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
Lance Lynn is doing what Lance Lynn does… only better as a Dodger!
Now, if he could only hit!
DODGERS PRESS RELEASE
DODGERS ACQUIRE RYAN YARBROUGH
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league infielders Devin Mann and Derlin Figueroa.
Yarbrough, 31, made 14 appearances (seven starts) for the Royals, posting a 4-5 record with a 4.24 ERA (24 ER/51.0 IP) and 29 strikeouts. He has been in the Majors parts of six seasons with Tampa Bay (2018-2022) and Kansas City (2023) and he is a combined 44-36 with a 4.32 ERA (303 ER/630.2 IP) and 496 strikeouts against 140 walks. In his career, left-handed batters are hitting .223 (127-for-570) with a .655 OPS and 151 strikeouts. He was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 2016 First Year Player Draft out of All Saints Academy High School.
Mann, 26, appeared in 89 games for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, hitting .307 (101-for-329) with 14 homers and 71 RBI. He has been in the Dodgers minor league system six seasons, hitting a combined .270 (454-for-1683) with 65 homers and 288 RBI in 485 games. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Louisville.
Figueroa, 19, appeared in 31 games for the AZL Dodgers, hitting .237 (22-for-93) with three homers and 21 RBI. In three minor league seasons with the Dodgers, he has hit a combined .233 (86-for-369) with 12 homers and 73 RBI. He was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on February 1, 2021.
Bellinger has made himself about 300 mil this year. Good for him! And how much is Julio leaving on the table?
Andrew Friedman said in conversations with the Tigers and Eduardo Rodriguez’s agent, he was never directly told he would waive his no-trade. They were surprised it became an issue at the end of the deal.
Lynn – Syndergaard
Kelly – Brickford
Yarbrough – Grove
Rosario – Y. Hernandez
Kike – Thompson
The same, better or worse ???
Don’t mind how the deadline went. More concerned with Muncy batting 5th against a lefty. Hope he makes this statement make me look stupid but history is on my side.
Didn’t read everyone’s posts but I DID read Plaschke’s ridiculous column. He claims the Dodgers were one player away from a potential championship. NO THEY AREN’T.
Like ALL contending teams they are 11 wins away from a potential championship and one player in no way assures you get those 11 wins. Even if they’d traded for Scherzer (ugh) or Verlander (bigger UGH because he’s a cheater) there was NO ASSURANCE that would result in a championship.
He’s using the talk radio strategy of say something outrageous just to get your audience worked up. Obviously it work on me! Annoying as hell to read people that have no eff’ing clue.
As far as I’m concern, AF was aggressive. He landed Lynn and had a deal in place for the type of pitcher we needed. Unfortunately, E-Rod did not waive his no trade clause.
If you want to be upset at anyone look at the Tigers front office for failing to clear a potential trade to the Dodgers before conducting negotiations.
It would’ve been great having Verlander on board, but I don’t want anything to do with a potential vesting option for the 2025 season.
I’m sure AF will put out statement that he wished the front office could’ve done more. The most important thing that was achieved is that we added some depth pieces without mortgaging our future in both potential albatross contracts and the depleting of our system.
Agree with Dodger Dave. AF has been signaling his intentions throughout the off season and during the season. Fill gaps with one year contracts to veterans with good clubhouse presence, maintain financial flexibility to sign Ohtani and reset the roster and commit to introducing some talented young (and affordable) players to the major league roster over the next three to four years. And they are still sitting in first place in the West.
What is AF Definition of transition year.
It looks to me like the Dodgers picked up a shortstop and one starting pitcher that should be helpful. The rest are a crapshoot. I think if the Dodgers can have 4 functioning starting pitchers they have a shot.
This is what AF could be telling us by his actions.
1. The Dodgers don’t have a good hand. Why throw more money in the pot ?
2. AF is confident Kershaw,Urias, Gonsolin and one other will pull it together.
3. AF does not want to add payroll because he wants Ohtani.
4. AF has a few positions to fill next year and wants to keep the flexibility.
There is no doubt “Sometimes, the best operations are the ones you don’t do” time will prove us right with several of these guys who will be great ballplayers and that today we do not change for “burnt cartridges”
The two chaps might work as a cushion, while Kershaw, Urias and Gonsolin are better, and Walker Buehler perhaps. We will be fine. Go Dodgers.
Wait they only got Ryan Yarborough from Kansas City no Keller no Bedhar no Flarethy no Cease no Roberts no Pham and no Arenado and yet the Padres get Hill Garrett Cooper and Diaz from the Rockies I heard for a catcher and another bullpen arm. Why do the Padres always come threw at the deadline. Poor Giants fans all they got was AJ Pollack superised we didn’t get him since the whole team for 2018 is almost back together. LOL not aggressive as I thought AF and I think we’re still behind the Braves on talent and I give the Angels and padres credit they went out an shot players to help make a run. I think the thing AF should have done was get Arenado Montgomery and Dejong when he got Hernandez and Rosario that’s when they should have done the deal once that didn’t happen AF said oh well go with what we have then wait for free agency off season and get Soto or Ohtani and some pitching. Very disappointed when the teams behind you made better deals then you did.
Roberts said no IL for Martinez until further notice.
Eddys Leonard to the Tigers for cash
Dodgers Acquire Ryan Yarbrough
By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2023 at 5:33pm CDT
5:33pm: Kansas City is receiving minor league infielders Devin Mann and Derlin Figueroa, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (on Twitter).
does it look worse for the Tigers not to have been able to move ERod, or the Dodgers in not being able to acquire a pitcher like him?
Unbelievably this is a hard call.
Yarborough’s last 2 starts have been very good. At least we don’t have to endure Grove starting any longer
Padres got Garrett Cooper from the Marlins and traded Ryan Weathers to Miami. Red Sox got Luis Urias. Miami also got Josh Bell, Angels picked up Sergio Leone.
Pads get Barlow from KC – ughhh. Good pickup
Was hoping for RH stick – oh well
He won 16 games 5 years ago. Another reclamation project for Prior
Dodgers acquire Ryan Yarborough from KC
The Mets acquired pitchers Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers, tweets Robert Murray of FanSided. The Dodgers will receive cash as compensation, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.