What Value Do Other Teams Place on Dodger Prospects?

So yesterday the Cubs acquired Justin Wilson and Alex Avila from the Tigers for Jeimer Candelario and Isaac Parades and a PTBNL. Candelario is the #92 MLB prospect, but Parades is the guy the Tigers really wanted. Baseball insiders think Parades has a chance to be a special SS.  The Cubs needed a catcher like Avilia so this fills two spots for them.  The Dodgers had no need for Avilia, so the Cubs won out. The Cubs now have ZERO of the TOP 100 MLB Prospects while the Dodgers have six… count ’em 6!

So, one might think that the Dodgers would have no problem putting together a deal for Darvish or Gray or even Britton, but there are a couple of factors you need to consider first before you decide if that is true.

1. Just like FAZ was steadfast in not trading Seager, Pederson, Urias, Bellinger and Stewart in the past couple of years (those were the players teams were asking for) in the past two years, they are steadfast in not trading Alex Verdugo and Walker Buehler, and those are the two players Texas is seeking… probably Oakland too.
2. You have to consider how other teams value Dodger prospects.  Even Ray Charles can see that Alex Verdugo has the potential to be “Tony Gwynn-esque.”  Will he?  Only time will tell, but he has “batting champion” written all over him.  Walker Buehler can be an Ace – Think Zack Greinke when you think of him.  It’s easy for us as fans to say, “Just offer Texas Alvarez and Calhoun” but maybe the Rangers do not value flame-throwing pitchers with control problems who have regressed, or players with steel mitts and tree-trunk legs.

Certain teams have certain needs – trades are not made just because a prospect is ranked higher than another prospect.  I think lots of teams would take a chance on Yadier Alvarez, but they do not value him as a top prospect.  To get Chris Sale, the Red Sox had to give up the #1 MLB prospect and the #12 MLB prospect among other things.  To get Quintana, the Cubs had to give up the #7 MLB prospect and to get Wilson and Avila they had to give up their last Top 100 prospect and another younger prospect who could be the centerpiece of the deal.  We have no idea what the Dodgers would have given up.

I would think the Dodgers could put together a package of Alvarez, Calhoun, White, Diaz and Smith to get Gray or Alvarez, but who knows how Texas or Oakland values those players?  I do think Britton or Reed or Hand is a possibility but to get Darvish or Gray, it is going to take Verdugo and/or Buehler and I don’t think Friedman will trade either one.

I loved what Grant Brisbee (thanks to Bluto) wrote about starting pitching yesterday:

The Giants’ starting pitchers threw three quality starts against the Dodgers this weekend. Each one of them pitched into the seventh inning. Over the last two games, they combined for 14 innings and two runs allowed.

They lost every game. They will lose more games before the season is over. Dozens of them. And while maybe none of them will be as miserable as the three this weekend, they’ll be pretty miserable.

How does that San Fran starting pitching that was held up as a model for the Dodgers look right about now?

Clayton Kershaw looked extremely healthy yesterday – he was firing that ball and getting full extension in his windup and follow through.  He will be back this week – BOOK IT!  If the Dodgers could get a starter without giving up Verdugo or Buehler, I’m all in, but I doubt that will happen.  When the Cubs got Chapman last year, it cost them the #3 Top Prospect.  What will Britton cost? I’m not sure we should pay that kind of price. In the meantime, I’ll just chilling until the trade deadline.

What do you wanna’ bet that some teams are hot after Ryu?

Do the Dodgers really need another starter?