DODGERS NEWS/RUMORS thread

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by Dodgers99, Oct 28, 2018.

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  1. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Speaking of defensive metrics, Puig's defensive metrics took a huge hit last year, so Verdugo taking RF may actually be perfect timing. Combine that with Turner Ward being gone now, and the trash performance that you spoke of against LHP, and it's totally feasible that he could be a memory by opening day. Verdugo actually flashed big against LHP last year. You make a good point, though, Verdugo could be used as a chip to free stuff up..Muncy could be too
     
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  2. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    It has to happen. Harper and his sort of flair and style were meant for LAD, not NYY. I hope Kasten had a photoshopped pic of Harper in a Yankee uni with him, complete with a baby face. He can grow his beard down to his shoes with LAD, no stupid facial hair rules and all that fuckery. He can rock out with LAD and coast to the World Series annually, be somebody that Seager and Belli can learn from. Dodgers have the roster make up that can truly benefit from Harper. Same thing I'd love about having Votto, the idea that Seager and Belli can watch a Harper or Votto work daily has to be additional value.

    Magic, in the middle of a huge Laker campaign, definitely was there to put the best foot forward. I would bet that was pretty cool for Harper to see
     
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  3. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Friedman made a good point about how the media portrayed the Dodgers and their "obsession with platoons". Platoons were not the extensive plan going into the season. Platoons happened cause of injuries and poor performances.
    What was expected:
    C Grandal/Barnes: This was a welcome platoon since the position is such a grind anyway and both players put up very good 2017's.
    1B Bellinger: Had shown he could handle both lefties and righties in 2017.
    2B Forsythe: Horrible 2017, but hope was that it was just a blip due to injuries after 2+ seasons of being one of the best at the position in the game and having a big playoff run.
    SS Seager
    3B Turner
    LF Kemp/Pederson: This was really the only real platoon and that was kind of welcome due to ones struggles maintaining his health and the other stinking royally against LHP'ing.
    CF Taylor: After a monster coming out party in 2017, hope was that he could repeat it. The slow start, mounting strikeout woes and a need to move players around caused issues here.
    RF Puig: Feeling was that problems with LHP'ing was correctable after never being a problem before.

    What happened:
    C Grandal: Barnes bat made him nearly unusable down the stretch and caused Grandal to play nearly daily with the Dodgers fighting for a playoffs spot. Then Grandal shit the bed in the playoffs.
    1B Muncy/Freese: The emergence of Muncy forced the team to find a spot for him. His abysmal performance against lefties after the break made the team find a suitable platoon partner.
    2B: Dozier/Hernandez/Taylor/Muncy: People forget that this was not an issue the last month plus as Enrique went on a tear. He then got totally lost at the plate forcing the Dodgers hand in the PO's.
    SS: Machado
    3B: Turner
    LF: Pederson/Kemp: Others filled in here, but this platoon remained pretty consistent.
    CF: Bellinger/Taylor/Hernandez: Belli fell into a sophomore slump that saw big platoon splits emerge and a need for him to split time against better LHP'ing.
    RF: Puig/Hernandez/Bellinger: Puig's numbers against LHP'ing did not improve and the club was forced to act. Using Belli against weaker LHP and Hernandez against the tougher competition.

    If anything, the Dodgers did a great job managing drop offs and/or lack of improvement from multiple positions. The plan was not to have a platoona-palooza, necessity just forced their hand. The same is going to go for 2019, they probably go into the season with 1 position where they platoon since Hernandez and Taylor still exist, but the goal will not be to have half the roster switched on a nightly basis.
     
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  4. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    Ken Rosenthal was on this morning and speculated that if Harper doesn't get the mega bucks that he is looking for, maybe the Dodgers are the team that could do a shorter higher AAV deal, 4 or 5 years with an opt-out after 2 or something.
     
  5. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    I am sure the Dodgers would love to give him the chance to opt out in 2-4 years(and every NL team for that matter), but I don't see him not getting a long term contract. You just front-load the shit out of that thing and it becomes all the more appealing to opt out. Hurts your AAV years later if he doesn't opt out though.
     
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  6. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    So Rhys Hoskins and a couple other Phillies ran into Mike Trout at the Eagles' game last night. Lol Trout is so signing with Philly in a couple years, dude never misses an Eagle home game. Almost feel bad for Moreno, almost. And it has to be sheer coincidence that this year's MLB winter meetings are in Harper's home town, right? Nice touch by MLB.

    So reportedly the LAD crew that met with Harper included Friedman, Magic, Doc, Geren, and the new launch angle guy. Kasten not confirmed yet, I guess the launch angle guy has the launch codes. Anyway, thank god they hopped a flight to see Harp early instead of sitting around and waiting for the Yankees to sign him, then call and offer Stanton in a trade. That's all I've seen from Yankee fans on twitter over the last month..how they're going to sign Harper and foist Stanton onto LAD and just get everything they want. Bullshit. LAD has to make NYY eat that Jeter stimulus package. All that said, Magic should be worrying about getting Anthony Davis to the Lakers right now, so I hope they just hurry up and buy
     
  7. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    So you're telling me if NYY bought it down another $30M (on top of what the Marlins are kicking in if he doesn't opt-out) and made it $210M over 9 years and probably have to give up very little in the way of assets, you wouldn't do it? Heck, i'd probably prefer that over signing Harper for $300M+.
     
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  8. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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  9. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    I just don't give a damn about the money side of things, not this offseason, not when they've reset the lux tax and agreed to keep paying Kersh monster loot in the last month. I want the best available player and that's really all there is to it right now. To watch the best available player land with the Yanks, and then they turn around and send us a guy they no longer want/that couldn't cut it, that'd be a bad taste in my mouth. Nothing personal against Stanton, I've long been pro-Stanton, but not under these circumstances.

    It's not as if Harper is this 31 year old JD Martinez type of guy that's remade his career and doesn't really have a position in the field on top of maybe only having 2-3 good years left..I fully understand passing on Martinez last offseason and understand wanting to reset the tax as well. But now it's time to strike big again, this time for a phenom squarely in his prime
     
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  10. 1988Blues

    1988Blues DSP Legend

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  11. VRP

    VRP DSP Legend

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    100% agree
     
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  12. VRP

    VRP DSP Legend

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    Look if you’re gonna send that group to meet with Harper you have to be willing to pay him. And if we’re willing to pay him similar to the other teams, how could he not pick LA with a loaded roster close to his home in Vegas over south Chicago or Philly lol.

    Maybe I’m just talking myself into it but why meet with him with the entire contingency if you don’t truly want him
     
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  13. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    You may not, but that isn't how a professional sports franchise is run. The financial flexibility 3 years from now is just as important as it is this season. It would be hard to argue against the club landing a monster like Stanton as his build could also allow him to put up big numbers well into the latter years of his career. If the Dodgers land Harper, I am going to be ecstatic. If the Yankees are the ones that end up with Harper, then in turn need to move Stanton and LA is the only place he will waive his NTC, you can bet that I will be just as happy. If the Dodgers look at this as if they can't allow the Yankees to beat them for his services, they have already lost. No matter what happens an AL team will always hold the advantage for long term contracts over an NL team in these negotiations. The DH just makes the long term financial risk so much less-so on an AL club. So if the Yankees come along(his childhood dream team) and offer an insane contract, the best thing for the Dodgers would be to walk it back and you can't really fault them for that.
     
  14. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    Basically what you're saying is you prefer Harper to Stanton because he is the shiny new toy that everyone wants.

    Over the last 4 years, they've basically been identical when it comes to WAR, each having one huge season. Granted, Stanton is 3 years older, but that's why you get him for $100M+ less over a similar term.
     
  15. VRP

    VRP DSP Legend

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    Hey. “Financial flexibility” and “flexibility three years from now” is a myth owners sell fans on so they can be cheap. The TV deal ALONE pays them over $250 million a year. Not including games, merchandise, advertising and the countless other ways a franchise makes money. They have the money to sign Harper, Machado, Corbin and still sign the top free agents next year and the year after that. We’re the Dodgers and should be in on the best players every year, ESPCIALLY when we came in second two years in a row, and two of the most marquee free agents ever are on the market together in their mid 20’s.

    There’s no excuse.
     
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  16. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    This club will have flexibility as long as they keep up the development side of things with the kids. You and I talked about the option of moving Verdugo in order to shed cash yesterday. And their ability to develop a Muncy, a Taylor, etc., that brings additional flexibility. So I totally understand how flexibility works and it's benefits, but now that we're free and clear of their opening salvo to restore what McCourt killed, they're in a place where they should do this.

    Again, I'm all for spending wisely..and spending big on a phenom in his prime is wise spending. These opportunities don't come along often. Obviously, a lot of these guys in this era are hitting the FA market just about the time they're exiting their prime, but here we have a case where LAD could legitmately get 5 or so prime years out of a HOF talent. If the Yankees come along an offer an insane contract, I'll expect the insane Dodgers that just agreed to continue to pile cash onto Kershaw, to have a strong offer of their own.
     
  17. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    I said what I said and it didn't have anything to do with shiny, new toys


    Looks like an open letter to the Yankees, trying to convince them to just keep Stanton and to stop showing interest in Harper.

    Yeah, I'll take the guy that's projected to have the widest window in terms of prime performance. I don't want the lesser asset for less money. Shocking
     
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  18. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Your opening line is truth, but I have to respond to that truth with this truth - it shouldn't take having a 300+ fucking million dollar payroll to win a WS. I mean, I want Harper now, but big picture payroll-wise let's be reasonable. In fact, if I were in the ownership group I would not be happy having to fork over major lux tax money simply because Kenley and Kershaw keep choking..especially after paying them big. Rather than fork over that insane lux tax bill..stop choking. I'm one that totally gets the opening salvo that this ownership group sent out after winning the bid..they had to cast a wide net and fix shit in a hurry and that obviously takes cash and taking some chances that you wouldn't have to take if the previous owner wasn't a turd.

    That said, I just want them to make wise moves with the money that they have to spend now, at this stage of where LAD is as a franchise. 5-6 years ago was just that. Definitely want them to spend, and there are also timely occasions to spend and you mentioned one..like right after you reset the lux while having lost the WS 2 years in a row..while LeBron and Gurley are taking the market by storm. Yes. Get your asses in gear, down to LV, meet with Harp and sign maybe the most recognizable face/phenom in baseball. Spend big on him, by all means. Makes sense.
     
  19. LAdiablo

    LAdiablo descarado

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    Harper or bust get it done Magic
    if you do i'll never say Tragic again i promise
     
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  20. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Passan now saying that Magic did not meet with Harper.
     
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