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

[grabarkewitz]

The scenario makes sense. Shohei speaks little English and really, up to this point, didn't need to know that much as he had Mizuhara as his mouthpiece as it were. For all we know, Shohei's accountants were asking about the wire transfers and Mizuhara, being the pathological liar, told Shohei something else and when Shohei probably did little than acknowledge whatever Mizuhara told him, the accountants figured he was aware. Knowing first-hand how incredibly slow the Feds work on noting large wire transfers and acting on them, all of this seems not only reasonable but highly accurate. I feel like the MLB is well aware at how slow the US government does anything and Shohei is very likely the patsy in this story and Mizuhara is, at least, an unrepentant gambler and, at worst, a grifter on a massive scale. Between him and his bookie, Matthew Bowyer, they scammed Shohei out of the money and that is how the story will play out. The worst that will happen with Shohei is that he will look the fool, but he isn't the first guy who was scammed out of huge money in this country. Even money managers and accountants, who speak the King's English are getting scammed, Shohei just joined that club.

 

[dsinsocal]

 

[BLUEFAN]

 

[BCmaiden]

Snakes get Montgomery.

 

[DodgerSSR]

Snakes get Montgomery.

Snell back and now Montgomery in NL West. Not good.

 

[BCmaiden]

Snell back and now Montgomery in NL West. Not good.

Agree & they all have excellent LHP to throw at LA.

 

[DodgerSSR]

Leiter on MLBN just called D'bags' rotation even with Eduardo Rodriguez on IL, better than Dodgers.

 

[monsooner]

Agree & they all have excellent LHP to throw at LA.

Oh no, we might not win 110 games. LOL

 

[BCmaiden]

Oh no, we might not win 110 games. LOL

Hey, there are lots of baseball people who are predicting the Dodgers getting bounced in the playoffs again.

 

[BLUEFAN]

The Diamondbacks and left-hander Jordan Montgomery are reportedly in agreement on a one-year deal that guarantees him $25MM.

The deal includes a $20MM vesting player option for the 2025 season, with Montgomery earning the ability to opt out if he starts at least ten games in 2024.

Montgomery’s option will vest at $20MM if he makes ten starts, with an additional $2.5MM added to the option upon reaching 18 starts and 23 starts during the 2024 season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the agreement, while Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the terms. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale provided additional details regarding the nature of the vesting option.

 

[beefchopper]

Hey, there are lots of baseball people who are predicting the Dodgers getting bounced in the playoffs again.

If the Dodgers lose as many starters by the end of this year as last they'll be right.

 

[BCmaiden]

Leiter on MLBN just called D'bags' rotation even with Eduardo Rodriguez on IL, better than Dodgers.

Some are saying that the Giants after they got Snell have a better rotation as well. Everybody still puts the Braves ahead of the Dodgers in every category.

 

[Matthew]

Ohtani’s statement:

Watching this again last night, the one thing that also really stood out was how much better, and professional, Will the Thrill was as a translator versus Ippei. Will was there taking notes, speaking clearly, even asking Shohei at one point to clarify what he was about to say, while Ippei always looked like this hunched over dope. I don't speak Japanese, so I can't speak to the quality of the translations, but I've read more than a few folks critique Ippei on that, too.

The reasons why this happened are tragic, but Ohtani getting a much more professional translator will be another plus for him, as it increasingly looks like he's basically had Bae Sung from "Mad TV" as his translator the last 10 years (uh oh, hot dog!).

 

[NewportDodger]

In all honesty, how good is our rotation? I think Glasnow is solid but he needs to stay healthy so there’s that. Yamamoto has been pretty disappointing so far but it’s real early.

Miller has the talent but he needs to elevate. I expect he will. Stone is a question mark that was looking good but we will see.

James Paxton is a meh signing but should be ok. He certainly isn’t some sort of workhorse. I sure would have liked to have had Montgomery at 25 mil for 1 year. AZ hit a home run there.

We may really need WB to be more than just a bonus this year.

Then we have a returning from surgery CK.

Is that rotation scary? Pretty much the entire rotation is riding on Yamamoto being what the highest paid pitcher should be and that’s a #1. If he stumbles, the dominos are going to fall pretty hard.

 

[BCmaiden]

Oh no, we might not win 110 games. LOL

Winning 100+ games doesn't guarantee a title or deep run as we've all witnessed.

 

[monsooner]

Winning 100+ games doesn't guarantee a title or deep run as we've all witnessed.

Sorry, my comment was supposed to bring a little levity. But BC, you know as well as anybody that NOTHING - absolutely NOTHING guarantees a title or a deep run. I never (anymore) go so far as to say the playoffs are a "crapshoot," but it DOES take fire in the belly, and not just from the bench (ala Kiké). We're gonna need that competitive fire from a few main pieces, and hopefully guys like Ohtani, Glasnow, and Miller can help lead that. Mookie has shown it in the past, but the dude's been MIA the last two Octobers.

I don't think Dodger fans should be worried about other teams' pitching in March, let alone in October. Worrying does jack. Having a chip on your shoulder all season long does a heck of a lot more than worrying. Thus the quip.

 

[djcopelan]

I love the Dodgers but let me say I was less than impressed with how they played this spring. I know these are only exhibition games and the older players are bored, they’ll be ready when it counts, blah, blah, blah. The only energy the team had was when the minor league players entered the games. Once again, Roberts appears to have under prepared the team, especially the pitchers. I hope for the best, and will support them, but the moron has got to go. And get a real shortstop.

 

[monsooner]

In all honesty, how good is our rotation? I think Glasnow is solid but he needs to stay healthy so there’s that. Yamamoto has been pretty disappointing so far but it’s real early.

Miller has the talent but he needs to elevate. I expect he will. Stone is a question mark that was looking good but we will see.

James Paxton is a meh signing but should be ok. He certainly isn’t some sort of workhorse. I sure would have liked to have had Montgomery at 25 mil for 1 year. AZ hit a home run there.

We may really need WB to be more than just a bonus this year.

Then we have a returning from surgery CK.

Is that rotation scary? Pretty much the entire rotation is riding on Yamamoto being what the highest paid pitcher should be and that’s a #1. If he stumbles, the dominos are going to fall pretty hard.

This is to everyone, not just ND... But I think we all need to be prepared for an up-and-down season. I see us winning 97-110 games, but we're gonna have some bumps. Injuries WILL be a thing, and our depth will be challenged. Wonks will keep calling us the "richest team in baseball" even when Ohtani, Glasnow, and other key pieces are spending 2 or 3 stints on the IL and the depth pieces are carrying us through July.

And who among us doesn't have it in the back of our mind that our boys are gonna choke again, cuz.... Doc. That man has some serious proving to do, and most of us think he should have been shown the door last year cuz he can't manage us to a championship. He wasn't, so we've had to settle for "we'd love to see it," but we also know that if the Blue doesn't win it all in 2024, Doc's gone. Right? Please tell me I'm right about that...

I don't mean to be a downer, and I'm not "worried" at all. This all comes from me still being squarely pissed about last season's end. And I will be until our team is the last one standing. Whether that's 2024 or later doesn't matter. We've gotta fix the October problem, and other than spending money, I still haven't seen anything on the FO side (change of management and coaches, change in training philosophy and staff, protecting Will Smith from fatigue...) that addresses that GLARING issue.

Lastly, the media wonks all thought the Dodgers were the best team going into October the last two years. Let 'em have their opinions about the Braves and others. Bring it. We just gotta play the games.

 

[NewportDodger]

I feel that Glasnow is going to be elite. It's just seems like he has it all put together and I hope he can stay healthy. If so, he's clearly a guy you can start and get innings in a must-win game.

I'm concerned with Yamamoto as I'm sure others are. To spend that kind of money and have him literally get lit up is just stunning. I only hope they can fix whatever is wrong right now because a contract like that can set up back for years if he doesn't deliver on all that hype.

I put CK and WB in the same category because they are complete unknowns. WB with two surgeries is going to be hard-pressed to be what he once was but he's a really driven guy and it's a contract year so he definitely has motivation. CK is really a wildcard. We are going to get him at the 11th hour and hope, basically. That said, he really just needs to be a good if others deliver.

Paxton is filler material. Nothing more. A token LH SP that I just want to eat innings and not embarrass himself. I would think he's capable of that but hasn't shown anything yet. If he wins 10 games, it's a success since he's been an absolute nothing since 2019.

Miller is my huge wildcard. Nobody doubts his stuff and his makeup. He just has to get over that next hurdle and deliver on that promise. If he does, I think his talent and physical ability could be as good as any pitcher in baseball. At worst, he should be a top #2 with all he has going.

They kept Sheehan for a reason and his stuff plays as well. It's only a matter of time before he makes his mark and sticks permanently next year when WB leaves and CK probably retires.

 

[NewportDodger]

Let's see how long it takes before the pitchers start talking about how shitty our IF is with Muncy and Mookie on the Left side. That's where we will see Mookie take his glove and sulk back to RF so we can get a real SS in there and stop giving away outs.

Sorry Mookie, you don't get to have fun and try to be a GG SS anymore. You suck there so go back to RF and just accept it.