Mailbag Monday: Conforto's leash, another chance for Outman
Answering your questions!
Happy Monday, everyone!
Just like that we’re in May and this season is quickly going by. After a bit of a rough spell, the Dodgers have won seven of their last eight games and are in first place in the NL West. They have a busy week as they play seven consecutive games before returning home to LA.
It was a jam-packed mailbag this week, so I won’t waste any more of your time. As always, thank you so much to everyone who asked a question this week! To ask a question in the next mailbag, please consider subscribing today!
Tom — Your thoughts about 2 of our starters only playing once a week? Seems to put a lot of pressure on the bullpen with pen days. At some point when we get some guys healthy will they have a six man rotation?
I’m not a fan of how they have things set up, but I understand why they’re doing it. Yamamoto and Sasaki are on the same schedule they were on while in Japan, but it’s definitely impacting the rest of the team in the short-term. Once they transition to a six-man rotation it won’t be an issue, but until that happens it’s going to continue to hurt the bullpen.
The pen has already been used more than any other pen this season and that’s likely going to continue. Hopefully by the time we see a six-man rotation in July or whenever that is, it allows the Dodgers’ bullpen to be more rested.
Nick Dovolis — If the Dodgers don’t see Outman as a future OF, would it be best to trade him at his peak in AAA now?
Outman is in such a tough spot now. He’s in no-mans land. He lost his starting opportunity with his terrible play last season. With Andy Pages seemingly locked in as LA’s every day center fielder for the foreseeable future, there’s no room for Outman unless an injury happens to Pages.
It would be nice to try and get some value for Outman, but I’m not sure how highly other teams view him. There’s a chance he wouldn’t be able to net a Top 15-20 prospect from another organization, so if that’s the case, you might as well hold onto him as valuable depth. Who knows, maybe a year from now he gets another chance in center field and Pages can move to left field. Stranger things have happened and I don’t think his career is toast just yet.
Marilyn Fisher — Do you think Outman will ever get another chance in the bigs or will he be trade bait? Also, Kim was great on the bases, when will he get his chance to bat?
Sticking on Outman, I think his only chance will be if there is an injury to Pages. It kind of goes with this Kim question. The Dodgers called the rookie up, but Dave Roberts told reporters he’s not really gonna start while he’s up. Instead, used as more of a bench piece. I think that’s stupid. Why call him up if you’re not going to give him reps? If you think his swing still needs work, keep him in OKC so he can get more at bats. He hasn’t benefited the last two days. If anything, it’s cost him 8-10 more at bats he could have gotten.
I think Outman should have been called up. Put him in center field and Pages in left field while giving Conforto a day off here and there. I’d love to see Outman get another opportunity. There’s a chance he’s figured things out in OKC and would be solid with us. I know the people that have these jobs with the Dodgers know a lot more than we do, but sometimes their decisions seem really baffling.
Geoff Shackelford — Seeing how Max Muncy appears to already be reaping the benefits of visiting Kike’s eye doctor, am I the only person wondering how eye exams are not required at the start of the year? Is it a player ego thing? A player’s union issue? Can we add an optometrist’s office to the wish list for the next clubhouse redo?
It is funny how we now have two examples of players getting their eyes checked and they magically can see the ball a lot better, who would have thought? I’m not really sure what goes into all this, but can we have Chris Taylor, Michael Conforto, Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas all go get their eyes checked, please?!
Joshua Child — If Conforto is out there again on Monday, he mush have naked photos of Doc right?!
This gets a prize for making me laugh as much as it did. If Conforto is in the lineup on Monday, which I think he will be, it’ll be because the Dodgers have no other choice. They’re paying him $17 million this season (yikes!). They have to keep throwing him out there with the chance he’ll get just one hit and hope it turns into a hot streak. Obviously you can’t just DFA him now because the sample is still kind of small, but time is definitely going to start running out at some point. For now, you’re paying him *gulps* 17 million dollars, you gotta keep trying with the hope it’ll click at some point.
I know it’s baseball, but I still can’t believe a player can make $17 million and be flat out terrible. Conforto has been the worst hitter in baseball and is getting a very, very nice payday. I mean hey, if you can make that money shoutout to you, but it’s just wild that it can happen like that.
Jimmy — When edman comes off the IL your thoughts on him in center,Pages in left,Kim on second. Or is to much pride on benching Conforto.
I would love to see this. I would love to see Kim be given an opportunity. Unfortunately, he’ll be sent back down to OKC once Edman returns, which is likely this weekend. The Dodgers wouldn’t be able to simply bench Conforto, they’d have to send someone down or place someone on the IL to make room for Kim. It would be great if CT3 had to go to the IL with a phantom injury so Kim could get an opportunity, but without a DFA or IL, we won’t be seeing Kim for a while after this… which I hate.
Jeff Dominique — What has happened to Joendry Vargas?
I’m not really sure. He hasn’t played since April 13 for the Quakes. I know in the minors they keep a tighter wrap on injuries, so hopefully it isn’t anything too serious. Not sure if maybe they mentioned it on a broadcast at some point, but nearly a month without seeing him on the field isn’t ideal!