While the Astros cheating scandal has dominated the Baseball headlines over the past week or so, there hasn’t been much Dodgers roster related news. Lost in the shuffle of the public Houston shaming was the Dodgers designating reliever Casey Sadler for assignment and then trading him to the Chicago Cubs for minor league infielder Clayton Daniel.
Every once in a while Andrew Friedman does acquire a reliable arm. Then he normally almost immediately lets him go. Apparently Sadler was designated because they needed a 40-man roster spot for southpaw Alex Wood, who they signed to a one-year four million dollar deal via free agency.
It’s a bit difficult to understand as Sadler was surprisingly effective in 2019 for the Dodgers. The 29-year old right hander posted a 2.33 ERA and a 4-0 record in 27 innings pitched out of the Dodgers bullpen last season. Sadler allowed just three home runs, struck out 20 and walked eight during his 24 appearances. Sadler posted a 1.86 ERA with the Rays before being acquired by the Dodgers and generally kept the ball in the park with a 51.8% ground ball rate.
LA! You were everything we didn’t know we needed. It was an honor, and an experience my family and I will cherish forever! I couldn’t have asked for better fans, teammates, & staff, each helped renew that childlike love of baseball in me that I will carry on! Thank you! pic.twitter.com/6a9NpCuYqd
— Casey Sadler (@CaseySadler65) January 16, 2020
Daniel, a 24-year old right handed hitting infielder has yet to play above the double-A level. It’s unlikely he will appear at the major league level for the Dodgers in 2020. He’s got little to no power never hitting more than two home runs in any level of professional baseball. A career .290 minor league hitter in five seasons has also had experience in left field in addition to playing second, short and third.
Looking at the Dodger’s 40-man roster, is he any worse than Josh Sborz? Does Tyler White really need to stick on the 40-man roster? Do we need to see another mediocre season from Scott Alexander to change our opinion of his pitching? I get it, a roster spot needed to be had for Wood. Yet I wonder if maybe Sadler could have been held onto somehow for at least a look during spring training.
I liked Sadler. I thought he did a good job after he was acquired and was one of the more reliable BP arms. But I also know where he was in the pecking order as it is. At least they got something in return rather than just losing him.
Scott does make a valid point about Tyler White…he has ZERO and I mean ZERO reasons to be left on the 40 man roster. I would have found another player on the 40 man to move rather than Sadler but we all know our input means absolutely nothing.
I agree about White. But I think their reasoning is this, White, like Freese , is a RH hitter with power who plays the 2 corner positions on the infield. Since Freese retired and they did not retain Gyorko, there is a need for that type of player. The being said, White showed non of that last season.
I concur, Michael but as ya say White might just not be the answer here.
Anything that AF does or doesn’t do surprises me anymore.
I have to agree with you there. AF continues to make fans scratch their heads and wonder why. Arenado not a happy camper these days. I see a chilly reception at Rockies camp.
Michael, that situation with Arenado and Rockies could get real ugly but IDK… I do know as we all do that he has a full no trade clause and can dictate where he goes or does not go.
Yes he does, but I do not believe the Rocks would ever trade him to LA. I think they would rather he just walk away in 2 years. The fan base would totally revolt and they have enough problems already with the fan base. His displeasure comes from the Rockies promising they would upgrade the team and acquire what ever talent they needed to compete before he signed his deal. Then this winter the owner cries that they have no money to do that. Jeter and former Rockie, Larry Walker into the hall. Bonds not even close to election! YAY!!!!!
Well spring training about 4 weeks away. Games start around the 23rd of February. I cannot wait for it to begin. Have to wonder if Wood gets #57 back, or they give him a fresh start with a new number. One year after the trade only Kyle Farmer is still with the Reds. Puig not signed yet. Ozuna goes to Atlanta on a 1 year 18 million dollar deal. Atl is loading up for a serious run at their division.
And the Dodgers remain lacking in the RH hitter’s box going into 2020.
Yep, same old thing. They have a hole heading into spring and AF does bupkis over the winter. Looking less likely they do anything prior to the deadline. Manfred announced today that the 17 and 18 titles will not be vacated. Since he has not finished the investigation on the Sox yet, nor decided Cora’s fate. Mets hire Rojas as their manager. He is the son of Felipe Alou. Lots of minor league signings going on. None by the Dodgers. Luis Avilan signed with the Yankees. I think AF is holding off signing players until after the arbitration hearings.
Sounds to me like most of us believe we would have won at least one of those series’ if not for the cheating. If that’s true, then it would also be true that Friedman successfully put together a championship team. And that being the case, maybe the constant complaining will stop around here.
Badger
C’mon, you don’t have any idea whether or not the Dodgers would have won either series if not for cheating. All you want is for AF to get credit for things he has not achieved just like all the rest of the sheep who fall into line with everything he does. You must live in a dream world. Yeah, I guess if I say that if they had gotten this player or that player they would have won. Of course that would never be for the idiots that own and run the team. He really made a splash this off season, huh?
Pack, you are way off base about Badger. He is not a AF apologist. As a matter of fact I know for sure he scratches his head as much as we do about the moves he makes. As for making a splash, they did not really need to. The starting lineup is loaded. Are they short in a few area’s, yes. Did they spend the money everyone thought they would, no. But they are still the class of their division. They have the talent and the case to make a move at the deadline, and if needed they most likely will. The D-Backs have made the most moves in the division, but they have to make up 20 games on the Dodgers. That is not going to be easy. And pack, I am pretty sure the owners are not idiots. They are billionaires and you don’t get to be one of those by being stupid. They are business men in this game to make money. Now if the team manages to keep winning they are going to make even more money. If they do win a World Series, they will make a ton of more money.
Well, it IS my opinion that had those teams not cheated we would have beat them.
Bear is correct, I have challenged Friedman from the beginning. His pickups of McCarthy, Anderson and Kazmir were jaw dropping to me. I criticized many of his moves then watched as the team won. I was wrong. And unlike many in this world I am willing to admit when I am wrong.
The Dodgers are damn good. I thought both Houston and Boston were better, Boston clearly and Houston only marginally but now that I know how they did it, I was wrong about that too. Had the Dodgers hitters known what was coming we win those series’.
I believe we will win the West again and I think we could do it by double digits. Of course there are no guarantees in the post season and with Kershaw fading I’m less confident about our rotation in the cool of October after a long 162 game season, but even without a big name pickup this off season I like our chances. We are deep and we are talented. I’m grateful to be a Dodger fan.
I have been a Dodger fan for over 65 years. My love of baseball started early. The first World Series I ever saw on TV was the Dodgers and the Yankees, and New York seemed so far away. I was elated when they moved to California. I saw my first big league game at the coliseum in 1958. Saw Big D and Sandy, Sherry and Labine, Duke, Jr, Hodges, and Furillo. Wills when he was a rookie. Willie and Tommy D. Big Frank Howard and Wally Moon. Those were my childhood Dodgers. Not much pop, but great pitching. Won 3 World Series in a 7 year span. While I was in the Army, they only got to one, 1974. But then Garvey, Cey, Russell, Lopes, Bill Buckner Reggie Smith, and Rick Monday came along. They went to 3 more between 77 and 81 finally breaking through in 81. Baseball has changed a lot since then. It is more specialized now and analytics driven. WAR means more than BA, and supposedly a starters win total means nothing. Never have agreed with all of that. Games are way too expensive for the average fan to attend. Free agency has basically taken the career with one team player out of existence. The rules are changing faster than a fan can keep up with. The DH might be coming to the NL real soon. Making money is the name of the game. And even though there are stringent rules in place to deter PED’s, there are still players who use them and get caught. Now the Stros and Boston investigated for electronically stealing signs. It is not the game I grew up playing and loving. It is still my favorite sport. And the Dodgers are still my team. And even though it has been over 30 years since they won a World Series, I am proud of the way they have played these last 7 years. A lot of thrills. And last year was one of the most thrilling. Winning 106 games. Getting contributions from so many rookies. A weekend series with the Rockies that all 3 games were won by walk off homers by rookies. Beaty, Verdugo and Smith. Smith hit 2 walkoff homers last year and I was there for the first against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium on June 1st. It was also his first big league homer. I expect them to be good. I expect Friedman to make moves I will question. And hopefully they win their division and make the playoffs again, where, like every other playoff team, they will take their chances against the best baseball has to offer.
Let’s enjoy the good!
Totally agree Bluto. Being bitter about it all is a huge waste of energy. I have, as some have noted, mellowed a lot over the last few years. I have tried real hard to understand Friedman as best I can. Sometimes it is really hard. He does not follow the usual pattern of most GM’s. He is not inclined to jump off the ledge and do something purely to just do it. He is meticulous in his maneuvers. He has kept to the mandate of the front office. He also knows that the ownership will pretty much back him up on any move he makes. I respect Dave Roberts even though I think he is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier as far as strategic baseball moves are concerned. On another note. On his site, Mark Timmons offered an olive branch of sorts to Badger. Many times I have argued with him when he was posting here. We did not see eye to eye on a lot of issues. Now he calls me and Badger the voices of reason over here. Maybe, I am not sure that is the case. And I know for my part, and I am pretty sure Badger’s too, there will be times between now and whenever we either move on to the next dimension, that we will disagree with something done by Friedman, or Roberts, or the Dodger ownership in general. As for Mark, he is what he is. I do not know the man personally. I am not sure I would ever want to. Not for anything personal, but for the fact I still consider him a bully. You do not agree with him or his analysis, he tends to get nasty. And just so you know, I still think anyone who thinks Grandal is all that is nuts. I am most sorry for the way I treated MJ a lot of the time. She loved the team and was one of the more passionate Dodger fans I have ever encountered on the internet. I am sorry she passed away before I could apologize for the arguments we had. I do not care for people who threaten others over the internet. That is in my eyes and internet bully. I want to face my enemy’s face to face. They want to call me names, do it that way or keep your mouth shut. We are here to talk baseball and our love of the Dodgers, not attack someone personally.
Well said Bear.
The blogosphere is divided over the Friedman thing. The team was good when he got here, so was the system, and as much as I disliked a lot of his initial moves, his leadership didn’t change those facts. This team is good.
Yeah, I had personal problems with Mark, we disagreed on many social issues and I was maybe too happy to point out every time he was dead wrong, which was like, always, but we could still talk Dodgers and laugh about our disagreements. I’m really sorry it degenerated into the nonsense it did, but I’m not sorry for calling him out. He still calls anybody who disagrees with him a moron and his trade ideas are often laughably absurd, but it would appear nobody on that site cares. They accept him for what he is. I’ll let you put what that is into words Bear.
Back to Friedman, the Dodgers are still good and the system remains stacked even with picking late every year. Our player development by all accounts is ahead of the curve. What’s not to like? Well, Roberts gags are not to like, and Houston cheating is despicable, but the Dodgers ARE GOOD! How lucky are we fans to have a team like this to root for?
The older I get the more I realize how ridiculous it is to look for the worst in things. And life’s too short to hold grudges. As Don Henley so eloquently put it – when you get down to the heart of the matter, I think it’s about forgiveness…… even if you don’t love me anymore.
I totally agree Badger. And what is not to love. The team has been good for a while now and I remember some stretches where they were not good at all.