NEWS/RUMORS/DISCUSSION Thread

Maeda throws bullpen session
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue — 2 hours ago

The Los Angeles Dodgers will officially begin Spring Training on Friday, Feb. 19, when pitchers and catchers descend on Camelback Ranch. Their first workout is scheduled for Saturday, with position players arriving by Feb. 24, and the club’s first fill-squad workout taking place the next day.

The Dodgers will have just over one week with their full roster before opening Cactus League play on March 3 against Camelback Ranch co-tenant Chicago White Sox. At present time, Los Angeles will have 21 non-roster invitees participating in big league camp this year.

As is generally the case, a handful of players have already made appearances and/or are regulars at the club’s Spring Training facility in Glendale, Ariz.

Among them are Yasmani Grandal, Kenta Maeda, Brandon McCarthy and Justin Turner.

As translated by Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, Maeda threw a bullpen session, with Grandal catching, on Tuesday:

Late last month Grandal said he’s spent the offseason rehabbing at Camelback Ranch after undergoing surgery to repair the AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder. He expects to make a full recovery in time for Opening Day on April 4.

As for Maeda, he arrived this week from his native Japan. The soon-to-be-28-year-old signed an eight-year, $25 million contract with the Dodgers in January. The relatively low guaranteed salary is related to “irregularities” cropping up a physical Maeda took.

Both he and Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed confidence in the elbow not being an issue moving forward. Maeda can earn just shy of $100 million over the lifetime of the contract by triggering various incentives.

Maeda was 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and averaged 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings in eight seasons with the Hiroshima Carp. Clayton Kershaw and Grandal were among those who spoke about the right-hander with enthusiasm.

Though, Kershaw did note Maeda’s biggest challenge will be in adjusting to pitching every fifth day.

 

• Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner will be looking to bounce back from microfracture surgery this spring, as Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register writes. Turner says he is progressing well and believes the prognosis to be good, as his procedure was performed in a portion of the knee that doesn’t carry weight. Of course, it remains to be seen how heavily the 31-year-old will be pushed both in camp and early in the season, and Los Angeles has lined up multiple depth options behind him. It’s an important season for the pending free agent, who has been a revelation in L.A. and could profile as a major free agent with another strong campaign.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/02

 

Dodgers scout Alexei Bell’s showcase
by Justin Russo | Dodgers Nation — 7 hours ago



It appears that the Los Angeles Dodgers were in attendance in Mexicali as international free agent Alexei Bell gave his showcase to Major League scouts on Monday. Not exactly earth-shattering that the team was there, but it is interesting considering Bell’s age.

The talented 5-foot-7 Cuban outfielder is already 32 years old, so whoever signs him is looking to inject him directly into their big league club for a couple years in order to maximize any potential return on investment that he might bring to the organization.

From Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) on Twitter:

Last season in Canada, the pint sized Bell hit .317 with 2 home runs, 23 runs batted in, and stole 11 bases. During his entire professional career, Bell owns a .319/.414/.539 slash line in 718 games while slugging 140 home runs and stealing 132 bases. However, his age is a concern.

From an article by Ken Rosenthal on FOX Sports in January:
"A scout for a major-league club offered a more restrained view, saying Bell performed brilliantly at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but is no longer the player he was then."

That’s totally understandable. He’s 32 years old now instead of being eight years younger. It happens. But with Bell you’re going to get an instant impact outfielder who won’t be subject to the international signing pool restrictions. He could come on over right now and play right field for a team.

If the Dodgers really wanted to get creative, they could sign Bell in the next little while and then bring him along in the minors as a left fielder to see if he’s able to adjust there. He shouldn’t cost a hefty sum at all, so it might be worth the shot in the dark even at his advanced age.

Bell does have a “plus arm” in the outfield, so putting him anywhere is fine since his arm will play. However, his age, size, and years could catch up with him in the field wherever he plays. Not to mention that his bat lacks the pop it once had. Still, the Dodgers are doing their due diligence, which is good.

 

lol at "just throw the ball in this area and you'll be fine..."
i see, so you're asking the infielders to do something you were incapable of?

if you really want to "make [your] infielders comfortable" you should dh
yeah, i see this working out well...

Hanley Ramirez, asked about his switch from outfield to first base:
"What if I win a Gold Glove? What is going to happen next year? It's too far [away]. I don't make those decisions. I have a boss."

When asked to clarify if the goal was to win a Gold Glove:
"Definitely," Ramirez said. "It would be nice, you know ... for you guys. We're going to work a lot. I just want to make my infielders comfortable. Catch the ball and throw it. That's the main key right now. I told Bogey [shortstop Xander Bogaerts] right away, 'Just throw the ball in this area and you'll be fine. Don't worry, I got you.' Pedey [second baseman Dustin Pedroia], he don't make bad throws. 'I'm always going to hit you in the chest.' "
​

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...eports-boston-red-sox-training-facility-early

 

meh

6 lead-off options for 2016
by Brian Robitaille | Dodgers Nation — 12 hours ago

When new manager Dave Roberts fills out his first lineup card to start the season, no one knows exactly how it will look. It could be similar to last year’s lineup, or, perhaps Roberts will employ a totally different batting order. One question seems to remain from last season though: Who’s going to be batting lead-off?

When the Dodgers traded away Dee Gordon before the 2015 season, many were disappointed, myself included. Others believed that the increased depth the Dodgers got in return could actually benefit the club in the long-run. Nevertheless, one thing that the deal certainly did was create a hole at the top of the lineup. Gordon is one of the best lead-off hitters in the game, and with him gone, the Dodgers were forced to try many different options throughout the year, none of which seemed to work on a full-time basis.

Jimmy Rollins got the first crack at it, but struggled to keep his average up, finishing the year batting .224 with a .285 OBP. Joc Pederson replaced Rollins at the top of the order, and did fairly well initially. However, a prolonged 2nd half slump had him envying Rollins batting average by the end of the season, as Joc would end up at a .210 clip (although his OBP was still decent at .346). The Dodgers mixed and matched other players at the lead-off spot, but no one really filled the role.

With the exception of Corey Seager replacing Rollins at shortstop, the Dodgers lineup will likely be returning most of the starting position players from last season. Moves could still be made, especially in left field, where the yearly trade rumors continue to swirl around Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford. Currently, however, it appears as though the Dodgers may be in the same situation with their lead-off hitter as they were in a year ago.

So, we take a look here at six possible options Dave Roberts has at his disposal, and why he could tap each one (at least to start the year) as the 2016 lead-off hitter, listed from least probable to most probable.

6. Kike Hernandez
Hernandez doesn’t look to be a full-time starter right out of the gate, but he did fill in admirably for the Dodgers last season when he got his starts. He played 2nd base, shortstop, left field, and center field, among other positions. He finished the year batting .307 with a .346 OBP, in just over 200 at-bats. If he can keep up those type of numbers, he could project as a good lead-off candidate. The versatility of Hernandez allows the Dodgers to play him at practically every infield or outfield position, which also gives him the opportunity to get a good amount of at-bats, even as a reserve player. Kike could find a more full-time role depending on how things go this year. Injuries happen all the time. Players also go in slumps from time to time (just ask Joc Pederson.) And even if none of those things occur, being able to play multiple positions and give multiple starters days off to rest, should allow Hernandez plenty of playing time. Perhaps when he does play, Roberts will like him at the top of the order.

5. Corey Seager
This could be a long-shot, but the more I think of the other possibilities, the more I think Seager could get a chance to hit lead-off at some point. In his very brief stint with the club last year, Seager showed why so many are praising him as the top prospect in the game. In 113 plate appearances, he hit .337 with a .425 OBP, 4 home runs, and swapped two bags. While no one expects him to keep up those kind of numbers throughout a full season (particularly the high average & OBP) he could very well put up similar numbers given his potential as a hitter. On the other hand, the Dodgers may not want to put too much pressure on their young star, and some think that batting lower in the order somehow decreases that pressure. Also, Seager could be one of those middle-of-the-order type hitters, who might excel more in the #2 or #3 hole eventually.

4. Carl Crawford
I know, I know. I hear you already. “Carl Crawford? Don’t you have to actually play to be a lead-off hitter?” Yes, you do. And I know that currently Carl Crawford may be on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time. But as I stated earlier, left field is one spot where we don’t really know what’s going to happen before the start of the season. Many believe that Andre Ethier may be the most appealing player to other teams, and would be the easier guy for the Dodgers to trade. If that were the case, Crawford could find himself with more playing time after all. Moreover, we don’t know what Dave Roberts has planned with the roster. Although Ethier took full advantage of Crawford’s injury last year to win the job, things were reversed the year before when Crawford played well and won the left field duties. Most assume the job is still Ethier’s to lose, but could there be any open competition if both players are still with the club come opening day? Perhaps. The biggest knock on Crawford is his inability to stay healthy. But when he has been, he’s actually put up good numbers. In 2013, his first year with the Dodgers, Crawford batted .282 with a .329 OBP and 15 steals. In 2014, his numbers were even better, hitting .300 with a .339 OBP and 23 steals. Crawford has also shown the ability to hit lefties pretty good as well, and is the one player on the team that has very good speed, fitting the conventional model of a lead-off hitter. It may not be a probable scenario right now, but Crawford does remain an option for the Dodgers.

3. Howie Kendrick
If I was the manager, Kendrick would be my choice at the top of the order right now. Over the course of his career he has been a model of consistency, batting .293 over 10 major-league seasons. Although his OBP may not be as high as some may like for your lead-off hitter (.333 lifetime) I believe Kendrick could Walk more if he were asked to bat lead-off, and be a good table-setter. I also think he may be the best option, not simply because he fits the role that well, but because of where I believe the other options fit better in the lineup (as I’ll explain later with the next two options.) Kendrick doesn’t have great speed (he stole only 6 bases last year and never more than 14 in a season) but many people now believe that speed isn’t necessarily that important when considering lead-off candidates. I’m not one who agrees with that notion very much, but again, looking at the Dodgers current options, there aren’t really any great base-stealers there anyway.

2. Joc Pederson
As stated already, Pederson’s 2015 season was a tale of two halves. In the first half, he looked as though he could be a good lead-off hitter, taking a lot of Walks, and getting on base at a high rate. But as the year progressed, Joc began to struggle mightily. He stuck out at a very high rate (almost 30% of the time) and although his OBP remained reasonable, he just couldn’t put the ball in play enough. Additionally, although he stole over 30 bases multiple times in the minor leagues, speed didn’t seem to be a part of Pederson’s game during his first year with the Dodgers, as he swapped only 4 bases in 11 attempts. The Dodgers are hoping for a big improvement from Pederson in his 2nd full year. Perhaps some minor adjustments to his swing or stance, and simply adapting to how pitchers approach him could make a difference. I don’t think anyone knows exactly what type of hitter Pederson will be at the major-league level just yet, but I suspect he’ll always have a fairly high strikeout rate, which is not ideal for your lead-off guy. However, the main job of a lead-off hitter is to get on base, and Pederson does that pretty good. Plus, I suspect he can improve that batting average at least a little bit from last year, which would only boost his OBP more. Personally, I think Pederson would be best positioned somewhere between the #5-#7 spots in the lineup. I believe he will continue to develop at the plate, and has the power to hit 25-35 home runs a year. I’m just not sure his high K rate is an ideal fit to bat lead-off. But maybe Roberts and the Dodgers will give him another shot there this year.

1. Yasiel Puig
Like Pederson, Puig will be looking for a bounce-back year in 2016. Injuries limited him to just 79 games in 2015, but even when Puig was in the lineup, he never really got going offensively. He finished the year batting .255 with a .322 OBP and 11 home runs. In his brief 2 ½ year career, Puig has hit .294 with a .371 OBP. Puig has raw speed, but hasn’t developed into a great base-runner just yet. On the contrary, he’s actually had some troubles on the base paths. While he has the potential to steal some bases, he’s never stole more than 11 in a season. The main question with Puig is whether he’ll return to the hitter that the Dodgers saw when he first came up in 2013, or if he’ll continue to put up the kind of numbers from last year, where he struggled to find consistency. If it’s the former, Puig could be a good candidate to bat lead-off. However, I think he has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order type bat, and someone you might want to plug into the #3 hole, where he’d have more opportunities to drive in runs. But given the options (or lack thereof) the Dodgers have, they might be inclined to try Puig at lead-off.​

Other options besides the ones mentioned here are also available to Dave Roberts. Maybe he likes Justin Turner leading off. Or, maybe he goes with a “committee” type approach to the lead-off spot, where different players bat there depending on the match-up for that particular game. One thing seems certain: the Dodgers may not have an ideal lead-off hitter again this year, but they do have capable options available. Which option they go with, however, is anyone’s guess at this point.

 

Turner hoping for change in culture
by Daniel Starkand | Dodger Blue - 17 minutes ago

The Los Angeles Dodgers organization underwent significant changes this offseason, with the most notable turnover at manager and the coaching staff. After five seasons with Don Mattingly at the helm, the keys are handed to Dave Roberts, who is the Dodgers first minority manager in franchise history.

Although Mattingly was extremely successful during his tenure as the team’s manager, the Dodgers only reached the National League Championship Series once in that time span — they were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in 2013.

That was neither good enough for Mattingly nor the front office, thus the two sides mutually agreed to part ways after last season.

Roberts has placed an emphasis on building strong relationships with his players and bringing a noticeable passion for the game on a daily basis. He recently said he hopes to use Spring Training as a time to create an unbreakable bond within the team.

According to Bill Plaschke of the LA Times, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner agrees with Roberts, and would like to see a culture change in the organization:

“I loved playing for Donnie, but hopefully we’re going to kind of change the culture in there,” Turner said. “We need to get away from it being about one guy. It’s about everyone, all of us doing the right things, doing the little things.”​

Turner also added it is up to the players to hold each other accountable:

“It’s all about accountability, not being afraid to let guys know when you don’t think they’re doing what they should be doing,” Turner said. “If somebody comes up to you and says you’re not playing hard, you can’t take that as a personal attack, you have to take it as constructive criticism. Everyone should be working hard and grinding and trying to win games, and if you’re not playing hard, you should feel embarrassment.”​

The Dodgers have plenty of veterans on the roster, led by Clayton Kershaw, Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick, A.J. Ellis and Turner, to go along with young stars that can certainly use mentoring in Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson and Corey Seager.

Pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training on Friday. Position players are due at Camelback Ranch by Feb. 24, with the Dodgers’ first full-squad workout scheduled for Feb. 25.

 

that sounds like a lot to give up

 

and i know you jest as well
but those five should have a race
you could time it with a sun dial