Dodgers Off-Season Wish List by the Fans

Recently we asked you, the fans of Dodgers Nation, to let us know what the top three suggestions you have for the Dodgers in the off-season, with an eye on accomplishing their ultimate goal of winning the last game of the year in 2020.

What are the top 3 things you want the Dodgers to do this off-season?

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— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) November 5, 2019

The 150+ suggestions that we received range from player performance to stadium experience, and here we review some of the most common wishes:

On-field performance – 40% of responses

• Starting pitching
  • acquire an Ace
  • “be more like the Astros“
  • acquire a premium high velocity right-handed starting pitcher
• Bullpen changes
  • move Kenta Maeda to the bullpen full-time
  • strip Kenley Jansen of his closer role
  • move Clayton Kershaw to the bullpen
  • acquire a lefty reliever
  • keep Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May in the bullpen
• Hitting
  • work on mindset under pressure for younger players
  • work on situational hitting/change hitting approach/continue to develop a “small ball” mentality
  • acquire a right-handed power hitter

On-field talent/personnel changes – 39% of responses

• Acquire free agents such as Gerrit Cole (the top vote-getter), Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler, Drew Pomeranz, Brandon Morrow, Cole Hamels, Howie Kendrick, Madison Bumgarner, Josh Donaldson, and Yasiel Puig.

Poll: If you had the power (and no restrictions on budget) to sign ONE free agent this off-season to a contract with the #Dodgers, who do you think would help our club the most? @DodgersNation

— Gail Johnson (@GJOH29) November 19, 2019

• Re-sign former Dodgers – Rich Hill, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Russell Martin
• Trades on some fans’ wish lists:
  • Acquire: Kirby Yates, Corey Kluber, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor
  • Trade away: Corey Seager, AJ Pollock

Management/Coaching – 13% of responses

• Develop more lineup consistency
• Fire Dave Roberts and promote Bob Geren
• Fire Andrew Friedman
• Spend more money/put more money into analytics
• Hire a mental conditioning coach for the players (interesting)

Dodgers are great athletes, have great coaches & trainers, but have difficulty dealing with high pressure situations. The Nats have a "mental conditioning coach" on their staff. I think it's their secret sauce. https://t.co/eMBOoRoVJX

— Jackie Wollner (@jackiewollner) November 7, 2019

Stadium/off-field experience – 9% of responses

• Stadium concession concerns
  • lower beer prices
  • more food variety
  • free soda refills
  • healthy food options
  • reduce price of Dodger Dogs
• Fan experience
  • lower seat and parking prices
  • allow pre-game tailgating
• Award Pedro Baez with his own Bobblehead Night. The fans have waited long enough. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: Have A Pedro Baez Bobblehead Night at Dodger Stadium – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/hqSaI910hd via @Change

— nerdy lover team average looking b*tches™ (@nerdyDodger) January 26, 2019

Players off-season activities – 4% of responses

Fans who hold the mindset that the off-season is truly meant to be a time of rest and rejuvenation believe that the Dodgers players and staff should eat, drink, sleep, get plenty of rest, remember that at the end of the day it’s just a game, and enjoy the time off with their families.

“Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth.” – Baz Luhrmann, from “Everybody’s Free”

But for what it is worth, as fans hungry to see the Dodgers attain the peak of the proverbial World Series mountain, we do have many hopes and dreams for our team, as well as our own Dodgers brand of advice to dispense to the players, management and organization as a whole. We’ve seen them come so close, and now are eager to see the final pieces fall into place.

Do you have any other ideas as to what the Dodgers can do to improve in the off-season?

NEXT: 7 Straight Division Titles, $1.3B Spent, and Nothing to Show for It