Just when you thought the new Dodgers' ownership couldn't top themselves... think again.
The same team that has gone out and acquired Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Brandon League, and Randy Choate has taken their new philosophy of "spend, spend, spend" even further. Coming over to LA from Boston are superstars Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Nick Punto. OK, so technically Punto isn't a superstar, and Crawford and Beckett haven't been this year either, but you get the point.
Shuttling across the country to Boston are James Loney, Jerry Sands, Rubby De La Rosa, Ivan De Jesus, and top prospect Allen Webster.
The two major players in this deal for the Dodgers are obviously Gonzalez and Beckett. In Gonzalez, the Dodgers are finally getting the cleanup hitter they've been looking for. Now they can have Matt Kemp hit #3, Gonzalez #4, and flip-flop Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier in the #5-6 spots depending on the matchup. That's pretty nasty, and a heck of a lot better than what they've had.
Gonzalez wasn't the same player in the first half of the season, as he hit .283 with only 6 homers and 45 RBIs. But, in 37 games since the break, he's really found his stroke, hitting .338 with 9 homers and 41 RBIs. That's the guy the Dodgers need in their order cleaning up the bases.
The arrival of Beckett is fantastic timing only because of the latest injury to Chad Billingsley. It's the second time this year he's shown elbow inflammation, so who knows what kind of time he'll miss. And when you're bringing in a guy who was a major player on two championship teams, that's a good thing.
There's no denying that Beckett has not enjoyed the 2012 season at all. Right now he's 5-11 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. That's a heck of a lot different than last season (13-7, 2.89, 1.03). And let's not forget about the drama that has hovered around him (chicken and beer, playing golf).
There's also no denying that, much like Hanley Ramirez, he really needed a change of scenery, and he's got it. Take a look at his postseason numbers: 14 games (13 starts), 7-3, 3.07 ERA, 0.94 WHIP. You don't think the Dodgers are excited about that? Here's a guy who won't be rattled to take the ball in October, and it shows.
It's hard to say too much about Crawford now, as he won't even be a factor this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery a couple days ago. Here's what we do know: his time in Boston has been a disaster. The Red Sox have to be ecstatic to simply rid themselves of his bloated contract, which was 7 years and $142 million back in 2010. Last year he played in 130 games and hit .255, and this year played 31 and hit .288. Not exactly the types of numbers they were expecting.
The Dodgers can now be patient with him as he recovers from surgery, as it typically takes anywhere from 6-9 months. All things considered, he could be ready for Spring Training, or closer to the start of the season if all goes well. And if he can find his groove that made him a superstar in Tampa, then the outfield of Crawford, Kemp, and Ethier is just awesome. Time will tell, however.
Punto gives the Dodgers another guy off the bench, which was needed since Jerry Hairston, Jr. has been lost for the season with a hip injury, which completely sucks. I'm sure Punto will get some playing time, as it's not like Juan Uribe should play over him. Heck, a one-armed Crawford could switch positions to infield and still play better than Uribe.
Needless to say, it's a historic deal for the Dodgers, and no doubt once again jolts some life into a team that has fallen back a bit in the playoff push. Now they have no excuses. Management has added plenty of positive pieces, so it's time to get the job done.
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