First I want to acknowledge the outstanding performance from 25 year old RHSP, Gavin Stone. A complete game 4-hit shutout. It was the first complete game shutout by a LAD pitcher since Walker Buehler shutout the Dbacks 4-0 on April 25, 2022. It was the first complete game shutout by a rookie LAD pitcher since Hyun-jin Ryu had a complete game shutout against LAA on 2 hits on May 28, 2013.
Gavin Stone is the first Dodger rookie to throw a complete-game shutout since Hyun-Jin Ryu in 2013 ⚾️https://t.co/psbw6YlNQv pic.twitter.com/KbhFUTCwOK
— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) June 27, 2024
Stone now has 89 IP in his first 15 starts of 2024. He is well on pace for 170+ IP this year. Will he get there. Since everyone seems to be concerned with Garrett Crochet’s IP in 2024, what about Gavin Stone.
The Dodgers were not so quietly hoping that Gavin could go deep into the game to help an overworked bullpen. Little did they know, but he not only went deep, he completed the game saving the bullpen altogether.
Since the beginning of June, Stone has started 5 games, thrown 32.0 innings, has a 1.97 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a .205 BA against. He is averaging more than 6.0 innings per start in July.
Gavin Stone: 9 innings pitched, 0 runs, 4 baserunners!
▪️Fifth pitcher to do it this season ▪️First Dodger to do it since WFB in 2022
▪️First Dodger rookie to do it since Hyun-Jin Ryu in 2013
▪️Ninth different Dodger to do it before their 25th career gamepic.twitter.com/DOsELQipd5 https://t.co/zD9b7oE323— Dodgers Tailgate (@DodgersTailgate) June 27, 2024
Stone is now the leading rookie pitcher in all of MLB, and has to be a front runner for NL ROY with Milwaukee’s 3B, Joey Ortiz. Former LAD prospect, Michael Busch, should get NL ROY votes as well.
Stone was not the only standout performer for LAD in the game. For the second consecutive night, Shohei Ohtani led off with a HR. Wednesday’s HR gave Ohtani an RBI in 10 consecutive games, which breaks the Dodger franchise record of 9 straight games. The last player to accomplish that feat in a single season was Roy Campanella in 1955. Matt Kemp accomplished the feat but it was over 2 seasons. He had RBIs in his last 4 games of 2011 and his first five games of 2012.
HISTORY!
Shohei Ohtani has an RBI in 10 straight games, a new Dodgers record
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) June 27, 2024
Gavin Lux made an outstanding play to end the complete game shutout.
A rarity in today's game for Gavin Stone!pic.twitter.com/n7FZxrS8J3
— DodgersBeat (@DodgersBeat) June 27, 2024
The Dodgers have reached the half way point in the 2024 season, and while there have been individual disappointments, there have also been some individual blessings. But this is a team game, which is somewhat different than MiLB. Of course MiLB teams want to win, but it really is a race of the individuals to get to MLB, either with their current organization or through a trade. I cannot be convinced that James Outman isn’t looking to be traded. Drew Avans? Ryan Ward? Hunter Feduccia? Dalton Rushing? I cannot list the 76 RHP prospects, but you just know that there is a bunch who would love to get traded to a team rather than be blocked in the LAD organization.
The Dodgers are 50-31 on a pace for another 100 win season (Ho-Hum). They have 99.9% odds to reach the playoffs and are the favorite to win the WS with 17.5% odds. How do they come up with these odds? Philadelphia is 2nd with a 14.8% odds, Cleveland with 14.3% odds, NYY with 13.4% odds, and Baltimore at 12.9% odds. Of course these will undoubtedly change significantly after the trade deadline.
Where were the Dodgers at the half way point in their previous 100 win seasons?
- 2023: 46-35 (100 win season)
- 2022: 52-29 (111 win season)
- 2021: 50-31 (106 win season)
- 2019: 55-26 (106 win season)
- 2017: 53-28 (104 win season)
The Dodgers have not yet hit August, most often their best month. You know the balls fly in August. No need for situational hitting when the slug is there with the hot weather.
- 2023: 24-5 in August
- 2022: 22-6 in August
- 2021: 21-6 in August
- 2019: 17-11 in August
- 2017: 17-10 in August
Just how good will August be if the Dodgers have Garrett Crochet and Randy Arozarena donning Dodger Blue?
The first half of the schedule for 2024 has not been kind to LAD with the back to back East Coast trips. They travel to the East Coast twice in the 2nd half, but not back to back. In July they go to Philadelphia and Detroit right before the All Star break, and four to Atlanta and 3 to Miami in September.
The had a 12 consecutive game and a 13 consecutive game schedule in the first half. They have one 13 game schedule in the second half, and two 10 consecutive games.
One of the 10 consecutive games on the schedule is right after the All Star break. Three against Boston (H), 4 against SFG (H), and 3 against Houston (A).
The 13 consecutive game is 3 against Pittsburgh (H), 4 against Milwaukee (A), 3 against St. Louis (A), and four against Seattle (H). The other 10 consecutive game stretch is Atlanta for 4 (A), Miami for 3 (A) and Colorado for 3 (H).
The Dodgers Interleague schedule favors LAD with the tougher teams at home.
Boston (3), Seattle (3), Tampa Bay (3), Baltimore (3), and Cleveland (3) all at home.
CWS (1), Detroit (3), Houston (3), Oakland (3), and LAA (2) are away games.
In addition, Max Muncy’s last game was May 15. His OPS was .798 and the combined OPS for his 3B replacements is around .470, and they are still winning. In the 26 games Max has been out, the Dodgers are 17-9 (.654 winning percentage).
How did the team perform in the 1st half?
Pitching:
Overall:
- ERA – 3.29 (#3 MLB)
- WHIP – 1.11 (#2 MLB)
- Average – .215 (#1 MLB)
- BB – 237 (#18 most MLB)
- K – 696 (#6 MLB)
- HR allowed – 83 (#16 MLB)
Starting:
- IP – 420.1 (#12 most MLB)
- ERA – 3.49 (#5 MLB)
- WHIP – 1.15 (#3 MLB)
- Average – .223 (#4 MLB)
- BB – 135 (#15 MLB)
- K – 408 (#10 MLB)
- HR allowed – 50 (#21 MLB)
Relievers:
- IP – 306.2 (#6 MLB)
- ERA – 3.02 (#2 MLB)
- WHIP – 1.06 (#2 MLB)
- Average – .203 (#2 MLB)
- BB – 102 (#19 MLB)
- K – 288 (#13 MLB)
- HR allowed – 33 (#12)
WRISP:
- BA – .225 (#5 MLB)
- WHIP – 1.29 (#12 MLB)
- K – 149 (#22 MLB)
- BB – 74 (#13 MLB)
- HR – 19 (#19 MLB)
- Hits – 123 (least in MLB)
- IP – 152.1 (27 least in MLB)
Just like with the offense, the pitching seems to be missing something WRISP. They are fantastic when runners are not in scoring position, but something changes when a runner gets to 2nd and or 3rd.
The team has had multiple starting pitching due to injuries. They have had 7 pitchers with 5 or more starts, and 5 more openers for bullpen games.
5 starters have ERA’s at 3.39 or lower.
- Gavin Stone – 3.04 (now 2.73)
- Tyler Glasnow – 2.88
- James Paxton – 3.39
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto – 2.92
- Landon Knack – 2.10
Then there are the two outliers:
- Walker Buehler – 5.84
- Bobby Miller – 6.75
There is a lot of speculation that the Dodgers are going to be looking for a high leverage late inning reliever. I am not sure that they need one, but if they could acquire one, you have to consider it. The season metrics show that the Dodgers bullpen has been excellent.
The current 8 relievers’ ERA:
- Evan Phillips – 1.59 (13 out of 13 saves)
- Alex Vesia – 1.26 (4 out of 5 saves)
- Daniel Hudson – 1.71 (3 out of 6 saves)
- Blake Treinen – 2.16 (1 out of 2 saves)
- Ryan Yarbrough – 3.28 (1 out of 2 saves)
- Yohan Ramirez – 2.79 (1 out of 1 save)
- Anthony Banda – 1.06
- Michael Petersen – 1.80
The above have 23 saves in 29 save opportunities. Others no longer on the 26 man roster were 2 out of 6.
Brusdar Graterol, Ryan Brasier, and Joe Kelly are all on the IL. All three are on the 60 day IL, so while not likely, all three could remain on the 60 day IL all season.
For me, need is not a factor. IMO can the team be improved with a trade. When I say improved, I am referring to improve the chances in October.
Hitting:
- BA – .256 (#4 MLB)
- OBP – .336 (#1 MLB)
- SLG – .440 (#2 MLB)
- OPS – .776 (#1 MLB)
- Runs – 405 (#3 MLB)
- Hits – 706 (#3 MLB)
- 2B – 151 (#2 MLB)
- 3B – 13 (#11 MLB)
- HR – 110 (#3 MLB)
- RBI – 390 (#2 MLB)
- BB – 310 (#2 MLB)
- K – 653 (#14 MLB)
- SB – 48 (#17 MLB)
WRISP
- BA – .248 (#20 MLB)
- OBP – .344 (#10 MLB)
- SLG – .395 (#20 MLB)
- OPS – .739 (#17 MLB)
- Hits – 175 (#9 MLB)
- 2B – 40 (#4 MLB)
- 3B – 2 (#17 MLB)
- HR – 20 (#14 MLB)
- RBI – 235 (#6 MLB)
- BB – 108 (#1 MLB)
- K – 186 (#5 MLB)
WRISP w/2 out:
- BA – .209 (#26 MLB)
- OBP – .325 (#18 MLB)
- SLG – .308 (#27 MLB)
- OPS – .633 (#25 MLB)
- Hits – 68 (#17 MLB)
- 2B – 12 (#16 MLB)
- 3B – 1 (#14 MLB)
- HR – 6 (#25 MLB)
- RBI – 97 (#16 MLB)
- BB – 52 (#2 MLB)
- K – 88 (#4 MLB)
Philadelphia has a run differential of 118 while LAD had 116. They were clearly the leaders in this metric.
There is very little question that the Dodgers offense can produce. But the vast bulk of that production is without runners in scoring position. With RISP, the Dodgers are merely middle of the road performers. This inability to consistently produce WRISP is not going to be a factor in winning the NL West going away, but it could be a problem come October. With as many Ks that they rack up WRISP, they could probably do better with simple contact to score runs.
WRISP and 2 outs, the Dodgers are clearly won of the worst offensive teams in MLB.
The one metric they do not seem to have a problem WRISP is walks. Unless the bases are loaded, walks do not generate RBI.
I will add the MiLB in the AM if I get a chance. It is my grandson’s #8 birthday, so my day will revolve around him.
Great game by Stone! Performances like that make it easier for the Dodgers to wait and see what they have with their starting pitching come the deadline.
Stone is pitching like an ace this season. If Yamamoto comes back the need to trade for Crochet (the only true improvement I see who could be avaliable) is not there.
If Glasnow, Yamamoto and Stone are healtyh I am fine with them as the Nr. 1-3 starters for the playoffs.
Better to trade for a high leverage relief pitcher and a high OBP bat.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I prefer to watch and cheer for players that could be part of a long-term core. For me, Outman would be the center fielder and Pages would be the right fielder. That might not give the Dodgers more wins or be fair to Heyward who is doing well and wants to play.
I’d like to get Pepiot back. He hasn’t been as good as the Rays had hoped and if the Dodgers want Arozarena, then I would want Pepiot to be included.
I’m not saying any of this would make the Dodgers better. I just want to watch players that I like the most.
Interesting.
is this for every sport you watch, obviously not college, or just baseball?
Baseball and basketball
I’m trying to think like Dodger management, which is impossible for me. They did what they did in the off season to finish the playoffs with a W. What deadline move makes the most sense for that goal?
So, would I rather have Robert Jr in center or Pages/Outman in October? I think you know the answer to that. And you also know I’ve never been a fan of Mookie at short so what I think I would do is make a run at Bichette and put Mookie back at second. Lux? Maybe he could be part of the package for Bichette. I also want a veteran workhorse starting pitcher and by that I mean a guy who can reliably go 5+ every 5th-6th day from when we get him until the playoffs start. I want Glasnow, Yamamoto, Stone, Paxton and whoever to be well rested through late September into October. Who that new starter might be I don’t know but it doesn’t have to be a star, just a sub 4 guy who can eat innings.
A staring shortstop, a stud center fielder and a reliable starter. That’s my shopping list.
Outman in CF and Pages in RF make a lot of sense.
You get my vote Duke like em both myself
Great recap of the first half Jeff.
What an impressive performance by Gavin Stone. I know it’s the White Sox but his progress in becoming a solid starter has been a treat. He has matured into a quality starter. He and Glasnow now seem to be a nice 1-2 punch. I think Paxton has been terrific but there is a whole group of skeptics that don’t see him being capable of post season success. Buehler will be a project as well as Bobby Miller. Very disappointing returns from injuries. Knack has been great but the same questions about being playoff quality will be posed. A 4th starter for down the road is still a need. The last thing I see as a necessity is a relief piece.
Congratulations to Tennessee winning the College World Series. it’s the time I start paying close attention to the 2024 MLB Draft, held on July 14-16.
Things you likely know about the draft:
The first six selections were set via a lottery held in December during the winter meetings. There are 20 rounds and 615 selections.
Each selection in the top 10 rounds carries a slot value and the individual amounts added together get each team’s total bonus pool.
The slot money applies to the top 10 rounds and the bonuses drop fast. #1 is at $10,570,600. 10th pick at $5,953,800 a drop of 4.6 million in 10 picks.
First rounders will make at least 2 million. The number falls to less than 1 million at pick #78, 4 picks into the 3rd round. Slot money for the last pick, #315, in the 10th round is $178,000.
Picks in rounds 11 to 20 don’t come with an assigned slot value, though any money spent over $150,000 for those players will come out of the bonus pool.
The Dodgers’ bonus pool is $6,114,700, which happens to be the second lowest among the 30 teams, with only Houston having a lower bonus pool. Bonus pools are calculated by adding the slot values of every pick through the first 10 rounds.
The slot values for the Dodgers picks are: Pick #23: $3,676,400; Pick #98: $745,000; Pick 128: $556,300; Pick 190: $315,500; Pick 220: $247,900; Pick 250: $205,800; Pick 280: $188,800 and Pick 310: $179,000.
The Dodgers forfeited their 2nd and 5th round picks for signing Shohei Ohtani.
This Draft is college player heavy, this year. Some experts have only 6 high schoolers in the Top 30 picks. No HS kids are projected until picks 9, 10, 11, 22, 25 and 28.
Of course, as picks get lower there are more surprises, which makes the draft fun.
The experts predict Travis Bazzana, 2b, Australian kid from Oregon State and Charlie Condon, OF/3b from U of Georgia as the top two players in this Draft. I’m not a Travis Bazzana fan. He has some nice college numbers but he is very average size at 6’0” as a college 2nd baseman. To me he looks super fidgety and tense at the plate. He’s wound up like a $2 dollar watch. His forearms are tense and he looks pressured at the plate. I’d rather draft a quality SS who looks more athletic and comfortable and move him to 2nd, over this kid. I could be wrong.
My favorite pick is projected at #5, Jac Cagianone from University of Florida. Not as a pitcher, as I think he has a sour arm, but as a first baseman, he’s a dude. Jac is 6’5”, 250, LHB, who has 64 homers the last 2 seasons. This year he hit .411 with a 10% K-rate. Young Joey Gallo without the swing and miss.
As mentioned, the Dodgers pick at 23, with a slot value of $3,676,400. Certainly things will change by the 23rd pick but 2 names that have come up are Brody Brecht, RHP out of U of Iowa.
Jim Callis says: “There’s some risks because he doesn’t have a lot of consistency in terms of throwing strikes. He also has only been playing baseball full-time for like a year and a half. … He doesn’t have five pitches like Paul Skenes, but the fastball-slider combination are similar to Paul Skenes. He’s that overpowering. He doesn’t have the command. He doesn’t have the rest of it to go with it.” Sounds like a kid with a fresh but powerful arm, who the Dodger staff can teach to pitch.
or
William Schmidt, RHP from Catholic High School in Louisiana.
Jonathon Mayo: “William Schmidt is our top-ranked high school arm overall, but has been really kind of hard to place. Haven’t found the team that’s like, ‘Yes, I’m on him.’ In some ways people seem more interested in some of the other high school arms. Signability might come into play, but the Dodgers are not afraid of high school arms.”
I personally would never, this day and age, draft a high school pitcher with a 23rd pick. That’s just me.
Jeff and others here have a much better handle on young players drafted into the Dodgers organization then I do and I won’t pretend to know what Jeff knows. But I did notice a couple of things of interest from the 2023 draft:
Last year the Dodgers took Spencer Green in the 19th round (580th pick). They gave him a pretty standard $150,000. Walking around money for the Dodgers. But, I have no idea what the scouts saw. The presser said he had committed to Oregon State. That’s a big deal in the Northwest, as OSU plucks the best talent. That’s a cool report on Green. But it’s bullshit. He pitched okay as a high school junior, when he was eligible. Same with his senior year, pitching around a sore arm and eligibility issues. He had way too few high school credits and did not graduate. Unless Oregon State found a way around the rules, maybe a GED, there was no way he was going to get into OSU and pitch for the Beavers.
Instead he signed with the Dodgers and hopefully he will eventually take advantage of his one opportunity.
He is currently assigned to the ACL roster and on the full season injured list.
Somebody tell me about Sterling Patick, a LHP, 6’1” 155lb, currently on the ACL roster. He was the 550th player drafted in the 18th round. He signed for $374,500, a considerable overpay for an 18th rounder. That’s high 6th round money for the 18th round pick. What was the deal on Sterling? Anybody know?
I always look forward to the draft. It’s not too exciting for Dodger fans as we pick so low. But I enjoy the event and I’m happy to see these young kids excited about their first step in fulfilling their dreams of becoming a big league baseball player.
Many of the big time college program players will find the transition interesting. What a difference it will be from playing a nationally televised game at the College World Series, with a packed house, to the next step. Playing a night game in A-ball in East Bumfuck USA, with teammates you don’t know, with 1000 people in the stands. You can’t wait to get out of there and move up, but you have to pay your dues and prove yourself all over again. What a journey.
That’s all I got. You are all encouraged to correct my paper and express your thoughts.
Have a nice day off before the Giants.
Phil, thank you for the draft preview. That saves me time. I will copy and paste it for the day of the draft and Bear can publish it as I will be gone on my cruise. The draft is one of my favorite times of the season. I love amateur baseball and I follow these “kids” from the beginning of their draft seasons through their seasons, through the draft combine, up to the draft. Baseball America is a good source of general knowledge of the players.
If you want to get into the weeds, Perfect Game is an excellent source. Maxpreps is an excellent source for California HS baseball. Every reputable publication has top 100-200-500 draft eligible prospects. Multitudes of mock drafts, that should be coming out of the woodwork for the next 17 days. There are sites for amateur mock draft fanatics, and I read those as well. Some of them go through all 20 rounds. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline are already working on their 5th mock draft.
The Dodgers drafts? I do not get them either. But we are not allowed to question the great AF-Billy Gasparino genius. Who are we mere fans to question the experts? You know the experts that have drafted exactly one position player as a regular in their 9 drafts. They love pitchers with arm injuries. Sometimes I think Marty Lamb should make all the draft picks.
The Dodgers wanted HS talent last year. Last year they drafted a HS CF who was considered a 2nd round talent as their first round pick (ranked #65 by Baseball America). It was widely speculated that they wanted HS LHP Thomas White who was selected right before Kendall George. HS RHP Charlee Soto was also reportedly high on the list, and he went two spots before George. They were also high on HS SS Adrian Santana who was chosen 31st overall. The brain trust believed that one of the three would be available at #36. Nope. There was then the rumor (I heard through the grapevines) that the Dodgers were high on Kendall George for their #2 pick at #60. So that they would not lose him, they picked him in the 1st round and gave him a below slot bonus for future picks. A widely used and acceptable strategy.
However, I do not know the fascination with drafting pitchers with injuries. I think last year sore arms had to be a criteria to become a LAD draft pick.
Brady Smith (3), Wyatt Crowell (4), Eriq Swan (4C), Ryan Brown (9), Luke Fox (17), Sterling Patick (18), Spencer Green (19). That is 7 of the 22 drafted players and 19 who signed with sore arms.
I understand Luke Fox at 17. But 3 of their 1st 6 draft picks are pitchers with sore arms? Smith is out for all of 2024 as he was with 2023 as well as Green as you mentioned. Might Smith be more of a Morgan Cooper (2017 draft pick #2 out of University of Texas).
Wyatt Crowell (Florida State), Ryan Brown (Ball State), and Luke Fox (Duke) were recovering from TJ. Crowell and Fox are back. Brown will probably be out all year. Swan has already been on the IL once this year.
And then their pick #20, DJ Uiagalelei (Oregon State QB). Sure it was a 20th round flyer who said he wanted football. I do not want to go through all the drafts where picks after 15th round or 20th round who have made it.
I will have some pre-draft comments before I leave. Rob Schelling will be covering the draft for me. Thanks again, Phil.
BTW Phil, if I am still doing this next year, would you be willing to do periodic summaries of the College playoffs- regional, super regional, world series?
It’s about time Tennessee finally won a NCAA D-1 Championship.
I would be interested in that Jeff. Thanks for the offer.
I have no clue what they will do at the deadline. I do know it was a lot of fun watching Stone pitch last night. He got helped out by some fine plays from his defense. Miggy gets a hit, and the Dodgers win again. Still have not lost when he gets a hit. Freddie had a key double, nice to see and Barnes even beat one out for a single. I do know this; Robert Jr. was not impressive enough for me to want them to trade a handful of players for him. He doesn’t look like he would be much help at the plate. I know his age, the talent he has, and his controllability make him attractive to many fans, I think his injury history is proof that the guy simply cannot stay on the field. I would rather have Arozarena.
Again, thanks for an excellent and comprehensive review of the Dodgers’ season so far.
I’m with you 100% about the prospects out in Oklahoma who must be frustrated and feeling blocked. Guys like Ward, Avans and Feduccia should get a chance with franchises that are hurting like the Sox, Angels, Marlins and Athletics. The gap between the haves and have-nots has me thinking the the Rule 5 draft should be expanded to enhance competition and benefit the players. (Fun fact: Orioles’ stalwart Anthony Santander arrived as a Rule 5 draftee and is now the team’s longest-serving player.)
A few thoughts:
—In terms of preparing the Dodgers for October, Tanner Scott makes a lot of sense as a second lefty alongside Vesia. He’d be an upgrade over Banda, Yarbrough and Ramirez. (An innings-eater like Yarbrough shouldn’t be necessary in the playoffs.)
—The Angels have a weak roster and a weaker farm system, in part because of their habit of promoting prospects quickly. Arte may be a problem, but perhaps he could be persuaded to deal Rengifo for Biggio and a passel of prospects. I like Rengifo as insurance for Max, whose recovery has been slow, and as a UT upgrade to Taylor and Kike. (But I still hope to see Lipcius soon.)
–I like the buzz around Arozarena. Luis Robert could have a bigger impact–but there is the injury risk and price tag to consider. While I’d prefer to see Outman back in CF for the Dodgers–perhaps platooning with Pages–he is also a nice trade chip. The Dodgers should play Outman in LA or trade him.
I wouldn’t deal Rushing or DePaula unless the return is big. So how about Rushing + Lux + ??? for Crochet + DeJong? I keep hoping the Dodgers consider re-training Rushing to play 3B, a pretty common move for catchers.
But with Cartaya apparently back on track, a deal involving Rushing would be less painful. Down the road, perhaps Cartaya succeeds Smith at C, with Smith shifting to 3B.
Seriously, why doesn’t Andrew Friedman just hire me as a consultant?
Duke, do you need an assistant consultant?
You’re hired!
Cartaya and Feduccia are going to split time at catcher according to the manager, 3 days a week each. I keep Rushing. He is the bigger power threat and seems much more rounded than Cartaya. Arte is not going to deal with LA. Scott is going to cost a bundle to trade for. I think the bullpen right now is excellent and Banda has been pitching great. By the way, you mentioned this on Marks blog, the record is now 10 straight games with an RBI, not 9. Passed Campy last night.
I still hope Barnes gets a boo-boo and Feduccia is summoned to LA. He has earned a shot.
From what I’ve read, Cartaya is superior to Rushing on defense. I’d be very reluctant to move Smith to 3B unless his replacement is his equal on defense.
With Smith locked up for ten years–as long as Shohei!–one of the two top catching prospects is expendable. Both, I think, profile as future major league starters.
I assume that Rushing is the more valuable trade chip because of his power and his ability to make an impact at C, 1B and DH.
You are probably right; I just like his power better than Cartaya’s. His make up too, he seems like a fiery guy.
If you’re not reading The Athletic’ series on “Missing Bats”, you are really missing good stuff. Part 4 addresses arm injuries. It’s a must read.
I read this morning that Muncy is very close to taking swings again. He has been missed. And remember, he had a three-homer game earlier this year against Atlanta. Seems like more and more players are going down with injuries. Clayton Andrews, a 27-year-old lefty, has elected free agency after being DFAd by the Yankees. He was DFAd when the Yankees sent Victor Gonzalez down and signed lefty, Tim Hill.
Well, I didn’t know that!!!
Over the winter, MLB quietly changed the in-game video feeds that players can legally review in their dugouts. The “Strike Zone Box” we see on TV was taken away at the request of umpires, according to an article posted in The Athletic.
I personally had suggested, half jokingly, the box be taken off home TV screens if they don’t go to the ABS System, as it provides information not available to the umpires themselves. I didn’t know the players could see that box on their iPads in the dugout.
This move was made by the umpires in response to a perceived increase in players and on-field personnel using dugout tablets that included the strike zone box graphic to “argue balls and strikes and in some cases berate, harass and embarrass MLB umpires”.
It seems to me that the umpires do a pretty fair job doing that to themselves, but I digress.
The MLBPA grieved that this change violated it’s collective bargaining agreement so now the graphic is coming back to the dugout but with stiff penalties for offending players who “embarrass, denigrate or question the impartiality or ability of an umpire”.
All teams must have access to the strike zone on their dugout tablets no later than tomorrow.
In a quiet joint memo from MLB and MLBPA, both wanted to emphasize “that players use dugout tablets and all video feeds provided solely for its intended purpose; to assist players with on-field performance.”
So, that’s all news to me. It also reinforces my belief that all this nonsense could be eliminated by just implementing the ABS, ASAP.
This is apropos of nothing, but Facebook reminded me of a post I made seven years ago:
Baseball fans! Just stumbled upon this reminder (from 1965, when I was 9) of why Sandy Koufax was my hero.
” ….The Dodgers were in third place with 16 games remaining, 4½ games behind the Giants. Los Angeles finished the season 15-1, including six straight road wins before the finishing homestand, to win the pennant.
“Sandy Koufax pitched in six of the final 16 regular season games, posting a 1.38 ERA with four complete-game wins, including three shutouts, and one save. The Dodgers then beat the Minnesota Twins in the World Series in seven games.”
Koufax was grossly overworked, of course. And it led to a premature end to his amazing career… some years before the term “Tommy John” refered to a surgical procedure. And right now, we worry about the workloads of Stone and Crochet. Times sure have changed.
I remember that season.
Arthritis was Koufax’s bugaboo. Even today, a condition like his would be non-operable. Pitchers of that era pitched a lot more. 40 starts plus a season was not unheard of. Koufax made 43 starts in 65, a career high, he made 41 in 66.
I brought up the name a week or so ago…Tarik Skubal, and it was quickly dismissed. Well guess what the new rumor is? The Dodgers and Tigers are apparently discussing a Tarik Skubal deal. Baltimore is also rumored to be interested, but Mike Elias has already said he is not mortgaging his team’s future for one player. There are some who have indicated that Detroit would be more amenable if the trading team was willing to take Javy Baez and the full contract.
Nothing is even close to being even a kernel of a trade. But Detroit is at least open to the idea of trading Skubal in the best scenario
I can understand why they want someone to take over Baez’s contract. Dude is awful this year. Hitting under the Mendoza line with only 1 homer. Owed 73 million over the next three years. Hasn’t been good since 2021.
I’d love to see LA pick up someone who would filled the role that David Fresse filled several years ago. A professional hitter to pinch hit when called upon. Manny Mota was the greatest ever in this role.
If Justin Turner would be willing to fill that role he would be good at it. Very much a professional hitter
I do not think AF would take Baez’s contract on. But I didn’t think that Skubal would even be considered. Probably the safest pitcher is Flaherty, except he is not LH, and it is generally thought that AF wants a controllable LHP. The highest ceiling? Crochet. Most expensive? Skubal. But Crochet will be expensive. Flaherty will probably cost a top 100 prospect +++.
Of course trades cannot guarantee a championship. But there are trades that will increase the team’s ability in the playoffs. And then there is the inability to make a trade that will decrease your chances. Would the Dodgers’ chances have been better with Jordan Montgomery or Lance Lynn? While Ryan Pressly would not have helped in 2018, he would have been a BIG help in 2019. With Pressly, Clayton Kershaw is not asked to relieve.
I cannot be convinced that luck is a significant factor in winning a WS much less a NLDS. A factor? Sure, but not significant.
Knowing that the lack of pitching has hurt the Dodgers the last three playoffs, and if they choose to ignore adding a top of the rotation starter this year, then the team is crossing their fingers and hoping there are no more injuries and that those on the IL will be able to come all the way back. I cannot see Mark Walter allowing his baseball executives to commit a billion ++ dollars and not finish it because AF is afraid to trade a couple of top prospects, all the while hoping that no new injuries and all those on the IL come back in good health.
I agree with STB, that this may be the year that AF goes for it. The team is going to win the 162 game marathon. They need to win the October sprint.
Where are the reports that the Dodgers are pursuing controllable pitching assets? That would be a change from past deadlines.
They are all over. I have read multiple reports. Or do you think I just made that up? Whether they turn out to be true, we will have to wait. But as I said earlier, I agree with STB that this seems to be the year that AF changes his prior year MOs as he did in the beginning of the season with a 10 year $700MM deal for a DH/rehabbing pitcher, and a 12 year $325MM deal for a 25 year old pitcher. Unless you do not believe the reports that the Dodgers are serious about Garrett Crochet or Tarik Skubal. Do you think he would be wrong in pursuing either one? What does it matter what he has done in the past? We are dealing in the present and the best players avaialble are players with control. His past dead line deals have not brought his team a championship. Turn the page.
a weird non-response, I’ll go look for some reporting.
I guess this is all coming out of that Rosenthal report? Not sure that’s enough to envision a philosophical shift.
can’t find much on Skubal.
Try this. I read a lot. I do not always write down the report. The first one was not newsworthy. But I continued to read them. Maybe 3-4 I don’t remember. But the premise by the writers was that the Dodgers are looking for an elite controllable LHSP, and since the two best pitchers that could be available are LHSP they have both been tied to LAD. Why is that so strange? Because it does not fit into your little box.
Again, you must think that I just made it up on the desire for LAD to find that controllable LHSP. But you hang onto those never changing philosophies. I take it you do not think that the Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were philosophical changes. Who was the last pitcher AF signed for $325MM for 12 years? $324MM for 9 years was too much for Gerrit Cole. Who was the last DH/rehab pitcher AF signed for $700MM? Or maybe this is Mark Walter telling AF to be a little more aggressive???
Regardless, I hope that AF leaves the box you like to keep him in and he actually goes out and tries to improve the team this year. And before you ask, no Manny Machado and Max Scherzer were a need. Not a way to improve the team like Garret Crochet, Tarik Skubal, Randy Arozarena (also not a rental) can. How do you explain the Luis Robert Jr. reported interest? Or do you believe that it is just fabricated by journalists?
I hope AF crushes your little box and goes out and does the unexpected just like he did last winter.
I think you’re a little bonkers this morning. What box (boxes?) are you talking about? What is crushing boxes as an expression?!?!?
Even if you were making it up, who cares?!???!? It’s totally a legit angle to take. I just want to know what the sources are.
This leads to Ohtani.
I was always all for and expecting Ohtani. Everybody was! And Yamamoto. Everyone was. That’s why I’m looking for reporting on pitchers with term. If we reach a good consensus, it will be significant.
The only report I found was Rosenthal. He’s reliable, but forgive me if I’d like to see more.
Not bonkers at all. I was simply making a comment as to what I had read. But I will make sure that I write them down next time.
Also for future…what constitutes a good consensus for you. Everyone is different, so I need to know yours. And where in the reliabilty realm does the report have to be when compared to Ken Rosenthal. Where does Jim Bowden fall into that realm for you? Keith Law? Jon Heyman? Jeff Passan? Any of the Bleacher Report writers? Any of the FanSided writers? Clutch Sports writers? Mark Timmons?
LOL!
As this board (and most discussions) shouldn’t be for me.
Generally speaking? If they are paid for their opinion, and their name isn’t Nightingale, I like the opinion. So the fanside or BR report people are less reliable and less valued. I have long thought that Timmons’ oft-cited “source” was Wishful Thinking.
But again, I feel this is self-serving and doesn’t need to be.
Also, just had my coffee! So I had a thought:
In many ways Ohtani and Yamamoto are very much on-brand (or “in box”) for Friedman.
His MO seems to be:
Overspend for superstars
Seek value everywhere else.
You could argue Ohtani’s deal is both. An overpay (years and AAV) and value due to the unadjusted deferrals.
Yamamoto is very much a superstar deal, no?
If you consider Ohtani and Yamamoto as in AF’s philosophy we just disagree. Neither of those contracts were in anybody’s philosophoical beliefs. What about the 10 year Will Smith extension? And to your Ohtani and Yamamoto point, I guess AF has in fact traded for players at the deadline who is not a rental…Trea Turner and Ryan Yarbrough. So a trading for a player with multiple years of control would not be a philosophical change.
I also think Will Smith’s deal is value laden, yes. Very value-laden.
Your points about Yarbrough and Turner are really good. I may be too draconian in thinking it’s only potential FA pitchers the team will look at.
I was one of those who said the Tigers wouldn’t trade Skubal. I guess I was ignoring what I always say, that being “everyone has a price.”
CWS beat Atlanta 1-0 when 5 CWS pitchers completed the shutout on 3 Braves hits. The sole run of the game…Luis Robert Jr solo HR (8) in the 1st inning.