Just a couple of weeks until spring training starts, and the Dodgers are taking shape. With the two latest additions to the relief corps and Alex Vesia signing his pact, the team has gone out and improved the bullpen, the starting rotation, and added a lefty power bat to the outfield.
There is still the chance they sign CK as soon as spring starts, and they can place Graterol, Sheehan, Stone, Ryan and Hurt on the IL. Biggest question for some is will they bring Kike back. My stance has been if they don’t move one of Taylor or Rojas, it just won’t happen. I might be wrong, but I see no way to do it otherwise. They are loaded with middle infielders, and they signed the Korean kid, Kim and he is on the roster, although he could be optioned out.
Pages, Outman, Conforto, Edman, Teo, Taylor and even Betts are the outfield options. Teo and Edman look to be everyday options in LF and CF. Pages and Conforto could be the platoon in right. Outman is looking to reestablish himself a CF option. There could be a trade coming that we don’t know anything about.
Freddie, Max, and Mookie are locks at their positions. Second base seems to be the floater spot. Kim, Edman, Rojas, and Taylor can all fill that position. It is more than obvious that AF has checked all the boxes and feels good about his choices.
The starting staff looks really strong with Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, as the top three. Sasaki is on OKC’s roster, and we will see where he stands after spring training. No one seems really sure when Ohtani will make his debut. This opens the door for guys like Miller, Wrobleski and Casparius to show what they have. You don’t really need 5 starters until May.
Kershaw should be available by the end of June if his rehab continues as well as he is saying it has. A healthy Kersh improves this team even more, giving them two lefty starters.
The pen is where the real roster battle is going to take place. We now have 3 pretty good LH arms in the pen. Scott, Vesia and Banda. Dreyer will get some looks in spring, but I expect him to be at OKC. We already know that Graterol will not be ready for opening day. There are still some questions about Kopech’s sore forearm. Gomes said the report was overblown.
The back end of this pen is unreal, Treinen, Kopech, Scott, Yates and Phillips. They are trying to move Brasier in a trade. But if they can’t, the pen is that much stronger. It also means LA has plenty of collateral for trades come the deadline.
As for the kids, they will get some looks early in spring. But the closer it gets to the 18th of March; the less time they will see as the team gets ready for the opening games in Tokyo against the Cubs. This year after returning from Japan, they have three games against the Angels, 23-25 before opening at home against the Tigers on March 27th. Atlanta comes in for a three-game set on the 31st. Then the Dodgers hit the road to Philly and DC.
There was a lot of noise earlier about giving Rushing time in LF. That was before they resigned Teo. Although he might get some time out there this spring, one has to believe LA is more committed to him being a catcher more often than not. Although I like Feduccia a lot, I think he is more of an insurance policy, or trade bait. I do not see him in the Dodgers long term picture.
No matter what, it will be an interesting spring training and one of the more anticipated springs in memory. Does AF have some more mystery moves under his sleeve? We can only guess.
The Dodgers have been getting a lot of flak from all sides about the way they have been doing business. Jeff discussed this in length his last post. Fair or unfair, they are pretty much Public Enemy #1 right now in the baseball world. They have a huge target on their back. Winning another World Series will not be easy. But they have the horses to do just that.
Reds made a trade with the Giants for Taylor Rogers. Trade is for RHP Brandon Roxby. Giants also sending 6 million to the Reds.
On the surface, this makes very little sense. Rogers has been a relatively decent reliever for the Giants, and the Twins before that. The Giants are sending $6MM to the Reds to facilitate the trade, and they are returning a 26 year old RHRP who has still not reached AAA, and his MiLB numbers to date are not very good at all.
But this could be a precursor to an impending FA signing or trade, where an open 40 man roster spot was necessary. With Rogers moving to Cincinnati, the Giants now have 39 on the 40 man roster.
Rogers was not a difference maker, but maybe the next addition will be. Jack Flaherty???
Not Bregman, maybe Alonso?
Giants have been mentioned as a possibility for Alonso.
That would be interesting.
Nice article Bear. Nothing better than having a target on your back and they still can’t beat you. That is a athlete’s dream
From Gavin Lux on his Instagram Account:
Good luck in Cincy, Gavin!
He is one of my favorite players, and has battled to overcome injuries in the last few years. Hope to see him in the All Star game this year!
Classy
KC signed 32 year old RHRP Carlos Estévez to a 2 year deal with a 3rd year club option. Estevez will earn $10MM in each of the next two seasons, with a $2MM option on a $13MM option.
Ha Seong Kim signed a two-year deal with the Rays and can opt out after year one. He is slated to return in May, and the skinny is that he will play SS.
They gave us haircuts this evening. Had some students come in and they did a bunch of guys. Got my beard trimmed and eyebrows trimmed too. Had a great PT session. I can walk with the walker again. Minimal swelling in the ankle and no pain. Pic line is gone, so no more antibiotics. Should be outa here in a week or so,
That’s not a haircut, that’s a scalping. 🙂
Nah, I was already bald, and besides, if I let it grow out I look like freaking Larry Fine of the Three Stooges.
Nyuk nyuk….
Looking good, Bear.
Thanks Duke, feeling a helluva lot better.
Bear –
Great article! It got the baseball juices going in me and spring training is just around the corner. I always read your articles because they are always on target. Good luck with your rehab and look forward to your articles in what should be an exciting year for Dodger fans.
Yoiks.
You ok’d that? Beard looks good.
I’m letting it grow. Have been for a few months now. Rocking a pony tail, first since college in the 70’s, and gray beard looks similar to yours, only a bit longer.
I thought you’d be outta there only days after we talked. When you expecting to leave?
About 10 days.
Looking sharp, Bear!
Smart and handsome!
A two way player like Ohtani!
I appreciate your work!
Thanks RC, much appreciated. A lot of Dodger fans in this hospital.
On the latest podcast of the Windup, the group starts with a discussion about the Dodgers, the ludicrously great (and good Philly boy) Andy McCollough has a nice bit about what people don’t understand about the Dodgers focusing on Superstars in the context of spending lots of money:
“… And I agree with that. So I don’t want to like be too, you know, like rah rah, go Dodgers. But I do think one point that I haven’t really, hadn’t really seen anyone make is that like, this is something that the Dodgers are very fundamentally aware of as a front office and it’s something that as an organization, they have known for 20 years or more, you know, is that the best types of players, the absolute best players you want are zero to six stars, right?
The Bobby Wits, the Paul Skenese (SIC), the Adley Rutchmans, perhaps you’re sensing a theme about those types of players. They are all chosen in the early portion of the draft, right? The first five to 10 picks, that’s where the stars are.
That’s it just, you know, that’s where the talent is. Bryce Harper, you know, Steven Strasburg. I’m sure there’s been other drafts since then, I can’t really remember.
But like the Dodgers structurally do not have access to that talent pool. They cannot get into the most valuable talent pool. And there’s very few people, you know, like crying for the Dodgers or the Yankees…”
From The Windup: A show about Baseball: The Roundtable | The Dodgers’ signing spree continues, Jan 29, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-roundtable-the-dodgers-signing-spree-continues/id1558220009?i=1000686865374
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Thanks Andy. Now “I know.” Don’t forget about Gonsolin and May. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for our young guys. Can’t wait to see how Miller responds this year. I have high hopes for him
Will Smith was the 32nd pick of the 2016 draft, but he’s had more success than every player drafted ahead of him. In a re-draft of that class, Smith would be No. 1
The actual No. 1 pick was Mickey Moniak, now with the Angels. No. 2 was Nick Senzel… Etc…. Lux was the No. 20–and he also has had more success than most of the players. Perhaps the best first-rounder after Smith was Josh Lowe.
The Dodgers have made some poor choices, of course, but the track record is pretty good.
In trading Lux, they are essentially getting two high draft picks in Siroti and the competitive balance pick they got from the Reds.
Found this gem on the net.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeKbktNm0Mkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeKbktNm0Mk
Never saw Sandy pitch so that is as close as it gets for me to watch him do his thing with Vin calling it.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You missed one of the best, and that game in Minnesota wasn’t even his best.
Keith Law of The Athletic out with his rankings of the team farm systems.
Dodgers are #3 and that is WITHOUT including Sasaki because he doesn’t consider guys who have come over from Japan or Korea after playing there as prospects.
He considers everyone in the system, not just MLB Top 100 players and only considers players who have retained their rookie status.
Being #3 is really amazing considering all of the above plus the fact that we never draft anywhere near the top.
I was a bit surprised too, but when I thought about it, yeah, the organization has shown they are willing to spend on scouting and development, so why wouldn’t their house have more shiny bobbles than other houses?
Didn’t know Bear kicked it wesside.
Not kicking anything with this ankle, maybe someday soon.
White Sox have discussed a Luis Robert trade with the Reds and Giants. Cubs talking to SD about Cease.
Shohei preparing for life after baseball.
https://x.com/i/status/1885066421342003670
Wasn’t the best reliever in baseball winner of some award called “Fireman of the year”.
Yup. This is just the Dodgers’ way of informing us that they’re moving Shohei to the bullpen. He’s our new closer.
I hope Luis Robert Jr. gets traded… if only so we could debate the package the Dodgers could have offered.
Back in the day it was, now it is the Rolaids Relief man of the year award.
Scherzer signing a one-year deal with the Blue Jays.
Wow, couldn’t find a trade partner to move Brasier so he gets DFA’d? Surprised they couldn’t get someone for him.
A bit premature comment by me…:they still have ten days to facilitate a trade. Hope they can get something done.
Brasier DFA’d. I hope he is dealt to an American League team.
Our 7th best reliever is still valuable to other teams. He’ll go fast.
According to MLBTR< the Mets are interested in trading for Cease. Polanco re-signs with the Mariners. On Yahoo news they were talking about Boras and how clients might jump ship because he hasn’t been getting the big boys their big contracts this year. AKA Pete Alonso.
If he is not ready to pitch until May, would Ohtani be carried as a position player until he can begin to pitch and then switched and carried as a pitcher until he gets 20 innings and 2-way status?
Ohtani will have to be listed as a pitcher and count against the 13 pitcher limit when he is ready to pitch if I have interpreted the rules correctly. Otherwise he would only be able to pitch in blowouts and extra innings. He will have to pitch at least 3 games to get to 20 innings and 2-way player status.
Players qualify for the two-way designation if they have met both of these conditions in either the current or previous MLB season:
• Pitched at least 20 Major League innings
• Played at least 20 Major League games as a position player or designated hitter, with at least three plate appearances in each game
I read and interpreted the rules same as you. However, I wonder if there is an exception to recovery from an injury that precludes the player from pitching. The Dodgers say they will be starting him, and that is contrary to the rules. Shohei is listed as a 2-way player on the LAD roster.
Well, he can’t be claimed as a 2-way player until he pitches 20 innings. He will have to be carried as a position player or a pitcher until he pitches 20 innings. If he is not going to pitch until May, he should be carried as a position player so as not to take a pitching slot on the roster. When he is available to pitch, I am assuming he would/could be changed to a pitcher for 3-4 games until he qualifies as a 2-way player.
I am not sure that is true. It may very well be, but the Dodgers are planning on starting him and he is considered a 2-way player on the 40 man. Why would the Dodgers say he is going to start in May, when he returns to pitching. I think the injury he sustained keeping him out for a full season as a pitcher may be an exception. I paln on reaching out to some who might know the exact ruling. In the meantime, for right now, I am going with the Dodgers planning on starting him in May. There will not be enough blowout games or extra inning games for Ohtani to reach 20 IP before them.
He is considered a 2-way player on the Dodgers roster, but, according to the criteria he will not be a 2-way player until he pitches 20 innings for roster purposes. It would make no sense to carry him as a pitcher until he can actually pitch.
DodgerFest is tomorrow. Anyone here going?
I went last year, and it was a huge turnout (and I’d expect even bigger turnout this year). It was a fun atmosphere but I only stayed for a couple hours.
Next tier of Dodger prospects.
https://www.truebluela.com/2025/1/31/24355741/dodgers-prospects-emil-morales-eduardo-quintero-brendan-tunink-mike-sirota
Looking forward to seeing Emil Morales (hopefully) in some late inning spring training games!
I haven’t seen a list of the 20 or so minor leaguers invited to camp, and they are not on the non-roster list. I know George, Hope and De Paula will probably be there.
Feeling great today. Might be here a little more than a week and then I can head home. Looking forward to some Dodger baseball.