Is Help on the Way?

It has been suggested that the Dodgers need bullpen help and I am all for it. It has also been suggested that the AJ Pollock signing was a bad deal and it has been chanted that getting rid of Puig, Kemp and Wood was dumb. Others have suggested that the solution is to sign big name free agents and pitchers next off season.

Evidently, no one has been paying attention to what is happening to the Dodgers and other teams. The Dodgers are currently the best team in baseball and many other teams are ruing the big contracts they have doled out. The D-Bags started their skid when they signed Greinke to that silly, stupid deal.

Theo Epstein was on a roll until he made some really bad signings. You might be inclined to think I am talking about Brandon Morrow and Tyler Chatwood, and while those were not good signings, Theo was betting that both players were worth the risk. It hasn’t worked out yet, but it still could. The deals that did in the Cubs were Jason Heyward and Yu Darvish. Those two were dope-fiend moves that went against everything Theo was about and will make it tough for them to get back to the World Series. Heyward has been doing better lately, but his contract is still a boat anchor.

Not signing players to big long term deals is the path to success. Signing players to big, long-term deals is the path to failure. The sooner you understand that the better. Some of you think I am being paid by Andrew Friedman. While I was not a big Ned Colletti fan, I did not hate him, but I love what Friedman is doing. Yesterday, DC posted that other GM’s voted the Dodgers the best team in baseball and said this:

“Their depth makes them so tough to beat over 162,” an NL assistant GM said. “Despite losing six in a row already this year, and not having Clayton Kershaw for the first couple of weeks, here we are at the end of April and they have the best record in the NL.”

“I think they represent ‘team’ better than the others that are winning,” an AL executive said. “It’s exciting baseball; young talent, veteran pitching, strong bullpen and something to prove after falling the last two years.”
Los Angeles’ strong farm system was also cited by multiple executives, both for its usefulness in potential trades and the potential help on its own roster. The team’s positional flexibility was also a key factor for many voters.

“They’re just built to last,” an NL executive said. “They’re so deep, they can line shift on you, they’re very well-run, and their young guys are already established and really good. It’s a good mix of chemistry there.”

We established yesterday that Friedman is not perfect – show me a GM who is, but he has done and is doing a great job of building the Dodgers to be relevant year-after-year… and I happen to like that a lot. I would like it more if they win some World Series, but part of winning is just getting there and AF puts them in a position to get there. If you can’t like that, then you are no fan.

The Bullpen

The bullpen coughed up another loss last night after a masterful 8 innings by Hyun-jin Ryu (anyone still think offering him the QO was a bad idea?) Of course, you are not winning many games when you score just 1 run. Kike, Alex and Cody were OK, but the rest of the team was comatose. They do need another RH bat. That’s why Friedman got Pollock, who will likely be on the IL until July or August.

Andrew knows he needs another RH bat… and I guarantee he is looking, but he won’t make any dope-fiend moves. The lineup would have looked different if Freese had not been a late scratch. Oh well, let’s move on the SD and beat some of their lefties.

The bullpen has been getting better, but AF is certainly looking for more help. The thing is, bullpen arms are very, very hard to predict. I have wanted Felipe Vazquez even back to when he was Felipe Rivero, but if you look at his underlying stats, like WHIP, you will see that while he is good, he is not great and then you have to ask: “Will he wilt under the bright lights?” I don’t know.

AC wanted Jose LeClerc last year… and I whole-heartedly agreed, however, he signed a new long-term deal, and this year is an unmitigated disaster with an 8.44 ERA and a 2.156 WHIP. Who knew? Can Honeycutt fix him? We will never know.

The Yankees, who stockpiled several closers, have one on the IL (Betances) and the other three have blown 4 saves. The point is that bullpens are unpredictable and hard to build. The Red Sox won the World Series on the backs of Joe Kelly and Nate Eovaldi. So far this year, one is on the IL and the other is mentally disabled (but maybe getting better).

I think that the Dodgers will try and make a trade for a RH hitter and a bullpen arm. They might have to make a bold move, like trading Maeda, Stripling and either Pederson and/or Muncy for both. With prospects included they could get both. The question is who? AC has mentioned Shane Greene of Detroit. I’m sure he could be had as Detroit is rebuilding as could Castellanos, but the price in prospects would be high. This may be the time to pull the trigger… or maybe the help in already in the system.

Minor League Report

Oklahoma City Dodgers – The Dodgers were soundly beaten by the Round Rock Express in a doubleheader, losing 12-5 and 9-3. The Dodgers were ahead 5-0 in the first game, but Holmes, Grimm, Sborz, Allie (12.60 ERA) and Smoker all got smoked for 12 unanswered runs. In the second game, DeFractus and Broussard gave up 9 runs in the first and second inning and that was it. Move on… nothing to see here, folks.

Tulsa Drillers – The Drillers did what their big brother couldn’t and won the doubleheader. They won the first behind Mitch White’s 5.2 inning shutout. He had 7 K’s but most importantly, he walked no one. Boyle and Somsen closed out the shutout. Santana hit a 3-run HR and that was all that was needed. The Drillers also won the second game 7-2. Curry started and allowed 2 runs in 3.1 innings while Scrubb (1.35 ERA) and Spitzbarth (2.19 ERA) closed it out. Walker hit his 3rd HR (a 3-run blast) abd McKinstry hit a 2-run homer.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – They were moving and shaking as they beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 8-3 behind Edwin Uceta, who was brilliant over a season-best six innings, allowing just one run on three hits, while fanning a season-high eight hitters, with ZERO walks. Mosley (0.54 ERA) pitched the last 2.1 innings to get his 4th save. Mann was 3-4 and Avans hit a 2-run homer. Conner Wong also had 2 RBI.

Great Lakes Loons – The Loons also won a doubleheader over the Beloit Snappers 12-8 and . Roller was 2-2 with a HR and 4 RBI in the first game while Amaya was 2-3 with 2 RBI on a double. deGues got the win with 2.2 shutout and not hit innings (5 K’s). The Loons also won the second game 3-2, on just 4 hits as Chacin got his 3rd win (0.79 ERAS) with 5 strong innings. He allowed 1 runs to go with 5 K’s.