2021 SEASON

Wasn't that Kiké? Damn your hide Hernandez!

No way!  Mad Max is great there, while Cody is great in CF, with an arm like a cannon.  And Cody will be fine for next season.  I mean, how many articles have you read that have been critical of the Dodger rotation and  bullpen?  Yet, our pitching ranked #1 this past season and in '19.  Jeff Passon wrote an opinion piece, nothing more

Max is “adequate” at best. He has improved in scooping and digging balls out of the dirt. But his range is limited and his lack of height isn’t going to improve at this point in his career.

Is he even under contract for next or the year after that? I doubt he’s around in ‘22, especially with Seager & Bells extensions looming, among others.

GO DODGERS!!!

Sorry. Signed thru next two years. 13 million dollars or a 1.5 million dollar buyout in 2023.

The Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts barely more than nine months ago, then signed him to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension through 2032. Amid the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dodgers maintained the National League’s largest payroll this year.

Then they won the World Series.

For a moment, let’s contemplate an alternate world in which the Braves -- not Betts’ defensive genius -- prevailed in the late stages of the NL Championship Series. The Dodgers would’ve failed to turn an NL West title into a World Series triumph for an eighth consecutive year.

Surely, they would’ve responded by renewing their on-again, off-again trade courtship of Colorado superstar Nolan Arenado.

Here’s the thing: They’re poised to do that, anyway.

One source said Thursday that the Dodgers -- who have liked Arenado for years -- remain interested in trading for him. If anything, there are more reasons to believe in the viability of an Arenado trade with the Dodgers today than last offseason, when his future was a dominant industry topic.

• Hot Stove Tracker

The Rockies must remain open-minded to trading Arenado for a variety of reasons: Even with him, their chances of finishing ahead of the Dodgers and Padres in 2021 are not especially good; Arenado can opt out of his contract and sign elsewhere following the ’21 season, leaving the Rockies with only a Draft pick as compensation; and if Arenado doesn’t opt out, he’s due $164 million from ’22 through ’26, a significant obligation as the Rockies contemplate the financial implications of COVID-19.

Arenado, 29, grew up as a Dodgers fan in Lake Forest, Calif., and certainly would waive his no-trade protection to play for his childhood team. The famously intense Arenado -- long frustrated by the Rockies’ inability to succeed in October -- would bring new desperation to a clubhouse of champions.

To make the obvious point on the Dodgers’ motivation, Justin Turner is a free agent, and the team needs an everyday third baseman. If the Dodgers re-sign Turner or trade for Kris Bryant, of course, the Arenado conversation is probably moot. But it’s overly simplistic to characterize this as a choice between Arenado and Turner or Bryant. From the Dodgers’ perspective, the better comparison is between Arenado and Corey Seager.

While it’s difficult to imagine the Dodgers without Seager -- the reigning NLCS and World Series MVP -- the reality is that he’s entering his final season before free agency, and there is no indication that the Dodgers have made progress in extension talks with his agent, Scott Boras.


I say no way. Though our getting Betts was a very nice move, along with supposed starter Dave Price, I don't want our boys to look like George Steinbrenner's Yanks, the lineup stacked with imported superstars. Arenado is the best all around 3Bman by a wide margin, but we don't need to import a player of his caliber. Kris Bryant is another matter. Though he had a bad season last year, he's a proven producer, with a career OPS of .889. Plus, he won't cost that much, at least compared to Arenado. Then again, Betts and Price didn't cost that much, only Alex Verdguo and a few others whose names escape me. But that's not the point, which I mentioned above. The Rockies are always desparate for pitching and the Cubs a little less so and though we have plenty of it, we need to be careful there. And then there's that unwritten rule about not making major deals with division rivals. And what about Edwin Rios? Will he be our starting 3Bman, or do we include him in a trade for Bryant? And we do have to keep Corey Seagar in mind, who'll be a FA after next season.

Some dicey decisions to make.

Jim Bowden proclaims “Nolan Arenado will be a Dodger by Christmas”.

Has he ever been right about ANYTHING?

Don’t look for this to happen.

GO DODGERS!!!

A couple of interesting situations on this. First, I don't think Arenado will ever happen. One since the Dodgers would have to deal within the division and the cost would suggest to be higher than to any other team. Two I don't see Friedman giving up the necessary pieces and paying Arenado $32 million a year for the next 5 years even though that is the territory where Friedman likes to cut ties with a player due to age, Arenado would be 35 then. Three because as nono posted his numbers away from Coors Field take a dive. Four there's this kid prospect Kody Hoese who is expected to come up around 2022- 2023 as a 3rd baseman. Five Friedman can just roll with Turner or if he keeps Seager then maybe switch him to 3rd. 

Arenado has an opt- out after 2021 but I don't see him doing that and negotiating to come here either because I don't see anyone giving $32 million per year in a new deal.

An interesting twist is that of Seager. Guy can rake but he is not a long term short stop. 3B maybe, 1B possibly, DH surely. The trouble is that I don't see Boras allowing him to not test the free agent market after this upcoming season. The usual players Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and now possibly the Mets and even Giants can offer him a lights out deal. This team has paid Betts and will need to pay Buehler big and whoever else emerges. I've always said that they would need to decide whether to pay Seager or Bellinger so we're getting close to finding out. You mentioned Rios, I think he's in line to replace Muncy at 1B though he can play 3B. 

I'm sure you've heard about Lindor. If Friedman rents him for a year it would be extremely laughable. Can you imagine Lindor at SS, Seager 3B/DH and Turner DH/3B. Good times in Blue Heaven right now. Anyway, team has options at 3rd.