Rant Rave Friday

• OK, you want to be “all in?” Let’s go dream: The Mets trade Yoenis Cespedes, Noah Syndegard and Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers for Keibert Ruiz, Tony Gonsolin, Ross Stripling and Joc Pederson. Maybe there is one more piece… It’s a salary dump for the Mets and the Dodgers save some prospects, including May in the deal. I really like Tony Gonsolin, but Dustin May is a player I would not trade. Cespedes is owed $30 million next year and may or may not play again. Think about that rotation. Maeda immediately goes to the pen.
• Hey, didn’t you used to be Ender Inciarte? If anyone still wants him, he’s there for the taking at the trade deadline. A bucket of balls should get the job done. He has lost his starting position and is suffering from Austin Barnes Disease, hitting .205 with a .293 OB%. Yikes!
• It’s looking more-and-more like the Giants could actually be “buyers” at the deadline. What a run they have been on… They are playing way over their heads, and Bruce Bochy has them wired! It’s not sustainable… is it? However, he may be Manager of the Year.
• Yasmani Grandal is hitting .259 with a .373 OB%. He has 19 HR and 64 RBI, and leads all MLB catchers in WAR at 3.5 (Realmuto is 2nd at 2.8). However, I am not looking back. Good for him. Let’s see what happens down the stretch.
• I think the Dodgers handled the Austin Barnes demotion perfectly. Since he is a vet and Kershaw and Buehler’s personal catcher, they had to give him a lot of rope. He hung himself. I hope he can right his ship, but I could also see him being traded…
• Tyler White could be Muncy-esque. I think Robert Van Socyoc sees something there. He had a very good year in 2018 and tailed off this year.
• Kike and Mr. Freese could both be headed to the DL. The Dodgers are close-lipped on both. Loose-lips sink ships. CT3 isn’t due back until late August.
• The Dodgers are a solid #1 in team ERA in all of MLB.
• The bullpen is now 9th in team ERA, but is #2 in WHIP (yeah, I know there’s that “inherited runner” thing), but if Maeda goes to the pen, the whole dynamic changes.
• Pedro Moura said a mouthful in TheAthletic.com: “But it will be difficult over the next six days for the Dodgers to acquire a reliever with more potential than Kelly, and impossible for them to find a reliever with a better track record than closer Kenley Jansen. Arguably, the form those two find down the stretch will be more important than any additions. “
• Pedro goes on to say this: “The current team is not deeply flawed. It’s not even a team with much room to add to the roster.” True!
• There are a number of scouts who believe Dustin May’s stuff will play right now in the majors.
• Gavin Lux is coming!

Minor League Highlights

• Gavin Lux was 2-4 with a BB ((.483 BA/1.502 OPS)
• Kaybear was 2-4 (.357 BA/.928 OPS) Gives you pause about what Smith has done at AAA
• Tony Gonsolin was lit up.
• Edwin Uceta pitched 5 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits
• Christian Santana was 2-4 as was Avans. Estevez was 2-3 with a BB.
• Brayan Morales of RC was 3-4 with a BB