Just Say No Yu The Dodgers Ace, Clayton Kershaw had a 4.02 ERA in the World Series and he’s a goat? The Astros Ace, Justin Verlander was awesome with a 3.75 ERA and he is amazing? Dallas Keuchel (the Astros #2) had a 5.32 ERA in the World Series. Yu Darvish ERA in the World Series? 21.60. Let’s sign him. Hell no! On the biggest stage in baseball, namely the…
Three weeks before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report, and the free agent market is still in slow motion. MLBTR listed 50 top free agents. Of those 50, 25 remain unsigned, including eight of the top ten. Of those eight, only Darvish is rumored close to signing. What’s to become of the other seven; JDM, Hosmer, Arrieta, Moustakas, Cain, Lynn, & Holland? There are no fresh rumors. Four of…
So, lots of times when trades are made, it’s because one team see somthing in a player that they believe they can “fix.” The Cubs signed Jason Hayward thinking they could “fix” his swing… they couldn’t. When the Tigers got JD Martinez he was already “fixing” his swing and they thought they could help… they did. On case worked, the other didn’t! The Gerrit Cole trade is a case where…
The longer this off-season goes, the hungrier I get for Spring Training. The inane asking prices that some of today’s free agents are asking for is getting out of control. I believe in the free market as much as anyone, but sometimes a little self-restraint needs to be implemented…on both sides. The pendulum always swings both ways, and for way too many years the owners had all of the control…
What’s happening to this year’s crop of free agents? This is December 27, and out of the top 50 MLB TradeRumors free agent predictions, only 19 have signed new contracts, and one decided not to opt out (Masahiro Tanaka). Of the 30 unsigned players, none of the top 11 have signed new contracts (excluding Tanaka not opting out), and 15 of the top 20 are still unsigned. Of the…
I find myself in somewhat of a dilemma. I never believed the Dodgers would spring for Stanton. That is not what they do. It is not who they are. But yet I was getting excited about the chance of the ONE true game changer available this year becoming a Dodger. I was convinced that the Dodgers only entered into the discussion to get Stanton to say no to the Giants. I…
Anyone who really believes they know what the Master Plan is could be delusional. One thing I have learned is that one never knows in what direction FAZ goes. Did anyone truly believe that FAZ would have signed all three 2016 FA? Most did not even think Hill was a consideration, and that FAZ would only sign one of Jansen and Turner. I thought that Turner would come back (LA…
Many have posited (including me) that the depth the Dodgers have generated were critical in their march to 104 wins. I have also written that the depth needs to be pruned at times so that the organization will continue to grow by clearing the way for new prospects or ML 25 man roster help. That is why I had no problem with sending Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes, and Frankie Montas…
Last year, the Dodgers acquired Rich Hill and in the NLCS, it was all set for Kershaw to even the series and then Rich Hill could take the mound and do what the Dodgers acquired him for: win game seven. Unfortunately, Clayton Kershaw surrendered 5 runs on two homers and lost the game and the game and the series. Fast forward a little over a year later and Kershaw did…
As I am sitting in my Friday office chair at Starbucks, waiting for my two former Giant clients and our regular Friday coffee business/baseball chat, I just cannot stop smiling. A lot of the regulars came up and congratulated me knowing how faithfully I have worn my Dodgers jerseys win or lose. Today it is Kershaw, on back to back days. It’s been raining all night in NorCal, so I…