Hindsight: 20/20

Looking back today on the trade that brought Rich Hill and Josh Reddick to the Dodgers for Frankie Montas, Grant Holmes and Jherel Cotton, I thought it was a good bet at the time, but if Friedman had it to do over, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t, not because it was bad deal, but he wouldn’t because it did not win a Championship. Holmes may be toast and Jharel Cotton might be back from TJ surgery in June, but Frankie Montas (FRANKIE MONTAS?) is looking like he may have evolved into a quality starter. Well… maybe the trade doesn’t look that bad. Rich Hill has been solid and can Montas keep it up?

How about AJ Alexy, Brendon Davis, and Willie Calhoun for Yu Darvish? Alexy and Davis look like… well… toast and Willie Tree Trunks is what we thought… a hitter without a place to play, so he’s perfect in the AL as a DH. Would Friedman do that trade again, knowing what he does now? Of course not. But he didn’t know it them. It was a decent risk and if failed.

It’s like Jeren Kendall. He was a risk and it doesn’t look like he will pan out, but Buehler, Lux and other later picks did… and Mike Grove may be close behind. Additionally, there are a multitude of players in the Dodger organization who have considerable talent, thus their ranking as aTop Five Farm System.

The Anti-Friedmans point to Micah Johnson, Hector Olivera, Yasiel Sierra, Yadier Alvarez, and Yordon Alvarez and Oneil Cruz (the last two got away). They point to Scott Schebler, Jose Peraza (who?) and others… even Dee Gordon. However, they forget Muncy, Taylor (who was very good once), Hernandez, Barnes, Grandal (got Preller to take Fatt Kemp), Morrow, Blanton, Floro, Ferguson, and Freese, to say nothing of their cadre of prospects.

The biggest deals, however, may have been the ones they didn’t make. They didn’t trade Urias, Seager, Bellinger, Pederson, Turner, Jansen, Kershaw, Stripling and Baez. They just kept winning, getting better, building the farm and are working their way back to a third World Series. What more could a fan ask for? Oh yeah, that Championship Trophy. Like I always say, “If you are good enough to get there, you are good enough to win.” You just have to figure out and players have to execute.

To say Friedman has done nothing is absurd! With the changes in the hitting instructors, the Dodgers have dramatically improved their strikeout rate, improved their hitting with RISP and have added almost a run per game. The pitching is again outstanding, but the bullpen is not where he wants it to be. Of course, he will try and address the issue. I am sure he would love Leclerc, Vasquez, Greene, and others, but if they insist on Gonsolin, White or May in return, then what?

As AC mentioned yesterday, Jose Leclerc is rounding into form. Would they take Will Smith and Dennis Santana for him? Would Friedman do that deal? Would you? I believe that those two prospects would bring back a Greene or Leclerc… maybe not Vasquez.

I think the Dodgers are looking at relievers and another RH bat. They have a plethora of Lefty Bats in the system in Beaty, Rios, Reks, Lux, Ruiz, and others. We are playing checkers and Andrew Friedman is playing chess. I doubt that we can predict what move(s) he makes, but I do believe it will happen. He wants a Championship as much as we all do.

Dodger News

• It appears that there is not enough evidence to charge Julio Urias with a crime. As usual, the DA’s have a different agenda and MLB was unable to acquire access to video of the alleged incident. Then the MLBPA got involved and asked that Urias be reinstated. I think they have no recourse to do that. It is “innocent until proven guilty” and it appears there is no proof. I think an announcement by the DA dismissing the charges is imminent. Just my opinion…
• We will see the DH tonight… who will it be? Freese, Muncy, Turner, Pederson, Garlick, Beaty – all are candidates, but Garlick and/or Beaty could be gone.
• Clayton Kershaw versus the TB Rays “opener.”

Minor League Report by AC

Three games played and three wins by the Dodger affiliates. Two wins with some outstanding relief work.

OKC Dodgers 10 – Omaha Storm Chasers 5 (KC)

Everybody in the Dodger lineup had at least 2 hits except Drew Jackson who drew an 0-4 night. Zach Reks led the 17 hits with 3. Connor Joe had 2 hits, both HRs, and 3 RBIs. Cameron Perkins had 2 with a HR. Shane Peterson had 2 hits with a double. Edwin Rios, Daniel Castro, Errol Robinson, and Rocky Gale also had 2 hit nights. The Dodgers scored in 6 of their 8 offensive innings.

While I loved the offense, for me the bullpen was fantastic. RHP Rob Zastryzny started and went 6.0 innings allowing all 5 runs on 4 hits, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts. The big blow was a 2 out 3-run HR by Erick Mejia in the 5th. But it was Tony Cingrani, Josh Sborz, and Shaggy going a perfect inning apiece and notching 4 strikeouts. That’s the way a game should go when you have the lead after 6.0 innings.

Tulsa Drillers 5 – Springfield Cardinals 2

The Drillers were down 2-1 when they came to bat in the 7th. Gavin Lux led off with a single. DJ Peters walked. Cristian Santana singled to load the bases. Cody Thomas walked for the tieing run. Keibert Ruiz singled for run #2 in the inning. Chris Parmalee doubled for the final two runs. Jared Walker walked and the Drillers were then shut down, but not before scoring 4 runs on 4 hits and three walks to take the lead 5-2.

Journeyman RHP Michael Bowden started and went 4.0 innings. He surrendered 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, 0 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Bowden was followed by 4 relievers who did not yield a run. Chris Nunn was first up and pitched 1.0 inning allowing only a hit. He did not issue a walk and got 1 strikeout.

Yordy Cabrera pitched 1.0 inning, allowing a hit and walk, but no runs. Nolan Long went 2.0 innings not allowing a baserunner and getting 2 strikeouts. Finally Layne Somsen finished the game to earn his 3rd save. He pitched 1.0 inning while giving up one hit.

RC Quakes had a travel day and did not play.

Great Lakes Loons 8 – Lansing Lugnuts 7 (Toronto)

The bullpen was not as stellar in this game. Up 7-3 going into the 7th, the Lugnuts scored 3 in the 7th and 1 in the 8th to tie. The Loons broke the tie in the 10th when Romer Cuadrado singled home James Outman to break the 8-7 tie. Brett de Geus finished the game to get the win and take his record to 3-0.

Miguel Vargas Jair Camargo, and Dillon Paulson each had two hits, with Camargo hitting a double (4th). James Outman hit his 3rd HR on the season, while Niko Hulsizer hit his 8th including 3 RBIs.

Jeronimo Castro got through 4.0 innings before giving way to Guillermo Zuniga. Castro allowed 3 runs (all earned) while Zuniga also allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in his 2.1 innings of work. Jasiel Alvino allowed the tieing run in his 1.2 IP, before giving way to Brett de Geus to pitch the final 2.0 innings and the win.

The Loons are 1.5 games ahead of the Lake County Captains (Cleveland), and 2.5 games ahead of the South Bend Cubs and Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay).