Unconventional Wisdom

Over the past couple of days, I have heard how stupid it was for Andrew Friedman to sign Chris Negron and Tyler White and that they were a waste! I have heard that bringing Tony Gonsolin up to pitch in Coors was a mistake and I heard that Ryu also couldn’t pitch at Coors Field. I also heard that the league was catching up to Alex Verdugo. Additionally, I heard that the Dodgers would trade Keibert Ruiz and some other TOP 10 Prospects. I called BS on it all.

Well, those of you who predicted any or all of that were wrong – DEAD WRONG! However, I am not happy about it… nor am I sad. I am ambivalent and I am staying the course. I would have liked for the Dodgers to get a reliever or two, but evidently Andrew Friedman felt that what he had to pay was more than it was worth and there’s one thing you need to write down and memorize: TRADING FOR A TOP RELIEVER DOES NOT COME WITH A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES. If it did, I would trade the entire Top 10!

Last year, Boston had a 75-34 record on August 1st and Dave Dombrowski was castigated for not shoring up the bullpen when it was really, really bad. Craig Kimbrel was ineffective and Joe Kelly was a wreck. All he got at the trade deadline was “Broken-Down” Nate Eovaldi and “Has Been, Never Was” Steve Pearce. We all know what happened, It’s pure, unadulterated fiction that you can just go out and buy these sort of things.

Many sportswriters have tabbed the Astros as the winners of the trade deadline and the Dodgers and Yankees (the two best teams in baseball) as the losers. The witters who make “thousands” are so much smarter than the GM’s who make “millions.” In case, you aren’t sure, I am being sarcastic!

Let’s take a quick look at MY Dodgers Top 10 Prospects. Of course, most prospects don’t make it, but sometimes, they all make it.

#1 Gavin Lux

I would be shocked if Gavin Lux doesn’t seize the day and become the starting 2B in the playoffs. He is a special talent – one that I could not see when he was drafted. I thought he was a wasted pick, but Andrew Friedman and Company accurately projected him. He could be a perennial All-Star and future team leader. He has it all: Power, Speed, Fielding, Athleticism, Baseball IQ. He is the complete package.

#2 Dustin May

Dustin May is coming up on Friday and is a fastball pitcher with a great amount of “run” and “sink” on his fastball. He has hit 98 a few times this year. He has a very good curveball and an excellent cutter. His changeup is a work in progress, but he is a player who I think will be on the playoff roster. His innings are mounting and a great way to limit them this year is to put him in the bullpen, His fastball and cutter are all he needs and if he mixes in a curve now and then, he will screw hitters into the ground. Dustin May might be a #2 or #3 on any other team but the Dodgers. In the pen, he might be “lights out.” You will see him in a Ravine near you soon… like Friday!

#3 Keibert Ruiz

I cannot begin to tell you how special this 21 year-old is, so I won’t. Just watch and learn. I am so glad Andrew Friedman doesn’t make dope-fiend moves because most of you would have. He is VERY, VERY, VERY Special.

#4 Will D. Smith

It’s pretty hard to argue against Will Smith – he has been outstanding, but to me, he’s Steve Yeager with a guru teaching him about “launch angle’ and “staying in the zone.” Will Smith is a 20 HR guy who plays great defense and will hit .230. That’s my opinion. He currently is ahead of Babe Ruth’s HR pace and that simply is not sustainable. I hope he becomes what many of you want him to be. I doubt it… I hope I am wrong, but we shall see. He is an upgrade over Austin Barnes.

#5 Josiah Gray

He has only been pitching a couple of years, but how far he has come! 97 MPH fastball, a beautiful slider, and a curveball that is getting better by the game. Most of all, he’s an athlete and will either be a middle-of-the-rotation starter or a high-leverage reliever.

#6 Tony Gonsolin

You saw it a couple of days ago: High 90’s fastball, devastating splitter, good slider and a really nice hook (well he didn’t show that in Coors). He was a great hitter in college as well as a bullpen guy. There is no question that he can start, but I see him as a RH Andrew Miller… and I see him in that spot THIS year. He can pitch 3 innings, set up the closer or close.

#7 Jeter Downs

It’s possible he becomes a utilityman, but I can see him in the outfield… maybe even CF. He doesn’t have one “great” tool, but he has 5 very good tools. He is a baller, and a junkyard dog and I love that!

#8 DJ Peters

I was lukewarm on DJ… until he moved to AAA and Scott Coolbaugh helped him “Flip the Switch.” He has cut down on his strikeouts. His pitch recognition is awesome and his power is obscene. He can also play CF at 6’6″.

#9 Michael Grove

This is just a rehab year for Grove. Next year, the kid gloves come off. He looks like a starter, but really has only two pitches: a mid-90’s fastball and a mid-80’s slider that moves like a fiend. To me, he another high-leverage reliever.

#10 Kody Hoese

I have only seen him twice, but I anoint Kody Hoese as the Dodgers 1B of the future… like in 2021! He plays 3B now, but that will change. He’s a power-hitting 1B, I expect to see him in 2021.

That is my TOP 10. Some may disagree… and that’s OK. I did not mention Mike Busch, Dennis Santana, Mitch White, Diego Cartaya, Jacob Amaya, Omar Estevez, Edwin Rios, Jimmy Lewis, Edwin Uceta, Gerardo Carrillo, Miguel Vargas, Devin Mann, Christain Santana, Andre Jackson, Robinson Ortiz, Jordon Sheffield or Marshall Kasowski. Some of those prospects would be TOP 10 in other organizations.

Sometimes the best moves you make are the ones you don’t make. In 2017 and 2018, the Dodgers lost because of a lack of hitting with RISP. Andrew Friedman addressed that issue with Robert Van Socyoc and his two assistants and the results have been dramatic. The future is bright, but the goal is to win the 2019 World Series. I still believe the Dodgers are the team to beat. They are evolving… That’s the only solution… EVOLVE!

The Trades

There were only four and none involved big names. Some people call Friedman a “Dumpster Diver” but he’s really so much better than that.

1. The Dodgers traded Niko Hulsizer for LOOGY Adam Kolarek who has held LHB to a .180 BA this season.
2. The Dodgers traded Tony Cingrani for Jedd Gyorko, cash, and International Signing Bonus Slots. Gyorko is on the IL but has 30 HR power and a penchant for getting big hits, Right now, he’s just depth, but he’s capable of being Steve Pearce. Jedd has a $13 million option for 2020.
3. The Dodgers traded Daniel Castro to the Mariners for Chris Negron, who is also just depth, but if he never takes another swing, he has been a great buy.
4. The Dodgers traded Andre Scrubb to the Astros for Tyler White who is also just depth, but he has also done his job.

So that’s it. No big name relievers changed hands, most likely because the asking price was too high. Roger Askew had an astute take on all of this trade deadline malaise:

I know Plaschke of the L.A. Times is gonna have Freidman’s ass for breakfast tomorrow morning, but you know what? Every MLB and ESPN baseball writer was tweeting and writing that Friedman was one of the most aggressive guys the last few days trying to get a few lock-down relievers. Call me crazy, but I think he just ran into too many brick walls in this sellers market. The asking price for the relievers were just way high, and NOT ONE elite reliever, Vasquez, Hand, Diaz, was moved. Greene from the Tigers doesn’t really move the needle for me. Too many teams wanted one or all of our top prospects, and I think Friedman just had to back away from the table. I truly truly believe that he gave it his best shot, he knows damn well how special this team is. Don’t count him out yet, he might not be done. I bet he was real frustrated today.

Well stated! It all starts with “Understanding.”

Friedman and Company have two months to put a playoff bullpen together. You can only take 8 or 9 from this list: Gonsolin, May, Sadler, Hill, Maeda, Urias, Stripling, Ferguson, Floro, Baez, Alexander, Kelly, Jansen, and Kolarek. That’s a lot to choose from and two months is a long time. I’m anxious to see Dustin May on Friday. The butterflies got Gonsolin in his first start. Can May crack that code?

It’s a great time to be a Dodger fan and AF insured that they will be relevant way into the future. Once you get to the World Series, the stuntmen, cripples and the unheralded must step up. That’s how the Boys in Blue won the last one!

Other News

• The Dodgers are now #8 in bullpen ERA.
• Yes, 258 Comments are a record. Thanks to everyone.
• I was told about 10 days ago, that Lux would be called up by August 1st. It was from a scout at another organization. It hasn’t happened yet, so I now have no clue, but I would like to see him now and I think it makes perfect sense.
• Do you realize that since his rookie year, Clayton Kershaw has never had and ERA above 2.91? He sits at 2.85 right about now and is still one of the Top 10 Starters in baseball. He is currently #9 in Starter ERA among qualifiers.
• Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, and Gerrit Cole have given up 65 HR this season. Ryu, Kershaw and Buehler have combined to give up just 39. There’s something to be said about keeping the ball in the yard!