Dodger Rants Raves

Over the past few days, I have listened to several interviews, heard rumors and news. Here are few things I would like to share:

• I am so impressed with Edwin Rios (the person). He is mature beyond his years, poised, thoughtful, determined, and fully understands the role hard work plays in becoming a great player. He has singled-out Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw, and Mookie Betts for teaching him the importance of hard work. In a short season, he hit .250 while OPS’ing .946, and continued to average a HR in every 9 AB’s. Edwin has changed his body, improved his footwork, and play at 3B (he says JT has worked with him way beyond the call of duty). I think he sounds like the Dodgers next 3B. His “light tower power” is something few players possess. Edwin Rios might be my new favorite player. He has worked his rear-end off to get better and better and I think next Spring he will be even better!
• The Dodgers will talk to just about every reliever, including Brad Hand, but thinking Hand can be signed for $10 million right about now is delusional. He will seek a multi-year deal. He will be 31 next year, so you have to weigh what he may be worth. He has 10 years of bullpen duty on that left arm and he has been very, very good at times and mediocre at other times. I would have to consider lots of things before I gave him a multi-year deal… and I can’t see more than 2 years.
• Kenley Jansen is making $20 Million next year. The Dodgers can only hope that Kenley’s pride and another offseason of Driveline will slow his decline… maybe even improve his performance. That’s the best they can hope for. I doubt that you ever see Friedman give a closer this kind of money again.
• Trevor Bauer allegedly has an interest in the Dodgers. Do the Dodgers really have an interest in him? Of course, they will talk to him, but this is a guy who in 9 seasons has a 75-65 record with a 3.90 ERA and 1.265 WHIP. He has had one good season (2018) with Cleveland where he pitched 175 innings with a 2.21 ERA, and one great season (2020) where he had a 1.73 ERA and 0.795 WHIP. It has long been rumored that he wanted just one-year deals. I find it hard to believe that if the Mets offered him 5 years at $150 million, he would not take it! I cannot see any possible scenario where he is a Dodger in 2021!
• Goodbye, Jimmy Nelson – we hardly knew ya! It seems pretty unlikely that he could help the Dodgers in 2021. It was time to move on…
• Carlos Santana is available… Hold it! I did not say I wanted him. 😉
• I look for the Dodgers to make a deal with Jake McGee and Dylan Floro soon… or Floro can go to arbitration.
• McGee, Baez, Hernandez, Turner, Pederson, Wood, and Treinen are already off the roster. Gore, Alexander, and maybe Peters will be cut loose too. Certainly, some will be back… but who?
• Brett de Geus, Gerardo Carrillo, Andre Jackson, Omar Estevez, and possibly Marshall Kasowski (maybe he is developing another pitch?), and possibly Zach Reks could be added to the 40-man roster. I would be shocked if Friedman wastes a roster spot for Kendall. That was a bad pick, Andrew… move on – there’s nothing to see here.
• Reks, Raley, and Beaty – All LH, all the same player?
• I am serious when I talk about moving Will Smith to 2B next year. Of course, that depends on whether Keibert Ruiz is ready offensively and defensively. Barnes and Ruiz would be a perfect L – R platoon and I think Will Smith is an athlete who could play anywhere and still be the Emergency Catcher. Of course, the Dodgers have thoughts on this too! I am just thinking ahead. I have no opinion about Lux right about now. I’m from Missouri! With his throwing issues, I could see Lux moving to the outfield (LF).
• I don’t see many (many not any) trades for the Dodgers and few FreeAgent signings. I think they try to grow with the youngsters. The infrastructure is in place. Just tweaking and incremental growth is what I see.
• There are some huge storm clouds on the horizon in baseball. The MLBPA is getting ready to file a grievance, which could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, for MLB implementing the 60 game season and not making it longer. Also, many teams have spent their reserves and a lot of teams took out loans (which have to be paid back). This is happening while you are seeing a record number of non-tenders. Here’s a quote from The Athletic: “You’re going to have a record number of non-tenders,” a club executive said, referring to the process of making arbitration-eligible players free agents rather than giving them the raise that would normally come through the arbitration process. “I think you’re going to have a lot of those veteran players in their 30s making $2 million, $3 million, $5 million, those guys are going to be replaced by young players and I think it’s going to cause a lot of ill will. I’d be very surprised if, knowing there’s a strike or lockout coming up, and the uncertainty, if people give out eight-, nine-year deals (in free agency) — I don’t see it.” This does not bode well for baseball and older guys like Justin Turner might find they have to take a $4 or $5 million one-year deal.
• If you haven’t read about this Dodger fan, you should: A Dodger Fan For the Ages

The Future of LADT

It has been a long time since I have posted three days in a row, but I can do it right now because I am still at home for the most part recovering from the virus. The first week out of the hospital was great – I felt so good! It was amazing. The second week got tougher, as all of this week, precisely at 4:30 PM, I developed a 101-degree fever which would ebb and flow until 2 or 3 AM. All week, I have soaked 4 or 5 shirts a night. Then no fever all day, until 4:30 and the cycle starts again. My Doctor says it is one of the side effects for some people. How long it lasts is unknown. I feel pretty good, but tire easily. I have stepped away from our business until I return to health. I have numerous Doctors’ appointments scheduled over the next two months. I have been in the office a total of 3 hours this week… just making an appearance so people feel better.

So right now, I can keep LADT going. I know that Harold Uhlman (DC) and Rob Schelling (2demeter2) are stepping away from the blog and I cannot speak for Michael Norris (Bear) or Jeff Dominique (AC). I think Michael wants to continue to write. However, hopefully in the next few days we will have some clarity. I appreciate all of you and thank you for being part of our community.

The Sheer Joy of FINALLY Winning..

R.I.P. Sean Connery

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/31/sean-connery-james-bond-actor-dies-aged-90