Thursday, March 28, 2024
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So Long Joe: Nationals Sign Joe Blanton

Joe Blanton

We can close the chapter on the Dodgers and Joe Blanton reuniting in 2017. The Washington Nationals have signed Blanton to a one-year three million dollar contract. According to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post Blanton can earn one million dollars in incentives.

We kept hearing throughout the winter that the Dodgers were still interested in bringing the veteran reliever back, but the likelihood of that happening was remote once the Dodgers signed Sergio Romo. The Nationals have been in desperate need of relievers since they missed out on resigning Mark Melancon.

Blanton actually had a very solid season with the Dodgers in 2016 despite my skepticism. The 36-year old right hander posted a 2.48 ERA in 75 appearances with the Dodgers in 2016. He had a 7-2 record and allowed just 55 hits in 80 innings tossed.

Blanton struck out 80 and walked only 26 while posting a 9.0 K/9 rate, and 2.6 BB/9 rate. Blanton also allowed just 6.2 hits per nine innings and allowed just 2 earned runs. Blanton posted a 3.33 FIP and a 3-1 strikeout to walk ratio. Blanton threw five scoreless frames for the Dodgers in the National League division series against the same Nationals. However he struggled in the NLCS against the Cubs. He allowed seven earned runs over three innings against Chicago last October.

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Blanton was in his second stint with the Dodgers in 2016, after missing the entire 2014 season. Blanton reinvented himself as a reliever in 2015 putting up solid numbers with the Royals and Pirates before signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers for 2016. He is 36-years old so he may not have many productive seasons left in him.

Perhaps the Dodgers mad the right decision passing on him. Blanton was originally a starting pitcher and pitched for the Dodgers in 2010 after being acquired in an August waiver trade. At that time he was one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball. He has since turned his career around after his successful switch to the bullpen and improved slider and curve.

With the departure of Blanton, right hander Romo should assume the primary eighth inning set-up duties as one of the bridges to closer Kenley Jansen. So far Romo has not appeared in a cactus league game for the Dodgers. He is likely to pitch in a couple of games before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. Romo will be pitching for team Mexico. The 33-year old appeared in just 40 games last season for the Giants because of a strained right forearm flexor.

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

128 thoughts on “So Long Joe: Nationals Sign Joe Blanton

  1. Dodgers won’t miss “Old Joe”. FAZ brought him to LA last year to the consternation of FAZophobes. The deep, deep roster FAZ has put together will ensure “Old Joe” won’t be needed.

    Great time to be a Dodger fan and an American!!!

    1. Old Joe is younger than Old Rich.

      Looks ok for Dodger fans. I think we’re in the playoffs again. Once there, anything can happen. Not all Americans would agree with last thought though. Some are freaking out. I don’t much care. I think it won’t matter much to me. Party on Don. Party on Vlad.

        1. Did you know that Pelosi and Trump are quite friendly and fond of each other? I just learned that, and was shocked at first but then it made total sense.

          1. Yes, it is wonderful having a President that gets along with everyone!!

            Look how it is already paying off, Thank you Vlad for exposing Crooked Hillary and the cheating DNC. You are the best!!!

          2. Pelosi is a joke….totally..lady has lost what little mind she had/. MJ, I would like to see where that has ever been proven. At least he talks to Putin. Obama had no clue what to do with Russia….

          3. I like Pelosi.

            Obama obviously talked to Putin, what kind of nonsense is it to imply he didn’t.

          4. Obviously there’s a lot of nonsense out there and elements such as fact and truth have been under heavy fire.

          5. Pelosi is 77 years old in a month. Give her some flowers, thank her for her tireless service and get a limo to drive her home. It’s time for younger people to lead.

            Russian connection? A lot of dots to connect. They’re just dots, but there are a number of them and they are clearly there. May we please start with the tax returns? What’s he hiding? What is it he’s afraid of? And why the total disregard for the emoluments clause? Better yet, why isn’t Congress holding his feet to the fire regarding all this? They act terrified of the guy. I don’t know, but like I said, I don’t much care anymore. I think he’s a f’n creep, but, what I think means very little.

  2. I really hope Cotton continues to do well with Oakland. Not sure he’d get a similar chance here anytime soon:

    Cotton, projected to be the A’s fourth starter this season, pitched more like the ace of a staff, starting his 2017 Cactus League stint by striking out Jose Ramirez, Roberto Perez and Lonnie Chisenhall in the first. A wild pitch on a third strike, a walk and a hit batsman led to a run-scoring double play by Richie Shaffer in the second that served as the only blemish on Cotton’s otherwise solid effort

    1. Cotton looks very good. I wonder how Montas fits there? And, how soon does Holmes make his debut. A lot of talent went north in that trade.

      Just revisited the Peraza/Schebler trade (both listed as starters in Cincinnati) and my thought is if Thompson can stay healthy it makes that deal look a lot less loony.

      1. I’m much more down on Peraza than others here. Speed and slap players don’t get my blood going.

        But I 100% agree. Thompson and his RHB are the key.

        1. So, Pedroia, Altuve and Jimmy Rollins don’t float your boat bluto? To each his own. Peraza is actually bigger than those guys, and faster. He’s just finding his game. At 6′ 180 he may surprise you. He has fewer than 300 at bats in the bigs. At the same age, 23, Altuve only had 5 home runs. I think Peraza will surpass that.

          1. Yes, Peraza in my mind is about three to four levels below those guys. A mediocre starting 2B, without pop.

            But I know very little and hope he does well for the Reds.

            I really do. It’s definitely a plus that Peraza will get a shot before Dilson Herrera whose bat I like.

    2. Michael

      I didn’t know that handling Putin well, was talking sweet to Putin.

      Trump is Putin’s puppet, and clown.

      Trump compared America to Russia, when he was told Putin was a killer.

      1. You know what MJ, lets keep this a baseball site and not discuss politics. You believe what you want and I will believe what I want because there is nothing anyone on this site or any other can say that is going to change my opinion. I could care less what the media, or anyone says Trump says or Putin or anyone else because to tell the truth it has no effect on how I live my every day life. This country is so divided, and it was before the election even happened. Hillary would have been a worse choice trust me.

        1. Michael, its probably not a good idea to ask others to not express their opinions about a topic then immediately express yours on that very topic. Just a suggestion. This place is not one that censors opinion. There are other blogs that do censor. One in particular where some aren’t even allowed to register.

    1. Going to be an interesting year of development. If Kyle Schwarber can play some LF, I imagine Calhoun can, as have many other bat-first NLers. Perhaps Calhoun does profile as a Schwarber-lite, or Schwarber-like.

      I will likely make a trip to the Fresno ball yard when OKC comes to town.

      1. Rye

        I think the Dodgers are trying to get some Calhoun’s weight down.

        But if you looked at both Schwarber’s, and Calhoun’s, height and weight, they are very close, proportionally, even though, Schwarber, is taller.

  3. Dodgers vs Giants on MLB.TV tonight………nothing better even if it is a spring game. Old Joe? That’s funny since Hill is a lot older than Blanton. He did his job, except against the Cubs who he made look like the 27 Yanks. Better last time out then the first time he was a Dodger. I was wondering why I had not seen Calhoun yet, and Fernandez has been out there a few times. Guy does not impress one bit. Kike is playing his way right off the team. Both Taylor and Culberson have looked better, as has Segedin who can also play multiple positions. SVS has looked a lot better. The bull pen is still iffy. At least the guys who are expected to make the squad. A couple of the non roster pitchers have looked pretty good. Sierra impressed.

    1. I don’t give those lists much credit, when they had no trouble listing Schwarber, who is still a big liability, in left field

      And Schwarber is older, and he played at Indiana University, for at least three years, unlike Calhoun, who just spent one year, at a JC, in Arizona.

      But Calhoun was given a scholarship, to play at Arizona st, which has a very good baseball program, so he must have something going for himself.

      If the Dodgers didn’t believe in Calhoun, they wouldn’t be taking the time, to try to get him better.

      And like Badger said, if the kid is game to do the hard work, and try to be a better around player, who really knows, what he will be, since he is only still, just 22.

      1. Funny you should also mention Schwarber – jeezus, that guy can hit. The way he rolled out in the W.S. after missing the entire season and not having any game action was absolutely impressive. Born to rake.

        1. Rye

          Calhoun is suppose to be a pretty good hitter, too.

          He is just a little younger, and has only played, two years, of pro ball.

          Yes he did impress, but I will have to see, what he does, for a complete season.

          But that is why the Dodgers need to give Calhoun a chance too.

          It is so much easier, to teach a player defense.

          1. Unless he flat out does not have tools to play 2B – arm strength, ability to pivot, and range. In that case, if the bat is really that good, perhaps prime Pablo Sandoval, then you have to stick him somewhere in the OF and hope the ball doesn’t find him too often.

          2. That’s why we hope he can develop into an average 2B.

            The bat plays much better at that position.

          3. I think with continued hard work he can learn to play an adequate second base. He hasn’t been doing it very long (2 years) so by age 24 (2 more years) he should have some real value. He’s currently ranked 57 on the KATOH Projection List. That’s ahead of Toles, and way ahead of Alvarez and Stewart

  4. Rye

    Yes maybe leftfield.

    Have you seen Schwarber play left?

    I saw him make two big misplays, during his first season.

    And he also made a big misplay, in the post season, that year.

        1. Bluto

          I know big if, but
          Let’s hope so.

          There is something about him, or we wouldn’t have heard about him so much, on that podcast.

          1. Bluto

            Take a look July 29 2015, in MLB, scouting report, on Schwarber.

            Look at what scouts say about his defense, and speed.

        2. Bluto

          I didn’t realize that Calhoun hit more HRs, then Bellinger, in AA.

          Bellinger hit 23, and Calhoun hit 27.

    1. Boxout

      This is all coming out of the inteligence people, that should be good enough for you, considering your back ground.

        1. I learned long ago, calling any news I don’t like FAKE news always makes me feel better!!

          Fixed that for you Boxout7

          1. Didn’t fix anything for me. All FAKE news bums me out. Just that the Dimocrats with their Pravda like media allies are the masters of it.

    1. Jonah

      He pitched two innings in spring, one strike out, a hit, and no runs allowed.

      Must have wanted to reduce forty men roster, maybe?

    2. Bluto ain’t gonna like this infielder. 2 guys for 1. It’s like the Peraza/Schebler trade where they got 3 for 2.

      1. My money is on both of those guys being traded before Dec 2018. They profile mostly as “churn” in the FAZ system. If a 99mph fastball and 70 arm/speed were all that, the Mariners wouldn’t have traded them for a pitcher like De Jong at this point of ST.

      2. Agree.

        The IF seems like a late season speed guy.

        The young reliever seems interesting though.

        The entire trade is gravy though. They basically bought DeJong, so even if they traded him for Kemp it would be a win. But here they got something by trading when he was surplus.

        Taking advantage of being a big market club probably isn’t in the over-all best interest of the game, but I guess you play the hand you are dealt.

        Churn is a good thing right? If you have a prospect you don’t like and don’t think you can develop, you move him quickly before the value suffers too much.

        1. I’m not against it. Just callling it as I see it, and frankly I’d love for the FAZ to keep doing these types of moves because they seem to be good at these types of moves. It’s the trades and signings involving risky vets that they’ve failed at (need to improve at).

        2. Late season speed guy? Jump all the way from High A ball to the Dodgers? You are frippen dreaming. They have their late season speed guy in Andrew Toles who at this particular point in time is maybe the 6th outfielder. Andre is healthy and hitting the ball hard, so is Scotty, Ramos has impressed them. Thompson is behind everybody and unless he flat out goes nuts with the bat, he is at OKC too. Kike is playing his way off the team, he has shown nothing at the dish, and Taylor and Culberson have both been hitting well. So the chances of Jackson even smelling the big leagues are pretty slim.

          1. MJ, at this point he is. I see 5 guys in front of him…Pederson, Puig, Ethier, SVS, and Eibner. Toles would be better served playing everyday, as would Thompson. Ramos has made a pretty strong impression the last 3 days. Eibner is in front of Toles because he hits RH. Ramos is a switch hitter. That’s not even taking into consideration the multi position guys who can play OF and inf. I think it is a game of numbers that Toles is going to lose. And he has only played a couple of games and not looked that great.

          2. That’s what I meant!

            By late season speed guy, I was alluding to a baserunning academy they had set up a couple of seasons ago. The thinking being, I believe, that with September call-ups in a pennant run you could bring up pinch runners just to pinch run.

            Agree with you both (Michael and YF), he’s waaaaaaaay down the list. But at least at a position with less depth than RHSP. And this type of prospect churn is nothing but positive if you believe in our FO. Which I do.

  5. Chase De Jong was very close to the majorsand was being blocked, but I guess other teams didn’t value him as much as the people putting up national prospects list. Then again he was acquired in exchange for an international slot which we had zero use for, so maybe it was easier for FAZ to “sell high” on him since his cost was so low.

      1. No it is not. Listened to the broadcast tonight, and Colletti was talking about how much he has impressed the brass. Toles has no power, and is not a true CF, Eibner is. You have your opinion and I respect that, but I think I see things in the game that you do not. I see a team loaded with outfielders and a guy like Toles is not going to flourish coming off the bench. Unless he is traded, and he won’t be, Ethier is making the team. Pederson and Puig will be there too. So will SVS, he is having a good spring. Thompson slots ahead of Toles too. So that is 5 outfielders, and that is most likely what they will carry. It is a numbers game and Toles is going to lose, so is Kike, who is listed on the roster as an OF. He has totally sucked so far. I can see Eibner, Toles, Kike and even Thompson all in AAA to start the year because they will have either Culberson, Taylor, or Segedin to be the super utility guy. All 3 can play the outfield and multiple infield positions. Culberson can play every IF position except 1st. Segedin plays 1st and 3rd. Taylor plays SS and 2nd, and probably could play 3rd….Oh yeah, I forgot Gutierrez, he is going to be one of the outfielders, and he slots above Toles too……Puig, Pederson, Ethier, SVS and Gutierrez……They are not going to carry 6 outfielders……..

    1. Buy low, sell high……going long…..covering…… short selling. Can I just say WTF?

      Are we playing investment banking or are we building a championship f’n major league baseball team?

      To everyone that ever mentioned/typed or referred to DeJong as a prospect/building piece/or a soon to be Dodgers Major Leaguer…..you need to learn to know what you are talking about when talking about either the Dodgers current prospects while FAZ is in charge or you need to reconsider how you view FAZ. ANYONE that mentioned DeJong…..DeLeon, Holmes, Cotton or Montas (as examples) to the Dodgers having this great farm system need to get their heads out of their asses.

      Oh that’s right….FAZ traded DeJong….he sucks. He wasn’t any good anyway……yeah. Keep telling yourselves that.

      I give it another year or so and FAZ will all but have destroyed the Dodgers farm system. The Rays farm system sucked when Friedman left it and that’s the way the Dodgers system will be when he is finally shown the door.

  6. I guess we’ll be hearing all about how spring training doesn’t mean anything, yada yada.

    But that won’t stop me from bagging on Kazmir. And yes, sir, you (Kazmir) were indeed pulled from the game today. Out of professonal respect to a veteran (to avoid making him look even worse).

    1. He does that pretty well himself. His interview with Alana was pitiful…I just lost my comfort zone in the 2nd….what a loser.

      1. Note to Kazmir. Don’t get too comfortable, ever. Kershaw doesn’t. I doubt Rich Hill does either. Like Robert said about Kershaw, he does better when he’s edgy.

        Everyone’s got their favorite dodgers to bash. Scott’s got Kike, for me it’s Kazmir and Baez. Just can’t stand them. But for some reason McCarthy doesn’t irk me as much as those two, even though he should.

        1. YF

          I am suprised that McCarthy, doesn’t bother you.

          He has sit on the bench and tweeted, for almost the whole time, he has been on the Dodgers.

          And last year, he didn’t have a hip issue, like he said.

          I saw a tweet from him and he said he had the yips, last year.

        1. Not on MLB.TV. The broadcast usually starts about 5 minutes before game time. You get the synopsis from Rick or Charlie or who ever is doing the game. Won’t be the same without Vinny. One good thing I saw on last nights broadcast, they are finally going to have a Gil Hodges bobblehead. It will be in August. All the usual suspects before that one though, Joc gets his first one, and Corey, Kenley, Dave Roberts, Justin, CK, and Andre Ethier.

          1. Michael

            I just asked, because I never got much, when I had the MLB TV.

            Hodges was before my time, but I think the Dodgers should promote there history every chance they get, because it is so deep.

            I was watching some Dodgers games, in Colorado, about a year or two ago, and there was one guy, all by himself, in the stadium, during a rainy homestand.

            And I was wondering, if that was you.

            This guy was out there quite a bit, and he really stood out, and I think he might have been, at every game, at the homestand, that weekend.

  7. Just checked the box score. Never heard of most those pitchers after Ravin. The attendance was 9,000. Not a packed house but the largest crowd the Dodgers have seen thus far. Maybe it was Kazmir that brung ’em to the park

    My take on these games is that they DO mean something to the Spitzbarth’s and Youniner’s of the organization, but we already know who is on this team. The only question is who among those veteran bench players gets the boot.

    1. Speaking of Ravin, how do you guys like him? Firm fastball, but can he do enough with the ball to get big outs in 7th/8th?

      As for the trade, I like a prospect trade. Move piece from area of strength for area of weakness. Seems the Dodgers need some MI help on the farm, someone to augment the presence of Lux.

      And, one more: is Segedin going to make the squad? Play a little 1B, 3B, and LF. Seems to have some legit pop.

      1. Ravin – elite velocity, but command isn’t great. Scouting grades: fastball 70, control 40, which translates to “plus plus” and “below average”. 29 years old. PED suspension. Slider inconsistent. My gut tells me anyone who can throw the ball 99 mph moves to head of the line but we then learn him how to spot that pitch, change speeds on it and spin at least one other pitch DOWN. And when we speak of that process the name BAEZ leaps to the top of the page. We have some great arms in our bullpen but other than Jansen, I can’t say ANY of them have consistently shown to be great pitchers. Maybe this is the year it comes together for them.

        Segedin, Taylor, Utley, Hernandez, Choose.

        1. How about Fields? Some of his peripheral metrics look pretty good. Smoke and mirrors or is his stuff good enuff?

          1. Yeah, lots of interesting pieces on the MLB level for the Dodgers. The Front Office seems to be gravitating towards spin rate and exit velocity as key metrics.

            They are high on Fields reportedly, as well as Dayton (of course)

          2. Fields. I don’t know him that well, but what I read tells me he is another power arm, 10+ K’s per 9, but his BABIP last year was .390. That seems a bit high, don’t you think? His projections say that number will come down, but still be around .300. When you talk peripherals, what does his command of the strike zone look like?

            He projects at 10+ K’s per 9 again with an ERA of 3.5. But, for only 35 innings? If he’s that good, I think he should get more than 35 innings. If he keeps BABIP and BB/9 under .300 and 3, he’s an asset.

      2. That’s where the draft comes into play…..a ton of high school and college shortstops. Many of the top notch college shortstops are at class A level. Not sure how trading a near major league pitcher for a class A prospect is anyway, shape or form a good thing.

        Add DeJong to our list of players that we could have traded for something of real value.

  8. Yes I thought Fields did pretty good after he settled down, after joining the team.

    He wasn’t good in his first few appearances, but after that, he seemed to be solid to me.

    That is why I thought he might take Hatcher’s place this year.

    I don’t like that Hatcher might stay on the major league team again this year, just because he has no options.

    I rather have Fields, and Libertore, in the bullpen.

    But they have options left, and this wouldn’t be the first time Libertore was put down in AAA, because he has options left.

    Libertore was the best pitcher in the pen, in the first half of the season, and he deserves a place, on the major league team.

    In fact Baez and Hatcher can learn from Libertore, with the way he has total concentration on the hitter, everytime he throws a pitch.

    He doesn’t let anything, take him off his game.

    1. Bluto

      That is what I thought the front office did well last year.

      They freshened up the bullpen, in the second half of the season, with Dayton, and Fields.

      Dayton right now, looks like he steal.

  9. I enjoy ST games. Especially the last 4 innings. You see all these young kids who will all be farmed out. Johnson, the left hander in the 9th., looked good to me. He came right after the hitters. He reminded me of Dayton. I also like the first part of the game. Kike better start hitting or he is gone. I like Segedin last year and I like him this year. The signing of Utley will force him back to the minors. Sometimes a kid like him just cannot get a break. I feel sorry for him.

    1. Idahoal

      At least with the way the Dodgers use the entire forty men roster, Segedin has a better chance, then when he was on the Yankees.

      1. They have way more than 40 guys in camp and they are using a lot of the guys from the minor league side. You see a guy with # 91 on his back, and no name, you can bet he was brought in because they did not want to use roster guys that day. That’s why guys like Cash, Spitzbarth, Johnson, et al are in those games. And with the classic starting soon and spring training extended, they will need those arms. End of spring not one of those guys will be visible in a game.

        1. Michael

          I just meant if something happens on the major league team, then they may bring Segedin up, to help during the season, like they did last year, when they needed a rightie bat, to hit against lefties.

          1. Right now Segedin is in the running for the utility guy. He is ahead of Hernandez, and probably right there with Taylor and Culberson who both have played well. Hernandez has yet to get a hit…

  10. Sounds like rough news for David Price and Red Sox.

    ST is rough time of year; invariably big names pop up with big elbow problems as they ramp up their throwing program.

    I automatically assume Price will not be the last big ticket arm to head for an MRI this spring. And how often do forearm tightness, elbow discomfort, MRI not lead to Tommy John surgery? These keywords seem to, invariably, precede the end of season ultimatum.

    1. Rye

      Price is meeting with a top TJ surgery guy, so that doesn’t look good.

      Bluto isn’t going to like to hear about this.

      1. No, it’s bad, bad, bad.

        The Buchholz trade was necessary, but if only the Sox had a time-machine and could have seen this coming.

        Even if Wright can be consistent, it’s a razor thin depth margin.

        And then we factor in Price’s opt-out and salary situation…

        Oh well. It’ll work out.

          1. Not much left to trade in the Red Sox cupboard, but agree could be a fit for both teams.

          2. And pick up the remainder of Crawford’s contract! Assuming he is still on the books 🙂

          3. Just the salary dump would be fine, thank you. A bag of balls, perhaps…Addition by subtraction…

  11. Badger

    Puig and Joc had two good hits last night.

    Joc hit that three run HR, and Puig hit the ball, to the rightfield, for a double.

    I hope Puig continues to hit the other way.

    That is when Puig is at his best.

    1. Bluto

      Do you know any Red Sox prospects, or some one from the major league team, that would help the Dodgers?

      1. Well of course, but I have a very hard time appraising Kazmir or McCarthy’s value.

        I mean Chavis and Chatham are interesting, I guess.

        Pomerantz cost Espinoza, but we’re obviously on levels below that.

  12. So with the extra spot on the 40 man roster does that mean a minor leaguer will be promoted, or another trade upcoming?

  13. By today’s standards, Price has pitched a lot of innings. Makes one wonder how the hell those old guys managed to throw 300 innings. Steve Carlton threw 295 innings as a 37 year old. He was 23-11 that year. Maybe we’ll get that out of Hill. Carlton was the last 300 inning pitcher – 1980. He was 35. I think it’s safe to say signing a starting pitcher over 30 to a long term deal is nuts.

    I doubt Boston would be interested in any of our MASH unit arms.

    Chavis and Chatham?

    1. Kershaw has also pitched, a lot of innings.

      Kids didn’t play baseball all year, back then.

      They would play what ever sport was in season, at the time, so
      they were using different, muscles.

    2. The NL leader in innings pitched threw over 300 ip every season between 1962 – 1972 and again between 1974 and 1980. As recently as 1971 Mickey Lolich threw 376 ip! Between 1982 and 1993, the NL leader threw a minimum of 249 ip and usually the leader was over 260 ip.

      David Price led the AL in IP with 230 (!) last year and has only exceeded that one time. He has averaged 208 ip/season over an 8 year career – not that heavy a workload. (By comparison, Kershaw has averaged 195 ip/season over a 9 year career and has thrown over 230 ip 3 times.)

      SO – if signing an over-30 pitcher is nuts, what happens when Kershaw opts out at age 32 in 2 seasons?

      1. Good stats. But I don’t think that scenario is possible Rick.

        But if he does opt out, hopefully he will have brought LA a Championship. We will have had him for every one of his peak years.

    1. I listened to the game on MLB.TV..there was no video, and no TV. Kershaw and Romo looked good. Hatcher got himself out of a jam after giving up the tying run. Some guy named Sawyer hit a 2 run double to knock in the winning runs. SVS drove in a run with a single….Morrow got the save.

  14. Attendance 5693. After 3 games that’s about the average draw. They averaged over 10,000 per last year. Does it mean anything? Maybe not. For the first time in several years I won’t be going down. That’s two less as I always take someone with me.

  15. Could always trade McCarthy for Hanley.
    He could back up 1st, SS, 3B & LF

    R/H power hitter – good against lefties

    Someone for Puig to play with…..

    ?

    Any takers?

    1. Ok, I’ll bite W. He had a good year in ’16, but, where would he play? I know you’re throwing it against the wall with that one. I’d send McCarthy there for a PTBNL. If he succeeds it could mean quality coming back. If he fails, so what?

    2. Watford

      They had aa article on Carter Caps, in Fangraphs today.

      Isn’t that the pitcher, you were interested in?

  16. That last spot might be for Morrow. Sierra can still be stashed in the minors. Morrow has the classic FAZ profile and may agree to start the year in the minors to continue his comeback.

  17. More on the trade. TBLA’s David Hood and DD’s Dustin Nosler come out on different sides, though both agree it was not bad for either team.
    Nosler is very high on Sabata’s potential.

    For me, I just think more prospect churn. I am worried about FAZ draining the farm but not on these types of deals. In fact I wish they only stick with these deals and rely on young players improving as they head into their prime, instead of betting on turn around seasons for vets.

    The big winner here is De Jong who gets a much better shot to start in Seattle. That’s AAAA-ok in my book (and I’m going to pick him up on my fantasy baseball team).

    1. YF

      I know what you mean.

      Just because we don’t have room right now, for some of our young pitchers, at the major league level, doesn’t mean you just trade them away, to make room on forty man roster.

      I am always afraid of injuries, with pitchers, you just don’t know.

      Look at Price.

      1. Seems to be “Good Golly, Miss Molly”. You probably need a computer screen to get all the effects.

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