idea what kind of effort goes into prospect evaluation, player development, and everything involved with that. How much time do you spend each week on things related to the Los Angeles Dodgers? 40 hours? No way! 20 hours? What would your boss (wife) say? 10 Hours? Maybe… That might be what I spend each week… and that’s a lot! The…
Since 2019, the National League Pennant Winner (in a full season) has been the team with the Worst Record that was in the playoffs. Let that sink in for a minute. What does that mean? Let’s look back at the records: 2019 – Washington Nationals – 93-69 2020 – Dodgers won in the COVID Partial Season while playing the most rounds ever! 2021 – Atlanta Braves -88-73 2022– Philadelphia Phillies…
No one has ever seen a 30-year-old Shoehei Ohtani play because Shohei will not be 30 years old until July 5th, 2024. However, we did see a 29-year-old Ohtani play, and we saw him tear his UCL and then go on the IL with an oblique strain, which would have likely kept him out of the playoffs… had the Angels made it there. Shohei Ohtani is a generational talent, but…