Prospects and trade discussion

[Quake Griffin]

Donnie says Rollins will bat lead off.

I think you said you didn't want that Neddy.

[Neddy]

Donnie says Rollins will bat lead off.

I think you said you didn't want that Neddy.

yeah you are remembering correctly, as I think he is at this point of his career, best suited for the 8th hole. his OBP has dwindled down over the last few years to be considered a leadoff, and his BA isn't where it should be either. but he has a keen eye and still have speed, which makes a threat to move him over a base when pitcher comes up to bat for not only avoiding a double play but to steal a base before a sacrifice. his OBP would increase immensely batting in front of a pitcher and Joc although i project him as a member of the heart of the order in 3-4-5 (5 to be precise) eventually in next couple of seasons, strikes way too much to be a 8th batter.

having said that, I also predicted that Donny Saltyballs would have Jimmy bat lead off. all i can do is cross my fingers and doesn't post .316, .318, and 323 OBP he posted in last three seasons. as a reference, Dee Gordon posted .326 OBP while stealing 64 bases. Jimmy did fair better on SLG% and scored a tad bit higher in overall OPS, and knowing his defense surpass what Dee was doing at 2nd, Jimmy is still the better overall value. but when strictly speaking of what a leadoff hitter is expected of, he falls short from the last guy who held that job.

one thing i would like to add, at least the dodger brass seems to consider Howie as our 5th batter. in a scenario where Crawford leads off and followed by Puig and Gonzo, i had Howie batting clean up (im sure to a traditionalist that sounds absurd but essentially is the same as batting fifth with a traditional leadoff in front of the same lineup) and glad the front office feels the same.

[Neddy]

anywho, after coming back from camel back ranch later this month, I will post what i project our line up to be and what they are projected to produce, but from what i have seen and read, i think for now, our line up will be

1. S SS Jimmy Rollins
2. L LF Carl Crawford
3. R RF Yasiel Puig
4. L 1B Adrian Gonzalez
5. R 2B Howie Kendrick
6. S C Yasmani Grandal
7. R 3B Juan Uribe
8. L CF Joc Pederson

I would like to see a switch between grandal and joc personally.

[Don Tommy]

Ned, when are you heading to camp? My wife and I normally go there on the odd years but I think we may have to skip it this year. We're normally there around St. Patty's Day

[Neddy]

Ned, when are you heading to camp? My wife and I normally go there on the odd years but I think we may have to skip it this year. We're normally there around St. Patty's Day

27th through 30th. the giants-angels-split squad games. tried to buy all you can eat seats at the angels' facility but no seats left for family of four.

man, so many chances and we never quite cross each other's path, do we?

[Don Tommy]

We actually were very close to going at that exact time this year. Our timeshare was going to put us up in Scottsdale that last week. Then off to LA cause I got the wife tickets to see Newsies at the Pantages. But she couldn't get off of work. The one year we were going to go late and we would have been there together!

[Neddy]

We actually were very close to going at that exact time this year. Our timeshare was going to put us up in Scottsdale that last week. Then off to LA cause I got the wife tickets to see Newsies at the Pantages. But she couldn't get off of work. The one year we were going to go late and we would have been there together!

just like the time when i was in Vegas and missed ya. someday, brah, some day.

[Star-Lord]

Every time I see Seager play, I become more and more impressed. For as big as he is, he's so smooth and deliberate in the field without sacrificing quickness or agility. Maybe he really can stick at short Cal style. At this point, it doesn't seem any more or less likely than him becoming the next Scott Rolen, which is the only 6'4" giant of a 3rd baseman I can think of.

[Neddy]

Every time I see Seager play, I become more and more impressed. For as big as he is, he's so smooth and deliberate in the field without sacrificing quickness or agility. Maybe he really can stick at short Cal style. At this point, it doesn't seem any more or less likely than him becoming the next Scott Rolen, which is the only 6'4" giant of a 3rd baseman I can think of.

don't we still have Valentin Jr in our system as a potential future SS? Darnell Sweeney is also being groomed down in the minors.

Ian Desmond of the Nats i believe is going to be a free agent in 2016. I can see us signing Ian and move Corey third, or resign Jimmy and move Corey.

I can also see us promoting Corey to SS in 2016 and either resign Uribe or promote Guerrero to third.

anywho, it is a good problem to have too many infielders to choose from.

[Neddy]

there is a rumor out there that we are signing Hector Oliviras for 77 million.

I sure hope it is pending our team physicians taking a look at his new MRI on that elbow.

[Star-Lord]

Valentin was moved to Philly for Hernandez back in August, and Sweeney profiles as a 2nd baseman almost elusively in the infield at this point. I don't think he's even gotten an inning at short this spring. Guerrero needs to be in the minors learning how to hit well enough to stick as a utility guy off someone's bench.

The writers over at Dodgers Digest think that figure for Olivera is bogus. They did a great piece on all the reasons I don't want the guy: http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/03/12/the-hector-olivera-situation-is-getting-out-of-control/

There are some interesting free agent options as of right now for sure. Desmond smacked the hell out of the ball last year, and I really like Alcides Escobar.

Like you said, it's not like the team is short on infield options going forward, those guys aside. We can't forget Austin Barnes, who can manage pretty much any of the three bases, Kee Kay, who looks pretty solid, and Darwin has been working on his defense at 3rd this spring too. There aren't any intriguing pure shortstop prospects in the system though, except for EA, who literally couldn't be given away, and whose swing still makes me wince. Ultimately, I'm not going to worry about it until Corey eventually proves he can't hang at short in the majors after Jimmy retires.

[Neddy]

hey did not know John V Jr was no longer with the team. was high on him simply because his name but the last few times I checked on his minor league numbers he was not impressive one bit, so no real loss there.

Alcides Escobar is interesting because he is a free agent after this season if the KC doesn't pick up his options, which is relatively cheap but not for KC. but I prefer to stay away from proven below average hitters. from what i have seen during the last year's playoff run, he looks to be a slick fielding SS with good size and speed, but he just does not hit hard enough, or makes contact enough, or even sees the ball well to get on base enough. last year's .285 was more or less a product of .330-ish BABIP and he will probably dip down back to .260-ish BABIP soon. but hey it is the short stop position and his glove is already equal to Rollins' last season.

BTW they really just gave a cup of coffee to Urias this spring and sent him right back down. it almost looked like they wanted him not to get another chance to improve on his two mediocre outings so they can tell him that he is still far from ready and need to stay down the minors as planed, lol.

[Ranma]

I really enjoyed your analyses of the videos of the Cuban prospects, Neddy, as they give me an insight that I am personally lacking. I'm disappointed that we missed out on Moncada but we supposedly did offer him more money if he would have waited a few months, but I respect his desire to get his development started. As much as I wanted him, I did have minor concerns with his imbalanced effectiveness as a switch-hitter from the right side, I believe, along with the circumstances of his relationship with his L.A.-based female lawyer. Both are fairly negligible at this point. The other disappointing aspect was that Moncada seems most comfortable at 2B whereas I was hoping he would be a nice possibility at 3B. While he can probably play at the hot corner, it seems he profiles best at the infield keystone.

I wanted the Dodgers to come out of the offseason with at least Yoan Moncada and Yadier Alvarez even though I argued previously that Moncada, by himself, was worth the penalties. The braintrust of Friedman, Zaidi & Co. thought otherwise so I trust and agree with their decision to bypass signing Moncada and attempt to offer him a bigger deal on July 2nd for a big play in that international signing period, especially since Alvarez doesn't look to be available until then. However, if Alvarez is successfully granted permission on his petition to sign earlier, it would screw the Dodgers up a bit since they lost out on Moncada, in part, because they wanted to sign both, but the Dodgers would likely have to bypass Alvarez as well to make the most of their international signings after July 2nd.

The Dodgers are reportedly eyeing Starling Heredia, a physically mature Dominican CF with a Manny Ramirez batting style and raw hitting ability. He's in consideration for being the top 2015 international prospect with a $3.5 million price tag. The Cubs were previously tied to him but the Dodgers supposedly have a handshake agreement, however, there is talk that the organization is "dragging their feet" in their commitment with speculation that the Dodgers may be more interested in Kevin Maitan, the top prospect in 2016 as a Venezuelan SS with Miguel Cabrera comparisons.

Another set of intriguing Cuban prospects are the Gourriel brothers. Yulieski is a 30-year-old 3B who is currently considered the country's top player. His younger brother, Lourdes, is a 21-year-old SS also considered a rising star in Cuba. Their parents have close ties to the communist party in the country, but with the recent relaxation of tensions and restrictions between the US and Cuba, there's an increased possibility that they both will eventually make their way over to MLB. Yulieski has motivational issues possibly due to feeling a bit unchallenged with his current level of competition as he's expressed a desire to play in the Major Leagues. Both brothers are slated to play in the Japanese league for this upcoming season after being granted permission by the Cuban government.

The Hector Olivera situation has been a soap opera that should resolve itself soon with a decision to be made. While there is little doubt that he can hit, there are concerns about a possible UCL injury in his right arm that his camp is denying. Given the concern over his recovery from a blood clot in his left arm and his 30 years of age, his appeal would be lessened if he were to miss time due to surgery and can't play the field right away. He seems surprisingly fluid at 2B for a man of his physical stature but the Dodgers are most interested in him at 3B given that they've only worked him out there during their private sessions.

His previous agent, Rudy Santin, claimed that the Dodgers offered a $77-million contract, which is widely disputed in all circles. Santin is the same former agent that bid up Alexander Guerrero's price to $32 millions over four years before Scott Boras took over and settled for a $28-million deal over four years with the Dodgers, so anyone who makes Boras look reasonable and trustworthy by comparison has a reputation problem. Miami reportedly offered a 7-year, $53 million deal but were scared off by the supposed Dodger offer. Atlanta and San Diego are also in play while the Dodgers asked for a 2nd MRI for Olivera, this time to be performed by their own doctors instead of the one provided in Cuba. The request was refused.

Personally, I'd just as soon pass on Olivera despite there not being any international restrictions on signing him. If the Dodgers can get him on a reasonable contract, that'd be dandy but I'm not inclined to pay the guy more money than what Moncada got given the limited upside and injury concerns despite his polished hitting ability.

I'm now hoping for the Dodgers to get Yadier Alvarez, Starling Heredia, and possibly Lourdes Gourriel even though the Gourriel situation is a wildcard during the upcoming July 2nd signing period. If we miss out on Alvarez and likely Gourriel, I'd rather go after Kevin Maitan and whomever else in 2016.

[Neddy]

I really enjoyed your analyses of the videos of the Cuban prospects, Neddy, as they give me an insight that I am personally lacking. I'm disappointed that we missed out on Moncada but we supposedly did offer him more money if he would have waited a few months, but I respect his desire to get his development started. As much as I wanted him, I did have minor concerns with his imbalanced effectiveness as a switch-hitter from the right side, I believe, along with the circumstances of his relationship with his L.A.-based female lawyer. Both are fairly negligible at this point. The other disappointing aspect was that Moncada seems most comfortable at 2B whereas I was hoping he would be a nice possibility at 3B. While he can probably play at the hot corner, it seems he profiles best at the infield keystone.

I wanted the Dodgers to come out of the offseason with at least Yoan Moncada and Yadier Alvarez even though I argued previously that Moncada, by himself, was worth the penalties. The braintrust of Friedman, Zaidi & Co. thought otherwise so I trust and agree with their decision to bypass signing Moncada and attempt to offer him a bigger deal on July 2nd for a big play in that international signing period, especially since Alvarez doesn't look to be available until then. However, if Alvarez is successfully granted permission on his petition to sign earlier, it would screw the Dodgers up a bit since they lost out on Moncada, in part, because they wanted to sign both, but the Dodgers would likely have to bypass Alvarez as well to make the most of their international signings after July 2nd.

The Dodgers are reportedly eyeing Starling Heredia, a physically mature Dominican CF with a Manny Ramirez batting style and raw hitting ability. He's in consideration for being the top 2015 international prospect with a $3.5 million price tag. The Cubs were previously tied to him but the Dodgers supposedly have a handshake agreement, however, there is talk that the organization is "dragging their feet" in their commitment with speculation that the Dodgers may be more interested in Kevin Maitan, the top prospect in 2016 as a Venezuelan SS with Miguel Cabrera comparisons.

Another set of intriguing Cuban prospects are the Gourriel brothers. Yulieski is a 30-year-old 3B who is currently considered the country's top player. His younger brother, Lourdes, is a 21-year-old SS also considered a rising star in Cuba. Their parents have close ties to the communist party in the country, but with the recent relaxation of tensions and restrictions between the US and Cuba, there's an increased possibility that they both will eventually make their way over to MLB. Yulieski has motivational issues possibly due to feeling a bit unchallenged with his current level of competition as he's expressed a desire to play in the Major Leagues. Both brothers are slated to play in the Japanese league for this upcoming season after being granted permission by the Cuban government.

The Hector Olivera situation has been a soap opera that should resolve itself soon with a decision to be made. While there is little doubt that he can hit, there are concerns about a possible UCL injury in his right arm that his camp is denying. Given the concern over his recovery from a blood clot in his left arm and his 30 years of age, his appeal would be lessened if he were to miss time due to surgery and can't play the field right away. He seems surprisingly fluid at 2B for a man of his physical stature but the Dodgers are most interested in him at 3B given that they've only worked him out there during their private sessions.

His previous agent, Rudy Santin, claimed that the Dodgers offered a $77-million contract, which is widely disputed in all circles. Santin is the same former agent that bid up Alexander Guerrero's price to $32 millions over four years before Scott Boras took over and settled for a $28-million deal over four years with the Dodgers, so anyone who makes Boras look reasonable and trustworthy by comparison has a reputation problem. Miami reportedly offered a 7-year, $53 million deal but were scared off by the supposed Dodger offer. Atlanta and San Diego are also in play while the Dodgers asked for a 2nd MRI for Olivera, this time to be performed by their own doctors instead of the one provided in Cuba. The request was refused.

Personally, I'd just as soon pass on Olivera despite there not being any international restrictions on signing him. If the Dodgers can get him on a reasonable contract, that'd be dandy but I'm not inclined to pay the guy more money than what Moncada got given the limited upside and injury concerns despite his polished hitting ability.

I'm now hoping for the Dodgers to get Yadier Alvarez, Starling Heredia, and possibly Lourdes Gourriel even though the Gourriel situation is a wildcard during the upcoming July 2nd signing period. If we miss out on Alvarez and likely Gourriel, I'd rather go after Kevin Maitan and whomever else in 2016.

hey thanks man, i honestly did not know if anyone actually appreciated let alone read through everything i post about our beloved dodgers and whatever the perspective i can put on each and every topic. glad to know not everything was just a waste of time.

I would like to just point out, that we should watch carefully to what happens with Kang the infielder whom now dons the pirates uni. as the very first ever position player out of KBO, if he shows any level of success in what is known as the burial grounds for right handed power hitters... as his home park in the pitts, it opens a new Cuba for the rest of us, as Kang was not even close to being the best hitter of that country. he just happened to be one of the better hitters who happened to be the only one to play the SS position. they have better hitters at 1B, 3B, OF, and some combination of pitchers who may be able to start, relief or close. for this reason alone I am glad that 77 Million rumor about Hector is now found to be false.

frankly, I wish the dodgers would take a look at Oh, the guy who is currently the closer of the Hanshin Tigers, as a foreign player coming from KBO in NPB. in his first year in Japanese pro he led the entire Japan in Saves. he is a bit like Mariano Rivera that he really has one dominant pitch but even though everyone knows what is coming, they don't seem to be able to hit it. DaeHo Lee of the Softbank Hawks of Japanese league, formerly the cleanup hitter of Lotte Giants of KBO is another I wish the dodgers would take a look at as a professional pinch hitter but he probably will continue to get paid better in japan playing every day and it is not likely for lee to replace Gonzo at first.

speaking of Japanese baseball, I wish all the luck to Hiroki Kuroda and his Hiroshima Carps. if they win it all this season, I fully expect Maeda kenta to be posted. the former dodger draftee and current Nippon Ham Fighter Shohei Otani is currently trying to pull Babe Ruth and still insisting on hitting full time while pitching full time... he should consider focusing on pitching only as he has no shot being an MLB batsman if he ever wishes to make it here... his 160 mph fastball (100 mph) is what he really should be building around at his young age.

[Ranma]

hey thanks man, i honestly did not know if anyone actually appreciated let alone read through everything i post about our beloved dodgers and whatever the perspective i can put on each and every topic. glad to know not everything was just a waste of time.

You're welcome, Neddy.

I may not have the time to contribute or read regularly but I make a point to follow posts on prospects as much as I can.

Speaking of prospects, I'm real hopeful of one day bringing Shohei Otani to the Dodgers someday soon. I suspect a big reason why he's not in the Dodgers' farm system right now is because his Japanese team offered him the opportunity to play both ways. He's probably hopeful that he plays well enough as a batter to convince his eventual MLB team to try him out as a position player as well. Hey, the National League will offer him opportunities to bat, but I agree, he'll have to focus solely on pitching once he makes his way over here.

Otani is a prospect the Dodgers should obtain at whatever the cost. He'd be our Darvish. At least, he's developing in a league considered to be the best outside of the Majors. I'm only concerned how involved Logan White was in previously recruiting him for the Dodgers but I doubt the Padres can come close to offering what the Dodgers will post for his rights. Another concern is that I hope he doesn't spend too much time getting acclimated to the Japanese rotations and pitching too many innings a la Masahiro Tanaka.

Your description of the emerging talent in KBO sounds exciting, especially since I believe the Dodgers should have an advantage in that market given the country's following of Chan Ho Park and now Hyun-Jin Ryu during their respective Dodger careers.

This Oh guy sounds very intriguing. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for him. Any word on there being any plans for him to be posted for US availability?

Also, apparently current MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, has apparently made comments in strong support of eventually instituting an international draft. While it would negate the advantage of our monetary resources for Latin America players, I don't see it affecting the Asian-Pacific leagues since the whole point of the posting system is for the team to make big money for selling/losing their players.

[Neddy]

This Oh guy sounds very intriguing. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for him. Any word on there being any plans for him to be posted for US availability?

Also, apparently current MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, has apparently made comments in strong support of eventually instituting an international draft. While it would negate the advantage of our monetary resources for Latin America players, I don't see it affecting the Asian-Pacific leagues since the whole point of the posting system is for the team to make big money for selling/losing their players.

well that's the beauty of it all, Oh was already signed on to Japanese league as a free agent after a decade of service time in south korea. his current contract comes to an end after this season and he is free to sign with whomever, and whichever the country he wishes to sign without any penalty of posting fee.

I don't like the new commish. he already rubbed me wrong when he proposed banning defensive shift and now he got me totally pissed off after his attempt to quicken the game by manipulating batter's ability to step out of the box. how many of us who played the game as youngsters needed that few seconds to step off the box to exhale, gather yourself, think about what kind of a pitcher is in front of ya, then look over to your coach/manger for a sign then step back in, just to rip that line drive splitting the infielders for a double? no commish can take that away from any batsman and if anyone disrupts that harmony, he/she is outta be banned more severely than Pete Rose. it is a disgrace IMO that this Rob Manfred is robbing us of the purity of the game.

[Ranma]

I did a quick search for Seung-hwan Oh and he'll be about 34-years-old if he makes it to the Majors next season. I'm all for bringing in the Korean Saito but would he want to come into the Dodgers' situation when we already have Kenley Jansen? As a veteran of professional baseball leagues, I would think he'd want the opportunity to prove himself for the more closer-needy teams.

I have the same reservations about Manfred myself. I'm not too keen on his reconsideration of allowing Pete Rose back into the Hall-of-Fame. It just sends the wrong message that if you bet on baseball and get caught, you'll eventually be forgiven if you wait it out long enough with your legacy relatively intact. I agree with your disdain in the proposed speeding up of the game. I hate that there is an impression that there is something inherently wrong with the game when you have to cater to the ADHD crowd. I'm not even really a fan of the DH rule.

I'm open to the evolution of the game but it's not the same thing as instituting the shot-clock in basketball. That rule was instituted because games back then literally had players standing around while a guy was dribbling time away for extended periods of time. What's the point of having 10 guys on the floor when only one of them is doing something. It was meant to be a passing game that got everyone involved.

In baseball, it's basically the hitter vs. the pitcher in a psychological, mental, and physical match against each other. Sure, there are fielders but the main focus is on a guy trying to get a ball pass another guy with a stick. Beauty can be found in simplicity. Plus, I'm not for endangering pitchers any further by having them possibly rushed to pitch when they're not ready. There's plenty of strain on their arms as is.

Also, the whole idea of doing away with defensive shifts is about at absurd as doing away with free throws in basketball. Players should live up to the sport's standards instead of having the standards lowered to the players.

[Neddy]

one thing about Oh, is that he has openly spoken about how we would love an opportunity to be in the MLB before. there is a strong fanbase of his who wishes nothing more than for Oh to test his skills and will at the highest level in baseball on planet earth too. the issue is probably that Oh is not a spring chicken anymore and at his age, he needs to think about his own financial security as well as a legacy and right now it is the Hanshin Tigers of Japan who wined and dined him to be their closer, and frankly the Tigers making it all the way to the Japan Series this year, sorta cemented his legacy with them already. I still do think that if he was paid about the same or slightly more, he would gladly try the MLB to be Jensen's setup man. the question then becomes, at his advanced age and knowing he is the 8th inning guy for the blue, would Andrew and Co. pull the trigger at say, 5 mil per year for a set up man.

as for Manfred, I couldn't agree more. his actual tenure has not even started its season 1 and yet i am already dying to see him go.

Only difference in opinion i have with you from your last post is... that I don't necessarily think Pete Rose should be shunned from the Hall anymore. yes he gambled. and no, regardless of whether he betted for his team to win or lose, the gambling on his own team as a manager or allegedly as a player, is a huge problem... but so was the steroids, growth hormone, and amphetamines. Pete may or may not have betted his team to lose, and surely he did bet on his own team to win. but one mere fact that none of the "betting" can fix is his own hits. Pete is flat out the man with the most hits ever in major league baseball and there is nothing anyone can accuse the man to have faked or gambled away.
yes he was a terrible person. he gambled on the game. yes he was a terrible person to end a career of a budding all star catcher on a slide during an allstar exhibition game to injure him so badly. I don't shy away from his character flaws. but we have Ty Cobb in the hall of fame, don't we? Ty was openly practicing his bigotry as a well known racist. he is in the fall. surely, a little gambling problem isn't worse than hating on your fellow man.

anywho, no matter the stands, POVs, or politics, one thing is constant among us and that is the dodger baseball.

long live Tommy Lasorda, long live Sandy Koufax. long live Vin Scully. long live the dream team blue. long live anything and everything that is about the smell of fresh cut grass, white lines drawn on the field with three bags and a buried plate. the poles at each end of the outfield, and the 7th inning stretch... the dodger dogs... and the fat lady who sings.

let's play ball!!!!

[Ranma]

Read on Twitter

Jon Heyman, CBS Sports (3/18/15)

Olivera is “likely” to have a deal by the end of the week, said his agent Greg Genske.

There has been some concern about a situation with the UCL in his throwing elbow, but scouts say he shows a strong arm in workouts. The Dodgers, who looked at one MRI of the elbow in question, but were declined a second MRI, are still in the bidding despite some seeming concern about the alleged issue.

The presence of the Dodgers, one of baseball's two richest franchises, worries some of the other interested parties. “Look, if the Dodgers want him, they can get him,” one interested party pointed out.

Braves bid four years, others five for Olivera, who's said to aim for six

Read on Twitter

[Neddy]

with the MRI thing over his head, now i really hope we steer away from him.