On the eve of opening day the Dodgers are busy finalizing their 25-man roster. We already know that Andrew Toles was unfortunately optioned to Oklahoma City and Joc Pederson will be making the roster. The rest of the roster we can probably take an educated guess at. Most of the same guys will be back with newcomers Scott Alexander, and Matt Kemp getting a spot on the Dodger’s opening day squad. This will be Kemp’s second stint with the Dodgers and Alexander’s first time wearing Dodger blue. The Dodgers will have three players (possibly four) begin the season on the disabled list. Justin Turner (fractured wrist) Tom Koehler (strained shoulder) Yimi Garcia (Tommy John) and Julio Urias (Tommy John).
As with any new season we love to give our predictions on what we think will happen or where we think the Dodgers will finish. Everyone loves predictions and I am no different. So without further introduction here is my top ten list of events that I think will happen during the 2018 Dodger season.
- Clayton Kershaw will be generally excellent again.
This one comes as no surprise to anyone. Kershaw will be great again finishing in the top 3 in the National League Cy Young award. He’ll post an ERA below 2.20 and win anywhere between 17-20 games. A good bet is that Kershaw will strikeout over 200 while walking below 50 during the regular campaign. I also believe that Kershaw will allow less than 7.0 hits per nine innings.
- Kenley Jansen will save 50 games
You heard it here first. Kenley Jansen, the Dodgers greatest franchise closer of all time will notch his first 50 save season. Jansen is already the all-time leader in saves. But he’s never saved 50 games in a season…..yet.
- The Dodgers will get hot around summer time.
The Dodgers should pick up steam around the summer time. They might get off to a slow start, but we’ve been through this before.
- Pat Venditte will pitch in a game for the Dodgers with both of his arms
- Matt Kemp will surprise you
Kemp will hit 25 home runs and play better defense than anyone would have expected. Until he pulls a hamstring towards the middle months of the season spending some time on the disabled list. He’ll still have a productive year otherwise.
- Arizona will talk some trash about the Dodgers on social media but they’ll finish in third place.
An 83-win season will inspire the Dbacks to talk so much smack about the Dodgers. Of course the Dodgers will not engage in such wasteful activities. They’ll be too busy winning the division to care. This should be the highlight of the year for Arizona.
- A lot of Dodgers will be on the all-star team this year.
Dave Roberts, the National League all-star manager will select five Dodgers to the senior circuit squad. There will be 9 Dodgers total on the midsummer classic roster. Most of them will get into the game at some point.
- The Dodgers will win their sixth consecutive NL West division championship finishing with a 98-64 record.
The Dodgers will do it again, winning another NL West crown. They’ll also shore up home field advantage throughout the National League playoffs.
- The Dodgers will reach the NLCS again
The boys in blue will reach the NLCS for the third consecutive season. For the third straight year they’ll match-up against the Chicago Cubs. For the record they’ll beat the Cubs in six games to clinch their second straight National League pennant.
- The Dodgers will finally win it all
You heard it here first. If they don’t then I’ll just claim plausible deniability.
So how do you think I’ll do on my predictions?
Scott
That seems like hopeful thinking, and I don’t like to assume anything, and tempt fate, because I am a Dodger fan, and like Vinny has often said, nothing ever comes easy for the Dodgers.
And if any of the players we should feel badly for, it is Toles, who did something in spring training, after not seeing live pitching, for quite a while, unlike Joc.
And that was even though Roberts tried to put more weight on the scale for Joc, to try to help Joc to win this competition.
And Toles has done something every time he has been given a chance, unlike poor Joc, who had three plus years, to prove himself.
And like Blue said, this is a bad example for all our kids in the minors, because they watched or heard about this competition, and know how Joc failed miserably.
But I think Kemp is definitely going to be a big difference maker for this team this year, even though their were many that doubted Kemp, after he was traded back to the Dodgers.
We all here, were not fooled by the talk about Kemp, and the War value, that said Kemp had no value.
Not too sure about that final bit.
Bluto
That really doesn’t matter much now, because we all want the Dodgers to do well, and if Kemp does well, that is just another plus for this team.
Because we haven’t got much out of leftfield for sometime, and our trade deadline trades for outfielders, have been less then we would have liked.
At least now, we know that Kemp won’t stop hitting, because he has a good resume, when it comes to hitting, and producing, runs.
And who doesn’t like, a great comeback story in America, where baseball came from.
Well that’s the everything went right projections there.
I’m a little more reserved. Are they best team? I don’t know, but I know I feel there is always room for improvement. I’ll take the under on 98 wins, as I think some teams we play have improved. And, I don’t necessarily believe we’ve improved. But then we won 104 so picking the under on that wasn’t difficult. Could we win 98? Of course. However, over the long haul do we have the right horses to win the last game of the year in November? That’s pretty far out there. That’s college football season. We start today and end with college football. Loooong season. Our starters through November?
Badger
It feels like the weather is changing, and that is something, to be happy about.
Stuff from Heyman:
1. Some are suggesting the Dodgers may not spend next winter after resetting their tax this year by getting below the $197 million threshold. But that would defeat the purpose of getting themselves below the threshold. At the very least, they will attempt to extend Clayton Kershaw, as Dodgers owner Mark Walter suggested in this space a few weeks ago.
2. Yasmani Grandal is back to being the No. 1 catcher after Austin Barnes had wrested the job for the World Series.
3. Klay’s brother Trayce Thompson was DFA’ed. They don’t expect him to clear, according to McCullough.
4. Bravo, Dodgers owner Mark Walter. The team donated $2 million to help Puerto Rico.
Stuff from the recent Longenhagen chat:
Does spring training matter: Was there any prospect that really impressed you this spring? Maybe you were low on someone and then was like why they might actually turn out better then I though?
Eric A Longenhagen: Dodgers OF who played both ways at BC. Donovan Casey.
Guest: Do you think that Trevor Oaks can be a big league starter?
Eric A Longenhagen: I think he’s a 5th/6th starter but I know scouts who like him a little better than that.
MK: What team has drafted the best in the past 3 years?
Eric A Longenhagen: LAD or NYY….. Yeah, it’s probably one of those two
Just saw Agone hit in the go ahead run, for the Mets today, Agone is still able to hit in important runs.
I know most here, already know that!
RBIs are a worthless stat, MJ.
Even worse than Batting Average!
UPDATE:
Gonzalez has reached base 4x today.
That’s impressive.
There you go again. Worthless stat. I disagree.
Bluto
I just heard the biggest saber metric guy on TV, say that batting average is important, because it is.
It is a lot harder to hit consistently, then draw walks, but both are ultimately a positive thing.
The Astros also covet battting average too.
And anyone that seriously follows baseball, know that clutch RBIs are
important.
Why do you think the Mets signed Agone?
AGone hit the highest percentage of RBIs on the Dodgers, in 2016 , before he had such terrible , back problems.
And that has nothing to do where he batted in, the line up.
Agree to disagree, but I will grant you that I concur that batting average is more useful than RBI which is way over-valued.
You don’t think batting average and RBI’s have a relationship?
You guys ready!!!!???
Badger
I wasn’t comparing those two things.
I want a hitter that can hit for a average that also has pop.
And I think any player that hits for a pretty decent batting average, would be able to put the ball in play
when needed, unlike these all or nothing hitters.
All or nothing, sounds like your favorite slogan about squirrels.
Badger
Sorry I miss read what you said.
No problem. You and I are on the same page with this.
YF
Did you hear Arod talking about Kershaw needing to change it up, in these short series, in the post season today?
SQUIRREL!
Badger
Non of these players know how to bunt.
Other wise, I would have had Grandal bunt.
Well, I did not see that coming.
Blach has given this team trouble, quite a bit.
I noticed he was pitching a lot at the top of the strike zone, like Bumgarner does.
Dodgers looked at several right down the middle. They sucked today. Two eggs laid in row. Game 7 and Game 1.
After watching last night’s game I can see a huge drop in home run production from chris. Corey and cody..70 would be my guess
I hope that l am wrong
70 sounds close. I’d take the over. 75-80.
My prediction after last night’s loss..cody..Chris ..and corey will hit a combined 70 home runs. .the 3 looked like they were in another world. Hope I am wrong