What Now?
With the Dodgers no longer in the market for a Designated Hitter, I am sure that the Giants and Diamondbacks will be looking at JD Martinez and Justin Turner, and I would not be surprised to see both in the NL West next year. Also, with Ohtani in the fold, look for the Dodgers…
With the Dodgers no longer in the market for a Designated Hitter, I am sure that the Giants and Diamondbacks will be looking at JD Martinez and Justin Turner, and I would not be surprised to see both in the NL West next year. Also, with Ohtani in the fold, look for the Dodgers to get a little less Lefthanded. I still think it is likely that the Dodgers will try to trade for Corbin Burns and Willy Adames, with Gavin Lux and Michael Busch being a big part of that deal, along with two RH Pitchers. Adames is RH and a power hitter who just might benefit from the tutelage of RVS. Yes, Burnes and Adames are one-year rentals, but the Dodgers have shown they can sign anyone if they so desire. The Yankees just traded for Juan Soto, a one-year rental.
I also think that the Dodgers have to rely on in-house solutions for LF and CF. Vargas can play LF (another RH hitter who does not strike out much). Then, they have Outman in CF, who will be allowed to play every day, but if he needs to be platooned, there is always CT3 and maybe Kike (if they re-sign him). I think that you have to trust that Vargas and Outman will improve.
Outman needs to cut down on his strikeouts by just 10-15% and learn to hit LHP with more authority. Give him that goal and let him develop even more. He also needs to improve on his jumps and defense, but he has shown that he is a willing learner. Now that the dust has settled, we know what happened to Miguel Vargas last year – he broke two fingers (at different times) and tried to play through it. He was never right and developed some bad plate habits. I thought the Dodgers were tinkering with his swing (which seemed silly) because it was different. It turns out that his broken fingers and the resultant pain from checked swings or swinging derailed the whole season. He is the same player we thought he was, and I still look for him to hit .270+ with 15+ HR while being a good base runner. Part of Andrew Friedman’s plan is for youngsters to have the opportunity to develop, and development is not linear, as we all know!
The lineup could look like this:
- Betts 2B
- Ohtani DH
- Smith C )I like splitting up the L-R hitters)
- Freeman 1B (why not?)
- Muncy 3B
- Adames SS (30 HR/.800 OPS?)
- Heyward/Kike RF
- Outman CF
- Vargas LF
Now… how about some pitching?
P.S. – We await with bated breath to find out what the deal is with the Yankees… Where’s Hoornstra when you need him?
P.S.2 – Of course, as a fan, you are prepared to pay $500 for a “cheap seat” and $30 for a beer?
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Discussion (82)
Disagree, not disagreeable
If I’m correct, Bear and Eric would be in favor of this move, as both have wanted Adames for a while?
With an aging lineup, we need the youth Lux brings at SS. He has a decent back-up in Rojas so that position’s covered.
Assuming Heyward’s the strong-side platoon in RF, do we have enough in Taylor, Deluca, Busch & Vargas to cover the rest of the OF at-bats? No way.
One of those last two will probably be traded in a deal for pitching [Glasnow or Cease] and the team may still upgrade Deluca’s spot with a veteran RH bat.
Offense is pretty close though.
Love that the Dodgers made Ohtani an offer he could not refuse! Kudos to Freidman and Gomes and the entire organization. It feels good to know that they are all in to win. I feel confident that they will make the proper 40 man moves to get the necessary pitching that is needed. Lets Go Dodgers!
Apparently the Dodgers are pursuing Glasnow and Yamamoto.
I’d rather have Lux than Adames. The Dodgers keep saying Lux will be the shortstop in 2024, Friedman said it. Gomes said it. Roberts said it.
No real indication that Milwaukee will trade Burnes and if they did, it would be costly. The Rays seem more intent on lowering their payroll so Glasnow probably gets traded.
Who better to make that deal other than Friedman.
Sources: The Yankees are sending shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers in exchange for LHRP Victor Gonzalez and 2B/3B Jorbit Vivas.
This clears two 40-man-roster spots to make room for Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly
Good article by Tom Verducci in SI on the Ohtani signing. Estimates AAV at $50 million area after deferrals. Talks about Dodger visit and Ohtani interest in the minor league system. Gives history of Ohtani pursuit by Dodgers back to 2012 high school draft. Details Mark Walter and business interest in the global brand. Indicates Dodgers really like him as a hitter even if he can’t pitch long term. Positive and insightful article overall.
Sweeney is a really nice return for Vivas and Gonzo!
He will start at Tulsa but likely move to OKC during the season.
Link to Verducci article.
Open on www.si.comhttps://www.si.com/mlb/2023/12/09/dodgers-decade-long-pursuit-shohei-ohtani-finally-comes-throughDODGERS PRESS RELEASE
DODGERS ACQUIRE TREY SWEENEY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired minor league infielder Trey Sweeney from the New York Yankees in exchange for left-handed pitcher Victor González and minor league infielder Jorbit Vivas.
Sweeney, 23, played in 100 games for the Double-A Somerset Patriots in 2023, hitting 13 homers, driving in 49 runs and batting .252/.367/.411. It was his third season in the Yankees minor league system, where he has hit a combined .248 with 36 homers and 119 RBI in 243 games, including 1,923.1 innings at shortstop. The Louisville, Kentucky native was drafted by the Yankees in the first round (20th overall) of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of Eastern Illinois University.
Gonzaléz, 28, made 34 appearances for the Dodgers last season, tossing 33.2 innings, allowing 15 runs with 30 strikeouts. He finished his third season with the Dodgers with a 3-3 record and held opponents to a .233 batting average against. In three years with the Dodgers, he was 9-4 with a 3.22 ERA (32 ER/89.1 IP) and 86 strikeouts. The Tuxpan, Nayarit, Mexico born left-hander was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 2, 2012.
Vivas, 22, split the season with season with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last year, hitting a combined .269 with 13 homers and 63 RBI in 135 games. He started the season with the Drillers, slashing .280/.391/.436 with 12 homers and 54 RBI in 109 games before being promoted on August 22 and finishing the campaign with Oklahoma City with one homer and nine RBI. In five minor league seasons with the Dodgers, he amassed 39 homers and 359 RBI with an .805 OPS. He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent on July 4, 2017 out of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.
No matter how good Ohtani is, the lineup still looks a bit weak (Or not as powerful). But with a good and already starting LF everything could improve. Any chance Ohtani plays LF? And with another DH (Martínez) then it would be a great and strong lineup, very complete. And we must not forget that there are still needed 2 or 3 SP, so it is still far away, or not very close to declaring the Dodgers as the big favorites to win the World Series, although they have just taken a big step forward.
Shock !
Feeling very in tune with my love for the US tonight
I’m about 10 feet from the front of Ice Cube supported by Cypress Hill – it’s absolutely rammed
Getting high on the smell of weed….
Chill Bluto, we just signed your Boy
I completely forgot that he had TJ surgery!
I’m more confident about the homegrown pitchers than I am about the homegrown position players.
An ace starting pitcher is needed, but I think the Dodgers can roll with Buehler in the playoffs with the ace and let the homegrown starting pitchers have 3 spots in the starting rotation during the regular season and find out which one steps up and there’s your 3rd starting pitcher for the playoffs.
Which means the Dodgers need to get a TRUE ace (Yamamoto) not the other names being mentioned here and a GOOD OF (Lee) if possible. The ace is more important than the LF.
Or shatter the 100 million dollar budget and add either Sasaki or Imanaga. Preferably Sasaki.
Someone yesterday said a team can get Sasaki without a long term commitment. An international signing. I don’t know if that’s true or not.
I’m not saying I’m right. This is all just my opinion.
Bluto might want to think about getting a life
DODGERS PRESS RELEASE
DODGERS SIGN JOE KELLY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly on a one-year contract for $8 million.
Kelly, 35, returns to the Dodgers after making 11 appearances with Los Angeles to finish the 2023 season. The righty went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA (3 ER/10.1 IP) and 19 strikeouts after being acquired on July 28 with right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitchers Jordan Leasure and Nick Nastrini and outfielder Trayce Thompson. He made 31 appearances for the White Sox prior to the trade, allowing 16 runs in 29.0 innings with a 1-5 record and 41 strikeouts.
The two-time World Series Champion has been in the Major Leagues parts of 12 seasons with St. Louis (2012-2014), Boston (2014-2018), Los Angeles (2019-2021, 2023) and Chicago-AL (2022-2023) and he is a combined 53-37 with a 3.95 ERA (354 ER/807.0 IP) and 732 strikeouts. He was originally drafted in the third round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of the University of California, Riverside.
Love it. All the different views. But until they assemble in Arizona in February. no one has any idea what they will look like.
RC Dodger posted a link for an article from Verducci that provides some insight as to how the Dodgers ended up deferring a large part of Ohtani’s contract. Turns out Ohtani directed his agent to negotiate the deferrals at interest rates below market value to provide the Dodgers an opportunity to pursue other free agents. Apparently, opportunity to win played was key in Ohtani’s decision to sign with the LAD. Discussions were had regarding player development as a means to forecast sustainability.
Clearly, he got his cake and has an opportunity to eat it as well. The Dodgers had the most money to spend this off-season and provide him the best opportunity to compete year end and year out.
I’m still not sure what my opinion is if the Ohtani contract. The Dodgers will be an exciting team to watch, for certain. But I still haven’t lifted my jaw off the floor regarding the dollar amount.
All that aside, I’m a little shocked by the reaction from Angels fans. People are burning his jerseys on social media. I have friends who are calling him a traitor and comparing him to all the NBA stars who have jumped teams half a dozen times. I don’t get that. Many fans actually thought he’d stay in Anaheim. That he somehow promised Arte that he’d resign if they didn’t trade him and went all in at the deadline. Which I know is BS. Angles had 6 years of Trout/Ohtani and managed to do nothing with it. Zero chance he took any offer from the Angels seriously.
I was sorry to see Seager go but I held no ill will against the man. I was happy to see him get another ring. I’d have certainly preferred the Dodgers win the series lol. But burning jerseys and acting like children? Wow
poor Mike Trout!! stuck in purgatory! well at least he’s rich! Blake Snell murmurs starting to leak put. guys on mlb radio think he’s a perfect fit in LA.’ since he’s a 5-6 inning pitcher and that’s what they do! guess we could live that and save a few prospects to trade for a left fielder. maybe Giolita too. did act see someone suggest ohthani in left field? may the baseball gods help you.!
Ohtani will officially wear #17. The jerseys on the Dodger site and everything else are already listed for pre sale.
Fabian Ardaya:
Exclusive
@TheAthletic
: Shohei Ohtani will defer $68 million per year of his $70 million annual salary over the course of his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, allowing the team to keep spending, according to a person briefed on the terms.
Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract calls for him to be paid only $2 million a year for the next 10 seasons, with $680 million deferred until the end of the deal, sources confirm to ESPN.
The CBT hit on the contract is going to be around $46 million, a huge discount for L.A.
Ok. I knew the Dodgers would never do a conventional $500m 10 year deal. This is obviously creative as shit. Dodgers will have spending flexibility for the life of the contract. Insane.
The boat anchor has been pulled up. WOW indeed !
Chess on steroids !