Thanks to Cassidy for including the article about AF and Roki Sasaki. AF’s remarks on Sasaki:
“There’s obviously a big gap between Triple-A and the big leagues,” Friedman said. “With certain really talented young players that we really believe in, we think that last mile of player development is generally better served at the major-league level.
“That said, even with our established guys it’s one of continued player development. Now for some guys, that’s more on the margins. For other guys there’s more involved. But we believe very strongly that he is going to be a very successful major-league starter. Just how quickly that comes to be is a fair question. Obviously we’re going to pour everything we can into making that happen sooner rather than later and we’ll go from there.”
I am a huge advocate of AF/BG/Doc. I have written my praises on all three on multiple occasions. But that does not mean that I just accept whatever decisions they make. If I did that, why would I have a blog where I welcome questions and disagreement.
I consider myself to have a more than fair knowledge as to how a team is organized from MLB through MiLB, but I fully acknowledge that those guys have forgotten way more than I will ever know. I concede they have far more knowledge than me. But I reserve the right to rhetorically ask questions if I do not understand or agree with a decision. They are never going to answer my questions, and I would never expect them to. “Why did you select Roki Sasaki over River Ryan?” I know I will never hear AF say, “well we have $6.5MM invested in Sasaki, and we only have Matt Beaty invested in Ryan.
For me, if it is not the investment, then it would be refreshing if AF/BG/Doc just came out and said, because Ryan is just not as good as Sasaki, and Ryan is a 7th best starter for this team, or maybe 8th when Stone is back.
Even in his 2nd paragraph above, AF acknowledges that it is a fair question as to when Sasaki might be the pitcher he envisioned when signing him.
Most on this site were critical as to why Michael Conforto was still on the team at the deadline. Why did AF keep him on the team? That was a fair question. Or why did Doc continue to trot Tanner Scott out for save situations last year, when it was clear he was not the pitcher they thought they had signed. Certainly a fair question, and one that none of us were going to get an answer to.
“With certain really talented young players that we really believe in, we think that last mile of player development is generally better served at the major-league level”.
It is clear that he does not feel the same way about River Ryan. He did not feel that way about Ryan Ward. AF had every opportunity to release Conforto and bring up Ward last year. He chose not to. The Dodgers won the WS, so we cannot question that decision?
He also does not feel the same about Alex Freeland or Kyle Hurt. Ryan, Ward, Freeland, and Hurt will not get that same last mile of development at the MLB level. So if they are not “really talented young players” in AF’s estimation, then why hold on to them. Trade them or release them so they can try to latch on to a team where they might be more appreciated and can make a MLB salary and earn service time.
Or maybe AF does not consider Ryan or Hurt or Ward as young players. Okay, same thing trade them. They do have varying levels of trade value. Ryan Ward was due to be free last year, except the Dodgers added him to the 40-man days before he was to become a MiLB free agent. He is now under the LAD option control for 3 years. He has no service time, and has no control over his career. I hope his agent is trying to work something out for him in Japan or Korea, and then ask for the Dodgers to release him.
River Ryan has three options remaining (including this year), and Hurt has 2. Because both were on the 60 day IL all last year, they earned service time as they could not be optioned. They are both due to be free agents in 2031.
I do think Alex Freeland did get a fair opportunity that he did not take advantage of, but IMO his competition was not Santiago Espinal. It was Hyeseong Kim. Espinal was that veteran utility player that the Dodgers covet. The same fans who think that we should accept AF’s decision to choose Sasaki over Ryan, I wonder how they will feel when they choose Espinal over Kim when Edman returns. Kim has options, and Espinal does not.
Finally, I do not think the choice of Sasaki over Ryan is going to alter the Dodgers’ path to the 3-Peat. Simply, when there is a battle, the victory should go to the player who played best. I have no idea as to why it was a forgone conclusion that Sasaki was guaranteed a spot in the rotation, because he has not proven that he is a MLB starter. Ryan pitched better in the Spring, and pitched better as a starting pitcher when he last started in 2024. Just like Freeland did not deserve a roster spot, IMO, neither did Sasaki deserve a spot in the rotation. Thus, why? I still believe it is because of the $6.5MM investment.
I was an auditor for much of my professional career and that required asking questions. So I have never been shy about asking why something is the way that it is. As an auditor (or CFO/Controller), I required answers. As a baseball fan and blogger, I do not expect answers. Those questions are just rhetorical. But I will continue to ask them.
Chris Taylor has opted out of his MiLB contract with LAA and is now a FA.
Don’t blame him
Excellent piece Jeff. Many spot on questions and information
The Ryan Ward situation reminds me a lot of baseball before free agency. I played before the Messersmith decision and was an indentured servant for my organization. That seems to be exactly what Ward is now with the Dodgers. So he’s going to occupy a 40-man roster spot? I sort of understand it and don’t like it.
Jeff – “I have no idea as to why it was a forgone conclusion that Sasaki was guaranteed a spot in the rotation, because he has not proven that he is a MLB starter.” He may have gotten a jump start on showing he is a MLBRP in last year’s playoffs. So, is the plan to get Roki rotation experience in AAA and not have him in the pen for the Dodgers? Who remembers he save our ass, along with Yamamoto, in the playoffs?
It appears the Dodgers aren’t interested in a 6MM relief pitcher. Oh wait, Edwin Diaz is a $23MM a year relief pitcher.
Ryan has pitched better than Sheehan this spring. Why is Sheehan in the rotation? So you want Ryan in the April rotation and he uses up his 100+ innings by August and gets shutdown. What’s the point in that. I don’t feel AF is down on Ryan. Just protecting him and Stone this year. Keep them at 4 inning stints once a week at OKC. Again I’d rather them ready to pitch in September and October than April-August. You may be down on Sasaki but AF isn’t. Let’s give the kid a couple of months at the beginning of the year to see if he can coral his talent. And the Dodgers are loyal to their veteran players and give them a long leash. Just another reason players want to play here. Let’s wait till June and see where the chips will fall.
And yes the Dodgers need to move Freeland and Ward. There’s just no place for them here. Send them to the Pirates for a prospect.
I question them all the time, but they have a lot more information than I do. RIP one of my favorite actors, Chuck Norris, no relation, passed away at age 86.
Twins released Gio Urshela and Andrew Chafin. LaMonte Wade was one of four players released by the White Sox. Marlins named Jason Junk their #5 starter and optioned Braxton Garrett. Dodgers signed Team Canada pitcher, Logan Allen to a minor league deal.