Category: Los Angeles dodgers

 

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a backup plan in case Teoscar Hernández doesn’t re-sign with the defending World Series champions.

 

Baltimore gambled eight years ago when they took outfielder Anthony Santander. It paid off big time, and he has now been linked to the Dodgers as their potential Plan B.

 

“Santander, who ranked third in the majors with 44 home runs last season, is believed to be looking for a five-year deal, likely in the $100 million range,” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported. “The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays – who all missed out on Soto when he signed with the Mets – are interested in Santander. Other teams to watch include the Dodgers, Tigers and Nationals.”

 

Santander took some time to develop into a consistent big-league hitter, showing glimpses of his power potential in 2019 with 20 home runs over 93 games as a 24-year-old. His true breakout came in 2022, when he smashed 33 home runs across 152 games. That season kicked off a three-year stretch during which he hit 105 homers while maintaining impressive durability, appearing in over 150 games each year.

 

The 2024 season marked a career year for him, as he ranked third in the big leagues with 44 home runs and surpassed 100 RBIs for the first time.

 

The timing couldn’t have been better for the 30-year-old, who earned his first All-Star selection just months before entering free agency, where he’s poised to secure a lucrative contract this offseason.

 

Feinsand mentioned the Dodgers and Santander in the same paragraph as far back as November when he said that Los Angeles was “among teams pursuing Juan Soto, but Teoscar Hernández would appear to be the team’s Plan B. Should Hernández sign elsewhere, however, Santander would be an ideal candidate to slot into right field.”

 

Contract projections for the Dodgers star are comparable to those for Santander, with an expected annual value in the $20-23 million range. However, his projected deals are shorter in length, given that he is two years older than Santander.

 

Averaging 32 home runs over a 162-game season, Hernández offers more than just raw power. This past year, he posted a .272 batting average with a .339 on-base percentage, along with 32 doubles, two triples, 99 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases, matching his career-high.

 

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MLB

The key reason why Anthony Santander remains unsigned

The MLB hot stove is firing after the big Cody Bellinger trade on Tuesday.

But there are still big names available in free agency, including former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander. After a career year with over 40 home runs, he is trying to cash in this winter. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal gave three key reasons why Santander has not signed a deal. “His career .307 on-base percentage. His sprint speed, which last season ranked in the bottom 18 percent of the league,” Rosenthal wrote. “And his poor defensive metrics, even though Orioles manager Brandon Hyde last season praised his work in right field.” Rosenthal continued by comparing Santander to fellow corner outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who also remains unsigned.

“[Hernandez’s] .320 career OBP is slightly higher. His defense, though hardly Gold Glove caliber, is slightly better, at least when he is in right instead of left field. And his sprint speed last season ranked in the 83rd percentile.” Rosenthal added that Santander is seeking a longer deal than Hernandez but his defensive problems could cause a shorter deal. The Orioles were set to spend in free agency but have not added much to this point. While they should bring Santander back, the lack of rumors surrounding the All-Star should scare Orioles fans. Could Anthony Santander be back on the Orioles? Just before last season started, the Orioles ownership changed. Out went the Angelos family and in came minority owner David Rubenstein and the majority owner.

The hope was that they would spend more money in free agency and secure a long-term plan to stay in the Charm City. Signing Santander would be the first step in showing the fans that reality. The Orioles also have a massive hole in their starting rotation. They traded for Corbin Burnes last year to fill it and it worked perfectly. He started the All-Star Game and finished second in AL Cy Young voting. But now he is testing free agency and may leave the Orioles.

The delay here may be about the Orioles choosing between Santander and Burnes. If Santander leaves the Orioles, the Minnesota Twins should throw their hats in the ring. They need home run power in their lineup to surround Carlos Correa and Santander brings that. The Seattle Mariners also need pop but they have a full outfield. That move could land Santander in a DH role, but they might be more interested in Pete Alonso.

 

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College Football

Michael Vick lands college football head-coaching job

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick wanted a college head-coaching job, and he has landed one. Vick reportedly agreed to terms to become the head coach of Norfolk State on Tuesday, getting his first major head-coaching job. According to the Virginian-Pilot, an introductory news conference is scheduled for some time this week. Vick was also connected to the Sacramento State job in recent weeks. He will be taking over an FCS program that went 15-31 over the past four seasons under previous head coach Dawson Odums. It is something of a homecoming for Vick who played his high school and college football in Virginia (Virginia Tech) and was a superstar before entering the 2001 draft when he was the No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. Vick was one of the most electrifying players in the NFL before his career was derailed by a dogfighting scandal that sent him to prison and took him away from the NFL for two years.

After serving his time, he returned to the NFL and spent seven years playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Now he is taking over an FCS program in need of a jumpstart and a spark. Vick’s coaching experience is limited at this point, so there is some question as to how this will work out. He spent time as a coaching intern with Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, and also served as an offensive coordinator for Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football. There is some recent precedent for former NFL players taking college head-coaching jobs without much experience.

Deion Sanders is the most prominent example, getting hired as the head coach of Jackson State in 2020 after only coaching in high school. He immediately turned the program into an FCS power, and then landed a job with Colorado. In just two years, he turned the Buffaloes into a Top 25 team and playoff contender.

 

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College Football

Paul Finebaum Names Prominent SEC Coach Who Has His ‘Eye On’ Other Jobs

The 2024 college football regular season is over, and now teams are preparing for the postseason and offseason. That starts with the transfer portal, which is currently open. Various factors can affect the transfer portal, particularly coaching changes. When a coach opts to leave for another position, it can lead to numerous players entering the portal. The Ole Miss Rebels are one team hoping to avoid this situation soon.

Lane Kiffin, the Rebels’ head coach, has been linked to various job opportunities, particularly the position at Florida. On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum talked about Kiffin’s prospects at Ole Miss, mentioning that he thinks Kiffin is interested in a few positions that may soon become available. “I think he’s there now,” Finebaum said. “I think there’s a couple of jobs out there that he probably has his eye on. I think he had his eye on the Florida job, which never opened. There’s another job in the SEC that I bet he’s watching closely.

That’s Lane Kiffin; you know what you’re going to get.” Kiffin has achieved a 43-18 record in his five seasons at Ole Miss. This includes a record-setting 11-win season last year, the highest in the program’s history. He is just two wins away from surpassing David Cutcliffe as the third-winningest coach in Ole Miss history. A bowl win this season would allow him to tie Cutcliffe. The SEC job Finebaum mentions remains unknown. It might refer to the head coaching role at Florida, should Billy Napier be dismissed next season. Alternatively, it could relate to the Oklahoma Sooners’ head coaching position if Brent Venables were to be terminated. Venables has recorded two seasons at .500 or worse in his three years at Oklahoma. As for Kiffin, it’s likely another distraction as his team prepares for the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Duke Blue Devils (9-3) on Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

 

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Paul Finebaum Names CFP Team with No Chance at a National Championship

The 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off this weekend, with the first-round games beginning on Friday. Meanwhile, four teams will have to wait to find out their opponents for the quarterfinals, having earned byes for winning their respective conferences. One of those teams is the No. 3 Boise State Broncos (12-1), which won the Mountain West and is the third-highest-ranked conference champion. The Broncos will await the winner of the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2) and the SMU Mustangs (11-2).

The Broncos are enjoying an outstanding season under the leadership of head coach Spencer Danielson and running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty secured the second spot for the Heisman Trophy after amassing 2,497 rushing yards and scoring 29 touchdowns. He is only 132 yards shy of eclipsing Oklahoma State Cowboys’ Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season yardage record. Despite a strong season, Paul Finebaum stated on “The Paul Finebaum Show” that Boise State has no chance of winning a national championship. “Boise State’s got a really good team, but they’re small,” Finebaum said. “There is no way that they could deal with the best of this bracket.” ESPN’s Football Power Index aligns closely with Finebaum’s views, offering the Broncos a 1.8% chance of winning the national championship. This figure, tied with the Arizona State Sun Devils, is higher only than that of the No. 12 ranked Clemson Tigers (10-3) among playoff teams. Nevertheless, the FPI places Boise State at No. 25 in the country, marking it the lowest rank of any playoff contender. This season, the Broncos faced one playoff contender when they took on the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) on the road. The game ended in a close 37-34 loss for the Broncos. Jeanty impressively rushed for 192 yards and scored three touchdowns. Notably, the Broncos outgained the Ducks, recording 369 yards compared to Oregon’s 352, forcing two turnovers. However, special teams proved crucial; in the fourth quarter, Oregon tied the game at 34 with a touchdown on a 100-yard kickoff return. Subsequently, they secured the victory with a 25-yard field goal as time expired. Earlier in the game, Oregon also scored on an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown. This week, Boise State will take a break before gearing up for its first playoff game on December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

 

 

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after picking up a save in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field.

Sep 22, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after picking up a save in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field.

The Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed October hero Blake Treinen to a two-year, $22 million deal to shore up the bullpen, but they might not be done adding to it.

 

Los Angeles would like to add at least one more reliever this offseason. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, that could be San Diego Padres free agent Tanner Scott or Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Scott is thought of as the top reliever available via free agency. The Dodgers were reportedly among several teams showing interest in the left-hander ahead of the trade deadline, but the Marlins ultimately traded him to the National League West rival San Diego Padres.

 

Scott was named an All-Star for the first time in his career last season and was traded from the Miami Marlins to the Padres at the trade deadline. He notched a career-best 22 saves across both teams during the year.

 

Over the past three seasons, he has accumulated 54 saves and holds a career ERA of 3.56. Notably, his ERA last season was an impressive 1.75, making him a strong candidate to bolster a Dodgers bullpen in need of reliable arms after losing Daniel Hudson to retirement and Joe Kelly to free agency.

 

The Dodgers could also make a trade for Williams. Dodgers Nation’s Noah Camras suggested it on Nov. 19.

 

Camras’ trade proposal sent infielder Gavin Lux, right-handed pitcher Peter Heubeck, and right-handed pitching prospect Payton Martin to Milwaukee in exchange for Williams.

 

Williams, who sports an impressive 1.83 ERA over 235.2 career innings with Milwaukee, is entering his final year before free agency. This offseason, the Brewers opted not to exercise his $10.5 million club option.

 

“Williams, nicknamed the ‘Airbender’ because of his devastating changeup, would fit in perfectly in the back of the Dodgers’ bullpen as a true closer or eighth inning option alongside Michael Kopech,” Camras writes.

 

“A bullpen of Kopech, Williams, Evan Phillips, and Alex Vesia would be downright unfair, and would make the L.A. bullpen even better a year after that same group willed the Dodgers to a World Series win.”

 

Los Angeles is known for aggressively deploying their bullpen throughout the season. That was on display during the postseason when the Dodgers only had three healthy starters.

 

However, this season will feature a six-man rotation with the return of Shohei Ohtani to the mound and the addition of Blake Snell. The addition of a reliever like Scott or Williams will only bring more respect to the Dodgers bullpen which is already regarded as one of the league’s best.

A reunion between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Teoscar Hernández no longer seems like a guarantee. As rumors and speculation surround the fate of the outfielder, it appears that Hernández removed the Dodgers from his social media profile.

 

What was once a picture of Hernández holding the World Series trophy in a Dodgers uniform on X (formerly known as Twitter), is now a picture of Hernández on the All-Star red carpet.

 

Could the update mean something? That is the million dollar question. But here are the facts: The Dodgers had their best chance of signing the All-Star outfielder before Juan Soto chose a team.

 

Now that it’s confirmed Soto will be going to the New York Mets, teams that lost out on Soto will pivot to Hernández. On Sunday, it was reported that the Dodgers were close to re-signing Hernández.

 

A few hours later, the Dodgers signed outfielder Michael Conforto in a surprising move. Fans still wondered why the Dodgers stalled the discussions with Hernández.

 

The two teams that are expected to be the most aggressive in pursuing Hernández are the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. There is speculation that Hernández has always wanted to play at Fenway Park and is a fan of Alex Cora.

 

After his emotional speech at the World Series parade, it seemed inevitable that Hernández would return to the Dodgers.

 

“You guys made this dream come true. Thank you for making me a World Champion,” Hernández told fans in a heartfelt and emotional statement. “That’s how much I care, how much I appreciate everything that this organization, these fans have given to me. When I show that kind of emotion, that’s when I truly feel it. I’ve been blessed to be here.”

 

A month later, there are definitely reservations about a reunion between the fan favorite and the Dodgers. Hernández is coming off a career-year as he slashed 272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs and 99 runs batted in. Not only were his numbers strong, but Hernández embraced the culture of the Dodgers’ clubhouse in a manner that stuck with fans.

 

If the Dodgers lose out on Hernández, it would mean a key piece from the 2024 core is gone.

 

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MLB

Dodgers land All-Star outfielder in free agency

The Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday got themselves an All-Star outfielder in free agency. However, it probably was not the one many Dodgers fans were hoping for just yet. The Dodgers agreed to a deal with outfielder Michael Conforto, per MLB Network’s Mark Feinsand. The contract is reportedly worth $17 million for one year. Conforto may not be of the same caliber as Soto or even Teoscar Hernandez at this point in his career, but the newest Dodger has the experience to fit in seamlessly with the reigning World Series champions. In his 2024 campaign with the San Francisco Giants, Conforto batted .237 with 20 home runs, 66 RBI and an OPS of .759 across 130 games. The former All-Star enjoyed his best years as a member of the New York Mets from 2015-21. In seven Mets seasons, Conforto had a .255 batting average with 132 home runs and an OPS of .824.

 

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College Football

Five-star QB leaving Ohio State for transfer portal

For the second straight year, Ohio State is losing a five-star quarterback to the transfer portal. Last year, the Buckeyes pushed Kyle McCord out to make room for Will Howard. This year, it’s former five-star recruit Devin Brown leaving. Brown announced the news in a post on his X profile. What’s notable is that Brown says he will remain with the Buckeyes through the College Football Playoff. That’s big because some players who transfer do so before the end of the postseason, which puts their current team in a bad spot. Brown will not be doing that. Brown is a junior from Arizona. He has gone 26-of-47 for 325 yards, three touchdowns and one interception during his Buckeyes career. He also has one career rushing touchdown. Brown announcing plans to leave after the season could be big news for Julian Sayin. Sayin was a five-star quarterback as well and initially began his career at Alabama. However, he transferred to Ohio State and could be the next man up for 2025. The Buckeyes still have a lot of business left this year. Ohio State is 10-2 and earned the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff. They will host Tennessee in the first round of the CFP on Dec. 21.

 

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NHL

New York Rangers announce an early roster transaction ahead of Original Six matchup

The New York Rangers have announced another roster transaction before Monday night’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. The New York Rangers are currently getting prepared to faceoff in an Original Six battle against the Chicago Blackhawks. However, on Sunday afternoon, the New York Rangers PR team on X announced that the organization has recalled 22-year old goaltender Dylan Garand and 28-year old defenseman Connor Mackey from the AHL. Shortly after the Rangers recalled the two from the Hartford Wolf Pack, it was revealed that Igor Shesterkin was stepping away from the team due to his wife going into labor. The 22-year-old goaltender served as a backup to Jonathan Quick and has yet to make his NHL debut, and he will have to wait a bit longer as the Rangers have reassigned him to the Wolf Pack. Definitely great news as the team could use him after losing 7-5 to the Seattle Kraken, but also very good news as this indicates that his wife and newborn baby are healthy.

 

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NFL

Steelers May Be Huge Beneficiary Of Week 2 Ravens Game That Nobody Thought…

The Pittsburgh Steelers have set themselves up nicely for the brutal end-of-season stretch run. A finishing slate of the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals is an absolute gauntlet. The final four contests of the year made it imperative for the organization to be in a good place in December, and that’s the case as the team sits atop the AFC North with a record of 10-3. The first overall seed is still slightly in play, but the big focus currently is winning the division and hosting a home playoff game for the first time since the 2020 campaign.

As the regular season winds down, it’s important for fans to understand the NFL’s tie-breaking procedures. It’s pretty simple for the Steelers moving forward in the grand scheme of things. All Pittsburgh has to do is beat the Ravens in Week 16, and the division crown, along with a postseason game at home, will be clinched.

However, even a loss that week may not ruin the year. In terms of tiebreakers, a loss in Baltimore would eliminate head-to-head with the two teams splitting the season series. If both the Steelers and Ravens potentially win against the Bengals and Cleveland Browns in Week 18, division records would also be deadlocked at 4-2. This is where it begins to get interesting. Next up would be winning percentage in common games.

The Steelers will need to beat either the Eagles or Chiefs, which would grant them a game up on the Ravens as Baltimore lost to both franchises. What looms large in this whole situation, however, is Baltimore’s brutal Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that Pittsburgh beat handily by a score of 32-13. Not only did this give the Ravens an extra loss that put them in a hole they need to dig out of, but it also is another common game that the Steelers have the leg up on. With a current record of 8-5, the Ravens losing a game at home to one of the worst teams in the AFC could be one of the main reasons why the AFC North is won by Pittsburgh. Anything can happen over the course of the final four weeks, especially with the Steelers’ difficult stretch, but all the way back in September, no one could have predicted that a Baltimore loss to Las Vegas would loom so large.

There are several different scenarios that have Pittsburgh winning the division, and the simple one is just beating the Ravens in Week 16. With that said, there are other avenues that exist as well, and if both teams end up with the same record by the end of the year (and Baltimore beats the Steelers), it’s still almost certain that Head Coach Mike Tomlin and co. would host a playoff game in the first round. Overall, the Ravens’ losses to the Chiefs, Raiders and most recently, the Eagles, have put Baltimore in an extremely difficult spot as the holidays approach.

The key for the Steelers is to beat the Eagles in Week 15, and then, hypothetically, all that would be needed to win the AFC North would be a victory over either Baltimore in Week 16 or Cincinnati in Week 18. The Chiefs contest might not matter at all, especially if Kansas City doesn’t lose a game from now until then. Steelers Have More Realistic Chance To Secure Highly Coveted Two Seed The Buffalo Bills, despite a loss in Week 14, are a phenomenal football team.

The Chiefs seem to be running away with home-field advantage, but the difference between the two and three could be monumental. There is a strong chance that Buffalo and Pittsburgh play in the postseason for the second straight year, and it would mean all the difference to host it at home. Both organizations sit at 10-3, but the Bills currently have the tiebreaker.

 

The New York Yankees and New York Mets remain the top two teams in the Juan Soto sweepstakes. The Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers remain in the race as well.

 

Soto is expected to make a decision in the next few days with the bidding being anywhere between $600 million and $700 million at this point.

 

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently predicted Soto would betray the Yankees and sign with the Mets on a 15 year, $622 million deal, which would be quite a bit less average annual value than some of the deals being predicted.

 

“I debated putting Soto with the Yankees here, but since I’ve done that in a previous free-agent matchmaking article, I went with the Mets this time around,” Bowden wrote. “I still believe the Mets will end up offering Soto the most money and the most years; what I don’t know is whether the Yankees will come close to matching them. With Soto going through the process of eliminating teams from the pool that’s bid on him and likely nearing a decision, the Mets remain a real possibility.”

 

It’s hard for me to imagine the Mets would land Soto for just $622 million at this point. If all the money was equal, Soto may lean for the Dodgers because the roster and talent that he would be joining would almost be guaranteed to win multiple World Series titles over the next decade.

 

So, if the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox are all within $20 million with their offers, it’s doubtful that he will go to the Mets. The Mets’ “trump card” in this sweepstakes is the money. For Soto to land with the Mets, it’s going to be because owner Steve Cohen won the bidding war by a wide margin.

 

 

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently the talk of MLB. Their ability to recruit star players and fit them into their roster is amazing, considering the financial burden of signing stellar performers. They just welcomed ace Blake Snell and added Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Teoscar Hernandez, and Tyler Glasnow last year in the same offseason.

 

What the hell was that? #nba #nyknicks #basketball #knicks

The Dodgers are not done adding talent to their roster

The fact the Dodgers signed Snell does not mean they are done adding. On the contrary; things might be just getting started for LA. They are among the interested teams in Juan Soto and are considered favorites to ink Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.

 

Roki Sasaki, Yankees, Padres

 

MLB insider Jon Heyman, however, thinks that if the Dodgers are able to sign both, it would be devastating for baseball:

 

“If the Dodgers do sign (Roki) Sasaki, the rich get filthy. While Sasaki going to the Dodgers would be disappointing, Soto signing up to join that all-star roster would border on devastating”, the insider wrote.

 

The Dodgers want to be a dynasty

Just to clarify, the Dodgers wouldn’t be doing anything that’s not reflected in the game’s rules. They are operating within the boundaries of MLB, so while fans from other squads might feel aggrieved, they aren’t doing anything wrong.

 

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the New York Mets in game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium.

 

However, if they manage to land the two stars, their roster would be so dangerous and star-studded that it would be incredibly hard to compete against them. That’s what fans (and, as evidenced by this piece, writers, too) feel.

 

If LA lands Sasaki (he should be officially posted soon), their rotation would be comprised of Ohtani, Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, and Sasaki. That’s borderline obscene, competing for a place among the best staffs ever assembled.

 

Adding Soto would make the Dodgers favorites for a dynasty. They are reportedly running from behind but remain in the race. Imagine having to face Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Soto, one after the other. As the Dodgers try to get better and give themselves a chance to establish a dynasty, the rest of the league is fuming.