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?)  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 2^nd 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 9^th inning, the 10^th inning and the 11^th inning of the game, and they lost. That doesn’t sound particularly strange, except, the Dodgers had not blown a save in the 9^th 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 9^th, 10^th and 11^th 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 9^th, 10^th and 11^th 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