In every power poll before this MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were ranked #1. They are also overwhelming odds-on favorites in Las Vegas to win the World Series. If only they gave out the World Series Trophy based on potential and prediction. It doesn’t work that way! It’s a long 162-game season followed by a playoff that includes at least twelve teams, and we all know that in a five- or seven-game series, anything can happen.
Many call it a “crapshoot,” but it’s really much more than that. It’s a time when anything can happen based on who gets hot and what they happen to believe. Sometimes, belief trumps talent, and a team or even a single player can so strongly believe in “Magic” that they can do the impossible. However, I would not want to bet against the Dodgers. They arguably have three of the top ten players in baseball and their pitching staff is 30 deep.
Still… a team of zealots and believers in magic could trounce them in the playoffs. That is the funny and strange thing about baseball. My money is on the Dodgers, but the best team does not always win. Sometimes, the luckiest team wins… and luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Injuries will play a part, for and against the team… they always do. Still, I like the depth and preparation the Dodgers have made. Get ready for that 162-Game Ride.
Fearless Predictions
- Mookie Betts will be the All-Star SS and win a Gold Glove.
- Michael Conforto will be the Comeback Player of the Year (he’s going to be a beast).,
- James Outman will give up hitting and become a pitcher like Joey Gallo (I am only partially kidding).
- Tommy Edman will win the Gold Glove at 2B.
- The Dodgers will have three pitchers in the running for the Cy Young Award.
- Roki Sasaki will win the Rookie-of-the-Year.
- The Dodgers will win the World Series after winning 117 games in the regular season.
- Kike Hernandez will start in Center Field at least once in the first two games… maybe at 3B too.
Discussion (34)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I’m placing all my betts on Mookie! Oh and another guy I pine for repeatedly, Landon Knack, refined his change up and picked up the win with 2 mighty fine innings. I know he doesn’t get a whole lotta love, but he’s a gamer. You the man Matt!
Book em
Over the winter and during spring training, Mookie Betts has undertaken several initiatives to enhance his performance as a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers:
Dedicated Offseason Training: Betts committed to an intensive offseason regimen focused on refining his shortstop skills. Recognizing the challenges of transitioning from the outfield, he emphasized the need for dedicated preparation to excel in this demanding infield position.
Collaboration with Troy Tulowitzki: To accelerate his development, Betts collaborated with five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Tulowitzki observed significant improvements in Betts’ abilities, noting his rapid assimilation of feedback and his potential to become an elite defender at shortstop.
Addressing Throwing Mechanics: A key focus for Betts has been adjusting his throwing mechanics to suit the shortstop position. The transition from outfield throws to the varied and often quicker infield throws requires different arm angles and footwork. Betts has dedicated time to mastering these nuances to improve his accuracy and effectiveness.
MLB.com
These concerted efforts during the offseason and spring training have been aimed at ensuring Betts is well-prepared to take on the responsibilities of a shortstop, contributing to the Dodgers’ defensive strength in the upcoming season.
I will take it a step further. Mookie has been exceptional at everything he does, including bowling where he has rolled several 300 games. Never underestimate Mookie Betts when he sets his mind on something. Not only will he play SS all year, but he will win a Gold Glove and be the All-Star SS!
Book ’em, Dano!
WOW –
Obviously most of us are bored waiting for the regular season to continue again in 10-days.
Enough on the Rojas vs Mookie at SS – but, just to be fair to Matt, he can definitely toot his horn in 6-months saying – “See I told you so” – I doubt it will happen but will definitely acknowledge in writing that he was right (i.e. lucky :)) – Cheers
Superteam.
If Pages flops in CF, how about Edman in CF and Rojas at 2B ?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have optioned three players to Triple-A Oklahoma City following the Tokyo Series.
Outfielder James Outman and right-handed pitchers Landon Knack and Matt Sauer were optioned to the minor leagues.
Miggy Ro SS, Betts 2B, Edman CF…..
Give Miggy Ro some days off here and there but no reason he cant man SS the majority of the year…..
2 down 160 to go!!!
NO Mookie,NO Freddie,NO Problem!!!!
3 homers, Sasaki’s debut and a 6-3 win for LA. Edman with the first homer of 2025. Then Kike hit one. Ohtani hit one a mile high that barely cleared the CF fence. Nice work from the pen again. Yates looked really good after a shaky spring. Knack gets the win and Vesia the save.
I hereby appoint AVF to be our Statistician and Player Personnel in Chief… because he is on it! I am going to triple his salary! 😉
Long term contracts to older pitchers NEVER work out:
“San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt admitted today that veteran starter Yu Darvish is experiencing elbow inflammation and is day-to-day with his ramp up to the start of the season”.
‘The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of Matt Sauer and optioned Justin Wrobleski to Triple-A Oklahoma City before the series finale of the Tokyo Series.
To make room on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, Clayton Kershaw was transferred to the 60-day on the injured list.
Sauer was a non-roster invitee, making four appearances and striking out eight batters in 7.2 innings. The right-hander was a surprise addition to the Dodgers’ travel roster, but did enough in Spring Training to catch their attention”.
6:10 AM ET
Dodgers (98-64)
Cubs (83-79)
SP Roki Sasaki R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Justin Steele L
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
2B Tommy Edman S
RF T. Hernandez R
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
1B E. Hernandez R
LF M. Conforto L
SS Miguel Rojas R
CF Andy Pages R
In Domed Stadium
NO FREEMAN
I’d like to bury the Cubs. Never have them see .500 again!
Yes Mark… you are right…magic it is.
If you really watch all previous WS.
Every winner had a surreal
bond. Call it luck, crapshoot, fate…whatever. Every world series winner had a bit of magic on their side.
Book em
“Alex Verdugo is one of the most prominent names still lingering on the free agent market, and it doesn’t sound as though he’s been close to coming off the board at any point. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports that Verdugo has yet to receive a formal major league offer from any team since becoming a free agent back in November”.
He needs to change his attitude or he will be unemployed even longer. Dodgers,Red Sox and Yankees can attest to that.
Freeman (rib) said Tuesday that there’s a “75 percent chance” he will be ready to play Wednesday against the Cubs, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
“Freeman was a late scratch from Tuesday’s lineup after feeling discomfort in his left ribcage during batting practice. The first baseman noted that the soreness is in the same spot where he tore rib cartilage during the postseason last year, although he added that the current issue is less severe. While Freeman seems fairly optimistic about his chances of suiting up Wednesday, it would not be a surprise if the Dodgers exercised caution and elected to hold him out until next week’s domestic opener”.
“Left rib soreness” for Freddie, apparently. Hope it doesn’t turn out to be the dreaded “oblique.”
I’ve always thought that “odds-on” means “more likely to win than not” rather than simply the most likely to win.
I’d bet on the Dodgers with my heart but my head still favors the field. It just such a gauntlet with the playoffs, and injuries create so much uncertainty.
Strongest impression from Game One: The Dodgers bullpen dominated. Four guys combine for 5 Ks, zero hits and zero walks in 4 innings. Treinen hit a guy with a pitch, but otherwise the Cubs got nada. The Cubbies, meanwhile, finished with Ryan Brasier, who the Dodgers unloaded after signing Kirby Yates.
The Dodgers got the PTBNL for Brasier. Has he been named yet?
Fully expect Yates to get his first save in the next game.
And expecting Shohei to thrill the fans with a HR as he keeps pace toward a .400 season…
1 down 161 to go.
Lets not overreact about Freddie and Mookie just yet….
Nice win without our two stars,
I think it’s possible that Mookie and Freddie begin the season on the IL.
I said, “It’s possible!”
I got up this AM, brewed a pot of coffee, sat down in my office.
No damn Xfinity!
So, I have to set up a Hotspot.
Finally log in to MLB – I live 2 hours from Chicago, so the game is blacked out.
So, I go back and log into ExpressVPN and set my location to Washington DC.
Presto! I’m in – just in time for the 2nd inning!
Dodgers Reveal Injured List for 2025 Season
The Dodgers have also revealed their injured list for the start of the 2025 season:
Injured List (9):
Tony Gonsolin, RHP (15-day IL, back tightness)
Brusdar Graterol, RHP (60-day IL, right shoulder surgery)
Michael Grove, RHP (60-day IL, right shoulder surgery)
Eduardo Henriquez, RHP (15-day IL, left foot fracture)
Kyle Hurt, RHP (15-day IL, right elbow surgery)
Clayton Kershaw, LHP (15-day IL, left toe surgery)
Michael Kopech, RHP (15-day IL, right shoulder impingement)
Evan Phillips, RHP (15-day IL, right rotator cuff strain)
Emmett Sheehan, RHP (15-day IL, right elbow surgery)
Betts (illness) flew back to Los Angeles on Monday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports re
Manager Dave Roberts had suggested this was a possibility after Betts was ruled out for both games of the Tokyo Series. The hope is that Betts can rest up and get back to a regular routine in preparation for the domestic opener March 27.
6:10 AM ET
Dodgers (98-64)
Cubs (83-79)
SP Y. Yamamoto R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Shota Imanaga L
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
2B Tommy Edman S
1B F. Freeman L
RF T. Hernandez R
C Will Smith R
LF E. Hernandez R
3B Max Muncy L
SS Miguel Rojas R
CF Andy Pages R
In Domed Stadium
Why is Mookie on the active roster? Read where he flew home recently.
The Dodgers are not “Odds On”, or even close to it.
Silly Predictions
1. Padres will transition into Madres
2. Asstros will not cheat
3. Angel’s sign Gallo to10 year deal
4. Miguelito hits .400
5. James Outman reveals that Duke is not his real father
6. Dano is not funny
Book em
“Luck favors the brave.” — Elise Stefanik
Remember what Branch Rickey said – “Luck is the residue of design”.
I have never completely bought the “crapshoot” argument. If that’s true, then why do the Dodgers sign/trade for/develop as many talented players as possible? Because talent matters and it helps you win the crapshoot if you have more talented players than anyone else does.
It’s no coincidence that the Damn Yankees have more Hall of Famers and also more World Series victories than any other team. Talent should win. Not that it wins every time, but it gives you the best chance to win.
in 2023, Jerry DiPoto, the GM of the Mariners, said that the goal should be to win 54% of your games because that’s good enough to get into the playoffs and then you have the crapshoot. Seattle fans have been calling for Dipoto’s skin ever since. As well they should.
Sign the best players you can without mortgaging the future. win as many as you can. Bring the best team you can into the post-season.
Random predictions:
–Muncy will be upgraded at the deadline.
–Casparius will finish top five in team IP
–Banda will make the all-star team
–Freeland will start 30+ games
–Pages will go 20/20
– Mookie’s weight loss is VERY concerning. Worried.
– Agree on Conforto. Van Scoyoc will see to it.
– Outman may not be heard from again. Sad
– Edman is a beast but I think he’ll not play one position enough to win a GG.
– Only three?!
– Sasaki will be the ROY, barring injury
– They’ll win a LOT, but 117 is beyond fearless.
– Kiké WILL start @ CF, not @ 3B
GO DODGERS!