Dodgers Sunday Mailbag Q & A
Each Monday, we will run our ‘Mailbag’ in which followers of our twitter account can ask anything they see fit. You can also ask a question directly by e-mailing Clint at Clint.evans_at_Dodgersnation_dot_com or hit him up on twitter @DiamondHoggers. Now for the weekly questions. You can see past editions of the mailbag here.
how soon do you think it will take the dodgers to hire a hitting coach a third base coach and a gm and to make a roster move
— Tim Dorame (@dodgersrules1) November 11, 2018
The comments that Andrew Friedman made in the wake of Farhan Zaidi leaving the Dodgers give us good clues. If I were to venture a guess – I think Los Angeles finds a third base coach sooner rather than later. Let’s say by Christmas on that, if I was a betting man. You want to have a coaching staff in place and it will probably happen in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re probably already talking to candidates in that capacity and will end up with someone with a diverse and rich baseball background like Chris Woodward when he came over from Seattle. Probably someone who buys into the organizational philosophy with a blend of analytics. Hopefully it’s someone who was able to help the team other than just giving signs. Woodward’s work with the Dodgers infield was very invaluable.
On the GM front – it doesn’t sound like the Dodgers will rush into it. Like any great relationship or partnership – things take time. When it’s the general manager position of a prestigious organization like the Dodgers, you really take a holistic and slow approach to it. It sounds like there is a good chance that this replacement could come from within; if it comes at all. If the Dodgers don’t name a general manager, Friedman and some of the names mentioned in that hyperlink probably wear the hat and serve as a committee of the whole.
In short, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is no official GM by title in 2019.
https://twitter.com/AlexTho73765793/status/1061732852557991937
Roberts boasts a .589 winning percentage and has made three straight NLCS appearances. I am not sure if any manager in history has done this in his first three years managing. Moreover, for some of the in-game gaffes that Roberts has made in the World Series; I truly can’t say if a better manager of personalities exists in baseball today. For the most part, I trust Dave Roberts to get the most out of what he has. On the other hand – I get the frustration. He simply cannot get back to another World Series and lose.
Roberts has managed the Dodgers through so much adversity and has overcome 98 percent of it. I think while sometimes it’s hard for us to see the picture while we are in it; if we are objective we have a pretty good manager on our hands in Doc. Again, I don’t like some of the lineup decisions and his in-game in late October has been very questionable. But as hard as I try I cannot think of someone I would appoint who I have more confidence in. That is unless; we can make a trade for Tito Francona. Even then, Roberts has the faith of the clubhouse and the players who he’s in charge of each day. His bosses who sign the checks seem to know that.
https://twitter.com/FulkNerra1/status/1061662538063060993
Hey, Jay! What a timely question. Ironically, my friend Tim Rogers (The SD Dodger) and I discussed him over the weekend. On one hand – it’s unfortunate that Valenzuela isn’t going to be walking out of the tunnel in April and throwing for the Dodgers. On the other hand – if you enjoy Fernando (who doesn’t) – look for a good feature column about him soon on the site. Tim will be making the case for Valenzuela for the Hall of Fame.
Check out his numbers from 1981 to 1986 for instance. Even if you know them, there’s a beauty to them. Valenzuela was also one of the first baseball cards I ever remember owning. I was five years old and it was 1988, it stretches back to my first memories of baseball. He will always hold a special place in my heart.
Furthermore, it would be great to have Valenzuela involved with the Dodgers in some capacity.
How about we end with a little dose of Fernando – since it’s a Monday!
11/11/81
Fernando becomes the first rookie to ever win the Cy Young Award. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/DDJWRpOlnX
— ? J. Daniel ? (@JDaniel2033) November 11, 2018
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Make sure you shoot me an e-mail, or tweet at me (@DiamondHoggers) during the week; or hit us up next Sunday night to ask your question! We love engaging our readers and fans and have a lot of baseball to talk this off-season. A huge thank you goes out to those who were part of this.
Analyzing the Dodgers Catching Prospects
I hope we see some coaches promoted from the farm system. Dodgers seem to have some up and coming coaches like Saylor and/or the veteran Hassleman who deserve consideration. If not with Dodgers these guys will get opportunities with other teams. Best way to get the cream-of-the-crop in minor league coaches be a team that rewards performance with promotions to the Dodgers.
I think they will do a lot of promoting from within, SoCal. If you read between the lines it seems that they believe in their people.
Clint, I believe that to be true and we should see a few coming from within. My big concern really is this ‘platoon’ philosophy of theirs where many players are not allowed to face pitching of the same side. amazing to me and some others how Turner and Machado were the only 2 players not platooned on a daily basis. Remember that especially those players getting here as starting players for the most part got to MLB because they basically should they can hang in there and hit both sides of a pitcher.
I believe these coaches would also come from within and familiarity with the organization’s minor league players already is a plus in their favor. My biggest issue is this analytic ‘platoon’ philosphy with everyday lineups.. Remember that most guys coming up who were basically regular starting players got here to MLB because they showed they could handle BOTH sides of a pitcher well enough. now Dodgers take several players currently on the roster and don’t allow them to face pitching of the same side. Only Turner and Machado were not platooned in the latter half of 2018
Many questions are asked about the Dodgers failing in the Fall Classic. There will always be a difference of opinion. The question about Roberts still being the manager, well why not? He has done his job as my opinion goes. These players were paid Millions of Dollars to do a job most other players can’t. Did they do it? A big fat NO! The Managing and coaching compared to the players have come through. There have been many injuries and other setbacks as it does every year. But you have to do everything you can to keep going. Roberts hasn’t used every trick in the book which concerns me because the Dodgers of past use to do a lot of different things.
Situation is as follows: Man on third,less than two outs,batter is a fast runner, shift is on, why can’t we bunt? Just once, I would like to see this happen.
situation