After a Spring Training in which they’ve beset by injuries, the Dodgers’ thrifty offseason looms large, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. The Dodgers’ lengthy injury list (including players who were hurt before the spring started) currently features Andre Ethier, Brett Anderson, Hyun-jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy and Frankie Montas, who all figure to miss significant time, along with Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal, Mike Bolsinger and others, whose maladies currently appear to be somewhat less serious. “It’s one of those freak things, that everything is happening at once,” says Kendrick. “Better it happen here than later, and then hopefully we get on with our season.” The Dodgers’ core issue, as Nightengale sees it, is that despite being a financial powerhouse, they want to succeed by accumulating depth and staying patient, rather than by paying the prices (either in money or in top prospects, of which they have many) necessary to acquire star players. That means they won’t be willing to trade their best young talent for upgrades now, even when they’ve been bitten by the injury bug. Here’s more from the West divisions.
- Dodgers starter Alex Wood looks like a rebound candidate, FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan writes. That would be a bit of good news for the team’s beleaguered rotation. Wood has raised his release point, which had fallen during his uneven 2015 season. He might also be in the process of regaining some of the velocity he’s lost as well — it fell from an average of 91.7 MPH in 2013 to 89.3 last season, and his pitches this spring have been closer to his 2013 levels.
- Catcher Tony Wolters was an unlikely choice to make the Rockies’ roster, but he’ll head north with the big-league team thanks in part to his ability to play at the middle infield positions as well as behind the plate, Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes. When the Rockies claimed Wolters in February, he had never played above the Double-A level. He initially played shortstop in the Indians organization before switching to catching in 2013. That versatility could make him more useful in extra-inning games — and, I’d think, in long games in general, of which Coors Field has many. “We didn’t know the kid until spring training started,” says manager Walt Weiss. “Over the course of six weeks, he won a lot of people over. That’s hard to do in this game.”
- The Rangers believe Matt Bush could pitch in the Major Leagues in 2016, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Bush, of course, was the first overall pick by the Padres in the 2004 draft, but the path he’s taken since then has been rocky, to say the least. He flamed out as a shortstop, and more troublingly, had a number of run-ins with the law, including a drunk-driving incident that resulted in him hitting a motorcyclist and spending more than three years in jail. But one member of the Rangers’ minor-league staff, Roy Silver, was in contact with Bush during his incarceration and had experience working with Josh Hamilton and other addicts. Bush, now a pitcher, is currently hitting 100 MPH from the mound.
BlueSkyLA
“There’s some ambulance chasing going on,’’ Friedman said. “But our approach in general, and specifically as it relates to trades, is to keep an open mind. We don’t have any hard and fast rules about anything. We just have to figure out what makes the most sense.’’
I ran this through Google Translate to see if it could figure out what Friedman was saying. No luck. Not a known language.
sigurd 2
Doesn’t seem particularly difficult to understand to me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
A'sfaninUK
This post went over my head too, seems fairly cut and dry to me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
BlueSkyLA
Really, does it? An “open mind” is a terrible thing to waste. To what is his mind open? He never says, not here, not ever. How does “ambulance chasing” figure into his thinking? (Hint: it doesn’t.) The issue here as always is Friedman never communicates anything reassuring to fans about his strategy for winning, and he does this consistently enough that some of us are getting a different message about his strategy.
southpaw2153
Lol. They have so many equations floating around that front office that no one can make a rational decision. No wonder Mattingly bolted for Miami. As a distant, objective observer, the Dodgers are a hot mess.
disgruntledreader 2
If Donnie Stubblegate is happier in Miami, he’s a sorry, sorry fool.
A'sfaninUK
Mattingly is a horrible, horrible manager who would have gotten fired had he not agreed to leave. He’s also officially cursed: how do you play 15 years on the Yankees and not even make a WS? He had the best team in the game in LAD for years and again, no title. He’s cursed.
venga777
Yeah that can be the reason of not championship ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
wilymo
it’s interesting how the dodgers adopted a strategy of depth over stars, now this spring they’ve been to some degree attacked by injuries, all of which they have ready replacements on hand for, and somehow the thing people seem to be trying to take away from this is that the depth strategy was a bad idea
like star players never get hurt, i guess? i dunno.
* mccarthy and ryu have been hurt since last year, as we’ve known all winter
* montas is a minor leaguer
* people spent all winter trying to find ways for the dodgers to dump ethier to clean up their overcrowded outfield; they never did, now he’s injured and apparently that’s a crisis
* brett anderson getting hurt honestly probably makes the rotation better; he’s just a warm, groundballing body, mostly. if wood is even vaguely considering a rebound to what he was a couple years ago he’s almost definitely a better pitcher
* they have utley to play 2B, which was always their plan A; kendrick only came back when nobody else would sign him. anyway kendrick should be ok in a couple weeks or whatever
* grandal sounds like he’ll be ready for the opener; they also have austin barnes, who’s probably a starting-grade catcher, and AJ ellis, who’s been their starter in the past
so the plan… is working? i think?
BlueSkyLA
These are mostly red herring arguments. Nobody claims that depth is a bad idea. The questions “people” are asking is when or even if the Whiz Kids would trade or sign to fix a major hole on this team, and whether or not they aren’t necessarily trying to build a better team, but a more profitable one. Friedman’s mealy-mouthed answers don’t provide any comfort in that department and it isn’t wrong to point that out.
danpartridge
Those are red herrings. They’re explanations. The Dodgers went for depth to both improve the team and build/protect the farm. Fangraphs, for instance, thinks their bullpen is third best in the league. Most projection systems have them winning the division. Injuries have tested their depth, but they’ve still got a solid team *because* of the depth. As mentioned above, buying or trading for superstars doesn’t mean they won’t get hurt. The team looks to be in pretty good shape, and the farm is, too.
danpartridge
*aren’t red herrings. Oops.
davidcoonce74
This is a good point. In 2015 all non-Kershaw Dodgers pitchers combined for 9..4 WAR. Almost all of that was Greinke. Even with the injuries I think we can assume that the rest of the pitching staff can still combine for 9.4 WAR. Puig will almost certainly be better and a full season of Seager will also help. Lots of injuries for the Dodgers, yes, but the Giants have looked awful. Padres and Rockies are two of the worst teams in baseball. If everything breaks right or wrong maybe this is the year the Diamondbacks contend.
BlueSkyLA
You had it right the first time. As I said, nobody is questioning the value of depth.
danpartridge
Nope. This is a good team–arguably better than last year’s. The depth is the reason they’re good. Shiny free agents can get hurt, too. Let ’em play the season, make moves as they go along. No reason to Chicken Little before the games get played.
92blueblood_la
Heres the thing. There is no major hole on the team lol xD
A'sfaninUK
The rotation past Kershaw is a major hole, as is half the bullpen.
Dodgers blew it when they didn’t sign Grienke or Price.
BlueSkyLA
The rotation is a symptom of the problem the Dodgers have created for the team. They abandoned plan A and B by letting Grienke go and not signing another legitimate #2 to replace him. So they get Kazmir, not because he is the pitcher they really wanted or needed, but because he was the best one left rattling around unclaimed and came relatively cheaply.
fartrellcluggins
I think Friedmans approach of hoarding all our best prospects instead of trading them away is better.
I think you are incorrect in your assertion that they need to fix some sort of imaginary hole by trading. This team is extremely balanced on all sides with no overall area of the team considered a major weakness due to having insane depth.
Depth > stars and scrubs approach
A'sfaninUK
That’s true, but if they kept Greinke they’d be way better off than they are now and that’s just a fact. He didn’t cost prospects or anything, it’s still perplexing how they didn’t throw all the money at him or Price.
BlueSkyLA
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Nobody wants to accept it for some reason, but it’s all about more profits for Dodgers Inc. Be puzzled no more.
danpartridge
Because both of those pitchers got deals that were absurdly beyond their worth. The Dodgers’ payroll is very high, but it’s not limitless. They let the teams who signed Price and Greinke hamstring themselves with contracts that are barely smart in the first couple of years. The D-Backs in particular just mortgaged their future for one roster spot. It’s almost *better* that a division rival put all their eggs in that basket. They’ve got no money to pivot. the Dodgers do.
danpartridge
The only thing I’d disagree about in your analysis, wilymo, is your assessment of Anderson. He’s better than a warm body, IMHO. Otherwise, the team depth is obviously helping–and there’s always room for trades later in the season for the stretch run or to account for other players going down. Honestly, though, excellent points. The season hasn’t started and everyone’s up in arms.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
See here’s the thing the plan is working. But everyone wants those shiny new toys. Historically when the Dodgers are at their best they’ve grown from the farm. It’s the same thing the Giants did and Royals. They’ve FO has made both good and bad decisions, but overall I’d say it’s a positive. If you have the pitching depth in the minors as they do you need to trade it or let it work. DeLeon and Stripling are right there. I like the team setup and the ability to make a move or two if need be. The east coast bias gets old extremely quickly. Judge this teams progress at the trade deadline and what they do to compliment their needs. They could potentially have at least two-three impact pieces before even making trade at the deadline in Ethier, Montas, and Ryu. In the McCourt Fox era you’d look and wonder if they had impact talent that could change for toons. That talent was traded to save money or unable to be retained because of the inability or unwillingness to retain it.
sdsuphilip
But they don’t exactly have ready replacements for all of them. Chase Utley is not a first division starter, and should not be a starter for a legitimate contender. There rotation looks like Kershaw, Wood, Maeda, Kazmir, and Lee I guess to start. That’s a decent rotation but only because of Kershaw. And 2-4 are injury risks. Brett Anderson would be the second surest thing in that rotation, losing him does not help.
Now instead of Eithier you have Crawford against righties? Pretty big downgrade. And Grandal played through a injury last year and we saw how he struggled down the stretch, hopefully no nagging effects there. I think Dodgers will probably be “fine”, but there plan is certainly not working so far and there margin of error has certainly shrunk quite a bit. They took risks in the offseason in how they spent the money they had, we will see how it pans out but so far not looking great (and no I am not a Friedman hater)
danpartridge
Actually, they have had replacements for all of them, right? Grandal has both Ellis and Barnes, Ethier has Crawford, Van Slyke, and Thompson. Kendrick has Utley and Hernandez (the latter of which slots in behind Pederson, along with Thompson). The depth is wild, and the pitchers coming back midseason (along with Ethier) are presumably Ryu, Anderson, *and* McCarthy. That’s a bunch of depth, and a big improvement without even a midseason trade. It’s not how the FO planned it, but that’s the point of depth. You have options when things don’t go to plan.
The real sticking point is shortstop. They’re pretty thin, there. Seager goes down and they’re in big trouble. Anyway, we can disagree. That’s what makes horse races.
bravesfan88
Everyone seems to just figure Alex Wood, as a decent/replacement level #4 pitcher… (Not saying you are specifically, just ppl in general)
Once Woody gets his velo back up to around 91-92, and gets some of the minor kinks that bothered him last year figured out, he will definitely become a fan favorite in LA.
The kid is a grinder, a gamer, and a guy who you want on the mound. I have no doubts that he will succeed in LA this season, and will fare much better than most critics and fans are giving him credit for.
Even though he is no longer with the Braves, he is still a favorite of mine, because of all of the aforementioned reasons. Him and Maeda will form an excellent duo behind Kershaw, and I’m truly inclined to think they will both play pivotal roles in the Dodgers success this season!!
Congrats to you Dodgers’ fans you got one hell of a competitor and a heck of a pitcher in Alex Wood. I don’t honestly blame you all for the skepticism as things stand now, but I’m guessing by mid May you will see just how truly special this young lefty can be.
Again good luck to all of Dodger Nation, and even if it comes at the expense of my beloved Braves I wish nothing but the best for Woody as he continues his career in dodger blue!!
Visions_of_Blue_LA
True, but he is a capable replacement who is filling for as of now a short term injury. I think the argument is different if Kendrick was out for an extended period of time without a Utley or Kike. Anderson was a guy who tired towards the end after eclipsing his innings. That being said he wasn’t a lynchpin going into the season. They held hope that Ryu would be healthy. That didn’t happen so now the injury is felt a little more.
The 5th starter for at least the first month won’t really be the biggest issue seeing as 2 starts will be skipped. Frias seems to be the logical choice as even when he’s skipped he can come out of the pen. They have to have major trust in their talent evaluators seeing as they have what seem to be two capable potential fill ins. Wood for what’s worth has eaten innings in the past.
We all know the center pieces of this team who the Dodgers could not afford to lose or most any teams for that matter. That would be Kershaw, Gonzalez, Seager, and Jansen. It’s great to see that there are three-four intriguing backups that could fill in if injuries in the middle of the diamond do occur and are serious. What blows the whole plan to shreds is if both Seager and Kendrick/ or Turner see significant time on the shelf. Now Utley, Culberson, Johnson, or Barnes are forced into a primary role. Kike can only fill one person. Ethier’s injury hurts but CC is not going to be playing everyday.
This team is not perfect by any means. They do have the ability to withstand current issues. They also have started to build a talent pool that won’t be depleted of talent if a move or two were to be made. Kaz and Maeda are better options then what was available in the 3-4 portion at the beginning of last year. I still think a healthy productive Ryu come June changes the whole picture, but that’s a big if. Every team in the West has big ifs in the rotation come opening day. The Dodgers just have less room for error. Then again it will all be defined soon.
BlueSkyLA
A reasonable analysis. So the question to Friedman again is: nobody questions the wisdom of carrying a lot of spare tires, but what happens when you are running on spare tires, and maybe some of them go flat? Do you go out and find new tires, or slap on more spares? The fan angst is over his totally non-committal answer to this question. What some of us are reading between the lines is, “wait until next year.” Again. Not the right message to send to an already deeply frustrated fan base, but then, this is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Friedman.
fred-3
Because making win-now moves to apease the fanbase worked out so well with Ned.
As someone said, this approach Freidman is taking now has worked for the Dodgers in the past. Kasten’s also has been saying from Day 1 that they want to be a draft and development team.
BlueSkyLA
Everybody wants to be a draft and development team. The question is what a team does when draft and development isn’t enough to win, which it rarely is. Trade, sign, or don’t worry too much about winning, are the only options. Once again though it seems the problem is the paying customers. It would be so much easier if only they could run the team without those annoying fans demanding their appeasement.
sdsuphilip
People are acting like the approach has to be either or, it doesn’t. Signing a David Price doesn’t mean the Dodgers are priced out and couldn’t make other moves as well. It doesn’t have to be stars and scrubs verse depth and youth. They by many accounts overpayed for a few of the cubans they signed (especially Sierra (sp?)). With the injuries they have there depth is really not there anymore, and another question which is set up is how the rotation matches up in the playoffs without top end arms other than Kershaw.
fred-3
1.Playoffs are a crapshoot
2. don’t need a great rotation to win a few crapshoot playoff series
3. they still have the inventory to make a July trade for great starter, if need be
BlueSkyLA
Dodgers team revenue is probably well north of $350M a year. They could afford to do a lot of things that they simply choose not to do for business reasons.
fred-3
How exactly do you know that though? They’ve been saying from Day 1 that they aren’t going to spend crazy forever. It was just a way to reinvest into a bad team. At heart, they want to be a player development, metrics team. This is why they got top execs from Oakland and Tampa.
BlueSkyLA
The media deal is worth over $300M a year (on average, and yes I know, on a sliding scale). They sell over 3.5M tickets a year. Even at a nominal $20 a pop, we are talking $70M. This is before concessions, parking (partly shared with McCourt), subleases for offseason events, and licensing. So getting to $350M in revenue is easy. Might well be more than $400M. Whether they “spend crazy” or not they sure do “make money crazy.” Maybe maxing out profits is why they hired those top execs from Oakland and Tampa. Why would anyone think this is just not possible? Mystifying.
fred-3
Well, they’re still spending. They spent about $ 120MM on major league players and another $100MM on amateurs since J2. They’re just spending it differently, such as on the back end of the roster players so there’s depth when injuries occur.
BlueSkyLA
So maybe this is why other GMs are calling the Dodgers the “test tube team.” They are running an experiment without any predictable outcome, except it would appear, lower payroll outlays over time. I would not be surprised to find the Dodgers’ payroll settling into the lower end of the top third of teams inside of few more years, where I am afraid it will remain whether or not the experiment produces winning teams. I would hate to be right about this but this is where the evidence seems to be pointing.
danpartridge
This frustration might be widespread, but it’s definitely your only focus. Kazmir, Kendrick, Wood, Maeda, and Barnes (just to name five potential opening day roster spots) are anything but spare parts. These are good ballplayers, worthy of spots on a lot of top tier teams–even Barnes. This is a team that could win the division and proceed into the crapshoot of the postseason without surprises or players over performing. Just because it doesn’t contain the shiny pieces you like doesn’t mean it isn’t a solid, contending club.
danpartridge
Pointing how? It’s still the top payroll in the league. Just because it’s not the top payroll by the same absurd amount doesn’t mean the bottom will drop out–and there’s just zero evidence to support your supposition. Good lord. It’s a good team. Let them play.
BlueSkyLA
Doesn’t mean that it is, either. Definitely a weaker rotation, and last I checked, postseason success was still heavily dependent on having three solid starters. Maybe two others will emerge from the cast of characters they have already, or one or two who recover from injuries — but what if that doesn’t happen? Will Mr. Friedman deal for what the team needs to succeed? This is the question I am asking, the one the astute sportswriters and fans are asking, and the one he consistently refuses to answer.
fred-3
You realize every GM besides Dave Stewart is similarity coy with sportswriters and fans? Just let the season play out. Your questions will be answered in time.
danpartridge
I’m with Fred, here. Are you expecting some sort of in-depth explanation of the Dodgers’ front office plan, its analytics and scouting short- and long-term approach, along with the details of in-house meetings and discussions regarding their approach to the current roster, midseason acquisition targets, payroll, and minor league development (among so many other things) in a press conference from the GM? You want him to detail the thinking of the entire organization for you?
Really?
BlueSkyLA
Nobody expects a GM to lay out their entire strategy in public. Friedman isn’t even the Dodgers’ GM, but in his case, he seems to go out of his way to avoid acknowledging legitimate fan frustration. He make bad trades, the team loses, he fires the coaches. All part of the plan? No, Friedman doesn’t need any more apologists, and another talk-to-the-hand moment just doesn’t cut it. He deserves to be judged on what he says and what he does.
danpartridge
Yeah, and he’s running a team that has won the division three years in a row. That’s the *most consecutive division titles in franchise history.* I don’t particularly think that screams out “Explain yourself, Friedman!” More likely, “Explain yourself, BlueSky.”
fred-3
Other than Mat Latos, what bad trades has he made?
danpartridge
I don’t even think the Latos trade was bad. They got Wood, Avilan, and Peraza in that deal, too, giving up (mainly) Hector Olivera, who seems iffy to stick in the bigs at this point. I think Latos flamed out, but they Dodgers got some great value from the other players in that trade.
fred-3
Latos trade was separate from the Wood trade, wasn’t it? It was Latos and Morse for low tier prospects then they traded Morse to the Pirates.
Latos trade was bad because they were counting on him to pitch well. and he didn’t.
danpartridge
Actually, no. It was a complex thing where the Dodgers spent a lot of money and got a ton of players, including Wood, Latos, Avilan, and Peraza: sbnation.com/2015/7/30/9075223/dodgers-trade-mat-l…
It does give insight into the team’s front office. Much like the acquisition of Kendrick, which stemmed from the trade including Heaney (and they lost Dee Gordon there, but no one predicted he’d have a year like 2015), the FO was thinking a few moves ahead, and very creatively, to get the pieces they wanted.
I just don’t think no WS ring means a failure team. This is a pretty successful franchise on the upswing with a solid present *and* future. Most teams have holes, except maybe the Cubs this year, but their effort was a long rebuild, and it’s finally coming together.
BlueSkyLA
Everybody knew what the Dodgers needed last July if they were going to complete in the postseason: a legitimate #3 starter and a setup man. They got Latos and Johnson. Both stunk, and not just a little (especially Johnson). So yes, that trade was a failure by any objective measure. BTW, you maybe don’t want to give Friedman credit for division titles that happened before he was employed by the Dodgers, and maybe not more than partial credit for a division winning team made up almost entirely of players he did not hire.
danpartridge
Dude! They got a bunch of other pieces in that trade, including Wood, Avilan, Johnson, and Peraza. They traded for a bunch of guys right when Friedman & Co took over. This is a vastly different team from when the FO changed, and it’s been overhauled by the that same group, with very positive results. You not hearing what you want to hear doesn’t make them less successful, and your complaints about not hearing it are unfounded.
mcdusty31
It is going to take time for the current regime to strike pay dirt…they are still contending with bad contracts from the previous regime and a couple from their own but at the same time they haven’t given away their farm which is going to bear fruit…this front office is on to something and I hope other dodgers fans can be patient to see it come to life
Cam
Fans, observers and the likes have been beating the same drum for the last few years. Just like every other year, they’ll be fine, the depth will see them thru. They just need to win the crapshoot that is the playoffs, like every other team tries to stay healthy for and strike in a small sample size.
The only difference this time is – the talent they wouldn’t trade away at deadlines gone by, is the talent waiting to be called up.
Every objectionable opinion is in line with common sense – they aren’t perfect, but they’re in a good position.
Samuel
The problem with the Dodgers “depth” is this…….
Playing baseball is all about timing and rhythm. For both position players and pitchers. To break the opposing teams players timing and rhythm up, pitchers hold onto the ball, and batters step out of the box. For players to be successful, they have to get into a regular playing pattern so they can get their timing and rhythm down, These are human beings, not computer statistics that someone suddenly turns on after ignoring them for a period of time.
The teams that make it deep into the playoffs have set lineups. They might platoon one position, two at the most. The Dodgers have too many players, most of whom need to play full-time. But there isn’t enough playing time for all of them, anymore then there are enough decisions to be made that justify the 10 or so ex-GM’s and ‘advisers’ the Dodgers employ. This is the ultimate “throwing dollars at a problem” I’ve seen in 60 years of watching pro sports.
Sports are scientific to a point. But they are also an art. Too many MLB organizations believe that having a strong left-brain policy gets it done. The winners – in any team sport – understand that there is a balance. The Dodgers are a great business example for American companies – you don’t succeed by putting a number on everything and treating your employees as if they’re robots. At some point you have to empower employees and let them do their job.
baseballrat
Winning Championships is about “getting hot” at the right time, no matter how much rhythm/chemistry teams have. As long a team makes the post season, they have a chance. Most Every team is gonna get hit by the injury bug at some point. It’s how you deal with it is what really matters. If Dodgers can tread water in April they will be just fine. All that other talk is just that.
Samuel
No.
Superior teams that have played well for months “get hot” in the playoffs. They have their timing down. They may become more consistent in the playoffs, but they hardly suddenly turn it up in late September.
As for the Dodgers, I don’t see at all where they’re a shoo-in for the playoffs. I like the Giants and DBacks more in the NLW, and I see one of the Nationals/Mets and/or one of the Cardinals/Cubs/Pirates getting the 2 WC spots if the loser of the Giants/DBacks doesn’t get one. Mattingly and Greinke knew what they were doing getting out of there. It’s just a place to take home a large paycheck – be one a player or front office type. The locker room chemistry is who with a big contract gets sucked up to each day. Look at what Roberts said the other day about platooning, then backtracked when Kershaw said he didn’t feel comfortable pitching if his defense was platooning. The Dodgers organization is – and for 2 years has been – a joke.
fred-3
No, Kershaw said nothing about platooning. He was skeptical of defensive shifts.
neoncactus
Greinke knew what he was doing getting out of there? He WENT to Arizona for the big paycheck. It wasn’t like he was planning to bolt all along. I fully expected the Dodgers to build their young players. And if it takes them a couple of years to develop, rather than give them up for higher priced veterans on shorter deals, I’m fine with that. There’s a huge push for the Dodgers to win their first World Series in 28 years, but if it takes them more time, I look at it more as it’s been 28 years, so what’s another year or two if it makes the team stronger and in a position to win consistently for multiple years? I think the Giants look stronger this year, but I’m looking forward to a great battle for the division this year.
Visions_of_Blue_LA
It depends who were are talking about playing full time. You’re going to see a majority of full time guys be full time. There will a platoon in LF which there should be at this point in CC and Ethiers career. Turner, Gonzo, and Grandal are all going to get rest probably a little more with injury questions and age. Utley is not going to be a full time guy or at least you’d hope not because that’s a signal that something went wrong. Kike will do what he does play everywhere. So there’s really nobody who is a full time guy that’s getting the shaft. They’re not relying on guys like Barnes, Thompson, and Johnson but they’ll get worked in and have to beat someone out to win a position. The Dodgers have their core and complimentary pieces. The odd men out are Guerrero for obvious reasons and CC when Ethier returns. I don’t entirely buy the notion that the FO sees their players as just numbers there was a reason Friedman was beloved by his players in TB. All that being said I’m not the biggest fan of the extreme shifts but this is how guys came through systems. Just like teams relying on the 3 run Jack the games progressively reverted back to aggressive baseball and defense. The game will revert back eventually to guys using the whole field and extreme shifts will be useless.
A'sfaninUK
I love how MLB blacklists and suspends players who want to be better at playing the game by using PEDs, but rapists and actual criminals who were in prison are a-ok. Totally reasonable. Very consistent.
Samuel
You running for office this year?