When STB commented that perhaps Anthony Banda should have been one of the pitchers to meet with Roki Sasaki, Badger replied, “Why not Hurt, Gonsolin, May, Ryan, Sheehan, Miller, Stone, or Graterol. They are all injured using Dodger training methods.” That was a fair retort.
However, is it really LAD training methods or could it be that some were pushed faster than they should have been because of the lack of healthy SP at the MLB level? Or could it be that the team focuses more on the power arms with spin?
Could it be that the pitchers are pushing the limit when they reach MLB? Get that added adrenaline rush. It is entirely plausible that Yoshinobu Yamamoto pushed it too much in NYY. His velo was up more than expected in that start. He lasted one more start before being shut down.
I do think that it is absolutely true that Emmet Sheehan and River Ryan were pushed out of necessity.
Sheehan had pitched into the 6th inning twice during the season at Tulsa (AA) before getting the call in June 2023. His first two starts were 6.0 IP, and things started to go south after that. He finally was sent to OKC where he pitched 3 games and 9.2 IP. Sheehan is not Clayton Kershaw, but was called to LAD without any AAA IP. Why? Because the MLB team needed healthy SP.
Ryan was a converted infielder who had not pitched much in his professional career. He had 104.1 IP in 2023. He started the 2024 season on the 60 day IL because of shoulder fatigue. One game with the LAD ACL and one game with Rancho before getting assigned to OKC where he finished 2023 (2 games – 7.0 IP). Ryan got up to 5.0 IP with OKC on July 10. One more ACL start on July 16 before getting the call to LAD. His first two starts for the Dodgers were 5.1 and 5.2 IP, the first time in his professional career he pitched into the 6th inning. Ryan left the game on August 10 after 4.2 IP due to an injury. He first felt the pain in his elbow on the 3rd inning and said nothing. Did he push it too much? Why was Ryan brought up? He was needed because of the lack of healthy SP. Too much too soon?
Dustin May? Was it the training methods or was it Dustin May being Dustin May. May pitches with his hair on fire every pitch with a ton of spin. Easy to say that the Dodgers should have told him to notch it down. But May is the one who has to follow it. How many years has Clayton Kershaw been told to develop a change (since very early in his MiLB career), and he never has.
Graterol? Is LAD training the problem or Brusdar’s training?
Tony Gonsolin? Is it LAD training or today’s pitchers? As of 2023, 35.3% of active Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers have had Tommy John surgery. This is a 29% increase from 2016. So Gonsolin is like more than 1/3 of MLB pitchers to have TJ surgery. That would seem to indicate that most MLB teams have questionable training.
Bobby Miller? LAD training or too much deer in the headlight concerns?
Gavin Stone? I have no idea why his shoulder needed shoulder surgery.
Every MLB team suffers pitcher arm injuries. The Dodgers are more noticed (especially by LAD fans) because of the number. No team has the ability to trot out that number of quality pitchers. NYM? David Peterson is the only projected SP from their system. After not experiencing much (if any) significant injuries in Japan, Kodai Senga was hurt most of last year.
Detroit’s last three top pitching prospects, Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Jackson Jobe have all had injuries. Skubal had TJ surgery in college, and had flexor tendon surgery in 2022. Mize had TJ surgery in 2023. Jobe has had a couple of injuries, one to his back.
Phillies top pitching prospect, Andrew Painter had TJ surgery. Mick Abel, another Phillies top prospect was shut down in 2022 with shoulder tendonitis, and some say he has never fully recovered to assume top of the rotation status.
Atlanta’s Ace, Spencer Strider, TJ surgery last year. Since 2018, Max Fried has been on the IL 11 times.
Miami’s Sandy Alcantara.
I could certainly keep going.
I am not condoning the number of injuries the Dodgers have had, but we know of them because most have happened at the MLB level. Before we criticize LAD training (and it is certainly a fair criticism), maybe we should delve into the number of injuries at MiLB for the other teams. Pitching is a problem throughout baseball from youth leagues, travel teams, high school, and college before they get signed to pitch professionally.
If LAD signs Roki Sasaki and he comes down with an injury, will it be because of LAD or his Japan usage?
I prefer to focus on the LAD training that actually gave the Dodgers all the options. My six-man rotation to start the season:
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Tyler Glasnow
- Blake Snell
- Tony Gonsolin
- Bobby Miller
- Landon Knack
With the number of open dates, I am not sure how much of a 6 man rotation is actually needed until May, when Ohtani is scheduled to join the rotation.
Sonja Chen projects Dustin May over Bobby Miller. So does Roster Resource. Maybe.
Add Justin Wrobleski and Ben Casparius and that will make 10 possible starters by May. Nick Frasso? Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to be back by June. That is 12.
Right now Roster Resource has included Shohei Ohtani as the 6th man in the rotation. That is entirely possible since the Dodgers schedule has the number of open dates to only need 5 until May.
Roster Resource has the OKC rotation as: Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Nick Frasso, Justin Wrobleski, and Ben Casparius. That is four of five with MLB experience in AAA ready to move to MLB. Pretty good training.
Too many have dismissed Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May before the pitchers and catchers report (February 10). Too many dismissed Chris Sale last year (except Atlanta). And no, I am not predicting that either Gonsolin or May will have a CY year like Sale. I am just saying let’s give them ST to find out if they are healthy for 2025.
There are a plethora of reasons that LAD pitchers (and other MLB/MiLB pitchers) come down with injuries. One of those is training methods, and LAD has said they are looking into the issue. We have not heard about the outcome of those meetings/discussions, nor do I expect to hear. Why would the Dodgers tell everyone what they may have found.
The Dodgers have 24 pitchers on the 40-man. Only two, Jack Dreyer and Nick Frasso, do not have MLB experience. Five of the 24 will be placed on the 60 day IL sometime in ST: Kyle Hurt, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, and Brusdar Graterol.
“My goal is to not buy in July,” Friedman said this offseason. “I am setting that out there right now. My goal is to do everything we can right now to not buy in July. It is terrible.”
It is not unreasonable to expect LAD to acquire another SP and elite RP before the season.
One thing I do agree on, it is doubtful the Dodgers will have one SP qualify for the ERA title. Pitchers need 162 IP to qualify. IMO, the Dodgers will have several in the 120-140 IP range. Many others in the 100 IP range. The Dodgers are not concerned with ERA champions or CY winners. They are fully focused on another WS title. March thru September will be auditions for October. It will be the Dodger training that will give them enough options to excel and prevail in October.
In the spirit of complete transparency, I wasn’t the one who made the Banda comment, it was Sam Oyed. Not that this changes anything you wrote above.
This is definitely an MLB problem, not just a Dodger problem. Teams like the Mariners who had an amazing lack of starting pitcher injuries last year will no doubt have it catch up with them in 2025.
This is where I again say that some smart high school or college pitching guru should encourage some of his guys to master the knuckler. Niekro, Hough and Wilhelm pitched until they were 100.
I’m really anxious to see what a healthy Tony Gonsolin can contribute this year. A good spring training should earn him a spot in the rotation to start the year. A bad spring will probably earn him a trip to OKC.
AF went shopping in July last season year–and came up with Flaherty, Edman and Kopech. And the cost didn’t seem too steep.
Getting Sasaki might end all of their shopping this off-season.
If Roki opts for San Diego, maybe the Dodgers would target a pitcher.
Would they cough up the $$ for Tanner Scott? Perhaps Scott, like Alonso and Bregman, has overestimated his market value.
Like others, I find myself thinking that perhaps Dustin May should go to the pen if it reduces the risk of injury. I’d be fine if the season opens with Miller and Knack as 5th and 6th starters.
If Miller gets his mojo back, he could be better than Sasaki.
Heading into the postseason, we could see Snell, Shohei, Glasnow and Yamamoto as the options.
Thayron Liranzo could become a beast.
Yes, but maybe not as a catcher. He will still catch, but I think we will see even more 1B/DH from his this year.
rumor has it that Sasaki will make his decision today. Would make sense because on the weekend the main sporting topics will be the NFL divisional games.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(and Go Rams)
One of the great moments of Uecker’s career was a Cardinals’ team photo that feature Uecker and Bob Gibson holding hands with big smiles on their faces.
Took awhile for the PR department to notice.
Supposedly Uecker and Gibson were fined and the team photo had to be retaken.
One time when he was with the Cardinals and Gibson was pitching, he went out to the mound, Gibson snarled, what are you doing here? Uecker replied, nothing, I’m heading to CF to talk to Flood.
That’s funny! Didn’t Gibson tell McCaver when McCaver went to the mound “the only thing you know about pitching is you can’t hit it.)?
Yes he did.
Latest drone footage of the Dodger Stadium renovation of the home and away clubhouses. Amazing how quickly the construction crews have made progress since the end of the season.
Another excellent post Jeff. Thank you.
Much to think about, and I am still on my first cup so thinking, limited in scope of course, may come a bit later.
The first thing that popped into the early morning fog:
“With the number of open dates, I am not sure how much of a 6 man rotation is actually needed until May”
Do it anyway. Carry as many pitchers as is allowed, (I’ll continue to pimp for 28-30 man rosters, maybe with a deadline for “roster lock”) move others up and down freely without option b.s. interference until the roster lock day.
After watching all of this unfold in the saber metric era, and reading hundreds of chat room conversations about it, I’m convinced teams will not back off velo and spin rate emphasis. Not going to happen. With my training in phys of ex and Kinesiology, which is now 50 years old, I still believe limiting the number of full on assault pitches, the actual number of which remains undecided but my gut says “show them you’ve got it (under the chin maybe, then f*** with them with spotted away pitches) pitch limits (90 maybe?) and focusing on location and change of speeds would be helpful. I have no scientific evidence this approach would work, it just makes sense to me.
Sign Sasaki and go with everyone pitching once a week until roster lock.
Love the line about not buying in July. He’s right, y’know.
MLB Network reporting that Puds are out of the Sasaki race. Down to the Dodgers and Jays.
Just like with Ohtani.
LAD are loading up on pitchers because they don’t have the answer yet other than a war of attrition. MLB did a cursory investigation into the issue but a deep dive into it needs to happen. Mechanics,comparing pitchers who have had no arm trouble, training methods,pitching strategies. It’s a serious problem.
San Diego went ahead and signed two of their international free agents, lowering their international pool money available for signing Sasaki by two million at least.
can not imagine Sasaki chosing the Jays over the Dodgers.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(and Rams)
Could be Toronto?
per Ardaya (quoting someone else):
Sources tell me and @ShiDavidi the Blue Jays are getting $2 million in international cap space in their trade with CLE.
Again, this does not mean Roki Sasaki has made a decision, but Jays clearly prepping in case he chooses them.
Well if you want to be the best in the game, you probably have to win a lot of big games in October, and that ain’t happening in Toronto. What is the Japanese fascination with Toronto? Check Mr Wonderful’s flight schedule today!
I’m not sure how many Universities employ this system but I’ve been told that some have pitchers pitch on a certain day of the Week, example: Kershaw is our Sunday starter, Koufax is our Saturday and Drysdale is our Friday pitcher. Was told that is was a prestige thing to be announced as the Sunday starter. I really don’t have an opinion on the system was wondering what some of you guys thought about employing a system close this system. Most off days seem to be on Monday and Thursday, so if the Dodgers have several off days on Monday in a row, the Monday pitcher could be used in long relief during that time. Thoughts?
Depends on who want to pitch at night and who wants to pitch in the daytime.
Great post Jeff. Thanks for the very well researched information about Dodger pitchers and pitchers in other organizations. Really well done.
Jeff made the comment “Why would the Dodgers tell everyone what they may have found.” So true. And one of the problems.
Jeff Passan in his book “The Arm” (which is now ancient ligature) reported way back when that there was a movement for somewhat of a clearinghouse, to study pitching injuries. The idea fell through as organizations like the Dodgers did not want to share their data and instead hired away researchers and their data for their own benefit. Any synergy from compiling multiple sources was scrapped in sort of a “spy vs spy” mission. And that still exists, even with MLB encouraging combining research.
I’m with Badger when he states “I’m convinced teams will not back off velo and spin rate emphasis. Not going to happen.” I totally agree. Velo and spin and overpowering hitters is so ingrained into today’s game, at every level, I too don’t see any motivation to change.
Fear of injury hasn’t been a motivation to gear down. In an odd way, It’s somewhat like old NASCAR or formula drivers. Those guys had the real possibility of being killed or seriously injured driving as fast and as hard as they could. Fear of injury did’t stop them. They were willing to take the risks.
Pitchers aren’t faced with death but are willing to take on the risk of injury.
I posted the following ideas to consider back in November:
“So here are some ideas to kick around this winter:”
Try a 6-man rotation with a season long emphasis on building arm strength. Pitch counts should be different in April than in September.I’ve read in Japan, major leaguers, pitch once a week and take an entire day off between starts. Maybe asked MLB pitchers who have pitched in Japan, how they liked that? Throw more but pitch less. With 5 days between starts, pitchers can devote more time to physical fitness including strength building and stretching and physical fitness. Run more.More throwing with long-toss, flat ground work, short pens and incline bullpens at 85%. Incline is 6 times more stressful then flat ground, so throw more but pitch on incline, less.Try to build up starting pitchers to 185 innings, as a general goal. (I know this is the opposite of conventional thinking now days)Try to set 7 innings as a goal as the season progresses and increase pitch counts as well. A successful outing isn’t 5 innings and 85 pitches.That takes a change in mentality. “How do I pace myself to get through 7?”Change the philosophy of pampering starting pitchers in the minor leagues. It’s a crime when a River Ryan was never adequately stretch out over 4 years in the minors where he didn’t exceed 4 inning outings in an outing and about 75 pitches per outing? And after 4 starts and 20.1 innings in the Big Leagues, he suffered a blown UCL. Is that adequate preparation? Or do the Dodgers protect and baby their pitching prospects?This one will be a huge uphill battle as the emphasis on throwing as hard as you can starts early with kids and dads. They know lighting up the radar guns gets a kid noticed. It starts too early in youth leagues, travel ball and showcase games etc.As long as everybody sees the first thing that scouts do at the beginning of a game is get out the radar guns, “pitchability” isn’t a thing. Jaime Moyer would never get a look today. It’s no accident that kids throw as hard as they can a people spend lots of money on pitching labs like Driveline.As long as the “next-man-up” disposable pitcher approach is common and medical technology keeps coming up with procedures that make bionic arms, there be lots of conversation, but not much changed.An organizational change in philosophy that emphasizes new training and a conservation of effort (velocity) to less then 100% and pitch deeper into games, this will be a tough sell. I’m not optimistic. So those were my ideas in November. I don’t think my idea about throwing more and pitching less has a chance. I think teams will just continue
with inning and pitch count management. And Badger is right. The math doesn’t add up with 13 pitchers on the roster.
Hope your getting better every day Bear.
A lot to think about there Phil. I probably don’t need to expound on much, you and I think a lot alike.
One point – recovery. It’s my opinion that, following high velo on your start day, especially later during the long season, days 2 AND 3 you should do nothing but eat recovery foods and relax, maybe swim a few laps on day 3. Day 4, stretch, run, day 5, nothing again. Day 6 you’re ready to go again. The thought being these professionals work year round in training. Nobody is selling cars in the off season anymore. When Opening Day rolls around they should be in peak shape and ready to throw 75 pitches and go 5. (Throw strikes dammit). Then, with proper rest, they maybe can stretch out to 6+ in late summer. And ALL of them should have a 10 day R&R during the season. Dodger pitchers must plan for a season that is a month longer than other pitchers in the league.
Now again, this plan stems from my now archaic training in upper division college physiology of exercise and kinesiology classes. Recovery is crucial. Do not underestimate the importance. Respect the process.
I think it’s interesting that teams — including the Dodgers— were willing to shell out humongous longterm contracts to starting pitchers this offseason. Tells me a lot of MLB teams have so much money they don’t care if their new superstar pitcher with the 7 year contract goes down. They’ll just pony up for somebody else. And if you’re a pitcher and your big money is guaranteed, it may not matter to you if you blow your arm out in year two of your contract. You still end up with life-changing money. In this scenario there is no incentive to change anything.
Really good points Badger. As I mentioned, I think the Japanese pitchers take the entire day off on their plus 2 day.
My guys used to use +one day as a flush day to get rid of lactic acid and soreness with resistance bands and 2.5 lb weights. (I gave them all empty tennis ball cans courtesy of the tennis coach. Filled with warning track material, they weighed 2.5 lbs and could be emptied after use and kept in their bags) and distance runs (poles or roadwork). They didn’t pick up a baseball on a +one day.
Your emphasis on recovery is right on.
I like the 10 day vacation idea during the season.
I would promote lots of throwing days +3 and +4 but not incline work and a bullpen at 85%, as I mentioned.
There is a plan for every individual pitcher between starts that they like with guidelines and variation. They are not robots.
Respecting the process is all about buying in to the organizations philosophy.
We do think alot alike and I enjoy sharing ideas.
Blue Jays now have $8,261,600 in international funds, as a reminder, Dodgers can add $3,087,720 to their int’l bonus pool putting them at a maximum total of $8,233,920, which means as it stands, Blue Jays already have more financial pull than the Dodgers by $27,680
I still do not think it is about a couple of millions of dollars for Sasaki.
If it that is what drives him he would have waited until he turns 25.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!
If Sasaki is going to make his decision over an extra couple of million right now, he should stay in Japan, wait two more years, and come in as a free agent. I’ll give The Jays credit though, it does show how far they are willing to go to get him to come to Toronto, that could mean something at decision time.
Rumor has it that DePaula going to Cubs for extra 3 mil international money for Sasaki and then will finalize deal
Would hate to lose dePaula.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did you read that?
My thoughts exactly, and who are they getting back??????
Seriously. Why is it so hard to add links when citing rumors?
Just sign with someone already. This is becoming a total circus ala James leaving Cleveland and heading to South Beach.
Rumor speculated by Eric Longenhagen, as to why Cubs haven’t spent any of their $6.2 mil international money yet. FanGraphs lead prospect writer
If true (no reason to question Logenhagen’s logic), the Dodgers get Sasaki, Zyhir Hope, and Jackson Ferris for Michael Busch, Josue De Paula, and Yency Almonte. I think I make that deal without looking back.
I can’t find anything from Longenhagen on the Cubs, he has said he heard a rumor about the Dodgers dealing DePaula for space. I have noted that.
however!
there is a Longenhagen chat!
some interesting stuff:
FWIW: I am more partial to Jeff’s thinking at Liranzo will love off catcher
Lord Thunder: Will Thayron Liranzo stat at catcher?
Eric A Longenhagen: I believe so, he’s enormous and has a hose. the rest I think will be fine with time
AL Central Casting: Top Three David Lynch movies?
Eric A Longenhagen: Mulholland Drive
Blue Velvet
Eraserhead
Andrew: Your writeup of Emil Morales last year was glowing; anything from his performance in the Dominican Summer League that raises long-term concerns?
Eric A Longenhagen: sub-70% contact in the DSL is a yellow flag
Three of the consistent criteria that have been mentioned are:
· Play for a winning team
· Sign with a team that gives him the best chance to develop to become the best in MLB
· Farm system
Since 2013, the Dodgers have been to playoffs every year; 12 consecutive seasons. They have four pennants and 2 WS championships (should have been 3).
Toronto has been to the playoffs 5 times. They lost twice in the ALCS (2015 and 2016), and lost three times in the Wild Card (2020, 2022, and 2023). They did not get past Wild Card round since 2016. They had not reached the playoffs from their back to back WS championships in 1992 and 1993, until 2015.
Developing pitchers:
· Dodgers have 11 home grown on 40 man
· Blue Jays have 3 home grown on 40 man – Blue Jays have 3 original LAD pitchers (Yimi Garcia, Zach Pop, and Nick Robertson) on their 40 man.
Since the World Series, the Dodgers have signed Blake Snell, re-signed Blake Treinen, extended Tommy Edman, signed Hye-Seong Kim, re-signed Teoscar Hernandez.
Toronto? Signed RHRP Jeff Hoffman, signed RHRP Yimi Garcia, LHRP Josh Walker (expected to be in AAA), and traded for former MLB OF Myles Straw + $3.75MM cash + $2MM international bonus $$$ for PTBNL. Straw does have a non-roster invite to ST.
The Dodgers are a perennial consensus top ten farm system. MLB Pipeline considers them #7 at the . Bleacher Report, the first to publish updated rankings have LAD at #8 and Toronto at #27, just ahead of San Diego, NYY, and SFG (ranked #30).
A fourth criteria is financial resources. Just follow what LAD has done the last two years. Then look at Toronto. If Toronto was serious about trying to put together a championship roster for the long term, they would have already extended Vlad Jr. Vlad Jr. wants $400MM + (pushing $500MM) and Toronto is not close. What does that tell Sasaki compared to what LAD is doing? Besides the unicorn signing for Ohtani, Sasaki saw LAD sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto for $325MM + another $50MM to Orix Buffalos.
If Sasaki signs with Toronto it will not be because of his stated criteria.
https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-free-agents-trade-rumors/dodgers-rumored-to-have-deal-to-send-top-prospect-for-3-million-in-ifa-money-cubs-yet-to-finalize-biggest-ifa-deals-r112/
Thanks!
yeah, this is the rumor I posted before, just enhanced with uninformed speculation. That said.
I appreciate the link!
Thanks for the link. I understand the rumor logic, but more so if it was between LAD and SD. Because of the comments I made below regarding Sasaki’s criteria and how it related to Toronto, I am not sure that I would trade De Paula for $3MM to match Toronto. There is no reason for Sasaki to sign with Toronto over LAD. None. If Sasaki wants the extra $3MM this year, I would not lose a whole lot of sleep if he went to Toronto. Alek Manoah is the only SP they have developed. How is that working out?
End this circus already Sasaki. Be a man and Say you will you or say you won´t play for the best team in MLB.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I rode my bike by Camelback Ranch yesterday and saw a ton of cars parked in and around the minor league clubhouse and fields. I saw 2 games in progress from outside the outfield fence. I could not figure out who was training in mid January wearing Dodger Uniforms? I watched for a few minutes. The pitching from centerfield looked a little shitty and they played with 4 outfielders. I thought maybe they were practicing hitting curves or change-ups and saving the outfielders from running too far in January. But who were these guys?
I rode around to the security guard in the lot and asked him what the hell was going on.
I should have figured it out, but I’m getting old. It’s the Fantasy Camp. Now it all made sense.
You must have been looking from quite a distance, Phil. Too far to see those 50 year old stomachs hanging over their belts. 😎
Plus my old eyes aren’t what they used to be.
it was a good 420 and the outfielders looked pretty good.
But the four outfielders was a tip off. 🤣
The Mets signed lefty reliever AJ Minter to a 2 year, $20MM contract today. They were one of the teams supposedly in on Tanner Scott.
Although not impossible, I think it’s highly unlikely that they’ll sign Scott now, so maybe our odds have improved. Unless, of course, he signs with Toronto because he wants to be Roki’s teammate.
Not unless Trump makes Canada the 51st state and moves Toronto to LA
I was trying to consider the logistics of moving Toronto to LA. How many moving vans it would take, if it could be done on one very very large flatbed truck, etc.
Made myself so tired that I’m going to take a nap.
That’s a hot topic these days.
It’s official, Sasaki to the Dodgers.
Per Kiley McDaniels:
The Dodgers have traded Dylan Campbell to the Phillies in a trade that includes international bonus pool space, per source.
So the rumor of DePaula to the Cubs turns out to Dylan Campbell to the Phillies?
Good news for Campbell, as he is going to a franchise that clearly sees his potential. When the Dodgers acquired Sirota in the Lux deal, Campbell’s path on the Dodgers became that much tougher.
Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sasaki, Gonsolin, Miller…That could be the six-man rotation to start the season, with Knack in the wings (long relief?). Let’s put May in the pen along with Treinen, Phillips, Vesia, Banda, etc.
There will be injuries.
Shohei can be worked in when he’s fully ready, and later maybe Kershaw and then Sheehan too.
Roki is a Dodger!
WE ARE MONSTERS!
Awesome. My rosters complete
そう
Bad news for Flaherty.
Now what’s taking AF so long to sign Scott?
No room at the inn?
Pen right now: Treinen, Kopech, Phillips, Vesia, Banda, Brasier…and maybe Dustin May? Or Knack as a long man?
I keep forgetting about Nick Frasso. Where will Frasso fit in?
He’ll be fine. Best starter on the market now.
Well, he wanted to re-sign with the Dodgers as he is a SoCal kid. Maybe the Angels.
Glad the Sasaki drama is over. Three-day weekend even here at the VA. No PT until Tuesday. Cleared to get out of bed on my own and use the walker without supervision. Big step forward.
Are you still at the VA bear?
It’s being reported that we’re giving Sasaki 6.5 mil. We started with 5.1 before the Campbell deal but I’d be a bit surprised if we’re getting 1.4 mil for him. There may be another small deal coming but DePaula doesn’t have to start packing his bag.
selling the #9 prospect in the game for $3 mil would’ve been a horrible move
Im glad the rumor about JDP for 3 mil, didn’t come to fruition, there probably was some truth to it, luckily it looks like AF/BG are finding another way.
Now we can start the Yamashita countdown!
Dodgers traded OF Arnoldo Lantigua for 1.5 mil to the Reds. Article said he’s a young kid that hasn’t made it out of the DR league yet.
Arnaldo Lantigua had a fantastic DSL season. But he was also considered older for the League. He was considered the LAD 2nd best prospect in the 2023 IFA signing. He signed for $700K. He brought more than double back. Good return.
The Dodgers also sent Dylan Campbell to the Phillies for $750K to $1MM. They needed extra $$ to sign more IFA.
Thanks for the quick Bio on him Jeff, I was a little curious,
$1,500,000 seemed like a lot of international money for a DR league player, but if he was our #2 signee two years ago it makes a little more sense.
The Dodgers are now expected to open the season with three Japanese and one Korean player.
The team’s top 30 prospects, per mlb.com, also include outfielder Ching-Hsien Ko of Taiwan. At age 18, he stands 6-3 and weighs 215 pounds.
” Ko starred at the 2023 under-18 World Cup in his native Taiwan, going 11-for-20 with seven walks while winning a silver medal last September. The Dodgers fell in love with his bat and signed him nine months later for $650,000. Jon Deeble, Los Angeles’ director of Pacific Rim scouting, compared him to Cody Bellinger at the press conference announcing Ko’s signing.
” Ko has a quick left-handed stroke and makes good swing decisions. He already packs plenty of strength in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, has room to add more muscle and shows some aptitude for launching balls in the air. He could develop into a plus hitter with 25-homer power.”
And there’s also 20-year-old Korean pitcher Hyun-Seok Jang.
“Jang projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the Korea Baseball Organization’s September 2023 draft until he announced a month beforehand that he would rather pursue his dream of pitching in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers, who signed the first Korean big leaguer (Chan Ho Park) in 1994, coveted Jang but had little cash remaining in their 2023 international allotment. They traded righty pitching prospects Aldrin Batista and Maximo Martinez to the White Sox for $1 million in bonus pool money, then signed Jang for $900,000.
“Jang’s four-seam fastball parks at 94-96 mph and tops out at 99 with carry up in the strike zone, and he could add more velocity as he continues add strength to his 6-foot-4 frame. His advanced feel for spin results in a pair of plus breaking balls, a hard 84-87 mph slider and a 76-82 mph curveball with downer break. His changeup has been better than expected, arriving in the upper 80s before dropping at the plate.”
Don’t forget that Tommy Edman is 50% Korean and played for Korea in the last WBC.