Milan-Sanremo and beyond: here are the five Monument Classics

The Cubs recognized a chance and were prepared to offer what the Dodgers refused. They spent .5 million for a single season of Bellinger, who delivered a successful year and finished in 10th place for the MVP award.

Although Ferris did not have a strong start to the year, he caught attention last season as a 19-year-old in low-A Myrtle Beach with his impressive performance (3.38 ERA, 12.4 K/9). However, it is Hope who is making waves in his first full professional season at low-A Rancho Cucamonga with a 1.192 OPS.
Busch appeared to be a likely option for a trade this offseason as a 26-year-old up-and-comer lacking a definite opportunity for game play in Los Angeles. The Dodgers also needed to open up a spot on their 40-man roster for the acquisition of free agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández.

The Dodgers may come to regret their decision due to their weak performance in the bottom of the batting lineup, with Lux hitting .157/.218/.176, Taylor going 1-for-35, the left fielders as a whole having a league-worst .091 batting average, and Hernández being the only outfielder with an OPS above .600.

Busch is showcasing his skills with the Cubs currently. The proficient corner infielder equaled a team record on Monday by hitting a home run in his fifth consecutive game. Although the streak ended on Tuesday, Busch’s home runs contributed to half of the Cubs’ 14 runs in those five games. The Cubs had a record of 3-2 during this stretch.ADVERTISEMENT

Busch’s top position appeared to be at first base, but that spot is currently taken by Freddie Freeman for the next four years. With Shohei Ohtani designated as the designated hitter, Muncy agreeing to a longer contract, Gavin Lux returning from a knee injury, and Mookie Betts transitioning more permanently to the infield, it’s unclear how Busch could secure a consistent role on the team in 2024. Furthermore, the Dodgers also have another infield prospect, Miguel Vargas, who excels at hitting.
Friedman stated before the trade that there are multiple options available to us, some of which may provide greater opportunities while others may pose greater challenges. We will gain more understanding as we move forward, but Michael Busch has shown immense effort in trying to open doors for himself.

In November of 2022, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a surprising decision to let go of a 27-year-old player who was once considered a valuable asset to the team. This player was originally drafted and developed by the organization and had previously won both the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards.

He required additional time, which was not going to be available in Los Angeles.

As a powerful and disciplined left-handed hitter, Busch was often compared to Max Muncy. Coincidentally, his debut in the major leagues came during a period when Muncy was on paternity leave last year.

The Dodgers have been able to consistently add promising prospects to their team each year, even with their late draft picks, thanks to deals like this. They believed Busch was ready for the major leagues and wanted to give Lux a chance to play after he missed the entire 2023 season due to an ACL injury, without taking away playing time from Freeman and Ohtani.

After undergoing surgery for a dislocated shoulder, Cody Bellinger’s offensive performance has been underwhelming for two consecutive years. As a result, the Dodgers have decided to forego paying his projected million arbitration salary, believing it to be too costly compared to his output. Therefore, they have allowed him to explore other options in the market.

Last year, Busch played 27 games in the big leagues, but they were spread out inconsistently. He played three games in April, four in May, eight in June, nine in August, and three in September. He was called up and sent back down from Triple-A three separate times. However, he couldn’t find his footing, only batting .167/.247/.292 in the few opportunities he had. He also played multiple positions, starting at third base 10 times, designated hitter seven times, second base once, and filling in as a substitute at first base and left field.

During the years 2021 to 2023, only four minor league players had more home runs than Busch. Additionally, he had a superior batting average, and more walks and doubles than any other player on the list, proving his unique offensive capabilities.

Busch’s strong performance in power production last year at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had 27 home runs, earned him recognition as the Pacific Coast League MVP and also led the league in slugging and OPS. This is especially crucial for the Chicago team, as they will now be without their injured player Seiya Suzuki.

The Cubs obtained Michael Busch from the Dodgers in January, although he did not have the same MLB experience as Bellinger. Despite this, he was considered a promising prospect and deserved a chance to play in the major leagues. The Dodgers also acknowledged this.

Busch’s offensive skills were impressive, but concerns about his defensive abilities caused him to be chosen by the Dodgers as the 31st pick in the draft five years ago. Although he primarily played at first base in college at North Carolina, the Dodgers played him at second base when he began his minor-league career. They also gave him playing time at first base, left field, and third base, with the goal of finding a spot for him on the major-league team. However, similar to Muncy, Busch struggled defensively last season. He made 13 errors in 61 games at third base in Triple-A and four more errors in his 10 starts at third base with the Dodgers.

The post The Dodgers’ decision to trade Michael Busch and how it ultimately benefits the Cubs once again. appeared first on Americano Sports.

Milan-Sanremo and beyond: here are the five Monument Classics

Milan-Sanremo and beyond: here are the five Monument Classics 2024-04-18 12:26:40 #MilanSanremo #Monument #Classics

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