Here’s a nice story about Dodgertown in Vero Beach. It has had a checkered history since the Dodgers left in 2008. Minor League Baseball tried to run it for a while as a multi-use facility to accompany its already-obvious baseball uses, but that closed down in 2012. Then a miracle occurred!
O’Malley and his sister, Terry, feared that if the facility shuttered again it may never reopen. So the O’Malley family became owners again, with [Chan Ho] Park and Hideo Nomo, as founding partners, and re-branded the place as Historic Dodgertown. It was named a Florida landmark on Monday.
Those are some good Dodgers names, huh?
Young Mr. Puig had a good day yesterday in the Japan-MLB Series in the Tokyo Dome: he went 3 for 4 and made a diving catch in right field as well.
NPUT
It’s Turkey Day in America, the one day of the year when even Dodgers fans and Giants fans sit down together in close harmony and partake of the flowing bowl and the sumptuous repast.
However, if you’re hosting, remove that flowing bowl pretty quickly or fisticuffs may follow.
It is Turkey in the United States, but not the rest of America. In Buenos Aires tonight, we’ll probably order fugazzetta (cheese and onion pizza). Last night I had a spectacular sushi tasting menu.
This ought to get the dogs barking… The Marlins are looking for an upgrade at first base; Let’s trade Agon for Fernandez (Isn’t that their great young pitcher?), throw in some money or whatever it takes, and platoon SVS and Ethier at first base, thereby paring our outfield glut and giving us an excuse to bring up Pederson…
Woof! (google the words “trade” and “Fernandez” and you end up back here)
I hate to say it but I think this is the kind of thoughts our geek front office has…
Bob:
https://help.disqus.com/customer/portal/articles/466230-logging-into-disqus
Seems to be an issue with my browser (but this other one works!) Thanks.
Once the Ramirez news was official, Dee tweeted:
November 24, 2014
If this Grantland story is to be believed, there were several players on the Dodgers’ roster who were quite happy to see Hanley gone.
You mean besides Alphabet and Rojas? – Bob Hendley
Heh. I think in addition to his immediate competitors, yes.
Have you lost your Disqus login info? How come you show up as Guest?
Not sure what the problem is (can’t get to the sign-in page) Started a few weeks ago when trying to comments from the office (during lunch, I swear) and now again that I am on the beach in Mexico. – Bob Hendley
I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.
I’ve had occasional Disqus glitches too.
The Dodgers seem to be willing to wait a season for Cory Seager’s arrival.
They have Turner, Rojas and Arruebarrena on the roster, and the external prospects aren’t great:
I’ll do without Drew and Rollins, Ramirez may be too expensive, and Cabrera wasn’t all that much (.241 batting average, 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, 74 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in 2014) while Lowrie was not much different (.249 BA, 6 HRs, 60 RBIs, 59 runs and no SBs).
The heck with it. Sink or swim with the three they’ve got. Arruebarrena’s a kid. He may mature into something special, or maybe not, but give him a shot. Turner’s a valuable reserve who can spell Uribe as well as pinch-hit, and Rojas can spell Gordon and Arruebarrena.
With these recent player signings from the Dodgers, makes me feel like we have become as exciting as the Twins.
Adding a proven bullpen arm (Peralta) and a potentially good one (Nicasio) is nothing to scoff at. They address a significant weakness in last year’s team.
Fair enough call
Kyle seager gets 7 year $100M contract. Third base is a little thin around the MLB.
Kyle Seager’s a pretty good player. Corey may be even better.
I would love to have the Seagers playing on the left side of the Dodgers infield, especially if Cory can stay at shortstop.
They’re unlikely ever to play together, unless the Mariners decide to unload Félix Hernández to the Dodgers.
Van Slyke, Uribe, Crawford, $30M for Kyle Seager
If I were the Mariner GM, that offer would surely tempt me. Dodger GM also. Van Slyke will never be an All-Star, Uribe about done, Crawford is expendable for several reasons. Seattle can fill 3 holes, Dodgers can stabilize at least one position for years. If Corey can stay at short, the infield is set for years to come…
Seattle could also keep the $30M and swap Crawford’s contract for Elvis Andres, ss Texas, contact and use the $30M to help sign Thomas etc
Maybe Kemp will stay now that Hanley’s bat is gone for sure.
Juan Nicasio is now a Dodger.
The Boston Globe claims the Sawx have gotten both Ramirez and Sandoval and speculates as to how they’ll be used here.
(Rubs hands together in glee) “What will we do with our compensatory draft pick?”
Hanley did a good job for the Dodgers while healthy, but he wasn’t all that as a shortstop anymore.
Take note that the Giants just got weaker.
I would say that Flablo’s departure (not yet officially confirmed) gives the Gnats a chance to improve themselves. Given his (lack of) conditioning, he’s likely to have a shorter rather than longer career, and a shorter rather than longer life.
I can’t understand Boston buying big on Ramirez And Sandoval. They will be lucky if they get one good year from each of them, then what? Pretty sure the Dodgers won’t be bailing them out like they did before. Dodger management now is inclined to go after lower profile players with a higher return on their salary. Pity it’s only a second round draft spot return for Hanley. At some level I feel our management will make good decisions in signing and trading for players, (it;s always a crap shoot…), but it is frustrating to wait and not hear any good rumors.
Both Hanley and Phlablo have been injury-prone, but Hanley’s by far the better player. When the aging Big Papi is gone, Hanley becomes the DH.
Napoli on first has one more year on contract for them, so maybe they play DH and first base next year. Or they trade Napoli now.
Hanley possibly already gone
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/102280786/red-sox-reportedly-land-hanley-ramirez-pursuing-pablo-sandoval
I don’t think anybody’s surprised.
Via Twitter,
Here’s a bad contract trade that would be useful to the Dodgers: Ethier and $15MM to Phoenix for Miguel Montero. Ethier was raised in Phoenix and has ties there. And God knows we need help at catcher….
The Dodgers add three to 40-man roster to protect them from Rule 5 draft: RHP Zach Lee, LHP Chris Reed, OF Scott Schebler.
Additionally, they did a deal, acquiring RHP Joel Peralta and LHP Adam Liberatore from the Rays in exchange for RHP Jose Dominguez and RHP Greg Harris.
Insider trading!
I can see where Hanley could help the Dodgers at SS in 2015 and 3B in 2016, 2017, and maybe 2018.
I agree, but am not very optimistic.
Because the Jays acquired Russell Martin, Dioner Navarro is requesting a trade. Remember how he left the Dodgers, does anyone really think they’ll give him a call? Yeah, right after they call Miguel Olivo….
I don’t think Dioner would bite anybody’s ear off, but he didn’t contribute much to the Dodgers.
With the talk of Stanton’s mega-contract, it made me think again about what Kershaw did . . . a season for the ages. . . . Has anyone come close to such a stellar season (CYA or MVP) immediately after signing a multi-year, multi-$$ contract?
What’s your point? (before we blindly supply you with evidence one way or the other) – Bob Hendley
Although I love Donny Ballgame…..
I truly believe that the best acquisition the Dodgers could possibly make this off season is ….
…
Bruce Bochy.
IMHO
Not available. They passed on Joe Maddon, so Mattingly could not be more secure. They apparently don’t think managers are too important as long as they have enough geeks in the front office. With so many cooks, you can expect lots of menu changes.
I am at a loss to understand why some of you guys want to trade Puig. He’s a bargain-priced outfielder who also happens to be one of the most dynamic players the Dodgers have had in years. He’s a guy who draws fans to the park, throws guys out, makes amazing catches, and hits above .290 with some power.
What’s not to like?
The want to because they can. Moving anyone else for anything of value would be difficult.
I only want to trade him for Jose Fernandez with Miami liking Puig for reasons you just made. Fernandez is controllable for 4 more years and cost less than Puig. The dodgers get a pitcher which they need, especially with Greinke having elbow pain the last two years and has an opt out after 2015 and Rhu having physical issues as well last year. Also, there is a need for two more pitchers in the rotation and about 3 less outfielders.
The Dodgers will have Kemp, Ethier, Crawford, Gonzales with big contracts that end within a year of each other and when the players are between 34 and 36. Adding Hanley to that “team” by offering him a 4 year contract is asking for lots of holes that would have to be filled in 2018 and 2019. It does not improve if Crawford is traded for Elvis Andrus as his 9 year contract will end when he is about 35 as well.
I like Seager for shortstop in 2015 and Pederson in CF for 2015 as well.
I would trade Arruebarrena and Guerrero and chalk them up as mistakes even though they are young. And while I appear to be alone on this, I still trade Puig for Jose Fernandez. Both players have favorable contracts and Miami could better leverage the signing of Stanton with the addition of Puig to get fans in seats. The Dodgers would get an outstanding young pitcher without paying another $20,000,000 a year for one.
Traded: Ethier, Puig, Wilson
My lineup:
SS Gordon
CF Pederson
RF Kemp
1B Gonzales
LF Crawford
3B Uribe
SS Seager
C Ellis
SP Kershaw
SP Greinke
SP Fernandez
SP Rhu
SP Heron
RP Jansen
RP Withrow
RP Howell
RP League
RP Baez
RP Rodriguez
RP Magill
B Van Slyke
B Turner
B Rojas
B Federowicz
Dee Gordon is no longer a SS and, barring multiple simultaneous fatalities among the other IFers, he never will be again.
Obviously I meant to put Gordon at second otherwise there would be two SS and no second baseman. Geez!
A case can be made to move Gordon, selling at the high point.
I’m not necessarily opposed. It depends what’s available in exchange.
Howard Cole writes columns for various broadsheets around Southern California. He used to be a columnist for the Press-Telegram, I think. One of them, anyway. Here he is in the Bakersfield Californian admonishing fans to take all trade rumors lightly.
I wouldn’t mind too much if the Dodgers swapped Crawford’s bad contract for Ubaldo Jiminez’s bad contract. If they could fix him, it would be a great deal…
Doubt that CC will ever “earn” his salary, but he is producing. Camden Yards is not the sort of place that a guy like Ubaldo should be pitching in, what with his flyballs and the short left porch. Still not a deal I would make for a fifth or six starter.
A ‘fifth’ or even ‘sixth’ started is still more useful than a ‘sixth’ outfielder whose arm is so weak and erratic that you can’t even hide him in left field.
He is our starting leftfielder who put up an 118 OPS+ last year and basically led the team in hitting in August and Sept. Advanced stats indicate a WAR of 2.3 at a salary of $20 million. Jimenez had a WAR of -0.5 at $13 million. Based on these numbers you would be giving up 2.5 WAR for $7 million in savings? (Last year buying a win in FA market was costed at about $7.5 million). -Bob Hendley
I still don’t like Crawford, he is a DH. Period. If the National League adopts the DH, then there’ll be a place for Crawford on my team. Otherwise, I prefer Ethier’s versatility, he can play all three outfield positions and first base if necessary.
Because we need more outfielders, the Dodgers just got Kyle Jensen from the Marlins for cash or a PTBNL. He’s 26. He “batted .260 with 27 homers and 92 RBIs for the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate in 2014 and has a .262/.343/.478 slash line in his six-year Minor League career, with 755 strikeouts and 283 walks in 705 games.”
Sounds like the next Billy Ashley… I wouldn’t mind seeing another Frank Howard, though.
The real Bob Hendley’s nightmare: Hondo had an OPS of 1.471 and 8 dingers in 41 AB against him.
Well, they will be needing another outfielder in Albuquerque, no?
Make that OKC – the Dodgers will now be there (AAA) and in Tulsa (AA).
Here’s somebody advocating trading Ethier and cash to the Twins for . . . Ricky Nolasco?
Martin signed with Toronto, 5 years $82MM! Alright, I’ll settle for Rivera from San Diego.
He was born in the Toronto ‘burbs, I gather, so this is a homecoming of sorts. But here’s an interesting thing: The Jays already have another ex-Dodger, Dioner Navarro. So what’s that mean for him?
I read somewhere they are looking at Navarro as a DH/ Backup Catcher. Of course a trade is always possible, just don’t expect it to be to LA as long as Mattingly is here…
Martin and Navaro, together again.