The Dodgers, Red Sox and Twins finally finalized and completed the trades that have been languishing in pending status for the past week and a half now. The clubs have announced the deals with approval from Major League Baseball thus ending the saga. In the end the Dodgers did what I had suggested earlier by splitting up the trades. The Dodgers/Red Sox swap was a separate deal with the Dodgers throwing in Jeter Downs, and catching prospect Connor Wong alongside with Alex Verduo to complete the trade. The Dodgers still flipped Kenta Maeda to the Twins in a standalone trade and will receive pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol (the guy Boston did not want), the 67 pick in this year’s draft and minor league outfielder Luke Raley.
The Dodgers ended up holding onto Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling (thank god) as Arte Moreno and the Angels backed out of the deal. I have no idea why they would do so as getting two good players in return for practically nothing is a pretty good deal one would think. I’m thankful the Dodgers are keeping Joc and Strip. They don’t have to trade them, although I don’t expect the Dodgers to keep Joc for long.
The Dodgers introduced Mookie Betts and David Price today at Dodger Stadium. The media was allowed onto the field to interview the new Dodgers and take a lot of pictures of them wearing Dodger blue. For the record Betts and Price look great in Dodger blue. I’ll say this, I’ve been very critical of Andrew Friedman, I know I have. However I give him a lot of props for pulling this off. I didn’t think he would, but he made it happen and things turned out very well. All the Dodgers had to give up for Betts and Price was Verdugo, and two prospects. Good job Friedman. Take a look at some of the video from today and get acquainted with the newest Dodgers.
When you give AF his props when he delivers it gives you more credibility when you criticize him on other issues. He has assembled a team more than capable of winning it all this year and it’s on the players shoulders to deliver and unfortunately Roberts. Please Dave consult the message boards this year in the playoffs before making any of your pitching “maneuvers”! I’m still hoarse from screaming at my tv when I saw Kersh pitching the eighth inning!
I give credit when credit is due, and I deliver criticism when it is due. I give AF a lot of kudos for persevering through all the BS to get this trade done. Not so much with the Pederson deal. I for one am glad that fell through. They should have waited until the Betts trade was official before even announcing the trade. Yes. The Dodgers have what looks like on paper at least the class of the league. We will have to wait and see how it all works out. Long season. Anything can happen. I remember a season going in the tank because the best player on the team went down in spring training.
Michael, i wonder if ya might be referring to the 1986 team that lost the services of Pedro Guerrero in ST to a serious knee injury.
That is the exact team. I was watching that game on TV. I even remember how stunned Vinny was when he was describing them carrying Pedro off the field. It pretty much ruined the year. He only played 31 games that year. He rebounded the next season, but never was the same player after 87. Traded to the Cardinals for John Tudor.
Who knows what was happening with the Angels trade? Perhaps one of the prospects from the Angels was getting flipped to Boston to complete the original deal. Who knows who cares now. But it’s hard to believe both JOC and Pollock will be here opening day platooning in left. Will AF just basically dump JOC or try to include him with others in a bigger deal?
Joc is from Palo Alto. I wonder if he grew up a giants fan.
He might be a deadline deal trade, but I hope not. It’s my opinion the time to trade him is now. He’s going to be a platoon player no matter where he goes. He’s 28 soon. The die is cast. He’s had several years to prove he can hit same side pitching and I don’t believe any team believes he can. ‘14? Nope. He hit .000. ‘15? Nope. .216. ‘16? .125. ‘17? .204. You get the picture. Career .188. He’s been consistently sub Mendoza against left handers. He’s asking for a chance to prove himself when he can make $18-20 million a year focusing on what it is he CAN do. I’d suggest he be grateful. Easy for me to say I guess
Poldark is a walking IL waiting to happen, or at least he has been many times in his career. If Joc is around at least he provides some bonafide hitting against righties. With Taylor or Kinke providing some help against lefties on those days.. For relatively cheap dollars, Joc can give you 30+ HRs and he seems to be well liked in the dugout. So don’t move Joc unless it is blocking someone else on the 40 mang roster.
That’s actually a really good television series. I’m through season 3
https://g.co/kgs/q8sw76
Poldark is a walking IL waiting to happen, or at least he has been many times in his career. If Joc is around at least he provides some bonafide hitting against righties. With Taylor or Kinke providing some help against lefties on those days.. For relatively cheap dollars, Joc can give you 30+ HRs and he seems to be well liked in the dugout. So don’t move Joc unless it is blocking someone else on the 40 mang roster.
I concur here True, and especially do not deal him for absolutely nothing that was what Dodgers were getting in that supposed deal with the Angels.
Badger, Bill Ripken on MLBN talked about how he feels Joc SHOULD be able to hit LHP up here because he did so in the minors. But he was referring to 2014 when Joc actually hit .290 against LHP in Albuquerque and if I recall his OBP was even better a little than against RHP. But we all know that hitting any pitching in MLB is altogether a lot tougher than in the minors. At this point you are correct about Joc and I just wonder if he ever considered doing what Bellinger did after the 2018 season with being determined to correct his craft against LHP by doing a lot of extra work on that in the off season that followed the 2018 season. Results were that Bellinger earned a full time role and ended up batting 4th against ALL COMERS in 2019.
To keep Pollock upright long enough to produce 2 WAR and earn his money is going to take planning. I’ve done some thinking and using what I remember from from my advanced abstract trig functions classes I’ve designed an algorithm that takes into consideration recovery time needed, Cartesian time zone axioms, binomial nutrition coefficients, (x+y)4=x4+4x3y+6x2y2 … plus left handed Diophantines….. it’s deductive and deductible ..
The numbers add up. This will work.
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Well, clearly this website doesn’t have the capability of handling something such a complex algorithmic function. There isn’t even an edit capability here anymore. Sorry about the mess.
Now that ya mentioned it there hasn’t been the edit feature here in a while and would love for someone to explain why. There is that edit feature on a few other blogs such as Think Blue LA and LA Dodger Talk
It used to have one. I’d like to be able to clear that mess up, but I cannot.
Whatever was done in Albuquerque doesn’t really reflect what will be done in the Majors Paul. Joc has not hit left handed pitching and I just don’t see him being given the chance to no matter where he is playing. He’s 28 this year. He’s been in his prime for a long time. According to the numbers, he’s about to enter the downhill slide. His 3.3 WAR last year may be his peak. Matt Beaty OPS’s .840 against RHP. If we are going with a platoon in left, and it appears we are, he can do what Pederson does. Maybe not as many long balls but close in OPS for a whole lot less in salary.
That’s what I was referring to as far as Joc goes. MLB is altogether different as far as the quality of pitching goes. I just cannot understand why Joc didn’t try and get better against LHP in off season’s past. But if he thinks he will automatically start everyday with another team he is highly mistaken.
Well anyone wish they had traded for Clevinger now? He is out 6-8 weeks with a tear in his meniscus. Not good for a pitcher.
What do you mean, Clevinger is a perfect fit for FA, he likes to sign injured pitchers. Expect to see Clevinger in Blue by June
I would not count on it. I doubt Cleveland really wants to unload the guy.
Humor, Michael, it’s called humor. You must be a gas at a dinner party. I hope you are kidding, otherwise you may need some medical care.
I have an excellent sense of humor, and am especially adept at sarcasm. I do not do dinner party’s. Actually I do not think they exist anymore. And it that was your attempt at humor, it was pretty lame.
Well, as Spring Training opens, the ASStros and MLB’s Manfred, have unleashed a dark cloud over, not only sunny Florida, but the entire baseball world.
The insincere apologies, and denials continue to pour out of the ASStros’ camp, led by owner Jim Crane’s belief that the ”cheating did not impact the game, and they did not cheat, they just broke the rules”. If they had such a “great team”, then why did they stoop so low and cheat? The denials and shallow apologies will continue to flow, so long as Manfred continues to sweep this under the rug, and not hold the players accountable. The granting of immunity is not good for baseball. I would hate for someone to get hurt, but it should be open head hunting season for all ASStros, past and present, who were involved in the scandal.
How awkward it must be for former ASStro players who have moved on to other teams and raked in millions after their tainted WS title. Marwin Gonzalez must face ex-2017 Dodgers Maeda and Hill. Garret Cole must face Aaron Judge and the Yanks.
Kudos to Bellinger, Wood, JT, and Strips for speaking their mind. More players throughout MLB have come out and expressed their anger. (DR still hiding in the closet). How could this cheating “not” affected the game? It has not only stole the WS Championship from the Dodgers. It has affected many ballplayers’ careers. Altuve stole MVP from Judge, many pitchers’ stats were exploded, and affected their contract negotiations (losses of up to $300-$500K, maybe more). Bolsinger was cut from his team, and never returned to the Major Leagues, his career cut short, after he failed to stop the bleeding when the ASStros were hammering his team’s pitchers. Bolsinger came in relief, gave up 4 runs, was yanked immediately and then cut. I am sure that more lawsuits will follow.
The ASStros continued to cheat for many years after 2017, so you can imagine how many pitchers and teams were impacted by the scandal. The real problem is Manfred’s condoning this activity for years, knowing that the cheating was happening, and then granting immunity to the players, and slapping the measly $5M (max allowable) fine on the team. So, he is basically saying, “cheating is allowable”, just as Steroids were allowed to taint the record books, and guilty players were allowed to continue to make a living in the game. Manfred does not care, he got his millions, MLB got their millions. What they always say, “you never bite the hand that feeds you”, or in this case, fed you.
The WS title should be stripped, Altuve’s MVP should be stripped, the rings should be melted down, the ASStros owners should be banned from Baseball, and forced to sell the team, the players involved should be fined and banned from baseball (or at least suspended for a year of two), and the MLB Players Association should back this for the integrity of the game. The Union should back the teams and players who were negatively affected by the scandal…. they paid their dues too, didn’t they?
If nothing is done, then ASStros deserve to be targets. What is really sad is the the pitchers (and Managers) who throw at the ASStros will be suspended, and fined….while the ASStro players got away ”scott free”, not losing a penny, and still have their rings.
Most of all, ”WE” the Fans have been cheated, and kids have been led to believe that cheating is allowable, even if you get caught. Manfred is sending the wrong message.
Do the right thing, Manfred! Do the right thing, MLB. Do the right thing, MLB Players’ Association! It is not too late. Do it before someone gets hurt. Do it before you lose Fans. Do it for the integrity of the game.
Every team and every pitcher they faced for 3 years should be pissed. Yeah, the Dodgers surely got robbed but so did every team in AL West and every team they faced in the playoffs. It’s possible we would have faced the Yankees and lost to them. There is no way of knowing how the ball would have bounced without the cheating. What amazes me is how long it went on. Players had an idea, it was talked about, but on it went. Where is the quality control in that league? Manfred just remained comfortably hidden under his rock. Fans everywhere are pissed. This season can’t start soon enough. As soon as it does things will calm down some. Fans have a long history of short memories and predictable moronic behaviors. I know this to be true because I am one.
Yeah Badger,
Just serve up a few $22 beers and Michelatas ,and the Fans will forget it ever happened…. very short memories.
Yeah, it’ll go like this:
“Damn these f****** beers are expensive! Highway f****** robbery!! You guys are just f’n ripping fans off! I’ll take 4”.
Sorry Mr. Badger,
Limit only two per customer. No credit cards accepted unless you have an outstanding credit score. If not?, cashier’s check or cash only…Don’t forget the tip jar!
“Mr. Badger, I do not have change for your $50, so I’ll just keep the change, so thanks for the tip!….. Next?”
Keep the change. I printed that $50 myself yesterday.
I think Clevinger is supposed to heal up easily from that meniscus tear. Maybe we can get him for Joc. Just a thought. And not one I spent a lot of time on.
Garlick traded to the Phillies for a minor league lefty. Hope he enjoys the City of brotherly love and training in Bradenton. Giants and A’s made their first trade in 30 years…wow……Verdugo has a stress fracture in his back. Boston say’s they were aware of the problem, so it must have shown up in his medicals. No biggie, they signed Pillar. He will get Verdugo’s reps for a while. I am pretty sure most of MLB is pissed at the Stros. Not just for cheating but also their lame ass attempts at an apology. Their owner must be a real piece of work saying their cheating had no effect on the outcome of the series. Belli in there protecting his team mates and making the Stros look silly. Then Correa calls out Bellinger today.,…he is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier either. Now Baker is asking the commissioners office for protection for his boys as he fears retaliation is going to be the order of the day. Good thing they are not playing the Dodgers this year. Alex Wood came out and said he would have no problem sitting some of their players on their butts…..Viva Woodie!
Loved that “not the brightest bulb in the chandelier”, I was wrong you are a comedian, can’t wait for you to role out some of your new material. Damn, you sense of humor is fresh, witty and insightful. Keep up the good work.
I liked Garlick, he was solid in the few chances he got here. I don’t hear any talk about Beaty, he needs some reps in the OF, would much rather give him some time instead of Poldark. Maybe Poldark would serve us better as a bat off the bench anyway, less opportunity for injury unless he trips coming out to the on deck circle. Yes, he was signed to a big contract, but that’s on the GM for a stupid signing, now you might as well make the best of it. Platoon Joc and Beaty in LF and give Poldark spot duty as a relief worker for days off of Bellinger and Mookie. (damn, we got a player named Mookie, what have things come to? In my day, that name would have gotten your ass kicked everyday. Alert to Michael, ah never mind)
Pollock makes $15 million this year. Joc makes $7.75 million. If one takes time to do the math, one will figure out it’s going to take over 400 healthy at bats for Pollock to earn his money and Joc much less to earn his. Until further notice that’s the platoon in left with Pollock maybe getting a few days in center when Bellinger gets a day off. Beaty, Hernandez and Taylor? Who knows how their TI will play out.
Trading Pederson made sense. It still does.
The only choice is put the best team on the field to win a championship, to hell with the contracts. The contracts were made in the business office, the lineups should be made on the field, I don’t give a damn about trying to justify a signing by getting a player enough at bats, I do give a damn about justifying a players contribution to the teams winning by the at bats he deserves. I guess that is where we differ Badger. For a guy that professes to hate the business end of baseball, you seem to base a lot of your personnel decisions on the business end of the business. Or at least it seems to me how you come across. But a good discussion non the less.
These aren’t decisions Blue, they are opinions. My opinions are based on my observations. Friedman gave Pollock that contract because he thought he would be worth the money. The only way he’s worth the money is if he gets to play. It’s my opinion the plan for ‘20 was to give the bulk of the left field at bats to Pollock. What is that opinion based on? Friedman traded Pederson to the Angels. The plan was to save $10 million by trading Stripling and Pederson, having Beaty, a good left handed hitter who OPSd .840 vs RHP, split time with Pollock. If it WERE my decision, I think I might have done the same thing. We have a crowded outfield going into Spring Training. I still look for Beaty to press the issue in Glendale, allowing the trading of Joc somewhere he can impress going into his free agency. Will it happen that way? How would I know? I’m just an observer.
Sorry Badger,
I agree, put your best team on the field. I don’t care if the guy makes $20M, if he can’t produce he does not belong on the field. It does not mean we keep Joc and play him every day, but it does suggest that the Dodgers give Joc a fair shot, instead of categorizing him as an automatic one-dimensional player. Take the monkey off Joc’s back, and let him face his demons. I feel Pollock could not produce any more than Joc, at this point. If a good trade opportunity comes up, trade Joc, but don’t just trade him because Pollock makes more money and has more years under his jock strap (no pun intended). On the other hand, if Pollock earns the spot, then more power to him…. play him. If he struggles, bench him, he is not earning his paycheck if he is not producing.
Dodgers literally let Homer Bailey walk away with $25M, sight unseen. They literally gave away Maeda, giving the Twins $10M to cover Maeda’s incentives. They are overpaying Jensen and Kershaw, so let Pollock go, or use him off the bench. If a player makes $500K and is outperforming Pollock, the $500K player belongs on the field, It is a no-brainer.
Which is it? Take the monkey off Joc’s back or put the best team on the field?
The best team has a career .835 vs LHP (Pollock) playing. In the second half last year Pollock OPSd .885 in 227 plate appearances. Maybe that doesn’t impress you, but it impresses me. He’s paid to play, as long as he is healthy he should play. I see no coherent argument to the contrary.
Badger,
I said, “If Pollock earns the spot, then play him”. But on the other hand, don’t just condemn Joc, just because he makes less.
You were the one who said Pollock ”makes $15M…let him earn it.” I am all for that, “more power to him”.. So, Joc makes less, so he does not deserve a fair chance to prove he is worth more than $7.5M?
“If a good trade possibility comes up, trade Joc.” But, by sitting him, and branding him as a one dimensional player will decrease his trade value…. Dodgers will get nothing for him, or he will end up walking next year.
On another note, Correa is a chump. Attitudes like that are the reason why Manfred has fo fine/suspend these clowns. Correa has made the target on the ASStros’ backs even larger! To say the players should not be punished is ridiculous. These are not kids who just cheated at a game of Tiddly-Winks. These are grown cowards, who cheated fellow players, and Fans, and the game of baseball. Manfred grants immunity because He and MLB made millions off the 2017 WS? Is the Players’ Association closing a blind eye? What about the other players they are paid to support? All the other players deserve fair representation too… didn’t they pay their dues?
ASStros better wear more than just a helmet and elbow guards. I think they are on notice.
I think we may be in agreement here and are just dancing around it.
Joc is a platoon player on the Dodgers. That’s just stating fact. There are enough right handers pitching in this league that he can get 450 at bats and put up 3.3 WAR. He got 50 plate appearances against left handers last year and he swallowed olives 38 times in those at bats. The only reason Pollock didn’t get more at bats was the fact he was injured, again. I’m on record saying I have no idea why Friedman signed Pollock in the first place. I wouldn’t have done it. I saw him play in Arizona. I lived there when he had his one good year. I knew of his injury history just as I knew of McCarthy’s. I wouldn’t have signed either of them. That said, Pollock is being paid by the Dodgers and his salary just went up $11 million to $15 million. Gulp. You can bet your farm the Dodgers intend to start him. That’s why they traded Joc!!
It’s my opinion one of those two will be traded. It may be a deadline deal, it may happen in Spring. It’s also my opinion there aren’t enough left field at bats to satisfy both players. We have Betts now. We have Bellinger in center. There won’t be a lot of leftover at bats from those two positions.
I like Joc. But Friedman sent a pretty clear message recently. I’m only interpreting what looks like the obvious.
Agree Badger,
One will be traded…. probably Joc, as AF has “permanently tattooed” a monkey on Joc’s back. Joc will never get a fair shake in LA. He needs a change of scenery, after that failed trade debacle. To trade Pollock at this point would mean AF would have to swallow his pride, and admit he made a big mistake in signing Pollock.
Tough for Joc & Strips to concentrate on playing for the Dodgers without looking in the rear view mirror. Of course, Joc will be pressing every time he faces a lefty…. do you blame him? Anybody would, if put in that predicament. What is real sad is they had to find out about these trade rumors, second hand. Very unprofessional on the part of AF and the Dodgers, to allow information to be leaked before trades are finalized.
Always an overcrowded outfield…. where is the pitching help? I do not feel like expensive, injured, or questionable arms is the answer And the Dodgers once again boost, “Pitching? We got plenty of arms… about 8-9 potential starters? A retooled Jansen? What are you talking about?” Lots of talk. Now it is time to walk the walk. I’m tired of these “Cavier Dream” moments….. I think a lot of fans are.
Tony Fernandez passed away today at 57. Helped the Jays win their second series in a row. Part of the Alomar trade with the Padres. Verdugo will need some new jewelry. His number with the Sox is 12. Will have to ship that gaudy # 27 home I guess. As for the Joc-Pollock stuff, I am pretty sure AF does not consult the fans about trades. He is going to keep the player he feels benefits the team the most, be it Pollock or Pederson. If Pollock shows he can stay on the field and produce, he will be out there. If he is injured again, then he won’t. If I were the Dodgers I would play Pederson against every LH pitcher they can during spring training and see how he does. Make him face lefty’s in batting practice. That’s how you get better. Seeing your weakness every day. Bellinger turned his stats around doing that. He also learned to lay off of that back leg pitch they were using to get him out so much in the 17 series. Now Seager needs to work on that.
Right on with what I would be posting as far as Joc goes. Joc should have spent the off season the way Bellinger did the year before by working on his AB’s against LHP. Look how it worked for Cody. But then again, Dodgers may have branded Joc as just a platoon guy hitting against RHP only and he figures he won’t get those opportunities to begin with but IDK. One thing that seems apparent however, is that neither Joc or Pollock are excited about being platooned.
Totally agree with ya, make Joc see lefties even in his dreams. I wouldn’t even let him talk to anyone that is righthanded. Drill, drill, drill it into his mellon. Personally I think he can do it, if truly not having to look over his shoulder everytime the thought of a lefthander enters the stadium. He is pressing against lefties, that doesn’t do anyone any good.
Regarding Poldark, it’s not that he hasn’t been able to produce when he plays, it’s the matter that he can’t produce when he is sitting on the trainer’s table. Hey my Porsche kicks ass, as long as I keep it running and full of gas, it doesn’t do dick if it is sitting inside the repair shop, pretty damn simple. Poldark has shown the ability to sit in the repair shop often and getting more so each season. Thus how can you give up on Joc, I think we actually need at the very least as an insurance policy for when Poldark hits the IL (you know it is just a matter of time). Like I said, Joc is good for 30plus HRs, plays pretty good D and is a favorite in the clubhouse, unless someone really wants to give up some QUALITY pitching you can just unload Joc, he as too much value for this Dodgers team. You have to keep the players that give you the best chance to win (yes, injuries must be included in this process of evaluation), and F the size of contract for who gets playing time, that’s the FOs problem.
I don’t believe they will give Joc precious at bats against left handers. Those will be given to the players the Dodgers want to audition. I think the die us cast. Joc is a platoon hitter with the Dodgers. It’s worked quite well for the them. Why would they fix what ain’t broke?
And since he is considered a platoon player with the Dodgers, I am sure Joc would welcome a trade to a team where he may, and i say may get that chance to face both hands of the pitchers. But just the same, as you or someone here mentioned, he probably remains a guy who mainly plays against RHP only. I recall somewhere that due to Joc’s failures against LHP it makes Robert’s move a bit difficult, putting Dodgers at a disadvantage because let’s say it’s the 6th inning and Joc is due up with RISP and the game is close, the opposing team removes the RH starter and puts in a LHP to face Joc. Immediately Roberts PH for Joc with a RHB. Even with the 3 batter minimum, unless that LHP comes in to that situation with 2 outs already, now Joc is out of the game and his bat is not available for the rest of the game when the opposing team puts a RHP back in the game in a later inning. With the depth that may not be a big issue but IDK too many guys that are platoon players that can still hit 36 HR’s .
Is this site barely functional?
Why would you say that Bluto? Would you like to help with wordpress and php code over here?
Just very slow.
I’m a JAVA programmer, not PHP. But WordPress has great support available.
Do you know wordpress well?
I do not think they will give Joc a shot at playing vs lefty’s. I also think that AF believes that Pollock is going to be healthy again. No one can predict what is going to happen over the course of a long season. I mean there are already 3 or 4 pitchers experiencing minor issues. May, Graterol, Nelson. Strip unveiled a new change up and the coaches are really encouraged by the results. Kershaw went through a different regimen this offseason and has lost 8 pounds. He also has been throwing since 1 week after the playoffs ended for the Dodgers. He says his arm feels great after his second bullpen yesterday. Which is an improvement from last year since he was out at the beginning of spring and then missed the first 3 weeks of the season. And he still won 16 games.