2014 Los Angeles Dodgers Thread

[Kevin Greene]

I'm good with Tanaka going to the Yankees, especially at 7yr/155mil.

 

Dodgers need to start working on their bench strength as they lost some key contributors already in Punto and Co.

 

Dodgers signed Chone Figgins to a Minor League deal today but I hope they do better than that soon.

[Double Trouble]

Paul Maholm 1yr 1.5mill. Not bad...not bad at all...

[Kevin Greene]

Something has to give with Andre Ethier, The Dodgers have shopped Kemp and there simply isn't enough playing time for a Crawford/Kemp/Ethier/Puig outfield.

Only Puig is untouchable right now.

 

BTW, I like your lineup position potentially there but swap Kemp and Gonzales.

Mattingly, fug we signed him long term but nothing pisses me off more than when he hits Puig in the 5 spot behind Gonzales. 

Fricking Mattingly had Puig in the 5 spot all through the Playoffs and Puig can't utilize his speed and aggressiveness waiting for Gonzales who is about as slow as a sloth running the bases.

Pull your head out Skip.

 

 

It appears Mattingly may finally be pulling his head out of his ass and putting Puig at the top of the lineup.

About time there Skipper.

 

 

According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, manager Don Mattingly indicated over the weekend that the plan will likely include making Puig their new full-time leadoff hitter.

Mattingly said by switching Puig and last year's leadoff hitter, lefty-swinging 

Carl Crawford

, in the order, it would provide better righty-lefty balance, with right-handed hitter 

Hanley Ramirez

 batting third and left-handed hitter 

Adrian Gonzalez

 batting fourth.

But it also would be a nod to the reality that the 23-year-old Puig is more dynamic offensively than the 32-year-old Crawford, whose baserunning was hampered by hamstring problems throughout the 2013 season.

It's an interesting idea on paper. Puig's .391 on-base percentage last year was 60 points higher than Crawford's, so he certainly appears to better fit the profile of a leadoff man at this stage in both of their careers. In fact, Crawford has always performed better as a No. 2 batter anyway, hitting .300/.342/.458 in 753 more plate appearance from that spot in the order.

[h0llywood]

His RBI opportunities will go down but I see his OBP getting better.

[Rise of The Hive]

Paul Maholm 1yr 1.5mill. Not bad...not bad at all...

 

Is he going in the pen? He is very inconsistent as a starter.

[h0llywood]

I'm very excited for this season. There's an air that's been missing from previous seasons.

[Double Trouble]

Is he going in the pen? He is very inconsistent as a starter.

Beckett should be healthy to start the season so he will be in long relief. He is good insurance though because Beckett and Billingsley are huge question marks.  If he can be an innings eater and put up an era of 4.00 (very possible), its a great signing.

[Rise of The Hive]

Beckett should be healthy to start the season so he will be in long relief. He is good insurance though because Beckett and Billingsley are huge question marks.  If he can be an innings eater and put up an era of 4.00 (very possible), its a great signing.

 

That is a great signing then, and with the Dodgers offense even if he does spot start, he should be fine.

[Kevin Greene]

I'm very excited for this season. There's an air that's been missing from previous seasons.

 

 

Could be a slow start for the Blue though.

MLB has them and the DBacks going to Australia to play games to open the season.

I'm not too happy about this crap, that's a long way to go to play two games that count March 22nd, return then restart the season March 30th. That is some BS.

[Kevin Greene]

 

Season set to start in hours Down Under. Puig hitting where he should be. What up with Van Slyke?

[Kevin Greene]

[Guest Dark Knight]

Madison Bumgarner Spring Training-

4 starts, 3-0 record

17 IP, 0 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 16 SO, 0.00 ERA

Enjoy your 2nd place season.

[Kevin Greene]

lol at the Hater.

 

Anyway, Dodgers start the Real Season 1-0 beating the DBacks Kershaw style.

 

 

Kershaw flashed his Cy Young form, Scott Van Slykehomered and the NL West champions opened the Major League Baseball season with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night at Sydney Cricket Ground.

A crowd of about 40,000 watched as MLB played its first regular-season game in Australia.

Kershaw, who signed a seven-year, $215 million contract in January, allowed one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. Van Slyke hit a two-run homer and also doubled.

The first pitch was delayed because of rain for 14 minutes. By then, the long trip Down Under had taken even longer for some Arizona players

 

Guess it was a good thing Kemp went on the D/L (big surprise) and Crawford was off on Maternity Leave with Van Slyke apparently ready to carry the load on Opening Day.

Go Blue!

 

 

 

[h0llywood]

Madison Bumgarner Spring Training-

4 starts, 3-0 record

17 IP, 0 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 16 SO, 0.00 ERA

Enjoy your 2nd place season.

 

Bwaaahahahahhhahahahaha.