Never Question Me Again!
I liked that headline, but I am joking… partially! I hate to keep saying this (no, I really don’t), but there was no way that Andrew Friedman and Josh Byrnes were going into the season with Gavin Lux at SS and Miguel Vargas at 3B. The conventional wisdom was that Lux was going…
I liked that headline, but I am joking… partially!
I hate to keep saying this (no, I really don’t), but there was no way that Andrew Friedman and Josh Byrnes were going into the season with Gavin Lux at SS and Miguel Vargas at 3B. The conventional wisdom was that Lux was going to be the SS. Muncy was at 2B, and Vargas was at 3B. I said that I would rather see Jacob Amaya at SS than Lux, but I am thrilled with trading Jacob Amaya for Miguel Rojas, who will hold down the #9 spot in the batting order. Amaya may (I said “may”) ultimately become a better SS than Rojas, but if Vargas, Busch, and Outman make the team, the Dodgers do not need another rookie. They need a vet at SS! Miguel is a defense-first SS who has a career Fielding Average of .980 with a career BA of .260 and an OB% of .314. He is definitely a #9 hitter, and this is a perfect landing place for him THIS year.
Right about now, I am going to put the odds that Gavin Lux plays 2B at 50/50. I think the Dodgers are considering Lux in the outfield, and of course, some of you are going to say, “You are wrong! Hell No! No Way! He’s going to play 2B – pure and simple.” Well, I am going to say this once: “I have been telling you for years that Lux was no SS, and some of you wanted to argue about it, but it turns out I was right, and you were wrong! End of story!”
Now, there is a lot to be decided:
- How does Max Muncy look? Is he healthy? Is he trimmer? Quicker? How does he look at 2B?
- How does Miguel Vargas hit? How does he play 3B?
- How does James Outman look in CF… or LF?
- How does Mike Busch look in the spring?
Gavin Lux could end up at 2B or maybe the outfield. Miguel Vargas could be at 3B, or LF, and Max Muncy could be at 3B or 2B. This is what I know (barring injury). What I know is that Andrew Friedman pulled a rabbit out of his hat with Miguel Vargas. He doesn’t walk, and he doesn’t strike out. He puts the ball into play and he will bat 9th. Hitting 9th and eliminating the shift should maximize his ability.
Chris Taylor is expected to be traded unless Andrew Friedman pulls another Rabbit out of his hat and gets the Twins to pony up a few million for Trevor Bauer by throwing in some prospects. Time is short. It has to happen soon. The Dodgers are going to be under the Luxury Tax – BOOK IT!
To those of you who think James Outman will be a great centerfielder, based on his small sampling, I say, “Maybe, Maybe not!” We have not seen enough of him to make a rational determination., and if you say that Gavin Lux cannot play OF based on his small sampling, I say the same thing! Lux will need to learn to play the outfield. Craig Biggio learned to move from C to 2B to CF. Gavin Lux is a gifted athlete who does not have a great arm, but it’s a good arm, and it’s enough for CF.
I see James Outman as a 4th Outfielder. Here’s my 2023 lineup:
- Lux CF
- Betts RF
- Freeman 1B
- Martinez DH
- Muncy 2B
- Smith C
- Vargas 3B
- Busch LF
- Rojas SS
Bench: Outman, Thompson, Barnes, Heyward, Dugger, Vivas, Leonard, Rushing, Hernandez – Pick ’em! Taylor may get traded!
Gavin Lux will likely hit .300 with a .385 OB% if he has nothing in his head about the Yips. He might hit 20 HR at leadoff. Maximize his offensive value and speed.
Rojas had a bad year in 2022, but he is a big bounce-back candidate, as he was injured most of last season. Miguel Rojas is an elite defensive shortstop who is a two-time Gold Glove finalist — including last season, when he ranked in the 98th percentile of outs above average, per Statcast — as well as a respected clubhouse leader. I suppose it’s possible that he could platoon with Lux, but I think Lux needs to play every day, and that will likely be in the outfield!
Rojas gives the Dodgers another year to find a SS. Don’t doubt what I am saying… right about now; my record is better than yours!
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (105)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Interesting development but tempered by the fact that although he’s just had wrist surgery, he needs further work on it, which is a red flag for me.
Not sure Ive seen a player yet who returns to their best form in the season after surgery – always seems to take time, and we only have him for one year.
I’m reserving judgement on this one…
Mark may want to wait for the Dodgers to explain this move before ruling out Lux as a SS.
Rojas adds depth, but it makes zero sense to exceed the luxury tax just to swap Amaya for Rojas. He is a below average hitter and could barely start for the Marlins, much less a World Series contender. Rojas is a good insurance policy if Lux can’t handle SS, but I highly doubt Rojas is expected to be an everyday player. Maybe they platoon Rojas and Lux at SS, and Lux moves to 2B against lefties. Or maybe Rojas is used as a late inning defensive replacement.
But this is a baffling move as it stands now. If the Dodgers were fine exceeding $233 million in payroll, then they should have actively pursued a legitimate SS like Turner, Boegaerts or Swanson. Or a budget free agent option like Iglesias or Andrus.
Usually Friedman finds a solution and no way this is the last domino. Either dump salary to get under the CBT threshold or spend more to improve the team.
Is Rojas really going to be the Dodgers shortstop? You would think but then there’s this;
Rojas, 34 next month, adds a glove-first utility option to the mix in L.A. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times writes the club plans to bounce the nine-year MLB veteran around the infield in a multi-positional capacity.
I think Lux can be a very good player. Just put him in CF and let him play. I think you just might find that he is a Centerfielder.
I like it I was saying the same thing just don’t like Busch in LF. Maybe Heyward if he is like Kemp was in spring training that one year. Kemo made the all-star team.. Then they have Thompson or Outman out there some games. If they trade Taylor? And also some prospects. Could they get an established outfielder. Say like from the D- Backs. I hear they have like six outfielders. Just haven’t followed the Twins. And don’t know who they have as outfielders.
What happens when a blind squirrel runs into a broken clock?
“Don’t doubt what I am saying… right about now, my record is better than yours!”
We’re still waiting for Alex Verdugo to turn into the next Tony Gwynn.
“…as well as a respected clubhouse leader.”
I think this is a big part of it. The Dodgers are already risking a little bit by going with two rookies in the lineup. Amaya might turn into a decent MLB shortstop someday, but today the Dodgers need a proven commodity and a veteran presence in the clubhouse – especially with JT gone – instead of another unproven rookie.
Hard to justify Lux there at SS sandwiched in between a rookie Vargas at 3rd and a suspect Muncy at 2nd, especially now that the shift is gone and he can’t cheat. The Dodgers need some stability in that infield. The infield defense still is a major question mark, but it’s better.
Not sure where that puts Lux. If he’s not a SS, he’s not a CF. Doesn’t have the pop for LF.