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Dodgers Need A Shortstop
Rafael Furcal's contract year is not going as planned. It started out well, but now back surgery will sideline him at least two more months. Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News expects Dodgers GM Ned Colletti to survey the market for shortstops, even though he has no leverage.
Back on May 26th, we rattled off some possibly available shortstops. We can cross Alex Gonzalez off the list, and it sounds like the Nationals intend to keep Cristian Guzman. One available player omitted from the list is Juan Uribe.
The best attainable shortstop is probably Jack Wilson. Wilson, 30, is hitting .316/.357/.368 in 148 plate appearances since coming back from a strained calf. He has no-trade protection for six teams, and is signed through '09 with a '10 option. Chin-lung Hu would be a strong offer. The Wilson idea is pure speculation on my part; any Dodgers or Pirates fans want to weigh in?
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maybe theo can convince colletti to take back lugo.
id rather see jed lowrie out there...
Posted by: crunch17 | July 03, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Yeah Pierre for Lugo
Looks like the White Sox don't have to kill off Uribe after all. Felipe Lopez should be available.
Posted by: gogopalehose | July 03, 2008 at 08:28 AM
What does this do to Furcal stock as a free agent this winter? Will this drive down his contract as clubs will be worried about this health?
Posted by: Matt Siegel | July 03, 2008 at 08:31 AM
What about Jhonny Peralta and Sabathia? I don't know if the Dodgers would be interested in Peralta but I thought that Sabathia has been mentioned in connection to the Dodgers.
Posted by: jessethebody | July 03, 2008 at 08:33 AM
I don't see why the Indians would trade Peralta. They need all the offense they can get, and they need a third basemen too.
Posted by: gogopalehose | July 03, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Yes, please take jack wilson
Posted by: Michael | July 03, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Eckstein could be traded. THing is he is a type B FA so would get back a supplemental round pick, which is always handy.
Also, the Jays are looking for a shortstop for Burnett.
http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Baseball/2008/07/03/6050686-sun.html
Posted by: Guitar Hero | July 03, 2008 at 08:35 AM
I doubt Jack Wilson will be traded unless we got a quality starting pitcher and a suitable SS in return. As usual, the bucs will be sellers at the deadline, but our best backup at SS is Brian Bixler and he isn't ready to start full time yet, if ever.
Posted by: ryanbrogz | July 03, 2008 at 08:45 AM
The Pirates will look to trade Wilson at the deadline. He makes way too much money for a small market team and isn't the best hitting or fielding shortstop out there
Posted by: DunkUntoU | July 03, 2008 at 08:53 AM
I was going to suggest sending Peralta and Sabathia to the Dodgers, but it looks like jessethebody beat me to it.
gogopalehose-there are many reasons why the Indians would trade Peralta. Inconsistant bat, lousy defense, attractive contract to other teams, Asdrubal is in line to take his job at short (and Peralta is unproven at 3rd)...I'm having trouble thinking of any reason to keep him.
The Dodgers (or some other team) might want him though, because he can play short (not well, but perhaps well enough for some teams), and he definitely has the potential to be very good offensively. Also, like I said, he has a very reasonable contract.
Posted by: Krambo42 | July 03, 2008 at 08:56 AM
No offense ryanbrogz, but why would anyone give up a quality starting pitcher for Wilson, much less with a replacement SS for the Bucs? Wilson is not a good player, why would anyone give up that much for him?
Posted by: pageian | July 03, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Ned Colletti doesn't really work that way. He's not gonna make a trade like that with Nomar coming back. Colletti could also recall Ramon Martinez from Las Vegas. But I like the Jack Wilson idea. Maybe the Dodgers shift their plans for next year. They'll need to middle-onfielders now. Orlando Hudson, Orlando Cabrerra?
Posted by: jskohl | July 03, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Stairs and Eck for a big mac combo!
Posted by: Dev0 | July 03, 2008 at 09:25 AM
I don't know if I see Kenny trading Juan Uribe right now. If he does, he will save the rest of his 4.5M salary, but I don't know if it is worth it. If Juan is traded, the only backup for 3b,2b, and SS is Pablo Ozuna. They could bring up Fields, he only plays 3b, or Richar, who only plays 2b (as far as I know).
With Juan on the bench, the Sox have a capable backup 2b & SS, who could play 3b in a pinch. He also is a power threat, not so much average, as a pinch hitter as well. I'm not sure the return/savings would be worth what they are losing this year.
Posted by: WhiteSoxFan | July 03, 2008 at 09:44 AM
What about Bill Hall?
Posted by: Lidocaine | July 03, 2008 at 10:17 AM
how about jerry hairston from the reds he has been great this year
Posted by: redsfan | July 03, 2008 at 10:29 AM
In response to Michael, you clearly are a moron if you consider yourself a Pirates fan. The dozen or so games we suffered without him proved there are no internal replacements.
Jack Wilson may not merit a quality big league starter (although Jimmy Leyland may argue), but to say "he is not a good player" is a pretty ignorant statement. He's been in the top 5 defensively since he's arrived in the Bigs and has hit .286 since '04. He never drew many walks and no one accused him of having a ton of pop, but he plays with a lot of heart, and would be valuable to a handful of teams. He may not be the uber-shortstop of today's game, but he still plays the game it was meant to be played.
Posted by: bucs_lose_again | July 03, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Pirates and Dodgers have identical records. Dodgers are a team of many old/broken/disabled parts. Maybe it is time for this team to regroup and revamp.... go younger. Trading for Wilson does not make sense for either team. Wilson is one of the best hitting shortstops in baseball, a team leader, and fields his position well. No chance!
Posted by: Arthur3 | July 03, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Pirates and Dodgers have identical records. Dodgers are a team of many old/broken/disabled parts. Maybe it is time for this team to regroup and revamp.... go younger. Trading for Wilson does not make sense for either team. Wilson is one of the best hitting shortstops in baseball, a team leader, and fields his position well. No chance!
Posted by: Arthur3 | July 03, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Pirates and Dodgers have identical records. Dodgers are a team of many old/broken/disabled parts. Maybe it is time for this team to regroup and revamp.... go younger. Trading for Wilson does not make sense for either team. Wilson is one of the best hitting shortstops in baseball, a team leader, and fields his position well. No chance!
Posted by: Arthur3 | July 03, 2008 at 10:49 AM
"Felipe Lopez should be available."
yes, please take flopez. please. he could use a change of scenery and the nats could use anyone who's willing to play hard.
Posted by: greg | July 03, 2008 at 10:49 AM
I'm a moron for suggesting the pirates, who are a small market team and who are always complaining about financial restraints, suggest that they trade a defensive minded shortstop who makes 6.5 million this season, 7.25 million next season, and has an 8.4 million club option for 2008? Maybe I should have elaborated what I meant but he is overpaid for what he does and for a struggling small market team, those funds could be put to better use.
I know he is a good defensive shortstop and he plays with heart but where has that gotten the pirates lately? I think it's time for the "new" owner and new management group to move on from the littlefield regime and correct their mistakes.
Posted by: Michael | July 03, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Wilson for Hu would benefit both teams. I would expect someone in addition to Hu for Wilson, maybe May or a pitcher. Wilson is undervalued as a player. He is a top 5 ss defensively and lately has been hitting very well. The Dodgers wouldn't need him to hit very much, just play solid defense. A change in scenery will fire him up and will energize the Dodgers. As a lifelong Pirates fan I would love to see Jack play for a contender. They would need to get back a replacement for him or in another trade. Hu would be just fine.
Posted by: Newmie | July 03, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Dodgers should probably be sellers at this point. They are buyers only because of how weak their division is, but they are nuts if they think they can advance past the first round of the playoffs...if they even make the playoffs.
Dewitt/Laroche at 3rd, no SS, an ailing pitching staff, Kent has to be due for a DL trip at some point this season and they just lost Pierre for 2 weeks who was actually one of their most productive players.
This team is not one or two trades away from a championship this year.
Posted by: baxter4218 | July 03, 2008 at 11:31 AM
It's time for an Angels-Dodgers trade.
The Halos have Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis, both of whom can play outstanding SS and hit. Either of them can and should be starting, so why not ship one of them to the Doyers?
I don't know who the Halos would want in return, but it is possible
Posted by: bseballcrzy17 | July 03, 2008 at 11:44 AM
"Wilson is one of the best hitting shortstops in baseball"
I don't see that. Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Derek Jeter, Jimmy Rollins, Michael Young, Miguel Tejada, Troy Tulowitzki, I'd even take Ryan Theriot over him. So top 10 is one of the best? Even if you take all of his career highs and put them in one season, it's still not better than any of these guys single seasons (other than theriot, but I think he has more upside).
Posted by: John Difford | July 03, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Humm, I got an idea for the Dodgers SS position ~ anyone but Angel Berroa!!! Stephen Hawking would be a better SS candidate than this buffoon; and why they ever allowed him to put on the uniform is beyond me… The simple fact that they traded anything more than a single-A promotional bobble-head and are paying anything more than 5-bucks a month is a testament to how stupid the FO actually is ~ and all because Hu didn’t hit enough for them in his rookie season? News flash Colletti, at least Hu hit like crap with perfect fielding, making him 50% better than this tool you brought in…
…sorry, just had to get that off my chest…
Posted by: darkstar1661 | July 03, 2008 at 12:36 PM
as a dodger fan i don't think they are going to do anything..... They are just going to wait for nomar to come back and stick him at short.....
Posted by: chris | July 03, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Perhaps I was quick to label you moron, but that was merely because the context you used made it sound like Jack is the problem with the Bucs. Far from it. He's been the face of the franchise ever since Giles left and has always been great to the fans. If the rest of the sh!t ballclub played like him and Minty (lookin at you Paulino, Sanchez, and LaSuck) we'd have a far better product on the field.
Also as I've stated numerous times, we cannot use Rivas/ Gomez at SS the rest of the year. Believe me, I don't have the same pipe dream as a lot of Bucs fans who think we can compete this year, we can't. But to forfeit Jack would easily be equivalent to us eating another 5 losses this year, not to mention the additional alcohol neccessary to stomach another PBC season.
Posted by: bucs_lose_again | July 03, 2008 at 01:34 PM
is it too far fetched to think we could go:
la roche, ethier, hu for holliday and barmes?
Posted by: jewofa | July 03, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Wilson would probably welcome the move, given that he is from Southern California. That said, if Nomar can stay healthy, he make sense doing a Kent-esque schedule at SS with Maza, who has played sparkling defense and can hit, spelling both of them. If they do want Wilson, I see him being work Hu straight up or a couple B level minor league arms.
"Dodgers are a team of many old/broken/disabled parts. Maybe it is time for this team to regroup and revamp.... go younger."
The Dodgers are also a team of many very talented young players who are, despite their subpar record, only 1.5 games out of the NL West lead.
"I'd hate to lose lowe/penny, but we our team ERA isn't the issue, it's runs scored..."
The offense appears to be waking up. 15 runs in 2 1/3 games now.
"LaRoche, Lowe/Penny for Beltre."
Um, why? Beltre had 1 really good year. At this point, his numbers are comparable to DeWitt, who has been in a slump. DeWitt is even better defensively at this point. Why would you trade a blue chip prospect like LaRoche and a solid number 2 like Lowe or last year's ace for that? Oh, and there is a huge difference between $12.9 million a year and $390 thousand or so.
Posted by: AA | July 03, 2008 at 02:05 PM
"When you say his numbers are compared to dewitt, I hope you talking about the number of letters in their first name, because those are the only common numbers."
I am talking about this year. Their numbers are not all that different, and that is after DeWitt has been in a slump and Beltre on a hot streak. Defensively, it isn't even a contest. DeWitt wins on RF, FP, RF9, the whole kit and kaboodle.
"Beltre would provide power, great defense, and the ability to man SS, if needed."
The ability to man SS? What the hell are you talking about? Beltre has played a grand total of 14 innings at short in his ML career. DeWitt can play emergency short as well, and the Dodgers have designated him as such. Big deal.
Posted by: AA | July 03, 2008 at 02:42 PM
Beltre is just a horrible fit! I mean, the guy generally cant get on base to save his life and all the homers in the world wouldnt make that THAT valuable to the Dodgers ~ but he doesnt hit all the homers in the world, he only has 25-ish HR power. Add to it a contract you would expect to see on a true super-star and you have a horrible fit for a team lacking offense.
Posted by: darkstar1661 | July 03, 2008 at 02:50 PM
"I mean, the guy generally cant get on base to save his life"
Actually, what the Dodgers really need is contact hitter who can move guys over and deal with RISP.
Posted by: AA | July 03, 2008 at 02:59 PM
But they also need people on base which they can move over to begin with, and that wont be Beltre…
Posted by: darkstar1661 | July 03, 2008 at 03:43 PM
The Dodgers would be lucky to get Jack, the question is, what will they do with him when Furcal ges back? Will he stay and Furcal not be re-signed next year? I think that Hu and a good young pitcher would do it. Also, a misconception floating around in these comments is that the Pirates are looking to dump salary. Not true. They are financially fine. And if the right deal for Jack doesn't come along, they will pay him the rest of his contract.
Posted by: Deal_Nothington | July 03, 2008 at 04:27 PM
If J.J. Hardy is available, what would it take to get him?
Wilson would be okay, but I don't understand why some of you are saying that he won't need to hit for the Dodgers.
Umm, actually, that's what we DO need in a SS. If we're looking for a guy to field the ball, we'll keep handing the job over to Luis Maza.
Anyway, I don't know if Hardy is available or not, but if he is I want Ned to pursue this.
Posted by: jumanjifan01 | July 03, 2008 at 04:51 PM
I'm a big fan of Hardy and would enjoy seeing him out there, But i think nomar can do what we need. Given the opportunity to Play everyday, i think he would be a good fit. Stick him in the 6 or 7 slot and let him bring in some guys.
as much as i want to make the playoffs, i don't want to trade away guys for a rental player to fill a injured position. I would rather see the dodgers build for this year and beyond. However, with Moron colletti at the helm, look for something to happen. I must say, good job to him on getting berroa and making the royals take all of his contract, and the buyout for the end of this year for a class a prospect.
Wouldn't mind seeing Dunn, bay, or Holliday in dodger blue though. But really, i don't see any shortstops out there that would be any better than nomar. Maybe some with better range....
Posted by: DodgerBlue | July 03, 2008 at 06:19 PM
Need i remind everyone that Wilson nearly hit .300 last year and is hitting .316 in '08 and batting .359 in his last 10 games?! I'd take that over the following...
Hu: .159
Maza: .225
Berroa: .194
and yes i know that Wilson has no homers this year but out of those 3 they only have 1 combined. So make that deal and im still crossin my fingers on a Kemp/Holliday swap...
Posted by: INABRADMOOD | July 03, 2008 at 10:08 PM
people should stop talking about trading pierre, hes in a long term contract, and buying him out of it wont do the dodgers any good to trade him.
howeveri could easily see repko, sweeny, laroche, berroa, troncosso, meloa, hu and kemp/ethier on the block for the dodgers to trade for a big bat and/or sabathia
Posted by: DodgerFanMan | July 04, 2008 at 01:40 AM
. . . or a shortstop
Posted by: DodgerFanMan | July 04, 2008 at 01:43 AM