Five Wild Cards Who Could Determine The Dodgers season
4. Yasmani Grandal
Like Pederson, Grandal has a chance to make an outsized impact on the Dodgers offense. He arrives from San Diego still carrying the label of a legitimate prospect. He’s shown power, and while the last two seasons have been a very mixed bag offensively, there are reasons for optimism.
Granadal was stronger in the second half of 2014 than the first, and, if his career home/road splits are any indication, clearly suffered for having more than half his career at bats come at PETCO Park. Like Pederson, Grandal isn’t valued solely for his bat — the Dodgers like what he does defensively, particularly with pitch framing.
Like Pederson, the Dodgers can’t be totally sure how Grandal will hit, even if they’re optimistic. But unlike Pederson, expected to catch and throw the ball effectively but carrying less pressure at the plate, the Dodgers need Grandal to hit.
Almost by default, he’ll be better than the cartoonishly bad offensive contributions the Dodgers received from their catchers last year, but that bar can’t be set that low. Part of the reason the Dodgers believe they’ll be fine offensively this year is because the drop from Kemp to Pederson can be offset by a few different factors, including better numbers from the catching spot.
If Grandal’s bat is anemic, the losses of Kemp and Hanley Ramirez become more acute, even accounting any defensive improvements up and down the lineup.
CONTINUE READING: Three More Wild Cards
Great list! So much hinges on the success of bullpen this year — that could be a wild card story all on its own.
I agree great list. I am very impressed with some of the BP guys in Spring such as Santos and Tsao. As the catchers together batted about .188 any improvement will help make up the difference between the offense of Kemp, Ramirez and speed of Gordon. I think Kendrick is a huge offensive upgrade. Especially in tight games as he is a tough grind it out line drive hitter. Rollins knows how to work counts and if you watch Pederson he tends to work counts and get on base. So I think with the huge improvement of the defense, much better BP and smarter grind it out hitters we will have a dynamic club this year. This really matters against good clubs and in the playoffs.
You asked about Kemp in Petco…he actually hits great there…Has well over a .300 average there……somebody said to me, well that is against Padre pitching, which really is not that bad…and besides now he hits against all teams there…..he kills Rockies pitchers too. the only question is how will he do vs the Blue..
Kinda scary when two out of five starters are considered “wild cards.” Plus the guy you trade Matt Kemp for? Hmmm…..
We will see during the Season but Grandal has very poor mechanics. He does not catch low balls to his left well and his throws to second are erratic. So he can frame the pitches he can catch but that critical breaking ball in the dirt for a strike? He cannot catch or knock it down. He does hit some line drives but they seem to be at people. So far not impressed.
Pederson looks good enough and he his very good defensively and has a better arm than I thought. Love Kendrick. McCarthy and Anderson look very solid now if they can just stay healthy….