Dodgers Team News

In Free Agency, Dodgers Possibly Using Smoke-Screens Through Media Says MLB Writer

Recently, MLB insider Jon Heyman released a tweet that seemed much ado about nothing. Basically the tweet says that the Dodgers are looking at the upper crust of the free agent market, but only if the pieces come together for a deal.

Furthermore – as I read through it a few times – I wondered what new information this was telling us. Now, another writer has weighed in to tell us his take on it. Indeed, Craig Calcaterra who runs Hardball Talk for NBC sports believes the Dodgers are most interested in the impression that they’re interested in players.



First, look at what Calcaterra says in his own post on the subject. Honestly – as I said – I had this thought when I read Heyman’s tweet.

Screen doors on submarines. Ejector seats on helicopters. But I’m struggling to think of one thing more useless than hot stove rumors in which a team is said to be interested in so-and-so a player but “only at the right price” or “only if the budget will allow” or words to that effect.

Next, Calcaterra says that the Dodgers are using Heyman as a mouthpiece to create the effect that they’re more in on guys like Stephen Strasburg, Gerrit Cole, and Anythony Rendon then they truly are.

Typically, this kind of thing is offered by team-friendly reporters who are talking to someone with the team, in this case the Dodgers, who wishes to create the impression that the team is “in on” a top free agent.

Finally, I hope that this is nothing more than futile opinion by a writer. However I do believe that Calcaterra could be on the money here. Until the Dodgers set the proverbial hook and reel in one of these big name free agents, they leave themselves open to this kind of second guessing.

NEXT: Friedman Loves Rendon and Cole, Per MLB Writer Jeff Passan

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13 Comments

  1. That’s what they do every year there’s no reason to think different until they change

  2. We’ve known this since idiot Friedman arrived in town. Talk big, make the fans believe they want the big fish. As long as there good enough too win divisions there happy.

    1. You obviously have all the answers. Maybe you should run for POBO as you obviously have all the answers. Every organization in major-league baseball would love to have that “idiot” as they’re POBO.

  3. This is nothing new. Friedman’s first Winter Meeting as head of Dodgers operations he said (paraphrasing) that he valued the misdirection created by false rumors. I believe every good GM / Operations head uses the baseball media to indirectly send messages to other teams, or player agents, and to misdirect — it is intelligent negotiating. For Calcaterra to single out Heyman and the Dodgers seems similar to the actions of a spoiled, immature child

  4. Who benefits from stories that the Dodgers are in on every FA but fail to close the deal every time? The team? Please …

    1. By now every team knows they are full of it especially since genius over there revealed his intentions day one

  5. No! The Dodgers wouldn’t do that! They love their fans! They wouldn’t mislead us!
    Seriously though, one of the reasons the Dodgers do the misdirection is to make other teams over pay for FA’s.
    When I read yesterday that Rich Hill needed elbow surgery and wouldn’t be ready until June-July, I said that guarantees he’ll be resigned by the Dodgers! That’s the kind of FA they sign!

  6. Clint, Finally reality from the sportswriters. Future moves can be projected by previous actions. The Dodgers are being run by Kasten! Kasten is the President and part owner of the Dodgers. He stated at the beginning that they would field a very competitive team every year and contend for championships. They have done that!
    They also have cut their player operating budget every year and are not mired in any bad long term deals except for Jansen’s. Which according to rumors Mark Walter wanted. They are younger and will get younger with the loss of Negron, Hill, Freese and possibly Martin.
    Look at the Team in 2019 and their record. They should be better with the edition of Smith, Lux and the return of Verdugo in the field. They will probably sign Ryu and have Urias full time in the rotation. Last year the Dodgers had the best rotation in baseball. They should be better in 2020 with Urias and the additions of May and Gonsolin. I am hoping they trade Taylor, Pederson, possibly Maeda and others for a righthanded batter to upgrade a position. They do not need much. Although they should fire Roberts.

  7. In the end the Dodgers will not get any of the big names they will go for a 2nd to 3rd tier player and will be knocked out before they make it to the World Series it happens every year and it will happen again this year Our rallying cry should be we are number two we are number two

  8. The easy thing to do would be to spend some of the gobs of money that the Dodgers are making to fill some major needs. However, Friedman wants to prove that he’s the smartest guy in baseball by getting broken players & fixing them. They’ve been lucky in a couple of cases but it’s a real crapshoot & usually does not work to help the team but makes for money for the owners of the team. The Dodgers #1 goal is to make money. As long as they win the division they think the fans will be happy. It’s going to be harder each year to win the division as the competition will continue to get better. We need to do what it takes to win NOW. Our current team is not good enough to win the WS for sure & is probably not good enough to beat Washington or the Braves next year. Our window is closing fast. We need to spend some money for Rendon at the very least!

  9. Like I keep saying all along, this is nothing but bullshit. The Dodgers are using all of us fans and want us to believe all these stories. Nothing is going to happen. They will not sign any free agent. We should boicot going to the games and hopefully that will tell them that they should think of us fans as part of the organization.
    Thank you.

  10. Clint,
    I don’t see my previous comment added to the rest. Why not? You don’t want to add what a fan feels about what it’s going on and will continue to happen?

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