Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that "there are strong indications" that the Dodgers have been given the go-ahead from owner Frank McCourt to add to the team payroll (if necessary) at the trade deadline. We heard earlier today that the Dodgers have $2-3MM "to play with" in terms of adding salary, but it's unknown as to whether or not this additional bump can account for an acquisition that doesn't move another major-league salary off of the roster.
Jackson lists several starters and relievers whom the Dodgers have shown some degree of interest in: Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, Dan Haren, Ted Lilly, Paul Maholm, Roy Oswalt and Ben Sheets. Jackson notes that Lilly and Maholm are both around the bottom of Los Angeles' wish list, and he notes the major payroll increases that would be necessary if Oswalt or Haren were acquired. Given McCourt's ongoing financial issues stemming from his divorce, it's safe to presume that whatever payroll increase the owner agrees to might be a short-term one for the rest of this season, rather than a multi-year commitment to a Haren or an Oswalt.
In terms of what prospects the Dodgers would have to give up to acquire any of these pitchers, Jackson says that shortstop Dee Gordon and righties Ethan Martin and Chris Withrow (the top position and pitching prospects, respectively, in the L.A. system) "are unlikely" to be dealt. Aaron Miller, however, is singled out as being "a hot commodity" apart from some other minor-leaguers that are attracting the interest of other teams. Miller, a southpaw taken 36th overall in the 2009 amateur draft, has a 3.10 ERA and a 9.9 K/9 ratio in just over a year as a professional and is currently pitching at Double-A.
While GM Ned Colletti says that "pitching continues to be our priority," he also noted that the Dodgers might look to acquire an outfielder in the wake of injuries to Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson. Fanhouse.com's Ed Price reports (via Twitter) that the Rays have "some interest" in Dodgers right-hander James McDonald and speculates that B.J. Upton could be a potential trade target if Los Angeles really wants to make a splash in its outfield. Obviously, given that the Rays have said that they aren't "selling low" on Upton, L.A. would need to add much more than just McDonald to the trade package.
how about kyle lohse for some used toilet paper and a rosin bag.
Maybe for the tp but not the rosin bag
fair enough. but their must be deferred payments of peanuts and cherry soda.
If we give you clean toilet paper, will you pay his salary?
Hopefully they dont have to give up Gordon, Withrow or Martin
I like Miller and Webster more than Martin, but i suppose Miller holds more value.
I don’t mind if either got traded, well I would like Miller more. Rubby is better than Webby, I’d cry if they traded Rubby.
Considering how much money the dodgers make, the fact that this is a story at all is pretty pathetic.
True!
pathetic = wonderful
especially for Padre fans
Pirate community is all about getting Dee Gordon. All about it.
Which is dumb because the only person the Dodgers have interest in is Maholm and since he kinda blows Gordon or any of the Dodgers top 10 prospects shouldn’t be considered for him.
Ok, not blows, but seriously, he’d be our freakin 5th starter…
Have a hard time believing that the Dodgers top 10 prospects are all so good that they wouldn’t be willing to give any one of them up for Paul Maholm, who is a good #3-4 on a good team.
Yeah, except for the fact that he’s a #6 on the dodgers, who are a good team.
I’m not sure you’re getting my point. Maholm is literally average. He is the best pitcher on the Pirates, and would be the FIFTH!!! best pitcher on the Dodgers. Who gives one of their top 10 prospects for a 5th starter? Not a smart person, that’s who.
I don’t have a problem trading any Dodger prospect (save maybe Sands), but it’s not gonna be for someone like Maholm, it will be for someone like Haren (or I guess I should say SHOULD…ugh).
Maholm is average at best, he’s a 4 at best.
On the Dodgers, he’d barely be the # five, and only because a few younger, more upside-laden pitchers haven’t had as much experience or time to prove themselves.
They’re delirious from the decade+ streak of losing seasons.
I read that alot last year in the days leading up to Sanchez-Alderson deal. I don’t know if the Pirates will get Gordon or not, but I’m not sure If they’ll trade Maholm for much less.
I’m sure the dodgers would rather add a pair of other top 10 prospects and get a real pitcher than get Maholm. In our rotation, he’s a 6th starter, assuming the FO trusts Ely enough to let him pitch.
I don’t see the Rays dealing Upton for a prospect package. Sure they’ve got Desmond Jennings in the minors, but I think if they deal Upton then they’d want a big bat in return.
I think they’d be in a very good place if they packaged Davis or Garza with Upton for Prince.
Call up Hellickson and you won’t miss the pitching… call up Jennings and you won’t miss Upton and they get Prince.
Manny and McDonald for Upton lol
he said big bat. not broken bat.
but next year you lose crawford. I thought Jennings was crawfords replacement not uptons.
You’re right, but the Rays are dangling Upton so they must be willing to see him (and Crawford go as well). Maybe they sign an OF this offseason or try and tie up Crawford. It’s not like Crawford’s chances at winning a World Series will go up significantly somewhere else (even the Yankees).
I’d say that they maybe they make a move for Werth and keep Jennings in the minors until next year, but I don’t see them having the funds to keep Werth or Prince longterm.
Still think that a big bat like Prince will make them perhaps the favorite to win the AL pennant this year. Sometimes you gotta roll the dice and go all out 1 year.
The asking price for Werth is ML ready pitching prospects.
I don’t understand why the Jays are intrigued by McDonald, Rays have too much pitching. Manny + McDonald for BJ, hey I love the sound of that!
I’d donate a kidney if it helped the Dodgers to deal for Upton.
Do you realize BJ Upton has an OPS of .696 for the 2009-2010 seasons? .696!!!
Xavier Paul has a .703 OPS in his limited (and extremely unimpressive) major league career. Reed Johnson has a .725 OPS over the last two seasons.
BJ had a good season in 2007, but he’s dropped like a rock ever since. He’s batting .230, which on the Dodgers would put him just above Ronnie Belliard. His .319 OBP is decent considering his awful batting average, and would tie him for 9th on the Dodgers. He has one asset right now, speed, which should make him about as useful as Juan Pierre was.
BJ Upton would be nice if he’d bump Garret Anderson off the team, but my god, to suggest he’d be more useful even than an oft-injured Manny Ramirez is, well…
I’d take him if it were in exchange for, say, James McDonald and Jamie Hoffmann… but to include any top prospects or Manny Ramirez would be dumb. Unless it was for salary relief. If the Rays want to take on Manny’s salary and we’re just calling it a season, fine.
But Manny will be much more useful down the stretch than Upton.
The Dodgers should replace Martin with Sands. Sands is the only Dodger prospect with legit power.
Pirates fans are delusional that they want Dee Gordon AND and MLB-ready starter for Maholm. If the Dodgers had an MLB-ready starter, no one would be talking about Maholm..
The 2nd part of this is completely true.
Sands catches?
He means Ethan Martin. He’s saying that Ethan Martin shouldn’t be a protected prospect while Sands should.
Yup. In my opinion: Withrow and Sands should be labeled un-tradeable.
My apologies on the previous post. I agree with you completely. Sands looks like the real deal
He means replace Ethan Martin with Sands on the list of untouchable ish Dodger prospects.
Jonathan Garcia is more raw but has more upside than Sands. I’d say we should let Sands go in the right deal because other teams are more likely to overrate him.
You’re right. I agree that Jon Garcia has more upside, but he won’t see the big leagues until 2012 or ’13. Sands has a chance to come next year, maybe not start from the beginning, but the way he’s raking in AA, I don’t see how he shouldn’t replace Manny next season. He crushed a HR today, 9 HR’s in 25 games. Unreal.
That’s why i say we trade him. He’s the most ML-ready hitter we have with upside. He holds a lot of value.
Who will be our outfield in 2012? Just curious..
No idea. Could be a mixture of Kemp/Ethier/FA Signings/Paul/Hoffman/Sands/Garcia/Russell.
I don’t believe we’ll get Kemp AND Ethier.
Depends on what we do with our other impending FAs. If we don’t bother with loney/martin, then we might manage.
Robinson and Lambo figure to have a shot as well
.260 in AA is not encouraging sign for Lambo. He seems to have hit his ceiling for now. Trayvon Robinson may be a different story. He could be a solid outfielder. Not a star mind you, but solid.
You think he hit his ceiling at 21? I think not. He also was hitting very well before his pot suspension. Since his return, not so much, but I am banking on him rebounding at some point.
If the dodgers want to make a splash in their outfield, B.J. Upton isn’t how to do it.
Why not? As much talent and potential as you can get, only 25 and affordable. Who would be better?
He could benefit from being taken out of the AL East.
who wouldn’t?
That is the point.
Thank you.
Oh come on. Don’t buy that ESPN hype.
I suppose Adrian Beltre would be batting .400 and not just .336 if he got out of the AL East? Or maybe Robinson Cano would be batting .395 instead of a paltry .332? Crawford would certainly be hitting in the .380 range instead of that mediocre .317. Youkilis, Swisher, Longoria and Ortiz would probably have OPS in the 1.100 range instead of the mediocre .900s, right?
Forget that the Orioles have the worst pitching staff in the AL, and the Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox are 6th, 8th and 9th in team ERA respectively (out of 14 teams).
The only team in the AL East with solid pitching is the one that BJ Upton is on.
Disagree. Defense will be a big step higher. And I like BJ’s upside.
I agree. An OPS of .696 for the 2009-2010 seasons? .696!!!
Xavier Paul has a .703 OPS in his limited (and extremely unimpressive) major league career. Reed Johnson has a .725 OPS over the last two seasons.
BJ Upton does NOT help a contending team this season. He might reach his potential someday, but to dream he’s going to do it just by changing uniforms is dumb.
Jamie Mccourt here’s rumor of this and waves her Finger ” Nuh – Uh” – Frank recants 2-3 Million statement 5 minutes later
The judge in the McCourts divorce proceedings is ready to force the McCourts to sell the Dodgers because they can’t come up with attorneys fees and other case related expenses and suddenly they have $2-3 million left to go and trade for a player?Do they really think we are stupid or uninformed?If the Dodgers are more than 8 games out at the deadline, which at this point is very possible, I can see them being SELLERS, not buyers.
B.J.? Why not make a slightly bigger splash and go for Crawford… Certainly if they want JMac TB can agree on something for a rental. Too bad Manny is DL’d, because he’d only go to his ultimate 2011 destination 4 months early anyway. Edit on Manny: Are August waivers inter or intraleague (it used to be an issue in the past)?
This is ridiculous. How long does it take to settle a divorce. Seriously. I’d be pissed if I were a Dodger fan. Hey I got an idea, she gets half, you half, DONE DEAL.
Hopefully it goes on til next year’s trade deadline – and drives the Dodger payroll down to $1. If they split the team (split the baby), neither one of them can pay off the other for their half, since all the money (what little is left) is tied up in the team.
If you haven’t read this article, you should
link to sports.espn.go.com