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…
Once again Billy Gasparino was following the recommendation of super scout Marty Lamb in drafting 1st round draft pick, Louisville RHP Bobby Miller. He was also responsible for scouting and drafting 2nd round pick, Landon Knack out of East Tennessee St. They were close to a third recommended player, Louisville OF, Zach Britton, but chose Carson Taylor instead. Britton went in the 6th round to Toronto. Marty Lamb has been…
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…
One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn” starring Sidney Poitier. In it, Poitier plays Noah Dearborn, a 91‑year old carpenter who lives a simple life and existence, detached from modern life. His only interest is woodworking, at which he is very gifted. In his hands, woodworking tools are not just tools, they become instruments for creating works of art. Poitier, who is also a…
With the excellent column by DC on the teenage players, and with the outstanding article in The Athletic on Zach Reks, I thought I would take a look at late bloomers. If Zach Reks does make it to the Majors, he would certainly be a late bloomer, but he hardly is the only one. A young infielder was drafted in the 9th round out of South Carolina and had a…
Abbreviated Spring Time Random Thoughts – by 2Demeter2 (aka/Rowan) I was hoping to finish my article on Alanna Rizzo this week, but I have been down and out with the flu and a cold for the past 4 days, feeling rather punkish. So that article will have to wait for another day. On the other hand, one of the “benefits” of being down and out was that I got to…
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…
Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each system and honors the players — regardless of age or prospect status — who had the best seasons in their organization. This is the list from MiLB – posted November 11 – with a brief review by Dodgers Director of Player Development Will Rhymes. Catcher — Connor Wong, Rancho Cucamonga (71 games), Tulsa (40 games): After a spotty April, Wong finished…