Bear raised a valid point that he would rather see the “regulars” stay in camp and play for their teams. I am sure he is not alone. The Dodgers have seven members of the projected 26 man roster playing in the WBC. I enjoy the WBC, but I also see the value in having all of the players in camp working together. Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Julio Urías, Austin Barnes, Freddie Freeman, Trayce Thompson, David Peralta. MiLB player Jose Ramos is playing for Panama. Miguel Rojas made the decision to stay back with LAD and work as the everyday SS. That should also provide a positive outcome for Miguel Vargas’ play at 2B.
One of the outcomes is the additional opportunities for non-regulars. There is considerably more PA for the non-regulars in 2023 than there were in 2022. Maybe not a fair comparison as last year’s ST was a decidedly shorter than normal due to the lockout. There were a total of 18 ST games, so the regulars needed to play more.
Last year the top PA’s belonged to the known 26 man roster: Bellinger (37), Trea Turner (36), JT (34), Muncy (33), Smith (31), Lux (30), CT3 (30), Edwin Rios (30), Hanser Alberto (25), Freddie (24), Mookie (23), Austin Barnes (21). Non 26-man roster players PAs.
Names highlighted in yellow were on the 40-man.
Eddy Alvarez and Jake Lamb were the only players to have more PAs than the 26 man roster players.
2023 is quite different. There have been 17 games played, just about the same as was played in 2022. Only 4 of the known 26 man roster have PA’s in the top 15 PA’s: CT3 (32), JD Martinez (31), Max Muncy (28), and Miguel Rojas (25).
The other regulars have less PA’s due games missed for the WBC: Will Smith (15), Freddie Freeman (19), David Peralta (17), Trayce Thompson (16), Miguel Vargas (24).
Two of the following three should make the roster: Jason Heyward (31), James Outman (28), and Yonny Hernandez (26). Non 26 man roster players:
Names highlighted in yellow are on the 40-man.
You will note that in 18 games for 2022, there were 308 PA’s for the non 26 man roster, while there have been 440 PA’s thus far in 2023 for the non 26 man roster players. Who are the players that have benefited the most?
Hunter Feduccia (pictured) has opened the eyes to many with his play. Offensively, in 12 ABs, Feduccia has 6 hits including 2 doubles and a HR. He also has 9 RBIs that leads the team. I know that it is a small sample size, however leading the team in RBIs with only 12 ABs is very impressive. Feduccia had 2 walks against 1 K.
Michael Busch got off to a horrible start, and in a normal ST, he probably would not have had as many opportunities. In his last two games, he had 4 consecutive hits including a long HR and a double. He certainly turned his ST around with those 4 ABs.
23 AB, 6 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 8 K.
Other 40 Man ST results:
- Eddys Leonard – 22 AB, 9 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1BB, 5 K
- Yonny Hernandez – 22 AB, 6 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K
- Jonny DeLuca – 20 AB, 7 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K
- Jorbit Vivas – 18 AB, 5 hits, 2 doubles, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
- Andy Pages – 17 AB, 4 hits, 1 double, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K
Other non-40 man players:
- Devin Mann – 21 AB, 6 hits, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 7 K
- Ryan Ward – 21 AB, 7 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K
- Drew Avans – 18 AB, 4 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K
Diego Cartaya got extensive catching experience along with 14 PA. He got 1 hit with 3 BB and 4 K. He did hit a couple of hard hit outs. This will be a BIG year for Cartaya to break out. Will he? The consensus of evaluators certainly believe he will.
Busch, Leonard, Vivas, DeLuca, Pages, and Cartaya have been optioned. There is no reason that they will not get additional AB in an MLB ST game. Mann, Feduccia, Ward, and Avans are still with the ML club, at least they have not been sent out.
With the loss to Mexico on Tuesday, Great Britain was eliminated. Trayce Thompson should be back at Camelback on Wednesday. Venezuela has advanced to the quarterfinals, so David Peralta will be continuing in the WBC. USA, Mexico, and Canada are all 2-1 with Mexico facing Canada on Wednesday. If USA beats Columbia on Wednesday, they will advance. Still to be determined: Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Julio Urías, and Austin Barnes.
The main reason I really felt the regulars should be with the team is because of all the uncertainty around this team. There are a lot of decisions to be made the next two weeks, especially in the outfield. Outman is really forcing their hand. But I also think they are confident enough in the veterans to send him back to OKC where he would play everyday and not be in a platoon situation, which seems to be the way things are stacking up now. But if Heyward or Thomson flame out, he could easily be called back. I think the real need right now is another infielder. They have 7 guys who can play the outfield. Middle infielders, not so much.
Freeman out of the WBC. Dodgers pulled the plug on that.
Having Mookie Betts, Trayce Thompson, and David Peralta out to the WBC, gave James Outman more ABs that he would not have had. Without those ABs, he is absolutely ticketed to OKC…now at least there is a real decision to make.
With Will Smith and Austin Barnes in the WBC, Hunter Feduccia and Diego Cartaya got valuable time behind the plate they would never have received. Hunter Feduccia is now on the radar if either Smith or Barnes gets hurt.
With Freddie in the WBC, Michael Busch probably does not get his last four ABs, where everything just clicked. Same is true with Devin Mann.
With Julio Urías in the WBC, Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove both got more starts. Those starts trickled down to maybe Andre Jackson getting to pitch in long relief that might have gone to Pepiot or Grove. Julio is the only LAD pitcher at the WBC, and he got to pitch to his batterymate, Austin Barnes. Depending as to what happens today, Urías could get one more start for Team Mexico.
We haven’t seen any reliever pitch back to back yet. That is because of the number of pitchers in camp. ST games are nothing but meaningless scrimmages for players to get into shape, and to get their timing. The Dodger WBC players do come back to camp to get in some work. At least that is what Tim Neverett has said. ST games do not get serious until the Freeway Series. That is the way it always has been under AF and Roberts.
If you blame the WBC for Freeman’s injury, then it was Spring Training that caused Gavin Lux to tear his ACL, Tony Gonsolin to sprain his ankle while pitching on the back fields, and Bobby Miller to come down with a sore shoulder. Both are just silly. Injuries happen. There is no cause and effect for getting injured in the WBC or ST. Miguel Vargas broke his pinky at ST not playing for Cuba in the WBC,
Other Spring Training Injuries:
Top pitching prospect per Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, Andrew Painter, who was slated to be in the Phillies rotation is out with a “right proximal ulnar collateral ligament sprain.”
Top pitching prospect for the Nationals, Cade Cavalli, exited a ST game with an apparent elbow injury.
NYM SP José Quintana, is out to at least July for rib surgery.
NYM RP Sam Coonrod – Out with high grade lat strain.
NYY Harrison Bader – Out with oblique strain.
NYY Carlos Rodón – Mild forearm strain
NYY Tommy Kahnle – Biceps tendonitis
NYY Lou Trivino – Mild elbow strain – out until May
The WBC happens once every four years. Just like the Olympics and World Cup I enjoy the spectacle. I can forego watching Mookie play 4-5 innings every other day and then head to the clubhouse.
The Marlins have selected Garrett Hampson to the Marlins roster.
For all those who were upset about the Jacob Amaya for Miguel Rojas trade.
Rojas – 8 for 24, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 0 BB, 1 K
Amaya – 1 for 19 (single). 1 BB, 9 K
I wish Jacob well, but he just is not ready for MLB.
I think Ramos could be as good as Pages but Pages takes more walks. Who are the best in the system in drawing walls? Guesses: Busch. Rushing, Cartaya?
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