Who are the Buyers or Sellers?
We are going to talk about a couple of my favorite sayings today: Relievers are fickle; and What you see today, ain t what you will see tomorrow! Who is buying and selling? It s not entirely clear right about now, but the Giants are the hottest team in baseball. MadBum says this is the best run he has ever been on. I m sure Farhan hates it, but he may have to
We are going to talk about a couple of my favorite sayings today:
- “Relievers are fickle;” and
- “What you see today, ain’t what you will see tomorrow!”
Who is buying and selling? It’s not entirely clear right about now, but the Giants are the hottest team in baseball. MadBum says this is the best run he has ever been on. I’m sure Farhan hates it, but he may have to buy… not sell. The next 7 days will tell the tale. There are so many teams still in or almost in that it is hard to predict who will sell.
Fickle Relievers
It’s no secret that today’s best relievers may have been on the scrap heap yesterday and/or may be back there in the near future. Three of the most sought after relievers at the trade deadline are Kirby Yates, Shane Greene, and Ken Giles. Their respective teams will most certainly have them for sale. Let’s look at their past records:
Kirby Yates
- 2014 – 3.75 ERA
- 2015 – 7.97 ERA
- 2016 – 5.23 ERA
- 2017 – 3.97 ERA
- 2018 – 2.14 ERA
- 2019 – 1.05 ERA
That’s pretty sick now, but it was a long road to where he is now and pitching on a lower echelon team begs the question “How will he do with pressure?”
Shane Greene
- 2014 – 3.78 ERA
- 2015 – 6.88 ERA
- 2016 – 5.28 ERA
- 2017 – 2.66 ERA
- 2018 – 5.12 ERA
- 2019 – 1.22 ERA
Who really, really is Shane Greene?
Ken Giles
- 2014 – 1.18 ERA
- 2015 – 1.80 ERA
- 2016 – 4.11 ERA
- 2017 – 2.30 ERA*
- 2018 – 4.65 ERA
- 2019 – 1.59 ERA
*Imploded in the playoffs with 11.74 ERA
So tell me how confident you are in acquiring any of those three relievers. They have been hot and cold and one has just totally imploded on the big stage. It should be noted that his team (the Astros) won the 2017 World Series anyway. Kenley Jansen looks like Marino Rivera in the playoffs compared to him.
Building a World Championship Bullpen is PURE FICTION! It’s not science… more like VooDoo! Sometimes pure, blind luck. Most of the time, it really means very little.
What You see Today, May not be What you see Tomorrow!
Will the Dodgers make any trades?
I think so, but I don’t think there will be many prospects traded and probably only 1 Top 10 Prospect. Lux, Ruiz, Smith, May, Downs, Gray, Gonsolin, and Peters are pretty much untouchable. I do think that Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling are at the top of the trading list, along with some prospects. I can’t predict who the Dodgers will acquire, but I do think that Gavin Lux will play a big part in the playoff run and the playoffs. Yes, Gavin Lux will be called up in the next week.
Joc Pederson has been playing 1B to showcase him to any team that needs a 1B. He’s going to cost a lot next year and he’s LH. To top it all off, he can’t hit LHP. Lux can, Muncy can, Verdugo can, Bellinger can, Seager can. Within the next two weeks, Gavin Lux will be the starting 2B for the Dodgers. Book it!
Lineup:
- Verdugo LF
- Seager SS
- Turner 3B
- Bellinger RF
- Muncy 1B
- Pollock CF
- Lux 2B
- Catcher
The catcher may be Will Smith with Beaty, Martin, Barnes, Hernandez and Taylor as the stuntmen. Of course, Taylor is on the IL and it’s possible that Kike ends up there as well. Hopefully, Striplings’ neck is fine.
To those of you who think the Dodgers really need Chicken Strip to start, I submit that the Dodgers can make do with about anyone in that spot. They just need for the offense to be more potent and Lux and Will Smith can help do that.
For those of you who think Cody has regressed, I call that “high comedy.” He goes one game without a hit and he has “regressed?” Players go through peaks and valleys. Cody is still hitting .331 while Mike Trout is at .296 and yet everyone is calling Trout the MVP. Cody is pressing a little because teams are not pitching to him and last night’s umpire was putrid. Actually, the entire team is in a malaise.
The Dodgers and Yankees are running neck-and-neck for the best record in baseball, but the Dodgers have a 14.5 game lead and it is easy to lose focus. Sometimes the manager just has to let that happen for a while to get over the mental grind. I would like to see Dave Roberts be more “old school” with the umpires and opposing teams, but maybe last night was not the time. With this kind of lead, sometimes it is best to let the team off the hook… mentally for a spell. The team is kind of on cruise control right now. In a few days, it’s time to flip the switch… Here come’s Smith & Lux. If Kike goes on the IL, I think they will go with three catchers for a while.
MT’s Minor League Report
OKC Dodger’s – The Dodgers pounded the Nashville Sounds 10-6 as Rios and Peters each hit their 20th HR. Peters went 3-5 and Lux went 2-4 with 2 walks. Zach Reks was also 2-5 with a double. Brock Stewart started and ent 5 innings, allowing 5 hits and 2 ER. Sborz and Quackenbush closed out the game with 2 no-hot innings.
Tulsa Drillers – Josiah Gray pitched 7 innings and allowed ZERO earned runs but is 0-2 with a 2.19 ERAS at AA because the Drillers only scored 1 run as they lost 2-1 on two errors. Estevez went 2-4 and that was about it. I can see Gray getting a call to AAA before the season is over. He is a man among men.
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (141)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Jeff and 59: love your back and forth today! All great points being made.
By the way, watch out for StL. They’re coming on, and Paul Goldschmidt has become the Goldschmidt who killed us for so many years. The NL Central and Wild Card races will be fun to watch the next 2 months. Hopefully the NL West race won’t be fun to watch
I like the deal. White has a pretty good 2017-2018. To me he looks like and could be a right-handed Max Muncy. You never know.
Come on, Tyler White, an average hitting dh/1b who cannot field well. The FO felt he was an upgrade over Beaty? Or likely Kike to IL has to be happening? I think Scrubb is going to be a decent reliever, especially if he can get a little better control. Don’t like the trade, although in the grand scheme means very little.
I hope you are right MT about Lux and Smith getting a look to see what they got. Phantom dl for one of our catchers? I don’t see them carrying three. The luxury of having the division locked up allows us to do this now, take advantage of it, may find one or two upgrades. Barnes is bringing very little right now, and when he threw that ball into center fielder on the Fletcher steal that sealed the deal for me, either he is lost, not that good or a head case. But whatever the deal is we need a more accomplished catcher in order to three peat in the NL; a huge but extremely difficult accomplishment based on history.
Great article on Lux. I’ve commented many times on his athleticism and even said he could be the most athletic player on the team. I can’t wait for him to be a fixture in the lineup.
With Lux coming can’t see Dodgers resigning JOC after next year so leads me to think he’s getting traded at deadline or over the winter
Ken Gurnick is reporting.
“With David Freese’s health an ongoing concern, the Dodgers bolstered their right-handed bench on Thursday by acquiring first baseman Tyler White from Houston for Minor League right-handed pitcher Andre Scrubb. Dodgers management sees White as right-handed depth for a bench that is heavily left-handed. The best right-handed role player on the roster is Freese, who has been hobbled by knee and hamstring issues since before the All-Star break.”
.162 .267 .243 .511 vs lefties this season.
Since Gavin Lux is coming, can I say that he’ll be the 2nd coming of Daniel Murphy (with better defense at 2b of course)
Would Hundley be an upgrade at Catcher for rest of season?
Available now.
This is the kind of transaction that appears frustrating. Tyler White is out of options and has to be on the 25 man roster, so whose place is he going to take? Perhaps David Freese is sufficiently hurt that a return to the IL is necessary. If not, that means Matt Beaty goes back down. It cannot be Kike’ going on the IL because there is nobody else who can play SS. I am guessing that Russell Martin or Max Muncy would be the emergency SS. But if Kike’ goes onto the IL, then Lux has to be called up.
Is White going to be the 1B or just a RH bench bat? He does not provide any help with LHP, as he has significant reverse splits. Against LHP he is batting .162/.267/.243/.511. Joc is hitting .182/.182/.212/.394 against LHP. I am not seeing any real improvement. Beaty’s numbers against LHP are worse than wither White or Joc.
I do not know anything about White defensive abilities, but he has split his time between 1B/DH, so I am surmising that he is more of a bat than a glove. And that bat is not that good.
The cost is a potentially good relief pitcher, Andre Scrubb. Yes he was one that I have been following since he was drafted in 2016 (8th round). He was normally progressing and is 24 at AA doing fine. For his career, Scrubb has been in 108 games and has a 21-6 record. He has 175 IP with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. 95 BB and 201 K. He has allowed 9 HRs in those 175 IP. If he can cut down on his walks, he could go from a decent middle reliever to a potential setup guy. He misses a lot of bats, but too many times it puts them on base. I am guessing that Brent Strom can work some magic with him.
Maybe Tyler White is this year’s Steve Pearce. It is not a transaction that looks like a winner for me, but I do not know the whole story. If White can somehow help this year, I am fine with it. But a 28 year old journeyman 1B is not a long term option, and he has a lot to prove to show that he will be a benefit this year.
Could he be part of a trade?
If we pay attention and remember what we generally say then it won’t surprise anybody that I may be the least enthralled with Muncy and Verdugo. So Mark, we would have different lineup projections if I were to throw one out.
I would like to see Lux and Smith play. Kike’ and Taylor are hurt and Barnes and Martin continue to not hit. The last 30 games have been below average for Muncy and Verdugo who are both striking out at a higher rate and getting on base less.
Is Verdugo tiring or is he getting figured out?
Mets are now looking to move both Syndegard and Edwin Diaz. I hope we’re on the phones asking the price
Put Belli in there as well. His last 50+ games are way down. About .265. Both he and Muncy chasing that down and in breaking ball again and not squaring up those middle fastballs And JOC has been in a rut as well. Boy we need Seager to be Seager again by post season if we’re gonna win this thing
A lot has been said about the hitting at OKC compared to Tulsa. Just 100 miles apart, why would the difference be so dramatic? With the hitters doing better at OKC compared to Tulsa, how do we explain Dustin May being better as well on the hill?
With all the talk about Smith and Lux being promoted, there almost as much talk about May being on the verge of promotion as well, maybe before rosters expand. Wow!
Saw a post on TBLA that mentioned Austin Barnes is not listed on the 25 man roster on the Dodgers website. Sure enough checked it out myself and the only catcher listed is Martin. Barnes has been optioned to OKC. That organic switch from Barnes to Smith is happening!!!!!!!!
Tyler White is on the 40 man roster but not on the 25 man roster.
?
Gonsolin,Ruiz, Stripling, and 2 lottos for Thor and Diaz who says no?
Gonsolin,Ruiz, Stripling, and 2 lottos for Thor and Diaz who says no?
Actually maybe have to include gray as well and only 1 lotto
According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers have optioned catcher Austin Barnes to Oklahoma City. In the corresponding move, they have recalled catcher Will Smith. It’s expected that Smith will join the club this weekend in Washington D.C.
Thank God we can put that to rest.
Is oficial: Barnes down, Smith up…..
The Dodgers optioned Austin Barnes today and Will Smith will rejoin them tomorrow in Washington.
Austin can’t complain and neither can the pitching staff. They gave him every opportunity but for whatever reason, he couldn’t do it. I believe he is a major league catcher… maybe he needs a change of organization.
Not every hitter will respond to RVS’s program. Maybe Austin needs a different plan. Is Kike going on the DL?
Not to worry, the Dodgers do have another SS on the roster: One Russell Nathan Coltrane Jeanson Martin Jr.
It will be interesting as to who catches Kershaw and Buehler with Barnes gone.
I bet Stripling to dl for White. We don’t need a 5th starter until 7/30 and it lines up for a Gonsolin spot start.
I know I have been an advocate for keeping Barnes behind the ML dish, and I felt it was justified when I wrote it. But after the errant throw, I think Austin is just trying too hard, and is fighting it. His confidence has been shot to a significant degree. I am okay with Barnes being optioned, but now that everyone has their wish, when Smith starts to struggle (and he will), I am wondering if everyone is going to jump on him and insist that K-Bear take over. Smith is going to be the primary catcher.
Admittedly I do like Austin Barnes, and maybe the best thing for him is a change in environment. Travis d’Arnaud got out of NY and has magically become a significant contributor for Tampa Bay. All three of the Tigers catchers are hitting worse than Austin.
John Hicks – .184/.218/.306/.523
Grayson Greiner – .162/.2311/.279/.510
Bobby Wilson – .098/.140/.122/.261
SF Giants – Buster Posey is going to need to play more 1B, Stephen Vogt is in his FA year and will be 35 next year, and Joey Bart is at least 2 years out. Farhan traded for Austin once before, maybe he will again. How about Barnes, Estevez, Garcia (or Floro), and an A level lottery pick for Tony Watson and Sam Dyson? Then the two Santana’s (Dennis and Cristian) for Ken Giles.
I have no idea if that would interest the Giants or Toronto. Maybe Shaggy has to go to Toronto. Simply thinking out loud on how to improve the bullpen and not hurt the future. The Dodgers may also want to hold onto Barnes as a backup for Smith next year. I would love to be in their meetings to understand what they are thinking.