The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association on Tuesday afternoon announced Matt Kemp as the Los Angeles Dodgers 2018 Heart and Hustle Award winner. This esteemed award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is also the only award in Major League Baseball that is voted on by former players.
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Although the injury picture of the Dodgers isn’t quite as bad as it was earlier in the first-half of the year, there have been some instances recently when it has bitten the team in terms of performance, especially considering defensive play like that on Saturday evening at third base.
Continue reading “Dodgers Injury Notes: Turner, Baez, Puig, Urías & More”
It’s not very often that an 18-year-old kid at short-season rookie ball hits so well that he captures the attention of even major league fans. But that’s exactly what infielder Miguel Vargas is doing, as he currently appears to be one of the hottest commodities in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system.
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Now that most of the smoke has cleared around Tuesday’s Manny Machado deal, the front office crew of the Dodgers is likely considering its next roster move, as the non-waiver trade deadline is now inside the two-week window.
Continue reading “Dodgers Rumors: More on the Trade Deadline & the Remaining Top Prospects”
For many fans of the Dodgers, the main focus Tuesday evening was trying to keep track of all the specifics of the impending Manny Machado trade with the Orioles. At the beginning of the evening, there seemed to be a decent chance the deal would go down, but by around 7:00 p.m. Pacific time, most of the reliable reports surfacing on Twitter indicated that the trade was imminent. All this while the MLB’s 89th All-Star Game trudged along on television sets in the background.
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As a whole, fans of the Dodgers are often discredited for their gut reactions and passionate criticism when trying to evaluate the overall performance of their favorite club. However, this year, many followers of the team appear to be right on the money with their assessments. While the club has been rumored to be making strong pushes for several possible position player upgrades, the glaring needs are with the relief corps. And while it’s getting to the point when many folks start chattering about the playoffs, it’s hard to think the Dodgers can succeed with the options they have in house—even with one of the best closers in the game as their anchor.
Continue reading “Dodgers Bullpen: What’s Wrong with Kenley Jansen?”
Seemingly, the starting rotation of the Dodgers continues to get healthier. Many fans of the team were curious to know how management would handle an overcrowded starting five, and they got their answer when Rich Hill was relegated to the bullpen just days before the All-Star break. Now, with the rotation appearing to be at full strength, followers are contemplating whether or not there’s enough firepower to make some noise in the playoffs.
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If you’re a regular reader of this site, you’ll know that occasionally we like to pick a position on the Dodgers‘ farm and discuss exactly how much minor league depth there is at that particular position. About twice per year, we take a look at catcher and analyze the top handful of prospects in the system. Up until recently, Keibert Ruiz normally headlined the list; however, at the midway point of 2018, the versatile Will Smith has seemingly overtaken Ruiz and could be on a super-fast track to the big leagues.
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If there’s one thing that can be said about the management crew of the Dodgers during the weeks leading up to the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline, it would be the fact that there are not many clues being left behind as to what intentions the club truly has in terms of upgrading the team. Several weeks ago, we heard about a possible interest in Mets’ ace Jacob deGrom, but that prospective deal was nixed when the New York brass requested young right-hander Walker Buehler in return. Next, the Manny Machado talks gained heavy momentum, as the Dodgers actually appeared as favorites to land the All-Star shortstop at one point. Finally, we heard whispers of the Los Angeles front office contacting the Marlins to prospectively gain the services of one of their young relievers.
Continue reading “Mixed Signals Coming from Dodgers Weeks Before Trade Deadline”
We say it all the time, but considering how badly the injury bug has bitten the Dodgers so far this season, it’s tough to comprehend how they’re hanging right at the top of the National League West just days before the 2018 All-Star break.
Continue reading “Dodgers Injury Notes: Puig, Buehler, Urías, Cingrani & More”
Think Blue Planning Committee 