Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Ross Stripling Believes LA Can and Will Make Big Move

On the most recent episode of Ross Stripling and Cooper Surles’ ‘Big Swing Podcast’, they sat down with ESPN insider Jeff Passan to discuss the off-season.

As part of the episode, Passan eventually interrogated Stripling as any good journalist would do. He asked about his view of the way the Dodgers have handled the off-season and Stripling is still maintaining hope. Here is the link to the full episode of the Big Swing Podcast:

Keeping Faith

Stripling gave direct mention of Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and credited him for raising an excellent young core of ballplayers. Many of the Dodgers’ biggest stars are homegrown players or were once diamonds in the rough.

“It is just the nature of the beast. We have won seven straight NL Wests but no World Series. You have a fan base that wants us to get over the hill, but you have a president in Andrew Friedman who can really develop guys and knows that we probably don’t need to make any moves and still win 100 games.”

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With the current roster, the right-hander believes that the club can win 100 games. This is nothing new as the Dodgers have maintained relatively the same core for the last three years and have done well for themselves.

Full Episode

Holding Out Hope

The Dodgers have been involved on a variety of fronts this off-season from the trade market to the free agent market. Stripling is glad to see the Dodgers supposedly involved everywhere possible and believes that they still are on the verge of making a big move:

“The fact that this was such a top-heavy free agent class and there are major trade pieces, how could we not be in the mix when we have the prospects to get them and the money to pay them? I like that we are in on everyone. Obviously, our team does not want to trade our future for a Francisco Lindor or Mookie Betts, but I mean, if you have the chance to get that much better, how do you not explore it?”

The club is reportedly exploring different avenues to improve even though nothing has materialized yet. Just as Ross Stripling is holding out hope, so should we.

NEXT: LA Times Writer Questions Dodgers’ Objective to Win it All

Daniel Preciado

My name is Daniel Preciado and I am 19 years old. I am a sophomore Sport Analytics major and Cognitive Science and Economics dual minor at Syracuse University. When I am not in New York, I live in Whittier, California --- not too far from Chavez Ravine. I am pretty old-school for being an analytics guy and I will always embrace debate. Also, Chase Utley did absolutely nothing wrong.

41 Comments

    1. Yes he would because he can play in the outfield. You don’t have to shuffle the infield and there’s still a place for Lux.

      1. You would not have to worry about Lux if team trades for Arenado – Lux would be playing in Colorado

      1. In to big a hurry. How in world wo0uld Bryant be better than Arenado. Because he can play the OF. Really? Arenado is amazing. Gold glove, silver Slugger bat nearly every year. Better as in cheaper? Okay

    2. Offensively — spot on! The Coors Field numbers for Arenado are OK, not great — Bryant is consistently good whether at home or on the road. What does play anywhere is Arenado’s tremendous defense. Bryant is an average defender, although he does play more positions, while Arenado is one of the best fielding third basemen ever. Either player would be a nice addition to the Dodgers.

  1. Once again I have said this already but half of him and game are in Colorado much more hotter friendly than Dodger stadium I just don’t think he could hit as good over all with half his games in Dodger Stadium.

    1. That was the knock on D.J. LeMahieu last year too & look what he did with the Yankees!
      Dodgers would have 18 games a year against Lux if he’s dealt to a National League West team. I think all of us Dodger fans would be sick if Lux turns out to be a GREAT player & his numbers skyrocket especially playing in Denver! I can hear all the “I told you so’s” now.
      I probably like Bryant better than Arenado with Bryant in left field, Verdugo in center & Bellinger in right & then Seager at third, Lux at short, Muncy at second & Turner at first. If Lux’s throws/defense is terrible at short, then put him in left, move Bryant back to 3rd & Seager back to short.

  2. “It is just the nature of the beast. We have won seven straight NL Wests but no World Series. You have a fan base that wants us to get over the hill, but you have a president in Andrew Friedman who can really develop guys and knows that we probably don’t need to make any moves and still win 100 games.”

    Do you not get that those 100 wins do nothing for October. You’re right you guys will win 100 doing nothing but where you will suffer is in the playoffs with this group. Only one legit October starter and basically the same bullpen and an all or nothing unbalanced lineup

    1. There is still the trade dead-line, man. Now that Cole is off the table, teams like the Indians or Red Sox are trying to pillage our ranks because they’re the house and they hold the wild-card. Frankly, I’d rather see our young players now play in Blue.

      1. Lol trade deadline where the same thing happens. Teams will request the same amount of prospects in July that they do now. Darvish and Machado were anomaly’s those teams got ripped off Friedman must be good friends with those GMs

    2. If your too ignorant to understand the business side of baseball, which you obviously are, please do us all a favor and switch to another team. I’m sure you’ll be happier since having the best team in baseball over the past 7 years is not good enough. Take your whining somewhere else.

      1. Speaking of ignorant you have poor grammar. I think you need to take an English101 course

          1. Are you familiar with using an idiom where it doesn’t apply? Answer: yes. Now take an English course Curtis

      2. Talk about ignorance. You can’t have the best team in baseball if you aren’t taking home the WS trophy. We didn’t even win the Divisional series last year so to say we were at any time the best in baseball is absurd and retarded. Has we a decent front Office and Manager, we’d have won 2 to 3 WS. Had we of gotten Lindor or Betts and Cole this year, we’d of won a WS. As it stands our pitching is old, and horrid. We won’t even MAKE the playoffs this year.

    3. AND Roberts as manager making moves he has already said he would do again like he did in the NLDS We do not have enough balance in the lineup and having only one top of rotation type starter is not enough.. Look at the Nats’s pitching and how that got them through those 11 October games. NODH, Exactly correct here!

      1. Thanks Paul. This guy likes to come around once in a while sounding like a business investor con man rather then talking about the obvious deficiencies of this roster year after year.

      2. How did it work for them all those previous years when they couldn’t win a playoff series, like in 2016. Perhaps they should change their name to the Washington Blind Squirrels.

  3. Losing Ryu is devastating if we can’t find an adequate replacement. There are few remaining pitchers still on the market of value.

    1. Ryu had his career year last year. Yep, he may repeat; but the stronger likelihood is that he regresses or gets injured. He lost about 2 1/2 years out of his 7 with us. He also lost 4 or 5 starts 2 of the other 4 years. And now he will be 34. We could expect (based on his past history) AT BEST 3 years of the 4. And him to miss the other. But here is what will probably happen. He will now have an extra batter to face every trip around the lineup with the DH. I would think he will have a solid 2 years of #3 starter stats. And he will miss 4-5 starts each year. He will have to have a few missed starts. And then #4 starter stats. Is this the way Friedman thinks? Something like that. Ryu’s WAR was never above 3.2 (in 6 years) until last year. This is why he never got signed. Throw Gonsolin 180 innings and if he is like last year he has a 4.1 WAR. Sure I would have like Ryu back. I am a Dodger fan 100%. But 4 years? I think you are taking an awful risk the last 2 years. At $18mil US per year.

      1. Excellent post. Check back after season 2 of his deal, and you’ll probably be saying, “see, I told you.”

  4. Billionaires doing billionaire things, coming in hot and heavy to impress and then turn it into the money maker they bought it for in the first place.

  5. Why trade for anyone now? Forget about Francisco Lindor and Mookie Betts they want to much for one year rentals not worth it. Keep our trade chips and talent prospects and worked with them.

  6. Are you kidding ? Why trade for anyone ? To get a player or players that don’t completely choke in the post season ! AJ Polock , Seager , for instance.
    All 106 regular season wins do not erase , for me , the image of Seager going down to a knee chasing an inside slider time and time again in big spots. A Joke Pollock ….uugghh.
    Post Season Players is what they need .
    They should keep trying new players until they find a Mr October ( R. Jackson) or two

    1. I’ve said this before they need to keep those that handle October and get rid of everyone else.

  7. The Dodgers need another front line pitcher to win a World Series in my opinion. Since there aren’t any left (except for MAYBE Clevinger) they should go the Yankee route and get a shutdown bullpen guy (Hader?) to pair with Kenley and Treinin. Not as ideal but then you only would need to rely on your starters to go six innings in the playoffs.

    1. Good idea. That’s why I wanted Betances. Jansen Betances Treinen and Baez would’ve shortened games assuming the nerds don’t interfere and use someone like Alexander in the 7th 8th because of a matchup. Problem might be most of these bums might not even be able to make it through 6

  8. I think that because the Dodgers have so good the last few years that other teams don’t want to trade with them. The other teams make trades impossible to make as they over their own players. I don’t blame the Dodgers for not giving away the house.

    1. For one thing, Texas got Klueber from the Indians for much less of a return than they were asking from the Dodgers. All times ask for more from Dodgers. As far as any possible deals, it seems to be very clear what all other teams in trade talks with the Dodgers are telling them one thing:
      No Lux, no deal, and perhaps no Lux AND May, no deal.

  9. I agree that not many teams want to trade with the Dodgers to help them get even better!
    However, I have an idea for a 3 team trade scenario between the Dodgers, Indians & Rockies.
    Dodgers get from Cleveland; Lindor, Clevinger & B. Hand.
    Cleveland gets; Jon Gray & Trevor Story from the Rockies + Mitch White & Dennis Santana from the Dodgers.
    The Rockies get; Ross Stripling or Gonsolin, Jeter Downs & 1 other lower tier pitcher or infielder/outfielder, utility
    player from the Dodgers.

  10. They need to make a move NOW! Yes we have a good core but some of these guys are aging. Kershaw is getting up there and has already lost velocity. Sadly he’s not the same pitcher. They obviously have a good team and we’re definitely good enough to win the championship in 2017 but were cheated out from it. We can’t harp on that and need to move on to actually win one soon before it’s too late!

  11. Don’t waste your time, guys!!!’ The Dodgers won’t do any trades!!! Speculate all you want. They are the fools and we keep expecting something for them to do. They’re CHEAP!!!! Early exit next year again.

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