Los Angeles Dodgers midfielder Cody Bellinger reacts after a triple home run during … [+]
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Last week it was reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cody Bellinger agreed to a 1-year deal for $ 17 million to avoid arbitration before the December 1st lockdown.
Cody Bellinger’s arbitration process has become one of the most interesting arbitration cases in recent times. Mainly because, statistically, Bellinger built one of the most bipolar careers in his first five seasons in the Major League. Even Cody Bellinger’s 2021 nightmare season, in which he posted the worst regular season numbers of his career, was paired with the best postseason performance of his young career.
Despite winning the NLCS MVP in 2018, Bellinger’s timely heroics were enough to cover his overall fights in the 2018 playoffs. In fact, 2018 was Bellinger’s worst playoff performance in terms of wRC +. He only got 10 wRC + while cutting .115 / .193 / .192 this season.
In 2019, Bellinger had the best season of his career en route to winning the National League MVP. After the 2019 season, Bellinger also started his first year in arbitration as a “Super Two” player. Bellinger agreed with the Dodgers on a one-year extension of $ 11.5 million ahead of the 2020 season, setting a new record for players in their first year of arbitration.
According to Per Fangraphs’ player value estimates, Bellinger raised over $ 120 million in value for the Dodgers from his debut in 2017 through the 2019 season. Although these valuations are based on the market values of a single-year contract, it’s easy to see why rookie contracts and length of service have become such a point of contention in the upcoming CBA negotiations.
Bellinger is an extreme case. What makes his case even more extreme is Bellinger’s steep decline from MVP form after the 2019 season. Although production was canceled during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Bellinger and the Dodgers once agreed on a 1-year contract to get one Avoid arbitration. This time the deal was worth $ 16.1 million.
Then Bellinger’s production fell off a cliff in 2021. In an injury-ridden season, Bellinger scored 48 wRC + while cutting 0.165 / 0.240 / 0.302 in 95 games. However, there was hope that after his best career, Bellinger would return to form after the 2021 postseason.
Despite being an NLCS MVP in 2018, Bellinger’s post-season totals were well below average. However, last postseason, Bellinger made a few adjustments to his pre-pitch setup that could help him move forward.
For much of his major league career, Bellinger had one of the more unorthodox pre-game preps. He stood very close, almost with his feet together, and put the bat on his shoulder. When he started his first pull, he then tilted the barrel vertically and initiated his swing.
In the postseason, Bellinger stepped on the plate with similar foot positioning, but kept his club in that vertical position from the start and it seemed to help. Over 12 games in the 2021 postseason, Bellinger has lowered a career high of 0.353 / 0.436 / 0.471 and achieved a 147 wRC +.
By putting his hands where they would normally end up after his barrel tip, the reduction in pre-pitch motion seems to give Bellinger a more consistent path into the hitting zone, while at the same time allowing him to see the ball better. His regular season run rate was a low career low of 8.9% in 2021, but his post-season run rate rose back to 12.8%, which is more in line with his typical numbers.
Injuries and other factors may have contributed to Bellinger’s offensive battles, but it will be interesting to see if the adjustments to Bellinger’s line-up persist into the 2022 season. His tumultuous 2021 season resulted in a salary increase of only 5.59% in 2022, well below the 40% increase he saw from 2020 to 2021.
Before Cody Bellinger’s final year of arbitration and with a new CBA pending, Bellinger’s arbitration years were one of the most exciting arbitrations to come. A new CBA and bounce-back season could make things even more complicated between Bellinger and the Los Angeles Dodgers as they head into the 2022 off-season.
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