The Dodgers and Twins danced around each other for weeks (or had it been months?) over a supposed deal that would have brought Brian Dozier to Los Angeles. Names that might be headed to Minnesota in a trade swirled like the series of winter storms that have been passing daily over Dodger Stadium.
There were lots of names mentioned in the LA/Minnesota trade rumors. Maybe too many. Apparently the Twins wanted too much, and their tactic of waiting out the Dodgers eventually backfired, because in the end, it took a simple one-for-one trade to fill the Dodgers’ big hole at second base.
David Vassegh from AM Sports 570 is confirming the trade that will send the Dodgers’ top-rated prospect, Jose De Leon to Tampa Bay for new second baseman, Logan Forsythe.
RHP De Leon was recently rated the Dodgers’ number three prospect by Baseball America, and his brief stint with the big club late last season showed him to have plenty of potential upside.
30-year-old Forsythe hit .264/.333/.444 with 24 doubles and a career-high 20 home runs for the Rays last season. He started out as an above-average utility man, and word is he’s settled into a reliable and steady defensive player at second base.
He’ll hit free agency at the end of the 2017 season, but the Dodgers aren’t looking at that right now. They’re just plenty happy that Enrique Kike Hernandez isn’t going to be the Opening Day anchor for the infield.
The trade looks like a win-win for both teams, with the Dodgers getting the early edge in Logan Forsythe’s beard, which will join Justin Turner‘s as the second redbeard on the Dodgers’ infield. #Intangibles
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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May not hit FA next season. There is a club option for next year @ 9mm.
Actually $8 million plus some incentives. Good news for the Calhoun believers. Unless there’s another deal in the works, he will get a full year at AAA or some combo of AA and AAA this year to work on his defense. Not as good a pickup as Dozier, but offers versatility. I think JDL and Stewart was probably the right price for Dozier, but the Dodgers needed Stewart as insurance.
Hawkeye
It is almost a perfect deal.
If Logan produces, we can pick up that second year.
And if he doesn’t, we pay just one million.
I wish he was under team control longer, but then we could be stuck with him.
Scott
Thanks that worked!
I’d love to see this lineup:
Toles
Logan
Seager
JT
Agone
Puig
Joc
Grandal
pitcher
Call me crazy, but if a .280+ hitting Puig shows up and Toles can win the spot I like:
Toles
Puig
Seager
JT
Agone
Forsythe
Joc
Grandal
Pitcher
I like getting a couple of speed guys in front of Seager and Turner.
Hawkeye
I would bat Joc eighth.
Everything he did well, was in the eighth position.
Being before the pitcher, helps him to have a better eye, and wait for his pitch.
And hopefully Puig will hit longer then the two first weeks of the season, like he did last year, in the first half.
I have no problem giving him the starting job, but he has to produce, to keep his job.
It is so hard to believe him, because we have heard this from him, for the last three years.
And he better not take to much time from Roberts, by not doing what he is suppose to do.
But I will keep an open mind to Puig.
Not sure what the excitement is about. Yeah, he had a decent year on a bad team. He’s not a leadoff hitter, not with that OBP. 3.4 rWAR, 2.8 fWAR, projects at 1.8 for his 30 year old year. Fairly even splits. He should be ok, but I don’t see his bat lighting up in LA. Good pickup, not great. Better than Kiké? Of course. I wonder what will be done with the other 5 second baseman.
Now we get to see how good De Leon actually is.
Brett Anderson to the Cubs?
Yes, Anderson to the Cubs for $3.5M, should he pass his physical. Incentives can take it up to $10M.
If you ask me, there’s no downside to deals like this. Short term deals for pitchers, all upside.
Bluto
Unless you end up paying him 15 million, for sitting on the bench, for another year.
That, as the theory goes, is why you get him on such a deal (limited term, or limited money.)
Except when they have to actually pitch!
Badger
I don’t see him as a lead off hitter either.
But he did hit twenty HRs, and he missed a month, because he had a crack, or hairline fracture, but I don’t remember where.
What is the size difference
between Dodger stadium, and where the Rays play?
He has had two good years, and he was playing in the American League East, and that is a tough league.
Badger I don’t think Forsythe is a difference maker but the FAZ did well here. The other candidates are just utility guys and this deal paves the way for Calhoun (unless the FAZ pulls another arbitrageur move and trade him for another Rich Hill .., heaven help us ….)
Anyways, look at it this way, the damage could have been worse and JDL gets another chance to be trade bait in 3 years, ha ha.
For those who follow such things:
Fantasy Rankings 2B
http://rotochamp.com/Baseball/PlayerRankings.aspx?Position=2B
Badger
This site has Gordon number five.
I don’t think he should, be rated that high.
And when I have seen second base men rated this year, he isn’t even in the top ten.
Last year, he didn’t do much, once he came back.
You don’t like Gordon MJ? I do. And the Roto projections, though different, value speed. If Gordon is healthy, he’s an everyday player. That’s valuable. If he plays everyday, he will steal you 50 bases and score 85 runs. I doubt our second baseman a. plays everyday b. steals 50 bases or c. scores 85 runs.
I’d take Gordon back in a heartbeat. But, that’s me.
Badger
You right about that, but Gordon hasn’t done much, since he was caught doing the steroids.
That is the main thing.
They just rated the top ten second baseman on MLB, and he wasn’t even mentioned in anyone’s list, including the shredder.
He was not even on the honorable mention, list.
He missed 80 games. Hard to be at the top of your game missing that much time. I think you will see a different Gordon this year. But he was not using steroids. He was using a banned substance, but not steroids. He is still the skinny kid we saw a couple of years ago. He made a mistake, paid the piper, and now this year we will see what he has got.
Badger
You know I don’t think platoons make a team or players better, except a few players, that can perform in a platoon.
And there isn’t to many players like that.
Michael
He did take steroids.
Gordon took clostrbol, which is an explosion, of steroid derivatives, that the East Germans used.
On the same site I saw that #49 @second base is Utley and #133 @pitcher is de Leon. I realize the difference, but…. it is revelant to the sites evaluation system
Well, let’s look at it this way, We got a starting second baseman for a 24th round pick. Now a starting second baseman on a playoff team should cost a hell of a lot more than that. We smoked em.
Now,… About Calhoun…. have they tried him out as a catcher? I know they say that he has a weak arm, but maybe he throws better squatting. He sure looks like a catcher.
Good pickup, great move
Melton, I tend to agree that after the dance with the Twins, Forsyth is a good deal. Look at the new Fangraphs article. And one thing that Fangrapgs didn’t highlight (they only mentioned this in passing) is how Forsythe hits to all fields. This is the type of hitter for Dodgers Stadium. Except we need more speed. I hope they keep Toles to take over LF.
YF
I saw a hit chart on Logan, that was put over Dodger stadium, and he does hit to all fields, like you said.
And a hitter like that, is going to be getting more hits, then a pull hitter, like Dozier.
All those other utility/signees? They’re (obviously) depth!
Fangrapgh has an article up comparing Dozier and Forsyth and concludes that this was a good deal.
Anyways I am with MJ. This was a good signing to pave the way for Calhoun. But I think the FAZ will break our hearts before then and trade Calhoun for another injury prone potential No. 1/2 starter …. this is probably what’s driving Badger nuts ….
Gosh, trading Calhoun for a #1/#2 pitcher sounds great
Injury prone …. potential ….
Good to see you back Yueh!
I’ve been around, reading. Just wanted to stay out of the offseason vitriol….
YF
That drives everyone nuts here!
Basic fantasy projections are all well and good for your normal 5×5 fantasy league but if you’re looking for something a bit more in depth here’s a link to the article that Yueh brought up.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/dodgers-trade-for-brian-dozier-basically/
Hey Yueh, good to see you! Vitriol? Must have missed it. Per Scott’s suggestion, I just skip over box posts and figure 2 things – 1. everybody in the country is lathered up and 2. it’s winter. It’s been my experience that everyone is crankier in the winter.
I read that Sullivan piece too, and found it interesting. He says the Dodgers got the same guy but their fangraphs projections have Dozier projected at 3.2 WAR and Forsythe at 1.5 WAR. I can’t help it, I’m programmed to look at projections. Since I don’t know the guy I read the stats (2 years running pretty good) and then look at projections. I also, from habit, take whatever projections exist for a new guy and reduce it by about 10% because it’s been historically evident that very few bats come to Los Angeles and improve.
I think I’m gonna like Forsythe. He’s a career .255 hitter, but positive on defense. I hope he beats the projection and plays more than the 127 games he did last year. I also wish De Leon success with his new team. I’m a fan of his.
Badger-
Most things FAZ related is where we have common ground.
My thoughts are that the Rays sold high. Forsythe is a career .255 hitter. Has hit above that mark with some power the last 2 seasons. He’s 30. Now is the time to move him. Getting a DeLeon type of pitcher is good for them. They can just add another cost controlled prospect to their system. Now they can trade Archer for, let’s say…..Puig, Stewart and Calhoun.
Yeah, maybe Rays did sell high on Forsythe, but, Twins were also selling high on Dozier.
Bottom line to me, was the upgrade in Dozier worth the additional prospects the Twins wanted. Probably not!
Dodgers are going for it AGAIN in 2017 and don’t forget, perhaps our biggest competitors the Cubs, just signed the “Dough Boy”. That ought to make you guys really happy.
Boxout
The ballerina pitcher better have a fall, at least once, with the Cubs, since we had to witness that happening, to many times.
Maybe on days he pitches, they lower the mound…. 🙂
In days past, on other boards, we used to talk about 3 year splits. They aren’t mentioned much anymore, but I still read them, and along with projections, and filtered through the age lens (MLB prime years now 26-29) one can attempt to play the projection guessing game. It of course can’t possibly be perfect, but it has worked reasonably well for me over the years. That’s especially true now that steroid years are behind us.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/splits/_/id/30579/type/batting3
Chili
Why is he a sinker ball pitcher?
That is just tempting fate!
Yueh, it’s good reading weather here in SoCal for sure… Pleased with the 1 for 1 trade and see what transpires from here…
I’m sure the ‘V ‘ will return as sure as the sunset tonite. OF, Pen, etc. etc.
I like Bobby’s lineup for now… We’ll hopefully see a few combos late in ST.
Scott, comments “waiting moderation” are annoying and really interrupt the flow of conversation here. Apparently it’s common on this site. Can you please do something about it?
Now that we have Logan it is time to unload kiki
Good question stanley. I bet he would appreciate an opportunity elsewhere. Perhaps it’s time Friedman admitted trading for him was a mistake and give him away for a mushroom to be named later.
The Dodgers are said to be looking for additional BP help with maybe Holland, Blevins, etc. mentioned as possibles. Why?
LHP: Liberatore, Dayton and possibly Wood.
RHP: Jansen, Baez, Fields, Ravin, McCarthy?, Stripling/Stewart.
Not to mention: Avilan and Hatcher
Yes, and you probably missed a few internal possibilities, but, you know what they say in baseball: “You can never have too much pitching”.
I don’t get the Blevins thing. Liberatore, Dayton, Avilan, Wood, and Nuno are all lefties I get taking a flyer on Holland. I don’t trust Hatcher and I don’t think McCarthy plays from the pen.
I agree with Box, “you can never have too much pitching.” But it’s also good to have more than most where you can deal a 24 year old rookie pitcher for a need now.
We still have a great farm, and we have a top 2 NL team I like it. Let’s hope a few of the guys improve (Puig), and guys like Toles or Trayce step up. I expect Agone to decline a bit, so bat him 6th now. Hopefully somebody can step up and bat behind JT.
Now, we need a good bullpen arm (will we overpay a bit for Holland?), and I think we’re headed fur a fun (and obviously frustrating) season again!
Let’s hope that most of our other top pitching prospects, work out.
That is the only problem, when we talk about all of the depth, in young right hand pitching, not all of this depth, will be what we think they will be, but I hope they all do make it.
I saw many comments from people saying, I hope we are not giving another Pedro Guerrero away, for a second basemen.
That is every Dodger fan’s worry, that any player we trade, turn into gold, once they are with a new team..
How about Holland and Blanton?
Blanton has been awfully good the last couple years.
Holland can be this years, FAZ sick and infirmary candidate, potential high reward for cash. I think we are probably second in line for Holland behind the Nationals.
You can never have too much pitching needs to be qualified when it comes to FAZ.
I believe Mark might have been the first to suggest De Leon, and his clear swing and miss stuff, would have been a good fit in our ’17 bullpen. I agreed with that take. The same could be said for any of the 3 sent to Oakland for Blister Rich. But, that’s not how FAZ wants to play it. It would appear they never really intended to use any of those 4 top pitching prospects for anything other than bait. And, who knows, they may have been right about all 4. So far, the young players for whom they’ve traded, and the young players they’ve traded, along with the free agents they’ve signed, suggests to me they prefer players past the 26-29 prime years.
The bottom line for me is – is this a Championship roster? In my opinion there is still some work to do. My wish list is 1. Better, stronger starting pitching and 2. younger, more athletic (speed and defensive wizardry) on the 40 man. 3. The bullpen needs to beefed up.
That said, this looks like a good team. Not a great team, but a good team. 90+ wins, down to the last week of the season for another West title.
Holland and Blanton sound fine to me.
Badger
Did you have a bad day yesterday?
Maybe he got a bad mushroom…
What? Why would you ask that?
Badger
I don’t remember you tweeting much after yesterday morning, until later in the evening.
And you were a little short with your comments yesterday evening , and this morning.
Usually you are a little more witty, so I thought maybe you had a tough day yesterday.
Wondering
If he had some shrooms, he probably wouldn’t be here.
I think Stewart will pay fine out of the pen if they need him too.
Took the night to chew on this trade. It looks better to me this morning because I have taken some time. They got a starting 2nd baseman for a prospect pitcher. Deleon was 2-0 with a 6.78 ERA. He walked 7 and struck out 15 in 16 innings over 4 games. All starts. That averages out to 4 innings a start. He also allowed 17 runs in those 16 innings. And he gave up 5 home runs. Granted it is a small sample. But they were willing to trade this kid and not Stewart, Alvarez or Buhler. Oaks was not even mentioned. They have LOTS of RH starting pitching in the minors. Guys like Sborz who I saw pitch at Rancho. So they were dealing from a position of strength and it only cost them 1 guy. Twins wanted 3 for Dozier. Yeah, Dozier hit 42 dingers last year, but no way he comes close to that in LA. Most of the trades FAZ has made I shake my head at. This one makes sense.
I’m ok with it. Not thrilled as Forsythe is 30 and better than average. Though I don’t see him as a game changer, perhaps in our lineup he will fit nicely.
Shaikin:
Bottom line: The Dodgers are closer this week than they were last week to their first World Series since 1988. They wouldn’t have sacrificed a prospect they considered elite for that goal. They could be wrong about De Leon, but they can afford to be — and, if they bring a World Series back to Los Angeles, who cares?
Can’t argue with that last sentence.
Thrilled? Not really. But I like the guys intensity and Evan Longoria came out and was pretty mad the Rays traded the guy. That says a lot to me. When you have that kind of respect from a team mate, you are a guy I would like on my team. I believe it is a good deal because A. It takes the pressure off of Willie Calhoun and gives him another year to work on those defensive issues. We all know the guy can hit. It puts Kike in a position he is better suited for. Never have envisioned him as an everyday guy. It also ramps up the competition for the #1 utility guy during spring. You have 3 guys who are multi positional players fighting for a roster spot. It adds a RH bat with some power. As for the bull pen, I do not think they make a major move there. They really like Ravin and what they got out of Avilan, Liberatore and Dayton from the left side. So they have Fields, Hatcher and Baez setting up from the right side. I think Ravin is the wild card here. He throws serious heat. I also think he beats Hatcher out for a roster spot.
Well said. I look forward to seeing how he fits. I don’t see him as a .350+ OBP leadoff guy, but, perhaps he surprises me. And Calhoun can use another year thumping minor league pitching and working on D.
As for the bullpen, I like the rumor about Blevins. I believe the other lefthanders mentioned still have options. Blanton and/or Holland could fit. I think the pen will come together.
I don’t think I have ever heard of Blevins. But Holland I remember, and I think coming off injury trying to prove himself again would make him a pretty solid acquisition. I also think Alex Wood would be a good bullpen piece.
Badger
I was looking at Logan’s stats, and projections, and they said that his projections don’t look that good, because they are taking in consideration, those first few years, he was with the Padres.
But like Michael said above, I have seen two of his current team mates, and a former team mate, say he is a class guy, and a great team mate, and a good player.
And when was the last time, we had a second base men, that hit twenty HRs?
Badger
I don’t see him, as a lead off guy, either.
I think some are saying that, because he led
off, for the Rays.
He has pretty even splits, so maybe they won’t platoon him.
It is also good that Roberts, knows Logan too.
I am happy for JDL too.
I saw a tweet from him, and he is really excited.
Great post.
As I’ve stated I do think the Rays are trading Forsythe at the right time. They are definitely maxing their return and might have let him walk after this coming season. Kudos to them.
I also can safely say that this can be viewed as a win/win trade. Ideally that is the way trades should be viewed the day after they are done.
But as many of you do remember the FAZophants had Deleon as a solid #2 right behind Urias going into the 2018 or 2019 seasons. To that I would say then that this was a bad trade. Now if they feel that Deleon has shown himself and he’s not all that now……that is the point that some of us make regarding all prospects. You never know what you are going to get.
I can only guess that on the other site, this is probably being viewed as FAZ just taking one of their best players for a prospect that ‘did not figure into our plans.’ Those folks must forget what they say the minute after they make a statement because I vividly remember hearing that Urias and Deleon were OFF LIMITS. Now one of them is being traded for a journeyman 2nd baseman.
And some of those same folks would not part ways with Urias in any deal for Chris Sale. Please. This is now the 4th top 13 Prospect (all pitchers) in the past 6 months that FAZ has moved.
Wouldn’t it have made more sense to trade Cotton, Holmes, Deleon and Peraza for Hamels back in 2015? Might have already won a WS and would have been in a better position to win last year and this year and…….
Hi Chili,
Yes, things do change.
DeLeon may or may not have progressed or regressed. Alvarez and Buehler similarly. Who was once a top prospect, can turn into a middling one. Is that Brandon Wood over there? By Zach Lee and Blake DeWitt?
Interesting that Forsythe has been labeled a Journeyman in your eyes. Maybe that too will change.
Bluto,
I do view him as more of a journeyman. A career .255 hitter, .326 OBP now with his 3rd organization within 7 years. Has played more than 150 games 1 time. He is going to fill a gap that the Dodgers had but he’s not going to put them over the top IMO. If they do not get good offensive production from their OF and Gonzalez, this trade won’t matter much. And the 4th Top 13 Prospect has been moved.
Agree!
Arg.
I agree and I don’t agree! I misread.
He’s well above a journeyman IMO, he’s a 2.8 WAR. He’s not as good as Dozier, but he’s better than Utley and hits from the Right (pun) side.
Obviously he won’t make the impact of Seager, but he’ll be better than Utley and balance out the line-up to boot.
The 4th Top 13 prospect moved, and it’s still a phenomenal farm system. That’s great.
Forsythe missed several games last year because of back spasms (August). He also fractured his shoulder blade in May. I’m assuming he passed a thorough physical before this deal was made?
Just saw Chili’s post.
I had De Leon behind Kersahaw and Urias at #3. As for your trade idea, hell yes. That’s what suggested, or close to it, that summer.
Didn’t get it all in before I ran out of edit time.
The deadline we were talking about Hamels, De Leon was rated above any of the prospects the Rangers gave Philly. As I recall, Peraza was up there even with those Texas prospects. It made sense to me our package, led by De Leon and Peraza, could have bested what Texas offered. I got skewered by Timmons for suggesting that. Hamels has pitched very well since that trade. I believe he, the third starter so many of us thought we needed, would have made the difference.
Especially in light of the Greinke exodus. Hamels would definitely look great on the Dodgers staff.
Nice post, by Brisbee, on the Forsythe deal:
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/1/24/14371088/dodgers-trade-logan-forsythe-rays
Definitely a few of us knew it was never going to take Urias Seager and Joc to get Hamels.
The deal discussed centered around JDL and SVS. I would have sent them to Philly myself first class using my AA miles if that got us Hamels.
Exactly Badger. I remember. But for some reason they do not remember what they say. At that time Urias and DeLeon, the future 1/2’s were not going to be traded. No way, No how! Now DeLeon is traded for a journeyman 2nd baseman. Forsythe is an adequate 2nd baseman but Dozier is much better. It’s actually not even close. Brian Dozier also steals twice as many bases….14 to 6 based on career performance. For anyone to be critical of Dozier’s 42 homers….and say well he’s not going to hit that many in LA. Ok, your probably 100% right. But going from 42 to 25 or thereabouts is much better than going from 20 to 10 or less which is where Forsythe will end up. I’m willing to bet Forsythe doesn’t match Utley’s numbers from last year.
Maybe, just maybe, the Phillies knew better than you guys!!! Maybe, just maybe, the Phillies don’t get their scouting reports the same place you guys do. Maybe just maybe, the Phillies are a lot better off having traded with Texas.
ESPN’s Keith Law: Cole Hamels trade was ‘Phillies’ Herschel Walker moment’
For the first time in years, Phillies spring training is the root of optimism in Philadelphia. While 2016 results likely won’t be pretty (USA Today and Baseball Prospectus peg them for worst record in baseball), the future is looking bright.
Much of that is thanks due to a farm system that has been overhauled over the last 18 months–stemming in large part from the July 2015 trade of Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers. In return, the Phillies landed five prospects: Catcher Jorge Alfaro, outfielder Nick Williams and three right-handed pitchers, Jake Thompson, Jared Eickhoff and Alec Asher.
The quantity, along with quality, of that deal spurred ESPN prospect expert Keith Law to rank the Phillies among the better farm systems in baseball heading into 2016 and put the deal in historical terms.
“It’s the Phillies’ Herschel Walker moment,” Law told NJ Advance Media during a conference call on Tuesday. “Yes, I’m showing my age, but I believe that. When the Dallas Cowboys dealt Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, it set up their next winning team with an amazing array of assets. This deal did that for the Phillies.”
“Alfaro is hitter, regardless of if he plays catcher or the outfield,” Law said. “Williams has a chance to be very dynamic. I’m convinced that Jake Thompson is a major-league starter, likely a very solid No. 3. Those players all could be part of the next winning Phillies team or shipped off in trades to acquire players that will get the Phillies there by the end of this decade.”
While Law’s comparison is historical and paints the trade in a very positive light for the Phillies, it’s viewed through a cross-sports lenses. When asked if it compares to any recent baseball haul, Law pointed out one of the most lopsided-trades in recent history: The 2003 trade that sent Bartolo Colon from the Cleveland Indians to the Montreal Expos for prospects Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips.
TEXAS PLAYERS
Jorge Alfaro, catcher, Now 23 yrs old, 16 MLB at bats
Nick Williams, outfielder, Now 23 yrs old, hasn’t made it to MLB
Jake Thompson, pitcher, Now 22 yrs old, 2016: 53IP, 5.70ERA, 1.51WHIP
Jared Eickhoff, pitcher, Now 26 yrs old, 2016: 197IP, 3.65ERA, 1.16WHIP
Alec Asher, pitcher, Now 25 yrs old, 28IP, 2.28ERA, .94WHIP
DODGER PLAYERS
Jose DeLeon, Now 24 yrs old, 17IP, 6.35ERA, 1.53WHIP
Jose Peraza, Wasn’t even a Dodger until a day before the Hamels trade
PHILLIES TO DODGERS (Just like Twins to Dodgers) We want more than DeLeon for Hamels. Urias and Seager you got a deal!!!!!!! Otherwise he goes to Texas.
I think that’s way too simplistic of a rationalization.
I don’t think the deal was Peraza, I think it was centered around JDL and SVS. Peraza has very little value.
More important, it’s not a singular moment, a negotiation goes on and develops. The Dodgers thought they were close to a deal for those two, then Texas came in.
Did the Dodgers have a chance to make an augmented offer? Did the Phillies tell them specifcally who they wanted? Were they entitled to revisit? Did they not get the chance?
We don’t know if any or all of these happened, but it’s silly to think they didn’t. It’s equally silly to think that you or I know if the Dodgers wanted Urias and/or Seager.
Olney has a column about Friedman’s acumen in trading prospects.
In it he surmises about the potential L/R lineups:
Versus lefties, such as Madison Bumgarner:
RF Yasiel Puig (bats right)
2B Logan Forsythe (right)
SS Corey Seager (left)
3B Justin Turner (right)
1B Adrian Gonzalez (left)
LF Scott Van Slyke (right)
C Yasmani Grandal (switch-hitter)
CF Joc Pederson (left)
Versus right-handers, such as Johnny Cueto:
LF Andrew Toles (left)
2B Forsythe (right)
SS Seager (left)
3B Turner (right)
1B Gonzalez (left)
C Grandal (switch-hitter)
RF Andre Ethier (left)
CF Pederson (left)
Bluto
I feel better about this trade, because I think Logan is a better all around hitter, then Dozier.
Dozier wasn’t going to hit forty at Dodger stadium, and I don’t even see him hitting forty next year, on the Twins.
He had a nice season last year, but I don’t see him hitting consistently, because he is a right hand pull hitter, that shifts make pay, but he will probably hit thirty out, next season.
And the fact that Logan hit twenty HRs, after missing a month, makes his HR total, look even better.
Forsythe strikes out more often than Dozier,walks less and hits with decidedly less power.
So, he may have a ton of intangibles (as seen from teammate posts) but Dozier is I think pretty clearly a better hitter.
I like the deal though.
Bluto
Those line ups don’t look to bad, considering, that came from ESPN.
I like this deal, standing alone. I haven’t seen DeLeon pitch but the Dodgers traded from a position of depth (they have lots of RH starters in the minor who are well regarded) for a position of scarcity (2B) when they had a present need. Besides, I suspect that Dodger talent evaluators have concluded that JDL may not be a sure thing at the major league level with what is essentially a 2 pitch arsenal (fastball changeup).
That being said – why trade Howie Kendrick for nothing (Ruf!) when they have obtained his approximate analog in Forsyth?
And going back, why trade Gordon for one year of Howie plus Kike, Hatcher and Barnes?
Again, based on current need I like this deal, but am interest in how we got here to begin with.
Forsythe is younger, trending upwards and able to play 2nd with a higher profiecieny than Kendrick. Kendrick also didn’t want to be here.
Kendricks slash line last year:
.326/.366 with a WAR of .9, and a wRC+ (adjusted for ballparks) below 100 at 91
Forsythe’s
.333/.444 with a WAR of 2.8, and a wRC+ of 113
Were you not sick of the weak infield groundout, that has become the key weapon in Kendrick’s arsenal?
Forsythe hit well for the Rays mainly in the lead off position. Who batted behind him? Here it’s going to be one Corey Seager or Justin Turner so by logic he is going to get pitched to and I expect him to be at .275+ 15HR+ 5oRBI +. He had a good OBP the past few years and it should only get better. He’s a grinder and has had to claw his way to this position. I’ll take that anyday.
Is anyone else finding an odd/random post of theirs being put into moderation?
Have not noticed that………..not that I am odd in any way……….yet…
The site’s spam filter has been acting strange lately but I’ve been working on it and think I have it fixed.
I see a lot of posts slotting Turner in the 4 hole. To me he is not a 4 hole hitter. 3 or 5 is the best place for him. I see either Toles or Forsythe in the 1 hole, so 2 become very important and I like Seager there. Contact hitter with power. Works for me. Gonzo will be the #4 until he proves he is not worthy of that spot. If Puig returns to some semblance of his first year, I would not be at all surprised to see him in the 4 hole.
Forsythe was Tampa’s leadoff hitter. He only played in 127 games, 125 were at leadoff. He had a .335 OBP. Not bad, but not great for a leadoff hitter. Will he be able to repeat .335 in Los Angeles? Projections say no. But then, they also don’t have him playing the 153 games he played in ’15. Is he sound? One has to ask. 130 games?
I didn’t realise, but just read that old friend FedEx is in the Giants minor league system.
No new comments in 4 hours! Not very bloody likely. The servers are hanging up, sitting on messages, losing some of them. You guys didn’t need a cosmetic makeover, you need new servers.
Wondering
I guess some people have a life
Perhaps so.
Adios
The Dodgers look strong & nearly set, although the 8th innings remains a question.
I would be happy to have Blanton back, who surpassed anything I thought was possible last season.
What I can’t fathom is his desire for a multi year contract?
Surely he has earned enough in a very long ML career to put himself in a position to have a shot at a 2nd WS. It must be better to have another shot with the Dodgers than to get a 2 year deal with the Rays or Marlins?
Pitch well again & worry about a new deal next off season.
I can’t really blame Blanton for going for a multi-year contract now. He is even less likely to get one next off-season no matter how he pitches. That said, I want him back and we gotta believe he is keeping Dodgers door open unless somebody else blows him away. Dodgers gotta find a roster spot to sign him.
I often wonder how much winning means to most of these guys. I think some veterans (not all, see Greinke) having made $100 million or so in a career might sign for less to win a ring, but what we see year after year is signing for the most cushy contract. If I ever would have had opportunity to get guaranteed money, no matter my production levels, I admit I would have jumped on it. Sometimes you take the money, even if it means a transfer to some awful place like Gary Indiana or Detroit Michigan. This is America. We are about the money. So, offer Blanton the coin and he will sign here.
“Pitch well again & worry about a new deal next off season.”
Why? Couldn’t the case be made that he did that last year?
Let the man get his due. It’s very fickle who wins the WS, so I can’t imagine he’s willing to sacrifice guaranteed money. Good guaranteed money.
I disagree with a lot of you guys on the Cuban/International prospects. I like it knowing that the Dodgers are, FOR SURE, kicking the tires on this guy and others like him.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/01/hector-mendoza-free-agent-cuba-mlb.html
If the prize is right I’d kick the tires on this guy, hell on any prospect with said skill set. He seems like a candidate to be a bullpen piece and eventually shift to the rotation.
I like clint’s comment. The Dodgers should just buy Cuba.
Yeah, what’s Colombia got that we couldn’t ourselves in Cuba. Labor pool standing by…
That would be “grow” ourselves… I’ve always wondered when we’d start getting ball players from Russia. Must be thousands of top grade athletes there, just need baseball training.
Clint gets it! Yankees use to have K.C. Athletics as their top source of players. Gave them an edge over the competition and we now know how that turned out. K.C. Royals hold their prospects closer to the vest, so Cuba it is.
Don’t suppose Al Ferrara ever played like this…
Another nothing: https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/824295014654152704