Dodgers: MLB Insider Tom Verducci Doesn’t See LA Spending Big in Free Agency
Tom Verducci of MLB Network stopped by the Rich Eisen Show on Oct. 25 to discuss World Series as well as the direction of several teams who are on the outside looking in. After touching on the Yankees, Eisen asked Verducci where he thinks the Dodgers are headed following their disappointing October.
Verducci revealed that he was surprised the Dodgers fell short as he felt this was their best chance to win out of the previous years.
“With Kershaw, Ryu, and Buehler I thought this was a team that could let the starters go a little deeper in the game,” Verducci told Eisen. “And offensively I thought they were varied enough to win.”
Verducci then brought up Houston Astros ace Gerrit Cole and the Dodgers chances of signing him this winter. Cole will be a free agent following the World Series and has expressed his desire to pitch on the west coast, but Verducci does not believe he will land in Los Angeles.
“That has not been the way they operate under Andrew Friedman,” Verducci said. “They haven’t been going out there and buying up huge free agents. They’ve extended some of their own, Jansen and Kershaw, but they haven’t been a big player on the big name guys.”
He did however, go on to say that if Cole is available, then the Dodgers or any team should at the very least kick the tires on him and see what his price tag will be. Ultimately, Verducci sees Cole signing with the Angels or another west coast team.
Moreover, while he doesn’t believe the Dodgers will be big spenders, he still likes team that they will be bringing back in 2020.
“This kid Gavin Lux, the youngster at second base, is going to be a player. Will Smith was a rookie behind the plate,” Verducci said. “I think this (season) hurt more than the last few. But again I’m talking about a team that I think is going to be, again, odds-on favorite to win their division next year.”
What are your thoughts on Verducci’s assessment?
I agree! How many more than 106 do they need to win? Better decisions and a bit better play in October is all they need.
That’s fine. As a Dodger fan, I could care less. Andrew Friedman needs to go. He just cares about winning the division . My dead Grandmother could win playing in this PUTRID division. The Organization will continue to make money. I really don’t think they give a crap about a World Series.
Only if the attendance takes a deep drop will they wake up
The organization cares about winning. The negative narrative surrounding the Dodgers inability to win is an albatross around their neck that any business would want to shed. And they’re not lovable losers like the Cubs; they’re simply a behemoth that can’t get it done.They want to shake that that story so they can make more money.
If we lose Ryu then I think we should go after Cole.
If Dodgers don’t sign Cole or other big-time pitchers to go with Buehler attendance will suffer as well as record.
Doubt it. Over 100 wins. Lead the league in attendance every year. Prices will keep going up, fans will keep pouring in.
Not a shock at all
It’s a lot easier to stand pat when you’ve gone to back to back World Series. After winning 106 games and once again failing in October, this time in the Division Series, I think it’s time that the Dodgers front office to re-evaluate how they do some things. While they haven’t spent in the past maybe taking a risk on a Cole and/or a Rendon will energize them or give them what they need to get over the hump in the postseason. Watching a team like the Dodgers with the type of revenue they have continue to bargain shop and come up short as a fan is incredibly frustrating to watch. Hopefully this offseason they change course.
I really hope they spend to get call. This year and years prior could have been Championship years if the front office was willing to spend money on free agents, instead of trying to be frugal. They should use some of that money from their cable contract and television blackouts, and spend the money they need to get where we need to go. They are smart on holding on to our rookie prospects but they should quit trying to save $ like a small market team. They are too concerned on finding the “smartest deal that makes sense. ” They keep rising our prices anyways, so they should put it to use and go get the free agents that we need!
Why would the Dodgers need to spend big? In fact, ask why would the Dodger even need a World Series? They have all they want. Huge TV contract, filled seats. If they win a World Series do they profit anymore than if they don’t? Nope. We are fans with our hearts. The FO is not from here and didn’t go to games here as a child. They are managers of the investors. Spend the least to gain the most. Old rehabed players are cheap that’s why they live getting so many.
This FO is designed after the Rays and The A’s system. The O’Malleys no longer run this team. It’s a business.
I don’t think Cole will come to the Blue LA team, but the Dodgers clearly need more pitching both in the rotation and in the Bullpen. Look for a Cory Kluber again this year, if he doesn’t end up in San Diego. Zach Wheeler would be another nice target. Will Smith is a must for the bullpen. The big fish this offseason has got to be Will Smith, and make a trade for Mookie Betts too. Get these things done, Friedman.
Outgoing: Joc Pederson, Gonsolin, maybe even Urias. I’d hate to see the kid, Lux go, but bringing in Betts will cost something big.
Betts will be a FA after 2020 and has said he will test the market at that time. So giving up a lot in a deal for him makes no sense.
Imagine the Dodgers being down 0-2 the Hollywood playboys would be swept or lose in 5. The Astros are real ball players with playoff grit they now go back home up 3-2.
cole could even resign with the astros i am sure they will make him a big offer otherwise maybe the angels who are not afraid to spend money on free agents
Forget Cole or Wheeler or any other FA pitchers. Call the White Sox, trade for Michael Kopech, make them an offer they can’t refuse. Buehler and Kopech will be the best 1 – 2 Ace Combo in the majors.
What’s with dodger fans every offseason thinking we can just trade for whoever we want? Why would the white Sox who are close to winning trade him away like they’re sellers? Stupid
The Dodgers need to teach their young pitchers more than how to throw the the two seam and 44 seam fastball , they need to teach them to throw the curveballs and other off speed pitches to keep the opponent batters guessing. Most of the batters go up to the plate looking for the fastball . Find some way to rejuvenate Kershaw he surprisingly stayed off the DL ,this season hopefully he can add some velocity to his fastball .
I think this year we either sign Cole or Wheeler or go back to Ryu. And we will try to sign Smith. Still keeps us under the salary cap. After that, I could see Seager being extended. But the front office is going to be frugal going forward. We have Joc as a great trade chip. And Friedman will work around the edges to get the right deal for him.
To me there is no perfection but to come close DODGERS BLUE do what Turner suggests get Rendon for 3rd w/Turner to 1st and be willing to get a big name starter like Cole
Bring in Fernando to teach the screwball
I agree with Mike from a previous post. The FO can care less about a championship
it’s all business for them. We as fans keep watching them fail in October. As long as
we keep watching and filling seats which have gone up so much in price, they are
elated (Front Office ). They keep getting richer and richer and we keep falling for it.
This is one of the biggest markets and we should have banners just like the Lake show.
Hey keep spending your money on them, or stop going to games and you’ll see them
change their ways in a heart beat.
Friedman always acts like it’s his own personal money the team spends. Loosen the purse strings there Kinky. Sign Cole and get someone who can get the team over the hump. Tired of the cut rate signings.
Well, sure, why change something that’s working? Nearly 4 million attendance and well under the luxury tax. The Dodgers can do absolutely nothing and easily win the West. Then they can implode again in the playoffs but that’s not really that important. Move along citizens, nothing to see here.
The Dodgers were an excellent regular-season team again, but the playoffs are somewhat of a crap shoot with a single-game Wild Card, a three-game ALDS and NLDS, a seven-game ALCS and NLCS, and the traditional seven-game World Series. Through the 1968 season the top team in each league went directly to the World Series, even though there were 10 teams in the AL starting in 1961 and 10 in the NL starting in 1962. In 1969 the first pre-World Series playoff series was introduced. Now, even if a team wins its division it has to navigate three series and win 11 games to become the champs, 12 if it qualifies as a Wild Card. Look at those great Braves teams of the last 30 years. Atlanta won its division — first in the West and then in the East — 14 times in the 15-year span of 1991-2005, but won only one World Series. The fist 13 times that the Dodgers won the National League pennant, in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles, they advanced straight to the World Series: 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1963, 1965 and 1966. Each league had only eight teams then.
Correction: There were 10 teams in each league in 1963, 1965 and 1966.
I thought Gonsolin and May were our next starters to be. Let’s not make another blunder like we did with Pedro Martinez, yes he was a Dodger! We do need a big time reliever! Another bat through a trade and Wheeler would be a nice ?? fit. My wish list! Randon would cost a bundle but, well worth it!!
I agree Wheeler should be the target. Cole is fantastic but reports are already out that Boras is going to want the highest AAV ever and at least an 8 year term. Let the Astros or Angels give it to him and cripple their team payroll for the next decade. Rendon is also a very good player that makes any team better. However if you were unhappy with Bellinger’s performance during the NLDS, check out Rendon’s stats in the WS. Imagine the complaining if Bellinger earned 3 times his salary.
Guys,
Wishes do not come true as in fairytales. We live in a world of reality and that can be cruel because we expect good things to happen.
The Dodgers will not improve next year because management think that is not necessary and as past years we as fans we will get disappointed again.
Unless they improve I am done supporting the Dodgers. We all should do the same.
Agreed. People need to take action and stop giving their money away. If next year attendance goes way down then they will have to do what we say in order to get our money again. We hold the power and we’ve allowed them to be cheap but we can stop
I don’t see them making a big splash in free agency. They don’t really have any big position player needs. You could move Turner to first but then where do you play Muncy? Rendon would be a great player to have, but I don’t think they’ll spend what it will take because they don’t need to. If they were going to make a big splash, make a trade for Lindor or Betts. Dodgers did a much better job during the regular season of making contact and driving in runners with two outs and then it all went out the window in the postseason. They already have seven potential starters and I’d love to see them go after Cole or Strasburg if he opts out, but they could just as easily give Gonsolin and May those spots. They have a need in the bullpen, but moving Maeda there could solidify the back end of it. That’s where I’d like to see them make the biggest improvements, but there’s no guarantee with relievers and a lot of teams struggled in the bullpen this season.
As I said Betts is a FA after 2020, and will test FA, so I am not in favor of getting someone for just 1 season.while having to give up a ton because teams wan more from Dodgers then they dare to ask or expect from other teams in any deals.
Well, let’s take a look at just a few of the Dodgers biggest free agent signings – Dreifort, Schmidt, Brown, Pierre, Jones, Uribe, Tomko. Strawberry. Not exactly a history of success – all major busts. Just seems to me that free agency and the Dodgers has never panned out well.
Every year they say they won’t spend big in free agency, and every year they come up short and go home early. Tired of it.
Fire ROBERTS?!!! Bring in a PLAYER from
(1988 ) DODGERS too. MANAGE!! They have
DONE IT!! Sign ( LINDOR ) Get rid of POLLOCK
NO. ( RYU or HILL ) LET the KIDS PITCH!!!
Get ( SMITH from GIANTS ) THE FANS n all
DODGERS NEED a “WORLD SERIES RING!!!
What they need to do is acquire a new hitting coach who can teach them how to hit the other way to break the shift, even if it comes down to bunting. A good bunt can even become a double if properly placed. The batting of Seager, Pollock and Bellinger during the series was dismal; not a home run or even a RBI among the 3, with many strikeouts and unproductive outs! That has to change!