Dodger Talk (7-20-23)

Off-day Dodger Talk with Tim Cates before the Dodgers resume their road trip in Texas with Rangers.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Well, Hi Dodger fans and nowelcome into Dodger Talk here on AM five
seventy LAS Sports. Thanks for beingwith us on this Thursday night, July
twentieth, as your Los Angeles Dodgersenjoy a night out in the city of
Dallas, Texas. The Dodgers inthe midst of a nine game road trip

(00:21):
post All Star Break. It allstarted back It's City Field last weekend,
Dodgers taking two of three from theMets. Then they go into Baltimore against
the first place team in the ALEast, and they take two of three
from the Ozho's. This last coupleof days, now a day off,
and then tomorrow the start of athree game series against another first place team,

(00:43):
the Texas Rangers, who are atop the standings in the American League
West. Well, you can chimein via the phone eight six six nine
eight seven two five seventy eight sixsix nine eight seven two five seventy.
Phone lines are wide open between nowand eight o'clock eight six six nine eight
seven two five seventy coming up atseven forty five, Gonna get you a

(01:04):
farm report. What that is isan update of the Dodgers top minor League
prospects from TRIPLEA Oklahoma City, toDouble A Tulsa, to the Great Lakes
Loons and High A Ball to RanchoCucamonga and the Quakes where to D're out
the ten Freeway there in Rancho Kucamongaand you can check out Dodger minor league
prospects out there throughout the summertime.I highly encourage it, by the way,

(01:25):
if you love baseball, if youlove the Dodgers, a great opportunity
and affordable price to go out andwatch the Dodgers Stars of tomorrow today as
they play out there in Rancho Kucamonga. A couple of names will mention a
little bit later, and also JaredCarrolls is out there, Eric Carrolls's son
who was a pitcher in the Dodgersminor league system, so you can check
him out there as well. Eightsix six nine, eight seven, two

(01:47):
five seventy. Here we are onthis off night, the Dodgers in the
midst of this post all Star breaktrip, and the Dodgers as we speak,
top the n L West standings,and the Dodgers now at a wreck
of fifty five and forty overall,despite the lost yesterday in Baltimore have a
two game lead over both the ArizonaDiamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants. Both

(02:12):
teams lost earlier today. The Dodgerswere idle, but both the Diamondbacks and
the Giants were in action, andboth teams lost today by the Diamondbacks have
lost to what six of the lastten. The Diamondbacks and Giants bow two
games back, both identical records atfifty four and forty three. Dodgers again
two game lead above that at fiftyfive and forty Last week here on Dodgers

(02:35):
Talk during the All Star Break,I kind of mentioned my first half thoughts
and the Dodgers where they stood atthe break, the injuries, the ups
and down play, the young guysgiven opportunities to start like James Altman and
Miguel Vargas on the everyday line upsince opening Day, and the ups and
downs with some of the guys inthe bullpen, and the injuries that Chris

(02:55):
Taylor and the road the starting rotationhas been decimated to buy injuries throughout the
first half of the season. Despitethat, the Dodgers were right there with
the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the standings atthe All Star break, and I mentioned
last time on Dodger Talk that despiteeverything that happened for the Dodgers, you
had to feel pretty good about wherethey were sitting. All the first half

(03:20):
injuries, Dustin May gone for theyear, Gavin Lux lost in spring training,
the injuries to Tony Gonson to startthe year, Ryan Pepio having to
bring up Bobby Miller, Immage Sheand Gavin Stone to make you know,
noticeable starts and contributions to this rotation. The injury to Clayton Kershaw right before
the All Star break, and whatgreat first half he was having. All

(03:42):
that being said, the Dodgers werestill in first and the Arizona Diamondbacks were
a team that, as I mentioned, and you know, if you watched
the first half of the season,we're really good and fit the twenty twenty
three style of baseball to a tas far as speed, hitting the ball
on the ground, station to stationbaseball. Steal bases is now part of
the game again, which I love, the small ball element of baseball,

(04:05):
the you know, hit a guyin, drive them in, move them
around the bases instead of just relyingon a three run home run. All
back in baseball in the Arizona Diamondbacksare what they are and Zach Gallan an
All Star atop that rotation. Theyplayed as about as good as you can
play the first half. Guys wererelatively healthy, Corbyn Carroll having a first
great half of the season. Thatwas a great first half for the Arizona

(04:30):
Diamondbacks. Basically everything went their way, not really hit by injuries, played
really well, maybe you know,in front of their skis a little bit
too much, but they were rightthere with the Dodgers. And I said
a week ago, you have tofeel good if you were a Dodger fan
because as good as the Diamondbacks played, maybe above their head a little bit,
and as injured as the Dodgers werehere, they were neck and neck

(04:56):
atop the NL West. And theDodgers, you know, are gonna get
healthy. Outside of the guys likedust de Maine gaber Lux who are done
for the year, They're gonna getsome guys back in the bullpen. Clayton
Kershaw's gonna get healthy. This Dodgersteam already saw the influx of Chris Taylor
and his power since coming off theIL. Just this last road trip,
Chris Taylor at the big three runhome run in Baltimore the other night.

(05:18):
He's been fantastic and hopefully he cankeep that going here in the second half
of the season and be a nicejolt to this Dodger's offense whether he's playing
outfield or he's playing shortstop. Andyou have to kind of figure this Dodgers
team over the next two plus weekswill continue to get healthy. And the
trade deadline is on August first,three pm Pacific, the deadline across baseball

(05:45):
to make a deal, and theDodgers, you would figure, are gonna
be one of those teams. Eventhough I read again a stat today seventy
percent of baseball still in contention fora wild card or winning the division and
making the playoffs. That doesn't bodewell for the teams that are trying to

(06:06):
improve and make trades and get betterat the deadline, because more teams are
trying to do that and supplying demand. We've gotten into it, you know
it. But you have to figurethe Dodgers are going to make some kind
of moves to get better and improvethis team at the deadline. And I
did Dodger Talk yesterday after the Dodgergame in Baltimore. I was here with

(06:28):
you a week ago, the nightbefore the Dodgers started the second half of
this season. And I'll say itagain, depending on what day it is
in my mind, the glaring needor the most pressing need for this Dodgers
team down the stretch changes. Itcould be bullpen one night, and it's
not reactionary. It's just kind ofwhat it is this first half of the

(06:51):
season. In two weeks now thatthe Dodgers have played, I'll look at
this Dodgers bullpen and as up anddown they've been, they're starting to find
their groove. They're starting to identifytheir roles. Yancey Almonte started to realize,
you know what, he's more ofa high leverage guy now this year.

(07:12):
His role is a little different thanit was as he was a year
ago as a mid leverage guy.Maybe coming in and opportunities to bridge a
gap or hold a big lead,or you know, just try to keep
it close. His role has changed. Caleb Ferguson has improved his role in
need on this Dodgers bullpen, andthey're healthy at this point of this season,

(07:34):
so to me, maybe not abullpen help is a glary need right
now. A bat off the benchcertainly is going to be something the Dodger
team could use. If I lookit down, the Triple A and Michael
Bush could be that answer for theDodgers. Heck, Chris Taylor could be
that answer. It's not a trade, it's not a pickup off the waiver
wire, but a guy who's beenin and off the injured list, now

(08:00):
healthy, contributing on this road tripalready, that three run home run in
Baltimore, can play multiple positions.Maybe he's an addition without having to make
a trade or a roster move.He's right there and it just clicks at
the right time and feels like anaddition at the trade deadline for this Dodgers
team. So it's not to mea right handed bat off the bench.

(08:24):
To me, the glaring need rightnow is for a starting pitcher to be
in this Dodgers rotation. And yesterdayon Dodger Talk, I kind of rattle
off some of the top trade deadlinenames that are out there in Major League
Baseball as far as arms are concerned, and there's just not a lot of
them. Lucas Giolito got lit upa couple of days ago. I mean

(08:46):
some of the other names that areout there. You just Shane Bieber is
that arm problems right now, andShane Bieber is one of those names that
he's got two more years left ofcontrol, gonna probably cost the most out
of everybody that's available at the deadline, but easy now going to be it
available at the deadline. So therewasn't a lot of big time names that

(09:09):
are gonna be out there and helpat the trade deadline. As far as
starting pitching is concerned, this iswhere far Anxiety up in San Francisco,
and Preller down in San Diego andPerry down in Anaheim. They're gonna have
to figure out what they're gonna dowith Otani, if those teams get involved,
and if they're gonna keep not keepOtani, and what the Dodgers are

(09:31):
gonna do. As far as gettinginto it, I look at it as
this now because the market is sobare with starting pitching, Like top level
starting pitching. You can go outand acquire a mid rotation guy from another
team. That can happen. Youcan make trades happen, But as far
as frontline guy you can count onin October, left or right handed pitcher

(09:54):
that will be there at the endof the season and you can plug in
into the postseason for a seven gamesseries. Those guys are hard to find
right now unless you know of aname that nobody else is thinking of.
Eight six, six, nine,eight, seven, two, five seventy.
There just aren't a lot of namesout there. That's why David Vast
brought up Max Scherzer's name. Now, it comes at a hefty price of

(10:15):
forty three million dollars next year andthat player option, But that's where it's
gotten to now, outside of likea Dylan Sis or a name like a
Lucas Giolito. Because the White Soxare one of those teams that is looking
to deal Marcus Stroman, who's aten win pitcher in the first half of
the season. Marcus Stroman's gonna bea name everybody's gonna want to go after.

(10:39):
Dylan sees a name that teams aregonna want to go after. But
I go back to this in show, Hey Otani, if the market is
bear at the trade deadline for anarm left or right that can come in
and help a team and maybe makethat jump from a wildcard team to a

(11:00):
aginal winner. Or just make itas a playoff team or make a playoff
run. Knowing that and getting intothe economics of this supply and demand.
If you're the Angels and you knowyou've got the Unicorn of baseball players,
the greatest player we may have everseen. Picture power hitter Combo, and

(11:26):
you are in a bear market,and there are teams that desperately want to
win this year, like the TampaBay Rays, the San Francisco Giants.
You have to wonder they got alot of money to spend it free agency
and don't look now they're in aplayoff race in the NL West. They

(11:48):
could be one of those teams tosay, we're pushing the chips all in
to get better. We're going allin on a move and hopes of keeping
them long term. And he fallsin love with the city of San Francisco.
But at the same time, webelieve, as the San Francisco Giants,
we can now become a playoff teamfor sure. Having to show a
Altani on our team. Oh yeah, and the market's so bare. We

(12:11):
have to go out and get toOtani because there's just aren't other names and
arms out there. The market forOtani could be through the roof, and
I think this could change. I'ma week ago you're talking four five prospects
for a Showyotani, top level pictures, top level prospects that the Angels would

(12:33):
want to return. Think Juan Sotopackage that the Padres had to give up.
That was in my opinion a weekago. As we get closer now
and the Giants, Diamondbacks, Dodgersall fighting the NL West. The Reds
still in there, even though they'velost seven of ten, the Reds are
still right there, two and ahalf games back in Milwaukee. The Phillies

(12:56):
are fighting for a wild card spot. The Braves are running away with the
division. You've got the Houston Astroslooking to get better. The Guardians,
what are they a five hundred tenthe last two weeks, but they're two
games back in the division. TampaBay's now one game back of Baltimore in
the division. Those are just thedivisional standings. In the wild card,
you've got the Raise, the BlueJay, c Astros, Red Sox,
Yankees all right in there. Atsome point, the Angels are gonna have

(13:20):
to make a move, and bya move a decision. You're four and
a half games back with ten gamesto go before the trade deadline, Realistically,
you're not gonna win a World Series. And with that being said,
the market being bar and more teamsthan ever trying to improve it the deadline.

(13:41):
I'm more and more convinced now thatwhat the asking price and what they
could get a week ago is goneup. Now we've got an opportunity for
the Angels if they wanted to goout and start saying, all right,
well, Tampa, you really wantto push in all the chips and you
want to make a move. You'restruggling. You lost five in a row,

(14:03):
seven of ten. You're in afighting out the Baltimore Orioles. But
you have a team that could wina World Series. You're a sixty win
team already. You're twenty games overfive hundred, one of the best teams
in baseball, certainly one of thebest teams, if not the best team
in the American League the first halfof the season. How much would old
Tani you mean to that Tampa raceteam, and you know they've got prospects
galore, The Houston Astros, theDodgers, who the Angels won't trade with,

(14:28):
the Giants, who are a wildcard team, right now, and
the Phillies. These are all teams. I mean, the Padres are six
and a half games back. Ithink that's that ship is sailed. But
I look at the Giants. Idon't know what it is about the Giants.
I don't know the depth of theirminor league system off the top of
my head, like I know theDodgers. But if I'm the Angels and

(14:54):
this deadline gets closer and closer bythe minute, and you're still hovering four
and a half games back off justa wild card spot, You've got elite
Frog teams like Boston in New Yorkand Houston. That's a tough path ahead
of you over the next ten days, and a bear market and teams jockeying

(15:16):
to get in position and better theirchances for a championship in October. I
truly believe. I truly believe whateverthe asking price was a week ago has
gone up. And I think asthe days get closer here and the Angels
have to make a decision, thingscould get desperate for some teams who really

(15:39):
want to improve and really want Otani. The Angels could They could score an
entire lineup of players and prospects forShowhotani if it gets that desperate for some
teams that are really looking to goall in here in twenty twenty three,
now a team might the Dodgers havethe capitol and prospects to do it.

(16:00):
They could be one of those teamsthat got into bidding a war and could
go toe to toe. I believewith any team out there that was willing
to negotiate with the Angels for Shoeotani, they had the assets. They had
the minor leaguers, they had thedepth in their minor league system. They
had the talent, no doubt inthe minor league system. Players that are
knocking on the door at the majorleagues or soon will be Angels most likely

(16:23):
don't want to deal with the Dodgers. But the Dodgers could make the asking
price go up, and the Dodgerscertainly could be there if the Angels do
want to pick up the phone inthe seven one four and do business eight
six six nine, eight, seventwo five seventy. So the deadline is
gonna be interesting. Teams are gonnamake trades just to make trades so they
can try to bolt of their rosterand hope they can catch lightning at the

(16:45):
bottles, maybe a guy that's havinga down season, or maybe it needs
a change the scenery. I hopethe Dodgers aren't one of those teams just
finding the change the scenery guy ora guy who they can turn things around
the final ninety days of the season. And I don't know what name is
out there. The list is gettingshorter and shorter by the day. With
Shane Bieber having armed problems in Cleveland, that's another name off the board.

(17:11):
And now the market's getting smaller andsmaller. But the asking price for Otani's
going up and up eight six sixnine, eight seventy two five seventy.
Angel fans have got to be excitedabout that. You could that team could
get better immediately by getting rid ofshow hey Otani. But at the same
time, you're getting rid of thegrace baseball player we may have ever seen.

(17:32):
If you do want to make adeal, Perry and Artie, when
you see a three two three numbercoming from Dodger Stadium, pick it up,
pick it up. Eight six sixnine eight seven two five seventy.
We can get into the trade deadline. Dodgers off tonight. We'll get your
farm report coming up as well.Want to hear from you, got one
line open, one line open hereon Dodger Talk eight six six nine eight

(17:56):
seven two, five seventy thanks forbeing with us tonight. Dodgers in Texas
tomorrows they take on the first placeRangers. We'll have Morocco Casino Dodgers on
deck to getting a four first pitchat five oh five Andrew heening to former
Dodger on the mound for the TexasRangers going up against Tony Gonso we'll be
back to your phone calls here ona five seventy ELI Sports Live Everywhere on
the iHeartRadio app. Sure they enjoyedthe rest after first six games of this

(18:21):
road trip, three in New YorkDodgers took two or three against the Mets,
and then three games series in Baltimore. Dodgers when the first two drop
the series finale yesterday eight to five, Julio Orias five Indians, eight runs,
eight hits, two strikeouts through ninetytwo pitches, and yesterday Julio Rias
was kind of a well microcos himwhat he's been all season long, up
and down. Yesterday a twenty ninefirst pitch for twenty nine pitch, first

(18:45):
inning in which he gave up fourruns. Struggle with this command struggled to
get runners to get swinging. Missusfailed really in one, two and oh
two counts to finish off hitters.Yesterday, he would go five in,
but he gave up the eight runsand the Dodgers gave him two nothing to
lead to work with. They madeit a six three game. They even
cut into it and made it aseven to five game going to the bottom

(19:07):
half of the fifth inning before JulioArias gave up his eighth and final run
of the game, accur high bythe way for Julio Arias gunner henderson solo
home run to make it an eightfive game. The Dodgers offense could do
nothing against the Baltimore back into theirbullpen. But Julio Areas contracts year expectations
were high. Should have been anAll Star a year ago. A guy

(19:30):
who has been talked about since theoffseason that he's going to cash in in
free agency after twenty twenty three season, did not agree to an extension with
the Dodgers, so he goes intothis season, final the year of his
deal, waiting to see what he'lldo once the season is over. And
quite frankly seven and six record withan ERA over five. Not probably how

(19:52):
he or his agency planned this seasonto be as far as what they can
go into free agency selling and thevalue of him going into free agency.
He's still being twenty six years old, still one of the better left handed
pitchers in baseball, certainly, butthis year up and down, failing to
get you back to back quality starts, failing to go deep into games.

(20:15):
You heard the stat if you werelistening to Petrol Some Money yesterday. He's
never gone into the eighth inning inany game of his career, which is
mind boggling to me and for Julioarias as bad as the start was in
Kansas City a couple of weeks agowhen it was hot and human, and
then he pitched okay against Pittsburgh andcame back after the All Star break,
and we saw what he did lastFriday night in the City field, dominant

(20:36):
against the Mets, and afterwards saidvacation is over, and I don't know
about you. I got excited,Like all right, Julio's dialed in.
Julio is focused for the second halfof the season more than ever, and
man, this guy can really havea big second half of the season,
not only helped the Dodgers, buthelp himself out and get paid in free
agency, which would be fantastic forhim. And great start against the Mets.

(21:02):
All right, Momentum is in hisfavor. And he comes back in
his second start post All Star Breakyesterday and he had nothing on his ofspy
pitches, He's leaving his fastball flattenup in the zone. He was getting
hitting around. When he did geta hit in the count O two one
two, those wipe out pitches,the slurve, the changeup. There's nothing

(21:23):
on him at all. He wasgetting hit around, and he said afterwards
he just couldn't find it and didn'thave the confidence out there. Well again,
he used to figure it out becausethe Dodgers are going to rely on
Julio Rias come October. When youthink about the rotation come October baseball in
the NLDS, in an NLCS,in a World Series, I mean,

(21:48):
I got Julio Arias. Pensylton isone of the guys who's going to be
a starter for this Dodgers team.And I don't know about you. I
could right now as we sit hereon July twenty kind of look at Julio
Arias and say, and he couldbe a guy who could go out there
and just deal like he did againstthe Mets, and be out there for
you know, six seven shutout inningsand give up the one hit like he

(22:11):
did against the New York Mets,that leadoff double to Brandon Neimo, and
then come back and just put upzeros the rest of the way. I
could very easily see that dominant JulioRio Julio Areas. I could also in
my mind see Julio Areas being JulioRias that we saw yesterday and we saw
in Kansas City before the All StarBreak, who gives up four or five,

(22:32):
six eight runs a career high likehe did yesterday, and and you
know, force the Dodgers offense tohave to play catchup or you know,
have to you know, score runsand bunches in order just to get back
into a baseball game. So it'sit's not a red flag for me right
now. For Julio, it's stilla lot of time in baseball for him
this season to get back on track, but certainly something to keep an eye

(22:55):
on with Julio Areas, the upsand down to this season obviously not what
he had hoped for in twenty twentythree, and hopefully, I think there's
still a lot of time he canturn things around and get more consistent as
the season goes on, starts stringingtogether some quality starts back to back to
back, and just get ready forOctober baseball. All right, let's go
out to Arthur Maria del Rays firstup here on off night Dodger Talk.
Hi, Arthur, how you doingfine? Dam Thank you very much.

(23:19):
I was going to talk about yours. Yeah, I'm really concerned about him.
You know, you know you talkedearlier about about the different eposis of
that team is needed over the year. But I think a lot of us
been the pitching from the starting,pitching from the start, and yours has
been a real disappointment. I hopehe can turn it around. And you
know, I'm just looking at toDodgy rotation. There's only one person,

(23:40):
one pitcher in the top five.As if a couple of weeks ago had
enough qualified innings, that was Kershaw. And he has to pitch this a
couple of weeks. So, Imean he's pitching. They've got people who
knocked him early in the year,but they've they had some tough things to
handle with somebody starting picks going out, you know, so, and I
knows you want to ask you aboutit, maybe vis take up on out.

(24:02):
Altman has been amazing, well,it's amazing to me about about him
is how much how how much he'splayed that he's been lining up early during
the year, right, he wouldbe okay with others. They's been a
primary. Uh, He's got themost games played except for dead but yeah,
yeah, yeah, it's been fantasticto see Arthur him mature this season

(24:25):
from the James Altman that broke campas the starting every day center fielder to
the James Altman that started the seasonred hot month of April. Was on
fire, hitting for power, hittingfor average, no matter where they put
him in the lineup. James Altmanwas contributing to this Dodgers team. And
then he hit that wall and teamsfigured him out. The game planned.

(24:48):
He had to adjust, and that'spart of the game of baseball, that
cat mouse game of baseball, adjustingto one another, the hitter and the
picture, the hitter of the pictureadjusting to each other tendencies and what guys
do and James Altman took a tookabout a month, maybe six weeks for
him to get right. I knowa lot of Dodger fans were starting to
get a little sour on on whatthey were seeing. But here's a guy

(25:08):
who's played eighty nine games, almostthree hundred at bats for the Dodgers this
year, and he's fourth on theteam as far as hits his concern.
He's sitting at two forty three andops seven sixty two, hitting for power,
twelve home runs, eleven doubles,getting on base with thirty two walks.
The strikeouts are a little alarming.He leaves the Dodger team and strikeouts

(25:29):
right now at one hundred and ten. But that was during that rough stratch.
But look what he's done right beforethe All Star Break, impost All
Star break. James Altman, itwould appear, is starting to get back
on track to the Altman that wesaw back in April. David and Camario,
David, how you doing, Hey? How are you? Tim?
I'm doing great? Thank you good? What's going on? Hey? You

(25:51):
know I was just I'm same withJulio. You took a lot of the
thunder away of what I was goingto talk about. But you know,
it's just like the show Hey Otanisituation. You know, I don't know
what's wrong with Julio. I don'tI think maybe it changed his scenery is

(26:15):
going to be better for him becauseI think he psyched himself out and so.
And the only thing that I cansee the Dodgers doing is trying to
get rid of him now while hestill has a little bit of value.
I hate to say that, butwe don't know if he's going to resign
next year. I really don't thinkhe's going to. I think he wants

(26:37):
to test the waters and see whathis value might be on the open market.
So, you know, I thinkthe Dodgers just signed to treat the
guy right now. Myself, I'mgonna David, I'm gonna disagree with you,
respectfully. I don't think that's theright answer. This is the Dodgers
team that they need Julio Arius.And you look at again the landscape of

(27:00):
the trade deadline and who's out therein the market. I think teams,
if they found out Julio Rias wasavailable, would be jumping to try to
get him. So the Dodgers arenot giving up on him, absolutely,
because what they have in him isprobably way better than what's out there at
the trade deadline outside of a guylike a Showho Tani and you know,

(27:21):
maybe a healthy Shae Bieber when he'sright, because he's been really good and
consistent. I don't know what itis with Julio. It's so frustrating,
right because you don't look at Julioand say, the guy doesn't care,
or the guy goes out there andgoes through the motions. That's the opposite
man. That guy goes out thereand he gives you everything. And how
many times have we seen Julio Riasjust go out there and gut through something,

(27:41):
even when he's given up three earlyruns, go back out there and
put up zeros and keep the Dodgersin games. And he may get a
no decision out of it, hemay get some late offense and get a
win. But he's always fighting,He's always competing. That's something you never
have to worry about with Julio Rias. Ever, Yeah, he's been inconsistent,

(28:03):
and you can see the frustration withhim on the game, on the
field, during the game, andafter the game. And certainly this is
not what he envisioned he going intofree agency hoping for a big contract,
looking for a monster twenty twenty threeseason, he's seven and six of the
n RA of five just hasn't beenthere. The dominance hasn't been there like

(28:23):
we saw in twenty when he wasdoing some relieving during the COVID year.
In the championship season twenty one twentytwo, he was building everything up and
trending in such a right direction.This to me, has just not been
the season that I know he envisioned, he was havinging he was hoping to
have. And there's still plenty oftime. Again, it's July twentieth,

(28:44):
still plenty of time for him toget back on track. Let's go to
Paul Coasta Masy, you're next uphere on Dodger Talk. Hi, Paul
him, thank you for taking usinto the night. Sure, absolutely okay
with my friend. My take is, I think the Dodgers need to keep
Luki in the infield. I thinkthat his bat and his fielding percentages I've

(29:07):
looked he hasn't had an air sincetwenty fourteen at second base, that they
can replace that right field with aplayer who has some good slugging power for
them go back. He's a DaveyLopes. I really feel that and date
myself. But that's my pick,all right, I appreciate it. Paul.

(29:30):
Yeah, I think Jason Hayward's playhere in twenty twenty three has always
made it easier for the dodgers toput Mookie Bets at second base more than
they probably thought going into the season. David in La your next up here
on Dodger Talk. Welcome, David. What's going on? David? You
got us? Yeah, I mean, go ahead. What's on your mind?

(29:51):
David? Ye? What? Thankyou for? Thanks putting on.
I was just wondering with all thetalking about is it I mean, is
it really worthy for a team totrade forward, you know, top prospects
for a guy I mean, asgreat as he is. I mean,
it doesn't guarantee of it. You'restill it definitely doesn't guarantee you, you

(30:14):
know, World Series at all.I mean you don't even doesn't even guarantee
play you know, a playoff.That's why you're rolling the dice, David.
That's why if you're a team that'son the fringe, if you're a
team looking to make that next jump, to try to make a run in
October, and already a playoff team, you make a move to get a
Showyotani to bolster your team and tomake it that much better with a frontline

(30:37):
rotation guy and a power hitting lefthanded bat. You make that move if
you have to, knowing that theprospects could turn out to be great prospects
could turn to be suspects, oryou may lose him after the end of
the year and that's that. Butyou know what, if you're looking to
win a championship and you see yourwindow right now to win that championship maybe
closing or right in the middle,you make that move. The Tampa Bay

(30:59):
race or look gonna win a championship, absolutely, and they have a great
team and a great season. Theirteam I look at is we're all in.
Why not? Why not the Giants? I looked him in as a
team. Hey, we're gonna makethe playoffs. We have a chance of
going to October. He can helpus maybe go further than we thought at
the same time we could I don'tknow, schmooz him a little bit here

(31:22):
and see how he likes San Franciscofor the next three months, and then
maybe he signs as a free agentafter he likes what he sees, so
it's a win win for them.Lewis and el Serino. Your final call,
Lewis are doing Hey, I'm Tim, I'm doing great. I've got
one for you. And it's sortof ripping a little bit off of what
you've said and disagreeing at the sametime. So here it is, you're

(31:45):
Andrew Friedman, you need pitching.We know that you go to the Chicago
White Socks. You say, Dylancease two years and either Graverman the real
ever or Lancelin they get Orius andanother and a prospect. I hate the

(32:09):
idea of losing Julio. I thinkhe's really clutch. But the flip side
is he's probably going to walk.You get two years. Maybe this is
just his down season, and youknow, and in theory, maybe he
decides, hey, I want tocome back, and he tells Scott get
me back to la Interesting. Interestingtakeing, Lewis. I appreciate it.

(32:32):
We're up against it. Interesting.I don't know if I do that deal.
I'm not. I'm not in thebusiness right now of trade away starting
pictures. I know what you saidin getting back in a trade, but
you know what you got in JulioUrius. You know what he can be
about, you know what he cando. You know what he's meant to
this team, in this organization,what he means to the fan base.

(32:52):
I'd have a hard time trading himaway here, even though he's going into
the final months of his contract andwho knows what the future looks like.
All Right, I'll take a break, we'll come back. We'll get to
a farm report, get to thelatest of Dodgers top minor league prospects from
Diego, Kartaia on down to aball in Josuad de Apola. A name
you're gonna start hearing a lot inthe coming weeks as a trade deadline gets

(33:15):
closer. Tim Kate's Ronnie Fossio andyou. It's off night Dodger Talk.
You're on a five seventy light SportsLive Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. As
they take on the Texas Rangers andCorey Seeger. They'll be Tony Gonslin against
Andrew Heeney. Yes, the sameAndrew Heeney that was with the Dodgers a
year ago, signed a free agentdeal with the Texas Rangers this past offseason.

(33:37):
Morongco Casino Dodgers on deck. We'llget started at four o'clock. First
pitch is at five oh five.Dodgers currently four and two after six games
of this nine game road trip.All Right, I promised you here on
Dodger Talk. When I do it, I give you a farm report.
I give you an update on theDodgers top minor league prospects from trip Ala,
Oklahoma City, all the way downto Reran Show, Kucamonga and a

(34:00):
Ball. So let's get to it. Let's get to that farm report.
All right. We start the Dodgerstop number one overall minor league prospect in
Diego Cartia, the twenty one yearold Venezuelan catcher who we hear so much
about. The Dodgers have him inDouble A Tulsa. Sixty six games so
far for Cartia, he's hitting oneeighty seven with seven doubles, eleven home

(34:23):
runs, only thirty seven ribbies,eighty three strikeouts in sixty six games with
a six thirteen ops. Remember DoubleA is where guys kind of find out
if they're for real or not.And he's moved up the minor league system
at the young age and he's stillonly twenty one years old but one eighty
seven average, not a lot ofpower and a lot of strikeouts for Diego

(34:46):
Cartia, so hopefully he can turnthings around. We hear his name a
lot as the dodgers number one overallprospect and one of the top ten prospects
in all of Major League Baseball.Bobby Miller's in the major leagues. He's
the dodgers number two overall prospect.Number three prospect is Michael Bush, first
round pick a couple of years agoout of North Carolina. Twenty five year
old infielder outfielder is in Tripla,Oklahoma City. Remember he had a cup

(35:09):
of coffee with the Dodgers up atthe big league level. Back in Tripla,
Oklahoma City, he's tearing it upso far, sixty games, three
oh seven average, seventeen doubles,thirteen home runs, fifty four ribbi's,
forty five walks. He's got anine ninety five ops. How about Gavin
Stone, number four overall prospect,the twenty four year old right hander.

(35:29):
Fourteen starts in Tripla, Oklahoma City. It's been up and down, three
and fourth of six, zero threer a, seventy seven strikeouts, but
He's got thirty one walks and givenup ten home runs. Andy Pohez,
the dodgers number six overall prospect,just a twenty two year old outfielder Torres
labram In his shoulder had surgery lastmonth. He has done for the twenty
twenty three season. How about DaltonRushing, second round pick out a Louisville

(35:52):
a year ago. He is inhigh a ball with the Great Lakes Loons
and the twenty two year old catcherfirst baseman da just tearing it up.
The pitch that's smacked a deep centerfield junior Perez watches that ball is long
gun off the outfield apartments. DaltonRushing drives at his ninth homer of the

(36:14):
year, two to nothing, loomstwo batters into the ball game, Great
Lakes Loons Radio Network with the call, one of his nine home runs on
this season's through sixty one games,Dalton Rushing two fifty six average, seventeen
doubles, the nine home runs,thirty nine ribbies, fifty two walks.
He's got a nine oh six ops. Again. Came up as a catcher,

(36:35):
drafted as a catcher, but alsodoing a little dh at first base.
Nick Nastrini, twenty three year oldright hander out of UCLA at fourth
round pick two years ago. He'sin Double A Tulsa. One of the
guys we keep hearing about in DoubleA Tulsa. As far as this great
starting staff, he's one of them. Four and two in fifteen starts three
ninety two er A was seventy sevenstrikeouts. Nick Frosso Dodgers, Top ten

(36:59):
proSP He's a twenty four year oldrighthander, also in Double A Tulsa.
He was acquired from Toronto in theMitch White deal. He's a fourth round
pick on a LMU in twenty twentyfifteen Stars one in three three sixty four
e r A sixty four strikeouts.How about Hossuai de Paula. Yeah,
I told you about this guy ayear ago. He was down the Dominican
Republic. A year ago he wasat extended spring training. Finally they sent

(37:22):
him to Rancho Kuchamong with the Quakes, and in thirty five games so far,
he has been hot, swinging adrive high and deep out in the
right field, going back as Hilson, He's looking up and that ball is
gone. Absolute bolts off the batof Hosa Zapaula his first home run of
the season, eighteen year old,displaying why the Dodgers are so excited about

(37:51):
it. That was blasted Quakes RadioNetwork with the call two eighty three average,
ten doubles, two triples. Youjust heard the home run call.
He's got twenty eat Ribby's seventeen walks, he gets on base, he can
hit for power. He's a big, strapping young outfielder, left handed hitter
with a seven ninety five ops hostsuade to Paula. If you've been following

(38:14):
the trade rumors out there at themajor league level, you're seeing his name
being mentioned. He's only eighteen yearsold, just turned eighteen, really really
highly thought of by the Dodgers andstarting to open eyes around major league baseball.
River Ryan twenty four year old righthanderalso in Double A Tulsa. Fifteen
starts, one and four, twoninety one ARRA, sixty nine strikeouts.

(38:36):
Sometimes the win loss record can bedeceiving, especially in the minor leagues,
but you look at the RA,You'll look at what they're doing as far
as strikeouts and walks, and RiverRyan is right there. Maddox Bruns twenty
one year old left hander, firstround pick a couple of years ago.
He is in High A Ball atthe Great Leagues Loons eleven starts the left
handers oh and one, but attwo seventy two Arra and in thirty nine

(38:58):
and two third Indians. This isbig twenty nine and two thirt Indiings.
Mag's Bruns's got fifty one strikeouts andhe's holding the opponents to a one ninety
eight vatting average. Good numbers individuallyfor Maddox Bruns, who's looked like he's
figured it out. He was draftedat the age of eighteen. He's been
in Rancho Kucamanga, promoted to HighA Ball and starting to click for him.
Eddie's Leonard, twenty two year oldshortstop in Double A Tulsa. This

(39:21):
guy crushes the ball. Eighty fivegames, two fifty one average, seven
to twenty six ops. He's gottwenty doubles, nine home runs, forty
ribbys, but he has struck itout seventy seven times. Jorbet and Vivas
twenty two year old Venezuelan middle infielderat A Double A Tulsa right now.
Eighty one games, two ninety sevenaverage, nineteen doubles, ten home runs,
forty ribbys, it's got thirteen stolenbases. He can fly with an

(39:45):
eight sixty nine. OPS really liking. Jorbet Vivas another name we could hear
at the trade deadline, a middleinfielder. The guy can hit for power
and for speed. Landed Knack atop twenty Dodgers prospect, twenty six year
old righthander, second round pick intwenty twenty at East Tennessee State. Twelve

(40:05):
starts in Double A Tulsa two andoh with a two twenty ERA and sixty
one strikeouts. So he's now inTriple A Oklahoma City and he's done really
well there. At the next level, four starts is being promoted two and
oh, two fifty five r Aand nineteen strikeouts. Two guys not considered
top twenty prospects but having really goodseasons. And this guy we've told you
about before, Austin got theer DoubleA Tulsa twenty four year old shortstop.

(40:30):
He was undrafted at a Hofstra signedas a free agent after the draft.
He tore it up at a highA ball with the great legs looms the
first month and a half of theseason, promoted to Double A Tulsa got
the air thirty nine games so farto sixty eight average, seven doubles,
five home runs and at eight fiftytwo ops. How this guy won undrafted?

(40:51):
I have no idea. How aboutKyle Hurt, twenty five year old
right hander in Double A, Tulsafifth round pick back in twenty twenty out
a usc thirteen starts for Kyla Hurt, two and three, three ninety nine
er a, but fifty six anda third inning so far pitched for Kyla
Hurt. He's got ninety eight strikeouts, ninety eight punch outs in fifty six

(41:14):
and a third inning. Sorry,there you go. The Dodgers top twenty
minor league prospects and a couple ofguys also on the radar. You're hearing
these names, you're reading about themnow if you're following up on the different
trade rumors out there and what minorleague prospects the Dodgers have as value to
go get major league talent. Sowe're less than two weeks away from the

(41:35):
major league trade deadline, which isthree o'clock Pacific on August first, and
we'll see what the Dodgers were ableto do to bolster. This roster Dodgers
as we speak, first place atopthe NLS and again off tonight, back
at it tomorrow against the Texas Rangers. That's gonna do it for off night
Dodger Talk. Appreciate all the phonecalls, thank you for listening, thank
you for downloading the podcast, andof course make sure you hit that subscribe

(41:58):
button for a five seven LA Sportson the iHeartRadio app. Thanks to Ronnie
Fascio as well. We'll be backat it tomorrow with Morocco Casino Dodgers on
dech beginning at four pm. Firstpitch from Arlington is at five oh five.
Tony Gonslin and Andrew Heiney to pitchingmatchup tomorrow in Texas until they have
a great rest of your Thursday night. So are everybody