It’s rare these days when a prospect lives up to the hype bestowed upon them during their minor league careers. However that’s what Corey Seager has done. He’s lived up to every expectation and surpassed them. He’s not only surpassed them but blown them out of the water. For the past two seasons Seager has been one of the best hitters in the Dodger’s lineup. He won the National League rookie of the year in 2016 and now he’s won his second consecutive silver slugger award.
Congratulations @coreyseager_5 on your second straight #SilverSlugger Award! #LetsGoDodgers pic.twitter.com/kEKh2E7eKo
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 9, 2017
Seager is the first Dodger to win consecutive silver slugger awards since Mike Piazza back in 1996-1997. Last season Seager slashed .308/.365/.512 with 26 home runs 72 runs batted in and 193 hits. He was an offensive force at shortstop for the Dodgers again in 2017 as he slashed .295/.375/.479 with 22 home runs 77 runs batted in and posted an .854 OPS in 145 games. In 613 plate appearances Seager posted a 125 OPS + and smacked 33 doubles. Seager batted .273 (3 for 11) during the NLDS sweep over Arizona, but injured his back and was not on the NLCS roster against the Cubs. Seager returned in the World Series against the Astros and hit a home run while going 6 for 27 with 4 runs batted in and 4 runs scored.
The silver slugger awards are presented annually to the best offensive players at each position. Seager’s 52 career home runs are the most in LA Dodger history at the shortstop position. Only Pee Wee Reese has hit more in franchise history. Seager also hit .361 with runners in scoring position. Pretty damn good. Way to go Corey!
I hope Corey gets well and stops getting injured. The Dodgers need him. I am probably wrong but it seems that he gets his share of aches and pains.
Winning a Silver Slugger playing in Dodger Stadium is a big thing. Dodger Stadium is a pitchers park and it plays like it. There is a reason that there has not been a batting champion in LA since Tommy Davis in 62 and 63. And there has only been one player who led the league in HR’s in all of it’s history, Adrian Beltre in his walk year. Piazza was an exception, he hit every where. The total awards are 5 by pitchers, Valenzuela won twice, 6 by catchers, Russell Martin was the only other catcher besides Piazza to win one, Piazza got 5. 3 by 1st basemen, 2 by 2nd sackers, 1 by a 3rd baseman, Beltre, 2 by a SS, Seager, and 7 in the outfield with only Kemp and Baker winning more than one. That’s a total of 21. So Kudos big time to any Dodger who can win that award playing in that park.
Dodgers have 23 minor league free agents. Only 2 who are of any note. Okoye Dickson and Fabio Castillo. Bobby Wilson, who almost won the backup catchers job in spring is also on the list. Aaron Boone in the running for Yanks skipper.
Seager. Corey Seager is a franchise player at 23 years old (and before you start laughing, checkout the careers of A-Rod and Jeter, and also Correa is only 23 and debuted in 2015, same as Seager). Yes we have a deep and talented team, and we won the NLCS in 5 games in blowout fashion without Seager, but over the course of 2017 and for the foreseeable future, this team will go as far as Seager can take us (but more on this later). A few things caught my eyes over the course of the season and the postseason. First, as much as a first pitch swinger that he has been over his short career, he became more selective in the postseason, at least to my eyes. Second, in the WS he looked hurt on the field and in the batters box. But he still put up decent numbers (and better numbers, I might add, than Justin Turner who I thought was also hurt). Seager’s defense at shortstop, while not as good as Culberson, has nonetheless exceeded my expectations. Remember that was a big question in 2015 and 2016? That narrative has been dormant. One area where he needs to improve is to make better contact, but even here I think he’s shown a lot of improvement. I think the kid is hitting well over .300 with 2 strikes and runners in scoring position. And he will improve, so I am not all that worried at his strikeouts. I just think he will lay off the bad pitches as he gets older. His swing just does not have too many holes and he has shown me that he will adjust. Overall I am just a huge believer in Seager, and I believe will come through and we will see at least one championship during his career as a Dodger. Two things will make this easier for him (and us fans). First, Seager needs to feel like he does not have to shoulder the load. I got the sense, especially in Game 7, that he wanted to do too much. I think we had enough pieces to win this year and fell short, and in the next few years we will also see significant improvement. He will have plenty of help and he ought to learn to pace himself and maintain an optimum amount of focus, rather than trying to do too much. Second, and this is related to my last point, he needs to maintain his health. Stay in shape year round but don’t wear yourself out, and take some off days. I think Corey is young enough to recover from his latest elbow and back problems, and he does not seem to be a Joc-type (i.e. he will keep himself in shape). The strength and conditioning coaches, the doctors and the rest of the coaching staff should be on board too.
The above is my “exit review” of Seager for 2017. I am just stating my own observations and recollections of these players over the course of the year, with more focus on their performance during the playoffs (where applicable), and lastly how they could help the team next year.
Exit interview with Corey Seager:
“My back hurts”.
Exit interview with Cody Bellinger:
“My bucket has a huge hole in it.”
Exit interview with Justin Turner:
“I’m really tired.”
YF
Until Corey hurt his elbow, he had the most beautiful splits, I have seen a player have, on our team.
He was also second on the list, for defensive index in the National League for shortstops, so he is not just a one way player.
The fact that Corey was hurt in the post season, and this was only Cody’s first year, gave the Astros an advantage, because there young players, had more experience then our young players.
But we should have won that World Series, it is amazing we made it to game seven, after both of our ace pitchers, couldn’t do there jobs, when it was needed.
And about those different World Series balls, baseball didn’t allow any of the pitchers, coaches and managers, talk about the different World Series balls.
And that is why we didn’t hear much about them, even though many pitchers, who use a slider as one of there primary pitches, had issues, with these different balls.
The Dodgers slashed .205/.290/.393 against those balls. Yoiks, that is below replacement bad. The balls must have slid off their bats – that is, when they weren’t striking out (65 Ks).
Badger
Check out Altuve’s and Gurriel’s numbers, in the World Series?
Our pitchers did a pretty good job with these two veteran hitters, except the HRs they hit, and remember Gurriel hit his HR off Darvish, who many thought, was tipping his pitches.
I think these hitters, are being pitched even tougher, in these short series, and especially in the World Series.
And the may be why that is why it seems like these obscure players, become the hero’s in these short series, and especially in the World Series!
The Dodgers can’t allow a player like Springer, to hit five HRs, off there pitchers, in a seven game series, like the World Series is!
Did they change how they were pitching to Springer and Beckman, in the World Series, is the question.
And I do think Turner was beat up, there is no way he couldn’t be beat up, he was constantly being hit by pitchers, and I know he was hit on the side of his knee, on defense, and even before the World Series, Roberts gave him a day off, just to rest his body.
Badger
What were the Astros slashes in the World Series?
.230/..297/.467. 15 home runs. 54 Ks.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2743054-mlb-metrics-101-projecting-big-money-contracts-of-offseasons-top-free-agents
All look like risky contracts halfway through them.
Low risk high reward. Who’s the next McKazderson?
Wow…Of all those guys Cain looks like the best bargain. 160 million for Darvish? Somebody looney tunes enough to pay that much deserves everything they get. And Martinez getting a deal twice what Cain gets, insane.
Too many to mention. The waiver wire is going to look like a hospital list… I think they might resign a couple of their minor league free agents, they have done that a lot lately…..
I like Lance Lynn and 5/$75 is not bad for him. But we need to get under the lux tax threshold this year so I doubt FAZ signs anyone for $15m per year this offseason.
There’s another article which projects Morrow at 3 years and $25-$30 million. I think the Cubs or the Astros will give him that. I don’t think FAZ matches that either.
YF
Morrow has already said he wants to come back to the Dodgers, because he loves the team chemistry, and all of the talented young players they have.
He also thinks they will be going far in the post season , as well to the World Series, in the next five years.
It sounds like Morrow has had a taste of the World Series, and he wants another taste soon.
He said, everything else being equal, he wants to be back. Whether everything will be equal is up to the FAZ and I think he walks.
YF
Look at the starting pitchers, that will be going into free agency, after the 2028 season.
There are some good relief pitchers, but we could do a lot worse, then Morrow!
It is better then waiting until the trade deadline, and it won’t cost any prospects.
And they did sign Kenley!
2028 MJ??? I am sure you meant 2018……2028 is a long way off and I doubt I will be here.
He may want to come back and taste again, but I’m not sure Morrow will represent value to the Front Office.
Michael thanks I did mean 2018.
Bluto
If we make the post season next year, there isn’t a really good starter to go after.
But there are some good relievers, but since there are no really good starters, every team in the post season, will probably be looking to get one of the top relief pitchers.
We may get a quality reliever, but there is no guarantee, we will get one.
Also we will have to give up one, or some of our top prospects to make a trade at the trade deadline, that is a cost too.
Our starters let us down in the World Series, and I don’t see us winning, with the starters we have now, so a top relief pitcher, will be the only way, we can help our starters, and our team.
And maybe Morrow will try not to get outrageous, with his demands, because he wants to stay on the team.
There will be starters available at the deadline. We should be ok til then. We still have several 5 inning guys.
MJ,
I’m not really sure what you are saying, but let’s hope Morrow is re-signed.
If not, I’m sure the team will still have a strong bullpen. I remember hearing similar worries about bringing back Blanton for the bullpen.
The team is well run, no reason to think it won’t continue to be well run.
Badger
Thanks for giving me those slashes, I still haven’t figured out, how to get the team stats, like you posted for me, so thank you again!
“We need to get under the luxury tax threshold this year”
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/los-angeles-dodgers-salaries-and-contracts.shtml
Not sure how you intend to do that Yueh. You may be able to trade your way under it, or not sign the arbitration players, but somehow you have to field a 40 man.
I still think the goal is to stay under the pick penalty which is $237mm.
Yes that’s what I meant.
Nice article on Honeycutt, from quoting some players and Roberts.
http://dodgersdigest.com/2017/11/08/rick-honeycutt-set-to-return-in-2018-perhaps-the-dodgers-biggest-off-season-move/
I hope he stays until they win a championship. Hope I’m not 103 when they do it.
After his pitchers gave up 15 HRs in the World Series?
The pitchers gave them up, not Honeycutt. Why does everyone put the onus on the coaching staff when it is the players who make the plays. Honey is one of the best pitching coaches in the majors. Look how many guys he has turned around including Darvish once he accepted the changes in his delivery.
Ohtani to be offered to MLB teams via the posting route. That means teams will have to pony up at least 20 mil to bid on him…….He is 3-2 so far with an ERA over 3 and is hitting over 300 in 65 games with 8 homers.
Puig wins the Wilson defensive player of the year in RF. This award is stats only.
This was Puig’s response to the Gold Glove snub on his Twitter: “No matter what they do or how much they try to keep me from it. I will win a Gold Glove next year, I’m coming back for what I deserve.”
I like it!
I’d rather he wins the Silver Slugger Award.
Badger
A better question is do you believe he will ever win a Silver Slugger award?
He’s talented enough. But, no, I don’t. There are a lot of good bats that play RF.
Badger
Thanks I was curious because I know you have always been supportive to Puig.
And he had his chance to show what he could do with the bat this year, because he was able to stay on the field.
YF
Puig wins this award from all of the right fielders in baseball, not just in the National League!
And the Dodgers won Wilson defensive team award too.
It is to bad the people who give out the gold gloves, don’t use this method.