Off Season 2019- 20

Dodgers: It’s too soon for the Dodgers to give up on A.J. Pollock

by Michael Wittman 

A.J. Pollock had an interesting first season for the Dodgers that ended with a disappointing postseason performance. His second half was strong.
In January, the Dodgers made their big outfield free-agent signing although it wasn’t Bryce Harper. Instead, the club signed A.J. Pollock way from the Arizona Diamondbacks to a five year $60 million dollar deal that is really a four year $50 million dollar deal as the fifth year is likely going to be bought out.
A.J. Pollock has the reputation for being an injury prone player but the reason he missed a good chunk of the 2019 season was due in part to bad luck as he had an elbow infection. The infection was so severe that he had to undergo a procedure to remove metal plates in his elbow from a previous operation.

Although he had a strong second half, most Dodger fans will remember his 2019 season as the awful showing he had in the NLDS. Pollock went 0-13 with 11 strikeouts against the Nationals and was benched after appearing lost at the plate. While he did struggle mightily in the NLDS, the same could be said for most of the Dodger lineup including Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager. While many fans have started putting together hypothetical trade packages to unload A.J. Pollock, the Dodgers are unlikely to give up on A.J. yet nor should they. His contract is not great but from a luxury tax standpoint that takes the average annual salary, Pollock accounts for $12 million dollars next season. A salary that will not hurt the team too much if he struggles in a full-time role.

After returning from his elbow infection, Pollock put together a strong second half of the season as he slashed .288/.348/.537 with 13 home runs. He played like the player that the Dodgers thought they were getting when they inked him during the Harper derby. The one significant decline came defensively where Pollock is now a left-fielder and cannot play center like he once could.

Overall, A.J. Pollock had a much better season against left-handed pitching. He put together a .323/.370/.535 slash line against southpaws compared to a .239/.308/.435 line against right-handed pitching. Despite the mediocre line against righties, A.J. did hit nine home runs off righties and was much better against them in his strong second half.

From the first game after the all-star break on until the end of the regular season, Pollock slashed .272/.342/.515 against right-handed pitching with eight of those nine home runs. The second half showed that there is plenty of life left in Pollock’s bat. For the 2020 season, A.J. figures to battle Alex Verdugo and Joc Pederson for starts in left field.
 
It wouldn’t be surprising if Pollock gets the starting left fielder role and Alex Verdugo starts in right with Joc Pederson fighting for playing time or getting traded elsewhere. At the very minimum, Pollock will help mash lefties in 2020 and if he performs like he did in the second half of the season then he will put up very nice numbers next season.

Is trading Clayton Kershaw feasible?

He has $31 mil per year for the next two years for $62 mil total.

Would the Dodgers do it?
What would it take?
What would the team need to attach?
How much money would the team need to eat?
etc.

We know we can't trust him to pitch in post- season. It takes him a couple of innings to figure out his stuff. And, we should as heck don't want him pitching in relief in post- season as well.

I don’t see this happening. He’ll likely be one of the few that spends his entire career in one uniform and will probably hang up the cleats at the end of this contract.

He’s still a very good arm for our rotation, even with his diminishing MPH fastball. He needs to continue working on his off speed and curve and mixing of pitches that made Maddox so successful.

His postseason appearances may need to be curtailed or eliminated by ownership because you and I both know there’s not a chance in the world DDF II is going to keep him off the roster or not use him.

That kind of loyalty is admirable, but it cost us big time the last few years. And whatever brain freeze Kersh goes under in the postseason certainly isn’t going to go away anytime soon, especially after this years meltdown.

GO DODGERS!!!

I think Kersh out of the pen works for a “ specialty out” like he got against the Nats. Or in mop-up duty, as suggested.

He is third or fourth starter in the postseason at this point and if by some miracle we land Cole, DEFINITELY number four. I put Ferris, Cole and May / Goose before Kersh. Sorry - but he’s just too volatile and untrustworthy come October.

It’s not a hunch - it’s become a fact. The dude is a complete zero, much as I hate to say it.

GO DODGERS!!!

Yeah, sure seems like they'll let the contract run out and bid him farewell in grand fashion. That's admirable on their part, no question. However, if he is #1- 3 next year in post-season we're in big trouble. He should only be allowed to stress us out in a game #4 and that's it and under no circumstances relieving whatsoever. We've seen that we'll need stud starters that can actually be productive as relievers as well and that is definitely not Kershaw anymore and or Ryu or Hill.

He should be fine pitching against the Rockies, Padres and Giants. But, yeah, guy is a bust in post-season.

There was never a doubt in my mind about us NOT signing Cole. This ownership has made it all too clear that they’re not going to pay top dollars and / or get tied into any lengthy contracts.

All one has to do is look at their previous transactions - dumping large albatrosses like Kemp, Puig and Bailey (even though they’ll end up paying him $30 mil to play for the Royals).

Their big signings last year of Kelly & Pollock resulted in our earliest postseason exit over the last several years.

Cole will likely be looking for his final contract of at least five to seven years at $30 - $35 mil plus annually. Anybody that thinks LA is going to pony up that kind of contract clearly hasn’t been watching this current ownership group.

GO DODGERS!!!