I keep reading that the Dodgers are in the hunt for a starting pitcher and frankly, I do not believe it. What I mean by that is I do not think they are “hell-bent-for-leather” to get another starter. That’s not saying that they won’t do it if the right situation presents itself, but they are simply not going to overpay to get another starter. I think AC said the same…
Thursday night’s game was the official half way point in the season. So I thought it was an opportune time to look at what is right, or what is wrong, what can be fixed, or what doesn’t need fixing. With Thursday night’s win, the Dodgers are 53-28. That is a projected win total of 106. They will win 94 even if they go 41-40 the rest of the way. The…
It’s on Kenta Maeda. Kenta signed an incentive-laden contract with the Dodgers before the 2016 season. It’s a very “team-friendly” contract that pays for performance. I’ll spare you all the details, but the more games Kenta starts and the more innings he pitches earns him some very significant bonuses. That’s how Kenta makes his money and his agent gets a percentage of that money. Do you follow where I am…
… and the next men are Trevor Oaks, Brock Stewart and Walker Buehler. Oaks is a back-of-the-rotation starter who is likely ready now while Buehler is a top-of-the-rotation guy who might be ready in 2018, but won’t ever be a workhorse (welcome to the new MLB). Stewart could be a a middle-to-back of the rotation guy or an elite reliever. Time will tell. Mitch White and Yadier Alvarez are due…
… which is precisely why they will keep rolling him out there. His mechanics and release points are all all over place, but he has figured it out before and I believe he will do it again. He has struggled mightily with his control as he was shut-down and then activated and shut-down again and re-activated due to blisters. It appears that the blisters are gone, but if he is…
This is the Brandon McCarthy the Dodgers front office wanted. They knew his history but they also knew about changes he had made, both to his pitching mechanics and psyche. Brandon McCarthy is making about $12 million a year and was signed for four years. He has this year and 2018 left on his deal. $12 million a year is a bargain for a pitcher of McCarthy’s standing. Brandon McCarthy…
As usual, we fans probably don’t have a clue what the Dodgers are up to. Just because we hear rumors from the media, doesn’t make them true. Rumors are just that, and if you expect a straight answer from FAZ about who they are interested in, you are likely smoking something that may be illegal in certain states. I have targeted Marcell Ozuna as a player I want, while we…
If there ever was any doubt, Chris Taylor erased it yesterday by doing the kind of thing that legends do: Hitting a Grand Slam in the 9th inning, with your team down two runs, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! Of course, it was a team effort to come back from a four run deficit – Puig had two hits, but almost everyone (except Grandal) contributed. Chris Taylor…
Last night, many Dodger fans saw a pitcher who they felt was ineffective and not in control of the game. Of course, they were right. Rich Hill walked more than Lebron James in the NBA Finals. They felt he should be moved out of the rotation, to the minors, hung in effigy, DFA’ed or moved to the bullpen. Last night, I saw Rich Hill have excellent movement, but he did…
In theory, the Ten-Day Disabled List should be a wonderful thing for pitchers, but initial results are not so good. It appears that after being off for ten days a starter just is not quite in-sync. Ryu was obviously out of sorts (maybe he is injured) and McCarthy also looked like he needed another start before coming off the DL. So, in reality, while it might be a tool to…