February 6th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Ask 10 Dodger fans what their opinion of Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is and you will undoubtedly get 10 different answers. But what you will also probably get is roughly a 50-50 split of those who really like him and those who really do not.
That 50-50 split will probably change significantly – in Friedman’s favor – when pitchers and catchers report for spring training on February 12 and position players on February 18.
Even though there will be no Bryce Harper or Manny Machado in the Dodgers clubhouse at Camelback Ranch when spring training opens next week, and, more importantly, there will (probably) be no J.T. Realmuto, their absence marks an enormous victory for spring training-bound Dodger fans.
How so, you ask? Consider this:
The Miami Marlins asking price for their highly-coveted 27-year-old catcher and 2010 third-round draft pick probably would have cost the Dodgers 21-year-old top-ranked right-handed pitching prospect Dustin May or 21-year-old top-ranked middle infield prospect Gavin Lux … possibly even both.
Instead, Dodger fans traveling to the Cactus League’s crown jewel in Glendale, Arizona to watch their beloved team prepare to defend their 2018 National League pennant will get to see both Dustin May and Gavin Lux in major league spring training camp beginning next week, each for the first time in their young professional careers.
Although there has been no official announcement from the Dodgers as to who their 2019 non-roster invitees will be, ThinkBlueLA has learned that both May and Lux will be in big league camp.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Depending on which Dodgers top prospect list you prefer, Lux and May are both ranked in the Top-10, In fact, according to Baseball Prospectus – which is widely accepted as the best in the business – May is ranked second (behind only outfielder Alex Verdugo), and Lux fifth (behind only Verdugo, May, and catchers Keibert Ruiz, and Will Smith).
Simply put, although Lux and May are long shots to break camp on the Dodgers 25-man Opening Day roster, they are absolutely positively the future of the franchise, perhaps as early as this season for Lux and possibly 2020 for May.
Enjoy spring training, Dodger fans. And if you happen to run into Andrew Friedman while you are there, thank him for not trading Dustin May and Gavin Lux.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
I reckon this is the one you said I’d like. You’re right.
Quite frankly, the only real issue I have with Friedman is not leaving the managing to the manager.
Say what you will, but at least Friedman is willing to trade lower prospects BUT protect the crown jewels.
You’re right. Someday he will get burned, it happens to everybody. When he does, before griping, we need to look at the guys still in Dodger Blue he wouldn’t let go.