The Dodgers finally acquired an everyday second baseman on Monday afternoon when they announced the trade of top pitching prospect Jose De Leon to the Tampa Bay Rays for right handed hitting Logan Forsythe. The trade was a straight one for one deal. The Dodgers tried to get Brian Dozier from the Twins who I and many others felt would have been a huge difference maker, but unfortunately the Twins wanted more than the Dodgers were willing to give up. Instead the Dodgers jumped on Forsythe who had reportedly been on their radar for much of the offseason.
BREAKING: #Rays have agreed to trade Forsythe to #Dodgers for DeLeon. Will be announced soon.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) January 23, 2017
So let’s talk about Forsythe for a minute. The right handed hitting infielder is 30-years old and hails from Memphis, Tennessee. Forsythe attended the University of Arkansas, and was originally drafted by the Padres in the first round of the 2008 amateur draft. Forsythe made his MLB debut in 2011 for San Diego, and spent his first three seasons with the Padres as a part time player.
Loading ...On January 22 of 2014 Forsythe was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays along with minor leaguers Matt Lollis, Maxx Tissenbaum, Matt Andriese, and Brad Boxberger for Jesse Hahn, and Alex Torres. In his first two seasons with the Padres Forsythe batted .213 in his first season, and .273 in his second season. He played in just 62 games in his first season in 2011. He played in 91 games in 2012, and posted slugging percentages of .287 and .390 respectively. Forsythe slugged 12 home runs in his first three seasons with the Padres, and batted just .214 in 2013. His .613 OPS that season must have been a contributing reason for the Padres giving up on him and sending him to Tampa Bay. You could say he was a late bloomer.
Forsythe came into his own, during his time with the Rays. In 2014 he garnered 336 plate appearances while playing in 110 games. He batted just .223, but the Rays stuck with him. The 2015 season was his breakout season. Forsythe played in 153 games and slashed .281/.359/.444 and posted an .804 OPS with 17 home runs and 68 runs driven in. Last season Forsythe belted 20 home runs and slashed .264/.333/.444 with a .778 OPS and 52 runs driven in while playing in 127 games.
Power
Forsythe’s power has surged over the past two seasons. He’s smacked 37 home runs since 2014, and has driven in 120 runs in that time span. He’s posted the highest slugging percentages and OPS of his career since 2014. He probably won’t hit 20 home runs playing at Dodger Stadium, but it could be reasonable to expect 12-15 long balls. Steamers projections predict 12 home runs and 50 runs batted from Forsythe in 2017.
On-base skills
Forsythe’s on-base skills and batting dipped a bit in 2016. His on base percentage fell nearly 30 points and his batting average dipped almost 20 points. An increase in power could have something to do with that. His strikeout percentage rose from 18.0 % to 22.4% from 2015-2016. Steamers predicts a 20.4 strikeout percentage in 2017. Forsythe recorded 111 strikeouts in 2015, and 127 in 2016. Forsythe drew 46 walks in 2016 and 55 in 2016. There’s some work to be done, but Forsythe is definitely capable of putting up decent on-base skills while making contact at a reasonable clip. His line drive percentages did go up from 19.8% to 22.8% during the last two years.
Versus lefties
Forsythe comes with a very solid track record against left handed pitching. He has slashed .278/.343/.475 (179 for 644) with an .818 career OPS. Forsythe has slugged 24 home runs and driven in 80 runs against left handers.
Lead-off
Can Forsythe bat lead-off? Forsythe is batting .260 with a .760 OPS in the lead-off spot. He’s swatted 22 home runs from atop the lineup. When he leads off an inning he is batting .275 with 19 home runs.
RISP
Forsythe has just a .665 career OPS with runners in scoring position. He bats .229 with 8 home runs and 139 runs driven in. Meanwhile he has feasted on bases empty stats, batting .272 with 38 home runs with the bases empty.
Defense
While it’s hard to judge defensive metrics, Logan Forsythe comes highly rated as one of the better defenders at the keystone position. According to UZR and defensive runs saved, Forsythe has a steady glove while having limited range. His UZR rating in 2015 was a -7 but he registered a +8 defensive runs saved. That year he posted a .985 fielding percentage and committed just 7 errors in 126 games at second base. In 2016 he had a -8 UZR rating with a +1 defensive runs saved. In 118 games Forsythe posted a .981 fielding percentage and committed just 9 errors.
Overall Forsythe has played 456 career games at second base and has +4 defensive runs saved with a .980 fielding percentage. He’s made 36 errors and turned 202 double plays. He averages about 10 errors per season. Simply put while he is a bit slow, he doesn’t make many mistakes. You could say he makes the routine plays. That may not appear sexy but it is something that will help the middle defense considerably.
Forsythe has also seen time at third base (56 games), first base (27 games), shortstop (19 games), and played 16 games (14 in left field, and 2 in right field) in the outfield.
Overall Health
Other than missing four weeks with a hairline fracture of the shoulder in 2016, he’s remained relatively healthy. He had a slight case of Plantar Fasciitis while with the Padres in 2013. Otherwise he’s been pretty dependable. No major surgeries or injuries to speak of, as far as I know.
Contract
Forsythe signed a 2-year 10.25 million dollar contract with Tampa Bay in the winter of 2015. Forsythe will earn 5.75 million in 2017, which is the last year of his contract. Forsythe also has an 8.5 million dollar club option for 2018 that can vest if he reaches a certain amount of plate appearances. There is also a 1 million dollar buyout should the Dodgers wish to exercise.
Outlook
This might not be as sexy as a move as trading for Brian Dozier would be, but this is the kind of move the Dodger front office typically makes. Trading one top prospect for an overall solid yet not flashy player. Forsythe has had two good seasons in a row, and profiles as a very good defender. His offensive numbers are not the greatest, (he doesn’t have the power that Dozier has nor the base running ) yet he still is fully capable (113 Wrc+ in 2015, and 125 Wrc+ in 2016) of putting up league average to above league average offense with some decent pop. He also was very well liked in the clubhouse when he was with the Rays. Apparently Forsythe had mixed emotions about leaving the Rays for Los Angeles.
“I would say there are mixed emotions,” Forsythe told the Tampa Bay Times. “It was tough. The call was tough.”
The question I ask you guys is this… would you have given up a top prospect like Jose De Leon for Forsythe? The best thing about this move is that Kike Hernandez will not be the starting second baseman for the Dodgers in 2017 as I had originally feared. I would trade a hundred Jose De Leons’ to ensure that Hernandez never starts another game at second base again.
Welcome to the Dodgers Logan Forsythe!
Very good summary, Scott!!
Bottom line, you said it, “overall solid yet not flashy player”.
I like it!
You can’t have stars at every position (unless you’re the Cubs)
If he’s a steady, solid player, I think we’ve already improved from 2016
In my hack opinion… we should have kept Howie and JDL, and left Forsythe [and any other 2nd baseman] where he was at. We’d be money[and talent] ahead. But what the hell do I know.
It is really hard to make that call, when we really don’t know why JDL’s value has dropped, in the Dodger’s eyes, as well as in other team’s eyes.
And I do understand why everyone has questions about the many second basemen, and second base prospects, that we have went through, since Friedman took over.
And we won’t know if this was a good deal, until about three or four years, down the line.
I am just looking at this particular move, just on this move, and not on all of the other second base, back history.
And I do think this does make us better, not only because Logan appears to be a solid player, but because he seems to be the type of player, that every team wants to have on there field, and in there club house too.
Last year our team finally got the label of being grinders, and that label was well deserved, because that team, had more comeback victories, then any team in baseball.
And it seems like Logan will make our team better, and he seems to fit that profile as a grinder, and that will only make us a better team.
Like Bobby said above, we don’t have to have star players at every position, and in most post season games, there is always an unsung hero, that helps a team win, and maybe Logan, can be one of those type of players.
His former team mates have said, that he is one of the most under rated players in baseball, so that says a lot.
We’ve been talking about this guy for a couple of days now. Most are fine with it. To your question – would I give a top pitching prospect for a starting second baseman? Yes. Would I give De Leon? Uh, the yes doesn’t come out as quickly. As you know, I was fine with an open competition among the stable of second basemen already accumulated. I often feel like FAZ is just throwing darts. But, let’s see if they finally hit a bullseye.
Badger
I know where you are coming from, because I thought JDL was the next big pitching prospect, that we had, coming up to the team too.
And he was suppose to be one of the untouchables, before the 2016 season started.
That is why I asked you if I was right about thinking that, earlier in this off season.
But after Urias came up last year, JDL wasn’t the next pitching prospect to come up, it was Stewart.
And was that because JDL really had arm soreness at the begining of the year, or were they just starting him later, to keep him from putting to many miles on his arm?
We just don’t know.
Well I see that LADT is posted here so I went there for the first time. I see most of those who post here are supporting Timmons. You know who he is, and you still support him? I feel my time in this place may be coming to an end.
I think most of us just want to talk baseball. Most of us don’t know you and don’t know him. We just want to talk Dodger baseball with other big Dodger fans, and we really don’t care about the personal bs that sometimes comes with it.
I’ll go anywhere, whether this site or the other site and read and post about the Dodgers. It’s not personal towards anyone, nor is it taking any side.
Who the hell is Timmons?
You know me better than that. I will avoid his site period. I like the folks here…….there has been little name calling since Mark left.
Badger
I actually feel kind of caught in between, on that.
And I did notice what you said, but I guess he gave the rules, and that is what it is going to be about.
I haven’t made many comments over there, and I waited for a while, before I even made a comment.
I thought Mark made an irrational decision that day, after Bluto made that remark to him.
And I thought he would not start up again, because that has to be a lot of work, to keep one of these blogs going.
But now I just feel that maybe this is best for Mark, and for you, and everyone else here, that don’t like his remarks.
Because Mark will get the people he wants there, which are people like Mark, who look up to the front office, and like to talk about how sharp, they believe the front office is.
And over here everyone feels that they can say what they want, and this is the only Dodger blog, that doesn’t expect everyone, to support every move, the front office makes.
And I do feel more confortable over here, because I love everyone here, and I like to hear everyone else’s , different points of views.
Timmons will be back here at some point, his ego will force him. He may come first under a different name to spy the lay of the land.
No Timmons for me. He’s like a rock in your shoe.
Wondering
I thought you enjoyed Marks and Badgers, back and forth.
Not at all. Timmons was abusive and I hate to see people abused. In all honesty, Badger brought a lot of it on himself, he should just have ignored him. I let myself get drawn in sometimes, too, and I regret that. And for all that, Mark still had a lot of value to this blog, he generated discussion, made it interesting and that is what keeps people coming back. In a kinder and gentler rendition, I wouldn’t mind seeing him back here. Some of the people that post here are just as interesting as 10 acres of the desert between here and Vegas. They are as predictable and as interesting as the 110 degree summer sunshine. Thank God for the others who can think for themselves and aren’t afraid to share their thoughts…
Wondering
I wasn’t sure because you apologized, around Christmas time, remember?
I don’t like when people fight like that, either.
I argue and debate, but I don’t like to hurt others.
But I like to tease people, and to have a good play, with words.
And you are right, Mark does generate, some good discussions.
Maybe it is hard for him, not to be the top dog all the time, because he has ran his blog, for so long.
Honestly. Who cares who posts anywhere?
Content.
Bluto
I think it is because a lot of people here, have a very long history, with each other, on both blogs.
I put his link in the stack because he linked to us at his site. Link for a link. Helps traffic. That’s it. For the record I am not getting involved with anyone’s personal beef with Mark. If you don’t like him, then don’t go over to his site. It seems like for now he is no longer posting over here. He may come back one day, everyone is welcome as long as they don’t…
1. post inappropriate links.. I.E. Porn, or anything illegal.
2 trash this site
3. Post personal information about other users.
Anyone doing any of the things above will be given two warnings to stop before they are banned for an unspecified amount of time. Otherwise you can say and or talk about whatever you want over here. I don’t ban people for having opinions. If other posters want to comment/post over at Mark’s site, they are free to do so as well. We’re all adults here, and I am not here to hold anyone’ hand.
I think I am being pretty fair here.
As for you Badger, you know I have always liked you. You got what you wanted, he’s gone, and not coming back anytime soon. At this point I think you are being a little unfair to other guys over here.
You have beef with Timmons, either ignore him, or take your beef directly to him. Otherwise don’t get upset with other people becasue they choose to post over there.
Anyways, I hope you stick around for a long time, you’re a good guy and one of my favorite posters over here. We’ve talked before.
Hey Badger, good buddy! The only person on the earth who has earned the right to be a Patriot…
Not surprised considering your incredible self righteousness.
Go ahead, take your ball and go home.
Talk about throwing darts. Dodgers acquired OF Brett Eibner from the A’s for a minor leaguer. Another OF???? Hit .193 with 6 homers and 22 ribbies in 70 games split between A’s and Royals. Has to be fodder for AAA. Guy is 28 years old. Right handed hitter. Had 12 HR’s at AAA last year and hit .289. And FAZ did not make this trade because he knew the guy. Makes absolutely no sense what so ever….
Longoria really pissed about this trade. I guess he really liked Forsythe. So that makes the trade that much better in my book. Deleon is what he is until he proves different and the Dodgers must have not liked something because they would not add other players to the Dozier deal. 1 for 1 not a bad deal. I disliked the Martinez trade because the guy had just come off a 10-2 year. But they were desperate for a 2nd sacker when they traded Pedro. Deleon is no Martinez.
I would agree that DeLeon is probably no Martinez. I would say that about most every pitcher that is entering the Bigs. Just like Urias is no Kershaw. Kershaw is a once in a generation (actually a couple of generations type of pitcher.) But if either is 2/3 of those guys than they will be very successful.
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. Of course some of you are going to say that that’s not ‘me’ saying that but just sit back and look at how most of you (and the many that are gone) talked about DeLeon less than a year ago….actually as recent as 6 months ago. ‘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 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.
I would’ve traded De Leon, along with the other guys in the Hill trade, for Sale. Not sure about Forsythe. It’s hard to get a read on him from his stats. As Scott points out, he was not so hot with RISP in 2015 which may be why they moved him to leadoff. Last year he hit much better with RISP but struck out 127 times in as many innings. Go figure.
I think he’s an upgrade over a 38-year old Utley, though the 34-year old Utley would kick his ass. I don’t think he’s the answer to all our problems with LHP. Can’t help but wonder why when they traded Kendrick they didn’t try to get Cesar Hernandez back. No power, but he gets on base, has speed, and hits lefties. And he’s cheap. Then spend the past month looking for that big RH bat for the middle of the lineup–if Milwaukee will still take our calls.
I read Ryu is healthy. I’m not holding my breath but if he could regain his old form that would be incredible. He was really good not to mention fun to watch. Also call me crazy or a sucker but I’m expecting a big year from Puig. If those 2 things happen we’d be awfully tough to beat. However those are 2 gigantic IFs
Post about Eibner trade just went up
Saw that Oscar…what a stupid trade and they DFA’d Frias to do it…….moronic.
Holland signed with the Rockies, and he got a one year contract, and a vesting option, for the next year.
Most of the teams, must not really liked what they saw from Holland, are he would have got a little better contract.
Good heavens, my avatar is AWOL! It’s still registered with Word Press and everyone else here who had an avatar still has it, so for some reason this blog is banning my avatar. Wait till the SPCA hears about that….
Are you sure you aren’t Ray Charles, because I can see your avatar?
I still can’t see it but I see others. I’ve checked the Gravatar place and it’s still good there and I’ve restarted the computer but no change. That’s a real puzzler.
Wondering
I can’t see it now.
Wondering
I hope Badger is ok.
I like him, and he hasn’t seemed quite like himself, lately.
Getting old is a hard thing to do, I’ve regretted taking that route myself. Think I’ll become a vampire… Good Lord, do you think he misses Mark???
Oh well, we should have known he would leave, he was always too good for the rest of us. As hard as we tried, we were always doomed to failure, no way we could ever meet his high high standards. He must be so disappointed in us peons for conversing with the unwashed masses. We did get uppity, thinking and acting on our own. Forgive us massa, cum back, we’ll pick dah cotton!
No, it’s too much to hope for, he’s gone. I choose to remember the good times, him in his pink pussy hat while he served on the thought police.
GO DODGERS!
For Cyring out loud, no Wondering, nobody is banning your avatar. We don’t even have the capability to ban an avatar. Log back into the Gavatar site and reupload your image. The problem probably lies there.
I was just kidding about that, banning me would keep me from posting too. And I didn’t think you had anything at all to do with it, I figured my computer was the most likely, followed by Gravatar. I will try uploading the image to them again.
lolz, I kind of liked the sylvester the cat avatar. I think you should keep it.
Tried another upload, still doesn’t work. I liked it too, hope I can get back…
What s—storm! WordPress has my account (?) so screwed up I could barely recognize it. Apparently their computer snorted Angel Dust or something and mixed my, only mine, account up and is resisting letting me make any changes. My name, my username, my display name, and my email address are all scrambled. And it won’t let me change anything, not acceptable or name already in use (yeah, I know, that’s me…) but machines don’t listen. I can’t explain what I’m trying to do now, just hoping it works. It’s not logical but maybe I can fake it with a new name.
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.
Craziest Friedman trade of all. Is anyone left at Tampa Bay he can get? DeLeon is the real deal.
DeLeon is the real deal, but if the Dodgers get to the WS and LF is part of that, then JDL will be forgotten for awhile. I wish him the best in TB, and who knows, maybe Friedman has a secret plan to bring him back eventually.
I’m on fence with this one, although I do agree not giving up the farm for Dozier was smart. Jury really is still out on this one for 2-3yrs at least. I just wonder why it was DeLeon dangled 1st in most trade talks this offseason.