Dec. 20: The Dodgers formally announced the signing of Koehler today. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweets that the righty will earn $2MM and can earn incentives based on games started and relief appearances. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale adds that Koehler would earn $1.25MM for starting 25 games and $500K for making 60 total appearances.
Dec. 15: The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with righty Tom Koehler, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). Financial details are not yet known. Koehler is represented by Pro Agents, Inc.
Koehler, 31, was non-tendered by the Blue Jays after the 2017 season. He had been projected to earn a hefty $6MM via arbitration. Koehler remains eligible to be tendered arbitration after the 2018 season.
Given the salary, that decision came as little surprise. But it’s also not hard to see why the reigning National League champs have made a move to bring in the veteranr right-hander.
While he struggled badly in the first half of the 2017 season, Koehler rebounded upon going to the Jays, where he moved into the bullpen and increasingly favored his curve over his slider. Over 17 frames, Koehler allowed five earned runs on 16 hits and six walks while recording 18 strikeouts.
Though it seems clear the Dodgers will use Koehler out of the bullpen, it doesn’t hurt that he comes with a long track record as a starter. Through 749 2/3 career innings working out of the rotation, Koehler carries a 4.44 ERA. In addition to multi-inning capacity, he has also generally proven to be effective against opposite-handed batters. While lefties knocked Koehler around in 2017, he actually carries slight reverse platoon splits for his career.
This must the Blanton/Marrow strategy 2017 version, smart move assuming that is the plan
I hope not. I’ve seen too many long ball highlights with Koehler supplying the pitches
That’s what we said about Blanton though…
Especially in the post season 🙁
Im cryin this is our opening move???
The Indians’ opening move was Melvin Upton so
Haha, and my GM is still shopping on the island of misfit toys,,, go Jays !!!
Technically the Jays first move was Diaz, but of your meaning FA’s then they are looking in the Bargain bins at the Dollar Store
Melvin Upton was on pace to have a 30/30 season in San Diego lasy year before we traded him…lets look up the last players to go 30/30 hmmmm…
And he didn’t make a MLB roster roster in 2017 because he struggled to hit AAA pitching in his short stint. And by “on pace”…..he hit .190/.253/.304 in the 2nd half of 2016. A lot of hitters are “on pace” for big years only to fall apart in the 2nd half
Once a BJ always a BJ!
Red Sox was Moreland
Hey don’t worry because the Brewers opening move was………..
Who cares what an “opening move” is — this isn’t a screenplay where the first scene has to grab you. 😉 He’s just a solid idea at more bullpen depth who probably doesn’t cost much. More moves coming over the next couple of months.
This is happens when you have a salary cap. If the Dodgers go over 237 million, they pay a luxury tax plus their 1st round pick drops 10 spots.
This FO’s philosophy on relievers is pretty clear. They’ve hired a long list of disposable bullpen arms over the last few years. With one notable exception, sure. But fundamentally, their plan is use and throw away, like Kleenex, and maybe get lucky once in awhile with someone who can stick.
Dodgers always seem to find someone that pretty much nobody wants and they end up doing really good for them but I don’t know about this one. I hope they know what they are doing and I hope they plan on signing more than just this guy for the bullpen. Would like to see one more signing or even a trade
Yeah, I don’t think that’s this signing. Maybe they can fix him, keep him as depth. I doubt we’re going to see a sub 2 era, but it’s nice to add to our stockpile of proven arms.
Friedman is dumpster diving again. Let’s hope this one pans out like the rest.
Cashman has had some luck with dumpster diving at times lol. Worse case scenario dodgers send him to DFA city
he always does
The next Brandon morrow
Blue jays must be thinking, “What did we miss?”
Lol, the Blue Jays missed the 2017 playoffs and will miss the 2018 playoffs too. Inept Management and terrible professional scouting.
It’s arguable whether either of those are true. What qualms do you have about their pro scouting? Did you think Biagini would be a viable big leaguer two years ago? Because someone in their pro scouting group did.
As I have written in these blogs for a few years now, there is a long list of failures and only a few successes. Biagini was a good find as a reliever terrible as a starter. Smoak resigning was a good one, Morales is overpaid but I liked the signing. Losing EE was a childish mistake.
I have been saying all along for 2 years now that the starting rotation is not good enough to compete yet Jays Mgmt beleives it is. Estrada will take a step back even further in 2018 as I said in 2017 so will Happ. Sanchez finger issues are not resolved and I hear he is destined for the pen. That leaves one good starter and he is a #2, Stroman. I scout the relief corps as very good,
I look at those they ran into fill-in status in 2017 and most of them I called as not even belonging in the bigleagues before they made their Blue Jays debut, yet mgmt ran them out there anyway. Brutal. Cashman would never do that.
Here are some of the professional scouting screwups over the Shapiro/Atkins years: Bolsinger, Saltilamachia, Montero, Lawrence, Darwin Barney, Gavin Floyd, Melvin Upton, Thole, Lake, Burns Pompey, Girado, Diamond, Storen, Chavez, Pearce, Travis, Maile, Coghlan, Lopez, Refsynder, Tepesch, Latos, Sparkman, House, Beliveau, Howell, Cole, Rowley…it goes on and on. None of these players are on a championship calibre club.
The biggest proefessional scouting error is believing that they could compete in 2017 and again in 2018 and thus delaying the total rebuild that is necessary. Tulo can’t stay healthy at SS, so he needs to move to 1st. Trade donaldson and smoak for prospects. Sign a fill-in SS. Trade Travis because his knees will never make it on turf. Sign a 40% catcher who can hit and field, find a power RF, and come up with a #1 and #3 starters becuase the rotation will fall apart again in 2018.
As the Jays team is built now, they are 4th or 5th in the AL east out of the playoffs, although I expect a good 2018 start, but lack of talent, depth and old age will make for a long season.
Very good points. As a fan, hope you are wrong. Doubtful. I think Sanchez would be a great 8 inning guy. Unfortunately that leaves a glaring hole in the starting rotation.
The words professional scouting
Splash.
He could be fairly useful as a mop up guy/spot starter. Just have to hope you don’t need to start him. The problem is with ryu’s injuries and kershaws back he probably will end up starting some games
There’s like 8 SPs in front of him on the depth chart. He could be good to keep around so we don’t wear our bullpen out in July/August.
Well, most of their roster now is interchangeable, where most offensive pieces can move around the diamond and they have a few starters who can work out of the bullpen. So much flexibility and goes with this new philosophy – and something Gabe Kapler and Matt Klentak I think will do in Philly, where they’re carrying a 13 man bullpen. As time goes by, I think this is a trend that’s catching on. Should see more back end starters converted to relief roles around the league.
That’s a bold look
Were people making the same comments when the Dodgers signed Brandon Morrow last year?
yup
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/01/dodgers-to-sign-brandon-morrow.html
The missing piece, 2018 WS Champs
Funny!
don’t understand but like this front office and what they seme to do. I assume this is minor league signing and invination to spring training.
Blanton and Morrow at least had previous success followed by down years, and then they revived on LA. Koehler doesn’t have a record of previous success, so this is more of a gamble. They must see something in him no one else does.
If you look up his stats in 2017, he did great in relief compared to what he ever did as a starter. Maybe he’s just the next starter turned high leverage relief pitcher…but in his 30s and maybe works out. I see Honeycutt turning this guy into something like Morrow however. Gotta trust Friedman/Zaidi; only expensive busts so far have been Kazmir and Romo. They should go after Arrieta…and then trade Peterson, Grandal, and prospects for Zach Britton.
Looks like Britton may be available now for “and prospects.”
You you you gotta trust them, then proceeded to tell us what they should do. Hahaha
Yap
Ya but we still have Baez. Lol
This. Changes. Everything.
I’m sure he will do decent for us in the bullpen but I feel like we need one more arm for the bullpen, a late inning guy who can also close games on nights Jansen isn’t available or Incase Jansen gets hurt. Morrow was that guy and I think it’s a big loss losing that guy even though I understand not bringing him back but still we should try to trade for someone like him that can set up Jansen or close s game if needed. I also think if the Rays are going to start trading players now that Longoria is gone the Dodgers should be all over Archer.
Agree about the need for at least one more setup arm and the importance of finding someone to replace Morrow. Not a huge fan of Chris Archer though.
I get it, I wasn’t a big fan of his either but the more I thought about getting him the more I like the idea. His numbers aren’t great but he does have potential, he’s young and in a pitcher friendly park in LA and also pitching in parks like the one SD throughout the year will definitely help his numbers I think.
That’s the point with this move though, Koehler could be the next Morrow. The dodgers have done great stuff turning former starters into valuable bullpen pieces. Shoot. Maybe Maeda could be that big bridge if we didn’t need him in the rotation. Though that’s not gonna happen.
The key is have a selection of guys like Koehler to choose from and we discover a Blanton/Morrow type to rise out of the bunch. Don’t sleep on Cingrani in that role either.
I like the idea of adding Archer to the bullpen except I think that He’d want to be an ace of the staff and the amount to trade for him would be insane. They’d ask for a huge return for him which defeats the rebuild from within strategy going on right now. If we need a good number 2 starter, I think Darvish would be a perfect fit. Although, I know we are just waiting for the asking price to go down before they even think of a move. Remember, LA is trying to stay under the budget this year. That’s why we did a huge contract dump in Atlanta for Ol’ Kempers in return.
Koehler has great spin ball rates and we wouldn’t put Archer in the bp?