Getting Ready to Rubble
Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 26 is approaching sooner than later. Except for 2B, which ultimately seems to belong to Tommy Edman, who will start the season on the IL, all the positions are set… barring injury… and there will be…
Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 26 is approaching sooner than later. Except for 2B, which ultimately seems to belong to Tommy Edman, who will start the season on the IL, all the positions are set… barring injury… and there will be injuries. Won’t there?
Breakout candidate: Christian Zazueta is a RHP who is 6′ 3″ and very skinny. He came to the Dodgers in the Caleb Ferguson deal with the Yankees. He has recently added 17 pounds but needs about 30 more. His fastball tops out at 98 MPH and has a killer changeup. He is working on a sweeper/curve, but he is a strike thrower. Last season, between Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga, he was 7-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In 67 IP, he struck out 81 and walked just 16, so he has incredible control for someone so young. He will start at Great Lakes, but he could move rapidly and could possibly see the show by fall. Watch this kid:
Players most likely to be traded: I am going to preface this by saying, “If he has a good spring.” The player is Hyeseong Kim. He is essentially Alex Freeland with less power and not able to hit from both sides of the plate. I can see him being traded if he has a hot spring. Oh, and if Freeland has a good Spring. Kim really isn’t the type of player the Dodgers seek. I prefer Freeland, and Kim has some real value to certain teams.
Some fans will say Miller or Knack, but that would involve selling low. We know that Graterol and maybe Snell will be late to the dance, along with Edman and Kike, so some pitchers will get an opportunity early. I think that after the World Series of 2025 and the long season, the Dodgers will slow-play a lot of the staff. Look for Wrobleski, Casparius, Stone, Sheehan, and Ryan, along with Knack, to get opportunities.
The Lineup:
Right about now, it looks like this:
- Ohtani DF
- Tucker RF
- Betts SS
- Freeman 1B
- Smith C
- Muncie 3B
- Teoscar LF
- Pages RF
- Kim/Rojas 2B
Bench: Rushing, Call, Freeland
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Discussion (110)
Disagree, not disagreeable
No chance Kim isn’t a Dodger for a long time. Rojas is gone after this season, and so is Kiki, and possibly sooner for either. Kim is multi-positional, speedy, and a contact hitter, though he needs to improve his strikeout issue during his 1st season. He’ll become a much better version of Edman in time. Freeland, if they hang on to him, will be the backup to Kim.
What a signing
Hiccup in the matrix.
Untreated stutter?
Dude, you’ve developed a stutter.
According to Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider, manager Dave Roberts said Yamamoto is starting against the Los Angeles Angels in the Dodgers’ first game of the year on the Saturday.The outing is expected to be Yamamoto’s only start for the Dodgers before he leaves to join Samurai Japan, which opened their training camp in Miyazaki on Feb. 14.
I agree. I bet he makes the 26 man roster.
What’s up with Bear’s multiple posting? Self-import? User error? SEO?
Bear, I don’t think you read my post correctly.
No way they trade Kim so soon. Everything about him is positive. Maybe he never slugs. Doing everything else well, while playing multiple up the middle positions is a damn good bench player. But this front office isn’t going to give up on him so fast. Trading him so soon wouldn’t reflect well back in Korea either.
“The Dodgers are bringing right-handed reliever Yency Almonte back on a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports. The Rosenhaus Sports client will presumably be in big league camp. It’s the second stint with the Dodgers for the 31-year-old Almonte. He was with Los Angeles in 2022-23, combining for 83 1/3 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate and 11.9% walk rate out of manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen. That production came in quite uneven fashion, however; Almonte delivered 35 1/3 innings of immaculate 1.02 ERA ball in 2022 but was roughed up for a 5.06 mark in 48 innings in 2023. The Dodgers traded Almonte to the Cubs alongside Michael Busch in a 2024 swap that brought prospects Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris back to Los Angeles. (Neither has made his MLB debut yet, but Hope currently sits No. 63 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.)”.
Yeah, I hope Ryan is considered for the pen rather than stretched out in AAA. Piggybacking is a thing too.
Any chance that Ryan Ward beats out Alex Call since he bats left and could sub for Teo when there is a nasty right hander on the mound?
The INDIANA BEARS
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
Kyle Hurt threw 10 innings at OKC at the end of last year. Everything I have heard about him, Ryan and Stone is that they should be ready this Spring. Of course, an NRI could make it with a breakout Spring, but the pitching staff is way crowded. I can see Ryan or Stone in the rotation. I think the plan is to make Wrobs the bulk innings eater out of the pen.
I expect Mookie to bounce back on offense. If he does, I’m not worried where he bats. Check out the ’25 OBPs: Shohei .392 Tucker .377 Mookie .326 (but .369 career) Freddie .367 Will .404 Max .376 Mookie may not be a classic slugger, but his career OPS is .881. Over 11 seasons he has slugged 291 HRs, including 39 in ’23. (This includes his 52- game rookie season and 55 en route to the covid championship.) Just a ridiculously loaded lineup–and Teo and Pages could each slam 30 HRs.
Thanks. My relief depth chart isn’t as deep as I once thought. Assuming Wrobleski replaces Snell early on, that leaves: Diaz Scott Treinen Vesia Casparius Dreyer Klein Henriquez With Graterol/Stewart/Phillips on the DL and Hurt/Miller/Gervase/Koppp in line along with potential SPs Stone/Ryan/Knack/Irvin. Room for an NRI to make the squad
Hell of a runner.
I might be proven wrong–it has happened–but I think the Dodgers would be slow to trade any of their Asian imports, especially before they have a chance to prove themselves. The organization has cultivated the Asian market, and it’s important to show respect. The Korean people are emotionally invested in Kim, etc.
What about Chuck Muncie?
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
Judging by that, Freeman should hit 3rd. He and Smith had the highest BA on the team. Freddie is not really a power hitter. Betts isn’t for sure. Most of his homers came in the leadoff spot. He also strikes out a lot less than Ohtani. Which is why I prefer him there.