While some Yankees fans are licking their chops over the prospect of Bryce Harper coming to the Bronx after the 2018 season, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times believes that the Dodgers have a better chance to sign the outfielder. Of course, other teams, including the incumbent Nationals, will have something to say about all of that. Here’s today’s look at the Dodgers..
- Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins is struggling at the plate but that doesn’t mean that we’ll be seeing top prospect Corey Seager right away, Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles writes. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team will promote Seager when he is ready, not because Rollins is underperforming. “We feel like he’s in a really good place to be a really good major league player for a long time, but when that is will be determined by when he’s ready to do it, when we feel like it will put him in the best position to be as good as he can be as quickly as he can be,” Friedman said. Seager was rated as the No. 5 prospect in the country heading into the 2015 season by Baseball America. All of the other prospects ranked ahead of Seager have been promoted already.
- The Dodgers aren’t doing much to entice Zack Greinke to stay, Mark Saxon of ESPN.com writes. Greinke has been vocal about his lack of run support this season as he continues to lose despite strong pitching. Greinke, of course, has the right to opt out of his contract following this season. If he doesn’t opt out, Greinke will be in line to earn $78MM over the remaining three years. Through 13 starts this season, the 31-year-old owns a 1.95 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9.
- The Dodgers are eschewing traditional batting statistics to try and ascertain the true value of hitters, as Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register writes. For example, outfielder Scott Schebler appeared to be struggling early on in the year with Triple-A Oklahoma. However, new Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler presented Schebler a pack of data showing him that he wasn’t so much struggling as he was getting unlucky. Several other players who spoke with Moura confirmed that the Dodgers aren’t getting hung up on batting average as they’re focusing more on the “real indicators” of performance.
Shaiken has a point….I think Kershaw,Seager,Pederson…can convince Harper to join….as well as those Dodger Dollars….
I think money will convince Bryce plus his dream team going back to that ESPN article before he was drafted is the Yankees. The Yankees will have a ton of money available in 2019 and they have some real legit prospects coming up add in the money they will have to build a strong team around Harper. I don’t think Seager or any Dodger convinces Harper to stay away from his dream.
I don’t see the yankees with better talent than the dodgers. Especially with the up coming amateur draft dodgers farm system might get stronger. Money is not going to be an issue for l.a.
never said better talent. The Yankees will be built to place Harper right in the three hole and make the team a serious contender every year once again for next dynasty run. The Yankees have a strong Outfield crop and few good infield prospects and catchers. What they lack is a stud lefty arm but they have four years to get that and build a strong team around Harper. I think that will be the plan. The fact Harper wants to be a Yankee makes it even more certain that the yankees will match any ridiculous offer made by the Dodgers.
I could see them making him a ridiculous offer, and thats the only way they’ll get him. I just don’t see the yankees as a contender as they used to be. Too many injured players, some are too old. But it is 3 years from now so who knows anything can happen.
Lol, your talking 4 years from now. The Yankees won’t have Arod, Tex, CC,McCann, and Gardner. It will be a different team. Our pitching is built around kids right now with the average age 26. Our farm has legit depth and some big prospects coming up in next few years. The Yankees will build a team around Harper with him being the final piece and they won’t be outbid for the best player in the game at 26yo especially when he wants to be a Yankee!
lol, my bad 4 years. Those prospects you mentioning who are they never heard of them. Tanaka he’s do for a tommy john anytime. Nathan is wild hard thrower only. Pineda let’s give him more pine tar.
He has not said recently he wants to be a Yankee….He could be open to any team…his agent is Boras…which means every team with cash is possible to land Harper…..
especially since boras is he’s agent he’s going to get top dollar. When is trout a FA ?
Trout is free after 2020….
Honestly, I think Trout makes a better historic Yankee…watching Harper in pinstripes would be like watching Ty Cobb with the Yanks…just weird. Trout’s a Jersey boy and they were all about him in that draft before LA snatched him right before their pick.
That Yankee Dream….Harper had is overblown…he probably felt that way as a kid or teenager….that dream he had years ago….won’t determine his decision……
Well not the case Scannssss.
When Nats visited he made it a point to visit monument park and take a picture next to Mickey Mantle plaque. That was his fathers favorite player. I think its a forgone conclusion, sorry pal. You have a great team finally, just need to actually win. Your team is spending which is awesome to see but if they don’t win who knows how long they stick to the free spending ways?????
Harper will sign the highest contract offered…not some fantasy love affair with his Dad (lol) favorite player…..he could care less about Mantle..Ruth….or Jeter….
Yes true, but if the offers are close which Im sure they will be Im thinking Yankees have best chance. And it’s not ridiculous, read the ESPN article prior to him being drafted. He says he wants to be a YANKEE! Its all in the article. The kid is cocky and knows what he wants. But you have a great team and need to win so that should be your concern, not 2019? The Yankees have had greatest dynasty run and winning atmosphere for last 30 years, the bubble has to break, but the farm is looking very good so we know we will be back. This is your time to finally win so win with that payroll!
Sorry Billy…Harper wants to be surrounded by a lot of great players….and not be the only guy in New York….I’ll send you his Dodger Jersey in 2019….maybe you’ll get him to sign it during inner-league play….
The bubble has to break is not a statement that can be applied to the Yankees…this is an organization that has won 25% of ALL world championships. I’m not even really a fan and they are leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else. They are like the sun in the baseball galaxy basically..that’s just a fact
If you were in Yankee Stadium wouldn’t you take a picture with Mantle’s plaque?
I know, right…as if Mickey Mantle wasn’t every baby boomers favorite player. I’m still waiting for Jimmy Piersall statue so I can bust that Kodachrome out…my dad always liked that crazy guy
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Greinke is going to option out of l.a. But will he resign I doubt it. Dodgers have too many infielders callaspo, turner, guerrero, olivera, don doesn’t like guerrero playing any position except pinch hitting. I think he has a good chance of being traded or dfa callaspo.
The Dodgers are leading the division by 3.5, and Greinke is “vocal” about lack of run support? It’s obvious he’s a me first player. The Dodgers would be wise to let him opt out.
He’d be smart to resign with LA if they bring the $. They need each other. Greinke loves pitching in the NL West parks against other pitchers every 9th spot. LA loves having his 188 ERA + and league leading 87 IP. LA has the most money and Greinke loves $. There’s a good chance that these two are a perfect match unless SF or SD out bid LA. I bet Bochy or Black could get Greinke to leave LA if it also comes with a lot of money and years.
Also Max Scherzer is about to throw a Perfect Game….hope I did not just Jinx him…….
Well you did.
I know right…sorry Max…….
Money talks and it looks like the Dodgers have a lot & are willing to spend it. Even with Rickett’s $ the Cubs have no shot.
I think the Dodgers need to pull Hamels out of Philly….to make that postseason run…
Yes the Dodgers need to win and win soon with that payroll! They will have to trade that young stud lefty prospect to get him but they need a championship!
The Dodgers are actually quite well placed when it comes to future financial commitments – not much money locked up come ’17 and after I think.
That’s absurd the Dodgers are stacked to the ceiling with young, controllable talent. They’re going to be really good for years. Harper is a Boras client, he will go to whoever gives him one dollar more than the next guy regardless of what monument he took a selfie of.
You mean the kid who looks like a lefty Felix Hernandez with 3 MLB ready pitches. The one who the Dodgers are resting his arm mid season? Why don’t we just keep him and put him on the active roster? Also, Philly would be lucky to get LA’s 3rd best pitching prospect, 2014 1st round pick RHP Grant Holmes. Our 2nd best SP prospect (Jose De Leon) is probably at or higher in value than the Phillies best pitching prospect and I think of Aaron Nola as a top 25 prospect in MLB. I would wager on both becoming big league starters by next September and being better than Cole Hamels in a year or two.
“Several other players who spoke with Moura confirmed that the
Dodgers aren’t getting hung up on batting average as they’re focusing
more on the “real indicators” of performance.”
As every team should be
Batting average isn’t as good of an offensive indicator as OBP/SLG, not nearly as good as K%/BB%/LD%, those type of things, and then far from being anywhere as good as wOBA/tAV and wRC+
I doubt anybody had to tell him his batting average was low because he was unlucky.
His BABIP is .245 despite it being >.300 for his minor league career and despite his K% and BB% being pretty much the same as last year. Yeah, he’s getting unlucky
He’s raised his BB% slightly every step of the minor leagues and his 2015 K% is his 2nd lowest. The guy led the pitcher friendly Southern League in HR and triples last season. He was ranked top 4 in both the year before in the hitter friendly Cal League. The guy has the speed and power for a high BABIP. He would have been fast tracked in other farm systems who weren’t promoting Yasiel and Joc. The 3 big OF contracts prior to this season have kept LA conservative with his timeline. He’s always getting overlooked despite the fact that he was only a year older than Kris Bryant but ranked 3rd in SLG behind Bryant and 1 spot in front of the same aged Jake Lamb (2014 AA SOUL). Plus he’s lefty, I think we’ll see Schebler get really hot soon.
Teams that value contact probably still value batting average (Twins, Royals, Giants).
The Dodgers have the luxury of leaving Seager in AAA to develop, and playing Rollins. If they were to fall behind the Giants I think you will see him!
I wrote something about this on my blog but agree more with what you wrote. It’s easy to be patient with low BABIP’s when you’re in first place. If Hudson ever figures it out and they get an ace to take Vogey’s spot that lineup could carry SF.
Would probably see him by September. Thats what they did to joc last year, but rollins isn’t hitting at all he’s defense is valuable though.