The Dodgers on Friday introduced that they’ve employed Raúl Ibañez as vice chairman of baseball growth and particular tasks.
The previous outfielder, who performed 19 seasons for the Mariners, Royals, Phillies, Angels, and Yankees, was most lately a senior vice chairman of subject operations for Main League Baseball, the place he labored on the foundations, l tools and within the subject. expertise along with league initiatives in scouting and novice baseball.
Earlier than becoming a member of MLB, Ibañez was a particular assistant in baseball operations within the Dodgers entrance workplace from 2016.
The Dodgers this season dedicated to spending greater than $1.2 billion in salaries, most of which to safe Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to signal contracts.
Clearly the cash spent can't be discounted, however Ben Lindbergh at The Ringer wrote about how the searches for the 2 Japanese stars had been extremely contested, with different groups making comparable provides to Los Angeles. Lindbergh famous that the Dodgers' current success — making the postseason 11 years in a row — and stellar participant growth fame have additionally helped set them aside, and fueled the Dodgers' aggression this winter.
“They nonetheless have one thing to show,” Lindbergh wrote, “and function with the urgency of a workforce on the rise, not a storied 140-year-old franchise that oddsmakers think about a perennial favourite.”
Thursday's Dodgers-Cubs commerce was analyzed by Craig Goldstein at Baseball Prospectus, who famous that Los Angeles cleared the 40-man cap area they wanted, whereas additionally netting two younger prospects, and Chicago capitalized on doubtlessly getting a beginning first baseman in Michael Busch.
Keith Regulation at The Athletic referred to as Busch “a pure first baseman and nearly actually performs there for the Cubs,” whereas noting that the Cubs wanted all the assistance they may get after Chicago's first basemen simply hit .241 / .299 / .414 92 wRC+) in 2023.
Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest tabulated pitcher Jackson Ferris because the spotlight of the comeback for the Dodgers, describing the left-hander this fashion: “He's additionally a sweeper within the 80s, which we all know the Dodgers like, a curveball of the mid-70s with an actual 12-6 break and a changeup within the mid-80s that he has some really feel, however nonetheless wants refinement.”
