The Dodgers sent six players to minor league camp after today’s game, including top prospect Corey Seager:
In addition to Seager, outfielder Scott Schebler was optioned, while infielder Buck Britton, utilityman Darnell Sweeney and catchers Shawn Zarraga and Chris O’Brien were assigned to Minor League camp.
The Dodgers have 42 active players in camp, plus injured pitchers Chris Withrow and Brandon Beachy.
Click the link if only to see what Seager looks like with his hat off. My lord, I think he’s 15 years old.
NPUT
League out for 2 months or more. So, another signing, perhaps a trade. With the increasing rash of injuries, especially pitching injuries, a 28 man roster is desperately needed. Now, don’t wait till the next agreement (2016).
Leaving aside the 28-man roster idea (which sounds smart to me, but I haven’t analyzed it at all), remember how many relief options the Dodgers still have in camp. Take a look at Eric Stephen’s flowchart again.
League is hardly irreplaceable.
With all the relievers in camp, many doing well, a trade is very unlikely at this point.
TWC made an “offer” to the other cable companies and satellite companies of $3 per month. Since I can’t detect anyone running to accept that offer, without any authority at all, I’d like to make a counter offer to TWC. How about $8 per month Ala Cart? That is, Dodger fans only pay to watch the games and the other 90% who don’t like baseball don’t have to pay for it. Sounds fair to me.
Eric Stephen has a flowchart of Dodger bullpen situation:
http://www.truebluela.com/2015/3/26/8297239/dodgers-bullpen-flowchart
From foxsports. Found while looking around under Package’s link below…
Old friend Edwin Jackson missed his start Tuesday and landed in Cubs manager Joe Maddon’s doghouse. Jackson went to the wrong ballpark because he followed directions on his Google Map app, which sent him to Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Trouble is, the game was being played at Hohokam Stadium, just 3.6 miles from where the Cubs train.
Shades of Braves pitcher Pascual Perez, who circled Atlanta on I-285 years back and missed his game. But he didn’t have GPS technology to blame back then. Thereafter known as “Perimeter” Perez.
This link should refresh memories. Perez was colorful, to understate. Regrettably, he was killed in the DR in 2012.
“Perez was known as much for his off-the field exploits as his pitching skills which included plenty of bean balls, Ephus pitches, looking through his legs at runners and shooting batters down with an imaginary finger gun…”
And in today’s game, folks find fault with the comparatively tame antics of Puig.
http://www.kegeratornation.net/?p=16451
TBLA notes that the Dodgers’ 37 HR in 24 games is most in the majors this spring.
Really missing that RH power from Hanley and Kemp.
Still spring and all that, but the Dodgers smashed 4 HR v the Pads today. Joc, Turner, Stache vanSmash, and…
Puig. His went clear OUT of Camelback.
Dodgers.com has video of all, or at least did.
Can’t wait to watch the replays!
The throw compared to his usual was actually pretty soft 🙂
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/11493214/v54094783/must-c-combo-puig-shows-off-strong-arm-power-swing
Pederson may be a true contender for NL Rookie of the Year alongside the Cubbies’ Kris Bryant.
Presuming the Cubbies ever call Bryant up.
Eric Stephen points out that Olivera may need TJ, but that’s not such a big deal for position players, and the free agent market for 3Bs next year is very poor. It sounds like early Xmas shopping.
Informative piece on Rollins and his transition to the Dodgers.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/los-angeles-dodgers-philadelphia-phillies-jimmy-rollins-q-a-032315
So this is the Dodgers version of Hector and the Search for Happiness. I imagine that Hector is happy. The question remains as to whether the Dodgers and all the fans will be!
Did you know that I co-wrote the movie of Hector and the Search for Happiness, or was this just a lucky guess?
I had never heard of the movie until now.
You’re not alone. Came and went very fast! Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, etc. (Okay, now I’m feeling weird for bringing it up on a Dodger blog…)
I like Simon Pegg, might consider watching it.
No apologies necessary.
Thanks. It’s quite a different role for him. I think he does an amazing job.
Okay – wait, wait just a minute. I had family in town for the week and missed posting here for a couple of days. But RBI – you co-wrote the screenplay? That is amazing! You rocked that job. It is such a wonderful book and you handled the humour and the playfulness of it really well.
How great that a) you saw Hector and b) you liked it! We got to premiere it at TIFF, (bucket-list time for moi) and the audience there was absolutely delightful.
Saw it on the plan in February and really enjoyed it.
Thanks! This is all very cool to hear.
Regrettably, only “The First Rule of Ten” is available in my statewide library system. I’ve reserved it. Now I’ll have to look in the used bookstores I wander through more or less weekly.
If you give me your address, I’ll mail ’em to you! Consider it a thank you for keeping Dodger Thoughts from disappearing into the void.
Oh wow. That would be great. They’d fit right in with the other 2425 books taking over my house! 😉
Maybe it’ll be a big post-cinema success. At least you got paid, presumably.
We have Olivera
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/114627400/dodgers-agree-to-deal-with-cuban-infielder-hector-olivera
For which I think we will be sorry.
http://dodgerstoday.com/hector-olivera-agrees-to-deal-worth-62-5-million-with-los-angeles-dodgers/697
I don’t know about sorry, but it sure adds to a logjam in the infield to go with the one in the outfield.
Dodgers have added a guy who’s major-league ready to an infield that has four guys over in their early to mid-30s. Given the likelihood of injuries/DL time among them, this makes sense. He’ll also have to spend some visa and minor-league time, so his addition to the roster is not an immediate issue.
Lotta years, but relatively cheap if he turns out to be our starting 3rd baseman for the next 3-4 years.
The NY Post (a Murdock publication, so the speculation-to-fact ratio may be high) says TWC is going to write down $1B of its Dodgers channel asset to one that may be more reasonably priced at $3/month, which might get the other carriers to sign on to carry the games this season.
I don’t think that will work. The hang-up wasn’t dollar amount so much as TWC trying to force the channel (and payment) on all the cable companies and satellite company’s subscribers to pay for the channel as opposed to offering it ‘ala cart’, to only the fans who are willing to pay for it. There was a widespread consumer revolt already about the companies forcing people to pay for channels, especially Sports Networks, that they didn’t really want, driving up the cable bills. Too little, too late, another year with no games. I’m supporting the cable companies on this…
“I have the same injury as Kershaw, and I want the same rehab as Kershaw. And the same fastball.” — Dodgers non-roster lefty Erik Bedard, out 4 to 6 weeks with a strained back.
As long as he’s wishing, why not the curve too?
Why stop there? Grab that wipeout slider also. (Then maybe grab a contract like Kershaw’s, too…..umm….well…ahem.)
http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/03/23/los-angeles-dodgers-sign-pablo-fernandez-cuba?xid=si_mlb
I heard we might be acquiring a Cuban side-arm pitcher. Lots of pitches, including a knuckle ball. Anyone else hear this?
Saw the announcement but missed the bit about the knuckler. Like to see that and see how he mixes it in with other pitches.
And, yea, it came to pass:
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/114307292/dodgers-pitcher-hyun-jin-ryu-to-start-season-on-disabled-list
Quique (Kike) Hernández is looking better every day.
Eric Stephen
@truebluela after the Dodgers teed off on the Rangers’ starter in last night’s slugfest:
“Rangers pitcher Anthony Bass is in treble in the first inning”
Well, the tradition continues. DM pooh-phooed reports Ryu might have injury problems, said he expected him to make his next start. Predictably, Ryu does, is now likely to start off on DL.
Wonder if someone could get Donnie to make stock picks and then short whichever ones he likes. He seems to be a great contrary indicator.
But then DM has kind of tacitly admitted he’s not always forthright with the media, likely for competitive reasons. Guess he’s in spring training on that too, trying to get the wording down.
Ex-player who spent a lot of time trying to minimize his own injuries: “Sure, my back is fine, coach”.
Comment seen elsewhere about Kershaw’s kerplunking:
After the medical staff rushed to the mound and checked out the situation, they realized the ball was OK after all. ;-])
Here’s the video of Kershaw’s plunking:
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v50317583
Goodness me, that could have been much worse
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/12524751/clayton-kershaw-los-angeles-dodgers-struck-liner-stays-game
Yikes! Kershaw! Hit in the face!
Stayed in the game, which he shouldn’t have done.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/113681016/hyun-jin-ryu-could-start-season-on-disabled-list-with-shoulder-tightnessefully
Hopefully they are just being cautious with Ryu
Interesting note from Dodger Insider: On October 4th, last game of the season, ALL games will start at 12PM (Noon) Pacific. To keep any late starting teams from having any competitive advantage. It’ll be nice to see that many games going at once, the crazy sports reporting shows will be tearing their hair out. (Serves them right, insanity is its own reward) Pointless as far as I can see, if there is any advantage in starting times, what about the other 161 games. What about lighting and weather conditions. Next thing they’ll try is an information blackout till all games are completed and no one in the park can have a cell phone. We live in strange times…
I imagine MLB is trying to recreate the events of Sept. 28, 2011, when the Red Sox and Braves both lost games they needed to win to get into the playoffs and a little later Evan Longoria hit a homer for the Rays to cap a 7-run comeback after the 8th inning to beat the Yankees and get a wild card berth.
I wasn’t objecting to it, just wondering if it really could make a difference. Of course it could change how a manager might use a pitcher, which could go bad if an injury happened. Let’s hope not.
Marketing trumps lots of things. 😉