It s ALMOST Time!
Yesterday someone wrote this: I would want to see us put together rosters which are the best in baseball, at least in some of the seasons. Why should a franchise with this large and fervent fan base, and the second largest media network in the country, not have that? Well, they don t have that because as we have repeatedly seen, over 70% of these big, fat contracts become boat anchors .
Yesterday someone wrote this:
I would want to see us put together rosters which are the best in baseball, at least in some of the seasons. Why should a franchise with this large and fervent fan base, and the second largest media network in the country, not have that?
Well, they don’t have that because as we have repeatedly seen, over 70% of these big, fat contracts become boat anchors. The Yankees no longer do that… and if you do that, you are a dumbass, like Dave Dumbrowski! Well, he’s really not dumb, but everywhere he has been, he has had successful teams that then sucked for a long time after winning or being close to winning. He might get you there once, but you are going to spend years climbing out of the hole.
But wait, the Dodgers do have one of the TOP 2 or 3 highest paid rosters in baseball. I (and may other baseball people) would argue that they have the most depth of any MLB team. Signing players to huge, long-term deals is simply not the way to do things as has been demonstrated over and over.
The Yankees highest-paid player, Giancarlo Stanton, has had 31 AB’s this year and at 30, he is signed for 8 more years. How do you think that is going to turn out? Brain Cashman will really rue the day he traded for Stanton when he has to let a young star walk because Stanton got the money.
I realize some Dodger fans would happily trade a Word Championship for 10 more years of losing, but I wouldn’t and neither will Andrew Friedman. He is trying to build a sustainable winner. By getting there year-after-year, you have a lot better opportunity to win it… and make no mistake about it, winning a World Series involves a degree of “luck.”
Here are a few examples: JD Martinez falls into your lap at about half of what he was asking. A David Price, who has in the past been worse than Clayton Kershaw in the playoffs, suddenly has to step up. A journeyman (Steve Pearce) becomes the MVP. When your closer falters, two journeymen (Kelly and Eovaldi) become Batman and Robin and when your catchers all average below .200, the rest of the team compensates. However, they couldn’t sustain it and that cost Dombrowski his job.
Will he get another job like that? Maybe… maybe not! He is somewhat old school, but he does utilize analytics and the Red Sox Analytics Department is nearly as good as the Yankees, Dodgers, and Astros. You can bet the Red Sox will make a run at Andrew Friedman if he doesn’t sign with the Dodgers soon.
Signing big contracts with Free Agents or Trading Prospects for Aging Stars could also keep the Dodgers from signing their own homegrown stars, like Bellinger, Seager, Buehler, Verdugo… even Pederson. So, Friedman doubles down on the farm and the Dodgers farm system ranks with any team in baseball. As 2Demeter2 so eloquently wrote yesterday, not only do that draft well, but they develop extremely well. The Dodgers arguably spend more money on player development than any other MLB team… and that Ladies and Gentlemen is the Path to Success.
In a few days… maybe today, the Dodgers WILL FLIP THE SWITCH to Beast Mode and this train will be bound for glory!
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DODGERS CLINCH 7TH CONSECUTIVE NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST TITLE
Dodgers to give away first-ever Postseason bobblehead at first NLDS home game
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers tonight clinched the 2019 National League West Division Championship, the club’s seventh straight and 18th overall NL West title.
Fans are encouraged to visit Dodgers.com/Postseason for the latest Postseason schedule and ticket information. Additionally, those that purchase a full season ticket Membership for the 2020 season will be granted full Postseason rights for this year, including the World Series.
In honor of his MVP-caliber season, the Dodgers will give away a Cody Bellinger bobblehead at their first NLDS home game, marking the club’s first-ever Postseason bobblehead. The special edition bobblehead depicts Bellinger in his home run trot and will be available in both his home white uniform and road grays. The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive either the white or gray version of the bobblehead depending on what is available at their point of entry. The team will also distribute rally towels at each Postseason home game.
The Dodgers will play “October Baseball” for the 33rd time in franchise history (24th time in Los Angeles) and for the ninth time in the last 12 years. Los Angeles previously won division titles in 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013-18 and twice reached the postseason as the Wild Card, in 1996 and 2006. In franchise history, the club has won six World Series championships and 23 National League pennants.
Los Angeles is just the third-ever team to win seven or more consecutive division titles, joining the New York Yankees (9, 1998-2006) and Atlanta Braves (14, 1991-2005). Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager since 2016, becomes the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to division titles in his first four full seasons as a big league manager.
Fans can purchase official NL West championship and 2019 postseason merchandise online at Dodgers.com and at the Top of the Park store, which is open daily from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DODGERS!! LET’S CONTINUE THE WINNING WAYS AND GET THAT WS WIN!!
Good night for us. Yankees lost. Braves lost. Houston getting their butts handed to them. We can pick up a game on everyone!
Evidently Yellich out for the season with a broken knee cap.
Too bad about Yelich. Really tough to come this far in the season, and then have it suddenly ended. My guess is that he will make a full recovery, and will be back and just as dangerous in 2020.
Love this by Plaschke:
“Before Tuesday, my favorite Dodgers moment this season was the June weekend featuring consecutive walk-off home runs by rookies Beaty, Verdugo and Smith.
But then Roberts topped that Tuesday night in the Baltimore visiting clubhouse when he asked his champagne-bottle-clutching team to delay the postgame celebration until somebody could face-time injured Verdugo and Max Muncy. Only when they appeared on raised smartphones was the champagne popped, at which point it was sprayed all over their video faces.
“No man left behind,” Roberts screamed, and that is how you win seven titles in a row.”