We all know that the Dodger system is loaded with prospects. Miguel Vargas looks like he is ready to make a contribution to a winning team. But after Vargas, who is the next big thing?
I tend to believe it will be one of their pitching prospects, maybe Stone, or maybe Miller. Is Cartaya the real deal? If he is, why then did they give Barnes a two-year deal with an option after the season? Barnes could conceivably play for the Dodgers through 2025.
Are there plans to move Will Smith to another position and open the door for the talented receiver? Catcher is one position where the Dodgers are loaded with prospects. I am chomping at the bit to see Dalton Rushing hit.
Outside of Andy Pages and Outman, their best outfield prospects are in the low minors. So, it will be very interesting to see how many of these kids we see in action this spring. Especially with players being out of camp and playing in the WBC.
Personally, I really have no interest in the WBC. Been that way since Hanley was injured in a WBC game many years back and missed some time at the beginning of the season. But it is something MLB is big on. I watched the first spring game against the Brewers today. Freeman looked in mid-season form and Martinez hit a single that sounded like a cannon shot.
Outman hit a sharp single to right that would have been an out last year. The pitch clock sped up the action considerably and one Dodger, David Peralta, walked on a pitch clock violation.
But back to the kids. I am never going to judge anyone on a single game. But in a couple of weeks, we will get to see just how ready Vargas is. Lux did well in his debut as the Dodgers new starting SS.
While I was doing some more research, Lux went down with what looks like an apparent tear in his knee. He will have an MRI soon. SO that throws a wrench into the works. But unlike when Guerrero went down in the mid-80’s, the Dodgers have two alternatives already on the field and roster. First up will be Miguel Rojas. Great glove, not a great hitter, but not as bad as one might think either. I think Taylor is the other option right now with them only making a trade if they feel they need it at the deadline.
I believe Lux going down opens the door for Michael Busch to make the team as a utility guy. My reasoning? He is a very good left handed bat and that is what they lost. Also he has a lot more power than Taylor or Rojas. No knee jerk trade needed.
I think the next real impact rookie is going to be Cartaya, but he is at least a year away. This season, my money is now on Busch.
If Busch isn’t going to get regular playing time (and the way things are set up now, he isn’t), he’s far better off playing every day and getting 4 AB’s at OKC.
You sit him on the bench and give him 5 or 6 at bats per week and you’ll wind up with a prospect who hits .108.
I agree. He got three at bats yesterday. Once again though the regulars did not get the job done. No hits until the 5th inning when Taylor singled. Yamamoto is pitching himself right out of the organization.
Hard to be a utility guy when defense is your weakness.
Yamamoto needs to add one pitch to his arsenal and he will be fine. That pitch? A strike.
Bench players cannot be rookies. Period. The Dodgers need to find that role player by sorting through the veteran invites or by trading for another Rojas. Those guys are around.
The top of the order looks ok to me. I don’t know how well Muncy, Martinez and Vargas will do but the potential is there. The bottom of the lineup is yet to be determined.
I sure hope the pitching is stable and has some length to it. I can’t help but have my doubts. I still believe we will have what is essentially a 6 man rotation.
good line
Time for that vaunted depth to help out.
Absolutely the time.
They’ll warm up when the weather does.
So my observations from today’s game (albeit it while the game was on volume 2, I was working, and I was staring out side at the snowfall in Santa Clarita:
1) Dustin May looked like he threw hard? (but no radar gun)
2) Miguel Vargas is showing now that by this summer, he’ll be really really comfortable at 2b
3) Gavin Stone has filthy stuff
4) Outman had some nice swings today. He’ll likely be a strikeout machine, but also have lots of extra base hits and play good D. In essence, he’ll be better than last year’s CF
Outman has the tools to put up an .800+ OPS. I think it important to ignore the strikeouts until his OPS drops below league average.
We just lost a left handed middle infielder so it makes sense to replace him with our most ML ready LH middle infielder. Or does it? Busch looks like he can hit, that’s about it, and maybe that’s enough. CT3 and Rojas are both utility guys. Muncy can play multiple positions. Vargas can too. What is it that would be most important to add to the 26 man? Speed? Defense? More utility? Speed, defense and more utility?
Several weeks to go here, then several months to go to the deadline. There’s plenty of time. Right?
The weather that’s been happening here made it to Glendale. This February actually feels like winter. It sucks.
I agree with all four of your observations. Miggy Vargas is getting and looking more comfortable at 2B. Outman barreled up three times, with 2 RBIs.
Gavin Stone not only looked to have filthy stuff, but he looked very composed on the hill in a runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Strikes out Justin Foscue and gets out of the inning unscathed.
May ran out of gas in his 2nd inning, but his 3 Ks in the 1st looked promising as they were against Texas regulars. Adolis Garcia’s run scoring triple probably gets cutoff by Mookie in the regular season.
While he had nothing to show for it, CT3 barreled up twice in his 2 AB. He walked in his 3rd PA.
Trayce Thompson still looks to be struggling making contact.