I have never liked Andrew Friedman and I have been pretty vocal about that on this blog. I don’t like the way he does business or the way he runs the Dodgers. It’s been nearly five years and he has yet to bring in a top level free agent, nor does he acquire elite talent. He’s terrible at recruiting players. He’s not only cheap and small market minded, but when he does actually spend money on players it’s usually on injury riddled or mediocre players. It’s been five years and things aren’t changing.
We just learned that the Toronto Blue Jays signed Hyun-jin Ryu to a 4-year 80 million dollar contract. Ryu was the Dodger’s best pitcher in 2019. Not only did he finish second in the National League Cy Young voting but he won the National League ERA title. The Dodgers reportedly never made him an offer.
I don’t understand it. Once again for the third consecutive offseason (or has it been four?) Friedman has done virtually nothing. He’s made no major league signings this winter (save for another injured reliever Blake Treinen) and he hasn’t made any of the trades that the Dodgers have been rumored to be discussing. The Dodgers are going to be returning the same roster in 2020 that was bounced out of the playoffs in the NLDS.
Breaking: Ryu to Jays. 80M, 4 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 23, 2019
The pitching staff, the area of the club that needed to be improved the most now will be without their best starter. The bullpen is the same, (with the addition of Treinen) and the rotation equally forgotten about by Friedman will now arguably be worse.
The rotation depth is non-existent. With Ryu gone, the rotation will consist of Walker Buehler (now the defacto ace) Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Julio Urias (if the Dodgers actually let him start) and possibly Dustin May. If anyone gets injured the only other starters are Ross Stripling and Tony Gonsolin. The bullpen will be the same with the incompetent and walking wounded all returning for another go round. Inconsistent relievers like Scott Alexander, Joe Kelly, and Dylan Floro will be back again.
This winter was one of the worst that I can remember. After the Dodger’s stunning display of incompetence in the NLDS this fall, everyone agreed that the Dodgers needed a jolt. The Dodgers needed to improve the roster by bringing in some top level talent from outside the organization. The pitching staff was the area that needed the most help, especially the bullpen. Once again the Dodgers were “rumored” to be in on every single top level free agent, and a couple of other stars via trade discussions. The Dodgers needed to bring in a super star or two. They at least needed to do something. Everyone has agreed, even the most ardent Friedman supporters.
What the Dodgers shouldn’t do is nothing. The Dodgers must have activity this winter, not inactivity. As usual Friedman has done nothing. He signed nobody, traded for nobody and now refused to retain the Dodger’s best starter. Are Urias and May suitable to replace Ryu’s production? There is little doubt that they are good young pitchers with a lot of potential, but will they be able to lead the staff?
The Dodgers will be heavily counting on youth in 2020. I’m happy that the Dodgers are giving the young players a chance, but not improving the bullpen or retaining your best starter is stupid. There is no excuse for this. Reports have indicated that the Dodgers earned over 549 million dollars in revenue in 2018. I don’t know how much they earned in 2019, but it was probably more than their 2018 earnings.
If the Dodgers are refusing to spend any of their revenue on recruiting players, or retaining their best players then where is all this money going? The answer is that the money is going straight into the owner’s pockets. It’s time to end the Andrew Friedman era.
Friedman, once again sits on his hands, while the Dodgers allow Ryu to walk across the border, to Canada. While the pitching staff has proven to have many holes, Friedman continues to close a blind eye to the real problem, and focuses on adding expensive band-aids to the offense.
Adding to Friedman’s ignorance, the owner’s feel it is more important to waste $100 Million on stadium improvements, to lure in the blue goggled fans‘ dollars, rather than Improve the product on the field. They know that the Dodger Fans are more interested in spending money on expensive tickets, parking, food, and drink, then to come and see a winning ball club.
Again, the Dodgers will boast a strong starting rotation in the spring, but we all are too familiar with the false hope the FO has in its’ bewildered pitching staff. Kershaw and Jansen are no longer the go-to guys on the staff…. they are nothing more than overpaid, over-hyped, bumps on a log. The Dodgers will probably resign an old, battered Rich Hill, and continue to piss off Maeda. It is time that they remove the restraints on the Kids, but we all know that the chances are slim that that will happen, or they will lose these kids to some stupid trade for a high priced, band-aid veteran. They will also continue to roll the dice on some worthless dumpster additions.
So the Dodger Saga continues…..
I do not expect too much to happen next season. Not too many worthy free agents left… all the ripe fruit has been picked. Nor are there any more Impact players available through trade.
Dodgers had their chance, but chose to zip their wallets shut, and pocket their profits. Same old song, year after frickin’ year.
Their only hope now, is for the players they still have, to step up their game. They haven’t, for the past seven years, so don’t expect too much next season.
This post reads like a tantrum, Scott.
Andrew isn’t doing what YOU want so you author a hissy fit about it. It’s undeniable he’s made the Dodgers a leading contender more and more every year culminating in two consecutive World Series appearances after they’d not come remotely close in 28 years. But you don’t acknowledge that.
His job isn’t to make writers happy, it’s to make the owner’s happy, to make the Dodgers contend for a championship every year and that in turn will please fans. We’ve all heard it: “winning a short series is a crap shoot” and 2017, 2018 and especially 2019 proved that. Getting to three consecutive World Series was going to be extremely remote and any true baseball fan should acknowledge that.
“winning a short series is a crap shoot” when stated by anyone in a baseball FO is simply said to keep the ‘herd’ in check. Nothing more than an excuse. Cause any knowledgable baseball mind knows that is not the case. Sure anything can happen in a short series BUT a team that does not have a minimum of 2 aces and preferably 3 is not going to last against a team that has only 1. This has been proven out over MANY years.
Why do so many continue to buy into the crapola that comes from this current FO?
‘We need to make changes.’ ‘We are going after elite talent’. ‘We are going to have a major overhaul.’ ………paraphrasing, these are just a few of the statements made.
Friedman inherited a loaded team and many of the main cogs (except for Buehler) came from the previous regime.
The weak NL West has helped Friedman more than anything. How great would Friedman be if he was around when the Giants won 3 titles in 5 years from 2010-2014?
He is fortunate that he arrived in 2015 so his small market mentality can survive the fan base because they continue to win the NL West. Other teams play for Championships while the Friedman led Dodgers play for Division titles.
Obviously 3 time WS champion Epstein didn’t think it was a ‘crapshoot’ when he traded a top prospect (Gleyber Torres) for Aroldis Chapman back in 2016. Epstein was going all in for the title……for the fans in Chicago.
This will be Friedman’s 16th year in charge of a Major League baseball organization and he has ZERO championships.
didn’t quite proof read my last statement……
Any team that has ONLY 1 ace is not going to last against a team that has 2 or even 3 aces. That has been proven out over MANY years.
I acknowledge that he’s done very little since taking power. I acknowledge that he’s leveraged most of the talent from ned colletti and Logan White without adding any or very few impact players. I acknowledge that he is unable to recruit players. I acknowledge that his pitching acquisitions are generally injury riddled or gave career records of mediocrity. I acknowledge that he is cheap, wasteful and small market minded. I acknowledge that the Dodgers were regularly winning division titles under colletti with payrolls half of what they are now. I acknowledge that his teams have won zero championships. I acknowledge that he has acquired bums like Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy, joe kelly, scott Alexander, tom Kohler, Brandon Beachy, zakk rosscup, daniel coulombe, etc. I acknowledge that he traded Howie kendricks to acquire a second baseman who could not hit above the Mendoza line. I acknowledge that none of the 549 million dollars in revenue are going anywhere other than in the owners pockets. I acknowledge that all of the Dodgers except Turner and Buehler stink in the postseason. I acknowledge all of the above to be true……….:) happy holidays!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS SCOTT! I acknowledge that everything you said in this above post is exactly how I and many others feel. What it means is Freidman has trouble recruiting players because they have seen his act, they have heard his alibis, and they have seen how Roberts is completely inept when it comes to managing big games and October especially. It should be no wonder to you or anyone else as to why players do not want to be here, other than those already here.
I totally concur with all of your acknowledgements.
I keep saying the Dodgers could have hired me as “president” to do nothing, for much less.
I have a long reach, so I can get deeper into that garbage bin than even “ol waste management Andy.” I can hire soyboys for staff better too, because I can stake out all of the Silicon Valley Starbucks. My laptop is much more powerful than “ol Andy spreadsheets” for sure. I can find six players to platoon the same position with the best of them. I can roll out a all righty lineup like it is nothing. I can orchestrate a triple switch from the press-box while doing a mid-inning interview with Joe and Orel.
So if you are listening, Stan Katsen, if you want to do some “real inside baseball stuff”, hire me for Dodgers president. I promise not to hire a GM or let the manager do his job…
You’re hired Mex!
It’s not even Christmas yet but IF the FO stays put and doesn’t make any trades by dealing some of its prospects (of which many are over rated) for proven, reliable stars this is going to be a disaster in 2020. Just watch.
To quote the pilots who used to fly the newest jets, when a pilot messed up he was said to have “Screwed the Pooch”. Fraudman is becoming very adept at screwing the pooch. His teams are built for the regular season. As much talent as the Dodgers have, there is not one single player on this team, save maybe Buehler, who instills any kind of fear in their opponents. Oh yeah, they have a potent offense, but about the only guy you do not want to see at bat in a clutch spot is Turner. Belli for all of his talent and skills, was exposed by superior arms in the playoffs, as were Seager, Pollock , Joc, and the rest. Only Freese had Turner’s kind of reputation. I for one am not disappointed in his offseason simply because it went about how I expected. The only surprise was them offering Cole 8 years and 300 million dollars. What was not surprising since I have come to expect it, he signed somewhere else. AF is trying to overcome a weak pitching staff by overloading the offense. The ace now is Buehler. Kersh is fading and Maeda, though usually steady, is not what one would call a stopper. I think come the deadline, AF will be making a trade because he failed to address the problems at hand in the winter. He is exactly what the owners deserve. A close but no cigar kind of exec. And the lemmings will keep drinking their 20 dollar beers, and enjoying the new view in their 75 dollar a game seats, and fans will not get to see their team on TV and Guggenheim group gets richer and richer off of the peasants.
I just got done with a great lunch and the the first thing I see on this page is Freidman’s mug! How sickening and I don’t know whether I am able to keep lunch down or not. Scott, I fully agree with what ya wrote here . I asked fans on another blog if they had ever witnessed a worse off season in Dodger history. I can tell you that I cannot find another off season as pitiful as this one so far.
Yeah, looking at that two faced guy is bad enough. Listening to his BS is even worse.
With both World Series teams deploying a co-ace pitching strategy and avoiding the bullpen at all costs, it angers me for the org. to pass up top tier pitching time and time again.
Cole seems the most curious. 8/300 was OK, but 9/324 was a bridge too far? An extra year for Greinke was a deal-breaker? (Dude might earn his contract for all those “FA is not worth it” types) Is this the product of making a final offer and not budging? Second place seems all too familiar for “ol bridesmaid Andy.”
Even more anger stems from the painfully obvious observation that one ace has emerged (Buehler) and another has fallen (CK) in the same postseason. Beating the observer over the head with the painful reality that two aces are needed when there is only one.
Then immediately two aces come available in free agency that very off-season. ‘Ol Penny pinching Andy” whiffs on both.
I’m sure Ryu would have stayed in LA had he had a 3 yr x $21mill offer. Now LA has only one emerging pitcher that is not yet a full blown ace in WB. A pitcher’s role is to not give runs. And Ryu was the second best of the whole league in 2018 and the league best in 2019. Ryu was by far the best pitcher of the Dodgers. What the f*** is wrong with Friedman? Kershaw is going down. During regular season he is a good pitcher not an ace. During post season he is a disaster so useless. Jansen is only half the man he used to be. Good luck in 2020.
To further add to what has been a terrible off season as far as Freidman and Co. goes here’s what Roberts had to say to Bill Plaschke of the LA Times, and can read it here:
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2019-12-14/dave-roberts-unflappable-during-a-winter-of-discontent
I read that a few minutes ago, and I realize that both Fraudman and Roberts are spin doctors. They spin what ever is happening to their own advantage. DR defends the use of Kersh for another inning and says he would do that again, and also send Kelly out for another inning. Why>? Because Kersh had only thrown 4 pitches and was working on 4 days rest. Yep, but he also was having his worst season for allowing HR’s, and with 2 of their best hitters coming up in the 8th, that was taking a huge chance. Allowing Kelly to go out for a second inning, was bad enough. Kelly rarely pitched 2 all year, and I do not care if he had only made 10 pitches. When they got 2 runners on, that guy would have been out of there. But no, he leaves him in and Kendrick clinches the series with a grand salami. His failures in the regular season do not hurt nearly as much as his gaffes in the post season. Shades of Lasorda letting them pitch to Jack Clark. It also points to the fact that AF did little to bolster the pen at the deadline, getting only Kolarek. Other teams picked up 2 or 3 arms, and AF got one. Getting Vazquez would have been a disaster considering his arrest and everything else around him. But others could have been obtained for not very much. And therein is the Achilles heel of Fraudman. He assembles a team that is built to get there, but winning that final game continues to elude the so called genius simply because he is not a risk taker. The fans will continue to fill the stadium. LA will no doubt be all dolled up for the All Star game, Guggenheim will reap massive profits, and come October, some on else will hoist the trophy and it will be 32 years and counting. I have no faith in this manager, nor this POBO to get them over the hump.
This past trade deadline and this off-season have been a complete disaster. The Dodgers don’t want to sign anyone for a number of years. They won’t sign elite talent because it cost to much. They won’t trade prospects to get elite talent. The Front Office only cares about Profit. One of the reasons I stepped away from blogging was the pain I go through when they lose. The Dodgers are currently in a window to win. I don’t care about Prospect hoarding. Lindor is proven, Lux is not. At some point you need to take a gamble to win the title. Friedman backs himself in corners and doesn’t show any backbone to make any big moves. On Ladodgertalk Friedman scared tactics make him a god. 7 years of playoffs and no title. Most fans just want a title. Rich people needing more profit is something we don’t want to hear. At fan fest no one should show up. Most Dodger bloggers and people who work for the dodgers praise everything they do. This lack of movement is pathetic. If Friedman makes a move I will eat crow. But I ain’t holding my breath.
Dodgers didn’t need Ryu because they’re going to trade some “magic beans” for Clevenger ;-). I don’t believe they offered $300M for Cole, either…remember they were “all-in” on Rendon and didn’t even make an offer.
I think AF has succeeded at one thing. He managed to get this entire blog pissed off at him! Bravo Fraudman!
Dodgers run this organization for the greatest success/ cost ratio. And whatever happens in the playoffs happens. They’ve benefitted greatly from a poor NL west the last few years.
They will not give up years of a cost controlled player for a player 1-2 years away from free agency. This is why the lindor and Betts rumors are all bs. Since they can make the playoffs in a garbage division, no need to sign free agents to big deals.
They’ve snookered fans. Hook, line and sinker.
Well Betances is off of the board. Signed with the Mets. Mets now have a pretty potent bullpen with Diaz, Betances, Familia, and Lugo. Plus that rotation of theirs is pretty deep. deGrom, Thor, Stroman and Porcello. Kole Calhoun signed with Arizona. 2 year deal. And now Friedman says he is under no pressure to shake up the Dodger roster….long way from we are being very aggressive. And the Beat Goes On! Merry Christmas all. Have a wonderful Christmas.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and all here. Here is something to consider:
Folks, last night I watched that Dr. Seuss show “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Well I have a new one here and it’s called “How Freidman the Dodger Grinch Stole Christmas” What do ya think?
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL on LADodger report. Good cheer to all of your Families also.