The Dodgers paid the Marlins to take on Dan Haren’s salary and traded Dee Gordon in part to get Howie Kendrick, and Gordon has been one of baseball’s best players so far this season, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times writes. “I think this is kind of a fresh start for him,” says Haren. “I’ve been traded many times. You always kind of get a chip on your shoulder. You want to prove the other team wrong.” Gordon is hitting a ridiculous .437/.461/.521. Obviously, he won’t bat .437 or post a .491 BABIP over the course of a season, and May 9 isn’t the best time to judge offseason trades. But Gordon’s start would have helped the Dodgers (although Kendrick has played well), and Haren would have been a useful part in what’s been a banged-up rotation. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- Recent injuries to Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin show why the Athletics acquired so much starting pitching this offseason, John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group writes. The A’s got Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman in the Josh Donaldson deal, Jesse Hahn in the Derek Norris trade and Chris Bassitt in the Jeff Samardzija trade. Hahn is the only one of the four who’s made a significant impression so far, but the Parker and Griffin injuries could create opportunities for the other three.
- It might now be next to impossible for the Rockies to trade Carlos Gonzalez, FanGraphs’ Paul Swydan writes. Gonzalez’s ability to hit for power appears to have dwindled, and it will be difficult to interest other teams in a “broken down player” who will make $16MM this year and a total of $37MM in 2016 and 2017. Gonzalez will also receive a $1MM bonus if the Rockies trade him.
It’s funny, I was just looking at the Rockies record today and saw that they are 11-17 and CarGo is batting a buck ninety eight. That is not what I call exceptional value or having exceptional leverage. Quite frankly, I am surprised that CarGo is playing that poorly. Maybe, he just needs a change of scenery. However, you can file that under never if he is struggling that much.
I don’t think it’s time to give up on CarGo at all. He’s one of the most consistently productive players in the league, although he’s also consistently injured. He could fit well with the Angels, who need another impact bat and have an opening in LF– Joyce is just not cutting it.
It would be interesting to see what he could do in Anaheim. I wouldn’t pay more than 25 million of his remaining contract though. And only give up a minor prospect.
I’m sure Colorado would jump at that chance.
Thinking Colorado has to kick in 22-25 million of they were to try and move him right now and even get a mid ranked prospect back. And CarGo at 8 is a nice gamble for aby team that is struggling offensively.
I would do that trade as long as Heaney, Tropeano and Newcomb are not involved , but the thing I won’t like his taking on his contract.
Man everyone is always acting like the sky is falling. CarGo is just slumping. Andrew McCutchen was also hitting under .200 before a couple of days ago. Jay Bruce, Chase Utley, and Carlos Beltran are all also slumping. I very seriously doubt any of these players will be hitting anywhere close to the Mendoza Line by the end of the year.
What happened to all the people who were sure that Dee Gordon’s first half of 2014 was a fluke because it didn’t hold up through the second half? They all seem pretty quiet now.
BTW, A point of logic and order: the Dodgers could not have held onto Haren as depth, so the scenario suggested here of him being a “useful part” was basically not possible unless they wanted to use him out of the bullpen.
If Gordon finishes the year mvp and hits over .400 and the Dodgers win the WS, who wins the trade?
I don’t believe in the concept of “winning a trade.” If two teams get what they need from a trade, then both win. I wasn’t happy about the Gordon trade, but at least we got Kendrick in the deal, so no complaints there.