It s Dumb to Use a Smartphone During a Baseball Game
Second base is up for grabs. About two-thirds of all teams in MLB would love to have Chris Taylor and we could sure do worse. However, is this the year Gavin Lux seizes the day and fulfills his promise? This could possibly play out and CT3 becomes the Swiss-Army Knife.
I’ll bet even Ray Charles can see that! I mean, why go to a baseball game and stay on your smartphone? You miss the action and could be killed unless your dad saves you from the dreaded bat. Duhhh! Pay attention!
I couldn’t resist posting that. I have only been hit once in a stadium by a foul ball. Never a foul bat! It was a screaming foul ball off the façade of the Pressbox at the Indianapolis Indians Stadium. I had a choice of the following:
- Ducking and spilling the beer in my hand;
- Trying to turn and catch it and spilling the beer in my hand; or
- Letting it hit me between the shoulder blades and not spilling my beer.
You know which one I took. The only logical choice: #3! It’s illegal to spill beer in 47 states! I drank EVERY drop! But seriously folks, as the winter winds down and pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report in just six days, what is there to talk about? I haven’t a clue. We have hashed and re-hashed everything… about 16 times! Now, that the Dodgers have Trevor Bauer, the NL is thinking about canceling the season and just anointing the Dodgers Champions.
Well, that sounds good, but we would hate it because we would never see those walk-off home runs. We would never see Mookie, Cody, and Corey battle for the 2021 MVP (I believe all three will be in the Top 10). We would never see the 2021 Dodger rotation go down in history as the best in the game. That can very likely happen IF everyone stays healthy. I think Tommy will prevail upon The Big Dodger in the Sky to give Dodger fans two in a row to atone for the cheating Asstericks!
Today’s Homework
Let’s talk about the Dodger lineup in 2021. What will the lineup look like? Here is my opinion and the rationale to back it up:
- Betts RF (R)
- Seager SS (L)
- Smith C (R)
- Bellinger CF (L)
- Turner 3B (R) he will be back
- Muncy 1B (L)
- Pollock LF (R)
- Lux/Taylor 2B (L-R)
OK, here’s my rationale: Will Smith has the best OB% on the Dodgers last year and I think he will get better. He has to hit #3. Cody will have an MVP-Type bounceback year so I have him at #4. When the returning JT is in the lineup, he hits #5. Not quite the threat he once was, Turner is still a solid hitter in that spot. When Rios plays, AJ moves up to #5 and Rios goes to the seven hole.
I also think Mad Max will bounce back and, while he is capable of hitting #4, he hits sixth due to the great depth of the Dodgers’ lineup. I have Pollock penciled in at #7 and he led the Dodgers in home runs last season. He will probably not put up more than 450 AB’s as he is now 33 years old. Someone will get a lot of AB’s in LF, probably one of the following: Raley, Reks, McKinstry, or Beaty.
Second base is up for grabs. About two-thirds of all teams in MLB would love to have Chris Taylor… and we could sure do worse. However, is this the year Gavin Lux seizes the day and fulfills his promise? This could possibly play out and CT3 becomes the “Swiss-Army Knife.”
I is going to be a fun Spring Training and I can’t wait… but I have to. It doesn’t start until six more days. Dang it!
The Toxic Airborne Event
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Discussion (85)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Seems to me like Friedman is making up for lost time the last couple of days. Shades of last year when all their significant moves came in February. Maybe this is his new trend. Sit back, watch, then strike. I know nothing about the guys they are getting. I know all of them have little to no experience. The lefty they are getting from the Marlins, Vesia, in 4/1 innings gave up 3 homers. Not very impressive, but the scouts probably know something we do not. Someone said something about the Dodgers getting rid of ground ball guys because the ball has been deadened a little. Sources said the new ball would go maybe 2 feet less on drives of 365 or more. Still means nothing when one of the players today get a hold of one. Bellinger might lose a homer or two. Barnes would be more affected since he has gap power. I liked Floro though, and he got one of the more important outs of the World Series when he struck out Arrozarena. Imagine the let down of leaving LA for Miami. One thing is sure though, other than Thomas, the 2 players leaving the Dodgers are in their 30’s, while all 4 of the players coming back are in their 20’s.
Press Releases:
DODGERS ACQUIRE LHP ALEX VESIA AND RHP KYLE HURT
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired left-handed pitcher Alex Vesia and minor league pitcher Kyle Hurt from the Miami Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Dylan Floro.
Vesia, 24, made five appearance in 2020, allowing nine runs in 4.1 innings while striking out five. He made his Major League debut on July 25, 2020, tossing 0.2 innings at Philadelphia. The Northern California native is 11-2 with a 1.62 ERA (18 ER/100.0 IP) and 138 strikeouts in 52 minor league appearances (one start). In his first full minor league season in 2019, he went a combined 7-2 with a 1.76 ERA (13 ER/66.2 IP) and 100 strikeouts in 38 games across three different levels. He was originally drafted in the 17th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out California State University, East Bay.
Hurt, 22, was the Marlins 5th round selection in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out the University of Southern California. The former Trojan made four starts in 2020 for USC, going 2-1 with a 3.71 ERA (7 ER/17.0 IP) and 25 strikeouts. In his three seasons with USC, the right-hander went a combined 9-13 with a 5.06 ERA (97 ER/172.2 IP) and 170 strikeouts. The Torrey Pines High School graduate pitched in the Cape Cod League in 2018, going 1-1 with a 3.47 ERA (9 ER/23.1 IP) and 22 strikeouts for the Chatham A’s.
Floro, 30, spent parts of the last three seasons with the Dodgers, recording an 11-4 mark with a 3.10 ERA (34 ER/98.2 IP) and 92 strikeouts. Last season, he went 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA (7 ER/24.1 IP) and 19 strikeouts in 25 games while adding six postseason appearances and allowing three runs in 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts. The former Cal State Fullerton Titan has pitched in the Major Leagues five seasons and is 14-7 with a 3.33 ERA (59 ER/159.2 IP) and 139 strikeouts.
DODGERS ACQUIRE IF SHELDON NEUSE AND RHP GUS VARLAND FROM ATHLETICS
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired infielder Sheldon Neuse and minor league pitcher Gus Varland from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek and minor league outfielder Cody Thomas.
Neuse, 26, spent the 2020 season at the Oakland Alternate site after hitting .250 (14-for-56) with three doubles in 2019 for the A’s. The infielder had a banner season with Triple-A Las Vegas prior to his promotion in 2019, hitting .317 (158-for-498) and clubbing 27 homers with 102 RBI in 126 games. In four minor league seasons, spanning five different levels, he has hit a combined .294 (460-for-1565) with 49 homers and 247 RBI. He was originally drafted in the second round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Oklahoma.
Varland, 24, is a combined 2-2 with a 1.54 ERA (11 ER/64.1 IP) and 77 strikeouts in 18 minor league games (15 starts). In his last full season in 2019, the Minnesota native went 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA (7 ER/26.1 IP) and 27 strikeouts in five games for Advanced-A Stockton. The right-handed pitcher was originally drafted by the A’s in the 14th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out Concordia University.
Kolarek, 32, made 20 appearances for the Dodgers in 2020, going 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP) and 13 strikeouts. He posted a 5-0 record with one save across 46 games and delivered a 0.88 ERA (3 ER/30.2 IP) in his Dodger career. In his four Major League seasons, he is a combined 11-3 with a 3.32 ERA.
Thomas, 26, spent part of the 2020 season at the Dodgers alternate site. In 2019, he clubbed a career-best 23 homers and recorded 76 RBI with Double-A Tulsa. In four minor league seasons, he has notched 81 homers and driven in 278 runs with a .255 batting average. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Oklahoma.
KIRSTEN WATSON JOINS DODGER BROADCAST TEAM
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the addition of Kirsten Watson to their broadcast team. In her role as a reporter and host, Watson will contribute to the Dodgers’ SportsNet LA game broadcasts and studio programming as well as pre- and postgame coverage on both television and radio.
Watson joins the Dodgers following two years as a reporter and host with Spectrum SportsNet, where she appeared on pre-, post- and in-game broadcasts of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Sparks and South Bay Lakers while also co-hosting the network’s Lakeshow studio program. She also currently serves as a producer for the National Football League, creating localized content for international markets, hosting its Game Recognize Game series and organizing international trips for NFL players for content and media opportunities. Watson also hosted Monday Night Football on Channel 5 in the UK, an international broadcast in partnership with NFL Network.
“I am excited to continue my passion as a storyteller with the Los Angeles Dodgers,” said Watson. “To have the opportunity to be a member of and represent one of the most iconic sports franchises is an honor.”
Following the completion of her Master’s degree at Columbia Journalism School, Watson was awarded the Stuart Scott Internship-Scholarship from the National Association of Black Journalists and ESPN, where she produced video packages for SportsCenter and NFL Live. Watson also earned her Bachelor’s degree from Columbia and was a member of the school’s volleyball team.
“We feel that our broadcast is one of the best in sports and know that Kirsten can help make it even stronger,” said Lon Rosen, Dodger Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re excited for Dodger fans to get to know her.”
Meet
Kirsten Watson:
Melancon to Padres on a one year deal
I’ve enjoyed watching Turner and have always thought he was the most clutch hitter on the team by far. I would prefer him to sign a one year contract that gives him a second year if he gets 475 PAs.
That said, I won’t miss him if he can be replaced by Chapman who can steal a base, hit for power, and play defense. I would include May in a package to get Chapman.
To the person who always argued (and has an attitude problem) with me about the bullpen. You know who you are. (Bear). Friedman just traded Floro and Kolarek. You ol wise one who has watched baseball for 100 years and think you know it all insisted Friedman likes Floro and Kolarek. While I told you that they are nothing but LOOGYS and ROOGYS.
it’s not your opinions that I have a problem with. Not at all. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. It’s your ignorance of stats and your attitude problem (which includes thinking you know it all) that I have a problem with.
Kolarek and Floro did not have any options left. So what AF did was gain some roster flexibility with players that do. Neither one has much experience, but obviously AF and the scouts see something they like. Eric, I never said I knew it all, and usually any player on the roster has the possibility of being traded. That being said, I see no upgrade in the trading of those two guys. They were both effective last season. I am far from ignorant, I just value players differently than you do. And I do not have an attitude problem at all. I respect everyone who posts on here. Sometimes we argue, and that is simply normal. People do not always agree on everything, especially baseball. Have a nice day.
Some people call me a know-it-all, and they are right…I do know everything, though I must admit to an occasional lapse of instant recall.
Generally, I’m fairly good natured around those with lesser intellect, but I must admit that those of you who think you know it all can become quite tedious to those of us who do.
Dodger Nation is reporting that the Dodgers are going to sell tickets to Camelback at 18% capacity. That would be a little over 2400 seats. The will be sold in blocks of 2 4 and 6 tickets. They go on sale next Saturday, the 20th of February.