Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Dodgers Dump Joc Pederson To Clear Roster Space

Almost lost in the shuffle of the Dodger’s blockbuster deal to acquire Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox on Tuesday night was the deal sending Joc Pederson to the Angels for minor league infielder Luis Rengifo. Some of you may be wondering why the Dodgers dealt Pederson to the Angels. They didn’t do it to acquire Rengifo. The switch-hitting 22-year old Venezuelan infielder will provide the Dodgers with some infield depth down in Oklahoma City. He’ll team with Clayton Daniel and give the Dodgers some fodder in case of emergency. Oklahoma City needs players too.

(Apparently there are more players involved in the deal. My guess is the big league starter is apparently its Ross Stripling not Nelson, but we shall see) Rengifo was considered one of the Angel’s top ten prospects before he made his MLB debut in 2019. Rengifo slashed .238/.321/.364 with 7 home runs, 33 runs batted in and a below average 84 OPS+. He doesn’t have much power, and his batting and on-base skills will hopefully improve over time. He’s very young and with some needed development could turn into a viable bench piece in the future.

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The Dodgers traded Pederson to clear roster space. They don’t need him anymore (with the addition of Betts) and with the current surplus of outfielders made him expendable. For the record, I will miss Joc. I have long been a strong supporter of Pederson. He’s a good player and the Dodgers are going to miss his power and on-base skills.

Joc slugged 36 home runs in 2019 but his on-base skills did actually dip a tick. His struggles against left handers are well known, but he crushed right handers and played well in the postseason. Joc should get a good opportunity to remain close to Los Angeles and get some playing time in addition to the chance to prove himself against southpaws.

I will surely miss Joc regardless. I will not forget his clutch home run in game 6 of the 2017 World Series against Joe Musgrove and the cheater Astros. He hit three home runs in that fall classic, but the one in game 6 was the most important. Good luck in Disneyland Joc!

Scott Andes

Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic

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Scott Andes
Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic
https://ladodgerreport.com

113 thoughts on “Dodgers Dump Joc Pederson To Clear Roster Space

  1. Not really Scott. They gave up 3 major leaguers and got 3 back. Joc is a salary dump. And I do not like adding a pitcher to this deal.

    1. I’m gonna wait until the deal is finished then form an opinion. Maybe it’s just a salary dump. Maybe it’s just mostly a salary dump. Maybe we add more future assets.

  2. What a surprise….. or is it?

    First I must admit I never thought Friedman would finalize the deal to acquire Betts. Definitely out of his comfort zone. But the big contract is not attached to Betts……yet.

    Friedman did hold his cards(prospects) close to his chest so he should be able to sleep at nights.

    It turns out that the Dodgers traded away Verdugo, Maeda and Pederson for Betts, Price and Rengifo.

    This can only be viewed as a 1-year exploitation as the Dodgers appear to be going after the Championship in 2020. With that in mind will Betts outperform the combination of Verdugo & Pederson? Will Price be more effective than Maeda? Dodgers FO says yes to both of those. I’m not real sure about either of those happening.

    Does trading Alex Verdugo and his 5 years of control for 1 year of Mookie Betts make sense?

    Mookie Betts will test the FA market. I have little doubt about that UNLESS the Dodgers want to offer $420M/12 years or $380M/10 years before then.

    Pitching (primarily starting pitching) still wins Championships. Do the Dodgers have enough starting pitching to win this year?

    In summary this will turn out to be a great trade ONLY if the Dodgers win the World Series this year or they sign Betts to a long-term contract. We will have our answer in about 8 – 10 months. Get ready for another journey.

    1. I’m ready.

      I agree that long term high costs contracts are not what Friedman has done. He allegedly offered Cole one. He extended a couple Dodgers. My hope is Betts falls in love with LA and will accept Friedman’s offer should it come. Much to be determined. Maybe Betts is only an .850 OPS guy in LA. Maybe he already knows he’s going home after a 1 year vacation in better weather. Whatever, 2020 is gonna be a fun ride. Hope it ends well.

  3. The Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts and David Price and kept their top 5 prospects.

    That’s just amazing.

    It also goes to show the value of depth in prospects (being able to trade Verdugo with minimal impact) and on the 40 (being able to leverage Maeda into a prospect with minimal impact, and being able to turn Pederson and Stripling, and Pages into 3 prospects)

  4. Ross Stripling is also headed to the Halos. So it is Joc, and Strip, and Andy Pages, a 19 year old outfielder to the Halos for Rengifo, and 2 as yet to be named prospects. Well, I am not really down with trading a 30 homer hitter and a valuable pitcher who can start or relieve for another middle infielder with no stick and 2 kids. But someone had to go besides Verdugo I guess. But some of that lefty power is gone. Your subtracting 48 homers from the lineup. Hopefully the others pick up the slack.

    1. Michael, as I see it as far as that lefty power goes, Seager should be fully good to go and Lux, is only 21 and should get bigger and stronger and he already has as much power as Verdugo IMHO. and let’s not forget Rios, although there may not be room for him.

      1. I do not think Rios is even on the 26 man. And he is getting a little long in the tooth to be a prospect anymore. Lux has a lot to prove before I consider him anything more than a prospect. He has less than 75 at bats in the majors. Between Joc, Verdugo, and Freese, LA has lost 60 home runs, and added 28. They have gained some RH pop, and lost some from the left side. Seager hit 19 last year and should be at least in the mid 20’s this year. If Pollock is totally healthy, he is fully capable of hitting 20 plus. Beaty can be a double digit guy too. But if what I see them getting for Joc and Strip is as little as I have seen so far, they were fleeced by the Angels.

  5. Pollock’s time to stay healthy and put up some numbers! Make it or break it year for both him and Kelly! Any chance of getting another Gray and Downs?

  6. Well, Friedman pulled a fast one on the Dodger fans. Get them all pumped and excited for the addition of the 1-year rental Betts, and then sneak/dump players out the back door. IMO, a big price to pay, for a rental.

    Don’t get too excited about Betts, Dodger fans. He is just using this 1-year stint with the Dodgers as a bargaining chip for next year’s free agent market. No way Friedman will give Betts the $400M he is asking for. In the mean time, the Dodgers tossed Maeda, Pederson, Stripling, Hill, and Verdugo in the Dodger Stadium CF remodeling Dumpster. I am happy for Maeda, as he will get more respect as a starter in Minnesota, and Pederson will get more playing time in Anaheim. Hill has at least one more good year, and will be a welcome, veteran addition to the Twins’ pitching staff. Strips probably needed a change of scenery. I hope they all do well.

    So, now the Dodgers have no choice but to cut the umbilical cord on the kids, and “Let the Kids Play!” Time for Urias, Gonsolin, Lux, and Smith to put on their big boys pants. Also time to backfill the Dodger farm with new prospects.

    The dumpster/rehab additions (Price, Treinen, Nelson, Wood) will be a crap shoot. The Dodgers already have rehab residents from last year, hanging around (Kelly, Jansen, Pollock, Alexander, Floro, Ferguson) and a worn out, highly paid veteran ex-Ace (Kershaw).

    Sometimes, change is needed. But don’t reserve your World Series tickets yet, based on the 1-year rental of Betts. Mookie still has to deliver. Mookie still has to fit, in the clubhouse. Friedman has rolled the dice, but will it pay off? “Maybe” for 2020, but what about beyond?

    Hmmmm, I wonder if Betts was in on the cheating scandal in Boston? Oh yeah, Players get immunity. But will Dodger players forgive him, while he parades the Dodger Clubhouse wearing his 2018 WS ring, knowing that Betts is only using this opportunity with the Dodgers to justify his walk out the clubhouse door at season’s end, to free agency riches?

    1. Yep. It could all unfold just like that.

      Or not.

      Friedman knows all of this and a lot more. This isn’t a one year plan. Maybe Mookie is the perfect fit here and will decide to stay. Bellinger is here for 4 more years. Kershaw and Jansen for 2. Nobody else costs all that much. If Mookie knocks the walls down why not give him what he wants and build around him and Bellinger? Heck, bring Lindor in on it.

      I’d say let’s just enjoy the ride Blue

      1. Yes, Badger,

        Let’s enjoy the ride. That is what Major League Baseball has unfortunately come down to. It is what it is.

        I just get tired of the Dodgers’ two main problems….

        Becoming the ATM machine of the MLB, by picking up these absorbent salaries, and bailing out these other clubs, allowing them to dip right back into the wishing well, called free agency.
        The constant Dumpster Diving, hoping to find a miracle reincarnation of an washed up, injured player.

        Start investing in their own prospects and young players, rather than trying to buy a championship with overpriced free agents and worn out veterans. Maybe this is the year, with Lux, Gonsolin, Smith, May, and Urias. And reward their players, like Muncy, for a job well done. It is not like Muncy was asking for the world.

        I just think the Dodgers gave up way too much, for what they got in return.

        1. Hey Bluefan4Life, at the very least Dodgers remain with those top prospects that did not have to be moved and may see action this year or next…They were able to Keep Lux, May, Gonsolin, Downs, Gray, Ruiz . so I am good with that part.

        2. What?!

          You’re being facetious, right? Tongue in cheek? … wink wink ….nod nod.

          I get it. It’s a parody of the a lot of the posters here. You know, those folks who are never ever happy or satisfied with anything.

          Start investing in their own players rather than buying a championship with overpriced free agents? Did you really just write that?

  7. Wow Bluefan what does it take to make u happy AF pulled off an incredible trade for Betts lauded by every baseball expert and we keep all our top prospects! We Have arguably the most talented team in baseball and an incredibly strong young group coming up and should be really good for years to come. What else can the guy do. Give it a rest!

    1. Most fans are ok with the trade. He did get a great player for next to nothing. I think the frustration stems from the fact that here we are 5 years into AF’s reign and he just now pulls the trigger on a organization changing trade. And the main piece is a rental. He still has not addressed the bullpen. And I am sorry, as good as Betts is, he in no way guarantees the Dodgers win the World Series. Now only time will tell if it is a great trade or not. It is good that they did not have to give up their best prospects. As for the Pederson trade which is not a roster trade since they traded 4 major league players and got 3 back, but more of a salary dump to keep them below the tax, I am still on the fence. I think they gave up too much. Strip, Pederson and Pages for a so so middle infielder and a prospect? Not enough. Even if they get 2 prospects back I am still not totally convinced they received anything close to equal value.

    2. Verdugo wasn’t a prospect? He was the Dodgers top prospect going into last season. Quite possible that Verdugo was preferred over the rest of the Dodgers prospects.

      Let’s give the trade a year (probably less) and we’ll then know if it was a good trade because if the Dodgers do not win the WS and then lose Betts to FA, feel free to tell me how great of a deal this was.

  8. The Pederson deal isn’t finalized yet so we can’t pass judgement on that yet. And second will someone please explain to me how any deal or player guarantees a championship! That comment had no meaning! The point is AF is trying to win a championship this year and Betts makes us a much better team this year. I’m happy with that. This is not an OK trade. This is a total winner! My goodness this board is tough to please!

    1. Thank you. I was about to comment on the lack of praise for any move unless there is some sort of ironclad guarantee of a championship. Even if AF was clairvoyant and all powerful, having a guarantee of a championship before spring training even starts would make the season pretty anticlimactic and dull.

      NOTHING will make these folks happy, and Norris is the cheerful one.

      1. Patch,

        I just wrote an article about how much I liked the trade. I think you are overreacting and generalizing one or two posters over here as “everyone”. Just because a couple of guys doesn’t like Friedman doesn’t mean everyone here does.

        But it’s weird to me how you have to come over here just to defend executives and protect multi-millionaires. Friedman makes 10 million dollars per year. He’ll be just fine if a few guys over here criticize him. Perhaps you should go back to rooting for the Dodgers and not millionaire executives because it’s just weird.

        1. sigh Scott. I have to admit. I have to come clean. You see right through me.

          No, I didn’t come here and make that comment over what I thought was a painfully, disjointed and nonsensical argument that was so stupid it made my head hurt.

          I didn’t comment because I generally see the logic behind what AF does, understand his process and appreciate it – even if he isn’t infallible.

          I don’t generally poke fun at the inveterate AF haters because of their irrationality.

          No, I did none of these things. I made that comment “defending” AF because I have a thing for defending millionaires. I can’t help myself. It’s a sickness. I don’t know what it is. Maybe I need to become a Woke Bernie Bro so I see everything as some sort of war against rich white guys. My eyes will be open. I will truly be liberated.

          I knew I couldn’t pull the wool over your eyes, Scott. Your penetrating insight has exposed me for what I truly am. I’m a rich guy sycophant and I need help.

      2. Have to agree with Scott here, Dodgerpatch.

        The Dodgers had a fairly strong lineup before adding Betts. Betts will definitely help, “If” he pans out. There are no guarantees he will have a great year. The only thing encouraging is that he will need a great year to up his value, come 2021 Free Agent Market. That should be incentive enough to make him deliver.

        There need has always been pitching, and Friedman closes a blind eye to the problem. Dodger starters are good, but run out of gas, or are yanked prematurely by the 5th inning. Middle relief has been the Achilles Heel for several years, and their closer’s ability to slam the door shut had dwindled. What does Friedman do? He continues to dive into the dumpsters, throwing millions to worn out pitchers, hoping they can return to form. Then, he gives away their most consistent, dependable, and affordable starter, Kenta Maeda for absolutely nothing. Also gave up on Stripling and Hill. Three starting pitchers who had decent numbers, and most of all, wanted to be Dodgers… “Team” players who would do anything for the good of the team, even go to the bullpen if asked to do so.

        So, go ahead and praise Friedman and the Front Office all you want. But, they will not get much support from Me, that’s for sure… nor will they get my hard earned money.

        1. Oh my god! Of course he will “help.” He’s one of the top five players in the game – at least.

          Of course there are no guarantees he will have a great year. What is it with this weird fetish for guaranteed outcomes.

          GUARANTEED OUTCOMES DON’T EXIST!!

          Remember that. Let is sink in. I know it’s hard. All any general manager can do, the ONLY thing they have control over, is marginally increasing the odds of winning. You can’t sign effing God. You can only sign players.

          There are people here already pining over the loss of Verdugo. Would you rather have Betts or Verdugo? Does anyone even need to answer that question? Holy shit! Of COURSE I want effing Betts over Verdugo. Are you people insane?

          “Yeah, but he’ll be gone in a year. It was too much to give up.”

          So, all you people do non stop is bitch and moan over how AF is always playing the long game, and that winning a WS is the ONLY thing that’s important. Well, here he is making a calculated risk to win a WS by going after quality. It’s what you wanted … and the fact AF did so by pulling so many strings as to not give up the core group of prospects is effing amazing.

          And personally, I think the Dodgers are in as good a position as any team to sign Betts to a long term deal. It’s why AF does what he does. He doesn’t blow his wad. The Dodgers have the flexibility to sign people because they’ve made the smart decisions to get under the cap. Part of the reason people are angry with the Sox and think they got fleeced is that they now HAVE to get under the cap. They’re negotiating from a position of weakness. The Dodgers are always negotiating on their terms, which is what I think is the most under appreciated aspect of the AF regime.

      3. Dodgerpatch, as someone said at the outset, it appears with the Pederson trade that Dodgers got fleeced by the Angels.. I am not sure I am on board with that deal with Angels at this point, and the Betts trade is being held up due to a medical review on that pitcher Graterol from the Twins.

        1. Are you sure about that?

          Yeah sure, Joc had 36 bombs last year. It was his best year ever. But consider this:

          Joc’s inability to hit lefties, like, at all, depresses his trade value
          Joc’s history prior to 2019 was characterized by underachievement, which depresses his trade value.
          Joc has one year of control before hitting free agency, which depresses his trade value
          Depending on the arb outcome, he might be paid 9.5 mil, which depresses his trade value.
          The Dodgers probably tried to extend him, but he indicated he intended to test FA, which made getting something for him more of an imperative.
          The outfield is clogged already, and Pollock really shouldn’t be platooning if he’s healthy, which made unloading Joc now, after a pretty good year, the smart move.
          I think AF is pretty high on that Rengifo guy, and they’re thinking ahead in antipation of Kike and possibly Taylor moving on. They’re already thinking of the replacement.

          The wildcard is Strip. He’s a valuable piece simply because he’s under control for couple more years and can start or relieve. I think what people don’t realize is that AF doesn’t just dump players in trades to shed salary, but also to free up the lineup and shed surplus. Puig was blocking Pollock and Verdugo, which, among the myriad other reasons, made getting rid of him prudent. Strip would still be a long relief guy because of the Dodgers depth.

          I would still like to see more of a return, but I don’t even know if the deal will fall through, let alone the prospect details. Wait and see.

    2. Cassidy,

      So nobody can question the mighty Friedman? What Michael is saying makes sense. It’s been 5 years. 5! Not 1 or 2 or 3. It took him 5 years to acquire an elite player and yes he has yet to address the pitching problems. I liked the trade too. Even 1 year of Betts is worth the gamble in my opinion but Micheal makes some good points. Friedman’s total lack of value on pitching is what concerns people. He never addresses weaknesses on the roster and his pitching acquisitions with exception of a couple guys (hill, maeda, wood) have been really bad.

      They were bounced out of the playoffs in 2019 because of their mediocre pitching. The bullpen couldn’t hold leads. Getting guys like joe Kelly and scott alexander will never put them in position to win. They’ve gotten Betts but the pitching staff has some huge holes that need to be addressed.

      1. Friedman’s total lack of value on pitching?

        That’s just a dumb comment.

        The Dodgers were bounced out of the playoffs because their key hitters (I’m looking at you, Bellinger, Seager and Pollock) totally disappeared and because Roberts is a fucking moron. Kershaw should never have been put in that position.

        Try again.

  9. My mostly settled views on AF and the trades, which can still evolve of course:

    On AF. For what it’s worth, he is the type of card player that will insist on betting and folding in strict compliance with pre-set rules. Whether someone will match, be on “tilt” or otherwise play along with him doesn’t matter. So at the end of the day as long as the other players are as disciplined as he is, or has a better system, AF will lose out. But once in a while

    What that means is if someone else (like Dombrowski) was still in charge, he very likely would have asked for more than Verdugo and change, even if he is unloading half of David Price’s salary. No one, here or in the blogosphere, guessed that the Dodgers would “only” have to give up Verdugo and still get the Red Sox to eat half of Price’s salary. Most had Verdugo and Ruiz, plus others. Had it been reported earlier on that only Verdugo and $17 millionx3 years was required, I think most of us would have been ecstastic and wondered what AF was waiting for?

    Likely the new Red Sox management didn’t want Myers’ contract and tried to get more out of AF, but AF didn’t budge. I give him credit for that, and if there is one thing that we can all appreciate, AF will not overpay for anyone ex ante. By that, I mean that AF is cheap and if he doesn’t think he is getting some type of discount (injury or otherwise), even a small one, he is not going to pay. This is a good trait to have overall, even it does get old and frustrating when there are clear moves to be made.

    As for the deal itself, if it is not clear from the above already, I think AF did well here. In terms of the player himself, yes this is likely a one year rental, but I think Betts will be playing his ass off this year to get that Trout contract that he wants. That is great for us, for this yea (and I think the chance of AF handing that to him, with Seager and Bellinger still waiting for theirs, is slim and none, and slim had just skipped town!). In addition, Betts is a right handed bat with proven speed on the basepaths. Having Betts leading off changes a lot of things for us, and we have a lot of depth to give people time off so that we go into the playoffs with as healthy a lineup as possible. We need pitchers that can eat some innings, having lost Ryu, Maeda, Stripling and Hill. Price will help there, and I feel he will do well at Dodgers Stadium. Who would you rather have to go 5 innings every 5th day, Price, Maeda, Stripling or Hill?

    However, having lost so many innings, Price alone will not even begin to fill the void. Urias, May and Gonsolin need to take a step forward, and I hope they all escape Spring Training unscathed. I also think we will need to trade for an arm at trade deadline time.

    It’s going to be a very entertaining year, that is for sure, and it is going to be WS Champs or Bust! As it should be!!

    1. Cassidy, Be honest, AF is not a genius. He will get praise when praise is earned. IMO, he just gave up too much for one expensive rental, and paid too much for three rehab assignments. Yet he has the nerve to squabble over $400,000 with Muncy.

      1. He gave up too much? Every other person on Planet Earth – fan, pundit, my aging mother, Red Sox nation – thinks the Dodgers absolutely stole the Sox’s lunch money in this deal.

        You’re sad about losing Verdugo? Excuse my French, but fuck Verdugo. You know the inside scoop on Verdugo? He’s been dogged by reports of his immaturity and lack of work ethic all through his minor league career. I read somewhere that the Dodgers were unhappy with his lack of work ethic between games. Oh, sure. He had some big moments in games and brought a lot of energy to games, but quietly, the Dodgers – teammates and management alike – weren’t pleased.

        He’s Puig Light. Addition by subtraction.

  10. And he did make a 300 mil offer to Cole and traded for Darvish at the trade deadline so I don’t think he’s not interested in pitching. I just don’t think he’s interested in giving out these huge long term contracts to players who don’t pan out!

    1. Yeah. He traded for Darvish, but what did that do? Darvish was by his standards mediocre. And I do not care if the Astros cheated or not, something was terribly wrong with that guy in the World Series. Darvish was injured, as was Hill, when he came to the Dodgers. He was 4-3 in the regular season ERA in the mid 3’s. But he gave up 7 homers in 49 innings. He was 2-2 in the playoffs and World Series. He pitched well against the D-Backs and Cub’s in the playoffs, but only went 6 innings in one game and 5.1 in the other. He was 0-2 in the World Series pitching 3.1 innings and giving up 9 runs and 2 homers. He also did not have a strikeout in either of those games. Darvish was little help in the season, ok in the playoffs and stunk up the joint in the series. Why he was pitching game 7 is beyond me. They could have run Stripling out there and gotten a better performance. When the BP was the problem, as it still is, he got bupkis. Not one single shut down reliever. His best signing was Morrow, but Roberts burned him out in the playoffs. Last year his big deal was Kolarek. Great against lefty’s, but not so much against RH. So do not tell me Darvish was a quality pick up. He was mediocre. Then he went and got Machado and he made the deal early. We did not get the all star that he was in Baltimore. We got a good player. He had some good games, but his K rate increased. His BA dropped over 40 points, and he was not what I would call the best personality on the field. He did not bust his tail all the time, and it seemed like in clutch situations he struck out a lot. I give AF credit for trading for those guys, and it is not his fault they fell on their faces. But other than those 2 and this deal for Betts when it is finally finalized, being held up by the way by the Red Sox concern over some medical reports on Gaterol. He has done little to inspire the Dodger faithful. He has, to his credit, not traded his best prospects. But still, some of his moves are head scratching. Even his supporters can agree with that. The Pederson trade is also on hold because of the Gaterol thing. Both sides seem pretty confident that the trade will be finalized before the weekend. With pitchers and catchers reporting next week. I would still have liked to see him sign a really good bullpen arm, instead he invests 10 million on a guy who was terrible last year in the hope he finds himself this year. And although there is a lot of depth on the team, the AAA squad is thin in MLB ready pitchers who can step in if someone gets hurt.

      1. You are absolutely right, Michael.

        Something was wrong with Darvish.

        Remember too, Kershaw’s woes in October, Jansen’s failures, and Pollock’s season of struggles. Just because the Dodgers pick up a 1-year rental superstar, does not guarantee a thing. Who knows what Betts will do?

        Bottom line, it is up to the Prima donnas to perform to their expectations.

  11. Seems like a lot of anger in here. So much to be grateful for, but so little gratitude.

    I care Houston cheated Michael.

    I thought Darvish was a good pickup. As was Machado. Hill? Meh. You guys keep asking for that star pickup when this team has stars all over the diamond. There’s enough talent assembled here to win Division Championships and get to two World Series and it’s never enough. We got cheated out of a championship, hell maybe two. We should be pissed about THAT.

    Hopefully this year is different.

  12. We don’t know what is happening behind the scenes, maybe Joc wanted to leave so he would get a chance to play against lefties, maybe Betts has indicated a desire to stay for a longer stint, maybe Kenta was very displeased with not being a starter only and wanted to leave, etc. etc.

    I do believe that AF has a very strange thought process on the importance of pitching. To me, it is our biggest weakness, yet it seems to get addressed with broken down pitchers needing a second chance to succeed or can be addressed with a shuttle between LA and Okiehoma City.

    I am still of the strong belief that one of the biggest issues we have is the manager position, in the most crucial moments in the post-season (some might argue the regular season too) Roberts seems to be seriously lacking, yes he has his hands tied with the pitchers that AF provides him, but his decisions on pitching are not the only questionable choices he makes, I think most of us agree on that.

    If some of the youngsters can really help in the pitching staff this year, I think we have a very good chance of a WS title, Betts should be a huge help, especially batting lead-off, a sore spot for the Dodgers for many years.

    StickyPatch, you are a thorn that needs to be plucked out of the garden. Go back to your buddies at the LaPhiles or whatever it goes by, you are a good fit there.

    1. We led the Majors in pitching. Our relief pitchers were #1 in the NL. Maybe we can improve on that?

      In Roberts defense……. I got nothing.

    2. True Blue, this part of your post here is right on!
      “I am still of the strong belief that one of the biggest issues we have is the manager position, in the most crucial moments in the post-season (some might argue the regular season too) Roberts seems to be seriously lacking, yes he has his hands tied with the pitchers that AF provides him, but his decisions on pitching are not the only questionable choices he makes, I think most of us agree on that.”
      I must add that the Pederson to the Angels deal was not one I call getting a fair enough value in return. What. we trade Pederson and Stripling for a utility no hit but glove INF?

    3. No, I’m more than a thorn. I’m your worst effing enemy.

      I’m here to bash skulls. I’m here to force reason and critical thinking into your thick heads. I’m playing Whack-a-Mole with the abject stupidity that keeps popping up here.

      Bring it, clowns!

  13. Bluefan it’s obvious that you don’t like Roberts and AF and you call the players prima donna’s and won’t support the Dodgers by going to any games. Just what about the Dodgers are you a fan of? I’m serious. And you make comments like the Dodgers don’t invest in their own young players. No one in baseball does that better than the Dodgers! And they try to buy a championship by chasing over priced free agents. When you and Michael are the ones criticizing AF that he never makes any big moves! And that you’ll give credit to AF when he earns it and you feel he overpaid for Betts and Price. Wow! 99% of baseball pundits feel this was a great trade for the Dodgers. You lose all credibility with these comments. Now if you want to question the Pollock and Kelly signings last year then I’m with you there. But a better solution than the constant complaining is for you to propose a deal to make the Dodgers better.

    1. Cassidy, as I just said, I have issues with that Perderson to the Angels trade that sent Stripling and another prospect over their for a no hit utility INF as the return. I am of course good with the Betts deal, as he IS A RHB that can lead off, has a great glove in the OF and all, as long as the deal eventually becomes official. As far as Betts being a 1 year rental, I am sure most are aware of how that works, and it’s the nature of the business these days.

  14. The stretches that some people here have to do to create criticism of the Dodgers Front Office is genuinely hilarious.

    Who gets to define elite players? To some Machado, Muncy, and Walker B would be considered elite. To those here, I guess not. Perhaps that tag is only available for Trout and Betts?

    1. Really? You actually expect to be taken seriously Brutus? You are actually pathetically hilarious

      1. But then again, you’re the one being laughed at. ..and trust me, I’m literally laughing at you at this moment.

        1. Lose the hard on for me! Your moronic takes and ridiculous thoughts are not funny, they are pathetic. You flatter yourself because no one else will. Return to your fellow philes and stroke each other. It ain’t working in here, if you can pull your head out of your ass.

          1. LOL!! OMG!!! I’m still laughing! …and I’m not even drinking bourbon like I was last night.

  15. And here is a list of the big deals and free agents AF has missed out on.
    2014-Cruz, Drew, Burnett, Ellsbury
    2015-Heyward,Price,Cueto,Upton
    2016-Cespedes,Desmond,Fowler
    2017-Darvish,Arrieta,Gomez
    2018-Harper,Machado,Keuchel, Kimbrel
    How’s that working out for the teams that signed these “big deals”?

    1. Maybe FO does read the blogs. I am glad they came to their senses. Congrats to Muncy…. an extension and raise well deserved. Also cancels out all his future arbitrations, and adds an option year, when he is eligible for free agency.

    1. Cassidy,

      Nobody is taking down your posts. For some reason the spam filter filtered your posts. I dont know why. It happens to everyone’s comments from time to time. I had to manually push your comments through, which I did.

  16. Here is a list of all the “big deals” AF has missed on.
    2014-Cruz,Drew,Burnett,Ellsbury
    2015-Heyward,Price,Cueto,Upton
    2016-Cespedes,Desmond,Fowler
    2017-Darvish,Arrieta,Gomez
    2018-Harper, Machado,Keuchel
    How’s that working out for those teams!

  17. And I agree with Badger that Darvish was a good sign. He was the clear choice over Verlander at the time. And I too care that the Astros cheated against both Darvish and Kersh! Darvish pitched brilliantly on the road in both the NLDS and the NLCS. And got cheated in game 3 at Houston. Granted he stunk in game 7 because I think he was rattled from game 3 but we weren’t winning that game if Koufax pitched. Hard to beat anyone scoring 1 run. Lots of blame to go around in game 7!

    1. Cassidy, Roberts had a huge hand in that WS outcome even though he wasn’t one of the players. Now you may be correct about not passing judgement on that Pederson trade yet because nothing is official. But when it does become official Dodgers got taken IMHO because the return of a no hit utility INF was not enough

    2. He gave up 6 runs in less than 2 innings in game 3. Cheating or not, and no one knew it at the time, they were teeing off on his pitches. He might have been the best pitcher available at the time, but he sure did not live up to that billing, neither did Machado. Brilliant on the road?? Wow, he pitched 6 innings in one game and barely over 5 in the other. Sorry, he might have kept those teams at bay, but then he turned the game over to a iffy pen. Could have went either way. As for Machado, does it not bother anyone that his numbers dipped so drastically after coming to LA? It bothered me. This guy was supposed to be the second coming. Professional pitchers with as much experience as Darvish had when he was traded should not get rattled 5 days after the fact. He was at home, in front of his teams fans and he stunk up the joint. Darvish was not that great in the playoffs before he came to LA. He had no success with the Rangers in that department. Hey, I love the team, and I am glad that they have been as successful as they have been these last 7 years. Makes it fun to watch. But I also am not going to just give AF a pass because he traded for 2 rentals who were mediocre to say the least. Neither one of those guys had a major impact on the teams quest for a championship. And in case you have forgotten, Machado was the last out of the 2018 series striking out, something he did a lot more when he came to LA than he had done in Baltimore.

  18. One of the reasons the trade with the Angels has not been finalized is because Joc’s arbitration hearing is today. He will either get the 9,5 he wants or the 7.5 the team offered. So far the teams are 2-0 against the players. Muncy gets a 3 year extension for close to 27 mil. The trade with Anaheim is supposed to be, Pederson, Stripling and Pages to the Halos for Rengifo, and 2 prospects. So we will see who those prospects are when it is completed which if everything goes as most suspect it will, should be sometime tomorrow afternoon. Also, Graterol’s medical report holding up the Betts trade. But neither side thinks that is going to keep the deal from going down. It is expected that a replacement player or another player will be added to the deal.

  19. I’m not defending Roberts in games management especially the pitching staff. No one was screaming louder than me when the 8 th inning came on and Kersh was still on the mound against Rendon! He’s a great clubhouse manager but we need a strong bench coach to counterbalance Roberts. Michael we will just have to agree to disagree about Darvish and Machado. They were best available on the market to make the Dodgers better at the time. The fact that that both their performances were not as good as before is on them and not AF. As you famously say there are no guarantees! Kudos to AF for going for it. At least he didn’t sign them long term! Look what Epstein’s signings have done to the Cubs!

    1. I know the performance on the field is not on AF. It is always on the players, and like everyone else at the time, I was glad to see those 2 guys come to LA, and in reality, neither cost the team that much. But what does irk me, and I have said this time and again, he still has not addressed the bullpen. At least not with a shut down arm. The most infuriating thing about AF is the way he goes about assembling a pitching staff. His predication for signing guys who are low risk high reward kinds of pitchers just does not fix what has been broken for so long. He goes out and gets all of these fringe guys, and it is just maddening. Even some of the guys he has picked up at the end of August, when you could still do that , boggle the mind. The best of that bunch was Freese. And I believe the Dodgers are going to miss his presence on the bench the same way they missed Utley when he retired. How do you rate his pickups of last years deadline? I give him a D. Negron did ok, and Kolarek was passable. But White and Gyorko gave them zip. The best thing you can say about Friedman is that he has avoided trading his best prospects. And for keeping the farm system relevant, he deserves some praise. And yes, we disagree on Machado and Darvish.

      1. As has already been pointed out, Darvish did not pitch badly for the Dodgers. He was 4-3 down the stretch with a 3.4 ERA. In post season he beat Arizona and he beat Chicago. We forget all that. What we remember is the Game 7 meltdown that we weren’t going to win even he did pitch well, which he clearly didn’t. Machado was tearing up the AL, slashing .315/.387/.575 when we traded for him. Who knew he would be a post season flop and a jerk to boot.

        Hindsight is 20/20. Those two obviously didn’t help bring it home but it’s unfair to blame Friedman for their failures.

  20. Michael you know that the bullpen is a total crapshoot. No better example is Diaz. There’s no way I’m giving up top prospects for relievers and thank goodness AF held on to Lux for Vasquez. And How has it worked out for signing expensive free agents?’ You have to develop your own and we should be doing a better job of that. But it’s too big of a crapshoot going after expensive relievers!

    1. I know what Darvish did in his 2 playoff games. He did a good job, and they won both series. But I am not blaming the cheating on his flame out in the World Series. I am simply saying that they neither were that great. Another thing about the Darvish trade. They did not need him. They were up 14 games when that trade was made. Later, when they went on that slide and lost 14 of 15 games, Darvish lost 2 of those. A pitcher like that is supposed to be a stopper. Mediocre is what he was and to say he was not is just fooling yourself. I agree not trading for Diaz or Vazquez when everyone was screaming for them to do that was pretty smart. But other teams traded for some solid relievers and did not sell the farm to get them, and we end up with Kolarek. Machado would have never been a Dodger had Seager been healthy.

      1. True. But it’s also true we have been looking at picking up deadline pitching for what seems like every year for a very long time. Darvish, like so many things in life, seemed like a good idea at the time.

        Yeah, Machado wouldn’t have been here IF. Unfortunately Seager WAS hurt. He’s been hurt 2 years running. Hopefully it was just a run of bad luck.

        Again, Friedman does things I have found disquivitously odd, but I look up and we are leading the league in scoring, pitching AND wins and I have to admit whatever it is we are doing is working. I say again, and I say it without misgivings, had Houston not cheated we beat them! And I think it’s more than likely Boston cheated too.

        I approve and appreciate what Friedman has done for this organization. I’m grateful to be a Dodger fan during this run. This is fun for me. Now, close the Betts deal.

  21. I love the Dodgers. Loved them even when they were bad. I collected the cards, yearbooks, Volpe prints, jersey’s, caps, and now bobble heads. I think I have well over 100 now. From 58 through now I have lived and died with the team. Back in the day, we had no forum to vent or shout out our frustrations unless you were hanging out with other fans. Social media has changed the face of the game as much as anything else. I never wrote a letter to the front office telling them how I felt about a trade or player signing I may have disliked. Now I can make those feelings known. Believe it or not, a lot of times I really hold back. Every move AF makes gets more scrutiny that I am sure he is happy with. His every move is dissected by the media, and the fans almost instantly. It is amazing to watch. Case in point, and I know some of you think it is a dumb place, but, twitter nearly exploded when the Betts deal was announced. There were tweets coming in faster than a missile barrage. And almost all of them, and many from people who just minutes before had been condemning him for lack of action this winter, were singing the praises of what a genius AF was for pulling the trade off for what by most accounts is next to nothing. Verdugo, a kid from Minnesota, you get Betts, Price and 50 million? WOW. If this deal does indeed get finalized today, ol Andy will be the toast of LA. He is going to take some heat though for what seems to be a less than equitable return for Joc and Strip. All of us have our opinions about how his leadership has gone. It is of note, that they have not had a GM since Farhan went to the Giants. So AF is pretty much doing all the heavy lifting. I think he has kept the team highly competitive. I also think he has made more head scratching moves than anyone in Dodger history. In less time too. But I also think that through all of this, he still, 5 years after taking over has never addressed the biggest problem that pops up year after year. The bullpen. Yeah Cassidy, you can say it is a crap shoot. But I have seen other teams improve the pen drastically by just getting pitchers with a lot better track record than the guys AF consistently goes for. Alexander is an example of that. Sinker ball pitcher who suddenly can’t throw an effective one. But mostly it is the consistent parade of low risk high reward arms he trots through the system. The pitching staff has been at the head of the NL for a while. A lot of that had to do with how well Honeycutt could spot something mechanical and fix it. He will no longer be doing that. In the long run, the Dodgers are a very good team. They have the players in the system to keep it going for some years to come. As a result of the success of the last 7 years they are now also probably the most hated team in the NL. Other teams fans deride Dodger fans as losers because the team has not won the series in 31 years and did not win the last two times they got there. I have even seen some posters who say the Dodgers have been cheating too. Crazy stuff. They showed a clip from the 2017 series where Lombard is talking to Turner. If you look at the clip, and only if you are a conspiracy type of person, it looks like Lombard is getting messages from his wrist watch! Totally bogus because it is not one of those smart watches that you can receive data on. The gist of that is on the very next pitch, Turner hit’s the ball over the RF fence…Just think how social media would have blown up the day they traded Piazza….have a great day guys…I am up to my heinie in snow!

    1. Well, get in out of the snow and your heinie will be dry. Or stand outside but stand on top of StickyPatch’s pin head.

    2. Question ….

      The bullpen. Do you think maybe the pen has looked worse than it actually is by the curious moves of Dave Roberts?

      Just asking. The blown saves figure we put up suggests a real problem but what can he do about that? (I guess one thing he can do is to not ask Kershaw to bail the team out). 29 total blown saves in regular season. Jansen, Baez and Kelly with 19 between them. Damm. 106 wins and 29 blown saves. Kind of an amazing stat when you think about it. As I posted earlier, the pen actually led the league in ERA. But, 29 blown saves also led the league. That’s insane. How to fix that…

      I don’t know what to say other than I don’t expect Jansen to get better as he ages. I would be tempted to close by committee not by how much money you make. There are some great arms down there. Trust them to do their jobs instead of being too clever by half. Line them up then get out of their way. But, that’s me.

      1. I would have to say truthfully that the way he handles the pen has a lot to do with it. He left Kelly in too long and Kersh the same. He seems to ride the hot hand, and very often it backfires on him. I did not agree with them cutting Sadler loose. He was one of the few really reliable arms out there last year. I think he had a better chance of making the team than Ferguson does. Trade with the Red Sox should be finalized today. Seems the Dodgers have agreed to add a piece to the puzzle. Joc’s trade should come soon after that. News conference introducing Price and Betts early next week.

        1. Michael, as I mentioned a few times before, what bothers me about Roberts for the most part is him telling Bill Plaschke of the LA times that he would make those very same pitching decisions he made in game 5 of the 2019 NLDS all over again that ultimately led to the end of the Dodger’s season.

          1. I read that also. Roberts is at least honest. In the moment, you do what you think is right. One thing I have always remembered came from the 1962 playoff with the Giants. With the Dodgers leading 4-2, Duke Snider went to Alston and told him he needed to get Drysdale up in the pen to close the game out. Alston replied he needed Big D to pitch game 1 of the series against the Yankees. Forgetting you have to get there first. So, Ed Roebuck, a pretty reliable relief arm went back out to start the 9th. Got into some trouble allowing the tying run at 3rd, and Alston brought in Stan Williams, who immediately imploded, Giants scored 3 more and the Dodgers went meekly in the 9th. SF to the World Series, and Dodgers go home. Snider was sold to the Mets that offseason. There is a post on this stream from Mexvin that makes so much sense. And it is the one thing about AF that frustrates me more than anything else he has done. It is the same thing we have been saying since he took over the team. For all of his trades, signings and other moves, he has yet to make the bullpen stronger. Oh, he has tried various arms out there, and although it is not his fault if they do not perform, they are the guys his charts and algorithms say are the right ones. He still has never added that shut down second arm in the pen. Someone besides Jansen, who is now not nearly as reliable as he once was, that Roberts could turn too and 90 percent of the time know the opponents would be shut down, especially in high stress situations. Until someone steps up and takes over that role, I have little faith in the pen to shut things down. I know there were a lot of bad things going on back when but a guy like Gagne, when he came through those gates, it was game over. 88 consecutive saves? No one has come close to that.

  22. A great piece in The Athletic where they “compare” the Dodgers with a team amalgamated of the best players from the other NL West teams.

    Here’s a snippet:

    Final verdict
    Dodgers fWAR: 54.1
    Best of the Rest of the West fWAR: 51.7

    The Tally
    Diamondbacks 6 players
    Rockies 6 players
    Padres 4 —players
    Giants 2 players

    Dodgers vs. the West’s Best
    The winner is: The Dodgers win it by the margin of one pretty good big-leaguer — an Eduardo Escobar, if you will. That’s what happens when you have two MVPs on your roster, Betts and Bellinger…

  23. A lot of things to go over here.

    First, the Mookie trade. Anytime you get top talent it makes everything easier. The only valid concerns to take the shine off a great pickup are: Mookie’s impending free agency and the fact that there was not a critical need for more outfielders. Other than these issues, Kudos on the upgrade to Andrew Nerdman.

    Second, I am reasonably sure the Dodgers have their own ways to cheat. They have been accused by multiple teams of it. They just got out-cheated. They were not robbed of titles. They still need to face up to the losses. Going forward, they needed to find a better way to outcheat or neutralize the other teams’ cheating methods in order to win the final prize.

    Third, pitching is still a concern. (as it has been for many years) One can point to the favorable numbers during the regular season, but we all now the results in high leverage situations. There has been no co-ace since Greinke walked. (AF should NOT have let this happen). Another ace needs to be acquired long term, no rentals. AF whiffed on Cole, who only would have cost money. The trade market will be brutal this season. AF has also whiffed on late inning high-leverage relievers. He got lucky with Morrow, but Morrow’s arm was destroyed after one good season for them. I give AF credit for trying with the Joe Kelly signing, but that did not work at all. I would have liked him to sign a couple of free agent veteran relievers this offseason to shore up the bullpen, because once again the trade market will be brutal this season.

    Lastly, can they finally trade Kikkee, so that walking embarrassment of a baseball player will be out of my life. He is not funny. He has one joke: Isn’t it funny that I’m acting very “happy” all the time. We have been subjected to Kikkee’s one joke for years now. Comedians tell more jokes in a twenty-minute set. Acting “happy” is not really funny at all. It is cringey and borderline insulting to people who put up with enough already. His contributions are not worth the hassle. Especially at $5.9mil.

    1. Ah, the cheat better silliness.

      If we are trading baseball players because they are not funny, would we not be trading 99.9% of all players?

    2. Good points Mexivan,

      I, for one are opposed to these “Rentals”. It does not prove anything, other than the fact the Dodger “Mainstays” cannot get the job done themselves. Once the “Rental” is gone, they are back into the hole, again.

      Pitching will win Championships! And not with a trash truck full of worn out, dumpster pitchers. Also, don’t go out and sign pitchers who can only strike out Dodgers (i.e. Kelly). I also agree, that DR’s misuse of the bullpen does not help matters…. imagine how many pitches these relievers throw, just to get ready to pitch to one batter, or be up and down in the bullpen every day?

      Cheating will go on. Cheating is part of any game. Just don’t get caught…. it especially will not go away, if MLB and Player’s union condone it, and fail to impose strict sanctions on egregious offenders. It is sad to hear no remorse from the ASS-tros, with there comments, “get over it”, and “move on”. Fact of the matter is, the Dodgers and the Fans have to “get over it”. All the crying and protests will not change anything… “It is, what it is”. The Dodgers have no one to blame but themselves, for not getting the job done. Like you said Mexivan, the just got “out cheated”. ASS-tros’ cheating had no impact on Dodgers’ failures with RISP, or Strikeouts. “If the kitchen is too hot, get out of the kitchen, Dodgers!” Stop making excuses, and do what you are paid to do.

      Kiké is just having fun. Baseball is a game, and one should have fun playing the game. I do think that he is lucky to be where he is…. on a team that plays matchups, platooning, and juggles lineups everyday. He is making way too much money for what he actually is, but he fits into “The Dodger Way” to play baseball, and is DR’s favorite son he wished he had. One thing for sure, if Kiké’s baseball career should end, he at least has a future as a clown, or team mascot.

      DR fits the FO mold. He is a “YES” man, and does not make waves, and the players like his demeanor, DR is going nowhere.

  24. Thanks for the comments Cassidy.

    But I must have missed the part where you were being forced to read comments on an Dodgers internet blog.

    1. I welcome your thoughts and arguments in response to my comments, just not your attempts at management. No hard feelings here.

      Everyone should check out the comments from Tony Clark about the trade hold-up. Dude is throwing haymakers. Arte Moreno is upset too. Grab the popcorn…

      1. Tony Clark is right. But, so what? Cheaters prosper. Loudmouth liars run things. There’s no accountability among the scandalous. It’s just how things are done in today’s business world. And make no mistake, sports is a huge business. Add the industry to the hot mess list.

        But, no matter. With or without Betts, we win the West. I wonder if Verdugo and Pederson will help get it done.

  25. Here’s the problem. We are all commenting here on the JOC article. So let’s switch back to commenting on the Betts article. First things first!

    1. I see problems. I see problems everywhere I look. Not sure I follow you Cassidy. What do our comments have to do with outcomes?

      I know the media is hot to trot about being the first to report, but I think it might be a good idea to not release any information until deals are done. “Pending physicals” is usually just a formality. Personally I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Graterol that everyone didn’t already know. I think Boston just got cold feet.

  26. Does not matter where you comment about the situation Cassidy. This stream or the Betts stream. You just follow where the conversation flows. As for what Clark, the players assn, and Moreno are saying, I agree, this kind of nonsense is harmful to the players involved because they are all now in player limbo. I see a rule change on the horizon if this continues much longer, since it has been 5 days now, The Graterol rule they can call it. All teams have 36 hours after the medicals are finished to finalize a deal. Kind of like the Utley rule where you have to take a straight path to the base and not veer towards the infielder to disrupt a double play, or the Posey rule which for years has kept catchers from blocking home plate. Probably will not happen. Most think the trade will be finalized before too much longer. All party’s have a reason to want that to happen. As for cheating, well, in 51 the Dodgers and most of the league felt the Giants were using some sort of eye in the sky in CF at the Polo Grounds. The Astros stuff mostly came out because one of their exe players, Mike Fiers. let the cat out of the bag. Otherwise it might not have been known. Now even more details are coming out because one of the main players in the whole thing, who still works for Houston, spilled even more details. The manager had an interview the other day and took his lumps for not putting the kibosh on the whole thing. I have no doubt teams try to steal signs, which is not against the rules, but out right cheating, not sure who does that, and until there is proof other wise, accusing any team, including the Dodgers, is unjustified.

  27. Twins pulled out, up to Friedman to get this done on his own. Can he do it? Probably. Here is where I stand on this whole fiasco. It it happens, fine. If not, fine. They will be no worse off than they were before it was announced. I think it will happen simply because all sides now need to save face.

    1. I agree. It seems like there are major barriers the Dodgers face when making trades. Is it hatred or jealousy, or something else? It seems strange that we cannot get any value for players, who should net some type of return. This did not start with Friedman. Though, I think he tends to hold onto players if not given fair value in return. This results in the appearance of inactivity and leads to the fans’ frustration. If Friedman would communicate with the fans on a level approaching near human, it would help him out. But he gets paid the big bucks to take the heat.

      This is why I am so bullish on the free agent market, because it appears to me that other teams do not deal “on the level” in trades with the Dodgers. Coupled with Friedman’s tendency to walk away if he is not blown away, free agency seems to be the best option to upgrade the roster.

  28. This has gone on long enough. It isn’t that complicated and these management groups need to stop pretending it is.

    Boston isn’t trying to get better this year. The goal there clearly is to reset. Once that is accomplished rebuilding will be a snap for them. The Dodgers are the best fit to help them get that done. Just take the $123 million off their hands, give them Verdugo and a young pitcher, Betts and Price can help us win that elusive championship then Mookie can decide if he wants to go back to Beantown in ‘21. That’s the obvious play here so just stop the posturing b.s. and get it done.

    1. Badger,

      What do you think of the Dodgers “reseting”?

      Dump their fat salaries for some new prospects, let the kids play, and search for a couple of young mainstays to fill the voids.

      Get out of the rental and rehab business. As it is now, they are just spinning their wheels in the sand, and unable to reach the ultimate goal, so what is the point?

      … I’m just sayin’.

      1. Nope.

        We are in it to win it. Every year it’s “missed it by that much.” All we need is…. fill in the blank. This year it’s Betts. Next year when he goes back to Boston it will be Lindor. When Kershaw fades to black it will be … I don’t know, Severino, deGrom, deSeverino, deSyndergaard. I don’t see a reset in the near future. We’ll just keep winning the West for a while and hope we get lucky in the playoffs.

        What’s your take Blue?

        1. Well Badger,

          I am for a reset. Dump Kershaw, Pollock, Kelly, and Jansen for some draft picks or prospects to backfill the Dodger farm. Rebuild around Belli, Buehler, Muncy, Smith, Lux. Cut the leash on May, Gonsolin, and Urias. Bring up some more top Dodger prospects to fill the voids.

          Trade for a legitimate closer, and a young legitimate starter.

          Eight years of playing the rental game is too long, IMO, so what is another two years of “reseting”?

          1. “so what is another two years of resetting”

            Admission of failure.

            I could live with it but I don’t see it. Kershaw will have another 3+ WAR season, Jansen is seeking redemption, Wood is stiffened from Driveline, (see what I did there) Kelly is… well, Kelly, and Pollock wants to prove he is not a Candypants made of glass. Like I mentioned, I think I did here, might have been somewhere else, ZiPS has us winning the West by 12 games without Betts, by 16 with him. You don’t reset that. If San Diego catches us, well, then we can do it.

            Onward and upward!

  29. Perspective:

    Roughly 10 billion rounds of ammunition are manufactured in the US each year, with a weight equal to two Titanics. More to the point, it’s enough bullets to shoot everyone in America 32 times.

    Just thought I would share that with you this fine Sunday morning.

    Hell is truth seen too late.

    Coffee, then off to church.

  30. What great advice here on this blog. Let’s blow this team up. It only won 106 games last year and when we get Betts and Price we will be prohibited favorites to win the NL and play the Yankees in the WS. Are you guys insane? And watch I went back and commented on the Betts article and that’s gonna get the deal done today! Watch and learn!

    1. Just talk Cassidy. Nobody gonna blow anything up. They are gonna fill it full of lead.

      This deal will get done today. We will be 16 game favorites by the time 60 Minutes airs.

    2. Exactly Cassidy…. just talk. You know it ain’t gonna happen, but I would love to see it happen.

      Don’t have a cow, although maybe take off those blue goggles for a second, and see the real world. 106 wins may be great for most fans, but bottom line is they still do not have a ring, cheated or not. 106 win does not mean squat, if you cannot raise the pennant.

      Just have fun tossing around ideas. The way things a going, it can only get better. It cannot get worse.

      Screw the media, for spreading rumors and speculation, regarding trades and acquisitions. Just gets fans overexcited, and think of the poor guys on the trading block. They and their families must be going through hell. Just hold off until the deals are done, spare the agony.

      Go Blew!

      1. The poor guys on the trading block?

        Newsflash, none of those guys are poor. And yeah, it must be a real bummer for them going from a millionaire in this town to a millionaire in that town knowing they will be retired and set for life by the time they turn 30.

        Wouldn’t we all like to have the problems baseball players do.

        Enough already. Make this deal or leave the table.

        1. Badger,

          It is more than the money. Yes, these guys are millionaire, and I realize that these players bought into this system and have no reason to cry, but you have to think about the family. The wife and kids, more or less bought into it to, as they married the guys and had kids, BUT, the relocating and breaking ties with old friends. Moving to a totally new environment…. think of the wife and kids.

          Also, you have to think about the players who give their all, to show support for their team…. to remain loyal and devoted to their fans. It is very hard for these players when they get stabbed in the back by their bosses. The big ticket players could care less.

          Absolutely no sympathy for the big dollar players, but more sympathy fo the low paid players who scratch and claw to make it in this business called MLB. They may never see the multi-millions the Betts’, Machado’s, or Kershaw’s are getting.

          …just sayin’.

          1. It can be an inconvenience. But who out there hasn’t gone through something much more difficult? I know I did.

            If they are in the big leagues they’ve already got it made. Minimum salary is now $563,500. Teams do all the moving.

      2. And remember that 76 games last year were played against the other NL West teams…… And just to know that the regular season games still have to be played and nothing is a guarantee. And then there is still Roberts doing those same things he has done over again expecting different results.

  31. I’m actually confused about what people are talking about here.

    Olney:

    Olney’s perspective:

    “ There’s so much at stake for the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox in the potential Mookie Betts swap that you would assume that some way, somehow, the two sides will find a way to push the negotiations across the finish line. …

    But the longer this takes to finish, anxiety within the Boston leadership seems to be building. At the time that elements of the deal were first reported, a rival executive noted that Derek Falvey, who leads the Twins’ baseball operations, has a deep understanding of pitching, and in this exec’s eyes, if Falvey is willing to give up Brusdar Graterol, the hardest thrower in the minors, then there must be some doubt about him. The Red Sox might have some concern about that, or Graterol’s medical history. Or perhaps it’s the natural revulsion some of their fans feel about trading Betts, one of the best players in the game. Or the word going around that Alex Verdugo, the big piece that the Red Sox would get, hasn’t been a perfect teammate.

    But multiple evaluators with other clubs believe that Boston’s end of the proposed deal is pretty good — adding in the savings on Price’s contract, close to $50 million of the $96 million remaining. Price is 34 and pitching with some kind of mitigating condition in his elbow.

    “What you have to ask yourself is, what would Price get if he was a free agent today?” said one official. Some estimates on that ranged from one year at $12 million, to $18 million over two years.

    If the Betts deal with the Dodgers falls apart, then the Red Sox will be faced with exactly the same quandaries they’ve had all winter. If you start the season with Betts on the roster and the team is on the fringe of the wild-card contention in July, do you run the risk of angering the fan base even more by dealing him in the middle of a playoff race? Do you run the risk of retaining him and then seeing him walk away for almost nothing when he becomes a free agent next fall? And what do you do with the expensive group of starting pitchers — Price, Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale — if they struggle in the first half or break down? There are just not going to be a lot of opportunities for the Red Sox to trim their payroll in a meaningful way.”

  32. Well now it seems there is resolution on the horizon. Reports are surfacing that Maeda is headed to Minnesota, and Graterol will come to the Dodgers. He will not be shipped on to Boston. There will be some adjustments to this, as maybe a low tier prospect also going to the Twins…And the Betts-Price trade will be added to by the Dodgers. No one knows at this point who would be the other player headed to the Sox. Speculation has it being Gonsolin. It will not be May. Of course it might even be some lower level prospects. Once the dust has settled, then the Pederson-Stripling deal will be addressed. There is a lot of pressure being applied by the MLBPA, who are not very happy that the players involved are in limbo. A lot of stress on all involved. Not to mention the angst that Dodger fans have been feeling for a week.

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