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The Excellent Dodger Bullpen: A Story of Redemption

Adam Liberatore

The Dodgers made a big turnaround during the last two months of the first half of the 2016 season. The boys in blue finished the first half with a 51-40 record, 11 games above .500. The Dodgers had two 6 game winning streaks and have won 7 of their last 10 games to take over the National League wild card lead. So what was the catalyst for this big about face from mediocrity towards playoff contention? Believe it or not it’s been the incredibly fantastic Dodger bullpen.

The Dodger bullpen’s story is one of redemption. Much maligned at first by myself and social media, the relief crew has become the best in baseball. The dominant Dodger bullpen has kept the club in game after game, night after night slogging through a slew of bullpen games. With the Dodger rotation in flux from injuries, underperformances, and lack of innings, the bullpen has rode to the rescue. The collection of holdovers and castoffs have come together to form the top bullpen in all of baseball.

Despite the early season injury to Yimi Garcia, the bullpen has weathered the storm. It all starts with Adam Liberatore who set a record with 24 consecutive scoreless innings. Liberatore has been one of the most dominant relievers in the majors. The left hander has posted a 0.61 ERA over 38 appearances. He’s allowed just two earned runs all season and has limited opposing hitters to a .145 batting average against.

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Free agent signings Joe Blanton, and Louis Coleman have been extremely effective all season. Blanton, most surprisingly to me and social media has limited hitters to a .140 batting average against. Blanton has a 2.09 ERA and has allowed just 5 earned runs all season. Coleman has made 40 appearances and limited hitters to a .246 average against. Blanton has struck out 48 and walked just 13.

Newly acquired Casey Fien has been steady as a rock. Fien has made 19 appearances posting a 2.49 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .208 average against. He’s struck out 19 and walked only 3. He’s mixed lively heaters with impressive off-speed pitches to keep hitters off balance. Right hander Pedro Baez who can make time stand still when he pitches has performed well too. Opposing batters are hitting only .172 against him and he’s struck out 50 against only 12 walks. Even guys like J.P. Howell and Chris Hatcher have been pitching better over the last two months.

Since May 22 the Dodgers have the best Reliever ERA in all of baseball. As a matter of fact, the Dodgers bullpen has stranded 85% of runners that they’ve inherited since then. The Dodger bullpen ranks number one in all of baseball with a 2.83 ERA. The Dodger’s bullpen is actually in the top ten or top five in almost every single pitching category.

The Dodger relievers rank eighth in holds (52), First in WHIP (1.02), first in batting average against (.195) fifth in strikeouts with (303), ninth in innings pitched (299), seventh in saves (27), eighth in K/9 (9.1) and number one in runners left on base with an 85.8 percentage. The Dodger bullpen has a 1.57 ERA in July.

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Of course I can’t finish this article without talking about their elite closer, all time franchise save leader and all-star Kenley Jansen. The island boy has recorded 27 saves and posted a 1.16 ERA. He’s whiffed 51 while walking only 6 and posting a 0.65 WHIP. Jansen broke the all time Dodger save record earlier this season. He’s really been the best closer the Dodgers have ever had.

http://gfycat.com/PreciousPalatableAltiplanochinchillamouse

The bullpen has done this, day in day out, every single night. They’ve pitched 4 innings, 5 innings, 6 innings and sometimes more. They’ve held opponents scoreless night after night and they’ve done it all quietly without complaining about the above normal workload. I have to give kudos to Friedman, Rick Honeycutt, Dave Roberts, and the entire Dodger’s organization for building an excellent bullpen this year. It’s something we’ve always wanted, and now finally have. What’s scary is that it could even get better.

Good Job Dodgers! Now if we can just fix the rotation……..

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

93 thoughts on “The Excellent Dodger Bullpen: A Story of Redemption

    1. I wonder if it is even possible to watch some of the dancers from the old MGM musicals and be unhappy? Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, etc. — I always have to smile when I see them. Though he didn’t dance; Jimmy Durante had the same effect on me. Thanks for posting this. It’s one that I hadn’t watched before.

      1. Do not forget Danny Kaye. The guys smile and laugh were infectious. He also, and I used to have a copy, recorded a song called Dodgers in 1962. It was classic…….took place during a Dodger-Giant game..

          1. Awesome!!!! Brings back memories..I actually have been looking for a copy of that song for years.

          2. Guess what, I found that song on a cd on Amazon and ordered it. Awesome….album is called Dodgers Baseball: Music to your ears..

      2. I don’t sing or dance but I love musicals. Westerns too for that matter. Jane Powell stole the show from Fred in this number. He was somewhere around 50 with about 40 years in show business and she was younger than Corey Seager, right out of the Oregon woods. Of course he helped her a tremendous amount there. Two great talents.

        1. It was a different era that is for sure. I liked Gene Kelly, and Fred Astaire was a really talented man. Some of the Rogers and Hammerstein shows were well done on screen.

  1. It could get better? How so? By adding Urias and De Leon? Would you do that and drop Howell and Hatcher?

    I just read Kershaw will likely pitch some time on the long road trip coming up. His stint on the 15 day DL should be over now. Will he throw rehab games first? He’s throwing a session today. Is it from a mound? So many questions regarding this staff. Maybe the pitching genius Honeycutt can hold it all together.

    1. I think using kids out of the BP is a total crapshoot. Urias over Howell? Well stuff wise maybe….but Howell has a lot of experience….Deleon has not pitched much. They probably go the waiver wire route, that has been their MO…

    2. It is hard for me to say this because I am not thrilled with Hatcher but there are two Hatchers. The first half and the second half Hatcher. We survived the first half. Hopefully we are rewarded with him being good in the second half again.

      Putting a 19 year old in the 8th inning of a playoff game seems like the wrong thing to do. Maybe the third time he is brought into an 8th inning playoff game he would do well. But, can’t afford to mess those first two chances in a short series.

      I would rather see Urias or De Leon come into the 5th inning and try to pitch 4 innings if they were to be used as relievers in the playoffs.

      1. We can only hope he improves the second half……..but even though I am not from Missouri……show me……..

      2. I think Urias needs to pitch through the order, more then just two times through.

        I am just wondering. when are the Dodgers, going to do that?

        I know he has already hit his innings limit, but when is he going to start pitching deeper into games.

        I think Urias needs to do that for a while, before he is ready to pitch in the bigs.

        Because there are a lot of pitchers, that have great stats, facing the batting order, only the first two times through.

        How is Urias going to learn how to pitch out of trouble, and keep his pitch count down, without pitching deeper into games.

        That is my big question, concerning Urias.

        I don’t see a problem putting him in the pen, if he is going to be used.

        The Dodgers use to do that to there young starters, when they first came up.

        And the Cardinals do a good job of this now, with there young pitchers.

        I know he needs to build up his arm, but I think it is important, to give him more game experience, too.

        It is like they have coddled Urias to much, because he is still a teen.

        Fernando handled himself, much better, at 19.

        Because I think Fernando had more life experience then Urias, when he was 19.

          1. Urias needs to get innings. He is also still growing and not at full strength yet. He is a kid. No need to rush him. His natural talent will carry him through. Fernando at Urias age was much more mature, and had already developed his screwball…….that was his secret weapon. If Urias had an out pitch like that,, there would be less strain on him..

  2. I think they should make sure Kershaw isn’t coming back to soon.

    And like I said before, the Dodgers need a reliever that can pitch more then one inning.

    They especially need a long reliever, because Blanton is setting up games now.

    And Blanton was suppose to be the long reliever, when he was signed.

    The Dodgers desperately need a long reliever, because most of the starting pitchers, can’t pitch beyond five innings.

    And if the Dodgers don’t find a long reliever, the bullpen will burn out by August, if there work load
    continues at it’s current pace.

    1. Burnout is what I am concerned about too. Way too many innings for that group.

      hp, about musicals – they never resonated with me. I was into westerns as a kid. My mother loved those dancing movies. She was a singer/dancer for the USO in Long Beach. I can remember her smiling and sometimes even dancing around the room. Her favorite was Gene Kelly. Regarding that video above, is there a hidden message in it? The first few lines got a laugh out of me.

      1. Give me John Wayne and Clint any day. Only musicals I ever really enjoyed were Singing in the Rain and Fiddler on the Roof. I liked the baseball theme of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, but the playing in it was abysmal………Frank Sinatra as a star 2nd baseman???? Sorry..

      2. I liked the Westerns too. Randolph Scott was a favorite of mine, but I liked them all. Well, not so much those that were in the Saturday matinees at our small town movies–Roy Rodgers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Durango Kid, Johnny Mack Brown, Lash LaRue, Cisco Kid, the Lone Ranger and others. They were all the same, and I usually rooted for the villains just to see something different.

        1. They were basically B westerns. Not the heavy stuff that is for sure. I did love Hopalong, and I met Roy Rogers twice. Once when I was about 8, and then at his museum in Apple Valley before he died. Loved Scott, saw him play a bad guy a couple of times, most notably in John Wayne’s The Spoilers. I have enjoyed the resurgence of the genre in recent years although the westerns now are a lot bloodier than back then. I especially liked The Hateful Eight….but Tombstone and Silverado I really liked.

      3. That is known as The Liar’s Song. I thought it applied to some people here (no names) as most assuredly to FAZ. And now I will be attacked by the FAZOPHANTS….

    2. Better to not need one. If the starters were decent it would not be a problem. Frias is probably the best candidate for that job.

    3. And they have plenty of choices from within, to add a long relief pitcher.

      I think there biggest problem in doing this, will be deciding who should stay or go in the pen.

    4. Michael
      I know I shouldn’t compare them, but people have.

      I had heard he was mature for his age, like Fernando.

      And I guess my expectations are to high for him, because of that.

      1. Fernando had already pitched in the Mexican league for a couple of years when Mike Brito found him. That is more like a AAA league than what Urias has faced….

  3. The last few world series winners won because of a dominant bullpen. I’m not sure if the Dodger bullpen is in the category. I’m talking about nothing but 0’s. But it is probably close enough, at this point. Unfortunately, the giants have the starters to make up for their own bullpen issues. So, we have to get consistency and more innings out of our starters. Although I am not a fan of Tweeter McCarthy, he was a good, solid pitcher at a recent point. I loved him with the A’s, where he got his head bashed in. He could be the guy to get from Kershaw/Maeda to 4-5. Plus, I do like his presence on the mound. If he can hold together, he can bring a big, positive influence on the other starters. He has the personality for it.,

    1. Problem is and will be starting pitching. Behind Kersh and Maeda at this point it is very weak…..we have that dreaded DEPTH word, but not much quality.

    1. Interesting…….but I disagree on a couple of them…I think Kersh will opt out, and I think Grandal will be gone by then….No Maeda? He has an 8 year contract…they could trade him I guess………No Puig either…..like I said, interesting…

    2. I would swap Thompson and Verdugo and put Thompson in LF and Verdugo in RF to take advantage of Verdugo’s arm. Lux might be ready to take on SS by 2019 at about the same age Cory did it this year and that would move Cory to 3B. Calhoun might be great at 2B and I hope he is. I also like Taylor there due to his speed, arm, and plus defense. I don’t see Puig on that list. Move Grandal to wherever Puig is and put the young stud catcher the Dodgers get from that trade. Oh, and Stewart should be added to the rotation. Toles might give Thompson competition for LF.

      1. I just noticed that neither Trevor Oaks or Stewart were on that list….think that is a mistake..

      2. I want to see Stewart start another game at the bigs.

        There is just something about Stewart that I like.

  4. I should have done this a while ago, but I thought now the best time. I am going to say a little bit about who I am so you can see a little into the name on the post. 68 years old, native Angelino. Born downtown LA. Lived here most of my life. Went to my first Dodger game at the coliseum in 58. They played the Cardinals, Big D pitched. Went in the Army in Dec of 65. Spent 9 years and was a radar tech in a HAWK missile unit. Korea, Germany and Texas was where I served. 13 mos in Korea, 3 years in Germany, and 5 in Texas at Ft. Bliss. Was in Munich when the terrorists kidnapped and killed the Israeli athletes and in the Olympic stadium for the memorial. Left Korea 2 days before they took the Pueblo. Spent 35 years as a professional truck driver, and at the same time played country music all over southern California. Personally, I am pretty hard headed sometimes, but not enough to not admit I am wrong. Been on my own long enough where I have never had to depend on anyone else. Love my country and would defend it and my family to the death. I think the players from the 50’s and 60’s were better and more fundamentally sound than the guys today. The best I ever saw was Willie Mays. He could do it all and better than most. Hated those Yankee teams back then. Got to see a lot of HOFers. Spahn, Mays, Marichal, Mathews, Aaron, Rose, Musial…they were all great. Loved the Dodgers of the 60’s because they always seemed to win with less. Loved Lasorda, tolerated Alston. Always thought he cost them the 62 playoffs by bringing in Williams and not big D. Snider thought so too and he was traded that winter to the Mets. Do not like saber metrics, and think that there are way too many stats used to evaluate players nowadays. Always thought what I saw happening in front of me was the best tool. Just call me addicted to the old way of doing it. Guess that is why I have such a hard time buying into the new FO’s modus operandi. But like I said that is just me. I may not agree with your opinion, but I respect your right to believe what you believe. That is why I served. Freedom of choice, and the freedom to speak and think on your own. Tried not to criticize Mattingly, mainly because I thought he was doing a pretty good job. 3 straight division titles, something NO other Dodger manager has ever accomplished. Only 3 have ever been to 2 WS in a row, Dressen, Alston, and Lasorda. He may not have been the greatest strategist, but they won. I also do not think platooning players is the best way to go. Giving your older starters a rest now and then, sure. But I loved Tommy’s philosophy of running the same 8 out there every day. They ran in the OF together before every game. I loved it….unity built on team work. And hard play. And STAR POWER…….that was LA then…..today it is a collection of bargain bin boys with a couple exceptions. We have a great collection of support players…….but only a couple of real stars, and one star in the making………….that’s my story, and I am sticking to it……Have a great day guys…

    1. Michael

      I read that in between the years of 1958, and I believe the year 1988, the Dodgers went to the World Series every four years.

      Michael
      Have a great time in Rancho, and give us a report, when you come back!

      1. 7 years between 66 and 74…..6 years between 81 and 88….since they moved here…..59,63,65,66, 74,77,78,81,88…………9 series and they won 5. Lost playoffs in 62, 83, and a few more years I cannot remember off the top of my head. I will definitely let you know what I see in the kids at Rancho

        1. Thanks Michael.

          I wasn’t sure about the sixties.

          I was big on the teams from the early 70s, and beyond, because of my age.

          1. They lost in the playoffs in 83/85/95/96/04/06/08/09, and the last 3 years…..9 straight playoff losses…….83 lost to Phils, 85 to the Cardinals who ended up losing the series to KC……which was their last WS win until last year…Thing to remember is that they improved every year under DM until last year…when they won 2 less than in 2014. Have not won 100 games since 1974, and only twice in LA>…..62/74…

    2. I did not like DePodesta. Not fair because I never met him but my impression was that he was loaded with technical skills and lacking in conceptual and human skills. He represented everything I didn’t like about saber-metrics.

      I just don’t associate the FAZ group exclusively with saber-metrics. It has always been my impression that saber-metrics is just one tool they use. I have always thought they equally incorporate scouting tools and player makeup into their evaluations.

      They are willing to gamble on marginal players and hope to get lucky more than they are willing to trade prospects and they have offered qualifying offers to try to get draft choices. The latter hasn’t worked out so well IMO but I have no clue if they were surprised by who accepted or rejected those QO or not.

      I wanted to trade for Harvey. Maybe FAZ tried to make that trade and just wouldn’t give up the asking price or maybe they were just wiser than me. Obviously, Harvey would not have been a good trade in hindsight. Price isn’t having a good year. Greinke is on the DL. Only time will tell us how good of a job FAZ has done or will do.

      I like that the Dodger minor league teams are being built to win so that players that have played together and won together will be advancing together. That is lost if FAZ were to trade a dozen of the better prospects to get rentals or sign free agents to long term contracts that might not work out and wind just blocking the prospects from moving up. AAA players don’t move up, AA players have no where to go, etc.

      I want the team to be younger and faster and have a minimal number of rentals. I would have loved to been able to root for Loney and Kemp in the World Series. I appreciate Kendrick and Utley and like them as well but I look forward to the team that will play together for many years and win.

      1. Friedman always says that he only uses saber metrics, as a tool.

        I think our GM is more into sabers, because he came from the A’s.

        1. Maybe so, BUT the final decision is on Friedman…….Zaidi does not make trades on his own.

      2. TOTALLY AGREE!

        Looking forward, the Dodgers will offer Turner and Jansen the one year tender. I doubt they do that to Anderson again (once bitten – twice shy).

        The Dodgers can afford Jansen, but is it a smart allocation of funds? I really don’t think so.

        BTW, Kershaw WILL ABSOLUTELY OPT OUT! Whether he signs with the Dodgers has nothing to do with the Dodgers. It’s whether he wants to finish his career at home. If so, he will go. My guess is that he will stay and write his on check. Just my guess.

        I hear rumors that Greinke is on the block: OK, D-Bags – send Greinke and $34 million to LA for Puig, Reed and Cotton. Throw in Barnes or Buehler too. Wouldn’t that be funny for the Drunk and Lucille? I told you so.

        1. Mark
          I think they might sign Turner to team friendly contract.

          I think that Turner would take a team friendly deal to stay with the Dodgers.

          He also had that slow start, so maybe the front office will sign him.

          I don’t think the Dbacks want to get another Cuban, after that Cuban they signed.

          But I would love to get Greinke back.

          It would be with one less year, and have the Dbacks pay part of his contract!

    3. I have to say that while 3 division titles in a row is nothing to sneeze at, it doesn’t mean as much as it did when the Reds and the Braves were in the division and in their respective heydays. Now it’s pretty much us vs. the Jints, which is tough enough.

      1. Snider
        Mattingly had much more talent then Roberts has this year.

        Mattingly success is more about the talent he had, just like Torre, with the Yankees.

    4. Mr. Norris
      I too remember the 60s teams. I miss those days. I am proud to read your comments. Have a good day.

      1. Thank you…..baseball was better then in my mind. Players not millionaires, they readily signed for the fans and most had off season jobs…..Dodgers used to get a lot of players at the end of their careers back then. Dick Stuart and Wes Covington come to mind.

  5. Bumsrap, I agree with you completely. I do not like the rental players. I like to see our home grown players. They are not going to give a long contact to an older player. I believe they will in Kershaws case. They will not let Seager go either.

    Scott, I did like your article on the bull pen. Well done. The bull pen guys deserved it. I really think we are close to lights out in the 7-9 innings. Roberts can match Liberatore and Blanton in the 7 and 8 innings. Let Jansen finish it off. That leaves Fien, Coleman, and Baez for the 6th. I would bring Urias back and let him be the long reliever. That will put no pressure on him and yet he will get experience . Remember, Fien, Coleman, and Liberatore were brought in by FAZ. Fien and Coleman came off the junk pile.

    1. I have always liked Libertore.
      And I didn’t like how Mattingly handled him.
      Mattingly had Libertore face as many lefties, as righties.
      And then sent Libertore down, for not being able to stop righties.

  6. I wish Baez, Hatcher, and Kazmir, had Libertore’s concentration, and game face, when they came in to pitch.

    1. Different personality’s… Baez and Hatcher try to get by throwing heat. Kazmir does not have that kind of stuff.

      1. Michael
        I think many of Kazmir’s pitches, that go out, is because Kamir doesn’t keep his concentration.

        He doesn’t stay in the minute, and allows his pitches to get to high.

        1. That is mechanical more than mental. His release point is not consistent. So his pitches get up in the zone.

          1. I think it is mental because he gets rattled at times, and he isn’t concentrated on his release point and his delivery.

  7. If we are 9th in bullpen innings pitched then who are the 8 teams with more innings pitched via their bullpen?

  8. Just read something very interesting on the baseballreference.com page. Duke Snider did not make it into the HOF until his 11th time on the ballot. Under todays system the only way he makes it is via the Old Timers committee. In his entire career he earned 556,000 dollars. Rookie wages for one year now….or close to it. He also wore a # other than 4 when he was with the Mets, and Giants. He finally got #4 as a Met, but wore #28…..He also has the 3rd highest WAR of any Dodger in history behind only Don Drysdale 67WAR Pee Wee Reese 66 WAR and the Duke at 65WAR….highest current Dodger is Kershaw at 55WAR…..Duke was also never traded…..both times he switched teams he was sold for cash. And just for the record……Gil Hodges belongs in the hall……that he is not there is just wrong…

      1. Yes it is…….Pete was a great player….unfortunately part of his ban is his own fault because he accepted the penalty, but he should still be in…..Hodges was the best first baseman of his era…..he belongs.

  9. Fien 5 HRs and 6 runs = Lucky. Will he imploded in the 2nd half?
    Coleman going downhill fast. Drop him for a Long Reliever please like Fris, Urias or DeLeon.
    Baez and /Hatcher need to stop throwing and start pitching. Get another pitch please.
    Howell is much improved in the last 30 days but will he last?

    I liked westerns especially the ones with Jane Russell. Not sure about you guys!

    1. BOB
      I have had my concerns with Fien too.

      And those are HRs, that he has given out, as a Dodger.

      And he hasn’t been a Dodger tha long.

      Take a look at the HRs he gave up this year, with the Twins I believe.

      1. Again, none of his homers has cost the team a game. Unlike Baez and Hatcher, Urias is way too young to even be considered as a long reliever. They are still limiting his innings, Stripling and Frias would be much better suited to that role….IF Urias is called up to relieve, I think it will be more as a situational lefty, most likely taking Howell’s place, than that of a long reliever.

        1. Michael
          I don’t want Urias to be the long man.

          I want someone with a little more experience then him.

          1. As my comment says, neither do I and I am sure the FO does not either, They want to LIMIT his innings, not increase them..

        2. The HR he gave up against the Orioles, was right after we just got the lead, in the half inning before, and that hurt us.

          We had to play that long game of extra innings, after Fien gave up that HR, and that put even more stress on the bullpen.

          And we would have split that series, if the bullpen would have held the lead for two more innings, but Fien on his very first pitch against Mark Trumble, let his fastball, go right down the middle of the plate, and Trumble hit it out.

          We are not saying get rid of him.

          We are just saying that some of the HRs, are concerning.

          I really want him to do well, because he is from Southern California.

    2. Jane Russell did not make many westerns. The Outlaw and a comedy with Bob Hope were her best efforts…

  10. A couple of months ago, I said that someone would give Jansen 5 years and $75-90 million and I was roundly told I was dumb. Read what is being said now.

    I notice some of the naysayers are gone. Since we should only say good things about people once they are gone, all I have to say is “They are gone – GOOD!”

    1. Given the lack of closing talent on the Dodgers other than Jansen or less expensive talent on other teams as good as Jansen, the Dodgers should resign him – heck, they should have given him a long term extension a couple of years ago.

      But they won’t.

      Next year’s closer?

      1. Dodger rick
        I think that after Kenley lost that game in SF he has done something, to make himself better.

        I know he throws that little slider, but I think it was something else.

        It was to bad he lost that game, because we would be two games less out of the division.

        But that game caused Kenley to find out what he was doing wrong, and he has gotten better, since that game against the Giants.

        1. Lots of talent….still weeks away from throwing again, and no guarantee he can do the job,,,but an interesting option

        2. really – after how many surgeries on his thorasic outlet?

          and of course, he has the track record that the team can rely on like Jansen does.

          1. Dodger rick
            I agree about Montas.

            That injury, and having one of his ribs break after that, is more then concerning.

    2. Mark
      I saw where three GMs said that he might get a better contract then Pabelbon.

      And they said three or four years, at 50.

  11. Time to trade Howell and Hatcher.

    Let’s open up a couple spots and see what the management team can come up with.

    1. For?

      Don’t forget – Hatcher is nearly unhittable the second half!

      Howell is untradable. Hatcher? Not worth much – keep ’em or cut ’em. That’s the only choice.

      1. I agree and there is no guarantee Hatcher gets better in the 2nd half, Howell has regressed a lot, so value of either is down.

  12. Not re-signing or extending Jansen is a total Moneyball move. You don’t develop and then keep your best players. You only keep them while you can afford them – as soon as they are going to cost you $$$, you trade them for prospects. Besides, all of the SABRguys believe that relief pitchers are fungible – they can’t be counted on year after year and their production is easily replaceable.

    Except none of that is true with Jansen. He has been reliable year after year and he isn’t replaceable – guys who are comfortable pitching the 9th or in close games are hard to come by, as the Dodgers’ experience with their ‘pen has revealed this year.

    Notwithstanding Friedman’s recent comment to the contrary, I don’t believe that he or any of the other Braintrusters have any intention of keeping Jansen in Blue. They will either let him walk or trade him for a deadline deal – maybe a short-term rental on a bat or a starter, plus prospects. Let’s face it – it’s more important to receive prospects in any trade than to receive actual major league players because we want to have the best farm system, plus everyone knows that all prospects become stars.

    Does everyone remember when the Dodgers trade Perranoski to the Twins for Versailles? How did that work out?

    1. Dodger rick
      I don’t think this front office was here in time, to get Kenley signed.

      I think he should have been signed probably three years ago.

      They have to sign these kids pretty early, to get them signed to a multi year contract, that is team friendly.

  13. Sadly, Zoilo Versalles died in 1995.

    I used to talk to Ron Perranoski at Vero Beach every spring and a couple of times in Camelback. While he would never talk on the record, he was very bitter at the Dodgers. The opposite of love is not hate and Ron pretty much hates the Dodgers. He has been a special assistant to Brian Sabean for the last 15 or 16 years. Ron is a nice guy but never got over the Dodgers firing him as pitching coach in 94. He felt he should have had the same position with the Dodgers. It is sad!

    1. I think Puig will show sparks of greatness in vast fields of mediocrity. That given, he will not cost us a lot of money to keep. Bruce would be an asset for the club but let’s acquire him cheaply in some other way.

      1. Bruce has terrible numbers at Dodger stadium.

        And his power numbers wouldn’t be the same at Dodger stadium either.

        The Red’s have a very small park, that is conducive to hitting the ball out.

        And Bruce is a terrible defensive outfielder.

  14. First off, thank you for your service MNorris and all other vets on here. I’m in for getting greinke again. Give them Puig, Barnes, Cotton, Anderson for Greinke and a reliever.

      1. I do not want Bruce period..Guy can’t hit at Dodger Stadium and why would I trade a 25 year old with superior skills for a 29 year old who is pretty much a power hitter and nothing else..??? Dumb trade……and the Reds would not want Kazmir….they want to get younger….and remember, Puig is hitting well over .300 since coming off the DL…y’all too quick to trade him

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