Ships
This first item falls under the category of “that Ship Has Sailed.” I had always predicted big things for Kike Hernandez. In fact I likened him to JD Martines. I had hoped that Andrew Friedman would keep him, but ultimately Kike wanted to start, and Boston gave him that…
- This first item falls under the category of “that Ship Has Sailed.” I had always predicted big things for Kike Hernandez. In fact I likened him to JD Martines. I had hoped that Andrew Friedman would keep him, but ultimately Kike wanted to start, and Boston gave him that opportunity. He racked up 585 AB’s for Boston and hit 20 HR while OPS’ing .786 with a .250 BA and a .337 OB%. He played 93 games in CF, 8 at SS, and 47 at 2B. He has made some great defensive plays and gotten some big hits… especially in the postseason. I am glad for him, but I am a realist, which is why I don’t wish he was back in Dodger Blue. It ain’t happening. That ship has sailed.
- Joc Pederson’s ship has sailed TWICE as he signed with the Cubs and was traded to the Braves. He is dangerous and has a playoff reputation, which I think is overblown, but he remains dangerous. I would not let him beat me if I were any Dodger pitcher. The Dodgers know more ways to get him out than anyone. Exploit that!
- The Chris Taylor ship is sitting at port. I think Chris Taylor will be a $60 milion/4 to 5 year contract… but not from the Dodgers. He is a year older than Kike and in many respects, they had simiar seasons. Kike’s OPS+ was 107 while CT3 was 110. CT3 is not worth $18.4 million (which is the qualifying offer), but if I were the Dodgers I would offer it… knowing that there is a possibility he would take it, but realizing that he would not walk awy from a better offer. That nets them another draft pick and when you pick as high as the Dodgers do, you need all that you can get.
- There is no ship for Clayton Kershaw. Clayton will either retire (and if the Dodgers win the World Series, I think that is a likely scenerio), OR he will sign an incentative-laden contract with the Dodgers. He is not going to the Rangers and be a part of rebuilding. He has made his money. The only possible reason he would come back is to get another ring! On MLB Tonight, Harold Reynolds nailed it: “Clayton is not going to play for anyone else but the Dodgers. He knows the value of playing with just one team. He has made a lot of money and the only reason he will come back is to win another World Series. Right now, what team has a better opportunity at being back at the World Series than the Dodgers? No one!” I rest my case!
- There is a ship for Max Muncy. That ship is sailing with a brace on his elbow. Max will not play in in NLCS and I doubt he plays in the World Series either. If you saw the injury, you will know why. I think it will be miracle if he does not have to get surgery to tighten those ligaments. They would not normlly do surgery until all the swelling has went down anyway. He will make great cheerleader, but while the Dodgers will miss hos bat, they can wether that storm with their depth.
- There is a big ship for Max Scherzer. Max, like Clayton wants to win. He has embracecd LA and I believe AF will work out a contract with him… unless someone like AJ Preller gives him a 4 or 5 year deal. I know AF will go 2 years… maybe 3. There is that age factor.
- Corey Seager has a huge container ship sitting at the dock. I believe the Yankees are the only team that could sign Seager, but I do not think they will. They have talked to Gio Urshela about moving to SS and he has embrsned it. That moves Torres to 2B (where he is much better). I think this ship has about 8 years and $295 million written on it.
- Trevor Bauer is on a ship that is just going around in circles. Will that ship sail? Only a fool answers that question without all the facts, so I have no opinion.
- Dave Roberts’ ship is anchored in the port of Los Angeles with a long-term permit. He ain’t going anywhere and have you noticed how smart he is when players execute?
- Juan Toribio of Dodgers.com talks about what pitcher will take a ship to the mound tonight in the ATL. It all hinges upon Scherzer. Personally, I would do a bullpen game today. Start Knebel and then work in Price and Gonsolin with all the rest. Do not let Bazooka pitch to Freeman. Then, Sherzer goes Sunday on an extra day of rest and Buehler is well rested for Game #3.
- Albert Pujols ship is sailing to St. Louis, but that is next season. Tonight he will be at 1B for the Dodgers. Let me take a stab at the lineup:
- Betts RF
- Seager SS
- T-Turner 2B
- Smith C
- J-Turner 3B
- Pujols 1B
- Pollock LF
- Lux CF
- Knebel P
FRIDAY:
- Cody Hoese was 1-2.
- James Outman was o-3 with aBB and run scored.
- Bobby Miller went two innings, striking out 2 and giving up a HR to Jeter Downs who is playing SS.
- Landon KNack went 3 innings, struck out 3 and allowed 1 hit with no runs. He is on a fast track.
THURSDAY:
- James Outman was 1-4 with a BB and 2 runs scored
- Jacob Amaya was 2-3 with a 2-run HR
- Jeff Belge went 1 inning and gave uo 2 runs on a hit and 2 BB.
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Discussion (68)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Surprising to see EP on it and not v-gone. Would have thought they summon another LH for the pen to create match ups vs their dangerous LH hitters.
Despite his postseason experience and resume in playoff games They obviously have not much confidence in DP that they rather go with bruihl
Go Dodgers!
It’s on the Athletic, at least the information about Price and Muncy not on the roster is.
Dodgers announce Knebel will start tonight so this becomes a bullpen game.
Am I correct in assuming that this means, unless the series ends in 4 games, that we will now be forced into 2 bullpen games this series while the Braves excellent starting staff is rested and ready to go. That could make a huge difference.
And it also means that one of our three good starters (probably Urias) will only start once if the series goes 7 games.
Totally unaware of Gonso’s health, I feel like he’s lagged behind in his development. If it will be a reality, now is the time to prove it, otherwise it would be better for me to walk like Kike and Joc for the good of both parties, my opinion.
A lot of money is coming off the dodgers books after this season. More than 130 million and if we get rid of the TB contract it will be even more.
There will be enough money to keep both Corey and Max as the two most important pieces plus other guys like CT3, KJ and CK.(the latter 2 with incentive laden contracts)
Now beat the Braves!
Go dodgers!
The USS Trevor Bauer just got two U-Boat torpedoes portside and is keeling over. It hit an iceberg the size of Delaware and the Dodger excecs are already in the lifeboats and have abandoned ship.
There is exactly a snowball’s chance in hell that Bauer ever puts on a Dodgers uni ever again. That ship hasn’t sailed. That ship was ground zero at the nuclear bomb test at Bikini Atoll.
Kike wanted to start. He got his wish. I’m completely fine with the Dodgers not doling out an expensive contract for him or Joc. BTW, just to demonstrate how utterly inept Arte Moreno is, the Angels actually would have come out ahead in that aborted trade for Joc and Ross Stripling. I miss Kike’s defense, but, as expected, his offensive production is almost exactly average. To me, he wasn’t worth the price. Same with Joc. He was an expensive righty pitcher only platoon player who managed some key hits in the playoffs, but you don’t give 8 figure contracts to those guys.
CT3 is a little different. We saw this year how vulnerable the team can be without good role players. Raley, McKinstry, DJ ….they were just terrible …and the team suffered, because you need guys like that to plug into the lineup.
I would want to keep CT3 around simply because we don’t have anyone to replace what he does.
My hunch is that Cory leaves for one important reason – you can’t pay everyone. Even the Dodgers have to make financial choices. He would probably rake at Yankee stadium, and his defensive liabilities would be less apparent there than in a pitching first Dodger organization. I would be pleasantly surprised if he stays, but the reason the Dodgers even traded for Trea is as a hedge. TT is actually a good defensive SS, and I’m pretty sure that’s where he would rather play … and Lux really needs to be allowed to develop in a starting role.
As for Trea, I dunno, this is only a hunch, but I don’t get a good feeling from him. His is immensely talented, but I just don’t get a sense that he’s a gamer. I get the feeling that he plays for himself and is playing for his next contract and doesn’t really care terribly much about the organization he plays for or the teams around him. I guy like Muncy, you just know he’s a team guy. I don’t get that feeling from TT.
My ideal scenario is:
The Dodgers sign Cory, keep TT at 2nd. They sign CT3. Lux and CT3 now become a Supersub Right/Left duo. Lux will get around 500 ABs a year playing 2nd, SS and the outfield.
CK retires and Max gets signed to a 3 year deal. By the end of 2022 there could be a rotation of Max, Buhtane, Julio, May, with Gonsolin as the swing man.
I’m sure there are plenty of reasons why this will never happen and I’m just a schlub on the internets.
Thank you for the AFL content.
I’d bet on Taylor over Lux against a LHP.
Unfortunately, pitchers can get rusty after a long layoff. I hope that isn’t the case for Tony G. Same for David Price.
I think Gonsolin should get the start and see if the Dodgers can try to “milk” 2-3 innings out him and then go BP for rest of the way. I’ll take our chances with Tony G. and a rested and aligned SP rotation of Scherzer, Butane and Julio for games #2, 3 and 4. Maybe at the right spot in the Braves hitting order we even get an inning out of Price (assuming he makes the NLCS roster).