Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make
Many years ago, there was once a first baseman who, three times in his career, had driven in over 100 runs. His career batting average was .281, and he has a .341 OB%. It was in a time when Home Runs were few, but he was almost always in double digits. In his eleven years with…
Many years ago, there was once a first baseman who, three times in his career, had driven in over 100 runs. His career batting average was .281, and he has a .341 OB%. It was in a time when Home Runs were few, but he was almost always in double digits. In his eleven years with his first team, he played 1,488 games – That’s an average of 135 games a year, which was back in the time when they played 154 games… not 162. At any rate, on June 2, 1925, this first baseman asked out of the lineup because of a headache. That was the end of his run as the Yankees’ First Baseman because Lou Gehrig took over for Wally Pipp and never looked back.
Gehrig is chiefly known for playing in 2,130 consecutive games for the Yankees, a magnificent streak long thought to have been unbreakable until Cal Ripken, Jr. came along. Gehrig wore uniform No. 4, because he hit behind Babe Ruth, the third batter in the Yankees’ lineup.
My point is you never know what is going to happen. We all know that progress is not linear. We also know that no matter how much you spend to stack a team so that you think you can win a championship, it does not always happen that way. Are you listening, Steve Cohen? The Mets loaded up last offseason and spent $330 Million to have a 50 -55 record as of today and reside in 4th place behind the Miami Marlins. Now remember that the Mets have a $330.6 Million dollar payroll, while the Miami Marlins have a $129.8 Million Dollar Payroll! The Meets cannot finish ahead of a team that has $200 Million Dollars less in payroll. Let that one sink in. Money doesn’t buy Championships, but most of you want to spend, spend, spend and trade, trade, trade!
One poster made a good point yesterday:
Here is a list of Rule 5 available Dodgers prospects:
–Dodgerram
Landon Knack
· Nick Frasso
· Kyle Hurt
· Yeiner Fernandez
· Kendall Williams
· Edgardo Henriquez
· Hunter Feduccia
· Devin Mann
· José Ramos
· Alec Gamboa
· Gus Varland
· Carlos Duran
Assuming the Dodgers will not keep Kike, Rosario, Lynn and their expiring contracts around for next season that gives us three open spots on the 40 men roster to protect 3 guys out of the group above.
Frasso and Knack probably are no brainers to protect. That leaves one open spot.
IMHO it would be better to use some of those guys in a trade package or two to get some help for the stretch run.
Better to overpay a little by including some of the above mentioned prospects than to lose them for nothing.
I would not automatically assume that Kike, Rosario, and Lynn will be offered contracts. Maybe one will. Additionally, teams that pick up these players under Rule 5 must keep them all season or return them to the Dodgers. That is what happened to Gus Varland this year when Milwaukee took him. With the expanded playoffs, more teams are in the running and cannot afford to keep a player who is still learning his trade. So, under the new playoff format, there are fewer Rule 5 picks.
However, here is the kicker: How do other teams value your players, and do they want them? For example, I would give the Mets the above list of players and say, “Pick any seven and give me Justin Verlander and pay $30 million of his contract.” The Mets would not do that. So, you have to have a trade partner. Additionally, the Dodgers have the offseason to include some of those players in trades.
Now, back to my Wally Pipp example: Sometimes, players step up when we least expect it. Maybe Michael Grove and Emmet Sheehan, who have not flourished as starters, could be unhittable in the bullpen. Throughout this season, many of us have been ready to throw away Jason Heyward, Max Muncy, David Peralta, and others, only to be proven wrong. Sometimes, you have to have faith that players whom you have trusted in the past will pull out of their funks. Think, Gonsolin, Urias, et al.
If Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes made a trade or trades at today’s 6 PM deadline, then I am fine, but I am also fine if they don’t. Making trades is not a surefire way to win. Sometimes, the best trades are the ones you don’t make! I have seen that time and again!
Discussion (163)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Trade with the pirate then the closer Bednar is better then any of those rookies in Oklahoma and Keller as a starter to because he has experience in the majors and now comes to a better team. That’s all I can see. And for what the dodgers have pitchers and players to trade which won’t be here in majors but they could play for the pirates.
Passan says we had a trade in place for Eduardo Rodriguez, but he invoked his no trade clause and said no.
He’s a loser clearly. Also an idiot. Who the hell stays in crap detroit over LA??
This is fascinating from @Ken_Rosenthal: Max Scherzer told the Mets he’d prefer to stick around if they were planning to be a contending team in 2024, but they told him “our vision now is for 2025-2026.”
Mets’ opening day payroll was over $350 million.
Again two players for Verlander two players for Sherzier why do dodgers seem to have eto give up six players to get a pitcher like that when other teams give up two players. I swear if the Padres get Rodriguez for two player in double AA ball and the dodgers miss out on getting a good pitcher that could help them down the stretch and into the playoffs Keller and Bednar at least do that AF.
Orioles better farm than LAD going make splash !! Have to go for it
The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you get one more yard
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
It starting to seem as if other teams want the Dodgers to overpay to deal with us. I’ve asked before why do other teams want to help the Dodgers who always win when other teams are after the same player.
I think the next move we hear about will be from…
SAN DIEGO PADRES acquiring………
JDM to get MRI.
Bradley, give AF a call and get his butt off the pot!
Sounds like Lorenzen to the Phillies.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
Astros receive: RHP Justin Verlander.
Mets receive: OF Drew Gilbert and OF Ryan Clifford.
Drew Gilbert best OF propect
By moving Verlander and Scherzer, Mets have put themselves in good position to make free agency run at Ohtani.
On another note, ChiSox have made Dylan Cease available.
Verlander to the Trashtros
My F5 finger getting work out today !!! :):):)
Dodgers are on Rodriguez’s no-trade list. Might need compensation to waive it.
Where is Bradley, with his trade rumors
Anybody else on board if we could get a Cease,Jimenez package from Chisox. Sox are unloading, as much as I would love to get Robert Jr don’t think hes going anywhere.
Brad Hand to the Braves, Padres just finalizing a deal for Rich Hill and Ji-Man Choi. Toronto in heavy pursuit of DeJong because of the injury to Bichette. IL stint likely for JD Martinez if he cannot go tonight. Call up Busch, put him at third and make Muncy the DH.
Old friend Rich Hill about to go to the Padres.
It appears plan A is Verlander, plan B E-Rod and plan C is nothing according to Jack Harris of the LA Times.
Good point from Ram on all the Rule 5 possibilities.
This is prime trade fodder. Perhaps Busch or ??? will get packaged with one for Eduardo Rodriguez
I remain concerned about catcher. If Will goes down with an injury, we’d have Barnes and Feduccia, who has yet to reach the majors. A couple of other backup types in OKC too, I think. At any rate, the drop from Smith to an alternative is huge.
Dodgers’ strategy here seems to be to keep their fingers crossed.
Contrast this with the Angels. They started the season with top rookie O’Hoppe and solid vet Stassi. Both go down with injuries– and the Angels can bring in Matt Thaiss (their former top pick) and Chad Wallach (Tim’s boy). Both Thaiss and Wallach have played well–a bit part of the reason the Halos are still in the hunt.
So in addition to an SP, i hope the Dodgers swing some deal to get a bit more catching experience, perhaps just to stash in OKC. And maybe a righty bat like Pham, especially since there’s some concern about JDM. (Angels may have snaked the Dodgers on Grichuk. )
I optimistic about Lynn and Kelly. But I’m pessimistic about the catching situation.
Sure anything could happen. But going into the playoffs would you rather have our 2022 roster or the 1988? I don’t think we will score enough runs to go anywhere if we have no decent starting pitchers. On the other hand adding one guy might not make a difference.
Apparently, the LAD are making a strong push for E-Rod according to Jon Heyman.
Spend! Spend! Spend! Trade! Trade! Trade!