NEWS/RUMORS/DISCUSSION Thread

I rather these guys are ready for the dog days of august and then the postseason when the rest of the staff and bullpen will need the extra help.
Right now its not a negative imo.
Just like aroldis chapman getting to rest early in tje year for yanks. Gives team chance to develop another good arm in the meantime.
We got many dudes who want their shot to shine.
And this is only a problem if Anderson comes back and there is no place for him because a rookie solidified himself or a young guy like wood became a star.
And thats a good prob.

 

Roberts says he’ll shy away from Ellis as Kershaw’s personal catcher
by Aaron Gleeman | NBC Hardball Talk

A.J. Ellis has been Clayton Kershaw‘s personal–or at least strongly preferred–catcher since 2012, getting the nod behind the plate for 80 percent of his starts during that time.

However, new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that he’s less likely than predecessor Don Mattingly to go out of his way to pair Ellis and Kershaw up while sitting primary catcher Yasmani Grandal, telling Doug Padilla of ESPN Los Angeles:

"[Grandal] caught him last year and Clayton performed well so the idea of a personal catcher, I don't see that happening. But there will be times A.J. will catch Kershaw as well."​

Roberts hinted at more of a traditional platoon in which Grandal starts versus right-handed pitchers and Ellis starts versus left-handed pitchers, but because Kershaw has made it very clear that he always prefers to work with Ellis that switch may be easier said than done.

Last season Grandal totaled 100 starts behind the plate, while Ellis received 55 starts. Two-thirds for Grandal and one-third for Ellis is something that makes sense from both a workload standpoint and a production standpoint, so it would be just a matter of basing the playing time more on the opposing pitcher rather than on Kershaw.

 

meh

 

You took my argument and proved it yourself twice.
We have many more available options that project to be as good or better at starter than Anderson.
Just like NY has relievers with Chapman.
The salary issue is also moot since both teams have to pay the non playing players.
There is also a lot more strategy to this than just what you see.
I doubt Anderson was given the QO because we really needed him at that price. Even so a one year insurance policy is an expensive bet.
The payoff was probably in the idea that Anderson would decline the offer and go with a multiyear deal from another team.
Thus netting us another draft pick and more draft pick money allowable in the pool for signing higher picks.

In theology there is the trope of the carnal mind, the carnal person.
That the carnal mind is always thinking about the things that the flesh desires.
Which is to fell good, to enjoy itself, to have what it likes. Pleasure.
People that go about their lives living them to fulfill their pleasurable desires are labeled as sinful carnal people.
But they are labeled by people who cant seem to get other peoples fleshly desires from out of their own mind. They become obsessed with certain particular facets of other peoples lives.
So they have to pick at the flesh of others by talking about how carnal they are.
In effect reversing the situation of carnality.
Where its much more carnal to be a cannibal spiritually by eating the carcass of other peoples lives.
Of course they will say that its not fair to them.
But its a carnival not a fair.
I bring this up only as an analogy to the money argument and the derision of the front office for having a lot of formal education and not enough real sports education (nerds vs jocks mentality).

When money is brought up in sports its always within a context.
Certain money is important. Other money is not.
When and how the money is spent is very important to the story.
A little bit of saved money is sometimes worth a ton more than a ton of lost money.
Getting a little bit more to sign a top draft pick can be huge as is the opportunity of an extra top draft pick to boot.
That little bit of money is worth a 1 year gamble on a mid rotation starter at 16M.
That 16M wont change anything for this year.
Of course if you just want to keep living with ghosts then lets just invoke the elephant in the room.
Greinke.
Is gone.
He is a douche and doesnt care about the Dodgers nor does he care about the fans as much as you care about him.
Never did.
The brass knew it and were not going to play his stupid dominance game of chicken. Demanding the biggest contract ever or he bails.
If he was a cool cat he would have gotten that contract and wouldnt even have had to demand shit.
Clayton doesnt have to demand.
A leader never has to be demand.
A leader is given what he deserves and more by his team.
Like how Kobe and Magic got huge payoffs at the end of their careers.
Class organizations take care of their leaders.
But fuck if a mercenary tries to take the big chair by force.
They get cut off in the fall and new blood blooms in the spring.