The 2013 projection for the Dodgers from Dan Szymborski‘s ZiPS system was released last week, and given that it’s probably my favorite forecasting tool, it’s worth a look to see how the team fared. Forecasting is not a complete science, obviously, and I’ll address some of the potential pitfalls as we go along, but it’s better to use objective tools ... Read More »
The Dodgers have signed Dominican outfielder Ariel Sandoval for $150,000, according to Baseball America‘s Ben Badler. The scouting report on Sandoval is promising: Sandoval is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and impressed the Dodgers with his potential to hit for both average and power from the right side of the plate. He’s an above-average runner who should begin his career in center ... Read More »
I’ve already been wrong before about the Dodgers ownership and their willingness to spend. I figured they would be willing to open up the checkbook, but assumed they would stop short of the luxury tax, much like the Yankees have tried to do in recent years. Instead? They have blown that limit away and now project to enter 2013 with ... Read More »
LAist: In what I had not seen reported anywhere else, oddly enough, Dodger Stadium is scheduled for renovations. ESPN Los Angeles: Jamie McCourt is suing Frank McCourt for fraud. I’m sure we could fill the Grand Canyon with the amount of shits you all give. —– Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness: Mike Petriello says that the people already declaring the Adrian ... Read More »
I previously complimented (sorta) Ned Colletti for potentially taking a sabermetric stance on the issue of Andre Ethier hitting against lefties, but after reading the rest of the interview with Barry Bloom of MLB.com, perhaps I spoke too soon. MLB.com: Do you think there has been enough time for all these parts to fit together? Colletti: What guys have been ... Read More »
Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness: Even though he’s away from home right now, I think Mike Petriello comes away from the trade with the right approach. So how am I feeling about it today? I think Gonzalez is going to be an incredible fit in LA, especially considering that reports of his demise in Boston seem overblown (he was outstanding last ... Read More »
The most talked about news of late regarding the Dodgers is Ed Desser of The Hollywood Reporter estimating that the Dodgers television rights deal could be worth anywhere from $4.5 billion to $8.5 billion depending on the route ownership chooses to go. Sign a Rights Deal Most Major League Baseball teams license about 150 regular-season games a year for regional ... Read More »
R.J. Anderson looked at Ned Colletti‘s trade history over at Baseball Prospectus and wondered why Dodgers fans are so worried about him. Colletti’s evaluation mistakes cost the Dodgers two middle-of-the-rotation starters, an All-Star catcher, and a good fourth outfielder at most. But what about the flip side? What about when Colletti correctly evaluated his own prospects? Silver wrote, “One of ... Read More »
So according to Alex Angert of MLB.com, the Dodgers are winning because they like each other … or something to that effect. But in the Dodgers’ clubhouse, it provides the best possible answer as to why this mixed-and-matched bunch of journeymen and callups have been able to string together the best record in baseball at 42-25. Not a surprising article, ... Read More »
That comment on Dodger Thoughts from Terry Pruett on the ownership situation basically sums up exactly what I feel about the recent controversy. I must be the only one who couldn’t care less whether the Dodgers owners reveal their whole involvement with McCourt. — Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 16, 2012 Far more concerned with the trading deadline, what the front ... Read More »
With the Dodgers finalizing the transfer of ownership from Frank McCourt to Guggenheim Partners yesterday, the new owners held a press conference today to answer questions and make statements about the state of the team. It went well. “We’re not going to gouge the fans just because we paid a nice sum for this franchise,” Johnson said, disclosing that general ... Read More »
After having the sale delayed by a day, the Los Angeles Dodgers are finally, and thankfully, free from the clutches of Frank McCourt. Source: #Dodgers sale has closed. McCourt era has ended. — Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 1, 2012 With that done, now the Dodgers are going to win every World Series for the next decade, right? Well, not quite. ... Read More »
Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times recently wrote an article about the new owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it wasn’t exactly flattering. Mr. Walter, along with his colleague Todd Boehly, Guggenheim’s president, appear to be living out a childhood fantasy using other people’s money, some of whom may not even realize it. In addition to their ... Read More »
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times calm the concern of a lot of fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers who were apparently fretting about giving money to Frank McCourt. The joint venture between the ownership group led by Magic Johnson and soon-to-be former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt for land around ... Read More »
As the excitement from getting out from under Frank McCourt‘s reign dies down a bit, we’ll have to start analyzing exactly what the hell just happened, both good and bad. Well, in an effort to do exactly that, Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles talked to economists about the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he found that the ... Read More »
Chad Moriyama Dodgers, Sabermetrics, Scouting