As they did with Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers announced that they have agreed to push back the deadline on their club option over third baseman David Freese until Friday afternoon at 4pm ET.
In Freese’s case, the team is weighing whether to pay him a $6MM salary or instead allow him to depart with a $500K buyout. Of course, the delayed decision could also be seen as an indication that the sides are discussing a different deal altogether. It’s conceivable they are contemplating a reduced salary and/or multiple seasons.
The 35-year-old Freese came to Los Angeles in a swap with the Pirates that was finalized just before the end-of-August deadline to add players with postseason roster eligibility. He only saw 47 regular season plate appearances with the Dodgers, plus another 26 in the postseason, but raked throughout and obviously left a good impression.
Freese ended the 2018 campaign with a .296/.359/.471 batting line in 312 plate appearances. That’s a level of output second only to his 2012 campaign, and likely doesn’t quite represent a reasonable expectation moving forward. Freese did carry a hefty .360 batting average on balls in play, though he has a .343 career mark in that metric.
On the other hand, the just-completed season was also the first time since 2012 that Freese has taken less than 400 plate appearances. Keeping him fresh and decreasing his exposure to right-handed pitching — against which he has been competent, but hardly exemplary, throughout his career (.265/.337/.397) — could make Freese a notable part-time weapon.
For the platoon-heavy Dodgers, it’s not hard to see how Freese could make ongoing sense. He could spell Justin Turner at third base, function as part of the rotation at first, serve as a potent bench bat, and build out the club’s overall depth.
Why?
Veteran guy, crushes lefties, still plays a solid third base–even at six mil he provides decent value, and if the Dodgers can get him for less that’s even a bigger win.
“veteran guy” hahaha. toss out whatever else you have to say
Veteran guy who knows and accepts his role is still important. Freese knows he’s a part time player and takes no offense to it. There’s plenty of younger guys who wouldn’t. Not a bad guy to keep around.
Some of that is true in small doses, but there’s cheaper alternatives that do the same. “Veteran guy” MLB has moved away from that moniker. Exactly xela1212…
Why?
“For the platoon-heavy Dodgers, it’s not hard to see how Freese could make ongoing sense. He could spell Justin Turner at third base, function as part of the rotation at first, serve as a potent bench bat, and build out the club’s overall depth.”
My favorite David Freese memory is when he was interviewed on Interntional Talk and Kevin Millar was doing the rapid-fire questions. His last question, which totally caught Freese off-guard, was: “are you saving yourself for marriage?” his reaction and response was so damn funny.
What was his response?
Don’t crap on his 15 minutes
I figured it’d be easy enough to check it on YouTube.
Ok last time I comment on here I guess. Weird that you would reference something random like that but not actually want people to know what you’re talking about.
Why not!
Are the Dodgers done with Machado? I figured they could re-sign him to play SS with Seager shifing over 2B. Although I guess they can plug Muncy in at 2.
Good riddance. I know the guy is very talented but I personally wasn’t impressed with his time in LA at all. I’d much rather go after pitching, get a starter and a reliever or two.
“Good riddance” yeah ok without Machado they aren’t playing in the world series. I have no clue why you hate acquiring bats so much. A team of 2 regular everyday players wont work in the world series and we saw it. Sure bullpen is a need. If Kershaw is re signed there is no chance they add another starter unless its Ryu. Starting pitching was never a Dodger issue last year
I don’t think that was truly ever in the plans. Plus moving Seager to 2nd never seemed realistic. Especially in terms of the turn. Sure the new rules have prevented some contact, but I don’t think the Dodgers were ever going to chance it. In reality most mif can play 2b, but it doesn’t mean they are comfortable to put them there. That seemed more like fantasy baseball than reality. Much the same in terms of Turner playing 2b, mainly in relation to his health and who he is now. Plus the dodgers have more than enough 2b options and the market is going to be deep again.
I hope they are done with him. As a Dodger fan, I certainly am.
Replacing Utley? Good bat, great leader.
The narrative around Utley is hilarious when we compare it to the way we talk about Machado re: being a “dirty” player. Utley is probably the dirtiest player of this generation when it comes to stuff like take-out slides, spiking opposing players, etc. But Machado does that stuff and he’s “dirty,” while Utley is “gritty” and “hard-nosed” and a “leader.” It was the same narrative with Rose and Dykstra in different generations. It’s pretty absurd, except it’s sadly way too common.
You know nothing about baseball. You comment on baseball but know little to nothing about the game. Your ignorance is appalling.
This^
What’s wrong with what he said? Is there a “right” way to spike a player and a “wrong” way?
Oh, I know nothing about baseball? Thank you anonymous person on the internet. I’m glad you have set me straight. I don’t even really mind take-out slides so much, honestly, but the way they are characterized with regards to Utley and Machado is…uh…interesting, to say the least.
I’ve been involved with baseball, either playing, coaching, or as a fan, since 1983. I think I know a bit about the game.
No, you don’t. If you can’t tell the difference between playing hard and just taking cheap shots, then you don’t know baseball as well as you think you do.
Thank you anonymous person on the internet. I truly respect your opinion.
Since 1983 and you’re an expert. Congratulations Mr. Gammons. Many of us on this board stated watching baseball 20 years before your birth. You’ve got a lot to learn about the game. Utley will manage very soon, Machado will never see the dugout after he retires. Comparing them is laughable but everyone’s an internet genius today.
throwing my hat in the Utley ring – he’s a gritty hard-nosed leader and he plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played. He’s respected and I know he’s happy that he played the game the right way.
Machado is just a goof.
Well, I’m no genius but at least I’m not so insecure to be anonymously insulting to people. But to each his own. Anonymous trolls calling me names is like duck off a water’s back to me.
(that last line was a dumb joke nobody will get, btw.)
There’s a reason it’s called the Chase Utley rule. Guy was a serial dirty slide offender and laid down a brutal one an National tv that broke a guy’s leg.
He’s dirty. But he hustles and Machado doesn’t, so the narrative is different.
I think that’s the other dumb narrative – I know Machado said something dumb about not hustling, but it’s cognitive dissonance to argue that Machado not only is “lazy” or “doesn’t hustle” and to also believe that he plays “too hard” and tries to injure people. Which is it?
Was it dirty if they had to make a new rule after the dude spent 15 years in the majors? Or was it perfectly fine for the last 120 years until now?
They made a “Posey” new rule and no one said the play was dirty. What Utley did was acceptable for a century of play but now it isn’t. That doesn’t make the play dirty.
It’s called the Chase Utley rule because all the New Yorkers lost their collective minds when Chase made an aggressive play trying to stop a double play. And guess what? The DP wasn’t turned and a run scored.
Baseball used to be played this way, Young ‘un!
No one argues Machado plays too hard. He takes a cheap shot because it’s easy and convenient. Kicking someone in the ankle doesn’t take any effort. When you saw Utley on the field you felt like he was giving you 100% everyday even though he was a dirty player. A guy with mannys attitude about things and the way he goes about it is going to draw hate. It’s not a surprise at all.
I really hope they bring him back. He was one of the best hitters in this team if not the best this post season. I think he replaced Utley since Utley is retiring.
Dodgers need better pitching (high velocity) Eovaldi, Kelly and trade Wood.
Dodgers need a new bullpen. They need to let Kershaw walk. They also need guys who are not HR/K hitters.
Nobody cares if you hit 30 HRs when you Strike out 200 times.
No one on the Dodgers came close to striking out 200 times
Taylor struck out 178 times. 5th most in baseball last year.
178 isnt 200, and Taylor wasnt the ‘hitting 30 HRs’ guy that dark14 was talking about
Muncy hit 35 and struck out 135 times. That’s now acceptable in today’s baseball.
The team struck out a lot. Just because no individual on the team struck out 200 times means nothing. The dodgers also platoon more than anyone in the big leagues. Out of all the playoffs teams only the brewers edged the dodgers in team K’s. And it was by a very small margin. Their bullpen is probably a more pressing issue at this moment but the stats and your eyes watching them this postseason would clearly support the hypothesis that they K too often.
I don’t understand why people get so upset about strikeouts as opposed to any other kind of out. I mean, baseball is a game in which the best hitters fail to reach base 6 out of 10 times. That means they make outs 60% of the time. Why exactly soes it matter if it’s a strikeout? An out is an out.
(I know somebody is going to counter with some “productive outs” nonsense, but outs in which a runner advances are less likely than double play grounders.)
I’d love Freese to come back to the Angels. Pujols can’t hit lefties, Cozart is coming back from injury, we need OBP and depth, he provides that.
He will stay and exercise is player option.
Stay for Freese, let go for Kershaw. Freese could be as good as Pearce if not for the platoon system DR forced. As much as I like Kersh, he’s just a good inning eater in regular season at this point. 35MM is not worth it for the 7.36 post season ERA and getting worse by the year.
I really liked what Freese brought to the table with Dodgers. I had never really watched him play before. He made a nice right-handed compliment at first base and brought a very positive attitude. I say sign him up.
Here’s what you do: Sign him to a $3MM salary, send him out to the Caribbean until October and tell him to be ready when the postseason starts. Simple 🙂
david freese is 35??!!? darn time flies.
Freese was the only player on the Dodgers last year who understood situational hitting. So clearly he has to go.
If that sounds cynical, he gets a couple of years with an option for a third.