Is Keibert Ruiz Trade Bait?

Gavin Lux illustrates my general reasoning about the farm. He could have been given up on as a never gonna improve young ball player. But they saw something I didn’t and now he’s on everyone’s can’t miss list. I still have hope Alvarez matures into his awesome physical potential. I’m in a small group there but I’m nothing if not stubborn. Youngsters rise at different speeds and hit speed bumps at different levels. Scouts see something special in Ruiz and also in Cartaya, and even in Alvarez. And all I really know is what I read in the scouting reports. Though I have to admit Ruiz’s value is high in trades I doubt if any team in MLB is likely to give back what he may end up being worth. I like the trades that trade ok MLB players that are not fitting into the program… for good prospects. I think you probably know which trade I’m talking about.

Last night was a W and a W is a W, however, it wasn’t a very satisfying W because the Pads gave it away as much as we won it. It is so much better when we are clearly the better team and we go out and play like it. Maeda has trouble getting out of the first inning. In fact, it seems that the first inning is difficult for several of our starters. It isn’t necessarily that they give up runs, but to often they are making 20-24 pitches in the first inning which translates into a shorter outing and more pressure on the BP.

Lots of speculation going on here. There is no certainty in that. No one can say they should have, would have, if only they had…..we would’ve won. It’s nonsense and as grown ups we need to abandon this kind of thinking.

Of course, the Dodgers have made mistakes. Don’t let Mark hear this. There have been plenty of FA’s they’ve passed on and many would have made us a better team. TEAM, folks. This is a team game and no one player can claim responsibility for victory. When you have a Gibson type victory in the WS, that is not normal, but it can happen. The team had to get to that spot as a team or else Gibson would never have had that chance to do something special.

This season, someone or someone(s) is going to have an inspired playoff and victory. But it’s the team that needs to give them that chance. Turner has been that force for us for a few years now, but it is a lot to ask one player to do that all the time. We need some inspired playing come the playoffs. Even Las Vegas can’t be certain of the outcome but they are pretty darn good when picking winners. We’ve got a special team, lots of talent, and we need them to rise to the occasion, but will they? If they don’t, it’s on them. They are being given the chance, once again, to do something great. Will they find their way this time? I can’t answer that.

I surely don’t know how things will play out. I do like Will Smith as he seems to fit right in, seems to hit in the clutch and a good sign is when a hitter can go up the middle and to the opposite field. He also appears to be modest and has leadership skills. He is a converted shortstop so behind the plate doesn’t have to be his position forever in MLB.

“Smith has outstanding athleticism for a catcher and it translates into quality defense behind the plate. His average to solid arm strength plays as plus because he has quick footwork. With his soft hands and agility, he receives and frames well, and he also has shown he’s a capable third baseman and passable second baseman.”

” He also has solid speed and can steal an occasional base. ”

I also like Keibert and see no reason why he shouldn’t continue to improve as he progresses. Most guys don’t hit their peak at 21 or are playing at AAA at 21. I think next year will be pivotal for both Smith and Ruiz. For Will to see if the league has caught up to him, maybe we will see that in the next month, and to see how a full MLB season behind the plate goes. He is still very much on the learning curve. For Keibert to see how he continues to grow in a full season at AAA as he too is still on a learning curve. I don’t think it is an accident that his mentor, Travis Barbary, is the manager with the OKC Dodgers.

I also don’t think it is either/or with Smith and Ruiz. Why can’t we have both? Why does one have to be traded at this point while still in a growth spurt? I think the Dodgers have other trade options if a bullpen piece has to be acquired.

It is way too early to speculate on Diego Cartaya who is still 17. He made a good transition to the AZL this year. He already is 6’2″/199- pounds so has size behind the plate. He slashed .296/.353/.437 with the AZL Dodgers in his first experience stateside. He threw out 32% of would be base stealers.

Wow, Mark. Interesting. I think Will Smith is pretty good. He’s really good defensively and hitting with power. He can also play third. Based on everything Friedman has said in the past couple of years, they think highly of Smith. Good chance to continue to be the Dodgers catcher for many years. So what to do with Ruiz? Absolutely nothing. Let him continue to develop and see what happens. Good hitter, no question and the power will no doubt come. The fact that he’s a switch hitter is a plus. I suppose all this is probably centered on the trade deadline and the fact that the Dodgers made Ruiz available because they are loaded with catchers. But I wouldn’t trade Ruiz unless the return offered tremendous value. I get it that some people would trade the entire farm system to win a World Series, but I’m not one of them. The ultimate goal may be to win a World Series, but that has more to do with luck, a team getting hot at the right time or simply being better than everyone else … which doesn’t happen very often (The Red Sox last year, a couple of Yankee teams during their run and one of the Giants teams). Plus most trades really don’t move the needle. What the Dodgers have created is a team dominating the NL West over an extended period, which gives them an opportunity to win a World Series every season. It’s fun to win over the summer. If the Dodgers had won three Titles and we’re sitting where the Giants are right now, would any of us really be happy? A few I suppose. But I enjoy a summer where the Dodgers win 90 to 100 games. It’s fun. I enjoy watching Seager, Bellinger, Buehler, Smith and all the players the team refused to trade for a Hamel or Sale or any of the other “difference makers” of the day. It’s certainly okay to make deals, but everybody wants the elite players like Lux, Ruiz or a few years ago, Seager and Bellinger. Friedman has done a good job avoiding trading prospects who have become the core of a very successful team.

This talk of next season, and 59s mention of shed payroll got me wondering – how much are we gonna have to spend?

I guess that Ryu and Hill are gone, which gives us some flexibility.

There might be some old deals (Kemp springs to mind), that might expire?

I don’t think any of our young players need paying yet, although Joc is in his last year and could well be traded.

Freese and Gyorko are also gone.

Turner is gone after 20.

So, I guess we will have some money to spend.

We can presume that Lux takes over 2B, so there is no need there.

The Outfield looks set, as does the Infield, and Catcher, well we’re set there for the next decade.

So, I wonder where the freed up money will go?

Either way, we look set for a while yet, and that is probably AFs biggest achievement to date.

I believe that in this particular baseball era, a franchise needs to add at least a couple of star free agents, and/or obtain stars fro m other clubs by trading top prospects , Certainly not all of the top prospects. Nor is it feasible to have a team full of free agent signings and trade pieces. However, we d not have to worry about that here, because we are on the other end of the spectrum. We pass on every major free agent, and we never make a major trade for some other team’s star player. This is a combination of philosophy and desire for profits over titles.

I mentioned the Yankees the other day. They have a very smart GM, and they are willing to go all-out for the players outside their system which they think can help them. How did the Yankees become so strong in the last couple of years, probably better now than the Dodgers? They brought up the likes of Judge, but they picked up all sorts of players via free agency and trades. Boston won the title last year with players like Sale , Martinez, Price, Kimbrel. Houston made the biggest trade of all, the one which we refused to make, by obtaining Verlander. The reason the Dodgers didn’t go after him is because they didn’t want to pay his contract. This has cost us one title, and very possibly another this year. Imagine if we had Verlander and Houston did not. I think that this was one of the worst non-moves in Dodgers history, even though few talk about it now.

What does this have to do with the topic above? It is all of a piece, to me. Prospects are fun to see go through the system. But rarely does a team win a title with prospects alone. Most prospects are overrated out of wishful thinking. Also, if you won’t pay them after they are no longer cost controlled, they’ll leave, which might well happen with one or two of Bellinger, Seager, Buehler here. It’s not the 1950’s with the reserve clause. An ownership dedicated to winning titles for the fans will go after free agent or trade pieces when they become available, because their strongest competitors certainly will, and because each year matters, and windows for titles close. If we do not win the title for the 31st straight year, it will be because the Yankees or Astros or even Braves, made deals that the Dodgers declined to make, because we are obsessed with staying under the luxury tax threshold, and piling up prospects.

As for Ruiz, I hope he is very good. However, you do not need three catchers in the system, Since I’ve not once seen this Dodgers ownership put together a bundle of prospects to obtain a star player from another team, I don’t know what they are planning to do with all the prospects. Do we remember in a different era, when the Dodgers obtained via trade players like Wally Moon, Ron Perranoski, Claude Osteen, Andy Messersmith, Tommy John, Reggie Smith, Dusty Baker, Burt Hooten? A few of these were not stars when we got them, but some definitely were, or were good players for bad teams; and our front office carefully researched them,and was willing to give up prospects or even starting players to get them. We don’t do that around here now, it’s all about prospects and protecting payroll.

Speaking of Urias, how much longer until we see him again?

Yes, I would’ve traded Seager or Urias or anyone for a chance at Chris Sale or 2015 Cole Hamels or anyone else that could have gotten us a championship. I am more interested in championships than I am in hoarding prospects and yelling “wait till next year when that guy comes up!!”

Sure, our young players are studs, but I’d trade any one of them for a ring. As far as Will Smith, Buster Olney’s article the other day titled something like “Smith is the next Buster Posey” tells me Smith is more than just a backup or a utility guy.

I would’ve sent Ruiz plus any of you on this board to Pitt for Vazquez. It didn’t work out, and let’s hope the bullpen isn’t the main reason we are denied another ring in Oct.

After a while, it’s about titles. Not top farm rankings. Not “who’s the next stud to come up”. Get the title, or become the Buffalo Bills, with Kershaw playing the Scott Norwood role.

Making trades isn’t even a thought, as it’s too late to improve this team now. Andrew chose to stay in house for the stretch run, so to know what the needs are for next year may be bit premature. Anything can happen this off season. Stay tuned……

“The Dodgers have very few needs that cannot be filled in-house this off-season and AF will not make any dope-fiend moves.”

I agree with that but they do have needs. The bullpen. I mentioned a few relievers names yesterday.

As for Ruiz, yesterday during the game when Martin came up a couple times to extend the inning I was thinking I wish we had a backup catcher that could hit. I find myself thinking that a lot with both Martin and Barnes.

I hate the closer label and the saves stat that goes along with it. When someone becomes a “closer” and has success for awhile but then that success becomes less and less they don’t want to give up their spot because of not only ego but chasing the saves record.

Thank you AC,DC, and 2demeter2 for your great post on this site,wish one of you had one for today.

May I add #7, Gavin Lux.