I Miss Justin Turner

After last season, I believed that Justin Turner should have retired. Last season, he struggled at bat and in the field. He came on in the second half, but it looked to me that he was ‘losing it.” He hit only 13 HR, and at age 38, I felt that it was time to retire. JT felt differently! As I write this, Justin Turner (aka/Red Turn 2) is batting .290 with 21 HR and 84 RBI, along with a .848 OPS for the Boston Red Sox. Yes, I was wrong! Here’s the Million Dollar Question: Did Andrew Friedman make the wrong move in letting Justin Turner walk?

Would I like to have Justin Turner back as the DH for the Dodgers? Damn right!

But Andrew Friedman did the right thing. I think that Andrew offered JT $10 Million to return as the Dodgers DH at about the same time he offered JD Martinez the same thing. JDM was three years younger, and his best friend was Robert Van Socyoc (Dodgers hitting coach). JDM was also a close friend of Mookie Betts. JDM jumped at the offer while JT was shopping. The decision was made!

It turns out that JD Martinez pulled the trigger and signed the $10 million dollar deal with the Dodgers first. Justin Turner was trying to get the best deal for him and his family… and he ended up getting it. The Red Sox guaranteed JT a one-year contract with a player option for 2024 with a cool $21.7 Million guaranteed. This is real money, guys!

How many of you make a million dollars a year? I don’t! So, to get $21.7 Million dollars guaranteed versus $10 Million is a big deal! I understood that Andrew Friedman was trying to stay under the Luxury Tax Threshold, and I also understood that JT needed to maximize his lifetime earnings. Baseball is not just a game. It’s a business, and JT got $21.7 Million guaranteed over JDM over two years. JT did the right thing! On the other hand, if JDM stays healthy ( he is currently on the IL), he is not chopped liver. He has put up 25 HR and 78 RBI in a limited time because of two IL stints.

I wish we had JT, but JDM has been great. I hope he stays healthy – he is a game-changer, and he is a great player as well as a great teammate. But, Damn, I miss JT. The business part of baseball just sucks! However, that is the modern-day reality of baseball.

Dodger News & Notes

• Gavin Stone threw 80 pitches in his six innings and looked much more serviceable than he did in the past. It was encouraging. His fastball and changeup are top-notch, but until he develops a solid curve or slider, he is destined for the bullpen. I would not be afraid of him in the bullpen.
• James Outman is hitting .250 – I would love to see his OPS get over .800… and I think he will.
• Max Muncy is up to .200. Wow!
• Mookie and Freddie are still insane, but they are going to need JDM back sooner rather than later.
• On Dave Roberts and injuries: Of Course, he is not going to tell you the truth. Nor should he.
• Jonny D was 2-3 yesterday at OKC with a double and 2 RBIs.
• Nick Frasso pitched six shutout innings for OKC, allowing two hits and striking put four with one walk!
• Shelby Miller and Ken Giles both pitched an inning, allowing one hit and striking out two each.
• I would like to see Hunter Fedducia get a shot in September.
• Austin Barnes is up to .164 and is hitting .283 in his last 15 games.
• Ben Casparius went five shutout innings for Tulsa, allowing three hits and striking out three. He did walk two.
• Bobby Miller vs. Zac Gallen tonight back at home.