As the Dodgers prepare to play the Padres in Slam Diego this weekend, it occurred to me that maybe there is a team sitting on a bad contract that the Dodgers might target to get rid of Chris Taylor. I have not had time to consider who that might be, but I’ll bet there is a longer, bigger, bad contract that the Dodgers might take a flyer on. Have fun! Are there any deals that might work for the Dodgers? If Heyward is activated this weekend, something has to give, and I think Outman will be back at OKC. Down on the Farm OKC BASEBALL CLUB – OKC scored 22 runs. Austin Gauthier was 3-4 with his fir ..read more

Miguel Vargas, Gavin Stone, Diego Cartaya, Gavin Lux, James Outman and many other prospects prove that the old adage, “Progress in not Linear” is so true. Miguel Vargas had succeeded and mastered every level where he played… except on the MLB Level. Of course, he could play the “broken finger excuse card” but there are no excuses. It is what it is and your stats tell who you are. Miguel Vargas did not cut the mustard when the opportunity was presented. Of course, he’s not alone. Gavin Stone was the Dodgers Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2022 with a combined 1.48 ERA over A+, AA, and AAA ..read more

Chris Taylor has always been a big hit-or-miss guy with the bat, but he has selflessly played all over the field and has done a very credible job at it. Need a SS? He can play there. 2B? No problem, 3B? Of course! Anywhere in the outfield? All three spots! Yes, he strikes out a lot… a whole lot, but he is reported to be a very good teammate. In short, he is a baller and a great clubhouse guy. It’s also time for him to fall on his sword! I don’t mean that he needs to commit Hari Kari, but I am suggesting that he voluntarily goes back to Camelback Ranch and work on his swing. He has been to bat ..read more

It seems that some Dodger fans believe that the Dodgers have a glut of pitching prospects but are devoid of Position Players in their farm system. I beg to differ. Andy Pages is already up at the show, and there are others in the pipeline who are not named De Paula, Vargas, et al. Here are some players whom I believe will be in the Show soon enough: SS Alex Freeland (A+): 1.111 OPS Miguel Vargas (AAA): .988 OPS C Dalton Rushing (AA): .982 OPS 3B Andre Lipcius (AAA): .972 OPS RF Ryan Ward (AAA): .957 OPS 2B Jeral Perez (A): .961 OPS 3B Jake Gelof (A): .956 OPS SS Austin Gauthier (AA): .933 OPS ..read more

I know that many of you hate platoons, but I am down with that. You want to see the best players in their every day (or at least, your idea of the best players). The problem is this: the best hitter against many left-handed pitchers is not a left-handed hitter. Sabermetrics and analytics now run baseball, and if you don’t think that is true, you probably believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny. If you do… stop reading right about now. So, if you platoon, that means that if an LHP is facing an RHH, they should get a hit every time, right? Wrong! It is only incrementally be ..read more

I have a lot to do today. The A-Fib is gone, and I am no longer winded. I walked 6.3 miles yesterday just working around our house and property and trips to Lowes. It feels good to not be tired! Another busy day today, so all I will say is, “Nice Win – Hopefully, they saved some runs for today.“ … and remember: Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) that Arte Moreno does is always wrong. Andy Pages should be an Angel! The City of Los Angeles should sue Arte for using their name on his team. What an absolute joke he is! Gavin Lux is about to break out! Down on the Farm OKC BOX – Knack is scheduled ..read more

The Dodgers have some decisions to make. Blake Treinen needs to be activated… probably today, and Walker Buehler is allegedly going to start Monday. So, at least two roster decisions loom. Both moves are obvious – Nabil Crismatt and Gus Varland will go back to OKC (or not, in the case of Crismatt, who is out of options). when Treinen and Buehler are optioned. Daniel Hudson has not been pitching well, but not horrible, either. It feels like “rust” to me! His ERA is 3.60 while his WHIP is 0.93. His rope is longer, and I think he will be fine. James Outman benefited from an inflated ABbip last se ..read more

Every baseball season brings new hope for some players and a lack of hope for others. Some players progress, while others stay stationary, and yet others regress. Let’s look at the Dodgers systems after a little over a month and see who is who. (NOTE: These stats were compiled before last night games so they will differ slightly.) Regression Station Perhaps the poster child of regression is Diego Cartaya. I am also not impressed with Kendall Williams, Kendall George, or Jake Vogel. Standing Still Rancho Cucamonga Zyhir Hope got off to a great start, but has slid to .282 and .899 – he’s raw. He ..read more

For all the flack that Yamamoto has taken, here he is with a 3-1 record with a 2.01 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Not bad for a guy who is just starting to pitch up to his capability. Knack went back to OKC so that the Dodgers could have a couple of fresh arms in the bullpen, and both Feyeriesen and Varland did their jobs last night. JP i not a strikeout pitcher, but he might be the best at getting weak contact in baseball. After missing two years, he might just be rounding into form. Landon Knack has driven up his value, and I would not be surprised to see him used in a trade. Many of you are thinking o ..read more

As many of you know, I had a cardioversion in October for A-Fib. A cardioversion is a procedure used to return an abnormal heartbeat to a normal rhythm. This procedure is used when the heart is beating very fast or irregularly. Mine does not beat fast… just irregular. The cardioversion worked… for six months, and about three weeks ago, it reverted back to Atrial Fibrillation. Since that day, every day, I have been getting more and more tired. It sucks, and I get winded just walking a few short stops. I am scheduled to have an ablation at Cleveland Clinic on August 30th, but that is four d ..read more