March 6th, 2017 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka We hear it every year around this time – “Spring training games are meaningless games.” And while some front office people, coaches and some members of the media may buy into this age-old assessment, it’s probably safe to say that spring training games are anything but meaningless for hungry baseball fans and even more so for players fighting for an Opening Day or even a 40-man roster spot.
It’s no secret that when the Dodgers traded away hard-throwing 29-year-old / four-year MLB veteran left-hander Vidal Nuño for 34-year-old / 11-year MLB veteran outfielder Franklin Gutierrez only hours before Dodgers pitchers and catchers reported for spring training on February 15 that they had high hopes for the extremely popular Caracas, Venezuela native, who Dodgers manager Dave Roberts affectionately calls “Gutie.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts officially welcomes Franklin Gutierrez to the team.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
But Gutie is struggling … and how.
As every Dodger fan knows, Gutierrez joined a spring training camp that was already stacked with competition for only three outfield positions; two if you exclude likely Opening Day center fielder Joc Pederson and only one if you exclude likely Opening Day right fielder Yasiel Puig. As such, it’s hard to call any spring training game meaningless with so very much at stake.
With the Dodgers now (approximately) one-third of the way through spring training 2017, they have played a total of 10 games and are 6-4 in Cactus League play. Of those 10 games, Gutierrez has appeared in five of them and is still looking for his first hit with his new club. In fact, of his 13 at-bats thus far this spring, seven have ended with the 6′-2″ / 200-pound outfielder striking out. He has reached base only once on a weak fly ball to short right field that was dropped, but it resulted in the runner on first base being forced out at second base. He eventually came around to score, but only as a result of further shoddy defensive by the opposition.
There is no gentle way to say it, Gutierrez looks completely lost at the plate right now.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Where things get really dicey with Gutierrez is that he is currently on the Dodgers 40-man roster, which means that if he does not make the Opening Day roster, the Dodgers would have to outright release him and then hope that no other team claims him, and then hope that he is willing to accept an assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City – both of which seem very unlikely for the former Gold Glove outfielder.
Although it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why Gutierrez is struggling, it is crystal clear that whatever it is, he desperately needs to right his ship – and soon – with guys like Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke, Andrew Toles, Kiké Hernandez and Trayce Thompson (in addition to Pederson and Puig) breathing down his neck.
Come on, Gutie … let’s do this!
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A couple of opposing points. First, I think Dodgers traded “soft” throwing Nuno for “hard” throwing Ryan Mosely that cleared a spot on 40 man roster for Gutierrez. IMO, Nuno for Mosely was another terrific minor league acquisition by the FO. Second, I think there is a very good chance that Gutierrez is indeed DFA with almost zero chance of being claimed by another team that then inherits his $2.6MM contract. Gutierrez would then be smart to accept the OKC assignment, perhaps with an agreement that if not returned to the 40 man and active roster by May 1/June 1 that he would be released. At OKC he could DH as well as play some LF as he attempts to get his swing back. In addition to the RH hitters you noted above, Gutierrez is also behind players like Segedin who is on the 40 man roster and Dickson who is a NRI but having an excellent ST. Even Culberson and Taylor can play LF and have more defensive flexibility.
Absolutely agree. I love Gutierrez but, at this point in his career and, given the players the Dodgers already have in camp, I don’t see him contributing much beyond being an OKC insurance policy (if he’s not claimed) as a right-handed bat off the bench. He’s a great guy with a mature clubhouse presence and a fantastic work ethic.
It’s going to be tough for him to crack the roster, especially with Van Slyke seeming to find his stroke again the way he is.
Agree wholeheartedly, Kevin. SVS is clearly on a mission this spring. If he continues to hit as he has thus far this spring and with his ability to play 1B, he is a far better option than Gutierrez at this point.
When I saw Nuño throw his first bullpen in person this spring, he was throwing pretty hard. But perhaps when you saw him pitching in person, he was not.
Never watched Nuno pitch, but read a few scouting reports that were quite similar in comments to “The pitches that Nuno throws are similarly unimpressive. His fastball has never averaged 90 MPH. His slider, curve, and two-seamer collectively elicit a response of “meh, meh-er, and meh-est.” “Vidal Nuno is a soft throwing lefty with no out pitch” AND I checked his pitch velocities on fangraphs to confirm that his average fastball is a tick over 89 mph. Whereas Mosely’s scouting report has his fastball ranging from 91 to 95. Since I live in Charlotte NC and nothing more than a life long fan, I will bow to your first hand observations.
The outcomes of Spring Training games don’t mean much, but the play always does. Gutierrez better show something this month.
Nuno for Mosely? Ok. I’ll take your word for it.