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Post by 88bulldog on Feb 28, 2019 22:46:54 GMT
I don't get the Giants, their roster is old with ineffective hitters and pitchers and a 26th ranked farm as of last year. This is probably Zaidi raising the price or a Boras negotiating tactic against the Dodgers. Let the Gnats have him! Or Phillies, though they're not mentioned much now, but you never know. We have way too many good OFers so why do we need Harper? He has great ability and is arguably the 2nd best player in the bigs, but he has an attitude problem. No one can deny his greatness since his MVP year, but just like last year with the Nats, he'd be a drag on us. A starting OF of Vergudo/Pollock/Bellinger is the envy of many teams. Anyhow, just like the Padres just breaking the bank to lock up Machado, shouldn't the Gnats be more concerned with their pitching? Harper might get them a few more wins than their 73 last year, but nowhere near 90, the number needed to compete for the division title. I just question this part about the attitude problem. Can you show us examples? Seems like a pretty good family guy to me. That's what Dave Roberts said. He wanted more guaranteed years for less average salary and a full no trade clause so he could find a permanent home for his family. He may be a bit over enthusiastic at times but I wouldn't call that a bad attitude. www.mlb.com/news/bryce-harper-meets-with-dave-roberts-dodgers"Roberts said he got to know Harper at last year’s All-Star Game, when Roberts was the National League manager. “Heck of a player, really great family man,” Roberts said. “Great guy.”" |
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20DodgerMiracle24
Legend
Rob Manfred is a disaster to our national pastime.
Posts: 1,790
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Post by 20DodgerMiracle24 on Mar 1, 2019 2:33:15 GMT
Let the Gnats have him! Or Phillies, though they're not mentioned much now, but you never know. We have way too many good OFers so why do we need Harper? He has great ability and is arguably the 2nd best player in the bigs, but he has an attitude problem. No one can deny his greatness since his MVP year, but just like last year with the Nats, he'd be a drag on us. A starting OF of Vergudo/Pollock/Bellinger is the envy of many teams. Anyhow, just like the Padres just breaking the bank to lock up Machado, shouldn't the Gnats be more concerned with their pitching? Harper might get them a few more wins than their 73 last year, but nowhere near 90, the number needed to compete for the division title. I just question this part about the attitude problem. Can you show us examples? Seems like a pretty good family guy to me. That's what Dave Roberts said. He wanted more guaranteed years for less average salary and a full no trade clause so he could find a permanent home for his family. He may be a bit over enthusiastic at times but I wouldn't call that a bad attitude. www.mlb.com/news/bryce-harper-meets-with-dave-roberts-dodgers"Roberts said he got to know Harper at last year’s All-Star Game, when Roberts was the National League manager. “Heck of a player, really great family man,” Roberts said. “Great guy.”" Well, no real examples of his attitude problem, but the fact that since his MVP year, his stats haven't been what they were then. Perhaps he peaked early in his career? And didn't he get into a fist fight with Jonathan Papalbon a few years ago? I don't really know what caused that, but I dont remember anyone remarking about Papalbon's attitude. |
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 3:19:05 GMT
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 3:28:15 GMT
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 3:31:06 GMT
So he'll be getting paid at age 38? That is just plain stupid.
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jrgreene6
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Married . . . With Cats
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Post by jrgreene6 on Mar 1, 2019 4:04:38 GMT
So he'll be getting paid at age 38? That is just plain stupid. I read 40 - is he 25 or 27? Either way - INSANE money with NO OPT OUT! Albert Pujols, East Coast Edition. GO DODGERS!!! |
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 4:09:54 GMT
So he'll be getting paid at age 38? That is just plain stupid. I read 40 - is he 25 or 27? Either way - INSANE money with NO OPT OUT! Albert Pujols, East Coast Edition. GO DODGERS!!! He won't turn 27 till the middle of October. Albert was 40 when Moreno signed him.  Still a dumb contract. You know the Phillies will be lobbying hard for the DH rule. |
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 4:19:14 GMT
Kershaw tests shoulder, reports improvement
Friedman: 'Not a lot of clarity' in ace's prognosis
By Ken Gurnick @kengurnick
12:21 PM PST
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw reported improvement in his balky shoulder after testing it in another game of catch Thursday.
“The fact that things are trending in the right direction is a good thing,” said Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, who downplayed the urgency of a quick recovery with a month left in Spring Training. Friedman also reiterated that the club does not feel an MRI is needed for a shoulder that had a clean MRI in November, when Kershaw signed a three-year, $93 million contract.
“He’s doing better now than a week ago, and that’s a good thing,” said Friedman. “We’re early enough in Spring Training that we have a little bit of time. Today went pretty well. I’m sure he’ll pick up a ball and do it again tomorrow. The challenging part is taking the time and having the patience to kind of go through it. He’s in a good frame of mind right now.”
Kershaw reported “not feeling great” after playing catch Monday. That came five days after complaining about discomfort throwing live batting practice, which was two days after feeling something in his shoulder while throwing a bullpen session. Kershaw reported no issues after his first two bullpen sessions of camp.
Kershaw made 25 throws to conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel in a five-minute session on Thursday, appearing to throw more firmly than he did Monday. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt watched.
Friedman said “there’s just not a lot of clarity” in Kershaw’s prognosis, yet he insisted an MRI is not needed at this time.
“Sometimes it just takes playing it out,” he said. “He’s itching to get out there and pitch and I know how much he did this winter to do it. But right now we have time on our side and we should use it and continued to have dialogue and figure it out.”
Kershaw took only four days off to allow treatment and medication to kick in before testing the shoulder Monday. Maybe the club hoped he waited longer.
“Kersh is not the most patient person in the world. He wants to go out and compete, and we certainly get it,” said Friedman. “There’s not a perfect roadmap. His mentality is something that has put him in position to be the best pitcher of our generation, so that really works for him in a lot of respects. I think things that require patience is not necessarily a strong suit.”
Kershaw has already been named the Opening Day starter for the ninth consecutive season. He heads a starting rotation that appears to be lined up with Walker Buehler, Rich Hill, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kenta Maeda behind Kershaw. The Dodgers, however, also have the depth to replace Kershaw with Julio Urias, Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart also being used as starting pitchers this spring.
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 4:20:43 GMT
Why do I get the impression Kershaw is avoiding an MRI? What would it hurt to find out?
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 4:29:55 GMT
‘Door's open’ for Urias to crash rotation Promising lefty flashes plus velocity in first spring start By Ken Gurnick @kengurnick February 27, 2019 MESA, Ariz. -- Manager Dave Roberts said “the door’s open” for Julio Urías to start the season in the Dodgers' starting rotation. “Absolutely,” Roberts said after Urias pitched a 1-2-3 inning in Wednesday’s start against Oakland. “It’s unfair to put limits on him as far as the potential to open the season. Right now, he’s doing everything he possibly can. The door’s open for him. The opportunity will present itself if it’s supposed to. We’ve said from the start of spring, we’re seven or eight starting pitchers deep. Fortunately, we don’t have to make that decision right now.” Urias made 14 pitches, inducing a pair of ground-ball outs before finishing with a flourish, a 3-2 fastball thrown past Matt Chapman. With Clayton Kershaw’s balky shoulder, it doesn’t take a wild imagination to envision Urias breaking camp in the Major League rotation. Scouts on Wednesday clocked his fastball at 94-97 mph, his breaking ball was crisp and the changeup improving with use. “He’s been sharp all spring,” said Roberts. “Fastball 94-97. Loved the at-bat against Chapman right there. He’s focused. He looks great. He’s determined. He’s on that starter rotation and we’ll see him in five days.” www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/julio-urias-could-crash-dodgers-rotation |
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20DodgerMiracle24
Legend
Rob Manfred is a disaster to our national pastime.
Posts: 1,790
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Post by 20DodgerMiracle24 on Mar 1, 2019 14:26:53 GMT
Wow, I never knew that! Just like Mike Tyson! |
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 18:51:32 GMT
Wow, I never knew that! Just like Mike Tyson! Yeah. Papelbon must prefer geriatrics over women for target practice. |
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 21:50:17 GMT
Dodgers 2019 star left-hander might not be who you think it is
February 28th, 2019 at 10:00 am by Jesse Pearce
Four weeks from today the Dodgers open the 2019 season in pursuit of their seventh world championship, with left-hander Clayton Kershaw slated to be their Opening Day starting pitcher for a franchise record-setting ninth consecutive time.
BUT, there is a problem.
Kershaw has not yet pitched in a spring training game. In fact, he has not thrown a bullpen session in eight days (and counting). Even merely playing catch has been problematic for the future Hall of Famer, with another such effort scheduled for Thursday morning.
As every Dodger fan knows, it is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ nature is to be optimistic, abundantly so. But he must be – or at least should be – thinking of contingencies should Kershaw be forced to begin the 2019 campaign on the Injured List instead of on the mound at Dodger Stadium on March 28.
The 2019 Opening Day assignment seems obvious should Kershaw be unable to go; you go with the best you have, Dodgers staff ace heir-apparent Walker Buehler. But who, then, takes the fifth spot in the Dodgers Opening Day starting rotation?
Judging by the (numerous) extremely positive comments following Wednesday’s spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at Hohokam Stadium in nearby Mesa, 22-year-old hard-throwing left-hander Julio Urias is making a very strong case to be Kershaw’s replacement – if needed – on the team’s Opening Day starting rotation.
“Absolutely,” Roberts told reporters following his team’s 5-3 win over the A’s, in which the Culiacan, Mexico native tossed a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout on five total pitches. “It’s unfair to put limits on him as far as the potential to open the season. Right now, he’s doing everything he possibly can.
“He’s been sharp all spring,” Roberts added. “Fastball 94-97. Loved the at-bat against [A’s designated hitter / third baseman Matt]Chapman right there. He’s focused. He looks great. He’s determined. He’s on that starter rotation and we’ll see him in five days.
“The door’s open for him. The opportunity will present itself if it’s supposed to,” added the Dodgers skipper. “We’ve said from the start of spring, we’re seven or eight starting pitchers deep. Fortunately, we don’t have to make that decision right now.”
Lest we forget, Urias is not a surprise prospect. Since signing with the Dodgers in 2012 as a teenager, Urias dominated hitters who were, on average, seven to eight years older than him while at Great Lakes, Rancho Cucamonga, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.
In 2016 and still only 19 years old, Urias was the consensus number four prospect in all of Major League Baseball (according to MLB Top 100 and Baseball America Top 100). That season he won five of seven decisions for major league Dodgers, pitching to a 3.38 ERA (3.17 FIP) and averaged almost ten strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
Shoulder surgery in June 2017 effectively delayed the young left-hander’s career by two full years, but by all standards, it appears that Urias is as good – if not better – than ever before.
There is at least one other option for the Dodgers Opening Day starting rotation if Kershaw is unavailable; veteran right-hander Ross Stripling. No doubt Stripling deserves strong consideration, but he is likely more valuable to the team early in the season pitching multiple innings out of the bullpen. Dennis Santana, another highly regarded right-handed pitching prospect, may be another option considering how well he pitched in his first spring training game, when he struck out the side in his one inning of work.
The operative word (or words) here are “left-hander,” which, of course both Kershaw and Urias are. Then again, as we sit here today and even absent Kershaw, the Dodgers still have lefties Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu slated to begin the season in the Opening Day starting rotation, leaving Buehler and Kenta Maeda as their only right-handers, excluding Stripling, that is.
There are still four weeks of spring training games left to be played and it is still a bit premature to write-off Kershaw as the Dodgers Opening Day starter. But if Tuesday’s game – and the associated accolades – are any indication, young Julio Urias is making a very strong case to be part of the Dodgers starting rotation … sooner rather than later.
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 1, 2019 21:54:12 GMT
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20DodgerMiracle24
Legend
Rob Manfred is a disaster to our national pastime.
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Post by 20DodgerMiracle24 on Mar 1, 2019 22:21:21 GMT
Wow, what a wealth of starters! And it seems that Kershaw's shoulder injury isn't just one of those spring training things. I'd put Urias in the rotation, and even if he doesn't cut it, Stripling, Santana or Ferguson could step up. |
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