The Dodgers still don’t have a starting catcher. They only have one major league backstop on the 40-man roster and Austin Barnes is still terrible. It’s a big problem that has gone unresolved and it looks like there is no end in sight. Wilson Ramos, a good catcher recently signed with the Mets which removes another available catcher off the boards. The longer Andrew Friedman procrastinates on this the fewer choices the Dodgers will have available and the more likely they’ll be stuck with Barnes as the everyday catcher.
Friedman could have made a decision during the winter meetings but as his usual M.O. he once again did nothing and made no moves during the annual winter meetings. Friedman not doing anything at the winter meetings is as predictable as snow in December, unless you live in Southern California of course.
The logical solution to this conundrum would be to bring back Yasmani Grandal. The now free agent catcher declined the Dodger’s qualifying offer earlier in the offseason in order to test the open market. Grandal has been the Dodger’s primary catcher for four seasons, but unsurprisingly is looking for a big payday as one of the best if not the best catching options on the free agent market. According to Jon Morosi, the Dodgers are open to resigning Grandal.
Here’s the issue, they’re only willing to give Grandal a one-year contract. This could be Grandal’s last chance for a large deal. The 30-year old switch-hitting catcher is probably looking for job security in the form of a multi-year contract. That’s understandable. Most players want job security. At that age it makes sense.
Unfortunately Friedman is far too small market minded to hand anyone a multi-year contract via free agency. There have been a few exceptions like the extensions to Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Rich Hill and Kenley Jansen. Unless you’re an injury riddled pitcher with at least one Tommy John surgery, or a utility player that never bats above the Mendoza line then Friedman is simply not interested.
Perhaps the Dodgers could still work out a swap with the rebuilding Marlins for star catcher J.T. Realmuto? It’s possible but according to reports the Dodgers are unwilling to part with any of their lower level prospects to make it happen. I can understand not wanting to deal Julio Urias, Walker Buehler, Keibert Ruiz or any other organizational prospect. But refusing to part with any of the lower tier prospects just doesn’t make much sense to me.
I would be fine with bringing Grandal back, whether that’s on a one-year deal or a multi-year contract. The Dodgers are banking on one or both of Keibert Ruiz and Will Smith to develop into the catchers of the future in Los Angeles. But if one or both of them turn out to be busts then the Dodgers are stuck with Barnes and little else behind him. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kyle Farmer get a chance for some playing time. But he’s like the Andrew Toles of catching. The Dodgers don’t think much of him and will never give him an extended look.
Regardless of Grandal’s Postseason struggles, he’s still one of the best catchers in baseball. I know a lot of you guys don’t like him but he’s been a very productive slugger. In 2018 he slashed .241/.349/.466 with 24 home runs and 72 walks over 518 plate appearances. He posted a 121 OPS+ last season and smashed 89 home runs as a Dodger. He also rates as one of the best pitch-framers in MLB. He’s good, and while he has his warts, I would take him any day over Barnes.
Ruiz and Smith have no MLB experience to date. The problem persists and the hot stove continues on. If the Dodgers don’t act soon then they’ll be left with no choice but to play Barnes and sign some aging veteran who won’t hit higher than .190, which is about what Barnes will bat in 2019. The Dodgers better get crackin on this.
Grandal’s “caviar dreams” of a high dollar, longterm contract seems to have backfired. The Mets’ thought his contract demands were too steep, and him passing on the 17.9M qualifying offer from the Dodgers was a huge mistake. With so many teams looking for a catcher, interest in Grandal has been slim to none, due to his greed. He does not have the goods, to justify his contract demands.
He could possibly come back to the Dodgers, but does the qualifying offer still stand, or can the Dodgers lowball him, and offer less? I definitely do not think the Dodgers would give him the multi-year contract he is looking for.
I do not think it would be a good idea to return, after walking away. The fans have already lost faith in him and he will surely return to a thundering echo of boos. You think he was under pressure to produce last year? He will no doubt return to triple the pressure in 2019. His every move, offensively and defensively will be scrutinized under a microscope. I do not think he has the mental ability to deal with that kind of pressure
The only positive I see for Grandal coming back would be redemption. A chance to regain the support of the team and fans and prove that he is not a loser. Come back strong and possibly earn a contract extension, or pump up his value in the free agent market in 2020.
Grandmal is a total nightmare to me, he can’t actually catch a ball thrown to him by a pitcher or anyone else on the field, he is an exceptionally streaky hitter that just happens to ALWAYS go into his biggest and ugliest slumps when the playoffs arrive. How the hell do you sign something like that, except in the Dodgers’ case they are just fine with making it to the WS, in that case Grandmal and his batting seizure come playoff time is a perfect fit for the Dodgers.
By the way, after watching the last three Rams games, I have concluded S O S A R.
True Blue,
It is rediculous that a player of his caliber was even offered 17.9M. Are we in the wrong business, or what?
Then to have the audacity to turn down the offer…. is that greed, or stupidity, or what?
I have no faith in this FO to do anything that makes sense, really. Everything is a bluff, head fake, or illusion, I really think it is a matter of Friedman’s ego, he wants to be the next Billy Bean and have a movie made about him. I have a working title for this movie, ” A Day Late and A Dollar Short, The Andy Friedman Story” or “Almost Being There, The New Dodgers Way”
Good one, True Blue! But part of this page says it all about Freidman as well:
Unfortunately Friedman is far too small market minded to hand anyone a multi-year contract via free agency. There have been a few exceptions like the extensions to Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Rich Hill and Kenley Jansen. Unless you’re an injury riddled pitcher with at least one Tommy John surgery, or a utility player that never bats above the Mendoza line then Friedman is simply not interested.
“Andy of Blewberry, RFD (Real F’n Dumb)”
LOL But on many occasion very true!
The Marlins have basically shot themselves in the foot also. There is no way the Dodgers meet their price and they definitely are not including Bellinger in the deal which was one of the reasons it was not made anyway. Miami insisted on Belli. As for Grandal, let him rot. I was glad he turned down the QO. It also seems according to most of what I read this morning that the Dodgers are very reluctant to offer Bryce Harper the 10 year deal he wants.
Picking up on Michael’s reporting:
Lots of good stuff in The Athletic. Here are bits:
The Dodgers are widely rumored to be in on Harper, but the reality, according to major-league sources, is that they do not want him on a long-term, record-setting contract.
… but the Dodgers are reluctant to part with Verdugo’s six years of control, knowing Puig is likely to be either traded or lost as a free agent after the ’19 season. The Dodgers do not want to turn their outfield surplus into a deficit, and Verdugo’s contact skills would be welcome…
For the moment, the team is committed to Cody Bellinger in center, but A.J. Pollock’s ability to play that position might actually make him a better free-agent fit than Harper… He would be the position-player version of left-hander Rich Hill, valued for bursts of excellence in limited action.
The Dodgers then could pursue Arenado or Rendon next offseason, possibly moving Justin Turner to first base in 2020, the final year of his contract…
As the Cardinals stated as well…….not going to sign Harper to a 10 year deal. Something less than that and they’re in. I have a feeling that a lot of teams would be in on a shorter contract with 1 or 2 opt outs. My opinion is that the Dodgers, White Sox and Phillies are the last teams that need to reject a 10 year contract. If the Dodgers have that leaves Phillies and the White Sox. I expect both of them to eventually balk at a 10 year deal and once that happens than everything begins anew…..who’s the team to offer a 8 year, $300M deal? Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Nationals, Yankees, Mets….well you get the drift every team that has money.
Bluto
Why would the Dodgers get A.J. Pollack when his numbers are not as good as Puig’s? Also, Puig is a great defender with a world class arm. Plus, AJ gets hurt ALL time. I swear, do you not ever think about what you are writing. The team does not need Pollack, period!
HA HA HA HA
Package, I am quite a gifted writer, but not gifted enough to write for The Athletic.
Those were written by someone much smarter and more informed than you and I!
Bluto
That is your opinion. I guess they are not smart enough to compare stats.
With Grandal’s PS and WS performance alone, along with what took place defensively at times during the year, the fans here in LA literally booed Grandal out of town. I cannot see him wanting to come back here, but with Andy at the helm, stranger but ludicrous things have happened before.
Michael
I thought we were through with that idiot Grandal. Goodbye and good riddance to him. I never wanted him to start with. He makes the pitching staff worse than they are because he cannot catch. I am in the camp of tryout all the kids and seeing if one is ready to catch. Of course Friedman is not very smart and he is just hoping someone will just appear. I wish that whole crowd would hit the door. Of course we will be stuck with dummy unless they boot out Andy.
I would not worry too much about him coming back Package. He pretty much priced himself right out of a job. By the time he makes up his mind, the Dodgers may very well have found another catcher. Rumor is the price on Realmuto is going to drop. Me, I think they just go make a deal for Cervelli and go from there. Or for shits and giggles, just hand the job to Barnes, Us a combination of Smith and Farmer to back him up. And hope the new hitting coach can get Barnes to get back to his 2017 production. Over a entire year he would have had close to 15 homers. I remember a similar situation with Jody Reed. The Dodgers offered Reed a 3 year deal to come back to the team. He turned the deal down and ended up pretty much ruining his career.
Here’s the misconception about Grandmal and his pitch-framing. He doesn’t pitch-frame at all, what he does is miss catching the ball in the pocket on nearly all pitches and on all throws to the plate from the field. So in reality his glove is always a few inches off the sweet spot in the glove. Just look at all the balls he duffed on plays at the plate. He doesn’t pitch frame, he is just doesn’t catch the ball properly. I do not want to see him return, he deserved every damn boo that rained down on his sorry ass. The state of major league catchers must be dismal if he is considered one of the top catchers.
Bring up one of the kids, surely one of them good make the jump. Just don’t bring back Grandmal, for God’s sake.
Realmuto’s framing is decidedly worse than Grandal.
Realmuto is young and cost controlled, while the Dodgers are rife with Catching prospects.
Lots of reasons for the Dodgers not to be in on him, yet they are.
I’m curious as to why….
Realmuto actually catches the ball in the pocket of his glove. Grandmal is a passed ball waiting to happen. Pitch framing is just another geek stat that is being way over-emphasized, if the umps are that gullible and easily swayed, it’s either time for better trained umps or time for electronically called balls and strikes. Look at how technology changed line calls in tennis, no more bitching and delaying matches (McEnroe would have “never been” without his tactics), just get the damn call right and quit letting umpires totally hi-jack the game with absolutely atrocious calls. It’s just not right, for some reason getting calls correct on the bases (if they actually do that, have you seen how many times they manage to get the call wrong with the replay) is justification for replay but calling balls and strikes replay is not justified. Let me see, how many pitches are called during a game as opposed to how many calls are made on the bases during a game? If anything, give us replay on balls and strikes and get rid of replay on the bases, one can be done instantly without delay to the game or the momentum of the game, the latter totally slows the game to a crawl and kills any momentum and flow of the game.
Again I ask, is the MLB trying to drive fans away? It sure is having that effect on me and many of my friends. Maybe it’s time for the XLB league.
Agree on all points, but the Umpire union won’t let it become computerized anytime soon. So, framing still has its advantages.
Well Descalzo went to the Cubs on a 2 year deal and Brantley signed with the Astros. Astros back in the Realmuto chase. Other than that the rumors are everywhere. There is a guy on twitter claiming that the Dodgers have already signed both Pollock and Harper, but are waiting to announce until they complete a couple of trades, one of which he says is Puig and Verdugo to Miami for Realmuto. Personally I think the dude is smoking some pretty strong stuff.
This is a must read:
https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/12/18/luxury-tax-boston-red-sox-new-york-yankees-los-angeles-dodgers
Matt Harvey just signed a 1 year 11 million dollar contract with the Angels. Dodgers have signed a couple of guys who have been in their farm system to minor league deals, Corcino and Mora.
New rumor is that the Indians are talking Kluber again. Seems about 8 teams, including the Dodgers are all over this. Chances that the Fried one gets him, I say about 2 in 10. The picture below is just wrong for me…..the Duke in a Giants uni with Willie Mays.
Bear
I don’t know, the Duke is in good company with Say Hey, both are truly great players even though Willie had the misfortune to play with the Giants.
This pic was obviously taken during the 64 season, Dukes last year. Duke played in 91 games that year, mostly as a pinch hitter. He only hit .210. Those last 2 years 63 with the Mets, and 64 with the Giants are the main reason Duke’s career average dropped under .300. He hit .243 in 63. He hit 4 homers with the Giants. Getting him to 407 for his career. He hit 389 as a Dodger which is still the team record. Karros owns the LA Dodger record. When I said it was just wrong, Duke with the Giants just never sat right with me. Like I did not like them making Hodges available for the draft for the new teams. Mets picked him, Charlie Neal and a couple others including Roger Craig. I remember listening to a Dodger-Giant game that year and Duke hit a PH homer late in the game to win it for the Giants. What made it more painful was that he hit it off of Joe Moeller, who went to my high school…
If they re-signed Grandmal it would make me puke.
Well 2 Dodgers became exe Dodgers today. Zac Rosscup signed with the Mariners and Pat Venditte signed with the Giants. Trevor Cahill inked a 1 year deal with the Angels who have signed 2 sore armed pitchers this week. Anibal Sanchez signed with the Nats. Dodgers…….still no action. Ol Andy is going to miss out completely if he does not get off his ass.