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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 15:38:16 GMT
Hate to say it but the Astros run might be coming to an end  I noticed that they are on the hook for big money on Verlander and Greinke who will be age 37 next season and age 38 in their final contractual season. Reddick and Gurriel are free agents as well as Cole who will command more big money and has kind of said he wants to pitch in California, so that could be 3 guys off their current roster. Finally they have Correa and Springer in their last year of arbitration and will be given a raise. In all it looks like the window might be closing for them, good. This should be the offseason where the Dodgers make a play for it because it might be just the Yankees in their way going forward. |
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 22, 2019 15:51:02 GMT
By making plays for guys like Verlander & Greinke, the Astros pretty much stated they were in a 'win now' mode despite so many good young players. Good for them because it worked.
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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 16:32:35 GMT
By making plays for guys like Verlander & Greinke, the Astros pretty much stated they were in a 'win now' mode despite so many good young players. Good for them because it worked. It certainly has. I am still picking and hoping for the Nats to pull it out. Which by the way will have guys themselves to resign and guys like Scherzer, Zimmerman, and Kendrick who will be older and should start to decline. Zimmerman probably retires and maybe Kendrick. I think even if the Dodgers go with Buehler, Kershaw, Maeda, and two rooks out of Gonsolin, May, Urias they still should win the NL West. |
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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 18:50:43 GMT
Los Angeles Dodgers: Three players that could be traded
by Ben Fadden
The Los Angeles Dodgers endured a disappointing exit this postseason, so they are looking to rebound next season. Here are three players that could be on the move.
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost in the first round of the postseason this season, ending their hopes of making it to a third World Series appearance in a row.
After a great regular season, Dodgers fans were left stunned after watching their MVP record just four hits in the Divisional round and saw Clayton Kershaw crumble yet again at the hands of Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto.
But while the loss stings they are going to need to regroup quickly.
Dave Roberts is still the skipper and it seems Kenley Jansen will still be the closer at the beginning of the season but there are still questions about the rest of the club.
Starting pitchers Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu might not be on the roster come Opening Day, so that would leave two rotation spots open which could be hard to fill via free agency.
Corey Seager
As I said earlier, Los Angeles might have a big hole in their rotation if they can’t bring back Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu and to fill that hole, they might want to go the trade route, meaning Corey Seager could be the odd man out.
Adding a starting pitcher of the caliber of an ace, Andrew Friedman would need to give up one of his stars and it could end up being Seager.
Corey Seager has battled with injuries since he won the Rookie of the Year award, and he struggled in the postseason but opposing teams would still love to have him in their infield, as they have seen his potential and could take a chance on him.
Another thing that doesn’t help his case is even if the Los Angeles Dodgers keep Ryu and move Dustin may into the rotation, he could still be moved.
Anthony Rendon is a free agent at the end of the postseason and Justin Turner has already said that he is willing to move positions in favor of Rendon, so Gavin Lux could shift back over to short, ending Seager’s tenure with the Dodgers.
It will be a headline worth watching this winter if Seager stays or goes in Hollywood.
The next candidate just signed with the club before the 2019 season but things haven’t worked out…
A.J. Pollock
A.J. Pollock was set to be the Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder at the beginning of the 2019 season, but then injuries crept up with him and Cody Bellinger became, well, the best player in the National League.
He was placed on the 10-day Injured List with right elbow inflammation in April and then in June was transferred to the 60-day IL. He returned in July but never was the impactful player that LA envisioned when they signed him.
He struck out a ton in the first few games in the Division Series, which resulted in no playing time in the final games of their postseason.
The Dodgers, even without Pollock, would still be set up well with Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, and then Alex Verdugo with Kike Hernandez filling in from time to time.
Pollock signed a five-year contract worth $60 million so I think it would be a movable contract. And don’t get me wrong I am not saying A.J. Pollock isn’t a good baseball player but I just don’t think he has been a good fit or will be a good fit and it would be in the best interest of both parties to seek a trade.
The final candidate was a big part of their 2017 World Series run…
Austin Barnes
Austin Barnes was a big part of the Los Angeles Dodgers roster in their back-to-back World Series appearances but was overthrown by rookie catcher Will Smith this season.
Russell Martin was the backup and they weren’t going to send him down so Barnes was the odd man out. He only received six at-bats in the month of September.
He was recently reassigned to the minor leagues on October 3, which means he will most likely not be an impactful player on the Dodgers moving forward.
Will Smith seemingly is the starting catcher for the future, and Keibert Ruiz is shortly behind him in addition to Barnes being 30, so I think he needs to be moved if he wants to continue a major league career.
I would assume there would be a market for Barnes, as he was playing in the Fall Classic last year. There are plenty of teams that would either give Barnes a chance to be the starting catcher out of spring training (but probably non-contenders) or be the backup on a contending team. I think Barnes would benefit from a change in scenery.
It just is a shame that Austin Barnes, who nearly hit .300 in 2017, doesn’t have many options other than getting moved if he wants to further his career.
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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 19:22:17 GMT
I think Seager is a candidate to be moved but not at this time. He has 2 years of arbitration left and the team has shown a propensity to be patient with struggling players, plus he was coming back from a couple of injuries and a surgery. There will be a time when both he and Bellinger will need to paid and that is paid well since they are both Boras clients. However, the team doesn't have to pick which one it needs to pay now.
Pollock a lot of folks would want to move but there is virtually no market for him and as I've said the team waits on guys so it is almost guaranteed that he will be back.
Barnes is entering his first year of arbitration so I don't see them trading him just yet either since he can be the backup catcher.
In all I don't see any of these 3 guys being dealt, just yet. However, the team needs to see what it is offered for Joc being that he has probably peaked, is a platoon player and is in his last year of control. Someone might be looking for left handed sock.
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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 19:27:23 GMT
Dodgers Free Agency: The Case for Reliever Will Smith
The World Series starts today and LA ain’t in it…
by Marshall Garvey
10/22/2019
With an early start to the off-season, the Dodgers’ many needs have made themselves all the clearer, especially relief pitching. Despite actually having a pretty solid bullpen going into the 2019 playoffs, there’s no question it needs additional retooling to be more trustworthy from the get go in 2020.
I already examined the potential upside of buying low on old friend Brandon Morrow. However, if there is just one reliever Los Angeles should pluck off the market, it’s free agent San Francisco Giants lefty Will Smith.
After a steady upwards trajectory since debuting in 2012 for Kansas City, Smith put his tools together to their highest potential in 2019 for SF. He was a perfect 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA, notching 34 saves. For his efforts, he earned his first All-Star selection.
Worth noting, he also did considerably better facing left-handed batters than righties this year. Those on the left side of the batter’s box mustered just .157 against him, with only one home run and one walk. Righties, meanwhile, hit nine home runs and .212, which isn’t too much of a disparity.
In terms of pitching arsenal, Smith primarily utilizes a four seam fastball and slider, with a curveball mixed in. His slider generates lots of swing-and-miss movement from batters, while his curveball induces lots of groundballs. He also possesses a highly effective changeup that he rarely uses.
Age is another upside. Especially in a reliever market of pitchers well into their mid-30s, Smith just turning 30 this past July makes him one of the younger choices available. Given his left-handedness and work as a closer, he could also be versatile in both of these capacities given the Dodgers’ struggles with both the past two seasons.
There will be trivial remarks about the Dodgers’ history of signing ex-Giants, most of whom end up being risible busts in Chavez Ravine a la Jason Schmidt and Brian Wilson. There’s no denying that precedent, but that’s not really a sound case against Smith. He’s a crafty lefty in his prime, and would be a wise investment after the underwhelming Scott Alexander and the perennially injured Tony Cingrani.
By every measure, this is a must-have acquisition for the Dodgers this off-season. Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon are the deal-breaker targets, but the bullpen cannot be neglected like it has the past two off-seasons and trade deadlines. With a couple of solid additions, it could become a clear strength rather than a weakness.
With an early start to the off-season, the Dodgers’ many needs have made themselves all the clearer, especially relief pitching. Despite actually having a pretty solid bullpen going into the 2019 playoffs, there’s no question it needs additional retooling to be more trustworthy from the get go in 2020.
I already examined the potential upside of buying low on old friend Brandon Morrow. However, if there is just one reliever Los Angeles should pluck off the market, it’s free agent San Francisco Giants lefty Will Smith.
After a steady upwards trajectory since debuting in 2012 for Kansas City, Smith put his tools together to their highest potential in 2019 for SF. He was a perfect 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA, notching 34 saves. For his efforts, he earned his first All-Star selection.
Worth noting, he also did considerably better facing left-handed batters than righties this year. Those on the left side of the batter’s box mustered just .157 against him, with only one home run and one walk. Righties, meanwhile, hit nine home runs and .212, which isn’t too much of a disparity.
In terms of pitching arsenal, Smith primarily utilizes a four seam fastball and slider, with a curveball mixed in. His slider generates lots of swing-and-miss movement from batters, while his curveball induces lots of groundballs. He also possesses a highly effective changeup that he rarely uses.
Age is another upside. Especially in a reliever market of pitchers well into their mid-30s, Smith just turning 30 this past July makes him one of the younger choices available. Given his left-handedness and work as a closer, he could also be versatile in both of these capacities given the Dodgers’ struggles with both the past two seasons.
There will be trivial remarks about the Dodgers’ history of signing ex-Giants, most of whom end up being risible busts in Chavez Ravine a la Jason Schmidt and Brian Wilson. There’s no denying that precedent, but that’s not really a sound case against Smith. He’s a crafty lefty in his prime, and would be a wise investment after the underwhelming Scott Alexander and the perennially injured Tony Cingrani.
By every measure, this is a must-have acquisition for the Dodgers this off-season. Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon are the deal-breaker targets, but the bullpen cannot be neglected like it has the past two off-seasons and trade deadlines. With a couple of solid additions, it could become a clear strength rather than a weakness.
Plus…we could have Will Smith pitching to Will Smith, perhaps with Will Smith in attendance. You know you want it.
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Post by truedodger on Oct 22, 2019 19:28:55 GMT
It's a good idea to pursue this Will Smith the reliever. Because there aren't any dependable left handed options in the pen.
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 22, 2019 19:34:16 GMT
Have to agree all three of these guys are trade possibities.
Had read an article about Seager before & was initially horrified. When right he's our best player. But how often is he right anymore? He would be a VERY valuable trade chip.
This of course would necessitate Lux moving back to short, where I believe there were concerns about his defense. The musical chairs defensive strategy employed by the Dodgers proves they don't prioritize defense first. Muncy would remain at second too.
You gotta love Ginger for doing whatever the team needs. I don't see Rendon leaving Washington though. Either we get another third baseman or give Rios a shot.
Funny (in a sad sort of way) about Pollock. It's pretty much what I always thought of him. Friedman would want to keep both Kike & Taylor in that eventuality.
I'm apathetic about Barnes
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 22, 2019 19:42:57 GMT
Smith would be a great pickup if his demands aren't unreasonable. Jansen better be okay with that too.
Good point about Barnes probably staying. I say that only because he's cheap & might net us a 1975 Pinto in trade though.
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 22, 2019 22:47:08 GMT
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 22, 2019 22:56:20 GMT
Inbox: Could Dodgers spend on big free agents?
Beat reporter Ken Gurnick answers questions from fans
By Ken Gurnick @kengurnick
12:38 PM PDT
The Dodgers have boatloads of money coming off the books this upcoming year. Will they sign Anthony Rendon? Gerrit Cole? Build a bullpen? Seeing is believing.
-- Bill
If signing one of the most expensive free agents is a requirement for your support, you might want to find a team other than the Dodgers. In the five offseasons of the current Dodgers’ front office, it has never signed one of the three most expensive free-agent contracts that winter. There’s already buzz about the Dodgers as landing spots for Cole or Rendon -- as there is every winter for every big-name free agent -- but I’ll believe it when I see it, too.
This regime no doubt believes it rarely pays to invest a large percentage of total payroll resources in one player. It’s not about the player, it’s about the numbers. Take the three most expensive free agents over each of those five seasons -- 15 players at an average guarantee of $166 million -- only two of their teams won the World Series the next season (Patrick Corbin’s Nationals would make it three) and two others eventually won a World Series with one of those free agents. The Cubs (four) and Red Sox (three) accounted for almost half of the top 15, each with a World Series win.
Why didn’t the Dodgers start David Freese and get him more at-bats in the playoffs? Why were rookies starting over him?
-- Michael F.
I’m with you. Manager Dave Roberts said he preferred to save Freese for a specific high-leverage at-bat. But for a team with World Series aspirations, the Dodgers bucked conventional wisdom and leaned very heavily on rookies Will Smith, Gavin Lux, Matt Beaty and Dustin May. There’s a reason why so many postseason heroes are veterans, but the Dodgers chose to keep Freese and Russell Martin mostly on the bench during the NLDS. In his only playoff start, Martin drove in four runs.
I was just reading your story about Justin Turner. How does his positioning in the Dodgers’ shift alignment factor into his defensive ratings?
-- Paul
I’ve wondered that, too. This explanation comes from Neil Weinberg of Fangraphs:
“Ground balls in which the over shift is on are excluded from the individual calculations. So it’s like the play never happened. Because both stats are relative to league average, this is basically like saying everyone plays like a league average defender when the shift is on. Obviously not ideal, but that’s how it works for now. However, DRS has a stat called Shift Runs Saved which measures how many runs a team saves by using the shift. So it’s not credited as a run saved to any single player, just the team as a whole.”
I am not sure what the thought process was with using May. He seemed rather formidable as a starter and then they tinkered with him and tried him as a reliever, and he encountered some difficulties. I remember when Walker Buehler came up as a reliever and struggled. When they left him alone as a starter he did well. Shouldn’t they just leave him as a starter? Didn’t he get his high ranking as a starter?
-- Jeff, Lancaster, Calif.
This is what the Dodgers do. They aren’t alone, although they move players around like interchangeable parts about as liberally as any team. They’ve had success mostly with multiple-position players like Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Enrique Hernández and Chris Taylor. Veteran Kenta Maeda might be better in relief, but shifting young pitchers between starting and relieving is a greater challenge. The Buehler experiment was a disaster and results have been mixed with Julio Urías, Ross Stripling and May. But some of the greatest closers were former starters (Eric Gagne, Dennis Eckersley, etc.), so you don’t know if you don’t try.
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Post by truedodger on Oct 23, 2019 15:38:36 GMT
Inbox: Could Dodgers spend on big free agents? Beat reporter Ken Gurnick answers questions from fans By Ken Gurnick @kengurnick 12:38 PM PDT The Dodgers have boatloads of money coming off the books this upcoming year. Will they sign Anthony Rendon? Gerrit Cole? Build a bullpen? Seeing is believing. -- Bill If signing one of the most expensive free agents is a requirement for your support, you might want to find a team other than the Dodgers. In the five offseasons of the current Dodgers’ front office, it has never signed one of the three most expensive free-agent contracts that winter. There’s already buzz about the Dodgers as landing spots for Cole or Rendon -- as there is every winter for every big-name free agent -- but I’ll believe it when I see it, too. This regime no doubt believes it rarely pays to invest a large percentage of total payroll resources in one player. It’s not about the player, it’s about the numbers. Take the three most expensive free agents over each of those five seasons -- 15 players at an average guarantee of $166 million -- only two of their teams won the World Series the next season (Patrick Corbin’s Nationals would make it three) and two others eventually won a World Series with one of those free agents. The Cubs (four) and Red Sox (three) accounted for almost half of the top 15, each with a World Series win. I was hoping for someone like Cole because we need another ace more than another position player and it would make zero sense for the Nats to let Rendon walk after this run. But, with the pitching that is ready and the cost of his contract Cole might not be a fit. I've heard though that the Angels might pursue him. The way I see the everyday lineup is as such: 1B Muncy 2B Lux 3B Turner SS Seager LF Pollock CF Bellinger RF Verdugo With guys like Kike, Taylor, Barnes staying because they are right handed. It also might be possible that they let Pollock go back to Center and Bellinger to Right simply because of comfortability. Pollock has always played Center and Bellinger's best months were playing Right. |
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Post by truedodger on Oct 23, 2019 15:59:01 GMT
Dodgers Off-Season: Starting Pitching Free Agency Targets – Part 1
We look at which free agent starting pitchers could help the Dodgers
by Tim Rogers
10/21/2019
One area that was a letdown for the Dodgers in the 2019 playoffs was the fact they didn’t have a true fourth starter. They ended up using an injured Rich Hill as the starter in game 4 against Max Scherzer. Hill ended up only getting 8 outs in his start while giving up 1 run. His problem was a lack of control as he walked 4 batters in his brief appearance. After the bullpen had to throw 4 innings the day before, 6.1 more innings to cover Hill’s start led to getting smoked in game 4.
Could it be that the overuse of the bullpen contributed to having Clayton Kershaw pitch key relief innings or Joe Kelly being extended beyond 1 inning in game 5? There were hints that Julio Urías was not available for game 5. Even the vaunted Yankees bullpen was overexposed against the Astros. There were just too many innings for them to cover.
The Dodgers starting pitchers only went 26.2 innings against the Nationals starting pitchers going 33. These innings include ones that starting pitchers threw in relief. The Dodgers, smartly moved Kenta Maeda into the bullpen but when Rich Hill got hurt in June it left a big question mark. They did not take advantage of the trade market or the farm system for that extra starter. As a team that has so many resources it is shameful that they did not have a viable starting option for a 4th game. The coming free agent market could have some nice options to bulk up the pitching staff, either with a “ace-type” option or some viable 4th type starters. This article will take a look at the free agent options.
Current Dodger Starter Options
The Dodgers are facing the loss of Hyun-Jin Ryu and Rich Hill to free agency. However, the cupboard is far from bare. Below is a table of the 7 pitchers that could be in the starting rotation in 2020.
Given that the Dodgers will probably (and should) put Kenta Maeda in the bullpen in early September the Dodgers run the into the following risks for the 2020 playoffs:
I would not expect Stripling, Urias, May or Gonsolin to throw more than 150 innings.
The group looks like it could pile up enough innings for the regular season. However it doesn’t look like there would be much left for the post season.
Could this group form a playoff rotation 4 deep that could challenge another strong rotation like we’ve seen from the Astros or Nationals?
The rotation, given the current options, looks like it could be good enough to help the Dodgers win a lot of games in 2020. However, there are some things that need to be worked out for the playoffs. We all know that Buehler is the number 1 starter and Kershaw should still be good enough for another spot. That leaves 2 spots to fill either internally, trade or free agency. I’d like to see them target a real number 2 starter then either a 3 or a 4 starter.
Top Of The Rotation Options
Gerrit Cole
Throws: Right, Age 29, 7.4 WAR, 97.1 Fastball MPH, 0.82 WHIP
Cole is the clear big fish to catch this year. The Dodgers have not made a big free agent splash since 2012 when they signed Zack Greinke to a 6 year/$147M contract. The 29 year old Cole will probably get a contract over at least 7 years for about $35M per year. Will the Dodgers do something like that? From a talent and production perspective, nobody makes more sense for any team than Gerrit Cole.
Odds of signing: 15%
Stephen Strasburg
Throws: Right, Age 31, 5.7 WAR, 93.9 Fastball MPH, 1.04 WHIP
Strasburg has a player option that he could opt out of – 4 years remaining for $100M. More and more it looks like he will opt out. Like Cole, Strasburg’s agent is Scott Boras so that usually means chasing the best contract. Strasburg has been very good in the playoffs over his career and has developed into a clear upper echelon and consistent pitcher. Also, like Cole, the cost will be way more than any free agent this front office has gone after.
Odds of signing: 10%
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Throws: Left, Age 33, 4.8 WAR, 90.7 Fastball MPH, 1.01 WHIP
Ryu was excellent for the Dodgers in 2019 and will probably finish in the top 3 of the Cy Young Award voting. There is no doubt in my mind that he should have been the number 2 starter in the playoffs (they went with Kershaw) and if he returns it helps a lot. The issues for him is that he has a huge injury history and could also get a huge contract from another team. Scott Boras is also his agent. I think it will come down to how much Ryu wants to stay with the Dodgers and if he’ll settle for a reasonable contract. Ryu has become a fan favorite and many of us would like to see him remain with the Dodgers.
Odds of signing: 40%
Zack Wheeler
Throws: Right, Age 30, 4.7 WAR, 96.8 Fastball MPH, 1.26 WHIP
Of all the top of the rotation options Wheeler has not necessarily established himself yet in that role. I do think getting away from the Mets and being in a less chaotic environment will help him take that next step. One of the attractive things the Dodgers will see about him is that he will be cheaper than Cole or Strasburg. That is just the reality of the Dodgers front office.
Odds of signing: 25%
Let’s Get Weird
Madison Bumgarner
Throws: Left, Age 30, 3.2 WAR, 91.4 Fastball MPH, 1.13 WHIP
Bumgarner has been a major part of the rivalry with the Giants since 2010. It would be very weird to see him in Dodger blue but you never know. Even though he’s only 30 years old going into the 2020 season, his effectivity has diminished a bit over the last few years. He is still a good pitcher who could be a solid number 3 or 4 starter.
Odds of signing: 5%
Yu Darvish
Throws: Right, Age 33, 2.6 WAR, 94.1 Fastball MPH, 1.10 WHIP
Darvish can opt out of his contract with the Cubs as it has 4 years and $81M left on it. After the All-Star break he was very good in 2019. It does seem he is comfortable and is unlikely to opt out. Even if he does opt out there is too much history from his awful 2017 World Series for either side for this to happen.
Odds of signing: < 1%
Analysis
Over the next couple of days we will publish part 2 of the free agent starting pitchers that can help the Dodgers. It seems there are some candidates that could be key factors in getting the Dodgers back into the World Series in 2020 and to win it.
When the Dodgers lost Zack Greinke after 2015 they tried to replace him with Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda. Although Maeda has been pretty decent, they missed Greinke quite a bit. Will the front office do something different this time around after the post-season failure of 2019? Let’s hope so. Just go get Gerrit Cole!
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Post by truedodger on Oct 23, 2019 16:04:09 GMT
Dodgers Off-Season: Starting Pitching Free Agency Targets – Part 2 More free agent options. by Tim Rogers 10/23/2019 This is the second part of looking at the possible free agent starting pitching targets for the 2020 Dodgers. In the first article we looked at the current Dodgers starting pitching options; some top of the rotation guys and a couple of strange and unlikely options. If the Dodgers re-sign Hyun-Jin Ryu as the number 2 member of the rotation, I would hope they’d sign a right hander that could be a member of the playoff rotation. The Dodgers are too left-handed to do well against right-handed dominant offenses like the Astros or the Yankees. Former Aces Cole Hamels Throws: Left, Age 36, 2.5 WAR, 91.4 Fastball MPH, 1.39 WHIP Hamels was always one of those players that was rumored to be a trade possibility back in 2014 and 2015. It obviously never worked out as the Dodgers held onto their top prospects at the time Corey Seager, Julio Urías and Joc Pederson. He was born and raised in San Diego and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Padres made an offer towards him. If the Dodgers were to get him he would be someone who could give them 120-150 innings as a 4th or 5th starter while allowing some of the younger pitchers to conserve some innings. Odds of signing: 10% Rick Porcello Throws: Right, Age 31, 1.8 WAR, 91.0 Fastball MPH, 1.39 WHIP The 2016 American League Cy Young Award winner (he should not have won it but #PitcherWins) had a very rough 2019 with an ERA of 5.52. Porcello should come very cheap and eats up innings. I could see him possibly flourishing with the Dodgers as he gets away from those Little League dimensions in some of the American League East ballparks. Odds of signing: 10% 3/5 Of The Twins Rotation Jake Odorizzi Thows: Right, Age 30, 4.3 WAR, 92.9 Fastball MPH, 1.21 WHIP I am actually surprised that Odorizzi hasn’t been on the Dodgers yet. Andrew Friedman was with him in Tampa and there have been many rumors about the Dodgers wanting him over the years. One question will be if the Twins offer Odorizzi a qualifying offer (it means the signing team loosing a draft pick). He had a very good year in 2019 in a very homer friendly environment. I still do not consider him a top tier starter but he’d fit into almost any rotation. Odds of signing: 25% Kyle Gibson Throws: Right, Age 32, 2.5 WAR, 93.4 Fastball MPH, 1.44 WHIP Gibson would be, in a best case scenario, a number 5 starter for the Dodgers. He gave up more hits than innings pitched. He does have a standard 4 pitch mix of a fastball, curve, change and slider. I do wonder if the Dodgers would change up his pitch usage to get more production out of him. Odds of signing: 10% Michael Pineda Throws: Right, Age 30, 2.7 WAR, 92.5 Fastball MPH, 1.16 WHIP Pineda is currently service a PED suspension that goes on until May 22 of 2020. That is a big warning sign. It will be interesting for whoever signs him as he might have more strength in the post-season due to a later start on his season. Pineda has excellent control as he minimizes walks and he is intriguing. 2019 was his first season back after Tommy John surgery in 2017. Odds of signing: 5% Young Enough To Bounce Back Chris Archer Throws: Right, Age 31, 0.7 WAR, 94.1 Fastball MPH, 1.41 WHIP The Pirates would need to not exercise Archer’s $9M option and I think they should. However, if they don’t he could be someone that could come back strong on a team like the Dodgers. I would not be against trading for him if the Pirates exercise his option. Despite an ERA of 5.19 he did strike out 143 batters in only 119.2 innings. Odds of signing: 10% Michael Wacha Throws: Right, Age 28, -0.2 WAR, 93.0 Fastball MPH, 1.56 WHIP Meet #Stcards Michael Wacha, who the #Dodgers passed on in the draft two years ago, and, oh, how they now regret. t.co/WM2VZFeAky— Bob Nightengale (@bnightengale) October 12, 2013 Of course, Bob Nightengale’s infamous tweet ignored who the Dodgers drafted instead of Michael Wacha, someone named Corey Seager. Wacha’s career has not gone as expected at all. Only twice he’s pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title. He would be a very difficult project but he could be worth a small contract to see if he can regain enough to be a 5th starter. Odds of signing: 5% Julio Teheran Throws: Right, Age 29, 1.6 WAR, 89.7 Fastball MPH, 1.32 WHIP Teheran also has a team option with the Braves for $12M. It is possibile they retain him but just a few years ago they could have traded him for a ton of good prospects. His fastball has dropped quite a bit and he still isn’t bad. In 174.2 innings he only game up 148 hits. Teheran could definitely fill in at the 4th or 5th rotation spot for the Dodgers at a reasonable price. He’s probably not someone you’d want as a playoff starter but he could help save innings for the guys like Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urías. Odds of signing: 10% Dick Mountain Rich Hill Throws: Left, Age 40, 0.9 WAR, 90.3 Fastball MPH, 1.13 WHIP Rich Hill gets his own section for good reason. When he is healthy he is still pretty good but I don’t think he can be counted on for more than 60 innings. Hill is a fan favorite and most of use would love to see him come back. If the Dodgers could sign him to a $2M contract with some incentives, I wonder if he would take it. I hope so. Odds of signing: 50% Final Thoughts Many of the Dodgers fans out there want them to go big on a free agent pitcher, specifically Gerrit Cole. They are tired of the perceived “dumpster diving” and some of us think that has cost the Dodgers in the post season. I share a lot of those sentiments. One huge concern of mine is that the Dodgers could go into the season without Hyun-Jin Ryu and Rich Hill and end up relying on some pitchers who have never exceeded 150 innings pitched in any season of their careers. The idea of having only one sure thing for the post season (Walker Buehler) could mean they aren’t World Series contenders in 2020. I’m sure they’d still win the division but not be a playoff threat. We will be covering trade options for starting pitchers over the next few weeks. This off-season provides the Dodgers a golden opportunity to make a big splash in free agency and it would go against the script Andrew Friedman has been reading from. Was the disappointment of the 2019 post season enough to change the narrative for the Dodgers front office? |
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Post by Blunashun on Oct 23, 2019 16:11:16 GMT
HELL no to both Darvish & Archer. Those are the two that popped out right away.
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