I don’t know, but it looks like the deal is in limbo. Apparently the Sergio Romo deal is not done yet and the 33-year old reliever is still mulling over several options. The Dodgers are still the favorite with a mystery team involved, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag sports. Romo is said to have not yet passed a physical reportedly, and his flexor tendon strain problems could still be a concern.
Andrew Friedman #Dodgers President just told me that Sergio Romo deal is “not done”. Of course that only means that it’s pending a physical
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) February 4, 2017
Originally Jon Morosi had reported that the Dodgers and Romo had agreed to a one-year deal, But Andrew Friedman himself commented that the deal was not yet finalized. However that could be the club waiting for his physical to pass.
Source: Sergio Romo, #Dodgers agree on contract. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 4, 2017
Source: Sergio Romo has agreed to a one-year deal with the #Dodgers as reported by @jonmorosi and @Ken_Rosenthal. Deal is pending physical. pic.twitter.com/CmTMXf5MwM
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) February 4, 2017
Heyman then reported that the bidding is still happening, and that the mystery team has upped their offer. According to Heyman the Dodgers are still believed to be the club that will eventually land Romo, but the contract may take a few more days to be finished. Is the mystery team the reliever hungry Nationals? Is it the Giants?
The Dodgers are still trying to sort out their bullpen and collect some options for an eighth inning set-up man. Despite the club having solid internal options such as Grant Dayton, Adam Liberatore, and Josh Fields, the front office is still looking for additions from outside the organization. It appears that the Dodgers have probably moved on from Joe Blanton, who has yet to sign with a club. Left hander J.P. Howell signed with the Blue Jays after an impressive 3-year run with the Dodgers.
So is Sergio Romo a Dodger or not?
I don’t see Romo as a set up man over the course of a season, no matter what he does in Spring Training or in April. On the one hand I would rather just see how it plays out in August.
The bigger question is should there be a dedicated set up man. I worry about the set up men being over-used. I thought Blanton did a good job and admitted ran out of gas but it was much later than others in the past (for example compare vs how Torre and Mattingly handled Hong Chi Kuo and Paco Rodriguez, respectively). But with starters innings down league wide, especially with our corps of question marks, maybe the set up innings need to be spread out amongst Romo and Dayton, which means giving Dayton more chances with righties, which may be a bit a gamble down the stretch but I like Dayton a lot.
YF
I thought Roberts did a pretty good job handling the bullpen, in his first year.
And unlike Mattingly, he didn’t stick with Hatcher, or continue to use same pitchers, in high leverage situations, when he found out early, that they couldn’t do there jobs.
And that is why Blanton became the set up guy, in the first place.
I don’t think any one pitcher, is going to get the label of a set up pitcher, or be the set up pitcher, until they prove, they can do the job.
And even then, I don’t see any one pitcher getting that label, or getting the position, of the set up pitcher.
But I do think our starters, better pull there weight this year, with the exception of Kershaw, and Urias, and the other young pitchers, that are on innings limits.
I only say Kershaw, because he needs to keep in mind the long season, and the post season, and not try to pitch a complete game, every time he starts.
And I don’t think they should cut Urias’ innings, by only allowing him to pitch five innings a game.
That is what they have done with him in AAA, so he has never faced the order, the third time around.
And Urias needs to learn how to pitch to hitters, the third time around.
Because most major league pitchers look really good, the first two times, through the order.
And you will only find out what kind of pitcher you really have, when you let them face the order, the third time around.
This is why Urias needs to pitch farther, into games.
Maybe they can let him start every other week, at the beginning of the season, when hopefully, most of the starting pitchers are healthy, and still fresh.
It’s quite possible we will again need 600 innings out of our bullpen. Our $11mm closer gets 65 of them. Better make sure there are a dozen others to divide up the remainder at sub 3.4 ERA. Romo won’t get 50.
I see it the same way too, Badger. It’s almost academic when you look at the number of innings and the need to split them up.
MJ, I would love to see our starters go deeper into games but I think the game has really moved away from having starters face a lineup a third time. This trend has really happened quickly and has a lot of ramifications, including, for example, all that talk about whether to use your “closer” earlier in games – 20 years ago that wasn’t a question because you’d just live with the starter or a subpar middle reliever and hope that your hitters can catch up to a deficit.
YF
In the long season, you need your starters, to go further then five innings, like some of these starters did, last year.
The starters like Kazmir and McCarthy, are getting paid more, to do just this.
You can shorten the games, in the post season, but in the long regular season, you need the starters to pitch further into games, or your bullpen, will wear down.
We were very lucky that our bullpen didn’t wear down, as much as they, had to pitch.
And some of the relief pitchers, did wear down, like Libertore.
I am not saying the starters have to pitch eight innings every time they start, but they should be good, for at least, six or seven innings.
This will keep the balance of innings in check, between the starters, and the relief pitchers.
Our relief pitchers pitched far to many innings last year, and that was really apparent, in the post season.
And with a pitcher like Urias, that they expect to be a number one or two pitcher, he is going to need to pitch to hitters, the third time through the order.
Who needs a sore-armed reliever? Move on from Romo, go back to Blanton.
I’d rather have both of them and drop Hatcher and Baez.
Emerson
They always say some of the best deals in baseball, are the deals that are not made.
Let’s just see what happens with Romo, and if nothing happens, maybe that will be best, in the long run.
I agree with Yueh Fei. Get rid of Hatcher and Baez. I also agree with MJ. The starting pitchers better figure a way to get through the line up the third time.
Idahoal
I agree with both you and YF about Baez and Hatcher, but you did make a good point, that it doesn’t hurt, to take a look at them, in spring training.
The thing I don’t understand about Baez’s fastball, if it is so flat, what is the difference, between Baez’s and Ravin’s, fastballs?
MJ, if you want Urias to pitch through the line up three times, how are you going to limit his innings?
Idahoal
I thought maybe he could pitch every other week, at the begining of the season.
And kind of like you said, have Stripling, or another of the young pitchers, start in in between Urias’ starts.
And once we hit July, start letting Urias pitch every five days.
And if we are only talking
about starters, pitching only five innings, I trust Wood, more then I trust Kazmir and McCarthy, to pitch, a good five innings.
Romo would be solid if he’s not too expensive. I’d like to know what that proposed 1 year deal will cost us.
Bobby
I thought the same thing as you did, about Casllia, and I bet he didn’t cost that much.
I know he signed, a one year contract, and I could be wrong, but I think he signed with the White Sox, so he must have not gotten to much.
I thought maybe putting him in the set up position, would take some of the pressure off him, and he would be able, to pitch much better, in the set up role.
Just like you said before, he does have good stuff, and he hadn’t been that bad, before last year.
They want Urias pitching in September/October. Obviously he is not ready for a full season. Frankly I feel that’s the case for most of our starters.
I don’t care much for Hatcher or Baez, but I do like their live arms. Too bad they don’t use those arms to pitch better.
Badger
What is the difference in Baez’s and Ravin’s fastball?
People say Baez’s fastball, is pretty flat.
Badger
I can say the same thing, about Puig.
It is to bad, that he isn’t taking advantage, of his great talent.
Let’s hope this is the year, he lives up to his potential, because he is getting on the other side of his contract now.
Just support this blog, because it will eventually work out, as the season, goes along.
Badger, for a set up or middle relief man that has to go an inning, or at least a few batters, I don’t like power fly-ball types (which is what I think you mean by Hatcher and Baez’s “live arms”). I think ground ball pitchers keeps the defense sharp through the 6-8 innings, and groundball pitchers tend to be more composed with runners on base.
The power types I like for closers and one out lefty/righty specialists. Of course one could argue that Dayton is a fly all pitcher but I think he’s half/half, and I like him in all relief situations, I just hope he’s just not overworked by the time September rolls around.
It’s my opinion a 97 mph fastball qualifies as a live arm but doesn’t qualify the owner of that arm as a ML pitcher. It just means they have a ML fastball. We’ve had this conversation before. 97-98 one after another is going to get hit. For some time now both those guys mentioned have been missing a two seamer and a change up they can spot.
Both of you guys, doesn’t Ravin throw even harder?
MJ, just read up some on Baez vs Ravin. Looks like Ravin has a slider, and Baez is still working on one.
Baez’s control is better but I’m not sure this is s good thing. Some pitchers are “effectively wild”; I think Baez “ineffectively throws strikes”.
Hey MJ
The hardest
You are right. According to Mark Timmons, he could throw @ that velocity, I haven’t seen his BB card.
I know I was in the 90’s in HS and College, but it was straight as an arrow. 3rd base and centerfield I
went. I was the QB however
I don’t know enough about Ravin, but yes I think he throws even harder, sometimes 100. I haven’t seen him enough but maybe he’s better at keeping his composure with runners on, than Baez who is clearly not ok with runners on and makes it worse with his slow delivery. Let’s how Ravin looks in ST. Hatcher, I just don’t like, he may be just like Reddick, i.e. he just can’t do well as a Dodger.
The Front Office, based on reports, seems to value different looks and pitching styles in the pen.
This alludes to the issue of TTOP, where batters get used to the pitches more than the pitcher getting tired.
Romo is a RHP stressing a slider, different from Dayton a LHP with a good 4 seamer, different than Jansen with his cutter.
So, don’t just think “live” arm, think different looks.
Bluto
I thought Romo would do just that.
But the front office is into swing and miss,
pitchers too, reallly big.
But I think everyone would love another option, then Baez.
Hey MJ
Romo can be our everything
Agree. The FO does seem to like both swing and miss pitchers, and pitchers who give up weak contact.
Haven’t seen Romo’s stats on either count.
Why can’t Kershaw, be our Tom Brady?
Why can’t he even be our Drew Brees? I’ll take 1
Bobby
I just wish Kershaw would dominate at least once in the post season, like he does, in the regular season.
I know he was still trying to come back from his back problem, but I think it is a mental thing now, to an extent.
Hey MJ
He can be our#1
Baseball is a lonely sport. The ball comes to you and you have to make a play before anyone can help you, and sometimes there is no one to help you – you just have to make the play. And while being low key is often looked at as a good trait, you do need outspoken leaders. That’s not Kershaw. Kershaw doesn’t like to be in the face of people. That’s why he needs a handler like AJ. Some people are just like that. Hershiser was that way too when he was a player. He may not have needed Gibson, but Gibson helped and he Orel definitely needed Lasorda.
Problem is that we fired Mattingly a year or two too late. Mattingly does not like confrontation and indirectly made Kershaw worst. If we had another coach during the Kershaw and Greinke pairing, it might have been different. Puig bailed out Mattingly in his rookie season, for the worse I might add. Mattingly was in many ways the wrong manager for a team of Kershaw, Greinke, Puig and Hanley Ramirez. In an alternate universe of mine, it probably have been better to keep Puig in AAA, fire Mattingly mid-season and have AJ Ellis as player coach the rest of the way.
Turner is good in this way and that’s why he’s valued so highly for this ball club. Let’s see how Joc and Seager play out. I think they are fire and ice, and that is good.
None of this seems to make sense to me.
Bluto
Friedman even said that about Mattingly, when Mattingly, was here.
And a manager has to be confrontational, sometimes.
The best managers, that are good with people, can be confrontational, but they don’t do it in a way, that seems so confrontational.
But managers do need to be firm, when it is needed.
Bluto
What do you think about deserved run average, versus FIP?
I find a lot of FIP data works for me. It, and Exit Velocity, seem to correlate and make sense to my little head.
That said, I don’t think fielding should be totally removed from the equation.
Don’t know much about Deserved Run Average. Will look into it.
With regard to confrontation, I didn’t know that Friedman said that, but YF’s post still makes little sense to me. How do we know which players “need” or “benefit” from confrontation and which don’t?
YF
I don’t think AJ was good for Kershaw, because he wouldn’t do anything, that Kershaw didn’t like.
Kershaw doesn’t like when the catcher goes out there, and try’s to talk to him.
And I think the the first time Kershaw let that runner get on base, in the seventh inning, AJ should have been out there, to slow the game down.
The only reason he didn’t, is because Kershaw doesn’t like that.
But I totally agree about Mattingly!
You totally have his number, and you are so right, that he doesn’t like, confrontation.
And I hope Roberts, doesn’t let Kershaw stay in a post season game to long, like he did last year.
Sometimes I feel people want more for Kershaw to prove he can pitch well in the post season, then making sure the team, wins the game.
And Kershaw is going to have to learn, when he doesn’t have enough left, to continue to pitch in a game.
I would take Kershaw out in the seventh inning, once the first base runner, gets on base, if there are no outs.
Bluto
You are pretty analytical.
YF is using his emotional intelligence, or his life experience, with his thoughts, on Mattingly.
Yes MJ, Ravin has thrown the ball 100 mph. Not consistently though. He’s a 29 year old career minor leaguer with a 1.6 WHIP and a 5 ERA in 11 minor league seasons. Maybe he figures it out this year? I doubt it but you never know. I wait again to see if Baez and Hatcher can develop a pitch that spins down, and to see if they’ve developed ANY command. My expectations on that are low.
Had my insufferable Gnu Inglin buddy over for the game last night. I didn’t think I could stand another drop of the oozing Brady Belecraft b.s. but I got another mouthful last night. One more lesson in detachment. Lady Gaga was cool.
Badger
I just don’t understand why these guys, don’t work on a off speed pitch, in the off season.
That may be because I don’t really know how hard or easy it is, to learn a new pitch, like that.
I know that Ryu learned to throw a slider really fast from Kershaw, but he is a pretty good pitcher, when he is healthy, so he is probably, a very quick study.
It’s easy. Nothing changes but the grip. Throw it a few hundred times and you’ve got it. I think most of those guys are just bull headed.
Romo deal still pending physical. Tender elbow won’t be a problem.
Badger
Just look at the passing of the super bowl, as the beginning of the end, of this bad weather, and baseball will be everyday, in just a few more weeks.
I am like you, I don’t like the cold weather.
And I am sorry Idahoal, I know you must think I am crazy, because I live in California, unlike you, and the tough weather, that you have went through, this year.
I think Jonah must of partied hard yesterday, we haven’t heard much from him, in the last two days.
The Dodgers can move Yimi to 60 day DL when pitchers and catchers report.
Hawkeye
Do you think they will grab another relief pitcher, to help get the ball, to Kenley?