Give Me a Hand!

Moment-by-moment, memory-by-memory, the Dodgers have did it again!  Dodger Broadcaster, Joe Davis 

Joe has made it a lot easier not to miss Vin – he’s not Vin, but in case you haven’t listened to the stiffs and homers other teams use, he is near the top of play-by-play baseball announcers.  What a comeback and what a way to kill a snake!  Now, back to the things at Hand!

If the Dodgers had Brad Hand of the Padres in their bullpen, they might just be set to win it all.  He is a LH “lock-down” reliever in the mold of Andrew Miller.  Yes, he’s very good and a testament as to how bad the Marlins are as an organization.  They cut him because he wasn’t getting it done as a starter…. they also hired Don Mattingly as their manager, so what do you expect?  You know I have never been a Donnie Baseball fan, even though he is a fellow Hoosier.

Yes, Brad Hand is available and the Dodgers have to means to trade for him and YES – it will be expensive!  It always is.  Here are the name the Padres are interested in:

• Yadier Alvarez
• Alex Verdugo
• Austin Barnes

… and it will likely take more than one of them.  Would you trade Barnes for Hand?  Kyle Farmer is likely ready but would be a true backup and Grandal would have to play more.  Barnes is the only one that I think the Padres would trade Hand for even -up.  I love Barnes, but Hand could be a game-changer.  Me?  I would trade Alvarez for Hand, but not Verdugo or Barnes.  I think Alvarez is too far away and too immature to project, but he is an incredible talent.  Would A.J. Preller pull the trigger for him?  I’ll throw in Avilan.  Ha!

Rants and Raves

• Congrats, JT – Do us proud!
• Rich Hill – Just like I said.  They key stat is that he did not walk anyone.  HEEEEESSSSSS’S BAAAAAACCCCCKKKK!
• Trayce Thompson is a major league athlete, but not a major league hitter.  He will be sent down to OKC today.  Ditto for SVS.  Call up Verdugo.  I don’t care if he is LH – he hits LH pitching better than either one of those guys.
• Chris Taylor has become a very good LF.  I am certain he can play CF as well, but his future may be back in the infield at 2B.  However, he is the Dodgers LF unless Alex Verdugo takes the spot.
• A couple of weeks ago, people were saying that Chris Taylor was just regressing, but you don’t hear a peep when that was obviously wrong!  He’s back up to .295/.377 OB% and is just a clutch hitter.
• Bellinger pinch hit and took what they gave him!  That’s all you can do, Cody.
• Right about now is the time to trade Logan Forsythe, for another bullpen piece.  Maeda, Fields and Liberatore  to the Yankees for Dellin Betances.  How about that?

1. Verdugo  LF
2. Seager  SS
3. Turner 3B
4. Bellinger  1B
5. Taylor  2B
6. Grandal  C
7. Pederson  CF
8. Puig  RF

Bench:  Hernandez, Barnes, Forsythe, Utley, Gonzo (when back, if back)

Rotation:  Kershaw, Wood, Hill, McCarthy, Ryu or Oaks or Stripling

Pen: Stewart, Stripling, Ryu, Hand, Baez, Betances, Jansen (Morrow)

I want to see Verdugo hit in the Top Spot – can he handle the pressure?  His singles and doubles bat only plays at leadoff!  If he can’t, Taylor goes back to LF and Forsythe to 2B.