RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TRADE DEADLINE AND WEIRD THINGS IN BASEBALL:
● The Trade deadline is upon us, and as always, the question is, should the Dodgers make a move or stand pat? ● Obviously, the primary argument for making a trade is simply that no matter how good the team is, you can always get better. ● First question is always, what do the Dodgers need to finish out this year? Another ace pitcher wouldn’t hurt (do they ever hurt?)
● The Trade deadline is upon us, and as always, the question is, should the Dodgers make a move or stand pat?
● Obviously, the primary argument for making a trade is simply that no matter how good the team is, you can always get better.
● First question is always, what do the Dodgers need to finish out this year? Another ace pitcher wouldn’t hurt (do they ever hurt?) Perhaps a second baseman? Right handed bat?
● Looking at starting pitchers that might be available, would Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman, Johnny Cueto, or Robbie Ray make the team better? Probably not. How about Lance Lynn, Mike Clevinger or Trevor Bauer? Probably yes. But that begs the next question, what would you be willing to pay to have them on your team?
● My preference for a starter would be Trevor Bauer. He’s having a solid year, and I believe he would be especially pumped to pitch for the Dodgers. He makes the staff better. It’s doubtful that he’s available, but if he is, what players would you be willing to trade for him? Would you trade Lux for him? How about Mitch White and other pieces? It would be nice if the Reds would take Yaisel Sierra straight up for him, but that probably wouldn’t even happen in my dreams.
● I’m not as enamored with Lance Lynn or Mike Clevinger, but I can see how both have value. I’m just not sure how much better they would make us. Frankly, they may have more value to teams other than the Dodgers (Astros or Padres for example). Particularly if Lynn goes out and shuts down the Dodgers tonight(this being written on Saturday afternoon). I just can’t get excited about trading away top prospects for these pitchers. Perhaps you feel differently. Jim Bowden thinks we can acquire Lynn for Stripling and Gray. Would you do that deal?
● Whit Merrifield is currently the flavor of choice at 2nd base? Kansas City is not going to make the playoffs and they could want to retool. Though it is unlikely they trade the face of their franchise, unless they get a king’s ransom. What would you pay for him? Lux? Jo Jo Gray? Also, if you acquired Merrifield, what happens with Kike Hernandez? Do you keep him?
● An under the radar second baseman that I wouldn’t mind having the Dodgers look at is Hanser Alberto of the Orioles. He’s bounced around a few years, but had a break out year last season, and he’s followed that with a solid year this season.
● Anybody interested in Robinson Cano? I’m not. What about Mitch Moreland to play first base and DH, and move Muncy to second base? I might consider that. (Written before Moreland to SD)
● What about J. D. Martinez as a DH, right-handed bat? A reunion with RVS and being thrust into a pennant race, might be good for his bat’s revival. It could be a Manny Ramirez type of acquisition, though, I fear he’s not the hitter he used to be.
● What do the Dodgers do with Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez? Ride them out for the rest of the season and then just wave goodby after the season ends? It’s very doubtful that either player returns to the Dodgers next year. With that in mind, do you try and trade them now, even though their value is extremely low, albeit, both have the “potential” to be really good. Maybe the Angels will bite on Pederson for Luis Rengifo deal again.
● Do the Dodgers have any untouchables? Dustin May? Tony Gonsolin? Julio Urias? Gavin Lux? Josiah Gray? Kody Hoese? I would say yes to May, Gonsolin and Gray. Probably yes to Lux and Urias, but I might have to think twice in the absolute right deal. As to Hoese, it’s too early to tell for me.
● My opinion is that this is a year that the Dodgers do very little at the trade deadline.
● To say this has been a weird season would be a major understatement. Who ever thought you could have a sacrifice fly by a batter leading off an inning. Well the Dodgers pulled that off against the Giants with Max Muncy. Weird.
● Mookie Betts became only the second player to hit 3 homeruns in a game for a team from Boston and another team. The only other player? Some slug named Babe Ruth.
● Thanks to Jayson Stark, I also learned that the Dodgers 10-8 loss to the Giants the other night was filled with several oddities:
● 367 pitches were thrown in the game, the Giants did not have a lead for the first 366 pitches. Weird.
● The Giants also used 10 pitchers in the game. There hasn’t been a single other game played before September in modern history in which that many pitchers pitched in a game of that few innings, for the team that won. Weird.
● The Dodgers held the lead in the 9th inning, the 10th inning and the 11th inning of the game, and they lost. That doesn’t sound particularly strange, except, the Dodgers had not blown a save in the 9th inning or later all year. Then the blew 3 in 3 innings. Weird.
● Do you know how hard it is to lose a game where you hold the lead in the 9th, 10th and 11th innings? Very, as according to STATS, it has only happened once before, in 1998 when the Marlins lost to the Phillies. Weird.
● Brandon Belt, Mauricio Dubon and Evan Longoria got game-tying hits in the 9th, 10th and 11th innings to keep this game rolling. Doesn’t seem that strange, except the last time the Giants got that many game-tying hits in the ninth inning or later of the same game, was July 3, 1951. That was a little over 2 months after I was born. Weird.
● Kenta Maeda is having a really good season with the Minnesota Twins. 4-0 with a 2.29 era, almost threw a no-hitter. I’m not sure he would have duplicated that success here, but I’m very happy he’s having such a successful season. That was a trade that was beneficial to both teams. Same is true for Alex Verdugo. I’m glad we have Mookie Betts and I don’t think Verdugo could have brought the talent level and leadership that Betts has, but I will always continue to cheer for Verdugo’s success (unless of course he’s playing the Dodgers).
My song parody for today, to stay with the trade deadline theme, is “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” written by Bob Dylan, but popularized by the Byrds in their “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” album. Although this album did not have much commercial success, it is credited with being the spring board for the country rock genre of music. Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman played on this song and left to form the pioneer country rock group, the Flying Burrito Brothers who, if for nothing else, should get an award for creative band name.
The rumors are here
as the deadline draws near
Get us a starter that throws
98 and 7 innings or more
keep your mind on the job at hand
cause Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee the price is too high
though tomorrow’s the day
the trade’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are they gonna sell high
or take my offer of Stripling and Gray
I don’t care
How many players they want
The deadline’s come and deadline’s went
Pack up your bags
And get on the bus
cause Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee the price was too high
Tomorrow’s the day
the trade’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are they gonna sell high
or take my offer of Stripling and Gray
I wanted an ace
Or a second baseman that hits
Can’t keep playing our substitutes
I was only offered other teams junk
So I’ll stand pat with the team that I got
so Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee the price is too high
though tomorrow’s the day
the trade’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are they gonna sell high
or take my offer of Stripling and Gray
Trevor Bauer – the Reds want to keep
They don’t have a chance win this year
With him or without him they’ll still shed a tear
So we’ll climb that hill no matter how steep
Our teams good enough to take us deep
so Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee the price was too high
Tomorrow’s the day
the trade’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are they gonna sell high
or take my offer of Stripling and Gray
hey Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee the price was too high
Tomorrow’s the day
the trade’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are they gonna sell high
or take my offer of Stripling and Gray
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Discussion (145)
Disagree, not disagreeable
AC, on Lance Lynn, Joe Davis made an interesting remark about him last night during the game. Basically Joe said that Lynn sometimes wears his emotions on his sleeve and shows frustration to the umpires and his teammates. Did you heard that? And if you did, do you think that is a good thing. Thanks.
Joel Sherman – just reported NO Lance Lynn
Word from Texas – Lynn is staying put.
Angels trade Brian Goodwin to Reds
Archie Bradley to Reds. Cameron Maybin to Cubs.
Lots of moves, none involving the Dodgers, and they cannot make any additions except from their 60 man pool, or a waiver wire pick up that is put on the 60 man. D-Backs went nuts at the deadline unloading Ray, Bradley, Chafin, and Marte. Rockies picked up Pillar. Giants and Dodgers stood pat.
Well, well – “The deadline’s come and the deadline’s went; Pack up your bags and get on the bus
cause you ain’t goin’ nowhere”
Pretty much as I figured.
Hope this doesn’t come back to bite us. Kersh back holds up ?, Buehler is Buehler, putting lot trust in May,Urias. Be curious to see what Texas wanted ? Lynn only making $8 mil next year
Thinking about the Dodger’s need for a RH bat, I was thinking that it’s a real shame that David Freese decided to pack it in before it was announced that the DH would be employed in the NL this season. He would have been perfect in that role – saving his knees from too much strain.
That being said, maybe he didn’t fancy any more of Doc’s Playoff snubs either way?
Looks like we’ve stood pat.
Mets acquire C Robinson Chirinos (Rangers), 3B Todd Frazier (Rangers), and RHRP Miguel Castro (Orioles).
2D2, on this important trading day, your fine article gets a big thank you from me for compiling all that interesting information. By the way, loved your parody especially the chorus “ Lux you ain’t goin’ nowhere”
Padres picked up another reliever. Cubs bragging about a 3 lefty pen.Ha, we have 5.
The Dodgers weren’t going to make a move unless it was for a substantial upgrade and they didn’t have to trade top talent for a 1 month rental. It sounds like they tried to pry Lance Lynn loose but the Rangers wanted too much.
I have been advocating for a solid #3 starter for the post-season and it didn’t work out. I get it.
Will one of the kids step up? Will they be able to throw more than 5 innings in a start? Right now, I’d say that May and Gonsolin have pitched the best to be #3 and #4 in a post-season rotation but we have another 25 games as an audition so I guess we will all find out who steps up.
Stripling has been dealt to the Blue Jays. So, they did do something.
Blue Jays To Acquire Ross Stripling
Despite the fact he’s had a down year, the trade of Ross Stripling saddens me. He was a fine young man, who I enjoyed watching develop over the years.
I think Vlodomer maybe onto something. With the number of players moving around for Pads it is going to take some time for everyone to get on the same page. And there isn’t much time til the post season. Adding players to the Dodgers right now could have changed the chemistry. We got this thing rolling now. The bats have woken up. I think Lux will solidify 2nd base. After Kersh and Buehler we will see pitching by committee. As the season moves through September May, Goose, Urías, and White will be pitching longer into games.
If it ain’t broke….
I think standing pat ( less Strip) was the wise thing to do. Maybe there will be room for Gray to show his stuff.
Urias WILL step up!
Someone, likely AC, mentioned either above or yesterday that PTBNL means someone who isn’t on that travel/extra team (like what we have with our guys at USC).
So most likely it’s 2 A level guys who are lottery tickets. Ross likely gets a shot to start full time, and not be shuttled back and forth between starting and relieving like he was here.
To be honest, on this team he’s not one of the 5 best starters, and he’s probably not one of the 6-7 best relievers either. We’ll know in 2-3 years if this was a good deal or not.
This comes from a stupid Padre fan…..
The Dodgers should be scared. The Padres lineup is one of the best two or three in baseball. And their starting rotation is looking pretty good. This is exciting.
Starting lineup by playoff time:
1) Trent Grisham, CF
2) Fernando Tatis Jr., SS
3) Manny Machado, 3B
4) Eric Hosmer, 1B
5) Tommy Pham, LF
6) Mitch Moreland, DH
7) Wil Myers, RF
8) Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9) Austin Nola, C
Starting rotation:
1) Mike Clevinger, RHP
2) Dinelson Lamet, RHP
3) Chris Paddack, RHP
4) Zach Davies, RHP
5) Garrett Richards, RHP
It is the relief pitching that needs to turn their ship around. If that happens, the Pads can beat the Dodgers.
1. MLB.Radio gave AF and A+ for “standing pat! “The Dodgers didn’t need to do anything.”
2. The bullpen will be stronger with Strip gone. I liked him but he did not seize the day. AF will build up the farm with the PTBNL.
3. Clevinger: He is brittle; and 2. He lied and then put all his teammates at risk by getting on a plane with them after sneaking out. Maybe he is not the kind of character you want!
4. Preller has a way of screwing things up!
5. May, Urias or Gonsolin (or maybe all 3) will step up.
6. Good Luck, Ross!
Seeing Stripling to the Blue Jays. I gotta asked a question does anybody know how long Giles is going to be out due to his elbow injury? Could Giles be a player to be named later?
Haven’t we seen this movie from the Pads before ? spend big only to be letdown. I work with few Pad fans, I’m happy for them – lord knows they’ve suffered long enough. I applaud them for at least going for it while they can. We will see if Marks right about Preller.
Thanks for the memories Ross. We will miss Chicken Strip. Good guy, good teammate! Just didn’t come together this year!
The Padres have been here before. In 2014 they “won” the off-season with a myriad of trades. Preller was called the “rock-star” of trades, as he went all in to make the Padres a winning team in 2015. That didn’t work out very well; The Pedres’ record over the next 5 years were, respectively: 74-88; 68-94; 71-91; 66-96; and 70-92. Turns out Preller wasn’t the rock star everyone thought at the time. In hindsight, I’m sure that he would have loved to hold onto some of the players traded away. Admittedly, he has better players to build around this year. Still, I’m not ready to hand the Padres the championship. That said, they’ll definitely be a lot more fun to play.