“It’s a doggy-dog world out there.” I have seen that written on the Internet more times than I care to mention, and it apparently applies to the Dodgers’ starting rotation competition this spring. There are seven proven pitchers trying to fit into the two spots for fourth and fifth starters. Kershaw, Hill and Maeda look to be locks for the first three slots, but after that you’ve got McCarthy, Wood, Kazmir, Ryu, Stripling, Stewart and Urias hunting for work.
“As we look around here today, we have a lot of starting pitching depth, but as we finish spring training, guys like Alex Wood, Brandon McCarthy, Scott Kazmir, they’re going to have to pitch somewhere,” Roberts said. “So whether it is out of the rotation or potentially out of the pen, I don’t know that answer right now.”
Oh, and once they get the starting pitching set, they can start on their “eight outfielders for three positions” problem.
It all begins on Wednesday.
Weisman put on his reviewer hat to talk about the Oscars today.
This is on “Dodger Thoughts”! So, just had to comment.
True, but Jon put in his chops here for years and his writing expands the playing field.
Sure and really knew his stuff from his day job.
The Dodgers are on MLBTV at noon today.
And took a 7-2 lead which they promptly gave up.
But then the rooks get the lead back.
IOST (it’s only spring training), but sure is nice to see the dingers from the farm boys.
Bellinger’s was an absolute bomb.
Steiner never met a cliché he didn’t like.
This needs a new color scheme. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8ea325b072d627ad60dfeb816c4f6f0cd7f568199cf87e197ee2c176bf751a19.jpg
Agreed. I wonder if he’s mentioned it to the maker yet.
Blue would be difficult to integrate into a color scheme mimicking the Mexican flag.
The Mexican flag is not Halloween colors.
He’ll need to dye his beard.
And change his cap.
That goes without saying!
Notice that there is no logo on his cap. There may never have been, because of trademark issues.
First MLBTV game of spring – Fillies v. Yanquis. Dodgers on tomorrow.
Fernando Valenzuela, team owner.
Tigres de Quintana Roo, I have seen them play in Cancun. This is actually the storied Tigres from Mexico City that moved there in 2007. Old friends Ismael Valdez and Daryl Ward played for them, as did Julio Franco.
Mike Piazza, team owner.
The photo of the game appears to be Reggio against arch rival Parma from just up the road. I know this because when I lived in Argentina, Parma was know as the Argentine team and played in the highest level “A” with a good number of top level Argentine players.
Ruf’s contract sold to Korean League team. LHP Nuno (who?) traded to Orioles for Class A RHP Ryan Moseley.
You misspelled “Nuño.”
Mike P sees method to Dodger overstocked rotation madness: ride pitchers’ good health to quality innings as long as their health holds. Then plug in others to deliver quality when those conk out. Rinse, lather, repeat. (Kinda like last year.)
“To understand what the Dodgers are doing, it’s important to understand that putting together a starting rotation is no longer about finding five pitchers who can give you 32 starts and 200 innings apiece. The question these days is simply “What’s the most effective way to get
around 920 quality innings from your starters? Which is roughly the average that we saw from Major League rotations last year. Whether that pie gets sliced up among six pitchers or 12
doesn’t really matter so much, as long as: A) they’re good; and B) you have roster flexibility. ”
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/216256958/dodgers-can-take-advantage-of-rotation-depth/
Still need 3 good to great starters once into the playoffs.
Yeah, and Maeda faded late last year. The team didn’t seem to trust anyone else who was available. Would like to have seen what Wood could have done. You’d think plain old luck would break the Dodgers’ way at some point.
Wood didn’t come back from his surgery until the third week of September, so not enough time to build up his arm strength and innings to assume a starter role
Kershaw, Hill and Urías sounds pretty good to great to me.
Couple recent reports say Gagne mulling comeback attempt at 41 following his Team Canada WBC stint . Catcher quoted in this says he had MLB quality stuff in a recent bullpen, including that legendary change.
Story says he was clocked 93-95 last fall.
Even if Game isn’t Over and someone signs him, could he last thru the season at 41? Unlikely.
Brian Wilson wants to come back as a knuckleballer. Which is more likely? Neither?
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/216461484/eric-gagne-throws-bullpen-in-dodgers-camp/
Howard Cole has strong feelings about Gagné’s presence anywhere near a Dodgers’ camp.
SI grades teams’ winter performances; Dodgers do well.
Ruf to Korea? If Dodgers go with 13 position players, looks like choice for the 25th guy is between Quique and Taylor. Nod to Quique given his ability to be sixth outfielder. Would mean that Puig would be fulltime and Toles and Thompson to OKC, with Franklin and SVS platooning with Joc and Dre. Quique to outfield and SVS to 1st when AGon needs a day off.
This is what spring training should look like.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9f40d4d158721f58dfdbd3b82d35401a189b9cb5b646851aac0d9a47c7692c07.jpg
Very very veteran baseball writer reflected in 2016 on some astounding spring training memories. Colorful taste of the old days.
http://newhanonbaseball.blogspot.com/
https://goo.gl/photos/KJkHtQVPs25KiQZv9
Changing the clubhouse vibe between Friedman’s arrival and now, along with more thoughts about Jansen’s re-signing.
Lotta flexibility in that outfield in terms of stashing players in OKC and seeing how things work out.
Eric had an encouraging observation on the starters, Klayton and Hill in particular: they accounted for only 27 starts last year between the two of them, so the notion that they could be closer to 60 this year is a reason for optimism.
Kershaw has a history of durability, but Hill does not – he’s a calculated risk. I hope he works out, but I’m not convinced he will.
Well, he did get in 20 starts last year, despite everything. So 20 plus 30 from Klayton gets them up to 50, or almost twice as many as last year.
Given Hill’s age, and continuing blister issues, there’s room for skepticism.
Sure, but the deep rotation means that he can be babied more if need be to increase his contribution.
I have no complaint about the signing per se, but it does come with significant risk.
Not that the Dodgers are locks for the post season, the team that could be built from the players they hold back in extended spring training could be better than a few MLB teams.