Dodgers 2019 Roster: Very Early 25-Man Projections

Published on by Dennis Schlossman

andrew-toles-dodgers

While we’re quickly approaching the four-week mark before pitchers and catchers convene at Camelback Ranch, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at a 25-man roster prediction for the Dodgers based on all the players presently in the organization.

As a side note, I’m inclined to believe there will be an additional move or two made—and just not medial fringe players like we’ve seen multiple times this winter. Just by the way Andrew Friedman is spending seems to suggest that he’s saving up for something, and I feel that it could be a legit, right-handed hitting outfielder.

For example, the deal for catcher Russell Martin caused me to contemplate the way Friedman is building the roster. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great move as far as experience and leadership goes, but if Friedman was not money conscious, he could have easily filled the gap at catcher without sacrificing prospects. Both Martin Maldonado or Matt Wieters conceivably could been convinced to sign for a one-year deal. Pay Maldonado $5 million for a year—give or take—and you have Andrew Sopko and Ronny Brito to use as resources at the summer deadlines when building a prospective playoff roster. Instead, we may have received a sign that money may be more important than mediocre prospects at this stage of the game.

Regardless, 25-man roster projections are always a bit tricky during the winter, but this year there really aren’t an overwhelming number of bubble players. The bullpen is where the competition will be this spring, as the starting rotation and position player crew are relatively stable. Of course, there will be injuries that throw wrenches into our early projections, but here’s what we’re looking at right now—sans the new high-impact, right-handed hitting outfield acquisition:

Starting Pitchers (5) – Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill

There’s really not much to discuss here. This rotation was solidified with the departure of Alex Wood last month. As far as depth goes, Dennis Santana will be ready to go at the beginning of the year, while Ross Stripling is always capable of being stretched for four-plus innings. Julio Urias will emerge at some point, and if our guess for Caleb Ferguson holds true, he’ll be stretched out at OKC and ready for big league starting action at the drop of a dime. Still, Ferguson could be a relief option at some point should the parent club require his services.

Bullpen (8) – Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Pedro Baez, Dylan Floro, Ross Stripling, Tony Cingrani, Scott Alexander and Yimi Garcia

The relief corps is certainly the area of the team with the most speculation, and depending on the effectiveness of a handful of these guys during 2019 Cactus League play, several of the roster spots won’t be decided until the final hours before Opening Day. In my initial projections several weeks back, I had Ferguson and Josh Fields in my 25-man group, but further deduction led me to replace them with Alexander and Garcia. Joining Fields and Ferguson on the fringe are JT Chargois, Adam McCreery, Jaime Schultz, Josh Sborz, and Brock Stewart, whether or not Stewart finds a way to stay with the team.

Outfielders (3) – Joc Pederson, Alex Verdugo and Andrew Toles

Infielders (4) – Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Max Muncy and David Freese

Infielders/Outfielders (3) – Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez

Catchers (2) –  Austin Barnes and Russell Martin

Like the starting rotation, the group of position players is very much stable, at least until any new acquisitions are made. Presently, there isn’t much fringe depth to write home about unless you consider the veteran minor league trio of Shane Peterson, Paulo Orlando and Cameron Perkins as a quality resource. Furthermore, it may be wise to keep a close eye on Matt Beaty and Edwin Rios if the club decides to mostly stand pat on the 40-man roster. As far as current needs go, notice the lack of right-handed bats.

Looking ahead, we’ll put together another projection about a week or so before Opening Day, but aside from two or three potential adjustments, this list should be fairly accurate.

 

66 thoughts on “Dodgers 2019 Roster: Very Early 25-Man Projections”

  1. Do any of the bull pen arms have an option left if the FO decided they want to protect Brock Stewart for a while? Not saying they would, it wasn’t that long ago the FO thought highly of him, I remember in 2017 Andrew refused to make brock part of the package to get dozier, that’s how we ended up with Forsyth.

    Like

    Reply

  3. I don’t see any way that Stewart is on the Dodger roster come opening day, unless he has a spectacular spring. Not very likely, but not entirely impossible. Yimi might not have to be quite so spectacular to make it but if he’s just decent I think he’s gone also. Cingrani’s health could play a major part in Andrew’s strategy. I really think they’d very much like to make Ferguson into a starter so will hope to start him at OKC. That means, AF might have some long conversations with FZ about Smith or Watson. Farhan obviously knows the Dodger farm system so would be very much inclined to trade with us if he could get a deal he liked.

    Like

    Reply

      1. I think today’s front office guys couldn’t care less about trading with a guy who used to work with them, trading with a team in the same division, etc. as long as the deal works for both sides. In fact, as I mentioned above, since Farhan knows the Dodger system so well, it’s even more likely he would want to trade with us. We usually agree on most things Dennis but apparently not on this issue. I’ll go out on a limb here and say Farhan and Andrew will make a deal by July.

        Like

      3. I don’t think I have anything that valuable to put up against your Jerry Sands card. How about if I go online and see if I can come up with an autographed Babe Ruth card? That’s about equal wouldn’t you agree?

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Stripling projects 90 innings of 3.6. That’s on the Dodgers. Stewart is anybody’s guess, but he projects less. Each of them in a different organization could reach 130 innings. The only reason those guys are here is for support at jacuzzi time and/or emergency purposes. None of our starters are 30 start 200 innings guys so we need backups. Many organizations just call up their top prospects for that function. Not us. I look at these guys and think each of them are worth at least prospects that could be used in trades for players like Realmuto or Cervelli. Nope. We hang on to them and bring in a retread. Oh, well. We should be used to it but now. The good news is we’re still pretty good. The bad news is we’re not good enough. I still expect something else.

    Like

    Reply

  5. Houston, we have a problem…………sorry, L.A., we have a problem. A lack of right handed hitting outfielders, especially if CT3 becomes our 2nd baseman. Just about the only prospect I see is Peters, and I’m not sure he’ll ever develop enough to be a starter for us. We’ve had conversations about the following: Castellanos, Pollock Haniger, Stanton. If none of those comes to fruition, I’ve come up with the following list of guys that AF might actually consider, some possibilities much better than others and some much more obtainable than others: Marcell Ozuna (Cards), Tommy Pham (Rays), Albert Almora (Cubs), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Jorge Soler (Royals), Adam Jones (F.A.), Franmil Reyes (Padres), Robbie Grossman (Twins), Ramon Laureano (A’s), Matt Holliday (F.A.). See anybody there that you like?

    Like

    Reply

    1. I think Jones is intriguing, but I have a suspicion that he’s asking for a salary well north of $10 million. And, if he wants multiple years, forget about it. Despite his age, four Gold Gloves are nothing to sneeze at. Nevertheless, I’m not quite sure how fans would react to signing a veteran outfielder with the initials “A.J.”

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I seriously doubt Jones will get more than 10 mil but he may be asking for multiple years and I wouldn’t do more than one year. I love Pham but it would take a lot to get him. Of course we have all those prospects we aren’t trading for Realmuto, Kluber or Haniger. I’d also trade Joc and a prospect for Ozuna as long as it wasn’t too good a prospect, but really not sure why the Cards would do that, although Joc has an extra year of control.

        Like

      2. If I was a betting man, which I’ve been known to drop a wager or two in my day, I’d say something is definitely coming in the form of a right-handed hitting outfielder. Whomever it is, let’s just hope he has more potential than a Paulo Orlando or Cameron Perkins.

        Like

      4. I could definitely see Adam Jones as our opening day left fielder (assuming he’d be willing to play left field and would be willing to play in L.A. and we don’t get one of the others we’ve all been talking about). That’s a lot of if’s.

        Like

  6. You see them carrying 13 pitchers again. I guess because of all the utility type players they might feel that way, but I think that 1 less bench player is problematical and limits your options. Too many times last season he used those guys up way too early and this year he has less RH options off the bench against lefty’s. I think I will sit back and see if they do make another move for another position player before I project any kind of 25 man, but I agree chances are pretty slim Stewart is on opening day roster unless there is an injury during spring.

    Like

    Reply

    1. There was one guy on Twitter who told me they should start the year with a nine-man pen, which is overkill if you ask me. Early in the season, starters will be going five-ish innings, so I think eight is pretty much necessary.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. That’s true, but they did it for most of the year last season and pretty much the same the year before. Part of that is the starting rotation is pretty much loaded with 5-6 inning guys. Very few go past that anymore. I think that is one reason they have been considering the roster limit change to 26 with a NFL type taxi squad too.

        Like

      2. I’m absolutely convinced we’ll see an expansion of the roster from 25 to 26 or even 27 when the next contract is negotiated. The union will love it because it gives employment to more of their members and I think the teams will be ready to accept the extra payroll because of the way the game is changing and those extra guys will be at the low end of the pay scale. I really can’t see a good reason not to do it.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. You read the blogs and way too many fans thinking with their hearts instead of their brains. There are some who still think Andy is going to splurge on Harper or Machado when there is no indication that the Dodgers have even offered either a deal. The free agent pool is thinning and time is running down. I am truly beginning to believe a trade is more likely to happen than a free agent.

    Like

    Reply

      1. Well we all know they will sign. And probably before the end of the month. I think for both of them their market has dwindled significantly from what they thought it would be and the serious suitors have been culled to less than a handful. True, we have no idea what is going on behind closed doors. One guy said why would Harper pass up millions of dollars to just be a couple of hours from home. Maybe he would, I have no clue. I just have to believe if the Dodgers and Harper were serious about him coming to LA it would be done already. It is the popular decision that’s for sure even if it goes against what the ownership’s supposed plan is. The other thing I believe is the fact that the players union does not want either of these guys to sign deals that are for less than what they feel is market value. That has come into play before.

        Like

    1. I think it depends on where they are in the standings come the end of July. If they are close and feel they need it, Ol Andy will do something. Ozuna is in the last year of his deal and depending on the Cards status, he might be available. They could get Kemp(snicker,snicker ) for a song probably. But yeah, he will do something. Maybe by then all the lefty’s will be raking against LHP and Von Scoyoc will be proclaimed a genius, and they need a starter as 3/5ths of the rotation is awful…we will see.

      Like

      Reply

  9. I keep hearing we need a “right handed hitter”. Why does he have to be a right handed? How about just a hitter? Let me ask you this – what if we could get a middle order hitter that slashed .255/.410/.490 against left handed starting pitching? Would that be good enough for you?

    Like

    Reply

  10. An 900 OPS guy. That’s a top,10 hitter in the National League. That works for me! But remember our weakness last year we faced Sale and Price and we need someone who,can give us some quality ab’s against them like Freeze did

    Like

    Reply

  11. And our new hitting coaches #1 priority should be to develop our young left handed hitters to hit lefties better. Teach them it’s still can be a basehit if you hit the ball to left field!

    Like

    Reply

    2. .900 is what Harper OPS’d against LH starting pitching last year. Whoever does sign him is getting a future Hall of Fame hitter in his prime. It probably won’t be us. We sign old geezers and rehab projects. Hill? Yep. Kazmir? Check. McCarthy? You bet. Brett Anderson? Welcome aboard cream puff. A LH 30/100 .900 OPS hitter against LH starters? Too expensive.

      I’m concerned that the Tampa mentality may eventually catch up with us. Like I’ve said many times, we’re still pretty good. But as we have proven for several years running, pretty good does not win championships. Go bold or go home.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I think calling Harper a future HOF player is a stretch. I think he is a very good player, but he has had only 1 MVP type season in his 7 year career. I believe the TB mentality has BEEN here ever since Friedman arrived. I want to see Harper string together 3 or 4 years of the same caliber as his MVP season before I call the guy a HOF candidate.

        Like

  12. Harper’s OPS against all lefties last year was 857. I’m not saying he wouldn’t make our team team better but is he worth 10-350. The largest contract ever. With one great year, one good year and 4 years of 800’sh OPS. I’m not alone in thinking no way. And it’s hard to call us small market mentality when we’ve had the highest payroll for the last several years up until last year and then we were right up against the cap. I,put out a list of top,ten free agents for the last 3 years yesterday. Who there should have AF signed? There were a lot of bad contracts handed out! Yes he’s made some bad decisions that you listed. All GM’s have. Check out Theo’s last free agent signings! But AF’s signings have been shorter term mistakes that haven’t hamstrung our team like so many others. Let’s get specific here. Who thinks Harper is worth 10-350. Who thinks we should give up Bellinger for Reamulto. What free agent should we have signed the last 3 years? The only thing I see is every GM wishes they would have given Miami anything for Yelich.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Good points Rich. I get where you are coming from. I have never believed any player was worth that kind of money, but it is what the market dictated at the time. As for the payroll, lets examine that. Friedman did inherit a large payroll mainly because of the TRADE and Ethier and Kemp’s contract and the Kershaw deal. So the spending was not really on him. He pretty much toed the line and did not add significant payroll. The small market mentality comes from the fans who felt he should have spent more money instead of doing the dumpster diver, waiver wire, utility players at all positions thing he did do. Guys with questionable ability and plenty of damaged goods hoping they would contribute. Oh yeah, he made some deadline deals, two actually that added big name players. 2 of them, Darvish and Hill were either on the DL or just coming off of it that diminished what they could contribute to the pennant push. Darvish, if you look back at the trade, was not really needed. They were cruising and actually lost ground after he came over. Machado performed below the level expected. So his buy low philosophy, the same one he used at Tampa, has never really changed. Theo has something Andy does not. A couple of Championship teams under his belt. Heywood was a bad decision, but getting Zobrist wasn’t. Of course the Darvish deal was really bad. Can trading for Bailey be considered a short term mistake, especially because of what it cost the offense that has not been addressed yet? I get that a lot of people buy into Andy. And in some cases he has made astute deals. I just think he is not the genius everyone proclaimed him to be when he first came to LA. I read that on many different web pages. As long as I have been a Dodger fan, they always have had a couple of shinning stars on the team except in the late 60’s after Koufax and Big D had retired. Fans want that. They want the big name. If that big name does not produce they turn on the guy pretty fast. His first year in LA Dusty Baker stunk up the place. He was booed many times. He got better. Opposite side of the coin, Andruw Jones was absolutely abysmal and was let go despite having a 3 year deal.

      Like

      Reply

    2. Harper’s OPS against LH starting pitching was .900, just like I said it was Rich. LOOGY’s gave him maybe a bit of trouble. And you say .857 like it’s a bad thing. Also, I already said I doubt we pay him…. but somebody will. And wherever he goes fans will pay to see him. And don’t forget…. according to Fangraphs $/WAR point is at about $11 million and rising. He’s probably worth it. If Philadelphia signs him, watch what it will mean for their projections.

      Yes, we have had a high payroll for some time now. I still view Friedman as a bargain basement shopper. He learned his analytics approach in Tampa. He brought it here.

      There are no guarantees that Harper will be elected to the HOF Bear, I’ll agree with that. But at 25 he’s well on his way. He can play both ways for another 10 years then possibly DH another 3 after that. The guy can rake. 3300 at bats, career slash line of .279/..388/.512 – at age 25? He just needs to work on his defense. He had a 1.5 dWAR at age 19. I think after that he just got lazy with it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. Harper is 26 years old, he will probably get better, whoever signs him should be getting ascending #s, rather than signing for a 30somethingplayer who is going to have descending #s. If a national league team signs him to a 10 year deal, they could always trade him, to an AL team to DH, for the last couple years. I think there is a very good chance the DH will be in the NL before harpers contract is over anyway.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Harper turned 26 after the season was over. He is yet to have an at bat as a 26 year old. He has been an All Star 6 times by the age of 25. I have no idea how many players in MLB history have done that, but I’m sure it ain’t many.

      Yes, I would welcome him here. I’ve heard he wants to play for the Dodgers, but I don’t know that. I heard that about Yelich and Stanton too. Some of us remember that Piazza preferred to play here. All he wanted was $100 million and we shipped him off, turned around gave that money to the surly, thoroughly unlikeable Kevin Brown.

      I don’t know where Harper will play, but I’m quite certain wherever it is fans there will be appreciative.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. I just don’t get why you both are so upset with the dumpster diving thing. It doesn’t really cost us anything and like panning for gold you may pick up a few nuggets. What other organizations have found nuggets like Taylor, Morrow, Muncy and Floro in the last 2 years. Watch for Floro again this season. I really like him. I don’t think it’s just getting lucky. I think they saw something there. Spin rates,K rates, launch angles. Whatever. Kemp was baseball lucky for them but it was a brilliant financial move to,get under the cap. As questionable as Guggenheim’s finances seem they still rescued us from one of the WORST OWNERS IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL who,almost ruined our great franchise!

    Like

    Reply

    1. I’m not upset by the dumpster diving rich, I think it’s actually a good idea. It just seems like it’s policy of choice with this guy. I kind of assumed we would see a combination of development and winning free agent bidding wars to go along with the finding of hidden gems.

      I’m also not blind to the direction baseball is obviously heading. The model is in plain site. The Royals, the Cubs, the Astros and the Red Sox have won with it. I hope to see the Dodgers duplicate it soon. Sure doesn’t appear we are there yet. And if we are dumping salary, and WAR, for B- prospects and trading for players like Martin instead of players like Realmuto we most certainly are not there yet. The off season isn’t over yet, but as we watch the dominoes fall, it sure feels painfully long.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I think the underlying question is whether or not the Dodgers are aiming to stay beneath the luxury tax threshold. If we fans knew one way or the other, we’d have a much better idea which direction the club is heading.

        Like

      2. I think we’ll have a good idea about a week or two after Harper signs. Either we’ll have signed him and that will answer the question in itself, or he’ll sign somewhere else and we can then watch what Andrew’s next steps are since the Machado-Harper signings will pretty quickly lead to everyone else signing.

        Like

  17. I know it’s frustrating when couple years ago we were almost at 300 mil. But with existing penalties now it’s just not sustainable. And it’s not just us. Lock at the Cubs and Yankees. Harper and Machado are basically begging Yanks to sign them and would settle for less but they don’t seem interested and their fans are frustrated too. Boston has been trying to trade Bradley and even rumors Bogarts to get down to the cap.I feel like owners are trying to destroy the concept of 10 year contracts. If they hold tight with Harper and Machado who are 26 future free agents in their late 20’s and early 30’s will give up the notion of 10 year deals. If Harper had more consistency in his career it would be easier to pay him but I think it’s a huge gamble

    Like

    Reply

  18. Bob Nightingale reporting that the Phillies now the clear cut favorite to land Harper. White Sox made Machado a 8 year offer. They also might be willing to go longer…..Dodgers definitely not in on this at all. Not at that length of time.

    Like

    Reply

  19. You misunderstand me Rich, I’m an Andrew supporter( sorry bear) I have no problem with the way Andrew gambles on projects, and retreads to try to find a few diamonds, I believe you can do that, and sign a highly rated free agent.We should be able to afford to exceed the cap a little, for a machado/Harper type of player. Next season we shed over 50 million payroll( Hill, Ryu, Bailey, Freese) if we go over this season they should be able to get back under next season. Granted the last couple of years of those contracts may be upside down, but some team is going to get 5 to 7 years of good production, may be more, from Harper, and Machado. I saw your list of bust free agents, the big difference is age, Harper and Machado are much younger than most of those other guys, that’s why I’d be willing to gamble on these guys. I respect your stance you may be 100% right, we won’t know for a few years.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. No need to apologize my friend. I have never hid the fact that I dislike the way he does things. To each his own. I just look at his track record, which is readily available at baseballreference.com. And what I see is a history of not going after the best player available. At least free agent wise. Yeah, there are some busts on that list, and you can look at past Dodgers history and there are a bunch of the same. Some were absolutely abysmal, Schmidt, Jones, Strawberry, and a couple others. By the way, Bailey gets a 5 mil buyout after this season. They are still obligated to pay that and his salary this year. You just have to understand Andy’s mind set and you automatically see he is not inclined to sign for big money. Outside of his own guys, Kershaw, Turner and Jansen. he never has. That my friend is where it gets frustrating. He has managed to keep the best jewels in the system farm wise and he does get credit for that. But I also realize that he is working with a mandate from ownership. That has been discussed a few times on blogs. I do not think that ownership would sign either of those guys for anything close to what they are asking for, even with a buyout. If they stay, which is more likely unless they win MVP awards or something, you are stuck with the contract. I am sure the Angels regret a couple of those too. My guess is that Andy sticks to the plan. They will evaluate where the team is at the deadline and act accordingly. I do not expect any gigantic surprises between now and the opening of spring. The one thing that is being consistently reported is that they are still talking to Cleveland.

      Like

      Reply

  20. People on Twitter just crack me up. They continue to believe that both Machado and Harper are coming to LA, and if one does not, the other will. Being the realist I am and knowing how Andy has worked over the last 5 off seasons, I think they are totally delusional.

    Like

    Reply

  21. 30 days til pitchers and catchers report. All the stupor bowl has ever meant to me is 2 weeks until spring training. By the way Keith, I guess what I also meant to say is that after watching this guy operate, I doubt he is suddenly going to change gears and do something he has never done. If he does, I will be totally taken by surprise. Even if they signed Harper or Machado, I do not see any one guy as a difference maker. I have seen much weaker Dodger teams win it all. The last one to win was like that. They beat much better teams to win the big prize. If our bench was like the Stunt men, they would be a lot more fun to watch. I remember Mickey Hatcher lying exhausted on the basepaths. Those guys were fun to watch. Jay Howell getting thrown out of a game for having sandpaper hidden in the palm of his glove. Awesome. Tommy going ballistic. Just a fun bunch of guys to watch and clutch? Scioscia taking the Doc deep in the playoffs. Anyone remember that going into that series, the Dodgers were 1-11 against the Mets that year. Ahhhhhh the good times…….

    Like

    Reply

    1. I think you may have hit on this year’s strategy Bear. You mention that you’ve seen lesser teams win it all. Maybe, instead of trying to put together a super team, Andrew is trying for a weaker team this year, assuming that to be the road to a WS victory. All kidding aside, although I don’t expect him to sign Harper, I don’t feel that just because he hasn’t tried something like that before, he wouldn’t be willing to try it this year. The fans are getting restless, Andrew is at the end of his contract, and just as with NFL quarterbacks the success of a GM’s career is judged by Super Bowl (or in this case World Series) victories. With regard to the Stunt Men, those were the days. Baseball seemed more fun back then. I think Kike is the perfect guy to lead Stunt Men II, he just needs to find some compadres to help him pull it off.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I like your optimism, although I do not agree with it, His track record just says otherwise. Bowden said this morning that the Dodgers are a team going backwards. I tend to agree with that assessment. Maybe Kike should talk to Hatcher and get his thoughts on it. Taylor, and Muncy and Freese would be pretty good candidates for that.

        Like

  22. The MLB players union has developed into one of the more powerful organizations in our republic. A union of millionaires. Interesting concept. Millionaire’s need a union? Major League Baseball is the only major professional sports league in America that has not have a hard salary cap. You can bet the billionaire owners don’t much care for that fact and are working on a remedy. Slowly but surely the luxury tax is changing things. Harsher penalties are discouraging front offices from shelling out ridonkulous money to free agents. The changes in international spending that were implemented keep teams more regulated. The Dodgers tried to take advantage of the loopholes before those changes were put in play, but just ended up throwing money down the crapper. It’s ok because obviously they had the money to do it. The cap is real and frankly it’s overdue. It would appear that everyone has agreed to abide. Yes, a couple teams have gone over recently. One won a championship. Dammit. But it would appear Los Angeles is going to get in line. I am a bit surprised we haven’t heard the word collusion yet. Well, actually we’ve heard the word a lot lately, but not connected to MLB.

    It is possible to sign Harper and/or Machado and if not stay under only go over by a few million. We could trade Hill, Pederson… whatever, and manipulate payroll but I don’t see Andy doing that. He will look for the bargains (Kluber at $17 million is just that) and continue rehab projects (maybe Russell Martin goes Matt Kemp on the league for a few months) but I have no delusions about the Dodgers bringing on mega stars just ‘because’. The point made by me and others regarding Harper and Machado, and it’s an excellent point, is their age. Very seldom do you get guys like them when they are in their prime. Even Stanton was only 28 when I was pimping for him last year. What did I hear? Too much money! All he did was score 100, knock in 100 and put up 4 WAR. For $25 million. In today’s game that’s a good deal.

    It is what it is. The game has changed and the Dodgers are changing with it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Could not agree more Scoop. Those days are long gone, and it is funny, but I forgot that the major league average salary is over a million now. Does not seem that long ago that it was 500,000 or so. can you imagine what Big D and Sandy would make in this era? Let alone Mays, Mantle Aaron and the rest. As good as those two are though, neither one is a 5 tool player. Funny how over time the values change.

      Like

      Reply

      1. I can remember when field box seats were $3.50. I guess it’s all relative. FCI for Dodgers was $268 in ‘18. Average I believe is about $230 and will be going up. Fans pay. Even old guys like us continue to support the addiction. I still go to ST and purchase the mlb at bat package every year.

        I figure we will keep Seager, extending him to age 30 soon. Who else? Beats me. We can’t keep em all.

        Ever heard of a stat called Cluster Luck? According to it, we sucked in the clutch, leaving more runs on the table than all but 3 teams. And yet we led the league in runs scored. We had good pitching, but were 13th in park adjusted bullpen ERA.

        We need to get better in all “clutch stats” categories. I would suggest reading Harper’s career clutch stat splits. If you don’t like them, then let the Phillies have him….. then hope like hell he isn’t up with RISP against us.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Never heard of that, but over the last couple of seasons I have watched how bad they are in the clutch. Grandal was one of the worst. Machado was pretty bad in the series. But I can see how bad they are by checking the splits on baseballrefernce.com. That’s where I get most of the statistical stuff I post. Very few Dodgers hit over .300 with RISP. Kemp was the best. Machado actually was pretty good at that , but I think the stats are a bit skewed by how he was raking before the trade. I know Harpers stats. I have read them a lot. He is pretty clutch, but it is a moot point my friend. The Dodgers are not going to pay that kind of money to anyone. And I am not blaming that on Andy. I realize how young the guy is and that his ceiling is pretty high. I just do not believe that adding any one player is going to be the catalyst that gets them over the hump, no matter how good he is in the clutch. He by himself is not replacing all the lost offense from last year. Like it or not, Kemp and Puig were at the middle of that and Harper in his best year might hit 46 and drive in over 140. But not in a pitchers park like Dodger Stadium. The Phillies will most likely get him because as they said, they have stupid money to spend. I like you think they will lock Seager into a contract because of the position he plays, and his offensive prowess. I could see them doing one other maybe, and if it were me, it would be Bellinger.

        Like

    2. Turns out there is a connection between the baseball world and the real world with regard to collusion Scoop. My sources tell me that Putin has hacked the MLB server and is trying to influence the 2019 season. He wants the Reds to win. Badaboom!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      4. Made a comment to that effect over on Andy’s post. I would love to get him back in our system, but wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Farhan grab him. He’s got more room on the 40-man than we do.

        Like

  23. Cluster Luck. I think I just like the sound of it.

    https://thepowerrank.com/cluster-luck/

    Stanford PhD. For a team that has wrapped itself up in a blanket of analytics we were pretty bad by these CL standards.

    Don’t remember that post Dennis. But then I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast yesterday. And only 4 comments? It deserved more.

    As you know Bear, there are a few transcendent players that make everyone around them better. Is Harper one of those guys? Iontkno, but it’s possible. I think much depends on his work ethic. Does he arrive early and leave late? I have no idea what kind of man he is. I know the White Sox and Phillies are duly impressed. Is Friedman? Well, if he has to pay more than $16 million probably not. Andy has his limits you know.

    Like

    Reply
  25. Pingback: Dodgers Sign A.J. Pollock to Multi-Year Deal – Think Blue Planning Committee

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.