In breaking news reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Dodgers have acquired outfielder Brett Eibner from the Oakland Athletics. The Dodgers sent minor leaguer Jordan Tarsovich up north in return. Carlos Frias was DFA’d to make room for newcomer Eibner.
Five days ago the A’s designated Eibner for assignment to make room on their roster for someone else, and now he’s a Dodger. Eibner came up through the Kansas City Royals’ farms, where he was rated as high as number 17 as a prospect.
The Royals traded Eibner to the A’s midseason last year. Perhaps moneyballer Billy Beane thought Eibner would pan out in the bay. Between the Royals and the A’s, he batted .191/.266/.353 in 208 ML plate appearances. Eibner batted much better at the AAA level – .280/.356/.474 – so there is potential to be had.
Eibner can handle all three outfield positions, he’s rated with above-average speed, and he adds a desired right-handed bat to the Dodgers. Although he didn’t put up big enough numbers for the A’s to remain interested, the 28-year-old showed some pop in his bat. In his limited ML debut, he racked up 10 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 22 RBIs.
In the clown car that is overstuffed with Dodgers’ outfielders, Eibner will have his work cut out for him in Spring Training. He’s got minor league options remaining, so the Dodgers can keep him around (depth, depth, depth) if he doesn’t show much at first.
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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You have got to be kidding me. Makes absolutely no sense. And they designate Frias for assignment. Shows what they think of him, or maybe they have a trade in mind. But adding another OF to the mix, especially a 28 year old who hit all of .193 in 70 games last year is just plain dumb. Guy is nothing but AAA fodder……..FAZ is a lunatic.
Agreed, Michael, it certainly appears to be lunacy to me. Frias, of course, is from the last administration, so he can’t be any good–that makes sense, right? Maybe his velocity went down from 98 to 97.
Zaide (?) doing a favor for old friend Billy Bean?
Don’t worry.
Be happy.
Here’s your avatar, Bluto…
I actually took my name from the Animal House character, but that one is good too.
Yeah. John Belushi…
Bluto
Are you telling me you are built like that?
Frias didn’t throw too many innings last year. He had injuries. No biggie. I think they can risk trying to DFA him. I kind of figured that would happen at some point, but I figured it would be for a new relief pitcher.
Neither the guy they traded nor the guy they received will play for the Dodgers in the bigs so it’s no big deal.
Frias wasn’t in the Dodgers’ plans any more either. He will probably be traded too.
None of us have any idea what DeLeon will become but because he now doesn’t play in the Dodgers organization does not mean his value has dropped and he’s no good. Less than a year ago (actually as recently as the August trade deadline) many of you stated…. ‘NO WAY FAZ trades DeLeon.’ Even when the talks were for the likes of Sale, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, etc. NO ONE wanted to part with Urias or DeLeon. Now DeLeon has been moved for an average 2nd baseman. One that hit .241 while playing 3 years in the NL for the Padres. If none of the other acquired/inherited 2nd base candidates were at least good enough to get the team to the trade deadline than what does that say about the ‘depth’ of this team?
To me…..piss poor! As DodgerRick pointed out, they moved Kendrick for practically nothing. What would you rather have Kendrick/DeLeon or Ruff/Forsythe? Here’s another one, would you rather have Utley/DeLeon or Forsythe?
I am willing to bet that Forsythe does not exceed Utley’s numbers from last year. 14 Homers, 52 Ribbies, .252 BA. When you bat first in the AL you have a hitter in front of you and usually one with speed (in other words fastball weighted heavier when the #9 hitter reaches base 30-35% of the time), not so in the NL.
Pitching wins Championships and FAZ has now traded 4 of our Top 5 or 6 pitching prospects from a year ago.
For the record, I’m fine with Forsythe over JDL/Kendrick. AND, here’s a counterpoint to Chili’s from FanGraphs, the headline says it all:
The Dodgers Rotation Is Risky, Expensive, and Fantastic
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-dodgers-rotation-is-risky-expensive-and-fantastic/
I think that Fangraphs article basically says MJ’s suspicions were right all along. Taking into account the pitchers that FAZ have signed and who’s constantly injured, like McCarthy, the dodgers are essentially paying top FA dollars per WAR for the non-Kershaw starters. In other words, the FAZ did not save money or have a better strategy than the clubs who gave big FA contracts to the likes of Cueto, Samarjiza, etc. I’m not saying the FAZ did worse, just that not while they avoid signing big FA contracts, their strategy does not save money either, at least according to Fangraph’s WAR based article.
AND we have “traded 4 of our Top 5 or 6 pitching prospects from a year ago”.
Y F
When you have to sign more pitchers, to pitch, when these other pitchers can’t, that adds up to, like you just said.
We wouldn’t be the LA Tampa A’s if we didn’t add to our team from those other 2 ‘winning’ organizations.
Great article. Kershaw is fantastic – rest of rotation is risky and expensive. Kid K with half of the WAR out of the starters during the past 2 years, which is amazing considering Greinke’s 9.3 WAR in 2015. Dodgers have produced 34 WAR out of starters over 2 years – 24.4 are Kershaw for 2 seasons (missed 2 months last year and Greinke ( 9.3 for 1 season.) The rest of the staff didn’t even produce 10 WAR in 2 years. Awful!
With Kershaw, Dodgers’ starters are projected to be 1st in WAR next year – without him, 15th!
And yet you can still win 92 games with a lousy supporting starting staff as long as you have a surplus of bullpen arms. It’s a different approach with this administration.
Artieboy
Remember this is only suppose to be a temporarily thing, until our young pitchers, come up.
Dodgers signing Brandon Morrow for the ‘pen. High-upside, injury history. Limited exposure 1.25mm if he makes the roster.
DYK: Morrow was taken two spots ahead of Kershaw in the draft, so the Dodgers are getting the steal of the century.
Injury history= job requirement
Heard today that it was going to be a 3-way trade with Seattle. Wood was going to Seattle for an additional prospect to go to Minnesota with JDL for Dozier.
I saw a report on MLBnerdwork, that Longoria was pretty pissed off that TB moved Forsythe, either he really saw him as very good teammate and player or they were just drinking buddies. It’s one thing to hear what the FOs say about a player but a whole other thing to hear what the players say. FOs have to defend their moves to justify them, players let you know what is really going on (yeah sometimes they get it wrong but usually players have some pretty good insights).
Brandon Morrow is a very good pick up. I saw him pitch in Seattle. He will throw 95-98 out of the pen. He could very well be our 8th inning pitcher.
Did he look good?
I looked at Morrow’s numbers, and he didn’t give up many runs, in the innings that he pitched, unlike a couple of pitchers, in our pen.
But he is on a minor league deal, isn’t he?
Good morning all:
According to MLTR. Ryu states he is now throwing pain free. If that’s true it’s a huge boost but also another problem to solve.
Rotation: CK; Hill, Maeda, Ryu; Urias.
What happens to Kazmir, Wood, McCarthy.
Do they all go into the BP and whose place would they take?
They will go to their favorite hangout, the Disabled List.
Jonah, I mean Wondering,
Ryu did pitch well before he got hurt.
In fact I don’t know how he pitched so well, in that last play off game, like he did, with what he had wrong with him.
I know it doesn’t look good, but if he was able to ever comeback, that would make our rotation, much better.
He is fun to watch hit too.
Wondering
Did you find out what your problem was?
Thinking overnight that maybe their computer isn’t to blame after all. Since, as far as I know, my account was the only one involved, I wonder if it was a deliberate attack by a former administrator of this blog who may still have access to accounts here. He did threaten me before he left. I hope Scott and Oscar have taken steps to guarantee that he will not be able to come back and do mischief here. He must be locked out completely as an administrator.
I’m sure Scott will look into it.
Remember when you couldn’t see your avatar yesterday, and I could, could someone make that happen?
If everyone but me could see it, that would seem to indicate the problem is in my computer or my browser. I checked but I could find nothing wrong here. I just don’t know…
Richie
I wonder what there thoughts are about Blanton?
He is still out there.
I don’t really know what to think about Blanton.
MJ: I, too, liked Blanton very much. I wish we could resign him again. He pitched poorly against the Cubs but was lights out vs the Nationals in the PS.
I believe that was because he was overworked. No one in the BP appeared in more games or pitched more innings than Blanton did. I really doubt we would’ve even got to the PS without him.
However I think he is looking for more than a one year contract and the FO is unwilling to go more than 1 year at this point.
Also how many pitches did he throw in the BP and NOT appear a game. That had to tire him out(along with the other BP pitchers) and at his age(35) maybe it was too much for him.
What do you think?
I noticed that this guy they got from the A’s, went to Arkansas University, like Logan did.
I wonder if there is a connection there.
Of course I read a article in Fan Rag last night, and it said that JDL was an over pay for Logan.
I just hope Logan’s intangibles, make a big difference, that stats don’t tell.
His defensive metrics, seem like a counter diction, to me.
He isn’t suppose to have good range, but he had five defensive runs saved, in 2015, and one last year.
How can a player have that many runs saved, if they don’t have good range?
But that is the problem with defensive metrics.
Badger
Don’t let people get to you.
That gives up, to much of your own power.
Maybe Faz needs to step on the Gas
http://dodgerblue.com/mlb-rumors-indians-interest-dodgers-free-agent-reliever-joe-blanton/2017/01/26/
Well I got moved into my new apartment. I am back. Not impressed with the trade, but that is obvious. Morrow has had pretty good stuff and I am sure he will get a long look in spring. They are pretty happy with the arms they have down there. I thought they were grooming Frias for the long relief role, but I guess not.
Michael
I hope your neighbors turn out ok, since you are having to live in an apartment now.
But I bet you are glad, that you finally, got this over.
They are all pretty nice so far and they love my dog! LOL
Morrow – seems like more of the old and infirm. Have you checked out his medical history? Here is from Dodgers Digest:
“Morrow has dealt with shoulder, forearm, elbow, hand, and oblique injuries in his career, limiting him to 120.2 innings from 2013-15 as a starter. In 2016, he gave up on the starting role, instead becoming a member of the Padres bullpen. Morrow showed flashes there, putting up a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings (with a 4.37 FIP and 5.26 DRA), but he only threw 16 innings due to lingering problems with shoulder surgery that ended his 2015.”
NPUT