Let s Talk Dodger Baseball

I was set to go to the final week of Spring Training. Do you know if they are still going to let the fans in to watch the players that are staying at Camel Back?

Bumgarner

As a retiree on a limited income, I cannot afford to subscribe to any of those site. I thought about doing The Atlantic and then changed my mind. Instead, I read as much as I can, listen to different analyst’s and media types, and try to sift through their takes. In the old days, I would just read the Sporting News, which had some great writers by the way, and get my stuff there. I realize there are many ways to expand ones knowledge and understanding of the game. And for those who can do so, I applaud you

Milton Bradley had anger issues. That does not make him dumb. Steve Howe had an addiction he could not ever get a handle on, does not make him dumb. A lot of people do dumb things, including me. I have had a couple of lulu’s. Smart people do dumb shit all the time. You could have included many players in that list who had addictions that cost them good careers. Pete Rose for example. His addiction to gambling has for the time being cost him his place in the Hall. No doubt, as a player, he belongs there. But his unwillingness to follow a very old rule was dumb. Bonds, Clemens, Palmiero, Giambi, all made dumb choices, and Bonds and Clemens are down to their last 2 shots for enshrinement. Giambi did not get enough support to stay on the ballot, and Palmiero , much like McGwire, shot himself in the foot with his vehement denials when the proof was right there in front of him. Dumb. Darryl Strawberry would be another example. You can go on and on. As Forrest Gump said, Stupid is as stupid does. Weirdly, that makes a ton of sense.

If there is a Dodger on the list I’ll go with Milton Bradley.

Just kind of curious how the Dodgers or for that matter all the MLB teams will handle their pitching staffs during this time. Do you rest your guys every other day, do you keep building up their pitch count, do you have sim games to keep them sharp? How much is too much throwing before the season starts? Also, do you stay in spring training as a team or everybody go home for a few weeks? Going to be real interesting to see how this plays out. Knowing the track record of the front office, I bet they have about 3 or 4 different plans in place. Freidman rarely gets caught with his guard down.

There’s not much to say that hasn’t been said.

Maybe we can figure out some new stuff…

I agree on Tony Gonsolin. He is major league ready regardless what role they assign him.

Ruiz has a lot of work ahead of him. He needs at least one year of AAA.

I hope Lux is the starting second baseman. He has done all he can at AAA.

Do the players continue to get paid if the season is delayed?

I have subscriptions to BA, BP, ESPN Plus or whatever it is and The Athletic.

The problem is that one will have a great article but you can’t read it unless you subscribe.

I just hit the subscribe button.

I do read them all and it’s worth the few bucks I spend

Being a Dodger fan since my first transistor radio (Thanks to Vin, 1962 or so)

I love them all….sometimes

Mark,

Just wanted to commend you on how you are handling this virus situation on this blog. I had to quit a basketball blog because the political and off topic posts far outnumbered the basketball related ones. When I complained, I was called out by many posters as being a troll and who was I to dictate what people could talk about on a basketball blog.

If people want or need info on topics not baseball related, there’s a whole world of web sites that can fill you in on the facts. No need to be lazy. Everyone must do their own homework.

Baseball Prospectus is good. It used to be great, IMO.

Thank you for focusing on Dodger Baseball.

It’s a drag that we have to wait… but don’t let it drag s down.

LA Dodger Talk is Family!

I think Gonsolin is more MLB ready than May. I felt that way last year too. Roberts has said that most of the players have elected to stay in camp and work on keeping sharp and getting ready for when the season does start. I think we will only find that out when they get enough data on how bad this is going to be. But even if it is mid June, they could get in close to a 140 game season.

I never see any responses except from Mark, but I am a big Tony Gonsolin fan.

When I watch him pitch I wonder every time whether he can keep this up. I just see excellence.

There have been great articles recently on Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus

Baseball America

Topps Top 100: Who Has The Best Pitch Among The Top 100 Pitchers?

Kyle Glaser: I might be going a little off the board here, but give me RHP Tony Gonsolin’s split-changeup. It’s a true 70-grade pitch that batters know is coming and still can’t do a thing about it. It comes in hard like a splitter, fades like a changeup and he commands it exceptionally to make it virtually unhittable. How unhittable? According to Statcast, major league batters hit just .182/.224/.250 against Gonsolin’s split-change last year with a 39 percent swing-and-miss rate. As he moves into his first full season, expect the legend of Gonsolin’s split-change to grow as more and more major league batters experience it.

Baseball America

Fifteen Players Turning Scouts’ Heads At 2020 Spring Training

Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Dodgers

Scout’s Take: “I really like him, even if it’s in a (Ross) Stripling type of role. I do think he’s going to be an impact guy for them. He’s going to bridge the gap that they’ll need because they’re going to go basically fourth and fifth starter by committee during the year. It’s really good stuff. He showed four pitches that he can throw for strikes that are all at least average to above average. The velo is there, he’s on the attack, the changeup looked really good. It’s all there.”

And this is a rather long article from Baseball Prospectus

PECOTA 2020: The Best Rookie Projections

I like the way he pitches

Sorry, I have been tied up all day.

A Water Quality convention in Orlando was canceled.

A Cannabis Convention in Michigan was canceled.

A Craft Beer Convention in San Antonio was canceled.

We had more than $100K involved, so I was involved heavily. Thankfully, it was all refunded!

We were also making Company plans for the Coronavirus if it hits our company.

Just another day at the office….

OK, I say May 3rd is the day the season will start..Do you have the over or under?

Thank you.

The last thing this place this needs is the rapid spread of the toxic political virus. It was starting to flare up in the last article.

The ban needs to be enforced because some simply can’t help themselves. It’s a compulsion…like conjuring

up hare brained trade scenarios.