Looks like Manny is a physical away from being a Dodger

[Hot Lunch]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3951246

I really like the Dodgers line-up this year. They have a young but solid pitching rotation.

I am even more excited for the season to start.

Go Dodgers.

[Donuthole]

I'm scared to death about the pitching rotation. And there is nothing young or solid about Randy Wolfe. But with Manny in the lineup, it's nice to know we won't have to keep the other team below 3 runs for a chance at a win.

[Hot Lunch]

I'm scared to death about the pitching rotation. And there is nothing young or solid about Randy Wolfe. But with Manny in the lineup, it's nice to know we won't have to keep the other team below 3 runs for a chance at a win.

For some reason I am not very scared. I love Bills and Kershaw. They are a year older and more experienced. Both will be considered a #1 guy in the rotation when they get 2 or 3 more years under their belt. It will also be Kurado's second year in the league and he was pretty solid last year. You are right about Wolfe nothing young about him. I am also excited about McDonald. Sounds like he is having a solid spring and he is another young talent on the staff. I can see why many are worried. Maybe I am just way to optimistic.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Signing Manny is probably good for another 4-5 wins for the Dodgers. I hate seeing him on the Dodgers, but am glad that he will be sulking Manny with the Dodgers because of the value of his contract.

I also hope that he exercises his player option so you cannot get Holliday for a long term contract.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Signing Manny is probably good for another 4-5 wins for the Dodgers. I hate seeing him on the Dodgers, but am glad that he will be sulking Manny with the Dodgers because of the value of his contract.

I also hope that he exercises his player option so you cannot get Holliday for a long term contract.

Didn't you predict on CB last year that the trade for Manny would destroy the Dodgers?

[Donuthole]

Didn't you predict on CB last year that the trade for Manny would destroy the Dodgers?

Don't bother with mpfunk's past baseball predictions. Keep in mind he also liked the Andruw Jones signing. The reason he liked it was because it was only two years. FWIW, 2 years is the same length as the Manny contract. I just hope Manny can be more productive than Jones was.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Didn't you predict on CB last year that the trade for Manny would destroy the Dodgers?

No I did not predict that. I stated that adding one of the 3 best hitters in baseball is a great move especially when it costs you nothing. I also pointed out that even with the Manny deal Ned Colletti still sucks as a GM.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Don't bother with mpfunk's past baseball predictions. Keep in mind he also liked the Andruw Jones signing. The reason he liked it was because it was only two years. FWIW, 2 years is the same length as the Manny contract. I just hope Manny can be more productive than Jones was.

Yes, I thought the Andruw Jones signing was a good deal because of the number of years. A lot of very intelligent baseball commentators (including Joe Sheehan) also thought it was a good deal. In fact, you probably would have been hard pressed to find many of the good baseball writers saying it was a bad deal.

I also think the Manny deal is a great deal because you still are getting one of the best hitters in baseball, even if he is sulking Manny. I hope that he stays 2-years to take you out of the Holliday market.

You know better than to think I would make a destroy the team chemistry in baseball prediction. Baseball is an individual game and chemistry and clubhouse presence is highly overrated. It is the type of stuff that guys like Colletti look at.

[MartyFunkhouser]

For some reason I am not very scared. I love Bills and Kershaw. They are a year older and more experienced. Both will be considered a #1 guy in the rotation when they get 2 or 3 more years under their belt. It will also be Kurado's second year in the league and he was pretty solid last year. You are right about Wolfe nothing young about him. I am also excited about McDonald. Sounds like he is having a solid spring and he is another young talent on the staff. I can see why many are worried. Maybe I am just way to optimistic.

The Dodgers staff will be competent. It is not going to be a terrible staff by any means, but it isn't going to win you games. With Manny you will have the offense to win games. It will be a coin toss between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers as to who wins the division.

PECOTA projections on Dodger pitching:

Pos Name IP GS QS ERA WHIP H BB HR SO W L SV VORP
Starter-1 Chad Billingsley 180 28 17 3.55 1.31 163 73 16 173 12 8 0 35.0
Starter-2 Hiroki Kuroda 175 28 15 4.16 1.31 187 43 19 106 11 10 0 21.9
Starter-3 Clayton Kershaw 155 27 15 4.00 1.41 143 75 15 144 10 8 0 23.6
Starter-4 Jason Schmidt 65 13 6 4.88 1.48 67 29 9 50 3 4 0 3.4
Starter-5 Randy Wolf 145 24 12 4.47 1.41 148 58 19 119 8 8 0 14.6

[Donuthole]

Yes, I thought the Andruw Jones signing was a good deal because of the number of years. A lot of very intelligent baseball commentators (including Joe Sheehan) also thought it was a good deal. In fact, you probably would have been hard pressed to find many of the good baseball writers saying it was a bad deal.

I also think the Manny deal is a great deal because you still are getting one of the best hitters in baseball, even if he is sulking Manny. I hope that he stays 2-years to take you out of the Holliday market.

You know better than to think I would make a destroy the team chemistry in baseball prediction. Baseball is an individual game and chemistry and clubhouse presence is highly overrated. It is the type of stuff that guys like Colletti look at.

Well color me smarter than a lot of very intelligent baseball commentators (including Joe Sheehan).

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=3259078

/Hallelujah impersonation

[TripletDaddy]

The Dodgers staff will be competent. It is not going to be a terrible staff by any means, but it isn't going to win you games. With Manny you will have the offense to win games. It will be a coin toss between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers as to who wins the division.

PECOTA projections on Dodger pitching:

Pos Name IP GS QS ERA WHIP H BB HR SO W L SV VORP
Starter-1 Chad Billingsley 180 28 17 3.55 1.31 163 73 16 173 12 8 0 35.0
Starter-2 Hiroki Kuroda 175 28 15 4.16 1.31 187 43 19 106 11 10 0 21.9
Starter-3 Clayton Kershaw 155 27 15 4.00 1.41 143 75 15 144 10 8 0 23.6
Starter-4 Jason Schmidt 65 13 6 4.88 1.48 67 29 9 50 3 4 0 3.4
Starter-5 Randy Wolf 145 24 12 4.47 1.41 148 58 19 119 8 8 0 14.6

I initially thought that seeing it in a larger font would somehow make it seem better, but as it turns out, I am still uncomfortable with that rotation.

[Hot Lunch]

Signing Manny is probably good for another 4-5 wins for the Dodgers. I hate seeing him on the Dodgers, but am glad that he will be sulking Manny with the Dodgers because of the value of his contract.

I also hope that he exercises his player option so you cannot get Holliday for a long term contract.

Only 4-5 wins?

[Hot Lunch]

[QUOTE=mpfunk;46036

I also hope that he exercises his player option so you cannot get Holliday for a long term contract.[/QUOTE]

You know he isn't staying in Oakland to continue play in the minor leagues. The Dodgers can just trade your boy Andre Eithier to make some room for Matt in the outfield if Manny doesn't opt out.

[Hsaru]

He got the 4-5 wins by plugging it into his baseball calculator, it's very accurate.

[MartyFunkhouser]

He got the 4-5 wins by plugging it into his baseball calculator, it's very accurate.

I am not plugging it into my baseball calculator, I am looking at Bill James' baseball calculator.

Well his total win shares last year was 34 which would translate to roughly 11 wins added. His win shares for his time with the Dodgers was 19. I guess since he is only crowding out Juan Pierre it isn't like the ABs he is taking from Pierre are all that consequential.

So I stand corrected he is probably worth more than 5 wins to the Dodgers.