The Dodgers might be able to take advantage of a productive season from Andre Ethier to clear a logjam in their outfield and add pitching, Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests. Ethier is in the midst of a resurgent .276/.361/.459 season, so now might be a good time to deal him and move Carl Crawford back into a starting role. The approximately $46MM remaining on Ethier’s contract would likely still be an obstacle. But Sherman suggests there might be a match with the Angels. In one scenario, the Angels could send the Dodgers C.J. Wilson, who has about $28MM remaining on his own deal. There aren’t any specific rumors connecting the Angels and Dodgers, and a deal involving Wilson and Ethier would surely be complex, due to the contracts involved. The Angels have, however, reportedly recently shown interest in another lefty hitter, David Murphy, and they’re about to get Jered Weaver back from the DL. So perhaps Sherman’s idea isn’t that far-fetched. Here are more quick notes from around the big leagues.
- Reds players knew to expect the team to trade Johnny Cueto, but the team’s trade of Cueto to the Royals for three left-handed pitchers still stung, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. “Shocking is not the word, but it’s kind of a blah feeling,” says Jay Bruce. “Because everybody anticipated it happening, but for it to actually happen and someone I’ve personally known for 11 years now, just poof, gone.” Bruce, of course, is himself a candidate to be traded this week, along with Mike Leake and perhaps others. It can be easy to forget that the trades we outsiders discuss so matter-of-factly do affect the players on a personal level.
- In contrast, the Mets are excited to have the newly acquired Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson on their side, Tyler Kepner of the New York Times writes. “That versatility is enormous, to keep key, quality players on the field,” says Mets manager Terry Collins. “It’s hugely enormous.” As Kepner points out, that might be an overstatement, but the Mets are getting help, or are on the verge of getting it, from Uribe, Johnson, returning players Jenrry Mejia (suspension) and Travis d’Arnaud (elbow), and newly promoted top prospect Michael Conforto. The Mets do have reasons to be hopeful. “I’ve been in Chicago, and nobody’s thinking like Chicago’s winning. I’ve been in San Fran, and nobody’s thinking like San Fran’s winning. And they win,” says Uribe. “In baseball, you never know what could happen.”
Since when is money any obstacle for the Dodgers?
Seriously that’s the least of our worries
It is more a question of how much money the Dodger are willing to include in the trade. The Angels would probably want about 18 MM dollars included in the deal to balance out the two contracts.
Considering Ethier’s current production, his contract doesn’t look so onerous. Not nearly so much as before he started the season. Still no doubt the Dodgers would be willing to sell him at a steep cash discount if that gets them a useful player.
The problem is – Carl Crawford isn’t very good. Replacing Ethier with Crawford is an immediate downgrade – regardless of finances and rotation implications.
Crawford is okay when he isn’t hobbling. None of his recent injuries seem to be chronic but collectively they raise questions. The advantage of Crawford is he can bat at the top of the order, a real problem area for the Dodgers right now. The disadvantage is he can play only LF.
Neither of the two can play left field adequately. Ethier had two very bad plays July 11th, which IMO cost the game to the Brewers. Crawford doesn’t run as well as before and his arm is very weak. I love them both because they’re Dodgers but give Van Slyke a full season in LF, I bet he’d hit .275/30/100.
Crawford runs well enough now to cover his position and if he ever got to play another full season he could easily steal 30 bases. No point in comparing him to five years ago. Weak arm though as you say, which limits him to LF. Ethier is useful because he can play all three OF positions.
I see your point, Crawford could steal 30 bases in a full season, but it’s not going to be with the Dodgers. I’ve heard new upper management doesn’t believe in stealing bases. I’m not on board with Ethier in LF, although I see the only option is LF, unless Pederson gets injured or Puig gets benched/injured/traded. Still though, I’d guess I’d rather see Ethier in LF than Crawford. Both outfielders have shined in their moments in Dodger history, Ethier in 2009, and Crawford in the playoffs last year.
I think Ethier is more valuable to us than Wilson tbh. He wouldn’t be a big upgrade over the current the rotation
CJ has pitched very well this year. Really, other than last year, he’s been a very consistent pitcher. That would hold a ton of value for the Dodgers imo.
Possibly. But I don’t think he’s worth giving up Ethier cos you could say the same thing about him and he’s far superior to Crawford. Plus there are better pitchers available (even without including price and hamels)
If they can’t get Price (the guy the really want) then I’d rather see them try and get 2 mid rotation rentals say like Gallardo, Leake, Latos… That kind of tier, which if they can get them cheap enough maybe leaves room to add someone to handle the 8th, Clippard maybe although his price maybe a bit high after acquiring two starters
Trade makes no sense for the Angels.
They take on an additional $18MM and lose a starting pitcher? Don’t think so.
I’d love to see a Wilson for Ethier trade. Ethier would be a great fit with the Angels. Having Calhoun/Trout/Pujols/Ethier hitting 2/3/4/5 would be dangerous. And then Weaver can come back and take CJs spot in the rotation.
CJ has pitched well this year and I think he would be a good addition to the Dodgers rotation. Plus AL pitchers always seem to do better when they get traded to the NL. Then they can use a Crawford/Van Slyke platoon in LF which is a downgrade but still serviceable.
Leake would help, and I really like the way Latos has been throwing since coming back from the DL. His numbers on the year look ugly, but something was clearly not right with him at the beginning of the season. He’s really turned it around, his velocity is back, and he looks like normal now. He’s throwing like a #2 starter right now. The Dodgers clearly have history with the Marlins in making trades. I think something could work there. I don’t really want CJ Wilson, he’s just a maddening, nibbling pitcher, and one game he might look unhittable and another game he can’t get out of the 4th inning. And I really don’t want Gallardo, who has a SIERA well over 4 and has clearly benefited from some good luck this season.
Agreed
Wonder if both teams would consider something like Van Slyke and a prospect in the range of something like Johan Mieses for Leake?
Possibly on the Dodgers end given that Guerrero could easily move into Van Slykes platoon role
Van Slyke is a fit for the Reds in that he’s cheap, controllable through the end of the 2019 season, and can slide into Byrd’s slot for the remainder of the year when he is traded. And he can buy some time until the young guys are already (Winker, Waldrop.)
Being a Reds fan I’d love to have Van Slyke. Reds will be pushing outfielders out, via Bruce or Byrd or both. I think the Dodgers would benefit from having power from the left side of the plate. But he’s only played right field in his career, while Byrd can play all three.
With the way the Padres are trying to shed salary (apparently), and with as many good young arms that they have in their bullpen, I wonder if the Dodgers could try something unconventional and take on both Kimbrel and Benoit. Kimbrel will be making $11MM next season and then $13MM in ’17. And the rest of Benoit’s $8MM salary is something that the Padres surely will be looking to move, since they are pretty much out of contention and Benoit will be a free agent. If the Dodgers go the less-costly route to acquire a starter (say, a Mike Leake or Jesse Chavez or just something that profiles as a #4 starter), maybe they would be willing to part with at least one high-end prospect (De Leon?) to assemble an amazing bullpen. Just a thought.
I don’t think so cos at this stage Anderson would start game 3 which you don’t really want. And in reality they really need two starters to avoid forcing Kershaw out there on short rest
Sorry i think I might have misinterpreted this. Its plausible, I still think they’d need another starter. Having both Jansen and Kimbrel competing for the ninth might cause some friction cos either way one of them is going to be pissed off.
Based on what happened with the Kemp trade, the Padres owner might not allow Preller to make another trade with Friedman / Zaidi.
There certainly is a human element to trade season, but atleast players can dry their tears with $100 bills