L. A. Dodger Trades The Good and the Bad.

Since the deadline is just a few days away, I thought it might be fun to look back on some of the trades the Dodgers have made over the years. Some were significant in helping the team win, others, well they just were not all that good or popular.

Winter: 1958 On the 4th of December, the Dodgers sent Gino Cimoli to the Cardinals for OF Wally Moon and P Phil Paine. Cimoli had broken in with the Dodgers in 1956. In 1957 he hit .293. But he dipped to .246 in 1958. Moon, a former ROY in 1954. He also had a down year in 58, batting only .236. This was after 4 years of being over .290. Paine was 5-1 with the Cards in 58, but never pitched for the Dodgers. In fact, 1958 was his last season in the majors. On the 2nd of April, 1959 they received back SS Maury Wills from the Tigers. It was the second time Wills had been returned to the organization. In 58, he was returned from the Reds. It was not a huge move at the time, but it would become one of the best moves made.

In June, at the deadline, yes the deadline used to be June 15th, they traded Inf. Dick Gray to the Cardinals for OF Chuck Essegian, and P Lloyd Merritt. Another seemingly under the radar move that would have a huge impact later. Merritt would never don the Dodger uni. Meanwhile these 3 players, Moon, Wills and Essegian would be huge contributors to the 1959 World Championship team. With Reese retired and Zimmer having an awful year, Wills took over as the starting SS and he would stay there until he was traded after the 1966 season, winning an MVP award in 1962 and bringing the stolen base back to the game. Essegian cemented himself in Dodger history with 2 pinch hit HR’s in the Series. Moon, well he hit over .300, played LF almost every day, and became a legend for his HR’s over the screen at the coliseum. Moon Shots as Vinny would call them, became a part of Dodger lore.

In April, 1960 they traded Don Zimmer to the Cubs for minor leaguer Lee Handley, SS Johnny Goryl, and P Ron Perranoski. While this trade did not help the 60 team defend it’s title, Perry would have an impact as a closer in the coming seasons, and later, a long tenure as the Dodgers pitching coach. Another transaction of note came in July, when they released P Tommy Lasorda, and he began his climb to becoming the manager of the Dodgers. The Brooklyn connection was slowly moving on. None of the trades made in 1961 helped the team much, but Demeter, Essegian and backup catcher Joe Pignatano all were sent elsewhere.

The expansion draft in the winter of 1961 cost them 6 players. Most notable were Gil Hodges, Norm Larker and Turk Farrell. They sent Neal to the Mets in December. The only deal they made in 62 which would impact the 63 Champs was Stan Williams to the Yankees for 1B Bill Skowron. Skowron did not have a great year in 1963, but in the series he hit .385 with a 3 run HR. After the season he was sold to the Senators.

In the winter of 1963, they made another deal that would impact Dodger teams for many years when they again got a LH relief pitcher from the Cubs, Jim Brewer, for P Dick Scott. They also received C, Cuno Barragan. In April of 64, they made another deal that would impact a Championship team. Larry Sherry, 59 World Series hero, was traded to the Tigers for journeyman OF, Sweet Lou Johnson. Of course, at the time he was considered nothing more than a 4th or 5th OF. The other deal that would have a huge impact on the 65 team was made at the winter meetings in 64. Frank Howard, Phil Ortega, Ken McMullen, and Pete Richert were sent to the Senators for P Claude Osteen and SS John Kennedy. Dick Nen would be sent to DC to complete the trade on the 15th of December. The only addition that meant anything was when in May when they activated coach Jim Gilliam to the active roster. He would prove vital to the teams success playing 3rd base. Johnson became a regular in early 1965 because Tommy Davis had a horrific injury on a slide. Sweet Lou was a fan favorite and had some big hits. Pitching was the strength of the team with Big D, Sandy and Osteen leading the way and then winning a 7 game series with the powerful Twins.

In December of 65 they got Phil Regan from the Tigers for SS Dick Tracewski. The Vulture would be a big contributor to the pennant winners. But none of that helped in the World Series. They were rolled over by the Orioles in a sweep. The biggest loss after the 66 season was the retirement of Ace Sandy Koufax due to his arthritic elbow. Maury Wills, who had begged out of the Japanese tour saying his legs were really banged up, incurred the wrath of owner O’Malley when he found out Wills had been seen playing his banjo in a Vegas nite spot. So in December, he was traded to the Pirates for Bob Bailey and Gene Michael. Tommy Davis was sent to the Mets along with Derrell Griffith for Jim Hickman and Ron Hunt.

From 67 until 1973, the team never rose above 2nd place. And usually, except in 1971 when they finished 1 game back of the Giants in the west, they were not close to making it to the playoffs. Home grown players would be at the forefront the next several years, but two trades in December of 1973 would have a huge impact on the 1974 World Series team. First they traded Willie Davis to the Expos for P Mike Marshall. Then the next day they sent Claude Osteen and a minor leaguer to Houston for the Toy Cannon, Jimmy Wynn. They had made a blockbuster deal with the Braves in the winter of 1972 trading Frank Robinson, Billy Grabarkewitz, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler and Bobby Valentine to the Angels for Ken McMullen and Andy Messersmith. In April they made an under the radar trade that would pay dividends in later seasons. P Bruce Ellingson went to the Indians for Pedro Guerrero.

In May of 75 they traded for Burt Hooton. Then that winter they made another blockbuster deal with the Braves getting Dusty Baker and Ed Goodson for Jimmy Wynn, Tom Paciorek, Jerry Royster and Lee Lacy. Baker would be the left fielder for the next several years. 1976 would be Walter Alston’s last year at the helm. He left the team with a couple games left in the season and Tommy Lasorda took over. They made a trade in June with the Cardinals that brought Reggie Smith to LA and sent Bobby Dethridge, Fred Tisdale and Joe Ferguson to the Birds.

Smith would have a huge impact the next few seasons on pennant winning teams. In January of 1977, they made another trade that would impact pennant winners and a World Series champ. Bill Buckner, who had a serious ankle injurie earlier was sent to the Cubs along with Ivan DeJesus and a minor leaguer for Rick Monday and Mike Garman. They won pennants in 77 and 78 as we all know, and had a down year in 1979.

1980 was a bounce back year of sorts. They had received P Jerry Ruess from the Pirates for Rick Rhoden. They had signed over the winter a young lefty out of Mexico named Valenzuela. They got close, getting tied for the division and then losing a one game playoff. Which I remember well since I was in the hospital having an operation. They made no major trades during the 1980 season.

1981 would be a magical year. Valenzuela made an emergency start on opening day. He threw a complete game and Fernandomania was about to be born. They did make a trade in the winter of 1980 that brought Kenny Landreaux from the Twins. The chronicle of that year is well documented. And in a strike year they won their 4th title in Los Angeles.

Over the next several years they would get close to winning the pennant only to fall short. The infield was slowly traded away or left, as Garvey did via free agency. Smith and Monday retired. And the new blood from the farm began to arrive. In 1983 they made a trade with the Reds that I have always thought they should not have. They sent LH reliever John Franco to the Reds for SS Rafael Landestoy. Landestoy was mediocre at best, and Franco became one of the best relievers in the NL. Same year they traded another lefty to the Mets who I thought they should have kept, Sid Fernandez.

Not being in the race the next few years meant no significant trades. A lot of minor ones. Then in the winter of 1986 they gave up on Greg Brock and sent him to the Brewers for P Tim Crews and Tim Leary. They traded for John Shelby in the summer of 87. He would be important to the 88 winners.

They also got Jay Howell, Alfredo Griffin and Jesse Orosco in a 3 team deal during the winter. Orosco inadvertently would light a fire with a spring training prank and the rest is history. The 88 team won when every one thought they should not. It was truly magical to watch. Clutch hits, and even more clutch pitching.

After that, 32 years of waiting until 2020. A lot of trades made that did not get them to the dance until 2017. Heartbreak in the series a couple of times. Then finally the big prize again. No need to rehash the ones we wish they would not have made. We all remember sending Pedro Martinez to the Expos for Deshields. The Piazza debacle. Under the radar is maybe the Jeff Shaw-Paul Konerko deal. It was Lasorda’s only trade as GM. It was a need trade. They needed a closer and Konerko was the price. To me it was lucky he did not have the career he had for the Reds. He became the hitter he was when he went to Chicago to play for the Sox.

What will AF do this time? Me, I have no clue what so ever what he might have on his mind. Some trades when a favorite of mine has been sent away, I have been pretty upset about it. None more than when he traded Kemp. I personally thought he got fleeced. Mark and I had some spirited conversations about the trade. He was a huge supported of Yasmani Grandal. I held his PED suspension and his mediocre glove against him. I knew he had some power but not nearly the power and RBI bat Kemp had. He praised his pitch framing ability which I believed is a phantom skill. The lousy umpiring today showed me to be wrong. Game after game I see umps fooled by where they see the glove end up, and not where the pitch actually landed.

Grandal contributed to the 2017 team and was missing in the playoffs where Barnes seemingly took over the job. Kemp came back in 2018 and was a huge reason the team got off to such a great start. He also hit their 1st HR in the series against the Sox. Along the way I have said goodbye to a lot of favorites, Duke Snider, Willie D. Piazza, Karros, but a player rarely stays with the same team his entire career anymore. I hope Kershaw is a life long Dodger. If he leaves as a free agent it will be easier to stomach than seeing him leave in a trade. Same thing with Seager. If he chooses to go, it is on him. You cannot lament a trade that is not made. I remember in the winter of 2019 when everyone thought that Joc had been traded to the Angels for what seemed like nothing. Most fans were pretty POed. Then the trade was nullified and it was much easier to see him go via free agency. So sit back and enjoy the ride, The angst is just starting.

As I finish writing this, the Padres strike first, getting 2B Adam Frazier from the Pirates for 3 minor leaguers and cash. Will Friedman make a counter move? Going to be a very interesting week. Another trade went down with Andrew Chafin going from the Cubs to the A’s for two minor leaguers. Also it is being reported that Max Scherzer is willing to waive his no trade clause. Reports have the Dodgers checking in on Max, and Berrios of the Twins. Competition for both is brisk.