T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times talked to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti; here's the latest:
- Simers writes that "Frank McCourt has told Colletti that he will have the money needed to sign Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier to long-term contracts this off-season as well as the money required to compete in the free-agent market." Simers suggests one way to pull this off would be to engineer lower 2012 salaries for the players, but that'd happen naturally since all three are arbitration eligible. If they go through the arbitration process, Matt Swartz's work for MLBTR suggests salaries of $15.1MM for Kemp, $7.7MM for Kershaw if he wins the Cy Young, and $11.8MM for Ethier.
- Colletti told Simers James Loney has eased his concerns, but the team needs another bat. Strong work in the season's final two months has pushed Loney to a .287/.339/.412 line, which could lead to the Dodgers tendering him a contract. Earlier this month, Colletti talked about improving the Dodgers' offense in the "most dramatic way."
- Colletti hopes to add a veteran reliever, but not a closer. He expects to go with a combination of Kenley Jansen and Javy Guerra for the ninth inning next year. For all the latest on closing situations, be sure to check out CloserNews.com.
Another typically silly article from Simers is linked, but more substantial ones about the team are overlooked.
Hmm…if you’re saying we continually choose Simers’ stuff over better stuff, that’s a problem and not some weird choice we made. If you have a minute, please show me the more substantial ones we missed and I’ll figure out why they did not land on our radar.
Simers’ bad jokes aside, I do think there was real postworthy info in this article. I sure as heck wouldn’t post it just because it came from him.
I’d have to dig back for some of these, but just today for example the LA Times ran another piece on the bankruptcy case and the commissioner’s bid to have the team sold. What was said there is a whole lot more important than Simers’ latest prattling. Fans in LA are familiar with his style — he can’t report anything without being totally snide, and as in this column, he doesn’t actually report anything we haven’t heard already. Speaking as one Dodger fan at least, stories about Kemp chasing the MVP and Kershaw the Cy Young are also more relevant than anything Simers pretends to report.
It doesn’t matter to me that Simers isn’t a great reporter…he has Colletti saying he was told by the owner he has the money for multiple monster extensions. And if Colletti had previously specifically said he was not going to sign a closer, we missed it. Two completely newsworthy items, doesn’t really matter if the reporter has an attitude.
The day-to-day developments of the bankruptcy case are on the outskirts of our subject area at MLBTR. We might give readers some highlights but it is not something we’re providing a blow-by-blow on.
With all due respect, I think his reporting skills do matter. Colletti has made similarly vague statements about his ability to spend in the past, so this wasn’t news. I also don’t think anyone who follows the team expected them to be in the market for another closer, since they already have two. Simers is a master of the snide and the obvious. If you’d don’t believe me, take a look at his column today, where he spends several paragraphs discussing Matt Kemp’s interest in shoes (a real revelation), and also tells us that Kemp won’t be getting his vote for MVP, though he never actually says why. It’s sad stuff.
I realize that the bankruptcy case isn’t a front-and-center issue for you, and I’m actually happy about that. However the outcome of recent developments will determine how actively the Dodgers can participate in the offseason, so IMO that story easily out-rates another nasty and pointless column from Simers.
First and foremost make sure Kemp and Kershaw get paid. Trade Loney while his value is high. Trade Ethier. Get a 2B or 3B in return and a starting pitcher. Resign Rivera and Gwynn, they should be cheaper than Ethier. Play Sands opposite of Rivera/Gwynn, he’s cost effecient and has been showing positive signs lately. Resign Barajas as a backup to FedEx, he should be relatively cheap and FedEx is getting paid the minimum. We have low cost Gordon playing SS. Then sign Fielder to play 1B [notice how i say this last as to try not to lose all credibility too soon]. Then unfortunately we have Uribe to play 2B or 3B..
Pitching: Kershaw, SP, Billingsley, Lilly, Eovaldi. DeLaRosa in there somewhere towards the end of the year
I believe you lost the credibility when you suggested Loney has high trade value.
You apparently don’t watch Dodger games
as everyone knows, 2 months erases 4 years
No one does bro.
He’s got some trade value now, compared to nothing two months ago.
Can’t argue with extending the Killer Ks, but trading Ethier low is a bad idea. OF is probably going to be Sands, Kemp and Ethier (plus either Rivera or Gwynn, latter more likely). I like returning Barajas, which probably also means trading Ellis (must be close to out of options). We are stuck with Uribe but if he gets back to career averages he’ll be okay. I think we can forget about Fielder. I just don’t see the Dodgers doing a deal of the kind required. Even before the frankruptcy this wasn’t kind of signing this team has been known to do. That said I’ll let management worry about the payroll. We don’t know the team’s budget so that part is pure guesswork.
Still think trading Ethier is the way to go. I was going to put “b.c he’s a whiny [obscenity]” in my original post but decided against it. Maybe let him establish some value and trade him early on in the season? Was thinking the same as you with Ellis, put him in with Loney to get a better return? B.c I think he is out of options now, if he’s not he’s close to it. Was also thinking the same with Gwynn over Rivera if only one is signed. In resigning Gwynn you’re also resigning one of Fielder’s best friends. And it’s said that Kemp and Fielder have been chummy. Could be pretty good incentive especially if he’s looking for a long term deal. Could also work the other way in making Kemp happy. Win/win. If everyone is cheap around them it could work out with payroll
Heard the same thing about Kemp this time last year. Trading Kemp turned out to be the best thing Ned didn’t do. Having no real idea how next season will play out, I don’t have any opinion about stockpiling Ethier for trade during the season. I think we play him and hope for a rebound.
I’m thinking more about the cost of playing him vs the cost of playing Rivera/Gwynn in the hopes of a Fielder signing. If we go with Loney at first then I’m all for Ethier. Gotta wonder where the dramatic move to improve the offense is going to come from then
I guess, but I don’t concern myself with the team payroll budget. Too many variables about which none of us really know anything. We can use another impact bat but likewise I don’t see how they get it without going overboard. Actually, a healthy productive Ethier could be that bat.
Very true. If Ethier rebounds from this knee surgery and gets a multiyear deal to shut his mouth all we would need would be a 2B/3B and a SP if Kuroda doesn’t come back
The pen would require some work, but not a lot. People like to criticize Colletti (and sometimes he deserves it), but I think he’s right to like what he’s seen in this team in the second half. If it hadn’t been for the slew of injuries early in the season the Dodgers probably would have been competitive this year.
Jansen, Guerra, Lindblom, Elbert, Guerrier all come back. I think MacDougal deserves to come back at the right price. Then we’ve got some pretty good arms in the minors. I’d say that sounds pretty good if they can all pitch the way they are now. You can blame it on injuries and you’d probably have a pretty good argument but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we started winning once Loney started hitting/the acquisition of Rivera [production out of 1B], our bullpen started pitching better than last in the league, and then an injury that actually helped us in Uribe going down. All three of these started happening at about the same time
Also heard that from Simmers as well.. Dres trade value has droped huge. I am sure he will have a better year next year. A healthy inspired Dre with Kemp would be awesome. Also our Infield if we keep Jamie it will include Sellers (2nd), Uribe (2nd&3rd), Caroll (anywhere), Gordon(SS).. Looks like we are pretty set other then a power 1st baseman.. Pujols or Prince.. Or worst case some how make room for Aramis… That wouldnt be bad Ethier,Kemp,Aramis,Rivera..
Translation:
McCourt has told Colletti: “Yeah, of course you’ll have the money! I’ve got it all in the account right here…just have to move some funds around, y’know, pull out of a money market here, cash a bond there…you can hold this check for a couple years before depositing it, right?”
We dont need Pujos or Fielder for 10 years. Aramis Ramirez (if the 16mil mutal option doesnt happen) would fill a huge need at 3b. We could probably lock him up for about 3 years less than 50 mil. Then we would also need a SP to compliment Kershaw. Someone like Mark Buehrle or if we can resign Kuroda for a one year deal.
SS Gordon
1B Loney
CF Kemp
RF Ethier
3B Ramirez
LF Sands
C FedEx/Ellis or Barajas
2B Uribe/Sellers
SP Kershaw
SP Billingsley
SP Kuroda/Buehrle
SP Lilly
SP Eovaldi
w/ Rubby De La Rosa waiting till his recovery time from surgery.
Simers + Actual Reporting= Falling Sky Is Falling
And, where does Ned think he’s going to get all that money from?
I’ve gotta think that many free agents might not want to come to the Dodgers unless MLB can finally force McCourt out and get new, solid ownership for the team. I know that I sure wouldn’t want to sign with the team while MLB was threatening to suspend the Dodgers franchise.
Dodgers, they don’t have the money not even to sign Kemp long term, like 150MM for 7 years and Kershaw to play together for long time.Kemp after next year is going to be free agent.
In the month of September, Kenley Jansen has recorded 36 outs. Of those 36 outs, 29 of them were strikeouts.