Here's an interesting potential solution to another third baseman: Eric Chavez. It's been reported that the Dodgers will work out the former Oakland A's star on January 20 in hopes that he can provide depth to the infield.
Chavez has had a crazy journey in the majors. From 2000-2006, he hit at least 20 home runs, topping out at 34 in '02. For his career, he has a .267 average, 282 doubles, 230 homers, and 787 RBIs.
His last four seasons, however, have been nothing but one big injury after another. It's hard to believe just how banged up he became, as he totaled 154 games the last four seasons. Shoulder and back injuries have just crippled him.
With his six-year/$63 million contract with the A's now a thing of the past, Chavez has "incentive laden contract" written all over him. Two other American League teams are reportedly interested in working him out as well.
It's no secret the Dodgers want to upgrade at third base. Casey Blake is coming off a down season in which he hit .248 with 17 homers and 64 RBIs. Plus, he'll be 37 this upcoming season with plenty of mileage on his body.
Splitting Chavez (a left-handed bat) with Blake could work out, as both would get some starts and plenty of rest as well. But first and foremost, Chavez has to somehow prove the injury bug won't hit again. Can he? I'm skeptical, but we shall see.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Hu is shipped across the country
The Dodgers have given up on Chin-lung Hu, trading him to the Mets today for lefty Michael Antonini. The trade signals an end to Hu's career with the Dodgers in which he had many call-ups, many demotions, and not many hits.
Over the course of four seasons, Hu appeared in 96 games, hitting a paltry .191 with a .241 OBP. He did hit .400 in 2009... though that was by going 2-for-5 in five games. He also had little power and virtually no stolen bases. Other than those minor points, I'd say he really left his mark.
But seriously, Hu was a guy that never could firmly grasp his hold on a big league job. With Rafael Furcal getting up there in age and injuries, Hu was groomed to one day take over, yet could never make it happen. There was no doubt he had a good glove (three errors in 225 total chances), but with such poor numbers at the plate, it wasn't nearly good enough.
Besides, Hu was out of options, and with Jamey Carroll and Juan Uribe ready to play some short when necessary, trading him was a smart move. Plus, the Dodgers would like to see Ivan DeJesus Jr. get his chance, and that certainly looks to be the case now.
Antonini has gotten as high as the Triple-A level, but has never appeared in a major league game. In four seasons with many different minor league teams, he has a 25-26 record and a 4.04 ERA. Last season with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo, he went 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA.
It's hard to get too excited over a guy like Antonini, but we'll just have to keep an eye on him for the future.
Over the course of four seasons, Hu appeared in 96 games, hitting a paltry .191 with a .241 OBP. He did hit .400 in 2009... though that was by going 2-for-5 in five games. He also had little power and virtually no stolen bases. Other than those minor points, I'd say he really left his mark.
But seriously, Hu was a guy that never could firmly grasp his hold on a big league job. With Rafael Furcal getting up there in age and injuries, Hu was groomed to one day take over, yet could never make it happen. There was no doubt he had a good glove (three errors in 225 total chances), but with such poor numbers at the plate, it wasn't nearly good enough.
Besides, Hu was out of options, and with Jamey Carroll and Juan Uribe ready to play some short when necessary, trading him was a smart move. Plus, the Dodgers would like to see Ivan DeJesus Jr. get his chance, and that certainly looks to be the case now.
Antonini has gotten as high as the Triple-A level, but has never appeared in a major league game. In four seasons with many different minor league teams, he has a 25-26 record and a 4.04 ERA. Last season with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo, he went 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA.
It's hard to get too excited over a guy like Antonini, but we'll just have to keep an eye on him for the future.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Durable Guerrier joins the 'pen
***UPDATE***
Well, so much for the rumors about Bill Hall joining the Dodgers. Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Hall has inked a deal with the Astros to play second base. Oh well.
***
The Dodgers made yet another offseason move to strengthen their bullpen on Thursday. This time they plucked away Matt Guerrier from the Twins with a three-year, $12 million deal. Other teams interested in his services were the Rockies, Yankees, and Red Sox.
What we know about Guerrier is that if the bullpen needs to be called upon, he's most likely the guy to answer. His 76 appearances in 2008 and 79 in 2009 led the American League, and 74 last season was third. If Don Mattingly wanted a workhorse, he's got one.
Guerrier also has some nice statistics for holds the last four seasons: 14, 20, 33, and 23. Last season he went 5-7 with one save, a 3.17 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 71 innings. The year before he had a 2.36 ERA, but in '08 it was 5.19. Let's hope that was an aberration.
In looking at last season's splits, he did his best work in the beginning and end of the year. His July ERA was 8.00, and 5.27 in August. But, he bounced back with great work in September at 1.67, and didn't give up a run in 1 1/3 innings against the Yankees in the postseason.
As of now, Jonathan Broxton is still the closer, so it looks like Guerrier will team with Hong-Chih Kuo to bridge the gap. That's a pretty good combination from both sides of the rubber. Plus, there's young Kenley Jansen, who was very impressive at the end of the season. If Ronald Belisario and Broxton get back to normal, that's a fantastic bullpen.
But, if there's one thing we learned about last season, it's that looking good on paper means nothing once the games have started. A bullpen that dominated in 2009 looked all out of whack last year. So, if Broxton continues to fade under the spotlight, Belisario remains ineffective, Jansen shows his youth, and Kuo's arm troubles resurface, then the Dodgers are thin once again, even with Guerrier.
While many things can happen, the Dodgers have to love what they did this offseason to improve their pitching. They have five legit starters (Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Kuroda, and Garland), a swingman that can do a little of everything (Padilla), and a bullpen that is deep (Broxton, Kuo, Guerrier, Jansen, and Belisario). Ned Colletti has definitely taken a huge step forward in that regard.
Next up is still looking to add a left fielder. There's rumors about getting Bill Hall, who spent last year with the Red Sox and hit .247 with 18 homers and 46 RBIs in 119 games. Not exactly a killer year, but he does have pop, and hit 35 homers in 2006, so maybe he's still good, right?
Well, so much for the rumors about Bill Hall joining the Dodgers. Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Hall has inked a deal with the Astros to play second base. Oh well.
***
The Dodgers made yet another offseason move to strengthen their bullpen on Thursday. This time they plucked away Matt Guerrier from the Twins with a three-year, $12 million deal. Other teams interested in his services were the Rockies, Yankees, and Red Sox.
What we know about Guerrier is that if the bullpen needs to be called upon, he's most likely the guy to answer. His 76 appearances in 2008 and 79 in 2009 led the American League, and 74 last season was third. If Don Mattingly wanted a workhorse, he's got one.
Guerrier also has some nice statistics for holds the last four seasons: 14, 20, 33, and 23. Last season he went 5-7 with one save, a 3.17 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 71 innings. The year before he had a 2.36 ERA, but in '08 it was 5.19. Let's hope that was an aberration.
In looking at last season's splits, he did his best work in the beginning and end of the year. His July ERA was 8.00, and 5.27 in August. But, he bounced back with great work in September at 1.67, and didn't give up a run in 1 1/3 innings against the Yankees in the postseason.
As of now, Jonathan Broxton is still the closer, so it looks like Guerrier will team with Hong-Chih Kuo to bridge the gap. That's a pretty good combination from both sides of the rubber. Plus, there's young Kenley Jansen, who was very impressive at the end of the season. If Ronald Belisario and Broxton get back to normal, that's a fantastic bullpen.
But, if there's one thing we learned about last season, it's that looking good on paper means nothing once the games have started. A bullpen that dominated in 2009 looked all out of whack last year. So, if Broxton continues to fade under the spotlight, Belisario remains ineffective, Jansen shows his youth, and Kuo's arm troubles resurface, then the Dodgers are thin once again, even with Guerrier.
While many things can happen, the Dodgers have to love what they did this offseason to improve their pitching. They have five legit starters (Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Kuroda, and Garland), a swingman that can do a little of everything (Padilla), and a bullpen that is deep (Broxton, Kuo, Guerrier, Jansen, and Belisario). Ned Colletti has definitely taken a huge step forward in that regard.
Next up is still looking to add a left fielder. There's rumors about getting Bill Hall, who spent last year with the Red Sox and hit .247 with 18 homers and 46 RBIs in 119 games. Not exactly a killer year, but he does have pop, and hit 35 homers in 2006, so maybe he's still good, right?
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Dodgers add Gwynn to the outfield mix
It wasn't the big splash Dodger fans were looking for, but Tony Gwynn, Jr. hopes to be the sparkplug the Dodgers need in their order.
Tony Gwynn's baby boy has inked a one-year, $675,000 deal. His role is yet to be determined, but if the roster stays in place, he'll compete with Jay Gibbons to start in left field. Both are lefties, so adding a right-handed bat seems to make sense.
Gwynn is known for two things: defense and speed. His range in the outfield is incredible, as he can play all three positions and cover a whole lot of range, which will immediately place him in the role of defensive replacement late in close games at the very least. Whether he starts games is something that won't be answered for now.
The other plus is his speed, as he has stolen 42 bases in parts of five seasons with the Brewers and Padres. He's also been caught only 14 times, and was 17-for-21 last season.
The downside is that his bat is pretty weak, as evidenced by his career .244 average and .323 OBP. After hitting for a promising .270/.350 in 2009, he went backwards last season with a .204/.304. That's a good reason for concern.
Still, he's a young player who has plenty of time to figure things out. Plus, he could always nicely ask his dad for help. But seriously, at 28 next season and with his speed, he just needs to figure out how to use his legs to get on base more often. If he does that, he can be a good addition at the top of the lineup.
If he still can't hit, or the Dodgers bring in a better hitter to play left, he'll be the first option off the bench to pinch-run and play the outfield late in games.
Tony Gwynn's baby boy has inked a one-year, $675,000 deal. His role is yet to be determined, but if the roster stays in place, he'll compete with Jay Gibbons to start in left field. Both are lefties, so adding a right-handed bat seems to make sense.
Gwynn is known for two things: defense and speed. His range in the outfield is incredible, as he can play all three positions and cover a whole lot of range, which will immediately place him in the role of defensive replacement late in close games at the very least. Whether he starts games is something that won't be answered for now.
The other plus is his speed, as he has stolen 42 bases in parts of five seasons with the Brewers and Padres. He's also been caught only 14 times, and was 17-for-21 last season.
The downside is that his bat is pretty weak, as evidenced by his career .244 average and .323 OBP. After hitting for a promising .270/.350 in 2009, he went backwards last season with a .204/.304. That's a good reason for concern.
Still, he's a young player who has plenty of time to figure things out. Plus, he could always nicely ask his dad for help. But seriously, at 28 next season and with his speed, he just needs to figure out how to use his legs to get on base more often. If he does that, he can be a good addition at the top of the lineup.
If he still can't hit, or the Dodgers bring in a better hitter to play left, he'll be the first option off the bench to pinch-run and play the outfield late in games.
Navarro comes full circle
The never-ending saga of who will be the starting catcher for the Dodgers has taking another turn.
Not long after Russell Martin was let go and Rod Barajas was brought back, the Dodgers have come to terms on a one-year deal with Dioner Navarro. That's the same Navarro who was once the "catcher of the future" a few years ago for the Dodgers before being shipped off to the Rays in 2006.
In many ways, the tales of Navarro and Martin are eerily similar. Both were young backstops in the Dodgers' organization, both played in the '08 All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium, both looked ready to become the best catchers in baseball... and both crashed and burned and were non-tendered. As Martin most likely moves on to another team to catch, Navarro is back to where he started.
Navarro only appeared in a combined 75 games over the '05 and '06 seasons before moving on to the Rays. In Tampa, he hit his peak in '08 by hitting .295 with seven homers and 54 RBIs. Just when things appeared to looking bright, he tanked to an abysmal .218 in '09 and .194 last year.
The last straw for the Rays was when Navarro was not announced to be a part of the postseason roster, and he packed his bags and went home. So much for staying to root your teammates on. Anyway, the writing was obviously on the wall for his dismissal.
The Dodgers will now have three catchers of various experience. Barajas is the #1 catcher right now, as he was brought back because of the pop in his bat and ability to handle a staff. A.J. Ellis came on in September of last season to show some promise going forward. Now Navarro will return to L.A. looking to stake his claim as the top guy.
I honestly feel bad for Ellis at this point, as he must never feel comfortable with the big club. Just when he thought he'd be getting some starts and be the backup to Barajas, he once again will have to compete to stay away from the minors. But, maybe this will be extra motivation for him this offseason.
Not long after Russell Martin was let go and Rod Barajas was brought back, the Dodgers have come to terms on a one-year deal with Dioner Navarro. That's the same Navarro who was once the "catcher of the future" a few years ago for the Dodgers before being shipped off to the Rays in 2006.
In many ways, the tales of Navarro and Martin are eerily similar. Both were young backstops in the Dodgers' organization, both played in the '08 All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium, both looked ready to become the best catchers in baseball... and both crashed and burned and were non-tendered. As Martin most likely moves on to another team to catch, Navarro is back to where he started.
Navarro only appeared in a combined 75 games over the '05 and '06 seasons before moving on to the Rays. In Tampa, he hit his peak in '08 by hitting .295 with seven homers and 54 RBIs. Just when things appeared to looking bright, he tanked to an abysmal .218 in '09 and .194 last year.
The last straw for the Rays was when Navarro was not announced to be a part of the postseason roster, and he packed his bags and went home. So much for staying to root your teammates on. Anyway, the writing was obviously on the wall for his dismissal.
The Dodgers will now have three catchers of various experience. Barajas is the #1 catcher right now, as he was brought back because of the pop in his bat and ability to handle a staff. A.J. Ellis came on in September of last season to show some promise going forward. Now Navarro will return to L.A. looking to stake his claim as the top guy.
I honestly feel bad for Ellis at this point, as he must never feel comfortable with the big club. Just when he thought he'd be getting some starts and be the backup to Barajas, he once again will have to compete to stay away from the minors. But, maybe this will be extra motivation for him this offseason.
Padilla is back for insurance
The Dodgers continued their rapid-fire rebuilding of the starting rotation by resigning Vicente Padilla to a one-year, $2 million deal. The sweet thing for him is that he can get bumped an extra $8 million by hitting various incentives.
Padilla has rebuilt himself into an effective starting pitcher the last couple of seasons with the Dodgers. He made eight starts at the end of the 2009 season and went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, and had two great starts that postseason. Last year with marred with all sorts of injuries, as he made 16 starts for a 6-5 record and 4.07 ERA.
What makes Padilla so intriguing is that when he is healthy, he has some nasty stuff. His fastball shows good movement, and he even unleashed the "Bugs Bunny" curveball this past year, which totally threw off hitters. So, a healthy Padilla makes for a good pitcher.
But, at 33 next season, there's definite concern about maintaining his health. With Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland slated to be in the rotation, Padilla can take the role of swingman. He can make spot starts after the inevitable injury bug hits. He can fill the role that Jeff Weaver performed in the past by taking the ball for multiple innings of middle relief as well.
In addition, don't be surprised to see him close out games as well. Jonathan Broxton is the closer as of now, but with the way he melted down at the end of last season, Padilla would be a good person to step into that role. I doubt that's the plan now, but as the season progresses, I can see it happening.
I'll bet Garland is a big uncomfortable with this signing, as Padilla could seemingly aim for that #5 spot in the rotation. I think Garland will keep it, as he's a whole heck of a lot more durable than Padilla. But, a poor spring from Garland and a good one by Padilla, and that may become an interesting story.
Padilla has rebuilt himself into an effective starting pitcher the last couple of seasons with the Dodgers. He made eight starts at the end of the 2009 season and went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, and had two great starts that postseason. Last year with marred with all sorts of injuries, as he made 16 starts for a 6-5 record and 4.07 ERA.
What makes Padilla so intriguing is that when he is healthy, he has some nasty stuff. His fastball shows good movement, and he even unleashed the "Bugs Bunny" curveball this past year, which totally threw off hitters. So, a healthy Padilla makes for a good pitcher.
But, at 33 next season, there's definite concern about maintaining his health. With Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland slated to be in the rotation, Padilla can take the role of swingman. He can make spot starts after the inevitable injury bug hits. He can fill the role that Jeff Weaver performed in the past by taking the ball for multiple innings of middle relief as well.
In addition, don't be surprised to see him close out games as well. Jonathan Broxton is the closer as of now, but with the way he melted down at the end of last season, Padilla would be a good person to step into that role. I doubt that's the plan now, but as the season progresses, I can see it happening.
I'll bet Garland is a big uncomfortable with this signing, as Padilla could seemingly aim for that #5 spot in the rotation. I think Garland will keep it, as he's a whole heck of a lot more durable than Padilla. But, a poor spring from Garland and a good one by Padilla, and that may become an interesting story.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
The catching shuffle: Barajas in, Martin out
One of Ned Colletti's biggest offseason decisions to make was what to do with Russell Martin. Bring him back in, or cut ties with the injured former star? Turns out the former beat out the latter.
Colletti has made up his mind, as Martin was non-tendered at Thursday's deadline. In his place will be Rod Barajas, who was acquired during last season from the Mets. Barajas signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal and will start behind the plate with A.J. Ellis the backup.
Despite the fact that Martin has had an alarming drop of production the last three seasons, and that he currently isn't even running because of a hip injury, Colletti called this one of the toughest decisions he's ever made. It's understandable, considering that Martin is a two-time All-Star who at one point looked like he was close to becoming the best catcher in the game.
But then a surprising free-fall came, in which his numbers tanked the last three seasons. In 2007, he hit .297 with 19 homers and 87 RBIs. In '08, it was .280 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs. In '09, .250 with seven homers and 53 RBIs. Finally, last season was cut short to 97 games, but his numbers were .248, five homers, and 26 RBIs. Wow.
After Martin was non-tendered, reports came out that Colletti was unwilling to pay Martin as much as he thought he deserved. The Dodgers and Martin tried to work out a contract before the deadline, but Martin's asking price of $5 million, even with that lowered from previous asking prices, was still too high for Colletti, who reportedly was offering $4.2 million. It was all she wrote once both sides couldn't agree on terms.
Now the question has been raised: Has Martin played his last game as a Dodger? Well, Colletti appears to be willing to let him come back, but only in a utility role. That could mean time at second, third, outfield, and even some catcher. Martin seems interested in doing so, according to a report. Still, I'd be surprised to see this happen. I think if another team guarantees him a spot behind the plate, he'll jump at it. And I can't blame him for doing so.
As for the new starter, Barajas raised some eyebrows when he came over from the Mets on August 22. He ended up playing in 25 games while hitting .297 with five homers and 13 RBIs. Believe me, five homers might not seem like much, but with the power-outage the Dodgers went through at the end of the season, they definitely were a bright spot.
Hitting one homer every five games isn't a likely pace to maintain, but he did hit 17 homers last season in 99 games last season, plus 19 the year before, so he's shown an ability to mash. Ellis improved his numbers in September of last season by hitting .455 with a .561 OBP in 15 games, so his playing time will be increased as well.
Overall, it'll be a strange sight not seeing Martin behind the plate on Opening Day in 2011. But, I have to agree with the decision to non-tender him. He doesn't deserve the money he was asking for based on the last three seasons and his broken hip. He was a great for a few years, but sadly, it's time to move on.
Colletti has made up his mind, as Martin was non-tendered at Thursday's deadline. In his place will be Rod Barajas, who was acquired during last season from the Mets. Barajas signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal and will start behind the plate with A.J. Ellis the backup.
Despite the fact that Martin has had an alarming drop of production the last three seasons, and that he currently isn't even running because of a hip injury, Colletti called this one of the toughest decisions he's ever made. It's understandable, considering that Martin is a two-time All-Star who at one point looked like he was close to becoming the best catcher in the game.
But then a surprising free-fall came, in which his numbers tanked the last three seasons. In 2007, he hit .297 with 19 homers and 87 RBIs. In '08, it was .280 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs. In '09, .250 with seven homers and 53 RBIs. Finally, last season was cut short to 97 games, but his numbers were .248, five homers, and 26 RBIs. Wow.
After Martin was non-tendered, reports came out that Colletti was unwilling to pay Martin as much as he thought he deserved. The Dodgers and Martin tried to work out a contract before the deadline, but Martin's asking price of $5 million, even with that lowered from previous asking prices, was still too high for Colletti, who reportedly was offering $4.2 million. It was all she wrote once both sides couldn't agree on terms.
Now the question has been raised: Has Martin played his last game as a Dodger? Well, Colletti appears to be willing to let him come back, but only in a utility role. That could mean time at second, third, outfield, and even some catcher. Martin seems interested in doing so, according to a report. Still, I'd be surprised to see this happen. I think if another team guarantees him a spot behind the plate, he'll jump at it. And I can't blame him for doing so.
As for the new starter, Barajas raised some eyebrows when he came over from the Mets on August 22. He ended up playing in 25 games while hitting .297 with five homers and 13 RBIs. Believe me, five homers might not seem like much, but with the power-outage the Dodgers went through at the end of the season, they definitely were a bright spot.
Hitting one homer every five games isn't a likely pace to maintain, but he did hit 17 homers last season in 99 games last season, plus 19 the year before, so he's shown an ability to mash. Ellis improved his numbers in September of last season by hitting .455 with a .561 OBP in 15 games, so his playing time will be increased as well.
Overall, it'll be a strange sight not seeing Martin behind the plate on Opening Day in 2011. But, I have to agree with the decision to non-tender him. He doesn't deserve the money he was asking for based on the last three seasons and his broken hip. He was a great for a few years, but sadly, it's time to move on.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Theriot traded for Hawksworth
Ryan Theriot was traded today for Cardinals' pitcher Blake Hawksworth. Theriot was a candidate to get non-tendered by the Thursday deadline, but that's obviously not going to happen anymore.
Theriot came over to the Dodgers in the trade deadline deal that brought Ted Lilly to LA and sent Blake DeWitt to the Cubs. Appearing in 54 games playing second base, Theriot hit .242 with a .323 OBP, and gave very little power with five doubles, one homer, and no triples. A solid .309 average in August gave way to a meager .141 in September.
The official signing of Juan Uribe made Theriot expendable, as Uribe fills the void of primary starter at second while also playing other infield positions. The Dodgers needed to get more pop in their lineup, and Uribe's 24 homers last season are more than six season's worth of homers for Theriot at 16.
Hawksworth pitched mostly out of the bullpen in his two years with the Cardinals, making eight starts last season. For his brief career, he's gone 8-8 with a 4.07 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts in 130 1/3 innings. He'll be right in the mix out of the 'pen.
What's promising about Hawksworth is probably equally as concerning: he had a great rookie season in '09. But, he followed that up with a sub-par sophomore season. Two years ago, he went 4-0 in 30 games with a 2.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and .209 BAA. Last season those numbers dipped to 4-8 in 45 games, 4.98 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, and .310 BAA.
Since Theriot was not in the future plans, it's worth getting a guy who's shown he can get hitters out. Hawksworth struggled with that last year, but the hope is that he'll bounce back and be one of the key arms late in games.
Theriot came over to the Dodgers in the trade deadline deal that brought Ted Lilly to LA and sent Blake DeWitt to the Cubs. Appearing in 54 games playing second base, Theriot hit .242 with a .323 OBP, and gave very little power with five doubles, one homer, and no triples. A solid .309 average in August gave way to a meager .141 in September.
The official signing of Juan Uribe made Theriot expendable, as Uribe fills the void of primary starter at second while also playing other infield positions. The Dodgers needed to get more pop in their lineup, and Uribe's 24 homers last season are more than six season's worth of homers for Theriot at 16.
Hawksworth pitched mostly out of the bullpen in his two years with the Cardinals, making eight starts last season. For his brief career, he's gone 8-8 with a 4.07 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts in 130 1/3 innings. He'll be right in the mix out of the 'pen.
What's promising about Hawksworth is probably equally as concerning: he had a great rookie season in '09. But, he followed that up with a sub-par sophomore season. Two years ago, he went 4-0 in 30 games with a 2.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and .209 BAA. Last season those numbers dipped to 4-8 in 45 games, 4.98 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, and .310 BAA.
Since Theriot was not in the future plans, it's worth getting a guy who's shown he can get hitters out. Hawksworth struggled with that last year, but the hope is that he'll bounce back and be one of the key arms late in games.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Colletti updates closing and catching situations
Ned Colletti was just interviewed on MLB Network's "Hot Stove Live" and updated the status of both closer and catcher:
Closer - As of now, Jonathan Broxton will be the closer heading into Spring Training. When asked what happened with him last year, Colletti said that he checked out physically time and time again last season, so it was mostly a lack of confidence. No other potential closer was discussed.
Catcher - There's still no definite answer on what will happen with Russell Martin, but they have until Thursday's non-tender deadline to decide. Colletti admitted that they'll have to make a decision without much knowledge on how well Martin is progressing towards being healthy for the spring. I tried to read between the lines on what Colletti was saying, but I still have no idea if he'll be back or not. We shall see.
Closer - As of now, Jonathan Broxton will be the closer heading into Spring Training. When asked what happened with him last year, Colletti said that he checked out physically time and time again last season, so it was mostly a lack of confidence. No other potential closer was discussed.
Catcher - There's still no definite answer on what will happen with Russell Martin, but they have until Thursday's non-tender deadline to decide. Colletti admitted that they'll have to make a decision without much knowledge on how well Martin is progressing towards being healthy for the spring. I tried to read between the lines on what Colletti was saying, but I still have no idea if he'll be back or not. We shall see.
Two-time champion Uribe the newest Dodger
Fresh off of signing three pitchers to the starting rotation, Ned Colletti is now adding more punch to the offense.
Juan Uribe has agreed to a three-year deal worth $21 million to join the Dodgers. The deal is pending a physical, so there's always the slight chance it falls through.
What Uribe gives the Dodgers is a power hitter who can fill a hole in the infield, most likely at second base. Last season, he hit .248, but with a 24 homers and 85 RBIs. Project those numbers with the Dodgers, and he would have finished second in homers (Matt Kemp, 28) and third in RBIs (Kemp, 89; James Loney, 88).
Another good quality of Uribe is his versatility playing the infield. While it looks like he'll be at second, he has plenty of experience at short and third as well. He doesn't look like the trimmest person in the world, but he has a great glove, which makes him very valuable for later in games when there's defensive shuffling.
Three years has probably struck people as being too long. But, my guess is the Dodgers had to be bold in order to get him, hence the extra year or so. Colletti knows that he couldn't go through another season with such little pop in his lineup, so this is a nice move.
With Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal another year older and not as productive as they once were, Uribe can slide into their positions as well to provide some rest. Still, look for another third baseman to be brought in as well since Blake can't be considered the everyday answer there anymore.
Heading into the Winter Meetings next week, Colletti can keep focusing on improving the offense. He's off to a great start with Uribe, but he can't stop there. Adding another power source will be key.
Juan Uribe has agreed to a three-year deal worth $21 million to join the Dodgers. The deal is pending a physical, so there's always the slight chance it falls through.
What Uribe gives the Dodgers is a power hitter who can fill a hole in the infield, most likely at second base. Last season, he hit .248, but with a 24 homers and 85 RBIs. Project those numbers with the Dodgers, and he would have finished second in homers (Matt Kemp, 28) and third in RBIs (Kemp, 89; James Loney, 88).
Another good quality of Uribe is his versatility playing the infield. While it looks like he'll be at second, he has plenty of experience at short and third as well. He doesn't look like the trimmest person in the world, but he has a great glove, which makes him very valuable for later in games when there's defensive shuffling.
Three years has probably struck people as being too long. But, my guess is the Dodgers had to be bold in order to get him, hence the extra year or so. Colletti knows that he couldn't go through another season with such little pop in his lineup, so this is a nice move.
With Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal another year older and not as productive as they once were, Uribe can slide into their positions as well to provide some rest. Still, look for another third baseman to be brought in as well since Blake can't be considered the everyday answer there anymore.
Heading into the Winter Meetings next week, Colletti can keep focusing on improving the offense. He's off to a great start with Uribe, but he can't stop there. Adding another power source will be key.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Dodgers snag Garland to complete rotation
With only two starters under contract at the end of the 2010 season, the Dodgers knew they had a lot of work to do to strengthen their rotation.
Not even a month later, they already completed their Christmas shopping.
First it was Ted Lilly, then Hiroki Kuroda, and now Jon Garland has returned to the Dodgers with a one-year, $5 million deal to be the fifth starter. The signing gives the Dodgers five starters who won at least 10 games this past season.
Garland is coming of a fine season for the Padres in which he went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 136 strikeouts in exactly 200 innings pitched. He was a big reason they spent most of the season in first place of the NL West before losing it at the end to the Giants.
He'll be entering his 12th big league season in which he sports a career 4.32 ERA. Keep in mind that he pitched for the Dodgers in '09 after being traded for Tony Abreu at the trade deadline. He pitched very well, going 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA, but was a victim of the numbers game and got left off the postseason roster under Joe Torre.
The Dodgers obviously had many needs going into the season, but the starting rotation was the one that arguably struck out the most. Just like that, it's been taken care of, and Ned Colletti deserves plenty of credit for this.
Don't get me wrong, Garland isn't Cy Young material, and I would expect his ERA to be closer to 4.00 than the mid-3's he had last season. But, for an end-of-rotation guy, he fits the mold very well. He routinely pitches 200 innings and has only been on the DL once in his career.
With the Winter Meetings a week away, Colletti can now concentrate on getting his offense some more thump. He's got the horses to start the game, now he needs guys to give them run support. Stay tuned.
Not even a month later, they already completed their Christmas shopping.
First it was Ted Lilly, then Hiroki Kuroda, and now Jon Garland has returned to the Dodgers with a one-year, $5 million deal to be the fifth starter. The signing gives the Dodgers five starters who won at least 10 games this past season.
Garland is coming of a fine season for the Padres in which he went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 136 strikeouts in exactly 200 innings pitched. He was a big reason they spent most of the season in first place of the NL West before losing it at the end to the Giants.
He'll be entering his 12th big league season in which he sports a career 4.32 ERA. Keep in mind that he pitched for the Dodgers in '09 after being traded for Tony Abreu at the trade deadline. He pitched very well, going 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA, but was a victim of the numbers game and got left off the postseason roster under Joe Torre.
The Dodgers obviously had many needs going into the season, but the starting rotation was the one that arguably struck out the most. Just like that, it's been taken care of, and Ned Colletti deserves plenty of credit for this.
Don't get me wrong, Garland isn't Cy Young material, and I would expect his ERA to be closer to 4.00 than the mid-3's he had last season. But, for an end-of-rotation guy, he fits the mold very well. He routinely pitches 200 innings and has only been on the DL once in his career.
With the Winter Meetings a week away, Colletti can now concentrate on getting his offense some more thump. He's got the horses to start the game, now he needs guys to give them run support. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Eveland inks minors contract
Dana Eveland has signed on with the Dodgers for one year on a minor league deal. The lefty was recently with the Pirates.
Eveland's best year was in 2008 with the A's, going 8-8 with a 4.34 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 168 innings. He's a career 16-21 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.74 WHIP. Um, ouch!
He's only 27, so maybe he's young enough to get something out of him. His numbers aren't pretty, as he's already bounced around four teams in his brief career, with the Dodgers now being his fifth. I'm not sure starting is in his future, but maybe a southpaw out of the 'pen will work out.
Eveland's best year was in 2008 with the A's, going 8-8 with a 4.34 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 168 innings. He's a career 16-21 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.74 WHIP. Um, ouch!
He's only 27, so maybe he's young enough to get something out of him. His numbers aren't pretty, as he's already bounced around four teams in his brief career, with the Dodgers now being his fifth. I'm not sure starting is in his future, but maybe a southpaw out of the 'pen will work out.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Kuroda officially returns as rotation takes shape
It's official, Hiroki Kuroda is back.
Kuroda did indeed sign a one-year, $12 million contract to stay with the Dodgers. Included is a full no-trade clause and an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses. The Cardinals, Rockies, and Phillies were said to be interested in his services, but he chose to re-up with the Dodgers without taking any offers.
As I've talked about in my previous post, this really gives the Dodgers a solid 1-4 in the rotation. Clayton Kershaw will be the anchor, Chad Billingsley a solid #2, and Ted Lilly and Kuroda interchangeable in the 3-4 spots. In a division that features the world champion Giants and their deep rotation, the Dodgers can at least counter with some good arms of their own.
The key now is what the Dodgers do with their offense. Will they make a big splash and get a big bopper? Will they go after a couple solid bats and spread out the money? Will they not make a splash at all? Honestly, it could go any of these three ways. Wait and see.
Kuroda did indeed sign a one-year, $12 million contract to stay with the Dodgers. Included is a full no-trade clause and an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses. The Cardinals, Rockies, and Phillies were said to be interested in his services, but he chose to re-up with the Dodgers without taking any offers.
As I've talked about in my previous post, this really gives the Dodgers a solid 1-4 in the rotation. Clayton Kershaw will be the anchor, Chad Billingsley a solid #2, and Ted Lilly and Kuroda interchangeable in the 3-4 spots. In a division that features the world champion Giants and their deep rotation, the Dodgers can at least counter with some good arms of their own.
The key now is what the Dodgers do with their offense. Will they make a big splash and get a big bopper? Will they go after a couple solid bats and spread out the money? Will they not make a splash at all? Honestly, it could go any of these three ways. Wait and see.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Welcome back, Kuroda?
Based on what ESPN's Buster Olney has to say, it sure looks that way.
Olney is reporting that the Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with Hiroki Kuorda for $12 million. Kuroda originally signed with the Dodgers back in 2008 for three years and $35.3 million.
Kuroda has enjoyed a solid stay in the big leagues. Over the last three seasons, he has gone 28-20 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 362 strikeouts in 497 innings pitched. Last season he was 11-13, but with a career-best ERA of 3.39, strikeouts of 159, and innings of 196 1/3.
The talk after this past season was that he was all set to pack his bags and head back to Japan to finish out his career. But, this looks like he's willing to give it one more go in the states. After going through his strongest season to date, it only makes sense to come back and get paid pretty nicely.
If Kuroda really is back in the fold, then the Dodgers would have a starting rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, and Kuroda, with a fifth starter to be named later. I'll take that. Kershaw is right on the edge of getting tagged with "ace" status, and the other three have shown how good they can be as well.
The price tag of $12 million struck me as a little expensive at first, but I think it's worth it considering the Dodgers know what they'll get in Kuroda. He won't overpower people, but he's gotten better in each of his seasons and knows what it takes to get batters out. For someone who could be the #4 starter, it works out great.
The downside, and understandably so, is that he'll be 36 next season. His full season of health in the 2010 season is proof that even in an older age, he can hold up just fine. It won't always be this way, so a one-year deal, and nothing more, is probably a smart move.
With the starting rotation seemingly set (keep in mind this deal still needs to go through), the Dodgers now need to fully shift their focus to the offense. They need someone who can hit the damn ball! Hopefully far and long, too.
Olney is reporting that the Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with Hiroki Kuorda for $12 million. Kuroda originally signed with the Dodgers back in 2008 for three years and $35.3 million.
Kuroda has enjoyed a solid stay in the big leagues. Over the last three seasons, he has gone 28-20 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 362 strikeouts in 497 innings pitched. Last season he was 11-13, but with a career-best ERA of 3.39, strikeouts of 159, and innings of 196 1/3.
The talk after this past season was that he was all set to pack his bags and head back to Japan to finish out his career. But, this looks like he's willing to give it one more go in the states. After going through his strongest season to date, it only makes sense to come back and get paid pretty nicely.
If Kuroda really is back in the fold, then the Dodgers would have a starting rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, and Kuroda, with a fifth starter to be named later. I'll take that. Kershaw is right on the edge of getting tagged with "ace" status, and the other three have shown how good they can be as well.
The price tag of $12 million struck me as a little expensive at first, but I think it's worth it considering the Dodgers know what they'll get in Kuroda. He won't overpower people, but he's gotten better in each of his seasons and knows what it takes to get batters out. For someone who could be the #4 starter, it works out great.
The downside, and understandably so, is that he'll be 36 next season. His full season of health in the 2010 season is proof that even in an older age, he can hold up just fine. It won't always be this way, so a one-year deal, and nothing more, is probably a smart move.
With the starting rotation seemingly set (keep in mind this deal still needs to go through), the Dodgers now need to fully shift their focus to the offense. They need someone who can hit the damn ball! Hopefully far and long, too.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Gibbons resigns as Podsednik walks
The Dodgers made a couple of moves with their outfielder today, as Jay Gibbons has agreed on a one-year deal, while Scott Podsednik has declined his option to become a free agent. Gibbons's deal will be worth $650,000. Podsednik turned down $2 million.
Gibbons was an interesting story last season, as he tore up Triple-A to the tune of a .347 average with 19 home runs. When he was called up in August to the big club, he hit .280 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 37 games mostly in left field.
For this cheap, it's a good sign by the Dodgers. Gibbons showed some signs of having pop left in his bat, and for the Dodgers, they'll take that any way they can get it. Who knows if the Dodgers will make a big splash and sign a slugger, but I can see him getting some time in left field and being a key pinch-hitter.
As for Podsednik, the word is that even with declining his option, he's still talking to the club about coming back. Not too sure how serious those talks are, however. Seems obvious to me that the Dodgers didn't want to pay him $2 million.
If he does sign elsewhere, it's really not a big loss. He's a good source of speed at the top of the order, but he only had a .313 OBP when he came to the Dodgers. That's just not good enough, especially on a team that lacks power. Plus, he was 5-for-8 in stolen base attempts in 39 games, so it's not like he was setting the world on fire. A decent player, but not one they'll miss.
Gibbons was an interesting story last season, as he tore up Triple-A to the tune of a .347 average with 19 home runs. When he was called up in August to the big club, he hit .280 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 37 games mostly in left field.
For this cheap, it's a good sign by the Dodgers. Gibbons showed some signs of having pop left in his bat, and for the Dodgers, they'll take that any way they can get it. Who knows if the Dodgers will make a big splash and sign a slugger, but I can see him getting some time in left field and being a key pinch-hitter.
As for Podsednik, the word is that even with declining his option, he's still talking to the club about coming back. Not too sure how serious those talks are, however. Seems obvious to me that the Dodgers didn't want to pay him $2 million.
If he does sign elsewhere, it's really not a big loss. He's a good source of speed at the top of the order, but he only had a .313 OBP when he came to the Dodgers. That's just not good enough, especially on a team that lacks power. Plus, he was 5-for-8 in stolen base attempts in 39 games, so it's not like he was setting the world on fire. A decent player, but not one they'll miss.
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