[PilotMan]

1986 Hot Stove Notes


LA has brought on Alex Barajas as the new bench coach. He's unlikely to really have an impact on the team except that he's a fiery personality on the bench and he's got a good reputation.


Thinking about Steve Howe and what his potential loss means to the team. He's 28 right now, and will be 29 when the '87 season starts. He has 110 career saves, against 7 blown saves, and a 2.14 career ERA. Four of the past 5 seasons he's posted a sub 2 ERA. He's a 3 time all star and 2 time reliever of the year. He's a big part of why this bullpen has lead or been close to the top of the league. If we don't bring him back it'll be a big loss.


In before the deadline, the team signs the only other player on the main roster looking to go free. Ray Knight signs a 2yr/528k contract to stay in LA. Knight batted .281, with 5 HR's in 135 at bats.


The team makes a bit of a surprise move in refusing arbitration to RF Mike Marshall. Marshall, 26, has 97 career HR's and a .269 average. His best season was '83, when he batted .310 with 25 HR's, but since then his productivity has fallen. Last year he finished with 18 HR's and 69 RBI's. He's now a free agent.


LA has a new General Manager. His name is Ramon Ramirez and he's been the GM for the Astros and Padres. So he's not new to the job. He's got an excellent reputation and he is fairly well rounded, with the exception of liking power hitters. He's known for not being especially frequent in trading, and not overly aggressive either. He is also known for having absolutely no loyalty to players, which is good and bad I suppose. Personally, I always have a soft spot, to it's probably for the best they get someone in there who is all business. He didn't make the playoffs in any of those years, but he has won 89 games 4 of the last 5 seasons.


LA locks up Niedenfuer for 3 years at 1.56M. As part of the contract he's been told that he's going to be the closer, which should be interesting, since Franco was the closer last year, and he's got plenty of years left.


1986 Draft
LA Dodgers Top Picks


P Butch Henry; First Round, Pick 30
C Bill Haselman; 2^nd, Pick 18
P Scott Scudder; 2^nd, Pick 28
3B Hensley Mulens, 3^rd, Pick 17
3B Matt Franco, 3^rd, Pick 27
C Matt Walbeck 4^th, Pick 24
OF Kevin Belcher 5^th, Pick 24


Henry is an intersting prospect. He just turned 18 and is a southpaw. Not a top shelf prospect, but he's got some ML potential. None of the rest of them look like big deals for us. We'll have to see though, but all these later picks, year after year, a keeping the best amateur talent out of LA.


Well, well, well, LA finally lands a game changing player, and they do it for more than a year. Our first catch of the offseason and the newest, highest paid player on the team. Our newest player is a 4-time Gold Glove winning Center Fielder. He's a 3-time All Star and a 2-time Silver Slugger winner. He is “The Man of Steal” Ricky Henderson. It's a 5yr/7.5M deal, with one humongous caveat, Henderson can opt out after the second season, or stick around for the remaining 3 years. He's a week shy of his 28^th birthday. He has a career slash line of .297/.403/.439 with 83 HR's and 479 career stolen bases.


Five of the first 7 picks have been signed. All except Haselman and Belcher.


Lou Brock is the only player inducted into the HOF for this year.


Haselman and Belcher don't sign with the team.


The Dodgers new GM is living up to his reputation. After Mike Marshall was shown the door with no arbitration offered, the team has now dealt last years team leader in HR's, Franklin Stubbs. Stubbs and his 101 HR's over his 4 year Dodgers career is now heading to the World Champion Blue Jays roster. The Jays send IF Tom Brookens to LA. Brookens has 2-series rings with Toronto and a Gold Glove at 3B. At 33, his best playing days might be behind him. He's a career .255/.301/.376 batter. LA trades power for fielding, and a wash in OBP. I don't really like it. LA is weak in the IF, but Brookens doesn't look to make that much better on the surface.


Mike Marshall signs with the Red Sox for 1yr/228k.


Steve Howe signs a 2yr deal with the Angels for 1.28M. Boooo.


Neither Matt Walbeck, Matt Franco, nor Hensley Meulens make the team and are released. That's quite a waste of some draft picks. Only Butch Henry and Scott Scudder remain from this years draft.


LA has added some RH depth to the bullpen by the name of Don Robinson. Robinson, 29, saved 23 games for the Braves last year and had a 3.92 ERA. In '84, he saved 34 for the Pirates, and before that he was a starter who won 15 games in '83, his only All Star season. His contract is 2yr/1.39M.


The first casualty from of spring training is Jim Beattie. He tore his labrum on his throwing shoulder and will miss the entire season. He was slated to be the long guy in the bullpen and spot starter. He is still under contract for 3 seasons after this year.


It was always going to be a longshot, but C/IF/OF Scotti Madison and OF Tony Brewer were both designated and placed on waivers. The team still had room on the 40-man, but both men were out of options.


That's it for the hot stove. Let 1987 begin.