Weekly MLB Update - 1/11/21
Welcome to this week’s MLB Update. We had a major blockbuster trade and a free agent actually signed a contract this week. Unfortunately, baseball also lost one of its all-time greats, Hall of Fame Manager and baseball ambassador Tommy Lasorda. Let’s get into it.
Late last Thursday night, Tommy Lasorda passed away at the age of 93 years old. Although Lasorda was primarily an LA Dodger icon, his influence and fame reached all of baseball and beyond. Tommy managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for 20 years from 1976-1996. In that time he won 1,599 games, 4 National League Championships, and 2 World Series Championships (1981, 1988). He also coached 9 Rookie of the Year winners and led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. But those that know what Tommy is all about is so much more than his success as a manager. It was his fiery passion for the game of baseball and his unrelenting belief in his players and the Dodgers that made him such a beloved figure. To the day he died, his presence was always felt in the Dodgers organization. This was a tough loss for me as a life-long Dodger fan. Tommy was a huge influence on my life. He’s a big reason I love baseball as much as I do. He always reminded us how fun the game is and how lucky we are to have baseball in our lives. His iconic line of “I bleed Dodger blue” is a staple of every Dodger fan today and will be forever. He also taught me the importance of believing in yourself and in your teammates. You can’t get anywhere is this world without both faith in yourself and in those around you. And no matter the odds or how difficult the situation may seem, nothing is impossible if you stay determined. One of my favorite quotes of his is, “the difference between the impossible and possible lies in a person’s determination”.
I wasn’t alive to see Tommy’s managerial success. I was only three years old when he retired. But he didn’t let retirement stop him from blessing the lives of baseball fans for the rest of his life, including mine. I wish I could have been around to see the 1988 team win the World Series. That team, from what I’ve been told, had no business competing for a championship. They were true underdogs and statistically one of the worst teams to ever win the World Series. But they had Tommy. His post-game celebration speech is one every Dodger fan can quote word for word – “Nobody thought we could win the division! No body though we could beat the mighty Mets! Nobody thought we could beat the team that won 104 games! But WE BELIEVED IT!” I teared up just writing that and the crazy thing is I wasn’t alive to witness that amazing moment in baseball history. But I can feel it. And that’s the legacy of Tommy Lasorda. Pure passion. This is a huge loss for myself and for millions of people but Tommy lived an amazing life and shared it with all of us. Last October, the Dodgers won their first World Series since that Improbable 1988 season. Tommy always wanted to see the Dodgers win one more title before he met the big Dodger in the sky. He got his wish. Rest in blue heaven, Tommy. There will never be another like you.
Moving on and wiping away the tears, there was a huge trade that went down last week between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Mets. Francisco Lindor, shortstop for the Indians along with pitcher Carlos Carrasco were dealt to New York for four prospects. For the Mets, they got one of the best players in baseball along with a veteran arm that has boosted them from the middle of the pack to top contenders in the NL East. Lindor is an absolute beast of a player. In my opinion, the third best position player behind Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. The 27-year-old has played six major league seasons and is a four-time all star, two-time silver slugger, and two-time gold glove winner. He has a career batting average of .285 and has averaged 29 home runs, 86 runs batted in, and 21 stolen basses per season. Why would the Indians give up a generational talent? Same reason the Red Sox gave up Mookie – to shed payroll and to get something in return rather than letting him walk away in free agency (which he will be after 2021). It’s really a shame that teams choose to do this. Some will say they have to because they simply can’t afford a talent like Lindor’s. I say that’s bull shit. If the Cleveland Indians really wanted to, they would find a way to keep a player like that. I’m no GM, nor do I ever want to be and I understand that some teams have more to spend than others. And coming from a Dodger fan this might come off as disingenuous but I’m upset for Indians fans. I can’t imagine being a fan of a team that consistently trades away franchise players. It’s a shame that some teams feel that have to rid their fan bases of a player like that. But I digress. The Mets now are sitting pretty to make a playoff run in 2021. I still believe the Atlanta Braves are the front runners in that division but the Mets will definitely have a great opportunity at a wild card spot. Also, can we just appreciate the talent at shortstop in the National League – Francisco Lindor, Fernando Tatis Jr., Corey Seager, Trevor Story, and Trea Turner…wow.
Lastly, another NL East team reminded baseball that they are still contenders. Remember the Washington Nationals, you know the team that won the World Series in 2019? Yeah don’t forget about those guys. Yes, they had a rough 2020 but that was mostly due to injuries and possibly a World Series hangover (if you believe in that sorta stuff). They still have a really good team and just added another power bat to their line-up, inking former Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber to a one-year, $10 million deal. Schwarber has had more underwhelming seasons that not but he still has one of the most explosive bats in the game and will add protection for Juan Soto in the Nationals line up. He is not far removed from a 2019 season in which he hit 38 home runs and 92 runs batted in. Don’t let his lackluster 2020 season fool you, this guy can rake. Look for the Nationals to make some noise in what looks like to be a 3-team face in the NL East Division.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you back here for next week’s TLDR MLB Weekly Update!
Tyler