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Los Angeles Dodgers Payroll In 2014 + Contracts Going Forward: Updated For Kershaw Deal

The Dodgers already have salary commitments that are over $225 Million now – with the $$ given to their reigning NL Cy Young Winner. Kenley Jansen and A.J. Ellis have yet to be paid in Arbitration. The club will certainly pass last years $235 MIL plus payroll. By doing the Kershaw deal also does not prevent them from trying to sign Masahiro Tanaka either. Last year, the Dodgers paid out around $10 MIL for their part in going over the Luxury Tax Threshold for the 1st time – at a 17.5% penalty. Under the current CBA, even if the team went to $300 MIL for 2014, they would only have to dole out roughly $25 MIL in penalties for a 2nd time offender. LAD have taken full advantage of the salary structure – and don’t look for them to relent any time soon. In 2014, the club will pay a 22.5% penalty for every buck spent over $189 MIL.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
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I wrote an article just 16 months ago on how the LA Dodgers were going to force the economics of baseball the way they were conduct business with the new ownership.
As someone who has worked the majority of the time on the site for the last 3 years, I take great pride in my research. So far it has worked out.
The Dodgers following what I said is nice vindication as a writer.
I am not here to toot my own horn, but our website was also on the forefront of the Athletics renaissance a few years back, the Rays coming back to fight in the 2013 year, and also we were one of the 1st to report the Shields for Myers deal.
2013 NLDS Post Season highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised
The Dodgers Bullpen Has Been One Of The Biggest Strengths In 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, Aug.09/2013

Kenley Jansen has given Dodger fans confidence going into the 9th inning with the game on the line once again. He has picked up the 7 saves in his last 10 appearances and has not blown a save in that stretch. He also has 17 saves in 20 opportunities this year to close the dominance of the Dodger Starting Pitchers lately.
By Enrique Rivera (MLB Reports Dodgers Correspondent) Follow @eriqwiththeq
Sure, the Dodgers wouldn’t be where they are without the help of Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez, and Clayton Kershaw but the Dodgers bullpen has also given the Dodgers the greatest effort during its two month stretch that has brought the Dodgers into first place.
Guys like Ronald Belisario, J.P. Howell, Brandon League, and Kenley Jansen has stepped up from their first half woes and have shined after picking up games from starters.
They’ve also brought in rookies like Paco Rodriguez and Chris Withrow to help out the pen and have brought in former Cubs closer Carlos Marmol.
Kenley Jansen closes out a hot Reds team as the Dodgers continued their amazing run
Trade Deadline Wrap – Up: Part I – The Winners
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, August 7, 2013

The winners at the trade deadline have something in common. One team used to call Theo Epstein their general manager – and the other currently calls him their President. Both the Red Sox and the Cubs have done a spectacular job at the deadline to meet the needs of their organizations. Boston fully expects to be in a pennant drive for the AL East, so adding a proven Starter like Peavy – is a great insurance move considering the Clay Buchholz injury situation. Unlike last year, the Cubs were able to do some deals with their veterans – to help their team in the future.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
July 31, 2013 has come and gone. The non-waiver trade deadline is always one of the more interesting times of the baseball year.
Fans become obsessed with the idea of improving their team’s opportunity to win a World Series, whether it be for the upcoming October or in an attempt to rebuild for future seasons.
The question on everyone’s mind now that the deadline is over: how did your team do at the deadline? Did it get better? Did the organization “win” the transaction and will it translate now or later into more wins on the field?
This will end up invariably being a two-part article because of the depth we need to take to look at these moves. Let’s get right into it with the Winners:
1. Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox are a unique team in that they are concerned both with the current championship window for 2013, but also, a larger window they hope to keep open over the next 3 to 5 years.
In an effort to stabilize their rotation over the next 1 and 1/2 seasons, the Red Sox acquired Jake Peavy from the White Sox. Peavy has pitched very well this season.
His 8.55 K/9 and 1.91 BB/9 are both indicators of an elite level starting pitcher. Peavy is not the same ace that he was during his prime of 2004 through 2007, but his current numbers speak to an adequate No. 1 starter or a very strong No. 2 starter.
JAKE PEAVY: THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE RED SOX
State Of The Union: What’s In Store For The 2013 Chicago Cubs?
Thursday December 13th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @bernieolshansky
Needless to say, it has been a dismal last few years for the Chicago Cubs. The last time they made the playoffs, it was 2008 and they were swept in the NLDS. They have not won a World Series since 1908 and do not look like they will be ending that drought anytime soon. The Cubs had a horrible 2012 in which they went 61-101. The record basically tells the story. The Cubs ended up trading Ryan Dempster, a fixture in the Cubs’ pitching staff for the past decade converting from a closer to a starter mid-tenure. In this feature, I will cover what’s ahead for this storied franchise.
For 2013, the Cubs really have not made any improvements. So far, their big offseason signing has been Nate Schierholtz, who was traded from the Giants to the Phillies as part of a package for Hunter Pence. Schierholtz will be joined in the outfield by Brett Jackson, a highly regarded prospect, and Alfonso Soriano. This outfield is not exactly a marquee group, but it will get the job done. Soriano should continue to provide some pop as he has hit 82 HRs in the past three years combined, and Brett Jackson should get on base and drive in runs with his gap-to-gap power. Schierholtz will fit right in with the rest of the lineup. Read the rest of this entry
Fantasy Baseball Report: Week of May 28th
Monday May 28th, 2012
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): In this week’s fantasy focus, I take a look at a group of hitter who have improved significantly in one category and as a result have seen a tremendous increase in their overall value. While some of these guys are legit, others should be traded while their value is at a peak. Also, do not miss the “Closer Corner”, as the saves category has been as frustrating and hard to predict as any in 2012.
Martin Prado has always been a serviceable infield option, although now only eligible at third base, due to his ability to hit for average and decent power and production. However, his average took a hit in 2011 (.260) and his career highs in home runs (15) and stolen bases (5) leaves a lot to be desired. In 2012, Prado has made an effort to be more aggressive on the base paths and has already stolen 7 bases in 8 attempts. Even 15 stolen bases would tremendously increase his overall value. I expect him to approach 20, especially as he is getting on base more with an even 21:21 walk to strikeout ratio. His average is a robust .333 (career .297) and his new approach at the plate could have Prado ending the year with a line looking something like this: .310/14/80/20.
After crushing 21 home runs in 2009, Billy Butler has disappointed many owners by hitting 15 and 19 home runs in his follow-up seasons. He is an OPS machine and the power seems to be developing in 2012, as he already has 11 home runs. Due to his size, 240 pounds, people expected the power to develop right away, but we cannot forget that he is only 26 years old. Guys typically do not reach their full power potential until their late twenties. While we know we can expect a .300 average from Butler, is appears that he will at least come close to approaching 30 home runs in 2012. The fact that he hit 13 of his 19 home runs in the final three months of the 2011 season is even more promising for Butler owners. The only discouraging thing about Butler is that he is only eligible at the DH position in most leagues. Read the rest of this entry
Cubs and Angels Closers: Who Deserves the Job?
Wednesday May 9th, 2012
Sam Evans: Today’s two franchises haven’t been able to find a consistent pitcher to close out games this year, and it has resulted in sub .500 starts for both teams. The Cub’s headed into this year with their closer since 2009, Carlos Marmol, expected to have another season closing out games for their team. Jordan Walden, the twenty-four year old who closed out thirty-two games for the Angels last year, was named the Angels’ closer early in Spring Training. Now, only about thirty games into the season, and both of these pitchers have lost their jobs. Both teams secretly want their former closers to regain the job, but neither pitcher has had a successful year so far. Let’s look at what went wrong for these two pitchers and who took their place.
Carlos Marmol has always had the potential to be one of the best closer’s in the history of the game. His repertoire features a 93 MPH fastball, a changeup that he throws at around 86 MPH, and one of the best pitches in the game, his slider which is anywhere from 80-83 MPH. These pitches, the slider in particular, have led Marmol to record some the highest strikeout rates the game has ever seen. In 2010, Marmol’s 16 K/9 set a MLB record for a single-season (for pitchers with more than fifty innings pitched). However, Marmol has always had one thing holding him back from being the best closer in the league, walks.
In 2010, Marmol walked fifty-two in seventy-seven innings. In 2011, he walked forty-eight in seventy-five innings. In 2011, Dan Haren threw 238 innings and only walked thirty-three batters. Marmol has never seemed to realize that if he would let hitters put the ball into play, he would become a much better pitcher. Especially late in ballgames, walking insane amounts of hitters isn’t going to help you close games, no matter how much movement your pitches have. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Closer Report: Where Does Your Team Stand?
Sunday May 6, 2012
Bryan Sheehan (Baseball Writer): Seeing Mariano Rivera go down with a torn ACL is like driving by a car accident and reflecting on how easily it could have been you in that accident, or in this case- how it could have been your team’s closer cringing in pain on the warning track. And this is the year of the injured closer: from Boston’s Andrew Bailey to San Francisco’s Brian Wilson, closers across the league have been dropping like flies. Other closers, like the Angels’ Jordan Walden, have stayed healthy but haven’t played well enough to keep their coveted ninth inning role. Even though there has only been a month of baseball so far, much has changed for some clubs.
Today, I’ll be taking a look at every team’s closer situation, and breaking down how it got to be the way it is: Read the rest of this entry
When Will the Chicago Cubs Win the World Series?
Tuesday February 14th, 2012
Bryan Sheehan (MLB Reports Intern): I was going to write a long lede, comparing Valentine’s Day and people’s love for baseball in the cheesiest way possible, but seeing as how this isn’t the movie Fever Pitch, I’ll save it. What I am going to do, though, is talk about a city that is in love with a baseball team that hasn’t done much but disappoint for the last hundred years or so. Read the rest of this entry