World Class!
Nearly 70 years ago, the Dodgers brought in a red-headed announcer who, moment-by-moment, play-by-play and season-by-season, gradually proceeded to set the standard by which all baseball announcers would be measured. They signed Vin Scully before he became Vin Scully. It s pretty much the same with Scully s successor. The Dodgers hired Joe Davis before he became Joe Davis, but boy-oh-boy, he is rapidly becoming Joe Davis. As a Dodger fan I
Nearly 70 years ago, the Dodgers brought in a red-headed announcer who, moment-by-moment, play-by-play and season-by-season, gradually proceeded to set the standard by which all baseball announcers would be measured. They signed Vin Scully before he became Vin Scully. It’s pretty much the same with Scully’s successor. The Dodgers hired Joe Davis before he became Joe Davis, but boy-oh-boy, he is rapidly becoming Joe Davis.
As a Dodger fan I have never known what it’s like to not have a World Class Play-By-Play announcer. I still don’t…
But, that is what Andrew Friedman is really good at: Getting that guy BEFORE he becomes that guy. Kike Hernandez, Austin Barnes, Chris Taylor, Yasmani Grandal, Andrew Toles, Grant Dayton and Alex Wood. Yes, he hasn’t gotten it all right, but he has gotten a significant amount right! Enough so that the Dodgers have the best record in Baseball. First team to 60 wins. #1 pitching staff. #4 in runs scored. That doesn’t mean much – all I want is a World Series Championship. That’s what it’s all about!
Rants and Raves
- Brandon McCarthy threw 75 pitches, 49 for strikes in his 6 innings of work. He walked 2 batters while allowing 1 earned run. Does anyone still want to have a conversation about the “yips?” I think not – don’t jump to conclusions in the future. Brandon looked fine yesterday… well he looked like he hadn’t pitched in about 10 days, but he was fine. There are “yips” and there are just issues with your release point. Let’s not confuse the two.
- Joc Pederson is looking more and more like he might be a keeper, but I still have to see more. I do see growth. Growth is good!
- How many 21 year-old rookies with 25 HR to their credit in a little over two months would have the patience and wherewithal to take a walk to win a game? Let me tell you: That is not easy! Cody is on another level, which is why I know he will adjust.
- MLB Trade Rumors confirms the Dodger’s interest in Justin Wilson. Maybe he is just coming into his own, but he has been up and down his whole career… maybe this is where he really gets good. Hopefully. MLB Trade Rumors suggests that he might cost more than Martinez since he has another year of control. Would you do Verdugo and Alvarez for Wilson and Martinez (remember, I am not high on Alvarez).
- Will Smith has been promoted to Tulsa.
- Yasmani Grandal had a hand injury last night. How serious? X-Rays were negative but I hear Kyle Farmer is in the air.
- Great article on Austin Barnes.
- Is there any such thing as a “FAZ-BASHER” anymore? Yeah, there’s always the State Hospital.
- Minor League Report
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Discussion (64)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Great points Mark!
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A lot of salary dropping off in the next 2 years:
2018-Ethier, Crawford and Guerrero. About $42M after buying out Ethier.
2019-AGon, Ryu, Kazmir and McCarthy (McCarthy has a team friendly option) About $57M.
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Internal options are there for upgrading several positions. I like Verdugo because he hits LHP as well as RHP. Buehler in the BP would be sick to watch and limits his innings. Farmer in Sept unless there is an injury. Do you see Kazmir as a possibility for LHP in the pen?
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After the break:
3 on the road in Miami then an off day then 2 in Chi against the Sox.
4 at home against Atlanta then 3 against the Twins then an off day.
3 against the Giants then another off day.
10 at home and 5 on the road with 3 off days. 1 team has a winning record, the Twins at 45-43.
Bill Plunkett?
Verified account
@billplunkettocr 3m
#Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi on Verdugo: “Hitting .350, more walks than Ks, probably best outfield arm in (PCL) he’s a terrific talent.” (cont)
Zaidi: “And frankly, he’s big-league ready or close to being big-league ready.” (more)
Zaidi: “I remember saying this about Julio & Corey & Joc & Cody – it’s really hard to imagine a plausible scenario where it makes sense for us to move him (Verdugo)” in a trade-deadline deal.
“Lest we forget”… I don’t see forgetting in our future…
Come on Agon, give me a hot bat during a pennant run and retire with class!!!
I’ve been thinking lately about how much I also like Joe Davis. And he totally convinced me the other night in the comeback against Arizona, when following Chris Taylor’s hit he said “moment after moment, memory after memory, the Dodgers have done it again.” Very Vin Scully-like. He even followed that up with a Vin Scully-like moment of silence to allow the viewers to soak up the cheers of the crowd, and the excitement of the moment.
Regarding Joc Pederson. I’ve been thinking for a while that he would benefit from choking up on the bat a little bit, a la Cory Seager, Joey Votto, and Barry Bonds, all power hitters.
I also like Davis. Yeh, he’s no Vinnie. But, nobody will replace Vinnie. He has so much information to give you. He remains calm and lets you enjoy the game.
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I have never seen Verdugo play, but I hope he is moved up soon. Thompson needs to go back to AAA and work on his hitting. He can play defense. Verdugo must play if he is brought up. That will be the hardest thing to do for Roberts.
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Right now I just expect the Dodgers to win every game. I think the players also feel that way. Maybe Kazmir and Ryu can be options for left handers in the bull pen. The Dodgers have so many options. It is a process to fit everyone in the right slots.