Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is optimistic shortstop Corey Seager will be able to return for the World Series, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com was among those to report (Twitter link). “Corey doesn’t want to be denied,” Roberts said of Seager, who missed the Dodgers’ five-game National League Championship Series triumph over the Cubs with a lower back sprain. Reserve Charlie Culberson provided surprisingly excellent production at shortstop against the Cubs, hitting .455/.417/.818 in 13 plate appearances, but he’s obviously not in Seager’s stratosphere. Seager has opened his career with two superstar-caliber seasons and is arguably the Dodgers’ top position player.
More from around the game:
- The Cubs’ firing of pitching coach Chris Bosio on Saturday was manager Joe Maddon’s decision, Paul Sullivan and Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune report. Maddon’s relationship with Bosio deteriorated as the season progressed, per Sullivan and Gonzales, who add that Mike Maddux and the previously reported Jim Hickey are candidates to serve as the Cubs’ next pitching coach. Maddux was the Nationals’ pitching coach over the past two years, but his time with the club ended with manager Dusty Baker’s exit. Hickey, meanwhile, is also on the Cardinals’ radar, according to Sullivan and Gonzales.
- Rangers general manager Jon Daniels will enter a contract year in 2018, but he told Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram and other reporters on Friday that he has “no desire to go anywhere.” Daniels’ hope is to land an extension, though neither he nor members of the Rangers’ ownership group commented on whether a new deal is in the works. The 40-year-old has been in his post since October 2005, making him the second-longest tenured GM in the game behind the Yankees’ Brian Cashman, and has helped construct five playoff teams and two pennant winners (2010 and ’11). The 2017 season wasn’t a success for the Daniels-led Rangers, however, as they finished 78-84. Daniels is still optimistic, though, saying: “This was not a fun year, just the variety of things that we dealt with, but what it illuminated was getting back to the things that are fun. Being creative, finding new ways to compete, finding different competitive advantages, circling the wagons and building with our people.”
- The Red Sox are an “obvious” fit for Tony La Russa, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe observes. La Russa, who’s set to exit the Diamondbacks’ front office at the end of the month, has a longstanding relationship with Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Cafardo points out. La Russa spoke glowingly of Boston’s front office leader, telling Cafardo, “There’s nobody in baseball I respect more than Dave Dombrowski.” Both La Russa’s friendship with Dombrowski and his vast experience in baseball could make him a candidate for an advisory role with the Sox. When asked about the possibility, Dombrowski said, “We’ll see.”
Sweet Jesus. LaRussa to the Red Sox? We already had Valentine. Do we have to take the “genius”, too?
Little different situation don’t ya think?
There’s a difference between an advisory role (LaRussa) and manager (Valentine)…….
Culberson had a higher batting average than OBP?
It is very uncommon, but it is possible and happens, once in a great while.
Batting average is based on at bats. OBP is based on plate appearances.
In a nut shell, sacrifices do not count against your BA, but they count against your OBP>
He was 5 for 11 for his .455 BA.. He had a sac in game 1, which would make his OBP 5-12 or ..417
Thank you for clarifying that. I was pretty confused by the OBP as well
If it was Joe’s decision, that makes more sense. A manager has to be on good terms with his staff.
Blaming it on the walks, though, that is cheap.
Wilson struggled from the get go. I don’t recall Bosio changing any thing with him when he came over.
If you blame Bosio for the struggles, shouldn’t he get credit for Jake, Kyle, Wade etc.?
In my book Bosio gets more credit for the World Series title then Maddon. He made average pitchers look good so the front office could flip them. Scott Feldman, Jason Hammel, Pat Maholms, Dempster, Garza, Samarjrza, etc. And he made Arrieta a beast when he came over, just as he developed Hendricks and Quintana to me seemed more impressive this year once he became a Cub.
Bosio should get alot of credit. But no Maddon no world series dude. Get real!!
Take away the players the Cubs got in the trades I mentioned and the Cubs don’t win the World Series. The front office and coaches that were around for the rebuild made the World Series in Maddon’s first year possible. And they won in the playoffs and World Series last year in spite of Maddon’s pitching changes, not because of them.
Samardzija was always average at best. Billy Beane got robbed by Theo. He traded 2 of his top 10 prospects for a rental. Which he flipped anyway for more average players.
The way I see it, Maddon had three options. Keep Bosio. Go with Jim Hickey, who he’s familiar with, or go some other way.
As these are probably his last three or four years of managing, he might as well go with someone he enjoyed working with before, over a new guy, or someone that he hadn’t been getting along with recently.
Probably a personality thing and Joe just wants his guys. This happens in regular jobs, so no surprise this sort of stuff happens in sports. Hoping for Maddux.
The Rangers owners needs to axe Jon Daniels. They are cellar dwellers thanks to him. They haven’t had a winning season since Nolan Ryan left. Hint Daniels is just riding on others coat tails. Bye Daniels. The Rangers needs to move on from him and get back to there winning ways
This is funny, you make one losing season sound like 6 years of cellar dwelling.
You do realize they led the AL in wins in 2016 right?
You Nolan sympathizers are pathetic. The Astros are in the World Series because of theirs scouting department and their draft choices. All of which happened before Ryan. He literally just shows up to games. To think he has his hand so far up the organizational process is incredibly naive.
Nolan Ryan joined the Rangers and the Rangers went to 2 World Series. Nolan joins the Astros and the Astros go to the World Series. After Nolan left the Rangers haven’t been the same. Is Daniels responsible for the Rangers WS runs or is Nolan? I don’t know the answer but it’s interesting to think about
When Nolan was with the Rangers they had the pitching depth and a good bullpen. They actually had a winning team. Now he’s with the Astros and look who is going to the World Series just saying. Big mistake in keeping Daniels
One thing Ryan did was drive accountability for the Rangers pitchers at all levels of the organization. He brought the old school pitching mentality to the game (throw strikes, go deep into the game, etc…). He left and that disappeared.
Nolan Ryan was responsible for the WS teams
Red Sox fans need to hope Dave D doesn’t go all “jobs for the boys” and hire TLR. This team should be looking for a forward thinking Manager – not a guy who’s after one last hurrah and laid an absolute egg in his last job.
Don’t get me wrong, every Dodger fan will be thrilled to have a healthy Cory Seager back on the roster for the World Series. But please, tell me: what makes him the Dodgers’ top position player?
Who said that?
Read the first paragraph of the article.
I see that now. must have skimmed over that last sentence.
He’s a great hitter that gets on base and hits for both average and power, and he’s a great defender…
An argument can easily be made for Turner instead, but Seager is doing his work at THE premium position in the field, so I don’t think it’s that big of a stretch to say he’s their best position player. Pretty good problem to have.
For what it’s worth, they had nearly identical fWAR and bWAR totals this year…
Seager: .295/.375/.479/.854
Turner: .322/.415/.530/.945
Justin Turner flies so far under the radar he must have to pick twigs out of his beard.
Again, Seager is a SS and Turner is a 3B.
And Seager is also one of the best defensive shortstops in all of baseball.
At worst, they are each top 5 players at their respective positions.
Turner also had what 100 less at bats?
The great part of this conversation is that we are trying to discern between 2 tremendous players at this stage in their careers. Prisoner of the moment Turner is by far the better hitter/leader at this moment. Seager is in 2nd full year yet he provides so much more positional value. According to DRS it’s Puig, Seager, Turner and all else, 18,10,6.
It’s been Turner’s national coming out party, which is beyond deserved. I don’t think we can understate Seager’s importance to this lineup though. Best positional player right Turner. Best positional player if we are talking career glimpses is Seager. But that’s kind of splitting hairs.
Fangraphs has Seager at a slightly higher score due to his defense and baserunning ability at 5.7 vs 5.5. And Seager was definitely better in 2016 both offensively and defensively.
It might be splitting hairs, but it helps to split them the right way. My point is Seager is hardly an automatic choice when it comes to deciding who is the Dodgers’ top position player. Aside from his work at the plate, Turner plays an excellent 3B, perhaps not a “premium” position, but then the Dodgers have two other players who can hold down SS defensively in an entirely respectable fashion.
It’s also instructive to look at Seager and Turner’s work in the postseason. Turner pretty consistently catches fire and Seager just as consistently turns rather meek. Have to admit, I am concerned about the latter, especially given the injury and what we saw from Culbertson.
As long as he doesn’t look like a fool out there Seager is playing.
Sorry, is that supposed to be a good thing?
You are over-exaggerating everything pretty severely. Nobody here (or in the original post) ever said Seager was the “automatic choice” when it comes to deciding who is the Dodgers top position player. The original post said he “likely is,” which leaves a lot of room for debate. I followed that up by saying that you could easily make an argument for either one. They are both fantastic baseball players.
Turner is a better hitter right now (although Seager is also great), and Seager is a better defender that also happens to play a premium position.
If you asked every GM in the league if they’d rather have:
1) An elite defensive SS that will put up an .850+ OPS every single year
2) A good defensive 3B that can put up a .900+ OPS (more likely in the mid-.800’s based on his last few years, not just this one)
Every single one will take the SS. Does that make him a “better” player? Not necessarily. But to act like there is no contest (which is exactly what you are doing – and what you are incorrectly complaining about people doing on the other side) is absolutely ridiculous.
Again, they are both excellent players. Everybody knows it now. Has Turner been underrated? Absolutely – you can tell that by the ridiculously cheap contract (relatively speaking, of course) the Dodgers gave him last offseason. He’s finally getting the attention he has earned. But Seager has absolutely earned the attention as well, and to act like he hasn’t is crazy.
Turner’s OPS over the last four seasons is .886. And where exactly do you get “average defender” at 3B? And no if you read what I actually wrote you won’t find my saying or even remotely implying that it’s no contest. What I am saying is it surely is one, and, just as you have, that Turner is underrated.
Likely means probably is.
Exaggerating? Absolutely ridiculous is right.
I mean with all due respect he said good not average. And yes he’s absolutely above average defensively. If not for Arenado, I think he’s absolutely in the discussion for probably the best defensive/overall 3b in the NL. We’d probably have to have a serious discussion concerning Rendon and Turner. What strikes me as just sort of ridiculous is the expectations concerning playoffs. Can we honestly even judge it yet? Really in all honesty we have one full postseason to go on… I mean let’s leave 15 out, bc I don’t think we really judge a rk plying <50 games as one that should be a savior. Seager didn’t really have a great postseason last year, but again that’s as though we are expecting Bellinger to be the bell cow offensive force even though he’s played by far the most games in his life(yet it pales in comparison to what Seager did). So yes Turner is severely underrated, but that doesn’t really take away from Seager’s talent. Turner has made himself into the hitter you want up in an important situation, bottom of the 9th down 1 bases loaded two out type of deal. It’s just kind of comical to refer to Seager as meek. Especially when we are talking about a 23 year old. Yeah he was pretty bad last year, but like most he probably should have been gassed. Let’s also not gloss over the fact that his presence in the lineup not only changes it, but by far makes it more potent. You push everyone back. I don’t think there is any of skirting beyond that.
In summary, a majority of LA fans knew just how great of an offensive force Turner was in the playoffs and honestly resigning him for below market value will be a feather in the cap of the front office. But it’s pretty simple, at the end of the day the drop off is significant from ABs that Seger puts together at SS. Yes Culberson has plays well, but let’s not discount the fact that the Cubs entire staff was 1) gassed and 2) just not anywhere close to what they were last year.
That meant to say;judge a rk playing in less than 50 g to be a savior. If you do you’re kind of screwed. In summary…
I think we should be able to agree that “good” is not “above average” just as we should be able to agree that “likely” means “probably.”
Yes, LA fans know all about Turner. But how much do fans outside of LA know about Turner? Again (and again, and again) my point is, outside of LA, he is hugely unappreciated. This is why it is disappointing if not unsurprising to see it said that Seager “is likely the Dodgers’ top position player,” when in fact and reality, its at least a close contest between him and Turner.
Clearly I have no specific expectations for the playoffs, so they can’t fairly be characterized as ridiculous. My point in bringing up Culbertson is that isn’t a slam-dunk decision to sit him down when he’s been a real force in the postseason so far, plays his position very well, and Seager’s current situation is at best uncertain.
In any case, you and everyone else commenting in this discussion would do well to return to my original post.
Seager is deemed top position player by the media. They say it all over the place because the media never lets the facts get in the way of beefing up a story
Considering he plays the top position defensively and he’s really good offensively, he’s certainly in the conversation.
When it comes to the Dodgers MVP (and in fact, the MVP of the league) I would go with Cody Bellinger. LA was struggling in April until Cody was brought up and put a fire into this team and they took off with Cody leading the way. Obviously, with 104 wins, it takes a lot of players doing well and Seager, Turner, Puig and Taylor were all wonderful as was the pitching staff and Jansen was awesome as the closer.
Corey can be the Pinch hitter or DH
Back back Kirk Gibson looked like car wreck in the post season
The Cubs should fire their hitting coach too.
The White Sox fans should fire their inbred jealousy of anything North Side.
The south side…..where your sister and wife are the same person. 😀
If the Sox had as many fans as they have people revelling in the Cubs “failure” this season, they’d sell out every game.
I wish Cubs fans would go back to being lovable losers instead of pretentious SOBs they are now. Rivalry used to be friendly now they taste a little success and suddenly their sh*t doesn’t stink
lmao! Cubs win one WS after 108 years and everyone keeps saying we don’t have the right to gloat. Because fans of other teams neeeever act pretentious when they win the WS. (rolls eyes)
Seager should replace Granderson on the roster. I’m so tired of his Grandy’s ABs.
If Seager looks good in the simulated games over the next day or so, then yes, Granderson is the most likely candidate to join the taxi squad.
Getting rid of JD is the only thing that would save my fandom at this point. I have not nor will I ever understand the fascination with him. Only with Nolan there to check his power did he have any real playoff success. And so many of his trades have been brutally bad. Can’t ride on the one trade with Atlanta forever Jon.
Was his last big trade that was a bonafide win for him the Cliff Lee deal?
like ALL teams/GM’s….there are hits and misses when it comes to trades and FA signings. JD’s trade with Philly to get Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman was a big winner. Hamels is 33-12 for texas. Diekman, when healthy, has also been a big asset out of the pen. Getting Sam Dyson was a good trade for a couple years for Texas. Getting Lucroy and Jeffress last year from Milwaukee was a big reason the Rangers won the west. But he missed with other mid season deals in the past. You’d be hard pressed to find a GM who never misses.
Disagree completely on Hamels/Diekman and Lucroy/Jeffress trades being winners. We made those trades to win a World Series. We got dominated by the same team twice in a row. And we gave up a lot of top prospects. Lewis Brinson, Jorge Alfaro, Nick Williams, Luis Ortiz, Jerad Eickhoff, and Jake Thompson. Those are losses in my book.
All a GM can do is get the right parts so the team can make the playoffs. What happens after that is a lot of luck. It’s about getting hot at the right time and has nothing to do with the GM. It’s up to the players and coaches to get it done after that. That’s why Dusty Baker was fired. Mike Rizzo gave Baker the parts but he and the players didn’t get it done. Texas gave up a lot of prospects but who knows if they’ll be studs or duds? Alfaro and Williams showed a little something this year. Brinson and Ortiz did not but of course, only time will tell. Hamels is 33-13 over 68 starts for Texas. That’s darn good. Diekman was ill this year but when healthy, he’s been terrific out of the pen. Lucroy and Jeffers were very disappointing this season. Lucroy was pouting because he didn’t get an extended contract but his performance didn’t inspire any reason for Texas to sign him. Jefferes was just horrible this year after being a very good setup man the year before. Sam Dyson was terrific his first two seasons for Texas but was horrible this year. No question, JD really bombed with some deals but overall, Texas has done things they never did before in terms of success in winning divisions and getting to the world series twice. The fact Nelson Cruz didn’t make a catch to win the title is hardly Daniels fault.
So Bosio is going to be Maddons fall guy? That figures coming from that type of man with the character flaws! His ego is way out of control!
Probably a personality thing and Joe just wants his guys. This happens in regular jobs, so no surprise this sort of stuff happens in sports. Hoping for Maddux.
More like a “we need somebody to blame” thing.
LaRussa, at 73, is the last person I would sign to a Red Sox contract to serve in any capacity. He is too old. He should have retired from baseball a decade ago to spend his millions playing golf, going fishing or whatever.
Is it really a “firing” if a guy’s contract expires/option isn’t picked up to bring him back. I’d call it more of “letting him go” or “laying him of” than an outright firing. Firing a coach to me is what happens when a team gets rid of a dude still under contract. Bosio wasn’t under contract….. or should I say he had an option in his contract and the Cubs just declined to pick it up. I guess it really doesn’t matter what you call it, but to me labeling it as them “firing” him seems a bit harsh to what is actually going on. They declined his option because they just want new voices in the clubhouse….. that’s it. “firing” him seems like they “did him dirty” as the kids say. Personally, and I think we all know this, the guy they should ACTUALLY fire is Maddon. I’ve been saying it since he got here….. the guy is a friggin moron and insanely overrated and nauseatingly worshipped by the media. With Joe Girardi surprisingly being unemployed now I would love to see Maddon fired and have them bring the better Joe onboard. Girardi would actually bring some baseball sense and logic to this team. Maddon can then retire to his crappy van and smoke weed everyday….. which I think he does already anyways. At least it would explain his moronic managerial decisions….. not only in the playoffs but his regular season managing is awful as well. Maddon is more of a mascot than an actual leader/coach. The Cubs already have a pedo bear as their mascot. We don’t need a hipster/stoner grandpa as a mascot too. Really wish they would’ve kept Renteria to be honest. See what he could’ve done. Had he sucked, look…. Joe Girardi is available now. Would’ve been perfect. Instead we’re left with Maddon who causes hairlines everywhere to recede and blood pressures to skyrocket.