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The Rumors are called that for a reason

Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming! Of course, the Dodgers weren’t really looking to trade for Rosario, but somehow, they found a team that wanted Thor, and they took the bait. I would have never believed it. Over the winter, the Dodgers signed…

By Mark Timmons3 min readJump to 169 comments

Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming! Of course, the Dodgers weren’t really looking to trade for Rosario, but somehow, they found a team that wanted Thor, and they took the bait. I would have never believed it. Over the winter, the Dodgers signed Syndergaard to take the spot Tyler Anderson left when he signed with the Angels (by the way, he has been almost as bad). Noah was eager to come to the Dodgers because both sides thought he could be “fixed.”

The problem was that the Dodgers wanted to fix him by adding a sweeper, cutter, and a better breaking ball to his repertoire, while he wanted them to sprinkle “fairy dust” on his arm and make him the “Mighty Thor” who threw 150 MPH again! The Dodgers wanted to make him a pitcher; he wanted to be the guy he was five years ago. They had divergent interests, and I always said, “If the Dodgers bring him back from the minors, it’s because they believe he can be salvaged. They ain’t stupid!” It turns out they weren’t! They obviously did not believe that and thank God for the Indians’ belief in Thor. Whatever Ramirez does is icing on the cake.

I know that the Dodgers are talking to the Cardinals on Nolan Arenado and Jordon Montgomery. I know that Bobby Miller and Dalton Rushing are part of what the Cardinals are asking. Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch are also in the conversation along with Jorbit Vivas. Muncy and Taylor are in the deal. That’s a lot to pay. In one fell swoop, you gut the farm of its best pitching prospect and its two best infielders.

Now, these are just rumors. They are like other things, and there are lots of them. I hear they are building a huge building to house all the rumors… bada bing! I would propose that the Aernado/Montgomery trade looks like this:

  • Ryan Pepiot
  • Yenier Fernandez
  • Jorbit Vivas
  • Landon Knack
  • Emmet Sheehan
  • River Ryan
  • Muncy
  • Taylor

That gives the Cards four good arms, a second baseman, a catcher who has a shot at being good, and Muncy and Taylor to balance out the cash. Who knows how the Cardinals value the Dodgers prospects? No one is asking about Diego Cartaya right about now. He went from the penthouse to the outhouse… almost overnight. I still say there is a story behind this… I also say, “Do not write Diego off yet!” His talent is immense, his quickness is amazing and his power is legendary! Talent like that does not grow on trees.

The Marlins traded for David Robertson. The cost was their #20 Prospect and another one that was unranked. The Dodgers could have done better, but like I have been telling you: They do not need relief pitchers. They have enough. David Bednar is not coming either. I still think Verlander is possible, but if the Dodgers don’t get him, I say, “Stay Home!” There are better options on the Dodgers ‘ roster!

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday will be busy days leading up to the deadline. There will be rumors of rumors and more rumors. A lot is BS. Many are conjecture. Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see! Rich Hill was nice a few years ago. I do not see the fascination of a pitcher who has almost a 5.00 ERA. Come on! We have better “in-house Options!”

Discussion (169)

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  1. BobbyJuly 28, 2023

    “Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming!”

    Bradley saw Ahmed Rosario coming!! Now, if somehow Arrenado comes too?? I”ll then believe Bradley is really Andrew Friedman having fun with us the whole time.

    I hope we don’t trade Bobby Miller in a deal for a 32 year old, and I LOVE Arrenado. But Miller may actually be more of a need for us the rest of 2023 than Arrenado even.

  2. dodgerramJuly 28, 2023

    that trade package for Arenado would be insane . No freaking way I would do that trade. An 8-1 including 4 of our best pitching prospects PLUS two accomplished big leaguers with 37 HR between them.

    I always thougth the intention of the trade deadline would be to improve you own team…

    The max I would offer: Pepiot plus one out of Knack/Sheehan/River plus Vivas plus Taylor plus Fernandez.

    That still is a 5 for 1 scoop and plenty enough for a 32 year old.

    DePaula three more hits yesterday. Now batting .283 on the season. Kid is special.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Mark TimmonsJuly 28, 2023

    Montgomery. Sorry, I left him off.

    I fixed it!

  4. Jorge ValenzuelaJuly 28, 2023

    Do any of you imagine that Dodgers trade Urias? It’s fine with me, I don’t like Julio, he’s an idiot, I’m sick of seeing him yell and get angry every inning, same for Will Smith, as well as Seager, who said he wants to win a real championship with Texas…

  5. Andrew Vincent ForteJuly 28, 2023

    Dodgers minor league catcher Dalton Rushing was injured in the first inning of Great Lakes’ game on Thursday, and was helped off the field.

    The play was a dropped third strike of Dayton third baseman Austin Callahan, who Rushing retired by throwing to first base. Jay Allen, who walked and stole two bases in the inning, broke for home on the throw to first base. In fielding the return throw, Rushing was splayed awkwardly at home plate while trying to apply the tag, and immediately laid face down on the dirt in obvious pain after the play.

    Per the Great Lakes broadcast, Rushing was helped off the field by team trainer Ikuo Kato and bench coach Elian Herrera.

  6. Andrew Vincent ForteJuly 28, 2023

    Thursday scores

    Oklahoma City 2, Reno 1

    Springfield 7, Tulsa 0

    Dayton 4, Great Lakes 3

    San Jose 12, Rancho Cucamonga 1

    Friday scores

    4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Hyun-il Choi) vs. Dayton (Hunter Parks)

    5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan) vs. Springfield (Tink Hence)

    6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Peter Heubeck) vs. San Jose (Mauricio Estrella)

    6:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Matt Andriese) at Reno (TBD)

  7. MattJuly 28, 2023

    Big game tonight, lets start off the weekend with a W.

  8. sbuffaloJuly 28, 2023

    Realistically, Nolan Arenado is too big a reach and will cost too many prospects.

    The Dodgers simply can’t look at this in a bubble. Focus on the present, but not at the expense of the future.

    When the Dodgers did the trade for Trea Turner and Max Scherzer, there was a definite cost. Hey, but they went for it. Both Turner and Scherzer were great, but Max couldn’t get them to the World Series.

    Max left to sign with the Mets, while Trea had a great season before leaving for the Phillies. It’s a trade I would have made, but now Josiah Gray is an all-star pitcher with a 3.27 ERA and Ruiz is a solid catcher with .245 average.

    The point is, sometimes there is a cost to trades. Pitchers take time to develop. The Dodgers could use both Gray and Ruiz today.

    Giving up numerous top prospects to acquire an Arenado might make for a lot of excitement and a lot of pats on the back, but it could impact the future of the team.

    So, if it’s me, I will try to focus on pitching, which clearly is the biggest concern. The biggest hope is that the current staff pitches better (Gonsolin, Urias) plus for Clayton Kershaw to come back healthy.

    Add to that a Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty or someone else may help anchor the rotation, which has a 4.71 ERA, 23rd in MLB. Consider the Dodgers since 2017 have had the best or second best staff in baseball since 2017 with ERAs in the low threes or better. The past two seasons they had 2.93 and a 2.75 ERA. So focus on the problem, hope for the best from rookies and existing vets. Going after an Arenado type star is an Artie Moreno move.

    Lot of rumors about Lance Lynn who would be cheap in prospect cost, but there would appear to be a lot better options.

    Then again maybe the Dodgers figure they have spotted something. Put a little more finger pressure on the ball and boom, Lynn steps up and is good again. Or boom, the ball sails 400 feet.

    But trade or no trade, the current Dodgers pitchers have to step up their game. Otherwise, it’s a struggle and the bullpen will need to be a difference maker like 2004.

  9. Mark TimmonsJuly 28, 2023

    Lots of people want to make trades to make trades.

    It’s not a magic bullet.

    It has to make sense and should help the team.

    Sometimes, it has to be a guy you may not think much of, like Lance Lynn – he throws more fastballs than anyone in baseball. If the Dodgers could get him to trust a cutter or sweeper, it could change everything, but it is a short time to do that! Lance is no longer a fastball pitcher.

  10. MattJuly 28, 2023

    Just get to the dance and someone: Mookie, Freddie, Will, JD carry this team to a championship…

    As the Phils showed last year, its who is playing the best in October.

  11. WayneJuly 28, 2023

    “We’re at a position as an organization, we can say no to players and we can pick and choose who fits what we do. They got to fit and so there’s a lot that goes into not only talent, but they got to fit with what we’re trying to do.” ~ Dave Roberts as quoted by The Athletic

    Matt Levine of Dodgers Nation spun this quote into his latest article, “Dodgers Should Be Really Selective in Who They Trade For, Dave Roberts Opines”

    Translation ~ It’s extremely unlikely ..1) ANY more trades are made, ..or 2) any “blockbuster trade” is consummated by the deadline. And Roberts verbiage is meant as PR to prepare the Dodgers fanbase for this REALITY.

  12. Dan in PasadenaJuly 28, 2023

    JV – What bug is up your butt that you would even consider trading away Will Smith. You crazy? Will is about as non controversial a star as can be. He’s an excellent hitter, fine catcher and I believe a future 3B, 1B or DH. Hopefully on this team if he continues to hit in the way he always has for us.

    I don’t consider CT3 and Muncy simply throw-ins at all. They have value. Granted, not as much as they once did and it’s hard to find a place for them to play with this roster but we’d have to be getting more than Arenado with his best years behind him (sorry to say) in an 8 for 1 trade.

  13. dodgerpatchJuly 28, 2023

    I’d love to have Arenado. The Dodgers don’t really have a true 3rd baseman in the pipeline. Vargas isn’t the answer, and, contrary to Mark’s wishful thinking, has so far been a bust as a prospect. He may develop next year and into the future, but for now, he’s a bust. Muncy is filling in, but he’s not a 3rd baseman, and he’s been hovering around the Mendoza line for a few years now.

    Although, if you take a hard look at Arenado’s stats, you can almost get a sense that he has reached his peak and is just ever so slightly edging to the declining side of that performance bell curve. If the Dodgers emptied the farm for him, they’d likely be getting some good years, but probably not his best years. I guess you can say the same thing with Freeman and Betts, though you’d have a really really good team for the next five years.

    Cataya is tradable, but his value has tanked. Rushing is a possibility because the Dodgers have Will Smith. The Dodgers have a need for Bobby Miller, so he’s off the table, IMO.

  14. MushersPopJuly 28, 2023

    While making trades may not result in a magic bullet, the Dodgers have several MiLB players that are rule 5 eligible this year. So making some trades, even if it’s around the edges would be prudent.

  15. OldBear48July 28, 2023

    Seems the Cardinal’s attempt to extend Jordan Hicks have not been fruitful so far. If they decide to move him, Dodgers are one of the interested teams.

  16. dodgerrickJuly 28, 2023

    MLB Trade Rumors reporting that Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly might be coming.

    YIKES!!

  17. porpoiseboyJuly 28, 2023

    I see those angels have an unlikely but certainly possible chance of getting into a tie for the last wild card spot this weekend. Still hoping for that someday freeway series.

  18. OldBear48July 28, 2023

    MLB Network reports that the Dodgers are closing in on a trade for Lynn and Kelly per Ken Rosenthal

  19. BobbyJuly 28, 2023

    Chicago sports talk is excited, ONLY because they know how good the Dodgers’ farm system is, so they feel even if it’s a top 15 Dodger prospect, it’s still better than most teams’ top 10 prospects. (Truth)

  20. dodgerrickJuly 28, 2023

    Lance Lynn – this year is 6-9, 6.47, WHIP 1.462, -1.2 WAR. His last good season was 2021. He has never been that good. And he’s 35.

    Tailgunner Joe Kelly is 1-5, 4.97, WHIP 1.31, 12 BB in 29 IP. Since going to the Chisox, he had a 6.08 ERA last year. He was mostly bad in Dodger Blue and always had troubles throwing strikes. And he’s also 35.

    I don’t want either of them.

  21. BobbyJuly 28, 2023

    Dodgers send Nick Nastrini, Jordan Leisure, and Trayce Thompson to Chicago for those 2 elite arms.

  22. BlutoJuly 28, 2023

    Nastrini, Trayce and Leasure going the other way.

    Nastrini makes it feel a little heavy, but not horribly.

    Not a thrilling deal any way you view it.

    What’s curious is it does nothing to cure the Rule 5 crunch this off-season as both Leasure and Nastrini weren’t eligible until next year.

  23. OldBear48July 28, 2023

    Deal not final yet, but has been announced by Passan.

  24. FallitoJuly 28, 2023

    Well, now complete the Mark trade.

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