Here's Johnny!
I swear that some of the incoherent ramblings I read from some Dodger fans should be prefaced with “ Here’s Johnny! ” First, we hear that the Dodgers need more pitching – of course, even Ray Charles can see that! Fans get excited when they hear that the Dodgers might be in on…
I swear that some of the incoherent ramblings I read from some Dodger fans should be prefaced with “Here’s Johnny!” First, we hear that the Dodgers need more pitching – of course, even Ray Charles can see that! Fans get excited when they hear that the Dodgers might be in on Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease, but some are not excited about Burnes because he will be a free agent after 2024. As it has been rumored, Willy Adames could also be part of that deal… and Dodger fans are losing their minds that Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes would even entertain such a thought. Not so fast – use that head for more than a hatrack!
All I can say is that I am elated that Gomes and Friedman (“Fraudman”or “Friedbrain” as a couple of morons call them) are running the show. I have no idea if the most recent trade suggestion is real or not, but I would jump at the opportunity to trade Lux (coming back from total re-constructive knee surgery) and Emmet Sheehan (who has a lot of promise but no experience) for an Ace and a shortstop who would be a huge upgrade offensively and maybe defensively over last year. Yes, they have one year of control, and the Dodgers could elect to extend Adames. He would be a good candidate as such. However, the appeal for Burnes is what some of you think is a disadvantage.
Burnes will hit Free Agency at 30, which will be after the 2024 season. Lest you forget, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May are due back in 2025, and the Dodgers will also be faced with what they do with Walker Buehler. Do they (1.) let him walk, (2.) give him the QO, or (3.) extend him? That will likely be choices they have to make. Then, of course, these same fans want to sign Yamamoto, Imanaga, and Ohtani. Then what do you do with all the Young Starters who are nearing the Show?
I am going to suggest that it would be felony-stupid to want to extend Burnes when you maybe have all or even some of the above pitchers. If the Dodgers sign Ohtani (and I still do not believe they will), then he will also want to pitch in 2025. Ride Burns and others to a championship in 2024, and then let Burnes walk. It didn’t work with Scherzer, but that is always what they were going to do with him.
Do you want Dylan Cease because he has an extra year of control? Cease is not half the pitcher Burnes is! OK, let’s look at them side-by-side:
Burnes is WAY better in everything but strikeouts per nine innings which is why Burnes typically throws less pitches and pitches deeper into games. Cease is a #2 or #3, while Burnes is an Ace. Dylan Cease can’t carry Burnes jock, but you want him because he has more years of control? Hell, sign me – I’ve got six years of control! The Dodgers need a proven Ace in 2024, and Burnes is it. He might be the key to winning a championship, as he is a horse. Ride him in 2024, and like MadBum, maybe his arm will fall off in 2025. Cease is not an ace – he is a middle-of-the-rotation starter. The Dodgers have those in spades:
- Bobby Miller is a #2 or #3, but he is the Dodgers’ Ace-in-Waiting. He needs another year.
- Walker Buehler may not be a #1 anymore, but he could be a #2 or #3 as well. We have to find out.
- Ryan Pepiot is morphing into a #3 or #4 starter.
- Emmet Sheehan will likely be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter (or better), but I just traded him.
If the Dodgers trade for Burnes, this is what the rotation might look like:
- Burnes
- Buehler
- Miller
- Pepiot
- Yarbrough (you need a lefty)
I believe Emmet Sheehan will be a very good pitcher, but it will take a couple of years. However, the Dodgers are likely to sign another pitcher as well, whether that be Yamamato or Imanaga… or even both. AND THEN, you have to know that Gonsolin and May will be back in 2025. So, why in the hell would you want to extend Burnes? Stop the nonsense already! Not only will May and Gonsolin be back, but then there will be more prospects at the ready: Knack, Frasso, Stone, Ryan, et al.
Ride Burnes for a year and let him walk. I realize that other fans have the opinion that Burnes and Adames are rentals, but what if the Dodgers win a Championship on the back of Burnes? Long-term deals with pitchers are seldom fruitful. Like it or not, Adames is a huge upgrade over Rojas, and I also believe that the Dodgers can help both realize their greatest potential. Burnes could win the Cy Young and parlay that into a seven-year/$200 Million deal (not with the Dodgers). Adames could put up another .800 OPS year (he already has three). I’ll take that chance!
You have to look at the big picture: If you want to win NOW, then you have to make some hard decisions. Burnes is not a permanent addition to the Dodgers unless he wants to take a lesser deal than he might get on the open market. Corbin Burnes is simply a “BRIDGE” for the Dodgers to get to 2025 when more rookies and more veteran starting pitchers come back into the Dodger rotation. In 2024, I would like to see this rotation:
- Burnes
- Buehler
- Miller
- Pepiot
- Imanaga
I would like to have Yamamoto, but that could cost too much. However, I would love to have him. Plug him in and do six-man rotation.
- Burnes
- Buehler
- Yamamoto
- Miller
- Pepiot
- Imanaga
Have at it.
In 2025, Ohtani may be available to pitch, so here is the rotation in 2025:
- Miller
- Buehler
- Yamamoto
- Pepiot
- Imanaga
- Knack
In 2024, this is the Dodgers lineup, based upon what I have purposed:
- Ohtani DH (how about hitting him leadoff?)
- Betts RF
- Freeman 1B
- Smith C
- Muncy 3B
- Adames SS
- Busch LF
- Vargas 3B
- Heyward/DeLuca LF
If you spend big on Ohtani, you can’t pay for free agents at every spot… thus Vargas, DeLuca and Bush are expected to deliver. Call me crazy!
It’s about to get busy!
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Discussion (100)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Excuse me. 13.3%. 73.15 mil!
Just to belabor a point….
Ohtani is a great player–and on a path to arguably being regarded as the greatest ever.
He is the biggest star in the game–an international star–and please understand that the Dodgers are in the ENTERTAINMENT business more than the baseball business. It’s a wealthy large-market franchise that aims for a global reach, so Ohtani is a great fit. As the adage goes, you have to spend money to make money, and Ohtani is THE marquee player of our times.
Some people here seem to think that AF and the Dodger brass will instead think small. Or that they should think small.
They ask: Why not spread $500 million around 5 talented players instead of investing in one?
A reasonable question.
The answer is that those five theoretical players don’t have the star power of Ohtani. We could imagine 5 quality free agents within a $500 million cost–say Snell, Chapman, Imanaga, Giolito and Rhys Hoskins.
Would those five, collectively, generate that same excitement as Ohtani? Nope. Could they help win a few more games? Sure. Win a World Series? Maybe, maybe not.
ut are they really that much better than the players the Dodgers would otherwise put around Ohtani, Mookie and Freddie? Ohtani would be walking into a winning tradition with quality teammates and a deep, productive farm system.
So the Dodgers will be making a serious and sincere effort to land Ohtani. He’ll get megabucks regardless of where he signs. But the Dodgers have a lot of what he is seeking.
Mark has suggested that maybe Ohtani should bat leadoff. Certainly plausible. He has a great OBP and great speed.
But just for fun, let’s look ahead and imagine that the Dodgers two top draft picks thriving and making the roster in ’26 or ’27. How about this lineup:
Kendall George CF
Ohtani DH
Mookie 2B
Freddie 1B
Smith/Rushing C
Outman RF
Busch/Vargas LF
Gelof 3B
Lux SS
Good, well thought out post, Duke.
Of all the draft picks and all the minor league players to have played for the Dodgers, only one has had a 10+ year all star career with the Dodgers. Kersh!
In the past 20 years!
Good pitching beats good hitting in the playoffs.
I would be happy if the Giants sign Bellinger and Snell to big contracts. Both players will not come close to delivering the value. I think Snell will give you a year or two, and Bellinger is no longer a 30+ HR guy with how he revamped his swing.
We will all know very soon. Can’t wait for the winter meetings.
Former Dodger Rangle Ravelo signed by the Mariners to a minor league deal.
Old friend Kenta Maeda signs with the Tigers. Two years, 24 million.
Things are starting to move, Bear. You may not have to wait for the Winter Meetings.
So Dodgers maven Tim Rogers has pointed out the Brewers basically have a vacancy at 1B. Rowdy Tellez, who belongs on the all-name team, is a free agent.
This is another reason to think Busch could be part of a Brewers deal. Or if not Busch, maybe Vargas.
Mark’s blockbuster for Burnes, Yelich and Adames seems a little bit more plausible…. but I still think Burnes-Adames makes more sense.
Instead of committing more than $100 million to Yelich, that money can pay for an SP, and the budget for LF could stay low with DeLuca, Pages or maybe Vargas out there.
If the dodgers trade to White Sox why couldn’t they get Cease Roberts JR and The third baseman what is his name from the white Sox starts with a M. For Sheehan Busch Cartaya and say Rojas. That way you get a new third baseman keep Lux at short since you all think he can play Muncy is DH resign Kiki for second base and then Roberts is in left field or center take the money you don’t spend on Ohtani and get to quality pitchers in Yomamoto and Flarethy then you wojld habe Cease Yamamoto Flarethy Buehler Millee Pepiot as starters then a third baseman and left fielder pretty much play every day like Freeman and Betts. I just forget the third baseman for the White Sox. I see this happening if Ohtani goes to the Cubs which I hear he really likes. And Muncy becomes the DH then you need a thirdbaseman and it ain’t Vargas he strikes out way to much. Sign Kiki and go get another outfielder like Heyward then you have Taylor, Roberts Jr, and Outman as your outfielders amd Lux at short Taylor and Hernandez at second base guess with white Sox you get more platoon options then with the brewers trade. Yelich plays LF and Addames SS unless he can play third base and you keep Rojas at shortstop but to get Addames I think you have to trade Lux to Brewers.