DODGERS: Offseason Thread

for target practice!!

Can't we one of Frank too?

I might get a dozen of each and set them along the back fence and do me some plinkin' every time I hear their names. Medicine for the soul.

 

We should sign Manny for the minimum.

 

Seriously. Why the fuck not?

 

Would he even sign for the minimum? For that price you're right, why the hell not?

 

Based on Hiroki Kuroda's deal with the Yankees, an NL GM thinks Roy Oswalt could be had for about $9MM for one year. There were rumblings this week suggesting Oswalt's current asking price may be even lower.

I know that we are out of money thanks to McDouche, but this would a fucking steal. He has to prove he can still throw. Kershaw/Oswalt/Capuano/Bills/Harang/Lilly

 

I would sign Manny in a heartbeat.

BTW, some idiot Giants fan in the PSD MLB forum got me thinking. We won 83 games last season. That was with Ethier and Billingsley playing worse than they presumably will, 3B and C providing literally nothing, and half a season of a shit bullpen, until Ned realized we need to let the kids pitch. As bad as some of the signings were, the only players that should regress from last year, going off statistical odds, are Matt Kemp and Javy Guerra. Ethier, Billingsley, Uribe should improve a good deal. The C situation, even though AJ Ellis isn't great, is still better than last year. Same thing with Juan Rivera in LF, he's not great, but he's better than Gwynn. We might take a step back at 2B, but we also might not. SS should be better too, being as how Furcal was just awful.

As much as we crap on this team, they won 83 games. With 5 playoff teams, 88 should get you in. I think it's pretty easy to think we could improve by 5-7 wins, right?

 

Is the extra wild card team taking effect this year? Last I heard, it was still speculative that it would be this year.

But yes, I think this team can improve 5-7 wins. They played well in the last 2 months, maybe they started buying into what Donnie was selling, maybe it was something else. Throw in a new owner and GM and at the deadline we may be able to add a couple important pieces to get us into the playoffs.

 

It is still speculation, but I think odds are it happens, especially with this Selig extension.

 

I agree that it will most likely happen, just didn't know if I missed something. I know Selig will get that done.

 

I agree to a point. I do think that to expect Matt to put up last year's numbers is asking a ton. However, we have not really gotten younger. Uribe is a year older. Yes, anything is better than last year but, at most, he will hit .250 15/70. I do not think he will have an OBP worth a shit. He was and will always be a terrible signing. The only way to make Uribe effective is by putting him in front of someone who can actually hit. Unfortunately, we only have two guys with power and two other guys who can hit decently. I think Ellis is an upgrade only in that he will walk when necessary. In order to win 88+ we need another hitter. The second half was a combination of a lot of things going right at the same time. This is not something I would count on. IMO, your starting lineup will be Gordan/Ellis/Ethier/Kemp/Rivera/Loney/Uribe/Ellis/P. We need another hitter. Ethier is not where he needs to be. Ethier belongs in the 2 hole. I think he will hit lefties better this year simply because he will hit in front of Kemp and the league is now scared of Kemp. Gordan still scares me a bit. He does not get on base enough. I think his hitting in the 2nd half was more luck than talent. I think he has much work to do.

As far as pitching, I am a realist. I think Kershaw will be Kershaw. I think the Bills must get back to basics and just use his stuff. I think Lilly will be what he always is--feast of famine. I think Capuano will be a Wolf if he stays healthy. I think that Harang will be in the 4.25 range--a 5th starter. I think our BP will hold for the most part. I have hope that the removal of bone chips will make Hawk back into what he was when he first arrived. I think Guerra will be moved to the 8th when he struggles and will do fine. I think the Jansen is the closer with Tolleson on the way. RDR will not make the rotation this year but should he remain healthy, he will next year. My concern is his control when he returns.

Do I think we match up with our counterparts? No. Our rotation is decent but not great. I believe that we are one or two players away from a true contender. We need one of two things: a true power bat or a true number 2. It will not be popular but we must trade a few players at the deadline if we are more than 8 games out. We have holes that must be filled and we can get rid of contracts that hinder us year in and year out. I think our new owner will know what we have on the team. I think there will be extensions for Ethier and Kershaw. I think this is Loney's make or break year. PERIOD. Next year's FA class is terrible for hitting but has some SERIOUS pitchers. I would be willing to keep the current team with minor offense upgrades if we were to add two legit pitchers to accompany what we have (sans Bills and Loney could bring us a hitter). We need to go with what we know and use our strengths. We need a plan and we need to stick with it.

 

You just said that everything went right and Dee got lucky. You may be right, but what if it was Mattingly and Lopes getting their points across? Also remember that he have Bellisario and his 95 MPH sinker coming back (hopefully). I also don't automatically expect Kemp to regress, he seemed pretty damn motivated after he didn't win the MVP. You also said that trades could be made to improve this team. I feel they can improve by 7 games.

I also feel that if Josh Hamilton doesn't sign an extension, he could be a big signing for us. An outfield of Hamilton, Kemp, and Ethier would be huge, one of the best ever.

 

It could be that Lopes and DB fixed his oBP issues. I am not completely convinced. I would be quite happy to be proven wrong. To expect Kemp to match this year would be awesome but I just do not see it happening. He will get the Barry treatment much more should be start hitting. This is another reason we need someone behind Kemp that pitchers are afraid of. I have no issue putting a guy with a huge average and mediocre power behind Kemp. Kemp has the wheels to score on a good single. It should not be practice but it beats our current alternative. I do not see Rivera doing it again. He will get fastballs if he is in front or behind Kemp but I do not see him repeating last year.

 

Looking at it again, this is fucking simple. You sign Oswalt today. If you get him for 8-9 million, you--essentially--just trade Kuroda for Oswalt and 1 million. Again, he will be on his game to get another contract. He is Roy FUCKING Oswalt.

 

Yea I saw this about Oswalt too. Fucking Ned. Had he waited we could've had HiKu and Oswalt instead of Cap, Harang and Ellis. FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's what I've been saying this whole time.

 

I think it comes down to a few things. What are our goals and what is the end result.

If McCourt is just sitting on his hands and waiting for his paycheck, we are done dealing. He purposefully paid guys more in later years to keep the money in his pockets now. He is a piece of shit but we knew this.

However, if he understands that a winning team sells for more than a losing team, he may be willing to go after another one or two.

While Fielder is a dream, I think Oswalt and Manny are no-brainers. For Oswalt, you are getting a guy who wins consistently and needs to up his value for one last nice contract. If he pitches well, you get a number 2 for number 4 money. He could bring us another 4 wins. If he craps out, you use Lilly, and make insurance pay the rest. Win-win. Also, if we are out of the race come midpoint and he is pitching decently, he could bring a nice package back from a contender. How hard is this? Too many pitchers is never a problem? Manny is even more simple. We need power and hitting. He has had both in the past. We are cheap. He is willing to work for next to nothing. He likes LA. We like him. If he just becomes a .280 20/80 hitter, he is better than most of our LF options. And, we are ALREADY FUCKING PAYING HIM.

 

I guess the next news we have to look forward to is the opening arbitration offers to Kershaw and Eithier. Lets hope they are not to far apart.

 

Padilla signed with Boston. Gonna miss the night stalker.

 

Damn, the slimey, wet-haired Nicaraguan is gone...