There are a lot of new commenters here since I first started writing for LADT in 2017, and I guess many do not know who I am. I will admit that this post is really out of my comfort zone. But I have been advised to push the comfort zone for better mental health. The other day, Mark intimated that I may have more contacts now than him. I have no idea if that is true or not. Most of my contacts were from my son’s playing days. I used to have a lot more contact with former players, agents, scouts, coaches, and others around the periphery. I was pretty close to John Savage, the current UCLA head baseball coach, as he was Andy’s recruiting coach at UNR. I was also very close to Jim Ozella who is the baseball coach at Hart High School. He used to be the baseball coach at Bishop Alemany when Andy was a high school student/athlete. I have always wanted to ask both what they truly thought of Trevor Bauer, who they both coached. But I never thought that they would be all that forthcoming. Both coaches are really tight lipped regarding their athletes to the outside. I also wanted to ask Ozella what he thought of RVS. I am not a journalist, and I did not want to push the envelope I knew they would never open.
After my son’s stroke in 2017, many of those contacts slipped away. Some are no longer in baseball. MLB and MiLB is not for the faint of heart. Not all agents are Scott Boras, and most scouts barely make it by. When my son was scouted in the early 90’s, birddog scouts did not get paid, but many got a small bonus if one of their players got drafted, and maybe a little if he makes it to MLB. Those that present a few prospects, could work it into a low level payroll job that does not pay very much at all. Always on the road, 12 months of the year. Maybe a good life for a baseball junkie, but certainly not for a family person. I talked with countless number of those guys.
Many of my opinions have derived from my talks with Andy and those he has exposed me to. I have also had discussions with former ML players like Jon Garland, Jack Cassel, and Gary Matthews Jr. who I have watched since T-Ball days. Gary’s grandmother lived directly behind us in Granada Hills, and when he was there, Gary would jump the fence and knock on our back door for Andy to come out. Gary would often complain why I did not draft him to be on my youth league teams. I explained that he was too good and Andy and my coach’s son were always 1st round choices, and Gary was gone by then. One year I got lucky. Gary was 12 and Andy was 11 and I somehow got to pick Gary. I did not have to take my coach’s son until the 2nd round. We had 25 game season, and went 25-0.
I have talked with Jeff Suppan and Randy Wolf who were Andy’s teammates in winter ball (as 11 and 12 year olds). Jeff was later a teammate on their World Champion Mickey Mantle team. And Randy was later a teammate with Andy in the Phillies organization. They lived together with a sponsor family in Batavia, New York, directly across the street from the stadium. There are many others who were drafted and did not make it to ML for a myriad of reasons, who I got to know as high schoolers and into their college and MiLB days. I talked with many of the parents at games when Andy would be playing against their son’s teams. I would sit with team parents in his MiLB days. I heard more stories about what players were going through than I can remember.
After Andy retired due to injuries, I would get calls from scouts to see if I could get Andy to reconsider retirement. He was a perfect organizational fit as a AAAA player. He had an off the charts baseball IQ and was not afraid to coach the youngsters coming up, even though they would pass him by. He knew swing patterns better than many (if not most) of the coaches in MiLB, and his manager’s always picked his brain. Tito Francona was his favorite, and Francona loved Andy. I know Andy could have had a job with Cleveland had he wanted one. It was not for lack of trying. I know Ben Cherington called Andy numerous times to get him to consider coaching in Boston’s organization. Andy’s response was that he is not leaving Reno.
One of Andy’s closest friends was Gabe Kapler. Andy and Gabe played on the same scout league team in high school, with a lot of other high level players in the San Fernando Valley. They were also teammates on the 2004 Red Sox team. I was really hoping that Gabe got the LAD manager job. I know Zaidi liked Gabe, but Stan Kasten and the other owners were blown away with Dave Roberts’ interview. When Zaidi went to SF, he got the manager he always wanted. When Gabe was interviewing for the LAD manager’s job, Andy would say that he and Gabe were talking a lot. Andy laughed at me and told me not to get my hopes up. But it was also known that the only organization he would leave Reno for would be LAD. Gabe did not get the LAD job, so we will never know what might have happened.
Mark also made a comment that we do not get paid as writers for LADT. It has been pointed out that my writing is not worth what I do get paid, so what Mark is paying me is just fine.
I bring this up because while I may have some residue of contacts, most of my opinions are based on what those aforementioned players, etc. have discussed with me in the past. I have never once disclosed any conversation with any player, coach, FO, scout, agent, or parent, and never will. Most of the stories Andy has told me will never be disclosed unless he allows me to. He does have a good friend who is in the LAD organization, but I have never asked him if he would put us in communication with each other. Maybe I will after the season, but Andy believes in boundaries. With my depression, it is much more difficult for me to follow up with any of my former contacts. I still do not ask for any inside information from those that do periodically call and check in on me.
I am a retired CPA and CFO for multiple real estate organizations. Thus my love for numbers and finance. I am a baseball junkie who is fortunate to have a son make it to ML and get a World Series ring (Boston 2004). Andy was a AAAA player which is why I get upset with people who besmirch AAAA players like Raley, Reks, Neuse, and others. There are ways of making a point about these players without calling them bums or products of dumpster diving. They happen to be one of the top 900 players of baseball in the US, just not in the top 780. If the rosters were expanded to 26 when Andy played, I think he would have been that 26th player. I follow MLB A LOT, but I follow MiLB more than MLB, and have since the 70’s.
So now you know where I come from. With that in mind, I have a conspiracy theory that I want to espouse. It is my own and not based on any specific knowledge. I am a stat nerd, so I usually support many of my comments with stats (okay a lot of stats). I am also fascinated with baseball finances. When I got on my high horse and pontificated that LAD would not get to $250MM in payroll (as did Mark), we were challenged by BandP. I acknowledge he was right and I was wrong. While I never doubted that the Dodgers could afford the periodic extravagance, there would always need to be adjustments.
But I also believe that there is unwritten and unspoken collusion that occurs in MLB that was requiring the organizations with the best financial foundation to keep payroll in check. Go over the threshold periodically, but make sure you get underneath the “cap” before exceeding it in three consecutive seasons. I have always maintained that MLB is an oligarchy and needs the 30 teams to be competitive, at least once in a while. There is no way that anyone can convince me that NYY and Boston cannot afford the high salaries, but they “needed” to get underneath the threshold. Why???
My conspiratorial mind believes that the LAD owners are still bristling about the lack of punishment for the cheating ASStros players. They believe that the 2017 championship should have been won by LAD, and was stolen. I do believe that the lack of support that LAD received from the other owners gave the LAD owners the impetus to go full in and decided to not only go over the threshold, but to decimate it. Thus the Trevor Bauer contract.
With the current Trevor Bauer situation, I have a sinking feeling that LAD has wanted Manfred and MLB to suspend Bauer without pay, rather than keeping it in limbo with LAD continuing to pay Bauer’s salary. They do not need a finality to the legalities. MLB can and has in the past suspended players without indictments. MLB has stipulated that they do not need litigation for suspension. The CBA has given the Commissioner the right to suspend unilaterally. The player can appeal. Manfred is continuing with status quo. Why???? Manfred is loathsome when it comes to Bauer, so it is not because he has an affinity towards Trevor. I think it is more of a statement on what the Dodgers did with their signing of Bauer and their 2021 payroll. You signed him, now you can continue to pay him. Who here believes if this were the NYY, that Bauer would not be suspended?
With that in mind, I think it is plausible that the LAD owners have told AF to “F” it and go out and get greedy. Yes they needed starters and a RH bat, but in the past that was not Max Scherzer or Trea Turner. It would have been Tyler Anderson and Tyler White. After the Scherzer, Turner, and Duffy acquisitions, the Dodgers AAV for luxury tax purposes is estimated (by RosterResource) to be approximately $275MM. We will not know the actuals until December (I believe that is the date). Now the Dodgers have signed Cole Hamels. Of course this is not just for show. They believe it gives them the best chance to win in 2021. But they are not afraid to flaunt their financial might in light of what has happened to them. The owners know that their investment increases more by championships than by annual net operating revenues.
I will go one step further in my conspiracy. I think it is conceivable that the Dodger owners could push more on the side of the players when it comes to luxury tax and “salary caps” during the upcoming CBA negotiations. The “have nots” do not want to take their shared revenues and pay for players (the intent of the rule), so why should the Dodgers have to limit their financial strength just to placate those owners. I do concede that the LAD owners do indeed believe in the oligarchy structure, but I also hypothesize that they are not going to continue to let the owners dictate to them, when those same owners are unwilling to support them when needed.
I fully recognize that one of the unintended consequences of depression is paranoia and one’s ability to make mountains out of mole hills. I acknowledge that my suspicions are not based on anything other than sheer conjecture. Maybe some of the aforementioned conversations may have helped to form them. Nevertheless it is what I believe.
Now LAD, go out and win the 2021 WS and thumb your nose at the other owners. I would like nothing more than for Max Scherzer to start and pitch brilliantly in the championship winning game, with Danny Duffy and Cole Hamels shutting the opposition down in relief, and Trea Turner having a career day for the offense.
Go ahead Bluto, go ahead and tell me how farcical this all is. ☺
Discussion (50)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Rain forecast to start in 30-45 min from this post. Forecast to go for 90-120 minutes.
cheers
I am generally allergic to conspiracy theories. Largely due to the fact that the vast majority simply make no sense whatsoever. They are often what I would describe as one of the more extreme examples of cognitive bias. If things aren’t how you would like them to be, one concocts some ridiculously unlikely (often laughingly complex) scenario to make the world conform to a particular bias.
That said, I am inclined to agree with you on this one, Jeff. We share the same bias (Dodgers). So there is that. However, as you stated, MLB is not like most industries. There are few, if any, industries as strange as MLB. It is run by a cabal of oligarchs. It’s more of a club than an industry. You really do have to be invited to join.
I would have to go back and re-read a lot of old articles to recall all the details. But I read some very solid writing years back on the circumstances that resulted in Frank McCourt owning the Dodgers. When John Henry purchased the Red Sox, I recall McCourt was intent on litigating due to the fact that he claimed the process was rigged (of course it was). It has been alleged that McCourt was promised by MLB that he would receive preferential treatment when the next large club to came up for sale. That club was the Dodgers (lucky us). We all, especially here, know how that played out. I still get a feeling in my stomach akin to eating some bad oysters whenever the name Frank McCourt is spoken aloud. I still can’t stand the man. But I also hold a lingering contempt for MLB that they permitted that man to sink his dirty fingers into my team. After all the terrible years, bankruptcy, courtroom divorce drama and the general pillaging of my beloved team for his own lifestyle; I’m still not fully recovered. And I believe MLB is responsible for a good portion of that by simply letting that man anywhere near a MLB ball club.
So given the history, that I know for certain, in terms of how MLB can operate like a cartel, as opposed to an industry, I can believe that there might be some conspiracy theory like stuff going on. No antitrust laws to be wary of. They can really do whatever they like.
I have heard recently that we are the new “evil empire”. Well, MLB stuck us with Frank McCourt. When there were other (countless) potential ownership groups who would have done right by the Dodgers (As our current owners have). We had to endure one of the most gut wrenching periods in MLB history under his ownership. How many MLB teams have gone bankrupt? Much less one of the legendary teams in a top 5 US city!
So MLB might be trying to stick it to the Dodgers again. I can buy it. As they say; “So what is knew?”
Great article indeed, thanks.
I have no doubt there is a LAD jealousy. I wonder why it took so long for MLB to approve the Scherzer/Turner trade. I’m surprised we also didn’t throw in Lux as well as the 4 prospects to kind of balance it out. And of course, I’m sure this is part of the reason as to why Manfred didn’t strip the Astros of their title.
Not sure why MLB doesn’t have a salary cap like NFL and NHL…..the Luxuary tax doesn’t exactly assure equality, but it does make a few of the players richer.
https://calltothepen.com/2021/08/05/los-angeles-dodgers-trevor-bauer-clearly-future-plans/?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email
If the Dodgers finally stay healthy I still like their chances to win the division. Would hate to go into a one game playoff vs the Friars.
Dodgers have to start winning the close games immediately. Giants so far have found a thousand ways to win games and the Dodgers to lose .
The two blown saves vs the Giants by KJ in the last series are the difference in the standings. Otherwise we would be tied.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!
Cartaya and Pepiot made Kiley M’s new top 50 Prospect list:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/31958336/kiley-mcdaniel-midseason-top-50-mlb-prospects
The great Eric Longenhagen has this to say about Dodgers righty Hyun-il Choi
He’s experienced a little bit of a velo bump (more 92-95 than 88-92, where he was in 2019) and shown remarkable strike-throwing ability; he’s only run three 3-0 counts all year. A plus splitter, at least plus command, and viable fastball velocity make him a high-probability big league starter.
Longenhagen also put former Dodger prospects at #1 and #3 in terms of those traded at the deadline:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/ranking-the-prospects-traded-during-the-2021-deadline/
Don’t look now #1, but Andy Pages has been on a tear since mid-July, slashing .380/.494/.761 in his last 20 games. Despite his occasional strike zone deficiencies, he hit his 22nd homer for Great Lakes, 101 mph off the bat, 396 feet, and he went 2/3 with 2 walks tonight overall.
Dodgers signed an undrafted player, Jack @Dreyer from Iowa. Lw-90’s fastball with a curveball, slider, and a changeup. In college he struck out 23 batters in 21.2 innings, limiting them to a .171 batting average.
Don’t look now, #2, but Cameron Gibbens’ 4is promotedand still rocking! Now in AA Tulsa, he had a perfect 2.0 IP debut . Ascending from Low A to AA in a single minor league season is always noteworthy!
Don’t look now, #3, but from FutureDodgers:
The move is not official yet (should be tomorrow), but SS Eddys Leonard is heading to High-A Great Lakes.
He’s been arguably Rancho’s best hitter all year, hitting .295/.399/.544 (146 wRC+) with 14 HR. 11 BB%, 24 K%, 11.6 SwStr%.
Still 20 years old, won’t turn 21 until December
Showing up late, but I really appreciate the candidness of the blog. Talking baseball among real people = nothing better as it combines both logic and emotions.
On that note, just read box score and saw the Giants post a 4 spot in the 9th and then come back to win in the 10th. Furthermore, K Bryant was a key contributor. Now reading the post about how Farhan really wanted Gabe but the others preferred Roberts over an interview gives me a sinking feeling. As a Dodgers fan, I hope I’m wrong. At the same time, I can put aside baseball and glean that these are real people with real lives and am happy for former Dodgers Kaplar and Farhan if that is the outcome. The bottom line is that at this moment in time, the rival Giants are doing what it takes to win games and the Dodgers (outside blow out wins) are not. Still time to turn around but every day is another small piece of evidence that the best team on paper doesnt always win. The performance from Scherzer last night was gritty and exactly what we need. I’ll be looking for the same from here on out.
You can ridicule my bullpen stats all you want, but the fact remains that the Dodgers bullpen, as abysmal as it has been at times, is still Top Ten in Bullpen ERA. Still, the bottom line is not what history shows, but what lies in the future. How will they perform in October is all I am concerned with… and I think they are coming together.
Trevor Bauer’s Administrative Leave To Be Extended Through August 13
By Tim Dierkes | August 5, 2021 at 5:32pm CDT
AUGUST 5: Bauer’s administrative leave will be extended tomorrow, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). This extension will run through August 13, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter).
For those who haven’t looked at the SF schedule, after 3 in Milwaukee they have 2 more with the Dbacks and 4 with the Rockies.
While that’s happening we have 3 with the Angels, 3 with the Phils and 3 with the Mets.
We may not be catching them any time soon.
Well the Giants came back from a 4-0 deficit in the 9th inning and beat Dbacks in extra innings.
In a nutshell, this game shows why the Giants are 4 games in front of the Dodgers.
The Giants get timely hitting, have a great bullpen, and win close games. The Dodgers do not. And no matter how many bullpen stats Mark tries to invent, the Dodgers bullpen has not been good. They missed out by not re-signing McGee, who closed the door on the Dbacks.
A great stat from True Blue LA showed that in extra innings, the Dodgers bullpen has given up runs in a staggering 13 straight extra inning frames.
And the Dodger castoff, McGee managed to shutdown Dbacks today.
The Giants are showing us that baseball is a great game and that just spending the most money or even putting the most talent on a roster does not guarantee a championship.
The Dodgers had every opportunity to beat the Giants in the last 7 games but managed to lose 5 of them. And those games very well may have cost them the division title.
Giants won! Pathetic!!
Painful to watch the Giants come back to lead this game.
Some of you know that I believe that Friedman doesn’t value the bullpen as much as offense and starting pitching and this is not an overall knock on Friedman because overall I think Friedman is good at what he does. Some of you know that I like the OPS stat a lot not only for offense but also for pitching. Some of you know that because of the 3 batter minimum rule I like the OPS vs RHB and LHB stat a lot. Some of you know that I don’t like an OPS above .700 vs RHB and LHB for relievers.
So lets take a look at the Dodgers bullpen and who has an OPS above .700 vs either RHB or LHB for this season or over their career or both.
Blake Treinen career .738 vs LHB
Victor Gonzalez career .732 vs RHB and 2021 .897 vs RHB
Joe Kelly career .726 vs LHB and close to .700 vs RHB
Phil Bickford career 1.046 vs LHB and 2021 1.046 vs LHB
Jimmy Nelson career .781 vs LHB
Scott Alexander career .714 vs RHB and 2021 .792 vs RHB
Brusdar Graterol career .826 vs LHB and 2021 .747 vs LHB
Corey Knebel career .722 vs RHB
I didn’t list the AAA relievers who come and go. then we all know about Kenley Jansen’s inconsistencies.
So this is why I am sketchy about our bullpen. And why I believe if the Dodgers get knocked out of the playoffs it will be because of our bullpen. And why I say the bullpen is the weak link.
D-Backs definitely not the Dodgers when it comes to working the count. Rogers threw 3 straight balls to Ahmed who swung at the 4th and flied out, then on 6 more pitches Rogers gets Marte and Kelly both on fly ball outs. Into extra innings. Gilbert now pitching for Az, and LaStella starts the inning on second, Bryant at the plate for SF.
And 2 strikes
D-bags choked the 4 run lead in the top of the ninth. Tie game
D-Backs beating the hated ones 4-0 in the sixth. If they win, Dodgers are 3 back, if they lose, 4. Watched a little of the Angels game to see Peters. Jharel Cotton, who used to be a Dodger pitched two clean innings of relief for Texas.
For anyone who still reads the Athletic, they have an interesting story on how contrition and pay raises have effected the minor league guys. I’ve been very curious about this topic. Despite some pay raises, living conditions without host families due to covid are still substandard. My go to comment about the treatment of minor leaguers is “while they struggle along to get to a livable wage, Manny Machado, in 2019, made a touch over $51,000 per at bat.” With that kind of money floating around, wouldn’t you think teams could take better care of their minor league players?
I do know that some teams are building hotels, like Comfort Suites type buildings, at their spring training sites. There’s one at Goodyear. The Rangers have one at Surprise and the Royals are building one too. There may be more for Cactus League teams that I haven’t seen. These are undoubtedly available for Spring Training and the Summer League Players. That’s used instead of hotels. They can feed and house players with more control. I know the Dodgers has some problems a few years back, with some young players at a hotel in Westgate, with women and liquor involved. There’s lots of room and construction around Camelback Ranch. I would not be surprised to see the Dodgers and White Sox to build similar facilities.
But that doesn’t help players in East BF, USA. at every level. I don’t know why it’s so hard for businesses with billion dollar operations to take care of their young players.
Great read, Jeff. Thanks for all you contribute here.
I also very much appreciate how you’ve put yourself out there in an attempt to let us have a little bit of a deep dive into the life and times of Jeff Dominique. As you can see by the comments you’ve received today, there is lots of love and admiration coming back at you. Please keep those articles and comments coming, as often as you are able.
Someone mentioned earlier that it was a shame we don’t have more games against the Giants and Padres late in the season. Well, they’ve just released next year’s schedule and you should be very happy.
We have exactly one series against SF and one against SD in the first two months of the year, and then finish in September with 15 games against them (9 against SD and 6 against SF). That is assuming there is a season next year. And wouldn’t it be ironic if there was a strike and it lasted long enough to cancel the All Star Game, you know the one that’s supposed to be played at Dodger Stadium after already having been re-scheduled once due to the pandemic.
Oh well, time to concentrate on this year. Have we extended Scherzer yet?
Jeff, hats off to you! This was one of the best posts on this website since I’ve been reading it. It made me think on many levels. First, I admire your courage and forthrightness about mental health issues. It obviously resonates with many of us. Second, I’ve always enjoyed your financial analyses and your devotion to minor league baseball and its players. Third, I didn’t know the full story of your son. He must be a special guy. Finally, I agree with others that your conspiracy theory is plausible. It has seemed obvious to me for years that there is a collusion among owners to keep total salary expenditures below a certain level. Otherwise, how else could you explain AFs coming from a small-market club – the Rays – and acting as if the Dodgers were also a small-market club? It perplexed me. Why, when he had the resources of the Dodgers at his disposal, did it take him years to finally spend the money on the kind of game changing player – Mookie – who could put them over the top? For years it seemed that the Dodgers were more interested in keeping costs down and profits up than in a championship. Something must have changed. Your theory about the Asstros cheating and the Dodgers management saying “FU” to Manfred and the owners makes sense. Of course, we’ll never learn the truth, but it is fun to speculate. Good to have you back with us!
Fascinating article AC. One that really got me thinking, which surely is the aim of any Blog Post.
I must say the quality of writing here is unbelievably good. Nice to see Rob back, but Michael has been the workhorse, producing interesting articles virtually every other day.
Well done Mark – this place goes from strength to strength.
AC quite rightly put me right early on about the trials and tribulations of Minor Leaguers, something I have never forgotten since. I was very condescending before that.
Some really interesting personal stories here today. Very humbling.
Meant to say sign stealing.
Phil, couldn’t agree more regarding Joe rambling on about stray signing last night. And then to continue, as if anyone was interested while Altuva is getting struck out and the Dodger faithful are going nuts. If it was Vin all we would of heard was the crowd.
And Kristen is even harder to listen to, soft, screechy voice and going so fast this 70 year old can’t keep up.
Say again, no never mind.
Pollock has the best BA of any Dodger starter ( until Trea starts)!
I did watch DJ Peters yesterday with the Rangers. It’s nice to see him get a chance with them. He went 1 for 3 with a stolen base and a nice catch in the outfield. It will be interesting to see him against the Dodgers.
I watched the Angels to watch Ohtani actually. Listening to Mark Gubicza was awful. One thing I noticed was the feeling of how much he doesn’t care for the Dodgers. Many announcers are still respectful with rivals. Mike Krukow comes to mind as well as Michael Kay. The Angel broadcast was not and they were all over Max giving up the 1st inning homer to Brantley, complete with video and elation. Nothing else was mentioned, shown or reported after that. No comments and video of Mookie’s and Smith’s dingers and the 4 spot we put up in the bottom of the inning. If I had to listen to that guy nightly, I’d be a jig-saw puzzle expert and give up baseball.
I find it interesting how folks have split views on Belli in the 8 hole. Some folks seem amazed that a former MVP could possibly be in the 8 hole. Others think this is a justified move or he should be benched or in AAA. I’m good with it for lots of reasons.
What goes unmentioned is we have a guy in the 7 hole hitting .306 / .895 and there’s not a peep about it. In fact, some still wish Joc was out there or some platoon. Pollock just has never been embraced by most Dodger fans. When health, he’s been great for us.
Price takes the bump to start in tomorrows game with the Halos. My hope is that Tio Albert gets to pinch hit and homers.
Brillante artículo Jeff felicitaciones tus conjeturas tienen mucho sentido. Por otra parte en tu narración describes como Gabe Kapler llego a SF, que lástima porque ese señor se ve a millas que es mucho mejor manejador que nuestro Doc. Haz caso omiso a los calificativos que hacen algunos sobre los peloteros AAAA, ellos son seres humanos que están tratando de alcanzar un sueño y esa insensibilidad de su parte, es totalmente inaceptable porque viene de una reacción de frustración y no de un razonamiento, como sea Jeff una vez más magistral artículo.
* The last Scherzer pitch was awesome. the hitter set up for a slider so Max pumps a 96 mph cheese-ball right by his ass. See ya
*What a performance by Max. We needed another starter at the deadline. Well, I guess you can check that box. What an incredible performance. He’s a Dude.
* Is baseball a great game or what? One night you’re in the outhouse and the next day in the Penthouse. Great emotions and a bit of drama tossed in by KJ before he struck out the side.
* When Kelly came in I was wondering if it was Joe who might start a brawl of Joesph who would carve up the batters with nasty stuff. Well, there seemed to be a reluctance of those 100mhp heat seekers, maybe staying away from one getting away(?). Lot’s off breaking balls. The fat, lifeless change up to Correa was a mystery selection. If I could throw 100, that’s what you’d see in that situation.
* Now the pitchers walk off and get quickly checked by the umpire. Nobody notices. Nothings said anymore. It seems like a dead topic now. Maybe MLB got this one right. I have not seen any data reports on spin rates declining. But alls quiet on that front.
* I really don’t like catchers down on a knee to receive the ball, especially with runners on. Smith did it last night turning a blockable ball into wild pitch. That ball was way wide but he had no shot. Maybe he could have blocked it had he been on the feet and able to shift over properly. I don’t get that technique?
* Kirsten was dressed like she was hosting the Academy Awards last night.
*Joe Davis had bad timing top 6. Just as he embarked on a long, Vin-like saga, about sign stealing in 1887 or something, Altuve came to the plate. The crowd was going nuts. Instead of putting this semi interesting tale on the shelf, he persevered. You couldn’t hear a word he was saying. And he wouldn’t give up on the story throughout the at bat. He and Orel sometimes miss exciting, emotional situations as they ramble on about some unrelated topic. They talk right through exciting, dramatic moments. Shut up, I’m watching the game.
I enjoyed reading your Post today Jeff. Life has too many curve balls and sliders.
I don’t like conspiracy theories but you shared one that is intriguing. There probably is a dance gong on between MLB and other teams and that dance could impact the next contract.
Jeff, Bear, explore https://cereset.com/
Great article Jeff! So much to chew on. I have always loved a good conspiracy theory, whether it involved the assassination of JFK, 9/11 or MLB and the Dodgers. One of my favorite books during my formative years was “None Dare Call it Conspiracy” by Gary Allen. But back then, the term “conspiracy” did not have the negative connotations it has now that the term has been hi-jacked and redefined by the left.
Blacks Law Dictionary defines conspiracy as:
Conspiracy: In criminal law. A combination or confederacy between two or more persons formed for the purpose of committing, by their joint efforts, some unlawful or criminal act.
Now the term has come to man: “Conspiracy theorists forward arguments that are unfounded. These are based upon limited knowledge and lack substantiating evidence. Most conspiracy theorists are simply wrong and unwittingly spread misinformation. However, prominent conspiracy theorists spread disinformation and have used their large followings on the Internet to create a dangerous phenomenon called ‘fake news.’” Wikipedia defines conspiracy theory as “an attempt to ignore other more plausible explanations. It is a theory based upon prejudice or insufficient evidence, it resists falsification and suffers from circular reasoning. It has left the realms of logical deduction and become a matter of faith.” I reject that definition, and will stick with the historical definition.
I agree that there appears to be a conspiracy by the powers of MLB to make life a little more difficult for the Dodgers than for other teams. For example, I find it more than coincidental that Justin Turner, the most vocal and outspoken critic of Manfred during the Astro cheating investigation, is the one player singled out during the most important game of his career, for having “discrepancies” in his test. Forgetting the fact that these PCR tests don’t work, could MLB not determine before the game that there were some questions about his results? It gives me pause.
As to whether or not Bauer should get paid, I’m fairly certain that is spelled out in the CBA agreement.
With all that said, I think Manfred is as bad as a commissioner as baseball has had during my life time. Any chance the Dodgers get to rub his face in it, I wholeheartedly applaud.
Lastly, I have so much respect for you Jeff in sharing your personal story and struggles. My wife has had a 50 year battle with severe depression and I have learned that is not a condition to take lightly. Continued prayers that you gain victory over the depression!!!!
Thanks for the post, Jeff, and your candor. Mental health is an important issue, and too much of a taboo subject.
I am relatively new here and it is interesting to learn about how people shape their perspectives. I made it a point to search for articles about Andy. It was inspiring to read about how he overcame the effects of a stroke to coach baseball.
I’m not sure I fully grasp the conspiracy theory, but I do think competitive balance is important and no doubt the Dodgers are widely resented. The Dodgers aren’t just the proverbial 800-pound gorilla, but a gorilla with a high IQ. If the Dodgers signed Bauer out of some combination of greed and spite and anger over the “punishment” given the Astros, well, karma is bitch.
As I’ve mentioned previously, my preference all along was for AF to pass on Bauer and focus instead on what the Dodgers do so well: scouting and nurturing young talent; finding unpolished gems like Taylor, Turner and Muncy, and savvy trades. Big contracts should be reserved for stars you know well, like Kershaw and now Betts. Why write big fat checks for free agents when you can develop talent at lower cost? (Arte Moreno probably regrets signing Rendon now–thought at least Rendon’s not a Josh Hamilton.) Do I think Kasten & Company want to stop paying Bauer? Absolutely. From a business perspective, Bauer’s legal culpability is secondary to the black eye he’s given the franchise. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kasten is hoping for charges to be filed because it would become that much easier to extricate the franchise from Bauer. Even if evidence proves that Bauer is the victim of a shakedown, he’s still not a sympathetic character. Then he’s just a sleazy character who got played because he likes rough sex –and what family-friendly business wants that image? What Bauer needs is a baseball version of the old Oakland Raiders–some sort of organization that exalts “bad boys.” (Is Vegas getting a franchise or not?)
Back to be actual baseball… Jeff, your description of Andy has me wondering whether the Dodgers’ new No. 3 catcher, Chad Wallach, is a similar sort of AAAA player. His father Tim was Cal State Fullerton’s big star when I was a student there. And of course Tim is the guy who persuaded the Dodgers to sign Justin Turner after the Mets foolishly let him go. (I know a couple of Mets fans here in Hong Kong–and losing Turner really stings.) I always root a bit more for the local guys, one reason why I really wanted DJ Peters to make it. Well, maybe the Rangers will give him a better opportunity.
Speaking of sons, has anybody else wondered whether our new No. 1 prospect Michael Busch is related the Dodgers previous Mike Busch? You may not remember his name, but surely Dodger fans rememer the 1995 strike-year replacement player who was promoted to LA during the season to play 3B. That Mike Busch because a folk hero to fans after Dodgers ostracized him as a “scab.” My guess is that most fans, me included, don’t really see pro athletes as guys who punch a clock and mine coal, work in a factory or pick produce. I attended a game in which 40,000 fans gave Mike Busch a long ovation after he struck out. And the fans were booing Brett Butler, since he had been the most outspoken player about Busch and labor grievances.
I don’t think the two Busches are related because I think if they were we’d know that detail by now. But a brief search left me wondering. I learned that the first Busch later played in Japan or maybe Korea, and then managed an independent team up in Calgary. And while we might think of the younger Busch (Jr?) as a product of one of the North Carolina colleges, he actually grew up in Minnesota, which isn’t too far from Calgary….
Hmmm.
Probably just a coincidence. Still, I was surprised when, while researching another bit of Dodger trivia, I stumbled upon the ’95 Mike Busch.
Sad to see J.R. Richard passed away. I remember how tough he was for the Astros in the early 80’s back when the Astros were in the NL West.
The more I see Mookie play second base the more I see that is how we roll going forward. He is to important to the teams success to have go back to the IL. Right field is less stressful than center so Bellie stays in right. When TT is activated he goes to center. Muncy on first, Seags on
SS, Turner on 3rd, AP left. Chris can be the everyday relief position player. Lux has to go back to AAA to fix his swing and come back in September. I see this as the go to line up to get us to the playoffs.
Saw this on another site;
When Austin Barnes catches Kenley Jansen:
15.1IP, 0ER, 0.00 ERA, 0 XB, 2SB, 6BB, 19K, (3.17 K/BB), 0.82BA
When Will Smith catches Kenley Jansen:
25IP, 13ER/15R, 4.88ERA, 21H, 7XB, 7SB, 23BB, 29K (1.26 K/BB), .235BA
It is a little late to complain about the hiring of Roberts over Kapler. I was ok with it at the time, and Kapler’s tenure in Phillie was nothing short of awful. I think DM got the job on Torre’s recommendation. I am not sure he was stuffed down our throats. But he did ok, nothing spectacular, but got them in a couple of playoffs and the record improved every year he was in charge. I hear the same complaints about most managers. I always wanted Scioscia to manage the team. But they alienated him and he went elsewhere. I always liked managers who had Dodger ties. Johnson, Little, Tracy, none of them had that. Kapler only spent one spring with the team, so I never really considered him a Dodger. But he did work for the team in the front office the year before DM was replaced. I was pulling for Tim Wallach myself. But Roberts did what you have to do. He wowed them at his interview and got the job.
Great article, Jeff!
I appreciate that you share your experiences and your challenges. You are obviously extremely knowledgeable and have great insights into baseball and the MLB. Through your son, you have great perspective on the commitment and sacrifice that it takes to play professional baseball at the highest level. And through your financial background, you also have a tremendous understanding of the business side of baseball.
I truly appreciate that you share your knowledge and wisdom with us, and help us better appreciate the game and the Dodgers.
Jeff,
I am happy to read what you have written and for the record, you are definitely more connected than me. I only have a couple of old scouts that I talk to. It would be fun to talk with Logan White again, but I doubt he would be forthcoming.
Another off day and a great way to go into it with that fabulous outing by our own Max Scherzer. Trea Turner is now on deck to join the team over the weekend and possibly as early as tomorrow.
I’m sorry to hear so many people have the types of issues shared on this site today. My sympathies go out to all of those who are suffering in such a manner. I’ll offer a small bit of advice, for what it’s worth. Spend some time outdoors each day. Spend some time exercising each day. Spend some time listening to music each day. Turn off the news and go for a walk.
Thank you Mark for maintaining a forum for everyone to share their thoughts. I find it cathartic to connect with other people who share the same interests.
The Astros certainly are a great team and is possibly the best team in the AL and will be a worthy opponent in the World Series. Talk about a ratings goldmine. Wouldn’t it be something to have a rematch without the trash cans? I would imagine that matchup would generate a lot of interest nationally.
Of course, the Yankees and Dodgers would be a classic matchup. Same can be said for Yankees v. Giants, but not quite the same history there. Personally, I would like to see the Dodgers and the White Sox since I have some unexplained affinity towards the South Siders. A Red Sox v Dodgers rematch with Mookie and Price on our side would also be fun for me personally. I agree with TedRaymond in that I wouldn’t be too excited to face off against the Rays. The Blue Jays have some star power with Bichette, Biggio and Guerrero and we have some post season history with A’s. Fun times ahead for sure.
I’m really hoping to see the Reds catch the Padres over the stretch run. They seem to have an easier schedule than the Pads at a glance, without spending too much time analyzing it. They only have 3 games remaining against the Brewers and the rest of the division doesn’t stack up. Whoever made this schedule needs to be fired. There should be more in division games at the end of the season. I can’t stand the Padres and hate them even more after their links to the Bauer incident.
I’m looking forward to the Angels series this weekend. Most of my neighbors are Angels fans as are most of the kids and parents my son played travel ball with. My son played for several years on the same travel ball team with David Fletcher, their leadoff hitter and Griffin Canning, one of their pitchers and played against both in high school. So, it’s fun for me to see them as young men after seeing watching them play as teens. They were both big Angels fans growing up and I talked a lot of smack with them about the Dodgers when they were kids. They are living the dream playing with their favorite team growing up, just like Danny Duffy will be doing in the not so distant future.
Thank you Jeff for this thought-provoking post regarding The Dodger’s Financial Clout, Manfred, and Bauer. Great stuff!
I’ve been guilty more times than I care to admit this season criticizing AAAA players like Raley, Reks, Neuse, and others. When I feel the urge to do so in the future I will remember this post and do better!
Thanks Again, Jeff!
Jeff, I appreciate the honesty and courage that it took to write that post.
I do believe that Manfred has it in for the Dodgers, maybe because of the booing he got from Dodgers fans when awarding the championship trophy last year. It is pretty clear that he is drawing out the Bauer situation in order that he cannot pitch for them, and the Dodgers will have to pay him. There are no charges, how much investigation of this do they need before deciding to charge? The restraining order is nonsense, Bauer has no interest in seeing the woman again. It is a combination of a play by her and her attorneys to get the most money possible, and Manfred putting it to the Dodgers.
For anyone who is still upset about the All-Star game being moved out of Georgia, do not worry, the Georgia legislature has fixed it, they were already in the process of doing it before the game was moved; so that even if all the vote suppression somehow doesn’t work, and Democrats might somehow win a major race there, the Republican controlled legislature has the ability to cancel all of it, and award the win to the Republican. Which they will do, that is why they wrote that law. So Georgia will be like Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, they will have elections, but only Republicans will win them. And that will paradoxically make the so-called libertarians happy, because in reality, they don’t want liberty, they want to be able to tell everyone else what to do, without anyone else ever telling them what to do. Maybe that is unfair in a given case or two, but that is what the various state legislatures, particularly Georgia and Texas, are trying to do. So moving the All-Star game is like fighting back at Al Capone with a pea-shooter. It won’t work, so do not worry, Georgia is about to become a state like they used to be in 1880, where only one side ever wins., and the goal is to make that permanent, with none of that federal interference they had in the 1950’s and 1960’s, which even Lester Maddox with his ax-handle could not overcome. The Supreme Court they have bought now will see to that.
As to the team, Scherzer was very good, and the Dodgers must sign him. Jansen pitched one inning and gave up two runs, so he definitely is still our closer, just be sure to put him in with at least a four-run lead. Pollock has certainly surprised me, and I hope this continues. I would continue to play Bellinger if he does not go 0 for 40 or so. He helped us in the playoffs last year, and he may well again. We are still going with bullpen games, as I consider any game Price starts to be that. Right now, we have three starting pitchers. I am not expecting very much from Hamels, but maybe I’ll be surprised. I am glad to see Betts doing better. Turner looks to be declining as a player in general, but hopefully he can still come up big in the playoffs. We’re still 3.5 games behind, and we need to play better than SF to make those up, as playing just as well will not do it.
Finally, I wish we had hired Kapler as manager, I felt so then. I watch his games sometimes, and he is far more unpredictable than Roberts, he calls for hit-and-run, an occasional squeeze play. Roberts never does that, he does the absolutely predictable thing every time. Maybe that is just computer managing, what he is supposed to do. But I am sure that every manager who goes against him knows exactly what he will do, which is not ideal. And he certainly intends to keep using Jansen.
Jeff, this is one of the best pieces I can recall since I have been reading LADT. Outstanding to say the least. The atmosphere the last 2 nights at Dodger stadium was as electric as they come and I was glad we were able to split the series. Hope we can go on a tear the last 50 or some games, since the all star break we are 9-9.
Unfortunately I was not a winner of the MLB’s sweepstakes to purchase tickets to the game in Dyersville, Iowa on 8/12 between the White Sox and Yankees. The Field of Dreams field is about 25 minutes from where I live and it would have been cool to attend. I will definitely be watching on Fox though.
Bear: Quick suggestion on a story in the future, if you don’t mind. How about a story on the heartbreaks us Dodger fans have seen over the years on losing a postseason game on a HR by the opposing team over the years? I can recall quite a few such as Ozzie Smith and Jack Clark in the 80’s, Matt Stairs in 2008 or 2009. Mitch Moreland in 2018, etc. I’d be interested more in the 50’s and 60’s which was before my time. Bobby Thompson shot heard around the world too. I’m sure there were some in that era. Of course the biggest one for us was Kirk Gibson in 88.
My last iota of faith in KJ is gone after yesterday. Can not trust him in leverage situations any longer.
I hope they go with Kelly or Treinen as closer from now on.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!1
Thanks for all your hard work Bear. I don’t have any expertise on depression I just know that it must be a long tough road. I have loved ones with bouts of depression and I feel helpless.
Bear I still would like to take a couple hacks at that fastball of yours. Why don’t you put a video of you singing the Anthem. I can’t remember being more nervous than when I watch my wife sing the Anthem.
Jeff, another outstanding article that covered a lot of ground. It seems you have had an interesting and rewarding life. Your respect for your relationships in regards to baseball is to commended. It’s very rare in this day and age.
I agree with your beliefs about how the Dodgers are now approaching payroll management. Manfred, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to be very appreciative of how the Dodgers conduct their business. The Dodgers are as smart as any organization in baseball and have the financial power to do as they please when it comes to roster building. I think with winning the WS last year the ownership realized how much value was added to their net worth. Like B&P says these people are ruthless and their main objective is to make as much money as possible for them and their shareholders. And, winning championships is the best way to do this. They have a long term TV that is the most lucrative in baseball. So, that’s not going to increase. They can’t increase attendance much more than where it is now. Revenue from MLB is not going to increase much in the future. So, equity appreciate is the best way to increase value. Building a dynasty and winning year after year is good for baseball and good for the Dodgers (and ownership). Who the hell wants to see Tampa Bay in a WS? The Dodgers vs Boston or the Yankees is what true baseball fans want to see in a World Series. Dynasties are good for the game.
The profit sharing with small market teams has turned out to be a waste and not effective. Those teams usually pocket the money and don’t spend it on player payroll like it was intended. There should be a minimum salary requirement in order for those teams to get money from the wealthier teams. The money should be invested by the teams that are going to invest it for maximum return.
The former owner, Jeff Loria, of the Marlins knew how to play the game of stealing the profit sharing money for himself and not investing in the team. In order to maximize his sale price of the team he sign Stanton to the highest contract in MLB history to secure a star. Of course, the contract was structured so that Loria was paying Stanton next to nothing the first 2-3 years of the contract to maximize his cash flow. Then he and his cohort, David Samson, conned Miami Dade county into building him a new stadium for $600M+ . This guy was ruthless and knew how to win financially. A former art dealer and investor. He didn’t care about revenues or TV contracts. It was the free money the wealthy teams gave him every year and then the equity built up with a star player, young prospects, and a new stadium. He had the worst run franchise in MLB and sold it for $1.2B. It was almost as disgusting as McCourt pulled off with his sale.
As for the game last night. Scherzer is a beast. I have a feeling the big, bad blue offense is about to unleashed for the remainder of the season. Goodbye SF and SD. It was a nice try.
Excellent read Jeff. Very intriguing stuff. Conspiracy or not, I think there is a lot of jealousy of the Dodgers around the league and in the main offices of MLB. Manfred is sitting on a powder keg with the new CBA looming and really no common ground between the two parties. MLB started another one of it’s so called experiments to boost offense and cut down K’s when yesterday in one of the minor leagues or independent leagues, I cannot remember which, the mound was moved back 1 foot. So many new rules and ideas to boost offense and cut down the K rates. But last night proved that sometimes, especially when it is a guy like Altuve, K’s can be very exciting. I also was appreciative of your opening up about your battles with depression. I knew of Badgers because we have discussed them before. I also served, but was never in combat. My bout with depression came from other events in my life, but part of it was survivors guilt. I lost quite a few friends in Nam, and other things that happened during those years. And I always kept asking why them and not me. But my way of dealing with it was to just put it out of my mind, work hard, play harder. Baseball and music were my releases. I was not good enough to get beyond some games in high school, and injuries and the military made sure of that. I first hurt my arm when I was trying to throw a guy out at the plate in little league. Then when I was in the Army I slipped on ice and fell on my left shoulder, and it has never felt the same since. But I played softball to make up for that. The music came after I got out. I found I had a talent that entertained people and I enjoyed immensely. Depression seemed a long way’s off, but when my second marriage ended, I went down the rabbit hole for a while. It is the only time I sought help for it. Music brought me back along with my love of the game and the Dodgers. Singing the Anthem at Dodger Stadium is still one of the best moments of my life. I love your writing and insights, and all the help you have given me since I began posting and eventually contributing to the site.
MLB should stay out of politics period. The all star game was a pathetic call. However, I seriously doubt Manfred did this on his own. Ownership supports him or he wouldn’t be there. The Dodgers are the envy of mlb franchises so I am sure they didn’t receive the good ole boy treatment that Houston did. As far as the luxury tax. If New York had signed Bauer they would have gone over. Manfred more or less told Kasten to shut his mouth about Bauer.Since he didn’t mlb will just make LA pay the price.
Back to the game. I am so glad Altuve did not make it to the plate because I just felt it would have been a tying homer. That would have been devastating. I am surprised that Jansen did not blow the game. He came out throwing 90mph. I don’t know what to do with him but he just should not close ever again.
The ASStros have a tremendous offense. They were without Bregman and Guerrial? They had 3 outs in their lineup that they won’t have come playoff time. McCullers like him or not is the real deal and a Dodger killer. They improved their bullpen at the deadline with graverman and Garcia. Pressly is injured. They would be the team I would fear most in the World Series. On a positive note we won. Scherzer was great and should have only allowed 1 run. Pollock has just been amazing he has to stay in the lineup. I c turner in the lineup with Betts, bellinger, turner getting days to prevent injury and keep fresh. Turner needs to bat second with Muncy moving to 5th.
Excellent piece, Jeff.
I’m guessing you’re right that there is something going on between the Dodgers and Rob Manfred. Probably goes back to the Houston Astros and the World Series. There were apparently lots of signs and undercurrent the Astros were doing something illegal and MLB was slow to act. Not like there weren’t rumors, suspicions. Manfred and MLB failed to investigate. It cost the Dodgers a championship.
Think of the impact to Kershaw. Dominated the Astros at Dodger Stadium, the mayhem in Houston when the Astros clearly knew when Clayton was throwing breaking stuff. The recent criticism of Stan Kasten for his attempt at making light of the Trevor Bauer situation. No question Kasten shouldn’t have said it, but to be called out by Manfred probably didn’t make management and ownership happy.
Bottom line, it’s a fine line for baseball to walk, trying to keep payrolls down, the Dodgers the most profitable team in baseball, finding new ways to generate money, it probably has Manfred and other owners worried that the dream of parity may disappear with a new mega power rising in the west.
But I always thought baseball was better off with the Yankees being the Yankees years ago and every other team chasing them. Now it may be the Dodgers and that has to scare some. But if you have the resources you should use them for your advantage. The Padres go all in, the Dodgers step up and raise the bar. Fun stuff. Good for the game.
Money and star power doesn’t always win championships, but it does make the game more relevant and adds excitement.
Again, good write-up, Jeff. Conspiracy theories add an interesting element.
I hope they sign Max Scherzer to a two year deal.
Fascinating read AC! Thank you for sharing. I have not doubt that not only is this possible, it is also plausible. Add in the fact that former manager Joe Torre is right there sitting next to Manfred in that ivory tower. Remember that Torre strong armed the Dodgers into making Mattingly the succeeding manager after his retirement and you can see how the league is run by a good ole boys network.
I’m sure the key holders in that ivory tower know that the Dodgers and Yankees hold a ton of clout. They can try to dictate how “the game” is played (I’m not talking about the game on the field.), but the Dodgers and Yankees can make a power move when they want to. I’ve pointed out several times that our owner’s are not “nice guys” that are going to play by some unwritten rules of morality. The are literally “Wolves of Wall Street” and Kasten is akin to “The Wizard of Oz”, a front man that carries out the directives of faceless bosses who dictate to him. The bottom line is always to increase the value of the franchise. That’s why I don’t put too much credence into the notion that they would just “move on” from Bauer because of some moral high ground.
The Bauer saga continues to get more interesting especially since Gropenor Cuomo is now in the spotlight for unbecoming behavior. Surprisingly, Rudy Giuliani came to his defense saying that Groper Cuomo is entitled to his due process and shouldn’t lose his job until he has his day in court. A far contrast from the treatment that Bauer is getting. Talk about friends in high places.
New texts, revealed yesterday, showed that the hooker from San Diego admitted that both encounters were fully consensual and actually used the word “consensual” straight from her text messages. I honestly can’t believe he is still suspended at this point where the facts point to no wrong doing. But, this case has less to do with right or wrong, legal or illegal, it is 100% political. Bauer is being sent a message from the ivory tower to shut his big mouth and to stop calling our Manfred. Good advice, as Manfred is digging his own hole and doesn’t need any help with the shovel.
The upcoming CBA is the only reason Manfred is still in his position. I personally don’t think he keeps his job either way long after it’s completed. Especially after botching the All-Star game.
Moving on to the product on the field…
Scherzer’s first start was as advertised and more. I don’t recall him being this animated when he was with the Nats or even with Detroit. It sure looks like he wants to be here and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come back next year. I’m very impressed that a 37 year old is still touching 97 – 98 and his other weapons are just as effective as that fastball.
Bellinger is coming around…”I think”. I’ll always refer back to Matt Kemp when it comes to Belli and his shoulder. In the year after Matt’s surgery, he said he felt a “pop” in his shoulder on a swing and started to look like the old Matt Kemp immediately afterwards. He attributed it to the scar tissue breaking down and his shoulder loosing up. I’m wondering if the the leg break and the hamstring injury delayed Belli’s shoulder getting stronger and looser since he wasn’t able to keep hitting.
Jansen and Belli are in the same boat right now. The Dodgers know that the team is better if they can get both of those guys right before the end of the year. There’s a delicate balance between winning now and surpassing the Giants and being full strength for the postseason. Is time running out, or is there still plenty of time to get right? I don’t think that management is as worried about a 3 game deficit at the beginning of August as we are.
I’m also not that concerned about Kershaw. I just think they want to minimize his usage to make sure he’s fresh for the playoffs. But, on the other hand, Hamels and Duffy sure is a lot of insurance in case he can’t. But, ultimately I still think that the Duffy signing is more of a long lefty ala Miller, Britton, Pomeranz, more than rotation insurance. Hamels looks more like rotation insurance and if he can catch lightning in a bottle, he could possibly be a big weapon. He’s the same age as Mad Max, but has a few hundred more innings of mileage on that arm.
I wonder how many other teams can boast a lineup composed entirely of all-stars and former all-stars? Well, almost. Will Smith is the only guy in the starting lineup without that honor, but it’s just a matter of time and he probably should have already received that honor if it weren’t for the short season last year and the late call-up the year before.
We literally have an all-star team on the field every day. Health is the only thing that’s going to stop this team from winning the division and keeping the streak alive. Well, health and Kenley Jansen and Mr. Magoo.
I have a few immediate reactions to this piece, but will keep some of it to myself. I need to re-read and give it more thought, I’ll also wait for other’s reactions.
First I want to commend you on your forthright admission of suffering from depression. Maybe you have before and I wasn’t aware but I too have been diagnosed with BPD and know how difficult it can be. I also am a work in progress when it comes to responding rather than reacting. Some of the thinking in here, and out there, has me wanting to scream a reaction. WTF is wrong with some people! Well, the fact is, we are all suffering from something. Isn’t that obvious?
Your premise makes sense. I have to admit there are times when I ask myself “so what the Dodgers can outspend other teams.” It’s the American way and it’s set up so the the least among ownership gets paid a stipend when they do. Those owners pocket the money instead of spending it on players then that’s on them. The Dodgers are a flagship organization. Their success is everyone’s success.
I don’t know the legal standings Bauer might have but I assume without a conviction of something he must be paid. We know the MLBPA is a powerful lobby consisting of a small number of millionaires. What they can do can’t be done anywhere else but I would think they might want to make this go away as much as everyone else does. The Dodgers have to pay him? Why? He’s not hurt and MLB suspended him. He’s also a potential liability to a paying fan base. Millions of fans may not want want him back. What are the team’s options based on guilt or innocence? What are the League’s options? If the Dodgers have to pay him and he can’t pitch then it’s my opinion those payments shouldn’t count against the cap.
Thanks for this piece Jeff. You’ve given me a lot to think about.