DODGERS 2017 NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread

Something interesting happened today in the AL with the A's and Jay's game today. Jharel Cotton started and Frankie Montas took the loss. So far this season Jharel an ERA of 5.20 and Montas an ERA of 6.91. Montas has struck out 30 in 28 2/3 innings but his WHIP is 1.75 and Cotton after starting out like a comet last year and getting accolades from this board, not from me because I wanted to wait is 3 - 6 this year with a WHIP of 1.44. Of course they are young and we ONLY got Rich and Reddick who is back to his old self a little in Houston (protected by that line-up). Anyway it just caught my eye under the MLB network ticker.

 

Montas gave up two HRs in the 10th for the loss.

 

We'll win one day brother...but it will be in the yemenvelt...

 

1 or 2 guys were stroking Cotton and making a fuss about the trade on the strength of 4 starts, disregarding his up and down track record. It wasnt that serious, silly more than anything else. But hopefully Cotton can turn it around. Dont like seeing any of LAD's former specs struggle

 

They are relying heavily on rookie pitching right now and yeah, you have to think that teams will eventually catch up. With that said, they are cruising right now and they're about to get their ace back. Even when they had a hiccup a couple weeks ago, they got right back on the horse and started tearing things up again. The story with the Rockies is they are always one injury away from that tailspin. It was always Tulo or Holiday going down and the team would struggle to keep their heads above water. I would venture it is a similar story here. If they were to lose Arenado or Blackmon for an extended time, they'd be pretty well fucked. Also, with their bullpen right now, they could not afford to lose any of their top 4 guys.

 

I tend to believe this woman's story because Russell has been hovering around the Mendoza line so far this year.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017...buse-allegations-against-addison-russell.html

 

christian yelich and his annoying face to the Dodgers?

 

I was one of them, and I would probably not say we were "stroking" him, more the narrative was we gave up too much to get Hill and Reddick. I was of the belief that we should have only given up two of the 3 guys, Holmes and one of Montas or Cotton. Looking at Cotton's games, yeah they are bad, but remember he is a rookie. Also of his 10 games 3 were quality starts and 2 were one out away from a quality start. So I guess I am agreeing with you that we need to wait the 3-6 mo.

 

Is he really any better than what we have on the team now???

Yelich - 259/7/26
Puig - 235/9/31
Taylor - 305/7/24

I would rather target Stanton. He is gona cost less in prospects because of that MONSTER Contract he got in 2015, and he is only 27. Yes that would remove us from the Harper/Machado FA talks but MGT may not be in those. Do we really see MGT shelling out two $400M contracts to Kershaw and Harper/Machado?? This way we get a big bat but for a bit cheaper and fork over the cash to retain Kershaw.

Edit - Another point to ponder, does Shohei Otnai fit the power bat we are looking for?? I am still a bit confused on the $ that it would take to land him and if MGT can even compete given the international spending limits that are in place.

 

Where's the Yelich chat coming from? I don't know his L/R splits, but every time I see him play he looks like a damn good player (I don't watch him that often though so that means nothing) But the numbers look good...

155 games for Yelich last year
.298 .376 .483
130 wrc+4.4 WAR

Similar numbers the year prior as well.

 

http://www.dodgersnation.com/mlb-news-marlins-yelich-july-trade-candidate-tv0216/2017/06/08/

this is a rumor thread right?

 

Just someone's speculation. Honestly I doubt they let him go. He is young and a very friendly contract. It makes more sense for them to trade Stanton. That would get something in return and relieve them of a TON of salary to go after Harper in a year hopefully to coincide with the sale of the team. Might be a good PR move on the Marlins part.....here is your new owner and here is the new face of the team....

 

I'd trade Joc for him

 

Otani might, but I was thinking more of him being the second ace of this team

 

YEAH......but it would probably take more.......

Given his previous stats, there is no reason to think he could not be both on days he pitches and even the pinch hitter off the bench on off days.

 

I would too, in a heartbeat. But tbh, unless there is a team with huge defensive liability in CF, why would you trade for Joc? The way he is going, it appears his high point is already in the past, and a talented kid like Yelich for him seems unlikely.
But stranger things have happened...remember those guys John Franco, Pedro Martinez and Paul Kenerko?
It will be difficult to find an FO that shortsighted though....

 

Right from the keyboard of Pulitzer prize winning author Trevor Vernola.

 

Latest On Shohei Otani
By Steve Adams | June 9, 2017 at 9:12am CDT

A legitimate sense of mystery shrouds Japanese star Shohei Otani, writes Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, as Major League scouts and general managers have no idea whether the 22-year-old phenom will actually enter the posting system and leap to Major League Baseball this offseason. Passan spoke to at least five general managers and multiple scouts for his extensive column, which I’d highly recommend reading in full.

There’s skepticism that Otani will actually leave NPB this offseason, as doing so would mean subjecting himself to MLB’s newly reconfigured international bonus system, which will undoubtedly cost him more than $200MM. Otani’s maximum payday this winter would be $10.1MM, Passan notes, and while many have speculated about Otani quickly signing a multi-year extension after inking his initial deal, that may not be likely. Passan cites multiple “high-ranking sources at MLB” in reporting that “the league expects to be vigilant to ensure the sanctity of the system is not made a mockery by extralegal payments.” Then again, Major League Baseball intervening in a contract would certainly be a bad look, and Passan wonders if the league would actually follow through on such an extreme measure.

Passan’s survey of big league front offices and scouting departments resulted in many within the game speculatively connecting the Rangers, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Yankees, Cubs and Astros to Otani, although the clear takeaway is that no one really knows who the favorite would be. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune, in fact, suggests that the connection to the Padres is largely overblown (all Twitter links), especially considering the fact that they’d be limited to a $300K signing bonus.

Several American League clubs believe themselves to have an inside edge over their National League rivals due to Otani’s desire to continue as a two-way player in MLB, Passan continues. Serving as a DH and then pitching every fifth day seems more feasible than playing the outfield between starts.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Otani has yet to even pitch in 2017 and has been limited to eight games as a designated hitter. Otani missed the World Baseball Classic due to an ankle injury and has yet to take the mound because a hamstring injury that Japanese media outlet Sponichi recently reported would keep him out until at least July. A recent report from Japan’s Nikkan Sports revealed that Otan threw a 31-pitch bullpen session but did so at a distance of less than the standard 60 feet and did not throw at full strength.

The injury isn’t likely to be a significant detriment to Otani’s market, though. Teams familiar with Otani are well versed in his repertoire and his skills at the plate, having seen him extensively in the past. The questions stemming from his injury wouldn’t center around a lack of ability to gather relevant scouting data, but rather whether interested teams need to have long-term concerns about these injuries either lingering or recurring. And all of that, of course, assumes he even enters the posting system this winter in the first place, which is hardly a given.