Sleepwalking & Old Age
The Dodgers are 7-2, but it feels like they can do better. Tonight starts the World Series rematch, and the Blue Jays are 4-5. It feels like they have slipped a notch or two in the talent department. It will be fun to watch the series, but games right about now mean very little…
The Dodgers are 7-2, but it feels like they can do better. Tonight starts the World Series rematch, and the Blue Jays are 4-5. It feels like they have slipped a notch or two in the talent department. It will be fun to watch the series, but games right about now mean very little. It also feels like the Dodgers are just sleepwalking.
Mookie Betts again has had another setback. Last year, it was some sickness, and now it’s an oblique. These can linger for some time… ask Max Muncy. As much as I love Mookie Betts, my eyes are wide open. Mookie will be 34 years old in June. He plays the game the right way: HARD! However, at 5′ 9″ tall and 180 pounds, his body takes a toll. When the Dodgers swindled the Red Sox to get him, I said that I worried about the end of his contract. This is his 7th year with the Dodgers after 6 years with the Red Sox. If he makes it to Cooperstown (not a given), he will go in as a Dodger.
The thing is, he has six more years on his contract. He will make $30 to $35 Million a year for those six years. Can his body hold up? I doubt it. He plays at 100% effort all the time… he has to. Freddie Freeman will be 37 this year, but his game is different. Freddie has one more year under contract and will be a free agent in 2028. I love Freddie, but is it prudent to believe that he will be able to play to age 40 with the ability to DH? The Dodgers already have a guy who does that!
Max Muncy will be 36 this year and is signed for one more year on a team-friendly deal. Will Smith turned 31 last month and plays a demanding position. He will need to be spelled by Dalton Rushing frequently. Teoscar Hernandez will be 34 this year and appears to be in the best shape of his life… but you never know. Shohei Ohtani will be 32 this year… YIKES! Yes, he is a freak… maybe he’s Superman… or not.
The oldest of the bunch is Miguel Rojas, at 108, and he will retire after this season. My point is that there may be some hard decisions to be made in the near future. Freddie says he wants to play until he is 40. Can he? Is it wise to re-sign him? JT3 looks like another JT from yesteryear and can play 1B. I think Teoscar could be traded to a team looking for a DH after this season, but the Dodgers have a full pipeline. How long can Mookie play at a high-level? Some of the decisions they will have to make will hurt. Are you ready for it?
Josue DePaula, Mike Sirota, and JT3 are close. Others, such as Hope, Quintero, Morales, and Davalan could also move quickly. Who stays and who goes? Nothing lasts forever.
X-CITES
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Discussion (59)
Disagree, not disagreeable
How special for our star backup catcher to hit a homer off Scherzer, a future hallof Famer.
Seems the knock on Kim is no power but he did get Gold Gloves for SS and 2B in the KBO. Defense doesn’t care what league you play in, a grounder and a throw to first is the same. He has a strong arm and quick feet. I think both him and Freeland are good middle infielders. Personally I think Kim’s elite speed tips the scale, especially as a sub runner in the late innings. That said, Freeland’s power is what the Dodgers brass seem to prefer. Taking walks along with homers is what keeps Max in the game and it should do the same for Freeland as long as he gets his numbers up. Great discussion.
Good to see Wrobo settle down. I’m a fan. Not sure if I like him better in the pen though with Ryan in the rotation. Then again it’s probably good to have a lefty in the rotation since there’s 3 others in the pen.
Scherzer left the game with forearm tendinitis. Nice game for the offense. I wish MLB would stop the stupid rule of letting position players pitch in blowouts. Not fun to watch.
He’s a baller.
Don’t know how you do it Watford! True Dodger fan!
Wow – that was a nice highlight reel to wake up to!!!
He definitely should play 1b this series and let Freddie rest as well.
That’s how good we are. Our back-up catcher is a former #1 prospect and just went 4-4 with 2 HR.
OK. Now I’m serious. Trade Will Smith! TIC The kid has arrived! He needs some time at 1B to rest Freddie
Fuck that punk He’s a nobody
Crushing
Yep Defense first Don’t take off at-bats The game will honor you
Oh my god
What happened to the team that couldn’t hit?
Also I really like the way Freeland plays. The bat will come around, but he plays that “gamer’ type defense.
Andy Pages playing like Matt Kemp out there (before he ran into the Colorado wall)
Not yet time to blow it up Scott? Time to trade Will Smith tho! Rushing has to be best backup catcher in baseball
Get to writing more anticipated content, Andes!
Hey guys, Here’s my take on the 2026 Dodgers so far…..They good. In depth take am I right? I hope everyone is well over here.
The knock on Freeland was taking too many strikes. Freeland’s natural position is shortstop while Kim’s is second base. I understand what the Dodgers are selling with Kim playing short, but I think they’re overthinking it.
That isn’t me. That is baseball savant. BTW, they also measure batted balls, including outs. He hit a 105 MPH ground ball out the other day and a 95 MPH out.
The catcher also faces home! Maybe it should be catcher facing positions?
We have plenty of time and runway to accurately access our young players. Freeland, Kim, Sasaki, Sheehan and Ryan and perhaps Tibbs if we get an OF injury. Let’s see what the numbers look like at the end of May.
It would make things fun if Wrobo brushed back that Giminez dude