It's Sho-Time - The 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers Season Thread

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Matthew

Matthew

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Well, guys, five months and over a billion dollars later, the day has arrived. Let's hope this season winds up being one for the ages.

Also, don't F it up, Roberts.

GO DODGERS!!
 
Here’s the full 26-man roster for the two-game set.

Pitchers (13)
RH Tyler Glasnow
RH Yoshinobu Yamamoto
RH Evan Phillips
RH Daniel Hudson
RH Joe Kelly
LH Alex Vesia
RH Ryan Brasier
RH J.P. Feyereisen
RH Michael Grove
RH Gus Varland
RH Kyle Hurt
RH Landon Knack
LH Ryan Yarbrough


Offense (13)
CA Austin Barnes
CA Will Smith
IN Freddie Freeman
IN Gavin Lux
IN Max Muncy
IN Miguel Rojas
OF Teoscar Hernandez
OF Jason Heyward
OF James Outman
UT Mookie Betts
UT Kiké Hernandez
UT Chris Taylor
DH Shohei Ohtani

Dodgers placed RH Walker Buehler, RH Brusdar Graterol, RH Blake Treinen, & RH Emmet Sheehan on the 10-Day IL.
 
Matthew said:
Well, guys, five months and over a billion dollars later, the day has arrived. Let's hope this season winds up being one for the ages.

Also, don't F it up, Roberts.

GO DODGERS!!
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Just noticed the new banner. Somewhat sacreligious to replace Vin but appropriate under the circumstances.
 
So, I'm going to have to deal with ads between every single video on dodgers.com this year? Not unexpected, I suppose, but it's still annoying.
 
What's the over/under on stolen bases for Ohtani this year?

Just checked. Draftkings has it at 19.5. Take the over, all day long. I have a feeling the guy is going to steal 40+ this year.
 
dsinsocal said:
What's the over/under on stolen bases for Ohtani this year?

Just checked. Draftkings has it at 19.5. Take the over, all day long. I have a feeling the guy is going to steal 40+ this year.
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He was only about 72% successful on steals, so not sure I want him running THAT much. Got to like that he brings that element to his game along with all the other positive attributes.
 
DodgerSSR said:
He was only about 72% successful on steals, so not sure I want him running THAT much. Got to like that he brings that element to his game along with all the other positive attributes.
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Just like pitching and hitting, I think the Dodgers staff will help him improve that with better strategies and technique. I've heard that he is putting a particular emphasis on improving that part of his game this year.

Look at what LA has done for Freeman's SB totals since he got here. He averaged 4.4 SB in 12 years with Atlanta. He has averaged 18 SB in his 2 years with the Dodgers -- at the ages of 32 and 33! The Dodgers have increased his output 400% while also increasing his success rate.
 
Muncy game 1, 5 LOB on 2 k’s. So tired of 3 outcome at bats. Read somewhere that CT3 struck out at nearly 50% rate this spring even with his other numbers.
 
claude osteen said:
Muncy game 1, 5 LOB on 2 k’s. So tired of 3 outcome at bats. Read somewhere that CT3 struck out at nearly 50% rate this spring even with his other numbers.
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Yep, statistically Max had a good game. .333BA, .600OBP, .933OPS and scored a run. 3 of those LOB were risp with two outs, which really hurts. Strikeouts aren't frowned upon as they were back in the '60's to '80's. Lux' glove breaking one hopper was an extreme example of if you put the ball in play, something good may happen. Of course, the counter argument is that it could/should have been a dp. But, when you K with risp and two outs, that is the worst possible outcome.
 
DodgerSSR said:
Yep, statistically Max had a good game. .333BA, .600OBP, .933OPS and scored a run. 3 of those LOB were risp with two outs, which really hurts. Strikeouts aren't frowned upon as they were back in the '60's to '80's. Lux' glove breaking one hopper was an extreme example of if you put the ball in play, something good may happen. Of course, the counter argument is that it could/should have been a dp. But, when you K with risp and two outs, that is the worst possible outcome.
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When you put the ball in play for an out, you're relying on the fielder to make an error in order to provide a good outcome. A strikeout is no different, you're just relying on different players to make an error -- the pitcher (wild pitch) and catcher (pass ball). For every instance of a "good thing" happening because the ball broke through the webbing of a fielder's glove, there is an instance of a player hitting into a triple play. It tends to even out.

The reason that strikeouts aren't as frowned upon now as they used to be is because statistical evidence shows that, over the course of a full season, it's more beneficial for a power hitter not to alter his swing with two strikes.

Yes, Muncy will strike out with runners in scoring position quite often. He'll also clear the bases with one swing quite often. Instead of driving in 1 run with a single today, he'll drive in 2 or 3 runs with a double or HR tomorrow. Or he'll draw a walk and score when someone else drives him in.

The guy hit .212 last year but STILL scored 95 and knocked in 105. His K-rate actually wasn't much worse than Ohtani's last year, if you can believe that.
 
I'll even go out on a limb and say the 2024 MVP may indeed go to Muncy or Smith. Based on the recent past, Muncy very well could get on base at a .380 clip, have 35-40 HRs, and 150 RBI. On the other hand, you've got one of the best catchers in baseball handling a multi-lingual and incredibly talented pitching staff, and - again, just based on past numbers, not "hopes" - could very well hit .265/.375/.490 with 25 bombs and 140 RBI. While Mookie, Freddie, and Shohei get all the attention, if each guy puts up career averages, the MVP could very well fall to a guy like Smith.
 
Shohei Ohtani’s attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling

Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.

Lawyers for Ohtani made that claim after The Times learned that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in the investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident. Ohtani’s representatives looked into the actions of the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in response to The Times’ queries, a source close to the matter said. Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.

In a statement, the West Hollywood law firm Berk Brettler, said, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”


Attempts to reach Mizuhara were unsuccessful. Mizuhara placed bets with Bowyer, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information.

The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Mizuhara, a team spokesman said.

One of the sources said that Mizuhara was not truthful when asked about The Times’ inquiries. He was still interpreting for Ohtani on Wednesday in Seoul.

Ohtani, a global sensation who signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December after playing six years with the Angels, could not be reached for comment. He is with the Dodgers in Seoul for a season-opening series against the San Diego Padres.


Major League Baseball has not been contacted by prosecutors, a spokesman said.

Bowyer has not been charged with a crime, his attorney, Irvine-based Diane Bass said. Federal agents raided Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home last year as part of the investigation.

Bass told The Times that Bowyer never had contact with Ohtani. “Mathew Bowyer never met, spoke with, or texted, or had contact in any way with Shohei Ohtani,” she said.

The U.S. attorney’s office in L.A., which is overseeing the investigation, did not respond to requests for comment.


MLB gambling policy prohibits “any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee” from betting on the game or making illegal bets on other sports. The punishment for gambling with an illegal bookmaker or their agent isn’t specified in MLB rules, but is left up to “such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”

The investigation into Bowyer involves the same prosecution team that has targeted a multi-million-dollar illegal sports gambling scheme anchored in Orange County, according to the Times sources and court records. At least a dozen people have been charged in that wider probe – including ex-Dodger Yasiel Puig, who has pleaded not guilty – that centered on a bookmaking operation led by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach, the records show.

Mizuhara was born in Japan but grew up in Southern California. He graduated from Diamond Bar High School in 2003, where he played on the soccer team, then attended UC-Riverside.

Mizuhara first crossed paths with Ohtani while working as an English language interpreter for American players on the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani’s Japanese team in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

When Ohtani signed with the Angels in late 2017, Mizuahara became his personal interpreter. Mizuhara followed Ohtani to the Dodgers during the offseason.

Mizuhara has been a constant companion of the extremely private Ohtani throughout the player’s MLB career. The two typically drive to the ballpark together. Mizuhara performed grocery runs when Ohtani was injured. They are rarely seen apart around team facilities. Their wives even appeared to have struck up a relationship recently, spending time together during the team’s current trip to South Korea.

In recent years, Ohtani has become the face of Major League Baseball and one of the most celebrated athletes in the world. Before he signed with the Dodgers, Ohtani was the most sought-after free agent in baseball history, and his gargantuan contract is similarly unprecedented.

Bowyer has appeared in numerous court filings over the years. That includes a $1.75 million judgment against him for defaulting on a line of credit – a “marker,” in gambling parlance – issued to him by Foxwoods Resort Casino, a tribal gaming hall in Connecticut. A tribal court imposed the judgment in April 2019; an attorney for the casino filed an application to enter the judgment in Orange County Superior Court in May 2023. The casino attorney said the judgment has not been satisfied.

The Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas alleged in a lawsuit filed in July 2011 that Bowyer bounced a $250,000 check to the establishment. The case was dismissed six months later.
 
beefchopper said:
Shohei Ohtani’s attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling

Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.

Lawyers for Ohtani made that claim after The Times learned that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in the investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident. Ohtani’s representatives looked into the actions of the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in response to The Times’ queries, a source close to the matter said. Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.

In a statement, the West Hollywood law firm Berk Brettler, said, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”


Attempts to reach Mizuhara were unsuccessful. Mizuhara placed bets with Bowyer, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information.

The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Mizuhara, a team spokesman said.

One of the sources said that Mizuhara was not truthful when asked about The Times’ inquiries. He was still interpreting for Ohtani on Wednesday in Seoul.

Ohtani, a global sensation who signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December after playing six years with the Angels, could not be reached for comment. He is with the Dodgers in Seoul for a season-opening series against the San Diego Padres.


Major League Baseball has not been contacted by prosecutors, a spokesman said.

Bowyer has not been charged with a crime, his attorney, Irvine-based Diane Bass said. Federal agents raided Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home last year as part of the investigation.

Bass told The Times that Bowyer never had contact with Ohtani. “Mathew Bowyer never met, spoke with, or texted, or had contact in any way with Shohei Ohtani,” she said.

The U.S. attorney’s office in L.A., which is overseeing the investigation, did not respond to requests for comment.


MLB gambling policy prohibits “any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee” from betting on the game or making illegal bets on other sports. The punishment for gambling with an illegal bookmaker or their agent isn’t specified in MLB rules, but is left up to “such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”

The investigation into Bowyer involves the same prosecution team that has targeted a multi-million-dollar illegal sports gambling scheme anchored in Orange County, according to the Times sources and court records. At least a dozen people have been charged in that wider probe – including ex-Dodger Yasiel Puig, who has pleaded not guilty – that centered on a bookmaking operation led by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach, the records show.

Mizuhara was born in Japan but grew up in Southern California. He graduated from Diamond Bar High School in 2003, where he played on the soccer team, then attended UC-Riverside.

Mizuhara first crossed paths with Ohtani while working as an English language interpreter for American players on the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani’s Japanese team in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

When Ohtani signed with the Angels in late 2017, Mizuahara became his personal interpreter. Mizuhara followed Ohtani to the Dodgers during the offseason.

Mizuhara has been a constant companion of the extremely private Ohtani throughout the player’s MLB career. The two typically drive to the ballpark together. Mizuhara performed grocery runs when Ohtani was injured. They are rarely seen apart around team facilities. Their wives even appeared to have struck up a relationship recently, spending time together during the team’s current trip to South Korea.

In recent years, Ohtani has become the face of Major League Baseball and one of the most celebrated athletes in the world. Before he signed with the Dodgers, Ohtani was the most sought-after free agent in baseball history, and his gargantuan contract is similarly unprecedented.

Bowyer has appeared in numerous court filings over the years. That includes a $1.75 million judgment against him for defaulting on a line of credit – a “marker,” in gambling parlance – issued to him by Foxwoods Resort Casino, a tribal gaming hall in Connecticut. A tribal court imposed the judgment in April 2019; an attorney for the casino filed an application to enter the judgment in Orange County Superior Court in May 2023. The casino attorney said the judgment has not been satisfied.

The Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas alleged in a lawsuit filed in July 2011 that Bowyer bounced a $250,000 check to the establishment. The case was dismissed six months later.
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Sure hope he wasn't placing bets for Ohtani...
 
beefchopper said:
beefchopper said:
Shohei Ohtani’s attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling

Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.

Lawyers for Ohtani made that claim after The Times learned that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in the investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident. Ohtani’s representatives looked into the actions of the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in response to The Times’ queries, a source close to the matter said. Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.

In a statement, the West Hollywood law firm Berk Brettler, said, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”


Attempts to reach Mizuhara were unsuccessful. Mizuhara placed bets with Bowyer, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information.

The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Mizuhara, a team spokesman said.

One of the sources said that Mizuhara was not truthful when asked about The Times’ inquiries. He was still interpreting for Ohtani on Wednesday in Seoul.

Ohtani, a global sensation who signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December after playing six years with the Angels, could not be reached for comment. He is with the Dodgers in Seoul for a season-opening series against the San Diego Padres.


Major League Baseball has not been contacted by prosecutors, a spokesman said.

Bowyer has not been charged with a crime, his attorney, Irvine-based Diane Bass said. Federal agents raided Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home last year as part of the investigation.

Bass told The Times that Bowyer never had contact with Ohtani. “Mathew Bowyer never met, spoke with, or texted, or had contact in any way with Shohei Ohtani,” she said.

The U.S. attorney’s office in L.A., which is overseeing the investigation, did not respond to requests for comment.


MLB gambling policy prohibits “any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee” from betting on the game or making illegal bets on other sports. The punishment for gambling with an illegal bookmaker or their agent isn’t specified in MLB rules, but is left up to “such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”

The investigation into Bowyer involves the same prosecution team that has targeted a multi-million-dollar illegal sports gambling scheme anchored in Orange County, according to the Times sources and court records. At least a dozen people have been charged in that wider probe – including ex-Dodger Yasiel Puig, who has pleaded not guilty – that centered on a bookmaking operation led by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach, the records show.

Mizuhara was born in Japan but grew up in Southern California. He graduated from Diamond Bar High School in 2003, where he played on the soccer team, then attended UC-Riverside.

Mizuhara first crossed paths with Ohtani while working as an English language interpreter for American players on the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani’s Japanese team in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

When Ohtani signed with the Angels in late 2017, Mizuahara became his personal interpreter. Mizuhara followed Ohtani to the Dodgers during the offseason.

Mizuhara has been a constant companion of the extremely private Ohtani throughout the player’s MLB career. The two typically drive to the ballpark together. Mizuhara performed grocery runs when Ohtani was injured. They are rarely seen apart around team facilities. Their wives even appeared to have struck up a relationship recently, spending time together during the team’s current trip to South Korea.

In recent years, Ohtani has become the face of Major League Baseball and one of the most celebrated athletes in the world. Before he signed with the Dodgers, Ohtani was the most sought-after free agent in baseball history, and his gargantuan contract is similarly unprecedented.

Bowyer has appeared in numerous court filings over the years. That includes a $1.75 million judgment against him for defaulting on a line of credit – a “marker,” in gambling parlance – issued to him by Foxwoods Resort Casino, a tribal gaming hall in Connecticut. A tribal court imposed the judgment in April 2019; an attorney for the casino filed an application to enter the judgment in Orange County Superior Court in May 2023. The casino attorney said the judgment has not been satisfied.

The Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas alleged in a lawsuit filed in July 2011 that Bowyer bounced a $250,000 check to the establishment. The case was dismissed six months later.
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Sure hope he wasn't placing bets for Ohtani...
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If that would’ve been the case, pretty certain it would not have been a case brought by Ohtani’s own attorneys…
 
beefchopper said:
Sure hope he wasn't placing bets for Ohtani...
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Wow, this is pretty shocking for a million different reasons, to say the least. My question, though, is how would Ippei, who's hired as a translator/personal assistant, have access to Ohtani's bank accounts and take millions of dollars without accountants knowing?
 
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