Andrew Friedman is Ruining Dodger Blogs
For years, Dodgers blogs have been a sacred place where Dodger fans went to lament their fate, cry in their beer, pontificate how bad the team, coaches, managers, general managers, and owners were, and generally write about how they could do a better job than whoever happened to be in charge. When Andrew Friedman was hired by the Dodgers as President of Baseball Operations, he was greeted with jeers, smears,
For years, Dodgers blogs have been a sacred place where Dodger fans went to lament their fate, cry in their beer, pontificate how bad the team, coaches, managers, general managers, and owners were, and generally write about how they could do a better job than whoever happened to be in charge.
When Andrew Friedman was hired by the Dodgers as President of Baseball Operations, he was greeted with jeers, smears, and tears. The second he was hired he was hated like he was a serial killer and a very high percentage of Dodger fans set out to make sure he failed just like they knew he would. The thing is… he didn’t fail, but it took about five years before many of the gloom and doom fans finally became aware of that fact.
Mind you, they didn’t want to acknowledge it. They wanted to Damn Everything Friedman. Even when the facts indicated otherwise, they talked about him like he was a dog… no… they talked about him like he was a mangy cur. They talked and they talked and they talked… until they couldn’t. Well, the really stupid ones still talk… that’s why they are really stupid! I can’t fix stupid and I don’t even try, but the Blogs who bash Friedman and the Dodgers are becoming dinosaurs – extinct!
When did it all change? Well, it actually happened pretty quickly. On January 3, 2020, Rob Manfred announced that the Asstericks cheated the Dodgers out of the 2017 World Series and then, a little over 30 days later, Friedman acquired Mookie Betts, David Price, and Brusdar Graterol to “one-up” the Yankees who acquired Gerrit Cole.
All of a sudden it became clear that the Dodgers would have likely won the 2017 World Series had it not been for the dirty, lowdown, cheating and lying Asstericks! Then to nail it all down, Friedman acquired one of the Top 5 players in baseball, a proven starter, and a future closer. Also, some of the moves by Dave Roberts that Dodger fans questioned may not be what they appeared to be in light of the cheating.
Yes, Andrew Friedman is killing Dodger Blogs. It’s a proven fact that when the Dodgers are doing good, there’s not much for the naysayers to talk about. At every blog, including LA Dodger Talk, there are fewer comments when the Dodgers win than when they lose. Losing brings out the misery and misery loves company, and therein lies the problem. There just ain’t much misery today and today is a great day to be a Dodger fan.
I hope you all will join me in rooting the Dodgers to their first World Championship in 32 years. It should be the second… not the first. This one just helps right a wrong! I am going to have a chip on my shoulder the rest of this season and I am certain that it’s about as big as the ones on the shoulders of the Dodgers.
Disclaimer: I do not think Andrew Friedman is perfect. He’s made some mistakes (AJ Pollock is one I see… but some disagree). No, he’s not perfect… but he’s the best I have seen in my lifetime. What the Dodgers are doing with their pitching staff and the help they get on the hitting side is incredible! Player development is at an all-time high!
Roster Moves
The Dodgers have optioned Keibert Ruiz, Zach McKinstry, DJ Peters & Luke Raley and have reassigned Brett de Geus, Jacob Amaya, and Omar Estevez, to minor league camp. I don’t agree with sending McKinstry down, so I am still proceeding forward with 2B is McKinstry’s to lose. In 27 AB’s Zach is OPS’ing 1.226 while in the exact same number of AB’s Lux is at .644. Let it play out the next two weeks… if Lux wins the job, so be it. But right about now, the job should go to Zach.
What Will the Roster Look Like?
I can safely say that there will be 13 pitchers and 13 position players and (barring injury) most are easy to figure out.
Position Players
- Will Smith
- Austin Barnes
- Max Muncy
- Kike Hernandez
- Zach McKinstry (I’m not throwing him back)
- Corey Seager
- Chris Taylor
- Justin Turner
- AJ Pollock
- Cody Bellinger
- Mookie Betts
- Edwin Rios
- Matt Beaty
I am betting that Joc Pederson starts on the IL…. and I could be very wrong. I am also thinking that Austin Barnes could be the Opening Day Catcher. I’ll even predict the Opening Day lineup:
- Betts RF
- Bellinger CF
- Turner 3B
- Muncy 1B
- Seager SS
- Beaty LF
- McKinstry 2B (No I won’t give it up… yet!)
- Barnes C
- Kershaw P
Pitchers:
This is a little less certain and some of it depends upon what the Dodger Brass wants for certain pitchers. Dustin May will stay on a Starters path and go to OKC, but Tony Gonsolin is in question. Will he stay a starter and go to OKC or become a multi-inning reliever? He’s ready…. now! Here’s my best guess:
- Kershaw
- Buehler
- Price
- Urias
- Wood
- Stripling
- Ferguson
- Alexander (short leash)
- Graterol
- Baez
- Treinen
- Kelly
- Jansen
Them there’s my thoughts. Pick ’em apart!
Today’s Music
Tonight’s Game: Celtics at Pacers
It’s crunch time. I’ll be at Bankers’ Life Fieldhouse tonight with bells on… My son-in-law is a Celtics fan, so it should be fun. This photo is from the last game… Our friends are pastors of a church we used to attend. Bobby, if the Pacers play the Lakers in the Finals, I have a ticket for you!
Fun 1 Minute Video
We did the Winterfest in Indy which is where people pay $80 to come in and drink craft beer from about 100 breweries. Of course, we supply the water treatment for the breweries all across the world, but at this event, we supplied the water to drink. We hooked up a big Commercial Reverse Osmosis System and produced all the water they needed without a bunch of empty plastic bottles clogging our ecosystem.
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Discussion (89)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Thanks for posting that Athletic article on Rios, Mark. I’m going to have to re-think my opinion of him. As Rios himself points out in the article, a lot of people seem to think he’s always been a big, lumbering first baseman. I was amazed to read that back in 2013 he was actually considered a good-fielding shortstop. That makes me think he ought to be able to play a decent third base. If that’s the case, maybe he becomes JT’s caddy over there instead of Beaty although I’d really like to see Beaty make the OD roster because he’s a very good pinch hitter. I’ll be interested to see how this all plays out. Still wouldn’t mind seeing Kike sent somewhere where he can play more often and help himself in his contract year. That would leave openings for both Rios and Beaty and we, of course, have CT3 who can cover everything that Kike does.
If the Angels wanted to win this year and beyond, they should consider trading Abel for Gonsolin, Alexander, Floro, Rios, and McKinstry. Yes I realize if Betts re-signs with Dodgers, Joc won’t be.
Great read this morning AC!
I am a huge Friedman admirer. He is playing chess while we are looking at a checker board. I had questions when he did the Puig/Wood trade for prospects but now looking back it was genius. I would not be surprised if he traded Wood again for prospects,the gift keeps giving.
I like your 26 man roster. Better to play Lux in AAA till there is more room on the bench up here.
Teaser for tomorrow….
Steely Dan – Hey Nineteen (1981) from MUNROW'S RETRO on VIMEO on Vimeo.
My old school – Steely Dan TKV from Mike N. Ike on Vimeo.
Well, the Pacers lost, but it was a great game… Victor is very close to being all the way back. He had 27 but was tired at the end. Patience…
Joe Broussard was released. One other minor league pitcher, Connor Strain was also released. I really thought Broussard was going to be a good addition to the team, but over the last year he faded a lot.
I wonder if AF was back in touch with Cleveland today? Could Lindor play 2B on short notice (or 3B, if Turner moved to 1B and Muncy to his preferred 2B)? Cleveland needs outfielders, right?
I doubt it. Cleveland will probably hold on to him until at least the deadline. With 1 more year after this on his contract. Problem would be the salary. He is getting a bunch