Lemons or Lemonade? It s a Choice!

The closer we get to Spring Training the more likely Justin Turner is not going to continue his Dodger career. It appears that the Salary Cap. ‘errr Luxury Tax is a real thing. Justin Turner had a great Dodger career, but without the DH and the presence of the salary cap, we need to prepare to move on. It sucks, but sometimes when you get lemons, you simply need to make some lemonade.

Justin Turner was a very key part of the Dodgers for several years. I almost said he was the “heart and soul” of the Dodgers, but it took a lot more than JT to be the “heart and soul.” Still, he was important. If he doesn’t come back, he will be missed… but life goes on and the Dodgers will survive. I have not written him out yet, but I am preparing for it. You should too! It’s almost like losing a loved one to death, but it’s all a part of it. Just remember the good times and prepare for what’s next.

What’s Next?

To start with, everything has to be on the table. The Dodgers have a very talented farm system that has delivered the past several years and needs to do so again. Let me run some ideas by you. Baseball America has Keibert Ruiz ranked as the Dodgers’ #1 prospect. He is now 22 and here’s what BA has to say about him:

“He hit his first speed bump in 2019 when an organizational catching logjam forced him back to Double-A, and he struggled to stay motivated. He looked re-energized after a promotion to Triple-A, but suffered a season-ending injury when a foul tip fractured his right pinkie finger. Ruiz rode out the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 at the Dodgers’ complex in Arizona, where he improved his physique and worked extensively with Dodgers hitting coach Brant Brown. Ruiz contracted Covid-19 and arrived late to summer camp, but he recovered to make his major league debut on Aug. 16 and homered in his first at-bat.“

So, it’s not unusual for a young kid to lose motivation at times and Kaybear evidently did, but he also evidently bounced back and improved his conditioning while working with Brant Brown. BA goes on to say this in the Scouting Report:

“The switch-hitting Ruiz has a preternatural ability to put the bat on the ball. He has elite hand-eye coordination, can manipulate the barrel to cover all parts of the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. Those traits have long given Ruiz the potential to be a plus hitter, but his quality of contact was often lacking. The Dodgers made adjustments in 2020 to get him more upright in his stance and keep his hands closer to his body, and the result was a more direct path that helped him stay inside the ball and produce consistently harder contact. Ruiz is much stronger batting lefthanded and shows average power from that side. His righthanded swing is visually similar but lacks strength and largely produces weak contact. Ruiz is an aggressive hitter who is still learning to pick out pitches he can drive rather than swinging at the first pitch near the strike zone. Once he improves his pitch selection, he has a chance to hit .280 or higher with double-digit home runs. Ruiz is a potentially above-average receiver who blocks well and received positive reviews from the big leaguers who threw to him at the alternate training site. His game-planning and game-calling still have room to grow. Ruiz’s arm strength is fringy to average, which was an issue in the majors when opponents went 3-for-3 on stolen bases against him in just 17 innings.“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aYYoAxaCos

So, he can evidently hit as a lefty and has to work on his throwing. We have no clue REALLY how much he progressed, grew and matured last year, but what if he shows up to Spring Training in great shape and rakes like he wants to job? Could Will Smith move to third-base (catching once a week) and let Barnes and Ruiz share the catching role?

Is Rios able to sustain what he has done? I doubt it, but maybe he can average a homerun every 13 AB’s rather than every 10 AB’s. Then you have to ask, what about Gavin Lux? Last year was a step back for him. Again, that is not unusual for a young player. Could be blow up in 2021? It’s certainly possible!

Could this be the opening day lineup?

1. Betts RF
2. Seager SS
3. Smith 3B
4. Muncy 1B
5. Pollock LF
6. Bellinger CF
7. Lux 2B
8. Ruiz C

CT3, Rios, McKinstry, and Barnes are subs. The Dodgers like versatility and Smith can switch back and forth to 3B and C. Rios can play 3B, 1B and maybe LF. CT3 becomes the Swiss Army Knife and McKinstry has a great chance. Matt Beaty, Zach Reks, Luke Raley, and Jacob Amaya are in competition for the last roster spot. I am rooting for Luke Raley. He might be my current favorite player. BA says this about him:

“Raley is incredibly strong with bulging biceps and plus-plus raw power. He frequently hit home runs on top of the parking garage beyond right field at Southern California’s Dedeaux Field during the alternate site and showed the ability to hit opposite-field home runs, too. His swing is oriented to his pull-side and he needs to improve his plate discipline, but he’s productive against both righties and lefties and has the bat speed to be an average hitter who taps into his power often enough. Raley is an average runner and plays hard defensively in left field. He’s occasionally too aggressive and collides with other fielders or the wall. He has above-average arm strength despite a funky throwing stroke. Raley’s power and sneaky athleticism have long made him a potential sleeper. He’s on the 40-man roster and is in position for his major league debut in 2021.”

While we are at it, BA is very high on Mike Busch and Kody Hoese. Here’s what they say:

Busch: “Busch is following the Max Muncy path as a masher who is playable at second base in short stints. He is poised to move quickly in 2021.”

Hoese: “Hoese looks like a future standout at his best but needs to be more consistent with his swing and throwing stroke. He’ll see the upper minors in 2021.”

Baseball America is very high on many of the Dodger’s prospects, like Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot, Jacob Amaya, and others. Some will fulfill their promise and some will not… and some we never anticipated will excel. I love watching this stuff!

But, maybe, just maybe a miracle will happen and Justin Turner will be back…