The Dodgers are backing off their pursuit of front-end starting pitchers, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
The Dodgers have been heavily linked to Jon Lester and David Price, but it appears now that the latter may not be traded at all, and the asking price for the former has been said to be sky-high. Multiple reports have indicated a hesitancy on the Dodgers’ behalf to part with top prospects Joc Pederson and Corey Seager, and it seems unlikely that they’d be able to land an ace without including at least one of those prized young hitters.
The Dodgers are said to be interested in other starters, however, including John Lackey. They were also linked to Padres closer Joaquin Benoit earlier this morning.
Thank god. Neither is worth gutting the farm.
Wait ’til they go to the Giants.
I can wait….
the Giants don’t have the prospects to acquire any of those three.
Well, with the Cardinals landing Masterson, Brewers, Orioles, and other teams backing off, and now this, the Pirates are looking like the probable favorites to land Lester.
Peavy plays for the Giants?
Oops. Meant Masterson. Edited.
yes he does
He’s going to get lit up for the Giants.
The Brewers and Cardinals both could swoop in and get Lester just so the Pirates can’t have him. Pirates may be favorite but that doesn’t mean much.
Boston won’t get Lester back, I’m sure there are many in their fanbase wondering if they care about saving money more then winning plus you have to wonder now what if any allegiance has to Boston after they were trying to trade him. No one is going to gut their farm for a 2 month rental who publicly stated he wants to return to the team that traded him, is value went way down after that.
Jon Daniels would do that!
What we need is a #3-esque starter (in case Haren keeps struggling and/or Beckett can’t recover from the injury) and a right-handed setup guy. Get these two and I’d feel pretty good about our chances for the rest of the year.
lackey and miller
I have no doubt they are or have kicked the tires on Colon… But again, not a necessity.
Great news. Both my teams are standing pat with their high impact prospects.
Let me put this in perspective. The Dodgers potentially go into a playoff series with it being Kerhaw/Greinke/Ryu/Kershaw. Sound awesome. However, if you face a lineup that can do damage late in games, it is necessary to ensure that there are zeroes for the first 7 innings. What are the chances it is Cardinals/Dodgers? Pretty good. What are the chances that the Cards get to Kershaw for a few runs. Even better. Now, it comes down to the other two. Does anyone remember last year? Lester is not a necessity. However, a guy who can keep the opposing to less than 3 runs per would be optimal given we get one shot at this. I am tired of being a bridesmaid.
But at what cost? The Dodgers and their fanbase don’t want to give up an elite prospect. Doesn’t seem like any team does for a 2 month rental.
The starting price was two. It will come down to one plus decent. Yes, it seems horrendous and probably is. However, chances like this come around very few times. The Dodgers have a chance to change their bridesmaid label once and for all. The WS is 7. Ryu is best with 5 days rest. On 4, he is mediocre at best. Do I want to give up Seager? No. May it have to happen? However, if the socks are willing to take Lee for Lackey, I would do the deal. Lackey costs 500k next year. Add in Lee’s 5 mil signing bonus and you just got a great number 4 for 5.5 mil per.
The dodgers have arguably the second best rotation in the game. If you sort pitchers by era+ and then fill rotations out Oakland has #6 in Kazmir, #11 in Gray, #16 with The Shark, #37 in Hammel and #40 with Chavez. Their entire staff consists of top 100 starters in the league. The only staff that gets near that is the dodgers. Kershaw is #2 #19 is Beckett, #20 Greinke, and our fourth starter Ryu comes out at #50, with Haren coming up the rear at #89. Most teams do not fit their entire rotation within the top 100 sp’ers in the league. I think we’re ok.
sorry didn’t give you stl. Wainwright comes in at #4, Wacha’s innings cuz of injury don’t qualify his era+ but if we decide to qualify him he’s right there with Greinke and Becket in low teens early 20’s, Lynn is 33 and Shelby Miller is the last one to cut it at 82.
I do not disagree we have a great rotation. However, I seem to remember a Phil’s rotation that looked unbeatable. How many WS did it win? You can never have enough pitching. Never. As a I said, I lust for another ace. I would be happy with a guy who can be behind Greinke. I do NOT want to see Beckett or Haren anywhere near the rotation in the playoffs. They are unreliable.
i agree with you but i guess i disagree with paying the amount of talent it’s worth to marginally improve a rotation that’s very good. Cliff Lee is not himself Phils have their own issues. Their starters are Hamels #10 but major dropoff if we assume Lee will in playoffs and be a top 10 pitcher (doesnt qualify because of lack of innings but would slot in late 50’s. Burnett is 72, Roberto Hernandez is 75 and Kendrick is 92. Plus Phillies will not be in the playoffs. No worries.
I was referring to the Phils when it was Hamels, Lee, Holladay, Worley et al.
yeah but that rotation doesn’t exist on any other teams in terms of comparable talent. Oakland’s trade to add 2 sp’ers was a very significant move in improving their club but we still match up with them well cuz i’d take kershaw Greinke and Ryu over cashmere, shark, and gray anyday.
i agree with you but i guess i disagree with paying the amount of talent it’s worth to marginally improve a rotation that’s very good. Cliff Lee is not himself Phils have their own issues. Their starters are Hamels #10 but major dropoff if we assume Lee will in playoffs and be a top 10 pitcher (doesnt qualify because of lack of innings but would slot in late 50’s. Burnett is 72, Roberto Hernandez is 75 and Kendrick is 92. Plus Phillies will not be in the playoffs. No worries.
you wont have to with the schedule. it will pretty much be the top 3 starters. don’t even need a fourth because of rest. Kershaw will pitch on short rest if things get bleak.
If Kemp, CC, and Hanley can stay healthy, then we have an offense that can handle Beckett or Haren going 5 innings (as we saw last night).
I would have focused on a catcher and a RP, but Guerrero and Joc should be a nice offensive boost at least.
Haren with some extra rest could also bounce back…he did last year.
I think out of the ways the dodgers could improve the team for playoff run, the bullpen would be my #1 priority followed by the defense, but especially shortstop. I would be so happy if HanRam volountarily moved to third to improve infield defense so they could go with Uribe (which would still be an improvement). What probably won’t happen but would be out of the box is put Guerrero at second Gordon into CF Uribe at short and HanRam at third. It’s like adding a hitter while improving the defense without giving up a hitter.
Bullpen is a problem. Despite our excellent starting pitching, it goes for naught when the bullpen lets other team back into it. We should overpay for solid bullpen arms. It would be more worth it.
I think what you’re saying is valid, but their are better options to improve the dodgers more for less cost in terms of giving up talent.
they just got a great glove who was cut by the cubs.he has no bat but he has the glove that hanley doesnt have
yes and he’s a good late inning substitution. but hanram just moving himself to third would do tons to improve the defense
The cards just landed Masterson, the Giants landed Peavy, and the Dodgers aren’t willing to trade their top chips for a 2-month rental player. Boston are trying to have the best of both worlds. They are trying to trade Lester for a teams top prospects, then resign him again at the end of the year, so they gain and don’t lose anything. That is why teams don’t trade top prospects for a rental. It is the equivalent of trading their top prospects for a thank you, nothing more from the team benefiting. Can you imagine all the collusion that would take place from the big market teams if they trade their guys for top prospects and then have an agreement in place to resign the player at the end of the year again. The top teams would get stronger and the rest of the league is weakened, since it creates an atmosphere of dishonesty. The only way around that is to provide a window to extend the player before the trade is official. no extension, no trade. It would prohibit players like Lester getting valuable players for the Red Sox, who in turn would resign him, plus have the prospects to boot.
Dodgers best acquisition thus far has been finding that once-lost soul Matt Kemp in their dugout.
yeah, he doesn’t have to be the mvp type anymore that carries the team. he has alot of help around him. yeah he’s overpaid but with ownership that’s not a big deal. being a grouch could be a problem, but if this hot streak keeps up it will be old history in a week or two. he’ll be happy and so will the dodgers if he starts producing
well yea the top 3 are set dodgers dont need to be philly 2.0 dodgers need to be smart and just get guys like tommy milone who could easily replace the hurting beckett
We need bullpen help far more than we need a front-end starter. And keeping our top 3 prospects should be a priority.
we dont need to be philly 2.0 dodgers have needs else were and ace like pitcher not one of them
can we get guys like tommy milone who would be the perfect 4th/5th starter for us
dodgers have the team that doesnt need to make a splash with trades, we just need little trades here and there that can improve spots of needs. it started with getting darwin barney not a big trade but a trade that helps fill a need