Editorials

2 Moves the Dodgers Must Make Before the 2018 Season

The Los Angeles Dodgers need another high quality-starting pitcher, evident by their missing winning the World Series by one game. The organization also needs a left fielder to complement Chris Taylor in center field and Yasiel Puig in right field. Here are the two moves the Dodgers must make prior to the 2018 season to ensure their glory for the 2018 postseason.

Sign Shohei Ohtani

This two-way stud Japanese star has 42 career victories as a 23-year old pitcher and 48 home runs with 166 runs batted in. He is listed at 6’3 and 189 pounds, would be perfect in Los Angeles with its terrific Asian culture, and would assimilate nicely with a young Dodgers team and fellow Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda. If Yu Davish returns to Los Angeles, Ohtani would have another brother-in-arms (pun intended).



https://twitter.com/paru_791134/status/843335944874876928

If the above does not excite you, how does a 2.52 career earned run average with 624 strikeouts in 543 innings pitched sound? How about hitting .332 and .322 in the past two seasons with on-base percentages north of .400?  Quite simply, Ohtani is the next Steve Nebraska without the mental issues.

Under the new Basic Agreement and deal with the Nippon Japanese Baseball Organization, all MLB teams are limited to certain financial caps on signing players from Japan so the real salesmanship here is about an investment into the community, culture, success, and potential to win now and to secure sponsorship and endorsement deals. Los Angeles is the market for all of that. Ohtani could also spell Giancarlo Stanton in left field, seeing that Stanton has had some trouble with the injury bug, which leads us to the next order of business.

Trade for Giancarlo Stanton

In playing for the 77-85 Miami Marlins in 2017, the 6’6, 245 pound, 28-year old Stanton hit a whopping 59 home runs, knocked in 132 runs, scored 123 times, and registered a .281 batting average, .376 on-base percentage, and an on-base plus slugging percentage above 1,000.

He is a Los Angeles native and would again fit into the Dodgers long-term plans as a middle of the order stud outfielder. With the Dodgers having $54 million coming off the books this year and another $60 million in 2018, the Dodgers have the wiggle room to add Stanton’s massive $200+ million contract.

The above two moves would indeed be a real coup for the Dodgers front office by adding that much star power and potential to the batting order and the pitching mound. By taking on so little salary to land Ohtani, while encompassing all of Stanton’s deal, the Dodgers would not have to part with any full-time players or major prospects. A Giancarlo Stanton for Joc Pederson, Yasmani Grandal, and one or two prospects (depending on the prospects(s)) is something the Dodgers should swing for today.

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Jeremy Evans

Jeremy M. Evans is the Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clientele. Evans is an award-winning attorney and industry leader based in Los Angeles.

20 Comments

  1. Totally disagree. Dodgers need to save their $$ for when Kershaw opts out of his contract next year and trading for Stanton could jeopardize that plus having to give up top talent. Not sure what to make of Ohtani, pitching or playing outfield? I’d rather see the Dodgers resign Morrow, see what comes of Pederson or Verdugo. Don’t forget Andrew Toles also be back and in the mix. If neither work out then trade for someone proven come July 2018.

    1. Antonio and Jeremy both… talk to a strong baseball team. Thanks to Friedman and staff…

    2. I agree with you 100%. We don’t know if Ohtani will be a front of the rotation pitcher or if his .187 ba will hold up in the majors. It would be nice to have Stanton but not at the loss of quality players AND so much $.

  2. Ohtani, yes. Stanton, no. People forget how incredible Toles was doing in Left Field and he’ll be back this year. Sign Ohtani & Morrow and the save the money for next year when we need to resign Kershaw and go for Harper.

  3. 4 questions…..
    1. How’s the new Medication working out? ….oh…never mind
    2. You know that we’re not talking about Fantasy Baseball here, right?
    3. Have you followed along at all with what the Marlins are asking for in exchange for Stanton?…..obviously not.

    4. This was a Funny Joke, but……….Would you please let me know when the REAL Article comes out? Thanks

  4. You have got to do better than that. It is not the organizational model and not the way the team needs to be built.

    Trading Grandal and Pederson are viable options for another plus pitcher. Re sign Morrow. Forget about Stanton and Ohtani.

  5. It’s less about buying the best players and more about paying more attention to playing together, using your eyes and heart and turning off the analytics when humans play the game with human emotions. Love out manager, but he left his heart and played the numbers game. We have team now to win without buying more players.

  6. Not that I agree, but would this be enough for the Marlins?

    Puig
    Alvarez
    Grandal
    Pederson
    One more lower level Cuban prospect

    Trading 4 Cubans for Stanton could work out well for the Marlins, since Miami has a large ex-pat Cuban population, and they all love baseball.

    1. I agree that we need another real starting pitcher, i.e. one who can pitch 6 -7 innings, but forget about Stanton. Pay Kershaw any amount if and when he asks for it or you will lose many loyal fans of many years. And resign Morrow now.

    2. The Marlins want young, low salary prospects and they have a good catcher already. I’d be willing to give Verdugo and Alvarez and say Stewart. That’s the Dodgers #s 2 and 3 prospects and a young pitcher who could fit into their rotation, not to mention taking on the whole contract. I would plug Pederson back into CF with Stanton taking over LF. Keep Puig, as he plays great D and is now coming around with the bat. I’d move Taylor to 2B and make Forsythe along with Hernandez the super subs.
      Lineup:
      Taylor 2B
      Turner 3B
      Seager SS
      Stanton LF
      Bellinger 1B
      Puig RF
      Pederson CF
      Barnes C
      Bench: Grandal, Forsythe, Hernandez, Toles and Locastro (spedy guy who can also play IF and OF). If Adrian comes back healthy that he becomes LH hitter off bench instead.

      1. The Marlins aren’t going to get what they want unless they agree to pay some of Stanton’s salary for the remainder of his contract. Indications so far are that they want to be out from under the contract totally. MLB GM’s aren’t going to agree to that, unless it is for a desperate team, like the Giants. The more they pay, the better their return.

    3. I hope you don’t agree. Trading half a lineup that costs less than $10 mil for one guy,that costs 20 mil ?
      Easy to play arm chair gm but that’s all real money!

  7. I don’t if I agree or disagree, with getting stanton or ohtani. But the dodgers need hitting and pitching. Because if they don’t win the world series next year clayton will probably opt out. joc needs to go he will strugge and go back and fourth to AAA to mlb. Toles will do not much. verdugo will give the dodgers problems because hes acting like how puig was with his attitude. they need bullpen help also. if they stick with what they have and not make a impact. they’ll blow it again like they did in the world series.

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