How Do You Spell Relief?

I think the “trickle-down effect” of Manny Machado in the Dodger’s lineup will be significant.  The Dodgers really miss Corey Seager and he replaces Cory with a stronger RH bat.  This should help everyone in the lineup.  Watch Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger’s stats improve. Depending upon what happens between now and the end of the season, the Dodgers offsense could be more potent than that of 2017… and I salivate to think of a lineup that includes both Machado and Seager in 2019, but I’m putting the horse before the cart! Let’s win this one first!

I am heading to Milwaukee this weekend and doubt if I have much time to post, so hopefully AC can entertain you while I am gone.  I hope to get to see Manny upclose and personal.  Milwaukee’s Stadium is beautiful… and I get to see Clayton pitch as well.  I have not been to Milwaukee for several years, but one of the previous times I was there, Shawn Green hit four homeruns.  That was a great game.

Bullpen Help

The next few days should be very eventful.  The Padres Brad Hand brought back one of the Top 15 Prospects in baseball… because he is controllable for several more years.  That’s the price of control.  Manny Machado brought back a lot because he is a superstar, but the relievers that are on the market like Rasiel Iglesais and others of his ilk who are “controllable” for years to come, will bring back prospects generally in the Top 25, or multiple prospects in the Top 50.  The bullpen guys we all talk about and want, like Iglesais, Vazquez (aka/Rivero), Bear Claw and others will likely cost Verdugo and Ruiz or one of those and a couple of lower-ranked prospects.

I think that is too much to pay. Relievers are a fickle bunch – very few provide consistent production year-over-year, making long-term control certainly less meaningful. One thing that jumpedIn 12 June appearances, teams were OPDS’ing almost 1.000 against Hand.  I think the Dodgers need to try and move some player or players on the 25 man roster (Pederson, Puig, Toles, Wood) in order to get a reliever and it likely won’t be one of the top names that are available.  Think: Get Brad Hand BEFORE he is Brad Hand. It should be interestiung how this plays out.

Dodger News

• The Dodgers are up to 5th in the latest power poll by Bleacher Report!
• The Dodgers are said to be going with a six-man rotation and Ryu may start a rehab assignment as soon as next week.  TGhat leave him two weeks or so away.  What then? a 7-Man?
• Jim Bowden says that “the Dodgers made it very clear in their trade discussions with the Orioles that top prospects — including outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Keibert Ruiz, and pitchers Mitchell White and Yadier Alvarez — were all off limits in a “rental” trade for All-Star shortstop Manny Machado. LA’s front office, led by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, never wavered from that position, and ended up landing Machado without giving any of them up.” – From TheAthletic.com
• Manny Machado is big, but Ndamukong Suh IS the BIGGEST offseason pickup by any LA team.