If Yasiel Puig didn't exist, who knows if the Dodgers would ever aggressively pursue international talent like they have the last couple of years.
But he does, so they do.
Today it was the signing of Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, who reportedly has a six-year, $62.5 million deal signed, sealed, and delivered. Oh ya, and a nice $28 million bonus to boot.
That's some serious cash for a team that already has the names Howie Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins, and Juan Uribe manning the positions that Olivera plays in second base, shortstop, and third base. Let's not forget that Alex Guerrero is another international star who's making big bucks.
What does all of this tell me? Expect to see some big changes in the Dodgers' infield for 2016.
Yes, I know Olivera will soon be 30 and is ready to help right now, and he very well could be a factor this year. But there's no doubt Andrew Friedman is already planning for the next wave of Dodgers' stars, and Olivera, Guerrero, and Corey Seager teaming up with Adrian Gonzalez could be the fresh, new look he's envisioning next season and beyond.
It only makes sense, as Rollins is considered a one-year stop gap, and Uribe appears to be on his last contract with LA. About the only other thing I would consider is re-signing Kendrick, putting Olivera at third, Seager at short, and looking to trade Guerrero.
All of this is obviously looking into the future, so let's take a look at what Olivera brings to the table right now. As the link above states, he is a fantastic hitter who is capable of hitting 15-20 dingers and driving in 75 runs in the middle of a lineup. Not bad for an infielder with no MLB experience, but that's how highly he's rated by scouts.
What's a reason for concern? He supposedly has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, but he's vigorously disputed that by passing physicals with four other teams. So go figure.
If you're a fan of finding the next big star from all over the globe, like Puig, then this signing appeals to you. Who knows what kind of impact he'll make this year, but as I've stated before, I firmly believe this was made with 2016 and beyond in mind. That's some serious talent on the Dodgers' infield if all works out.
If you don't believe in throwing out that kind of money to someone without even Minor League experience, then this might make you cringe a bit. But let's give Friedman and his boys the benefit of the doubt: they turned around Tampa Bay by uncovering hidden talent, and with a much bigger wallet in LA, he can definitely do the same again.
Showing posts with label free agent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free agent. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Dodgers add Beachy with an eye towards the 2nd half
The Dodgers continued adding new pieces to their starting rotation today by signing Brandon Beachy to a one-year, $2.75 million deal with a club option for 2016. He won't be needed until later in the season as he continues his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery last March.
On paper, this looks like a good move, as the Dodgers can only hope he can give them an added boost later on in the season. In a way, it reminds me of when they signed Brian Wilson at the trade deadline in 2013, who then went on to be a huge piece of the bullpen down the stretch. Of course, he completely fell apart in 2014, but for a brief run, he was great.
Beachy certainly has some good numbers in his past appearances with the Braves, albeit in only 46 starts thanks to two TJ surgeries already. For his career, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 strikeouts in 267 2/3 innings pitched.
Now he can rest and rehab with his surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who just happens to be based in LA. That turned out to be a key factor in Beachy's decision in coming to the West Coast, so hey, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
If Beachy can come back at full strength, then based on his past success in the National League, this move could turn out be like a deadline deal, only without needing to give anyone up to get him. Also, he gives added insurance in case Brett Anderson can't shake the injury bug himself. Beachy could very well end up trading off with Anderson in the second half of the season.
Keep Beachy's name in mind as the summer months of June and July begin heating up.
On paper, this looks like a good move, as the Dodgers can only hope he can give them an added boost later on in the season. In a way, it reminds me of when they signed Brian Wilson at the trade deadline in 2013, who then went on to be a huge piece of the bullpen down the stretch. Of course, he completely fell apart in 2014, but for a brief run, he was great.
Beachy certainly has some good numbers in his past appearances with the Braves, albeit in only 46 starts thanks to two TJ surgeries already. For his career, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 strikeouts in 267 2/3 innings pitched.
Now he can rest and rehab with his surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who just happens to be based in LA. That turned out to be a key factor in Beachy's decision in coming to the West Coast, so hey, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
If Beachy can come back at full strength, then based on his past success in the National League, this move could turn out be like a deadline deal, only without needing to give anyone up to get him. Also, he gives added insurance in case Brett Anderson can't shake the injury bug himself. Beachy could very well end up trading off with Anderson in the second half of the season.
Keep Beachy's name in mind as the summer months of June and July begin heating up.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
As Anderson comes in, Arruebarrena goes out
Happy New Year!
With my first post of 2015, here's some news about the ever-changing roster.
First of all, Brett Anderson has been officially signed to a one-year deal worth $10 million, plus another $4 in incentives. This has been in the works for over a couple of weeks, but due to the holiday season, it's taken awhile to dry the ink.
Anderson, a lefty who pitched for the Rockies last season, slides into the rotation as the team's new #5 starter behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and newly signed Brandon McCarthy.
While Anderson posted a great ERA of 2.91 last season, it was done making only eight starts due to a variety of injuries. The word "injury" has pretty much followed his career, as he was a promising rookie with the A's back in 2009, going 11-11 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. After that, it was one trip to the DL after another.
The Dodgers must not be too concerned about his injury history, as they're willing to give him a shot. GM Farhan Zaidi pointed out that management chose to spend $22 million on McCarthy and Anderson to fill out the back end of the rotation this year rather than go for broke on another ace like James Shield or Max Scherzer. Considering the money that's been spent on Kershaw and Greinke in the past, you can't blame them for choosing this strategy.
With one man's arrival means another man's departure, and in this case, it's Arruebarrena. His DFA did come as a surprise, as it was all of one year ago when then-GM Ned Colletti signed him for five years and $25 million. And with the way the deal was structured, there's still $22 million left on it. That's a whole lot of dough to just wave goodbye to.
But then again, is Arruebarrena really going away? I doubt it. Barring a trade, I can't imagine any other team wanting to pick up that contract for a guy who flat out cannot hit. Sure, he has an amazing glove, and is about as smooth as it gets at short. But when you have 41 at-bats and collect only eight hits (.195), it's hard to feel confident that he's the shortstop of the future.
With that said, considering the wheeling and dealing the Dodgers have done this offseason, look for a possible trade with Arruebarrena in the near future.
With my first post of 2015, here's some news about the ever-changing roster.
First of all, Brett Anderson has been officially signed to a one-year deal worth $10 million, plus another $4 in incentives. This has been in the works for over a couple of weeks, but due to the holiday season, it's taken awhile to dry the ink.
Anderson, a lefty who pitched for the Rockies last season, slides into the rotation as the team's new #5 starter behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and newly signed Brandon McCarthy.
While Anderson posted a great ERA of 2.91 last season, it was done making only eight starts due to a variety of injuries. The word "injury" has pretty much followed his career, as he was a promising rookie with the A's back in 2009, going 11-11 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. After that, it was one trip to the DL after another.
The Dodgers must not be too concerned about his injury history, as they're willing to give him a shot. GM Farhan Zaidi pointed out that management chose to spend $22 million on McCarthy and Anderson to fill out the back end of the rotation this year rather than go for broke on another ace like James Shield or Max Scherzer. Considering the money that's been spent on Kershaw and Greinke in the past, you can't blame them for choosing this strategy.
With one man's arrival means another man's departure, and in this case, it's Arruebarrena. His DFA did come as a surprise, as it was all of one year ago when then-GM Ned Colletti signed him for five years and $25 million. And with the way the deal was structured, there's still $22 million left on it. That's a whole lot of dough to just wave goodbye to.
But then again, is Arruebarrena really going away? I doubt it. Barring a trade, I can't imagine any other team wanting to pick up that contract for a guy who flat out cannot hit. Sure, he has an amazing glove, and is about as smooth as it gets at short. But when you have 41 at-bats and collect only eight hits (.195), it's hard to feel confident that he's the shortstop of the future.
With that said, considering the wheeling and dealing the Dodgers have done this offseason, look for a possible trade with Arruebarrena in the near future.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Dodgers nab McCarthy to strengthen rotation
Through all of the wheeling and dealing with the Dodgers on Thursday, there was one signing that may have flown a bit under the radar. But with Dan Haren on his way to Miami (or retirement, perhaps), the back end of the rotation needed to be addressed.
It certainly has been, as the Dodgers have signed right-handed Brandon McCarthy to a four-year, $48 million deal. He'll slot in nicely right behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu as the team can flip-flop between lefties and righties at the top.
McCarthy has certainly had an interesting career to say the least. If you recall, he's the guy who got beaned in the head off of a line drive from Erick Aybar of the Angles in 2012. He was rushed into emergency surgery, and then a year later with the Diamondbacks, suffered a seizure that was probably related to that liner.
So, things were definitely not looking up for his career as he was traded to the Yankees last July. At the time, it sure looked like another desperate move by the Yanks to find lightning in a bottle. Sure enough, they did find lightning, as he went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA, and looked like a completely different pitcher than the one who got creamed in Arizona time after time.
And now here we are, as McCarthy got his four-year deal he was seeking, and the Dodgers have four starters they can trust in the playoffs. Yes, I know Kershaw got crushed once again by the Cardinals, but he's still the MVP and Cy Young winner. So zip it. McCarthy can match up against other team's fourth or fifth starters, which is to his advantage.
Obviously the Dodgers are hoping they find the guy who pitched with the Yankees at the end of last season, along with his excellent numbers for the A's in 2011 and 2012. In '11, he put together a 3.32 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and career-high 2.9 WAR. Then he suffered that horrifically scary injury, and it looks like it took him a couple of years to fully get over it. That's more than understandable.
Now the Dodgers must turn to their shaky bullpen, as thus far only Joel Peralta has been added. That's a pretty good start, but they must do more from there. Also, look for another starting pitcher to be added to go behind McCarthy.
It certainly has been, as the Dodgers have signed right-handed Brandon McCarthy to a four-year, $48 million deal. He'll slot in nicely right behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu as the team can flip-flop between lefties and righties at the top.
McCarthy has certainly had an interesting career to say the least. If you recall, he's the guy who got beaned in the head off of a line drive from Erick Aybar of the Angles in 2012. He was rushed into emergency surgery, and then a year later with the Diamondbacks, suffered a seizure that was probably related to that liner.
So, things were definitely not looking up for his career as he was traded to the Yankees last July. At the time, it sure looked like another desperate move by the Yanks to find lightning in a bottle. Sure enough, they did find lightning, as he went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA, and looked like a completely different pitcher than the one who got creamed in Arizona time after time.
And now here we are, as McCarthy got his four-year deal he was seeking, and the Dodgers have four starters they can trust in the playoffs. Yes, I know Kershaw got crushed once again by the Cardinals, but he's still the MVP and Cy Young winner. So zip it. McCarthy can match up against other team's fourth or fifth starters, which is to his advantage.
Obviously the Dodgers are hoping they find the guy who pitched with the Yankees at the end of last season, along with his excellent numbers for the A's in 2011 and 2012. In '11, he put together a 3.32 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and career-high 2.9 WAR. Then he suffered that horrifically scary injury, and it looks like it took him a couple of years to fully get over it. That's more than understandable.
Now the Dodgers must turn to their shaky bullpen, as thus far only Joel Peralta has been added. That's a pretty good start, but they must do more from there. Also, look for another starting pitcher to be added to go behind McCarthy.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Lester coming in, Greinke going out?
If you thought the Dodgers would be content just signing guys like Chris Heisey and Darwin Barney this offseason, think again.
Now reports are surfacing that one of the crown jewels of the free agent market could be coming to LA. Jon Lester is being wooed by the Dodgers, who seem to be competing with the Cubs, Red Sox, and Giants for the ace left-hander. This is the first we've heard about the Dodgers having a horse in the race, as it was widely believed that those other teams had the best shot.
Who could blame the Dodgers for wanting to sign the guy? His numbers split between the Red Sox and A's last year were fantastic, compiling a 16-11 record with a 2.46 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 219 2/3 innings. He gave the A's everything they could've hoped for when they made the big acquisition for him at the deadline, though losing Yoenis Cespedes in the process may have been a bigger blow than anyone imagined.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it would take to sign Lester, but one guess is anywhere north of $120 million. Even for the Dodgers, that's some serious cash.
So, what might the Dodgers do if they really do want to keep payroll manageable (for them, at least)? They actually could look to shop Zack Greinke, who has an opt-out clause in his contract following the 2015 season.
Greinke is in the midst of a six-year, $147 million deal, which includes the clause of bolting when it's halfway over. That halfway point will come after 2015, and considering his skill and the demand for top-tier pitching, he could actually roll the dice of getting more money. When he signed with the Dodgers originally, he made no secret of the fact that money played a big role. Hey, at least he admitted the obvious, unlike many others.
I'm not sure I can see that happening, at least not this offseason. In the first link above, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick basically shot any rumor of Greinke being dealt down. Simply put, the Dodgers want to win now, and don't want to subtract stars from their roster.
We'll see where this all goes, but don't be surprised to see Lester in Dodger blue soon. A rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Greinke, Lester, and Hyun-Jin Ryu? Ohh.... that sounds too good to be true! Let's hope it isn't!
Now reports are surfacing that one of the crown jewels of the free agent market could be coming to LA. Jon Lester is being wooed by the Dodgers, who seem to be competing with the Cubs, Red Sox, and Giants for the ace left-hander. This is the first we've heard about the Dodgers having a horse in the race, as it was widely believed that those other teams had the best shot.
Who could blame the Dodgers for wanting to sign the guy? His numbers split between the Red Sox and A's last year were fantastic, compiling a 16-11 record with a 2.46 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 219 2/3 innings. He gave the A's everything they could've hoped for when they made the big acquisition for him at the deadline, though losing Yoenis Cespedes in the process may have been a bigger blow than anyone imagined.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it would take to sign Lester, but one guess is anywhere north of $120 million. Even for the Dodgers, that's some serious cash.
So, what might the Dodgers do if they really do want to keep payroll manageable (for them, at least)? They actually could look to shop Zack Greinke, who has an opt-out clause in his contract following the 2015 season.
Greinke is in the midst of a six-year, $147 million deal, which includes the clause of bolting when it's halfway over. That halfway point will come after 2015, and considering his skill and the demand for top-tier pitching, he could actually roll the dice of getting more money. When he signed with the Dodgers originally, he made no secret of the fact that money played a big role. Hey, at least he admitted the obvious, unlike many others.
I'm not sure I can see that happening, at least not this offseason. In the first link above, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick basically shot any rumor of Greinke being dealt down. Simply put, the Dodgers want to win now, and don't want to subtract stars from their roster.
We'll see where this all goes, but don't be surprised to see Lester in Dodger blue soon. A rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Greinke, Lester, and Hyun-Jin Ryu? Ohh.... that sounds too good to be true! Let's hope it isn't!
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Dodgers trade for Heisey, sign Barney
A couple of moves from the Dodgers in recent days.
The first is trading for outfielder Chris Heisey, who played for the Reds in 2013. On his way out will be Matt "Ball 4" Magill, who liked to pitch the ball anywhere except over the plate in his brief Dodgers' tenure.
The Heisey move raised some eyebrows at first, as it appears that the last thing the Dodgers need is yet another outfielder. But, it was then assumed that this move makes guys like Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, and possibly Matt Kemp even more likely to be traded. The Winter Meetings start this upcoming Monday in San Diego, so perhaps the trigger on a trade is finally pulled.
Heisey won't light the world on fire, as he hit .222 with eight homers and 22 RBIs last season, but he's there for his versatility in the outfield. He mostly appeared in left field in 2014, but played the other two positions many times as well. He'll give Don Mattingly some options for later in the game.
Magill won't be missed, as he's had his chances to prove his worth in the past, but flat out stunk. He spent all of last season in Triple-A, mostly because he had a 6.51 ERA in six starts with the Dodgers in 2013. Good bye, good riddance!
The other piece of news is the signing of Darwin Barney, who was brought over from the Cubs last season on July 28. He'll be in the mix off the bench, as it's hard to imagine he'll be a serious contender to take over Hanley Ramirez's spot at short. I would like to think the Dodgers can do much better than that.
Barney's deal is for one year and $2.525 million.
The first is trading for outfielder Chris Heisey, who played for the Reds in 2013. On his way out will be Matt "Ball 4" Magill, who liked to pitch the ball anywhere except over the plate in his brief Dodgers' tenure.
The Heisey move raised some eyebrows at first, as it appears that the last thing the Dodgers need is yet another outfielder. But, it was then assumed that this move makes guys like Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, and possibly Matt Kemp even more likely to be traded. The Winter Meetings start this upcoming Monday in San Diego, so perhaps the trigger on a trade is finally pulled.
Heisey won't light the world on fire, as he hit .222 with eight homers and 22 RBIs last season, but he's there for his versatility in the outfield. He mostly appeared in left field in 2014, but played the other two positions many times as well. He'll give Don Mattingly some options for later in the game.
Magill won't be missed, as he's had his chances to prove his worth in the past, but flat out stunk. He spent all of last season in Triple-A, mostly because he had a 6.51 ERA in six starts with the Dodgers in 2013. Good bye, good riddance!
The other piece of news is the signing of Darwin Barney, who was brought over from the Cubs last season on July 28. He'll be in the mix off the bench, as it's hard to imagine he'll be a serious contender to take over Hanley Ramirez's spot at short. I would like to think the Dodgers can do much better than that.
Barney's deal is for one year and $2.525 million.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Hanley bolts for Beantown
The Hanley Ramirez era in Los Angeles is officially over.
Wanting a big money contract that the Dodgers were not willing to offer, Hanley has signed a four-year, $88 million deal with the Red Sox, going back to the original team he made his professional debut with in 2005.
For the Dodgers, it's an obvious blow to the offense, as it will be hard to replace the damage he can cause at the plate.
As for his defense and health? Well, his departure equals an immediate upgrade, quite frankly.
This is no knock on Hanley, who came over to the Dodgers in 2012, then put together a fantastic 2013 campaign by hitting .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs. Had he not been beaned in the ribs by the Cardinals' Joe Kelly in Game 1 of that season's NLCS, then it may have been the Dodgers who advanced to play the Red Sox in the World Series.
The problem? He got those numbers in only 86 games, as the injury bug just never seemed to leave him. This past season he played in 128 games, but his numbers dipped to .287/13/71. His Defensive Wins Above Replacement (DWAR) also went down from 0.7 to -0.6.
Simply put, he's a much better fit for the American League at this point. The Red Sox can keep his bat in the lineup at DH when he's banged up. Well, that may be tough with David Ortiz there, but perhaps they would be more comfortable giving Big Papi more rest with a lefty on the mound. Already, Hanley has been introduced as the team's new left fielder, which makes sense.
Ken Gurnick over at Dodgers.com takes a look at potential replacements for Hanley, albeit short-term ones. Right now on the roster there's Justin Turner, Miguel Rojas, and Erisbel Arruebarrena, who are hardly considered the future. The guy who gets that distinction is Corey Seager, who might not be quite ready for the everyday role yet.
There's also free agents such as Asdrubal Cabrera and Stephen Drew, and trade possibilities like Jimmy Rollins and Alexei Ramierz. We shall see.
In the meantime, I truly believe Dodger fans should be grateful towards Hanley and all he brought to the table for a little over two seasons. Yes, I know it was frustrating watching him miss so much time to injuries, and his defense left something to be desired of late. But, when everything was clicking and he felt right, he was a lot of fun to watch. The ball would jump off of his bat, which was a beautiful sight.
And THAT'S what I'll remember most about him.
Wanting a big money contract that the Dodgers were not willing to offer, Hanley has signed a four-year, $88 million deal with the Red Sox, going back to the original team he made his professional debut with in 2005.
For the Dodgers, it's an obvious blow to the offense, as it will be hard to replace the damage he can cause at the plate.
As for his defense and health? Well, his departure equals an immediate upgrade, quite frankly.
This is no knock on Hanley, who came over to the Dodgers in 2012, then put together a fantastic 2013 campaign by hitting .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs. Had he not been beaned in the ribs by the Cardinals' Joe Kelly in Game 1 of that season's NLCS, then it may have been the Dodgers who advanced to play the Red Sox in the World Series.
The problem? He got those numbers in only 86 games, as the injury bug just never seemed to leave him. This past season he played in 128 games, but his numbers dipped to .287/13/71. His Defensive Wins Above Replacement (DWAR) also went down from 0.7 to -0.6.
Simply put, he's a much better fit for the American League at this point. The Red Sox can keep his bat in the lineup at DH when he's banged up. Well, that may be tough with David Ortiz there, but perhaps they would be more comfortable giving Big Papi more rest with a lefty on the mound. Already, Hanley has been introduced as the team's new left fielder, which makes sense.
Ken Gurnick over at Dodgers.com takes a look at potential replacements for Hanley, albeit short-term ones. Right now on the roster there's Justin Turner, Miguel Rojas, and Erisbel Arruebarrena, who are hardly considered the future. The guy who gets that distinction is Corey Seager, who might not be quite ready for the everyday role yet.
There's also free agents such as Asdrubal Cabrera and Stephen Drew, and trade possibilities like Jimmy Rollins and Alexei Ramierz. We shall see.
In the meantime, I truly believe Dodger fans should be grateful towards Hanley and all he brought to the table for a little over two seasons. Yes, I know it was frustrating watching him miss so much time to injuries, and his defense left something to be desired of late. But, when everything was clicking and he felt right, he was a lot of fun to watch. The ball would jump off of his bat, which was a beautiful sight.
And THAT'S what I'll remember most about him.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Wilson exercises his option as Elbert walks
A could news of note on the bullpen from Monday.
As expected, Brian Wilson exercised his massive $10 million option for 2015. There was no way in the world any team would pay anything even close to that, or even half of that. So ya, there was zero suspense in this decision.
Last season was just an absolute disaster for Wilson, who wasn't anywhere close to the pitcher who signed with the Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2013. In 61 games, he went 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. It was stunning to see just how ineffective he was. I thought he would be even stronger following Tommy John surgery a couple years ago. Boy was I wrong.
Like it or not, he'll be back. That doesn't mean he won't be released at some point, but that's a big chunk of change to eat. Let's just hope he mercifully doesn't pitch in the setup role again. That would be embarrassing.
Someone who will not be back is Scott Elbert, who rejected a minor league assignment and chose free agency. He was nowhere to be found for two years with one elbow injury after another. Then he resurfaced at the end of this season and made the playoff roster, but gave up a huge two-run homer to Kolten Wong in Game 3 of the NLDS, putting the Dodgers in a hole they would not recover from.
In a perfect world both of these guys would be gone, but one out of two ain't bad.
As expected, Brian Wilson exercised his massive $10 million option for 2015. There was no way in the world any team would pay anything even close to that, or even half of that. So ya, there was zero suspense in this decision.
Last season was just an absolute disaster for Wilson, who wasn't anywhere close to the pitcher who signed with the Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2013. In 61 games, he went 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. It was stunning to see just how ineffective he was. I thought he would be even stronger following Tommy John surgery a couple years ago. Boy was I wrong.
Like it or not, he'll be back. That doesn't mean he won't be released at some point, but that's a big chunk of change to eat. Let's just hope he mercifully doesn't pitch in the setup role again. That would be embarrassing.
Someone who will not be back is Scott Elbert, who rejected a minor league assignment and chose free agency. He was nowhere to be found for two years with one elbow injury after another. Then he resurfaced at the end of this season and made the playoff roster, but gave up a huge two-run homer to Kolten Wong in Game 3 of the NLDS, putting the Dodgers in a hole they would not recover from.
In a perfect world both of these guys would be gone, but one out of two ain't bad.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Billingsley bought out and probably gone
In an unsurprising move, the Dodgers have elected to buy out Chad Billingsley for $3 million on Friday, declining to pick up his $14 million option. He is now officially a free agent.
Considering Bills missed all of 2014 with Tommy John surgery and started two games in 2013, this was a mere formality. He's looking to bounce back from a partially torn flexor tendon.
Now the question turns to whether or not the Dodgers may look to bring him back anyway, albeit for a much cheaper price. It would have to be something along the lines of a low guarantee with performance incentives.
My initial though is no way. Despite once being thought of as on a higher caliber than Clayton Kershaw, he just never found the consistency on the mound that would make him a staff ace. In 219 career games (190 starts), he's 81-61 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. The WHIP is on the high end, which shows the difficulties he's had keeping runners off base.
I can't see him coming back as a starter, but when you take into consideration the porous bullpen performance during the much of the season and especially the playoffs, maybe he can pull a Wade Davis and reinvent himself as a dominant setup man. He has 1,037 career strikeouts, so the power has always been there.
My guess it that he'll be looking to sign somewhere as a starter, so I don't see him in Dodger blue next year. But if that fizzles out, then maybe he can be talked into a relief role. We shall see.
Considering Bills missed all of 2014 with Tommy John surgery and started two games in 2013, this was a mere formality. He's looking to bounce back from a partially torn flexor tendon.
Now the question turns to whether or not the Dodgers may look to bring him back anyway, albeit for a much cheaper price. It would have to be something along the lines of a low guarantee with performance incentives.
My initial though is no way. Despite once being thought of as on a higher caliber than Clayton Kershaw, he just never found the consistency on the mound that would make him a staff ace. In 219 career games (190 starts), he's 81-61 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. The WHIP is on the high end, which shows the difficulties he's had keeping runners off base.
I can't see him coming back as a starter, but when you take into consideration the porous bullpen performance during the much of the season and especially the playoffs, maybe he can pull a Wade Davis and reinvent himself as a dominant setup man. He has 1,037 career strikeouts, so the power has always been there.
My guess it that he'll be looking to sign somewhere as a starter, so I don't see him in Dodger blue next year. But if that fizzles out, then maybe he can be talked into a relief role. We shall see.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Signing Arruebarrena sends a message
The Dodgers have officially inked Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a five-year, $25 million deal on Saturday, with a $7.5 million signing bonus. He's still in the Dominican Republic working on getting his visa, then is expected to start the season somewhere in the minors.
After that? It's full speed ahead in LA and into the future.
Ned Colletti made no bones about it - he sees Arruebarrena as the starting shortstop of the future. The praise for his defense has been high, and he also brings some pop with his bat. It's acknowledged that his offense does need some work, but they're hoping he can hold his own at the Major League level while providing great defense up the middle.
So, what's the message that is being sent? It pertains to Hanley Ramirez. He needs to prove he can stay healthy over the full course of a season in order to get the extension he's looking for, and he needs to be willing to move to third in a year or two.
As great as Ramirez has been since becoming a Dodger towards the end of 2012, he definitely has had his injury issues (thumb, hamstring, back, ribs...). I can certainly understand his desire to get a huge deal worked out, but from the Dodgers' point of view, that will only happen if he spends more time on the diamond and less in the trainer's room.
Juan Uribe is currently etched in at third for the next two seasons, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way. Suppose Uribe goes back to his old ways of... well, doing a big pile of nothing. Then it's not out of the question to see Ramirez slide over to third, while Arruebarrena becomes the everyday shortstop.
If Colletti is serious about promoting Arruebarrena to the big club sometime in 2014, then his signing is also a message to Uribe, so has been benched plenty of times in the past. Is it possible to see an all international infield of Ramirez, Arreubarrena, Alexander Guerrero, and Adrian Gonzalez starting in the playoffs? It certainly could be.
On a side note, in order to make this signing official, someone had to be the odd man out on the 40-man roster. That guy is Justin Sellers, who went from starting shortstop in 2013 to DFA'd a year later. Ouch. Unfortunately, it's really not a surprise. He simply never showed an ability to hit Major League pitching, so it's the right call.
After that? It's full speed ahead in LA and into the future.
Ned Colletti made no bones about it - he sees Arruebarrena as the starting shortstop of the future. The praise for his defense has been high, and he also brings some pop with his bat. It's acknowledged that his offense does need some work, but they're hoping he can hold his own at the Major League level while providing great defense up the middle.
So, what's the message that is being sent? It pertains to Hanley Ramirez. He needs to prove he can stay healthy over the full course of a season in order to get the extension he's looking for, and he needs to be willing to move to third in a year or two.
As great as Ramirez has been since becoming a Dodger towards the end of 2012, he definitely has had his injury issues (thumb, hamstring, back, ribs...). I can certainly understand his desire to get a huge deal worked out, but from the Dodgers' point of view, that will only happen if he spends more time on the diamond and less in the trainer's room.
Juan Uribe is currently etched in at third for the next two seasons, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way. Suppose Uribe goes back to his old ways of... well, doing a big pile of nothing. Then it's not out of the question to see Ramirez slide over to third, while Arruebarrena becomes the everyday shortstop.
If Colletti is serious about promoting Arruebarrena to the big club sometime in 2014, then his signing is also a message to Uribe, so has been benched plenty of times in the past. Is it possible to see an all international infield of Ramirez, Arreubarrena, Alexander Guerrero, and Adrian Gonzalez starting in the playoffs? It certainly could be.
On a side note, in order to make this signing official, someone had to be the odd man out on the 40-man roster. That guy is Justin Sellers, who went from starting shortstop in 2013 to DFA'd a year later. Ouch. Unfortunately, it's really not a surprise. He simply never showed an ability to hit Major League pitching, so it's the right call.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
With Arroyo in Arizona, Maholm seeks his chance in LA
***UPDATE***
Paul Maholm is officially a Dodger, inking a one-year deal for $1.5 million. It'll be Major League deal, and not a Minor League one which was the expectation, so good for him.
***
To answer the question I posed in my previous post: "No, because Arroyo apparently doesn't need the Dodgers either." After flirting with going to LA, Arroyo chose the Diamondbacks for two years (with an option for a third) along with $23.5 million. Can't blame him there.
Judging by the way Ned Colletti has pursued starting pitchers this offseason by signing Dan Haren and missing on Masahiro Tanaka and Arroyo, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's looking to add another name for the back end of the rotation.
That man appears to be Paul Maholm.
Maholm is in Glendale, Arizona right now, undergoing a physical and looking to be on the verge of a minor league deal. Considering there's a locker with the name "Maholm" written above it, I'd say that's a good sign he's a Dodger.
So, let's go ahead and take a look at him. Last season the lefty was with the Braves, going 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Those were his highest numbers since 2010 with the Pirates, as the previous two seasons split between the Pirates, Cubs, and Braves saw an ERA at 3.66 and 3.67, along with a WHIP at 1.22 and 1.29. For his career, he's 76-95 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.
Right away, the WHIP is what strikes me as way too high, but that could be a bit deceiving, too. Like I mentioned above, his WHIP was in the mid-1.20 range in 2011 and 2012, which is pretty good.. So, maybe last year was just a hiccup for some reason.
It's also obvious he won't blow anyone away, as he has 950 K's in 1,485 2/3 career innings. Last year he had 105 in 153 innings. Considering the Dodgers' pitchers were second in the NL last season in strikeouts, he doesn't exactly fit in. If he doesn't have his control, he suffers through rough starts.
Still, I'm willing to see where this could go. Rather than throwing $20 whatever million at Arroyo, maybe a smaller deal like this will bring similar results, as Maholm will only be asked to give some good innings as the fourth or fifth starter. His numbers last year were high, but the previous two were solid, including less hits than innings pitched in each of them, always a good sign.
Behind the big three of Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the battle for the final two spots looks to come down to Josh Beckett, Dan Haren, and Maholm (Chad Billingsley is out until July). Dodger fans are reminded about this all the time, but it's so true: you can never have enough quality starting pitching, as evidenced by last season.
Paul Maholm is officially a Dodger, inking a one-year deal for $1.5 million. It'll be Major League deal, and not a Minor League one which was the expectation, so good for him.
***
To answer the question I posed in my previous post: "No, because Arroyo apparently doesn't need the Dodgers either." After flirting with going to LA, Arroyo chose the Diamondbacks for two years (with an option for a third) along with $23.5 million. Can't blame him there.
Judging by the way Ned Colletti has pursued starting pitchers this offseason by signing Dan Haren and missing on Masahiro Tanaka and Arroyo, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's looking to add another name for the back end of the rotation.
That man appears to be Paul Maholm.
Maholm is in Glendale, Arizona right now, undergoing a physical and looking to be on the verge of a minor league deal. Considering there's a locker with the name "Maholm" written above it, I'd say that's a good sign he's a Dodger.
So, let's go ahead and take a look at him. Last season the lefty was with the Braves, going 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Those were his highest numbers since 2010 with the Pirates, as the previous two seasons split between the Pirates, Cubs, and Braves saw an ERA at 3.66 and 3.67, along with a WHIP at 1.22 and 1.29. For his career, he's 76-95 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.
Right away, the WHIP is what strikes me as way too high, but that could be a bit deceiving, too. Like I mentioned above, his WHIP was in the mid-1.20 range in 2011 and 2012, which is pretty good.. So, maybe last year was just a hiccup for some reason.
It's also obvious he won't blow anyone away, as he has 950 K's in 1,485 2/3 career innings. Last year he had 105 in 153 innings. Considering the Dodgers' pitchers were second in the NL last season in strikeouts, he doesn't exactly fit in. If he doesn't have his control, he suffers through rough starts.
Still, I'm willing to see where this could go. Rather than throwing $20 whatever million at Arroyo, maybe a smaller deal like this will bring similar results, as Maholm will only be asked to give some good innings as the fourth or fifth starter. His numbers last year were high, but the previous two were solid, including less hits than innings pitched in each of them, always a good sign.
Behind the big three of Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the battle for the final two spots looks to come down to Josh Beckett, Dan Haren, and Maholm (Chad Billingsley is out until July). Dodger fans are reminded about this all the time, but it's so true: you can never have enough quality starting pitching, as evidenced by last season.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Do the Dodgers really need Arroyo?
The long offseason wait for Bronson Arroyo may finally be coming to an end, as three teams are reportedly interested in the veteran right-hander: the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Orioles. Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the DBacks are the "slight favorites." No word yet on whether or not the breaking point is Arroyo getting the guaranteed third year he's been seeking.
That's all well and good, but I can't help but ask the obvious question: Do the Dodgers even need Arroyo?
First of all, you can't blame Ned Colletti for being aggressive in stockpiling starting pitchers after multiple injuries made a mess of the rotation last season. Only Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu went unscathed (thankfully), while Zack Greinke, Chris Capuano, Ted Lilly, Josh Beckett, and Chad Billingsley all got hurt at one time or another. Heck, even Stephen Fife couldn't stay healthy, and he was barely in LA. Matt Magill did stay healthy, but pitched like someone who was hurt.
So, as I said above, you can understand Colletti's rationale in pursuing Arroyo, a guy who's made a career out of punching the clock over and over. Over 14 seasons, he's put together a 138-127 record with a 4.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 1,479 K's. He appeared in the 2006 All-Star Game, won an NL Gold Glove in 2010, and twice led the NL in starts with 34.
Speaking of starts, he's never once appeared on the DL. Seriously. Think about it - that's 391 career starts, and not once has he been unable to take the mound because he's on the Disabled List. That's amazing.
Right now the rotation is Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Dan Haren, and hopefully Beckett, assuming he's ready to go. Waiting in the wings is Chad Billingsley, who might reappear around the All-Star break. Then there's also someone like prospect Zach Lee, who's quietly biding his time until his number is called.
With all of that said, if the Dodgers are able to give Arroyo a deal similar to what they gave Brian Wilson (one year, with an option for a second), then I'd go for it. If it's two years guaranteed I probably would as well, but three would seem like too much. I know that's what Arroyo wants, but maybe that's also why it's February and he hasn't been signed yet.
He's been a member of the Reds since 2006, and four of the past five seasons he's put together an ERA in the 3.70-3.80 range. That's pretty darn good considering Cincinnati is a hitter's park and he isn't getting any younger. Imagine what he can do in Dodger Stadium for a full season. That's even more reason to get excited.
If I'm Arroyo, I'm liking the Dodgers because of the opportunity to win, being in pitcher's ballpark, and the cash he can get is probably more than anywhere else. Why would I be a little nervous? Well, you saw the list of starts a few paragraphs above. I can't imagine he'd be willing to pitch out of the bullpen if everyone is healthy, especially considering he hasn't done so since 2005 with the Red Sox.
The Dodgers lost out on a mega-contract for Masahiro Tanaka, so let's see how much they want a veteran innings-eater like Arroyo instead.
That's all well and good, but I can't help but ask the obvious question: Do the Dodgers even need Arroyo?
First of all, you can't blame Ned Colletti for being aggressive in stockpiling starting pitchers after multiple injuries made a mess of the rotation last season. Only Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu went unscathed (thankfully), while Zack Greinke, Chris Capuano, Ted Lilly, Josh Beckett, and Chad Billingsley all got hurt at one time or another. Heck, even Stephen Fife couldn't stay healthy, and he was barely in LA. Matt Magill did stay healthy, but pitched like someone who was hurt.
So, as I said above, you can understand Colletti's rationale in pursuing Arroyo, a guy who's made a career out of punching the clock over and over. Over 14 seasons, he's put together a 138-127 record with a 4.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 1,479 K's. He appeared in the 2006 All-Star Game, won an NL Gold Glove in 2010, and twice led the NL in starts with 34.
Speaking of starts, he's never once appeared on the DL. Seriously. Think about it - that's 391 career starts, and not once has he been unable to take the mound because he's on the Disabled List. That's amazing.
Right now the rotation is Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Dan Haren, and hopefully Beckett, assuming he's ready to go. Waiting in the wings is Chad Billingsley, who might reappear around the All-Star break. Then there's also someone like prospect Zach Lee, who's quietly biding his time until his number is called.
With all of that said, if the Dodgers are able to give Arroyo a deal similar to what they gave Brian Wilson (one year, with an option for a second), then I'd go for it. If it's two years guaranteed I probably would as well, but three would seem like too much. I know that's what Arroyo wants, but maybe that's also why it's February and he hasn't been signed yet.
He's been a member of the Reds since 2006, and four of the past five seasons he's put together an ERA in the 3.70-3.80 range. That's pretty darn good considering Cincinnati is a hitter's park and he isn't getting any younger. Imagine what he can do in Dodger Stadium for a full season. That's even more reason to get excited.
If I'm Arroyo, I'm liking the Dodgers because of the opportunity to win, being in pitcher's ballpark, and the cash he can get is probably more than anywhere else. Why would I be a little nervous? Well, you saw the list of starts a few paragraphs above. I can't imagine he'd be willing to pitch out of the bullpen if everyone is healthy, especially considering he hasn't done so since 2005 with the Red Sox.
The Dodgers lost out on a mega-contract for Masahiro Tanaka, so let's see how much they want a veteran innings-eater like Arroyo instead.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Yankees pony up for Tanaka, and the Dodgers are better off for it
No disrespect to Masahiro Tanaka, but I'm glad the Dodgers didn't get him.
Not for that price. Not even for a mega-rich team like the Dodgers.
For those of you who don't know, Japan's best pitcher decided to don the Yankee pinstripes for the next seven seasons and $155 million today. He'll get an opt-out after four seasons and a full no-trade clause. Not too shabby for a guy who has yet to make one big league pitch.
Look, would Tanaka have helped the Dodgers? Absolutely. If he signed, then the top four of their rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Tanaka would be deadly. There isn't a weak pitcher in that bunch, and you can legitimately say the Dodgers are favorites to beat almost anybody four out of five games.
But even though money is not an object in LA, they're still better off not giving ANOTHER huge contract to a pitcher. Just look at what the top three in the rotation are raking in: Kershaw - seven years and $215 million, Greinke - six years and $147 million, Ryu - six years and $36 million. Heck, even Chad Billingsley has one year left on his three-year, $35 million deal, with an option for 2015.
If you add up all the bucks, it's $433 million. Oh, and how about the $17 million for each of the past two seasons the Dodgers have been paying Josh Beckett since he came over in August of 2012 from the Red Sox. That's $34 million, bumping the total up to $467 million.
Do I even want to remind all of you about Brandon League's HORRIFIC three-year, $22.5 million deal that still has two years remaining? Sorry, but I had to go there.
The bottom line is that as good of a player as Tanaka could end up being, the Dodgers have more than committed enough money to the pitching side of the equation. Now they need to take that reported $100+ million they offered Tanaka and use it on the offense.
How about extending Hanley Ramirez? Yes, that comes with a risk, but it's hard to deny how impactful his bat was in the lineup last season. Perhaps the Dodgers show good faith in him by rewarding him with a deal before Spring Training.
In looking at the list of players in their "contract year," about the only ones who jump out are Billy Butler, Adam Lind, Chase Headley, and Aramis Ramirez. Not exactly the most exciting players, but ones who have shown some good to really good power. If any of them are on the trading block during the season, the Dodgers are definitely a team that could offer up the cash to take on a contract or two.
Best of luck to Tanaka in New York, as the Yankees are really trying to find superstars now that Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez are all gone for one reason or another, and Derek Jeter appears to be on his last legs of life. But in the end, I'm glad the Dodgers came up short.
That could lead them to coming out big in the end.
Not for that price. Not even for a mega-rich team like the Dodgers.
For those of you who don't know, Japan's best pitcher decided to don the Yankee pinstripes for the next seven seasons and $155 million today. He'll get an opt-out after four seasons and a full no-trade clause. Not too shabby for a guy who has yet to make one big league pitch.
Look, would Tanaka have helped the Dodgers? Absolutely. If he signed, then the top four of their rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Tanaka would be deadly. There isn't a weak pitcher in that bunch, and you can legitimately say the Dodgers are favorites to beat almost anybody four out of five games.
But even though money is not an object in LA, they're still better off not giving ANOTHER huge contract to a pitcher. Just look at what the top three in the rotation are raking in: Kershaw - seven years and $215 million, Greinke - six years and $147 million, Ryu - six years and $36 million. Heck, even Chad Billingsley has one year left on his three-year, $35 million deal, with an option for 2015.
If you add up all the bucks, it's $433 million. Oh, and how about the $17 million for each of the past two seasons the Dodgers have been paying Josh Beckett since he came over in August of 2012 from the Red Sox. That's $34 million, bumping the total up to $467 million.
Do I even want to remind all of you about Brandon League's HORRIFIC three-year, $22.5 million deal that still has two years remaining? Sorry, but I had to go there.
The bottom line is that as good of a player as Tanaka could end up being, the Dodgers have more than committed enough money to the pitching side of the equation. Now they need to take that reported $100+ million they offered Tanaka and use it on the offense.
How about extending Hanley Ramirez? Yes, that comes with a risk, but it's hard to deny how impactful his bat was in the lineup last season. Perhaps the Dodgers show good faith in him by rewarding him with a deal before Spring Training.
In looking at the list of players in their "contract year," about the only ones who jump out are Billy Butler, Adam Lind, Chase Headley, and Aramis Ramirez. Not exactly the most exciting players, but ones who have shown some good to really good power. If any of them are on the trading block during the season, the Dodgers are definitely a team that could offer up the cash to take on a contract or two.
Best of luck to Tanaka in New York, as the Yankees are really trying to find superstars now that Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez are all gone for one reason or another, and Derek Jeter appears to be on his last legs of life. But in the end, I'm glad the Dodgers came up short.
That could lead them to coming out big in the end.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Another bullpen boost as Howell re-signs
More good news for the Dodgers' bullpen, as J.P. Howell has signed for two years and $11.25 million, with a vesting option for 2016.
The option would be triggered if he makes 120 appearances in the next two seasons. Will that happen? It's possible, as 55 appearances with the Rays in 2011 led to 67 with the Dodgers last season, which adds up to 122. He's made 60+ appearances two other times with the Rays in 2008 and 2009.
Last season was his first in LA, and it was a good one. He pitched in 67 games, which was good for fourth on the club behind Paco Rodriguez, Kenley Jansen, and the legendary Ronald Belisario (not). Primarily as a middle-late inning reliever, he collected 11 holds while going 4-1 with a sparkling 2.03 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.
In addition, left-handed batters hit a mere .164 against him, and right-handed ones weren't much better at .222. He only surrendered two home runs in 62 innings, and struck out 54.
All in all, he was more than effective in getting the job done, and teamed with Rodriguez to form a pretty deadly duo from the left side. Now that same combination will be back to get the ball to Brian Wilson and Jansen in the late innings. It's a win-win.
Not surprisingly, Howell was originally seeking a three-year deal after his big season. Ned Colletti was reluctant to do so, and Howell can blame the awful Matt Guerrier and Brandon League for that. Much like Juan Uribe, Colletti was able to find a common ground by settling at two years. The only difference is that Howell got a $6.25 million option for a third year, and Uribe only has two years.
There's still more work to be done if you're Colletti, as a bullpen that relies on guys like Chris Withrow, Javy Guerra, Jose Dominguez, and League are either inexperience, bad, or both. There's four good relievers in Rodriguez, Howell, Wilson, and Jansen, no doubt, but putting in a right-handed pitcher to get out of a sticky situation in the earlier innings is still important.
The option would be triggered if he makes 120 appearances in the next two seasons. Will that happen? It's possible, as 55 appearances with the Rays in 2011 led to 67 with the Dodgers last season, which adds up to 122. He's made 60+ appearances two other times with the Rays in 2008 and 2009.
Last season was his first in LA, and it was a good one. He pitched in 67 games, which was good for fourth on the club behind Paco Rodriguez, Kenley Jansen, and the legendary Ronald Belisario (not). Primarily as a middle-late inning reliever, he collected 11 holds while going 4-1 with a sparkling 2.03 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.
In addition, left-handed batters hit a mere .164 against him, and right-handed ones weren't much better at .222. He only surrendered two home runs in 62 innings, and struck out 54.
All in all, he was more than effective in getting the job done, and teamed with Rodriguez to form a pretty deadly duo from the left side. Now that same combination will be back to get the ball to Brian Wilson and Jansen in the late innings. It's a win-win.
Not surprisingly, Howell was originally seeking a three-year deal after his big season. Ned Colletti was reluctant to do so, and Howell can blame the awful Matt Guerrier and Brandon League for that. Much like Juan Uribe, Colletti was able to find a common ground by settling at two years. The only difference is that Howell got a $6.25 million option for a third year, and Uribe only has two years.
There's still more work to be done if you're Colletti, as a bullpen that relies on guys like Chris Withrow, Javy Guerra, Jose Dominguez, and League are either inexperience, bad, or both. There's four good relievers in Rodriguez, Howell, Wilson, and Jansen, no doubt, but putting in a right-handed pitcher to get out of a sticky situation in the earlier innings is still important.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
With Ellis gone, Dodgers' bench looks depleted
Yesterday the Dodgers decided to bring back Juan Uribe on a two-year, $15 million deal to remain the starting third baseman. Today, their bench took a hit when Mark Ellis decided to sign with the Cardinals.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Ellis will ink a one-year deal with St. Louis, pending a physical. It's not too surprising that Ellis is gone considering the Dodgers declined his option after signing Alexander Guerrero to a four-year deal, but there was still some talk of keep him aboard as insurance. Now, he becomes insurance for talented youngster Kolten Wong.
Now that Ellis has moved on, the Dodgers' bench suddenly looks pretty bare. The following have packed their bags for elsewhere this offsesason: Nick Punto (A's), Skip Schumaker (Reds), Jerry Hairston (retired), and now Ellis. Not exactly the most productive players at the plate, but versatile guys who filled in at multiple positions. And with an injury-prone team like the Dodgers, little things like bench depth becomes that much more important.
The question now is what the Dodgers will do with their bench for 2014. Some in-house candidates include Tim Federowicz, Dee Gordon, Scott Van Slyke, and Elian Herrera. All four have big league experience, albeit with not very good results. Other candidates could be Nick Buss, Drew Butera, and Justin Sellers.
All of these guys are decent, but certainly not the greatest options to fill in when called upon. Ned Colletti made it a point after the Dodgers were eliminated by the Cardinals in the NLCS that he wants to get younger on the bench. With that in mind, it's not surprising that he let some of the old boys go.
Who's out there that the Dodgers can sign for their bench? Just to throw some names out there, there's Mark Reynolds, Casey McGehee, Jayson Nix, Roger Bernadina, and Chris Coghlan, to name a few. There's always the trade option, and if Colletti really is serious about moving one of his outfielders, you can guess he'll want some depth in return for salary relief.
I'll miss Ellis, as I always appreciated how hard he played no matter how banged up he was. It's obvious he's not scaring anyone at the plate anymore, but his defense earned him a final nod for Gold Glove this year, something I'm not sure many people realized. He probably felt like the Dodgers didn't find him very useful anymore, so I can't blame him for leaving.
I can see Colletti either relying on some of the youngsters to step up and fill roles, or blow the thing up completely and sign a few new guys. Depth on the bench and in the bullpen are his biggest priorities as January starts to roll around. Let's see what kinds of moves he makes.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Ellis will ink a one-year deal with St. Louis, pending a physical. It's not too surprising that Ellis is gone considering the Dodgers declined his option after signing Alexander Guerrero to a four-year deal, but there was still some talk of keep him aboard as insurance. Now, he becomes insurance for talented youngster Kolten Wong.
Now that Ellis has moved on, the Dodgers' bench suddenly looks pretty bare. The following have packed their bags for elsewhere this offsesason: Nick Punto (A's), Skip Schumaker (Reds), Jerry Hairston (retired), and now Ellis. Not exactly the most productive players at the plate, but versatile guys who filled in at multiple positions. And with an injury-prone team like the Dodgers, little things like bench depth becomes that much more important.
The question now is what the Dodgers will do with their bench for 2014. Some in-house candidates include Tim Federowicz, Dee Gordon, Scott Van Slyke, and Elian Herrera. All four have big league experience, albeit with not very good results. Other candidates could be Nick Buss, Drew Butera, and Justin Sellers.
All of these guys are decent, but certainly not the greatest options to fill in when called upon. Ned Colletti made it a point after the Dodgers were eliminated by the Cardinals in the NLCS that he wants to get younger on the bench. With that in mind, it's not surprising that he let some of the old boys go.
Who's out there that the Dodgers can sign for their bench? Just to throw some names out there, there's Mark Reynolds, Casey McGehee, Jayson Nix, Roger Bernadina, and Chris Coghlan, to name a few. There's always the trade option, and if Colletti really is serious about moving one of his outfielders, you can guess he'll want some depth in return for salary relief.
I'll miss Ellis, as I always appreciated how hard he played no matter how banged up he was. It's obvious he's not scaring anyone at the plate anymore, but his defense earned him a final nod for Gold Glove this year, something I'm not sure many people realized. He probably felt like the Dodgers didn't find him very useful anymore, so I can't blame him for leaving.
I can see Colletti either relying on some of the youngsters to step up and fill roles, or blow the thing up completely and sign a few new guys. Depth on the bench and in the bullpen are his biggest priorities as January starts to roll around. Let's see what kinds of moves he makes.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Welcome back, Juan Uribe
*** UPDATE ***
The deal is for two years and $15 million, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.
***
After floating the idea out there that Michael Young could be the Dodgers' starting third baseman in 2014, Ned Colletti was able to convince Juan Uribe to stick around after all.
Uribe has agreed to stay in LA by signing a two-year deal, as first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The money is not known yet, but is probably in the $10-15 million range, as best I can guess.
The picture above is a huge reason why Uribe was able to get something more than just a one-year deal with maybe an option for another, as his NLDS-winning two-run run to beat the Braves will go down as one of the biggest moments in Dodgers' postseason history. That hit was the culmination of a complete turnaround from where he was after the previous two seasons.
And what a turnaround it was. After winning a World Series ring with the Giants in 2010, he signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Dodgers. In 2011, he played in 77 games and hit .204 with 4 homers and 28 RBIs. The following year he played in 66 games, hitting an even more pathetic .191 with 2 homers and 17 RBIs.
Yet, there he was on the 2013 Opening Day roster at third base, albeit as a backup to Luis Cruz. Thanks in large part to Cruz's own incompetence, Uribe slowly got more starts, and ended up playing in 132 games, hitting .278 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs. He also was fantastic at the hot corner, becoming one of the three finalists for Gold Glove that ended up going to the Rockies' Nolan Arenado.
During the latter part of the season, I wrote about how Uribe probably earned himself a new deal thanks in large part to his good season, and because the free agent market for third basemen was so pitiful (check out my article here). There was a thought that the Dodgers would chase after current shortstop and World Series champion Stephen Drew and push Hanley Ramirez to third. Then there was the recent talk of putting Young at third, which seemed like a pretty desperate solution.
Now that Uribe is back for the next two seasons, the Dodgers obviously have to hope that he doesn't repeat the first couple of season from his old deal. It's hard to name a worse player in all of baseball than him from that time, or at least one who received as much playing time as him. He was slow, old, out-of-shape, and had a look on his face that suggested he was completely lost. I couldn't wait for him to leave town.
Then 2013 hit, and when the other options weren't there, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm happy Colletti was able to convince him to stay with a reasonable deal. One year with an option would have been better, but two years isn't a big commitment in the grand scheme of things (Uribe reportedly wanted a three-year deal to start the offseason). For Uribe, the motivation will be to prove that he's not simply another "contract year" player who rose to the occasion, got the money, then tanked again.
Colletti can now shift his focus on adding to the bullpen and his bench... and who knows, maybe a trade of one of his outfielders? We'll see.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Wilson is back, as Belisario gets booted
Some good news coming out of the Dodgers' bullpen these last few days. Brian Wilson has been re-signed to a one-year, $10 million contract on Thursday, with a player option for 2015 that could pay him the same.
The other good news? Ronald Belisario has been non-tendered, mercifully ending his roller coaster ride in LA.
Wilson did everything the Dodgers could have hoped for towards the end of 2013, and then some. He was signed as a free agent in late-July after winning two World Series rings with the Giants (one as their closer, another as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery). He made his debut on August 19 and proceeded to go 2-1 with an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 appearances covering 13 2/3 innings.
In the playoffs, he made six appearances without surrendering a run, as he clearly showed the world that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
With that in mind, I'm shocked that he's back. I thought for sure he would land a closer's role somewhere. Maybe he could've and never could agree on terms, or maybe he just liked pitching in LA and was never blown away by any other offer. Either way, it'll be great to see the Wilson-Kenley Jansen combination shutting down the eighth and ninth innings again. That's great news for a team looking to take the next step to the World Series.
If I'm a starting pitcher for the Dodgers, I'm thrilled that Wilson is back because my chances for a higher win total just went up.
As for Belisario, there was no way the Dodgers could conceivably give him another deal after watching how inconsistent he's been the last couple of seasons. This past year in 77 appearances, he went 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which is very high. His stuff is never in doubt, but his ability to throw for strikes consistently was only getting worse and worse. Plus, he had a 7.36 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
In other words, good bye, and good riddance!
The other good news? Ronald Belisario has been non-tendered, mercifully ending his roller coaster ride in LA.
Wilson did everything the Dodgers could have hoped for towards the end of 2013, and then some. He was signed as a free agent in late-July after winning two World Series rings with the Giants (one as their closer, another as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery). He made his debut on August 19 and proceeded to go 2-1 with an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 appearances covering 13 2/3 innings.
In the playoffs, he made six appearances without surrendering a run, as he clearly showed the world that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
With that in mind, I'm shocked that he's back. I thought for sure he would land a closer's role somewhere. Maybe he could've and never could agree on terms, or maybe he just liked pitching in LA and was never blown away by any other offer. Either way, it'll be great to see the Wilson-Kenley Jansen combination shutting down the eighth and ninth innings again. That's great news for a team looking to take the next step to the World Series.
If I'm a starting pitcher for the Dodgers, I'm thrilled that Wilson is back because my chances for a higher win total just went up.
As for Belisario, there was no way the Dodgers could conceivably give him another deal after watching how inconsistent he's been the last couple of seasons. This past year in 77 appearances, he went 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which is very high. His stuff is never in doubt, but his ability to throw for strikes consistently was only getting worse and worse. Plus, he had a 7.36 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
In other words, good bye, and good riddance!
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Nolasco packs his bags for the Twin Cities
He better dress warm. It's slightly colder in Minnesota than it is in LA.
While Ricky Nolasco might not have gotten the enormous five-year, $80 million deal he was originally seeking (or at least floated out there to inflate his own value), he signed a four-year, $49 million contract with the Twins on Wednesday. The Twins had an astronomical 5.26 ERA from their starters last season, so you can understand why they're desperate to bring any arms of value into the fold.
Kudos to both Nolasco and the Dodgers on this one. First, let's give credit to Nolasco for what he brought to the table in LA after being acquired from the Marlins in early July. The Dodgers went 10-2 in his first 12 starts, as he personally went 8-1. He was big part of the Dodgers' red hot summer run, and gave them four great starters along with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
And here's where the Dodgers deserve credit - they recognized that he's probably not that good, as his final few appearances were rather poor. After going 5-0 with a 1.66 ERA in August, he went 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA in September. He fell off so badly that he only got one start in the playoffs, losing Game 4 of the NLCS at home against the Cardinals, lasting only four mediocre innings.
Oh ya, he also was skipped over in Game 4 of the NLDS, as Don Mattingly chose to put Kershaw on the mound with only three days of rest. The same Kershaw who eventually ran out of gas in getting drilled in the NLCS Game 6 to end the season. Could the two things relate to one another? Who knows, but you have to wonder.
So, while we all know the Dodgers have incredibly deep pockets, I'm happy to see them stay away from throwing around $50 million at Nolasco for multiple years and instead give Dan Haren $10 million for a year. It makes much more financial sense, and while Haren won't get as scorching hot as Nolasco did in August, he can still be a very effective 4-5 starter in that rotation.
Good luck to Nolasco in Minnesota, who most likely becomes their #1 starter by default.
While Ricky Nolasco might not have gotten the enormous five-year, $80 million deal he was originally seeking (or at least floated out there to inflate his own value), he signed a four-year, $49 million contract with the Twins on Wednesday. The Twins had an astronomical 5.26 ERA from their starters last season, so you can understand why they're desperate to bring any arms of value into the fold.
Kudos to both Nolasco and the Dodgers on this one. First, let's give credit to Nolasco for what he brought to the table in LA after being acquired from the Marlins in early July. The Dodgers went 10-2 in his first 12 starts, as he personally went 8-1. He was big part of the Dodgers' red hot summer run, and gave them four great starters along with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
And here's where the Dodgers deserve credit - they recognized that he's probably not that good, as his final few appearances were rather poor. After going 5-0 with a 1.66 ERA in August, he went 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA in September. He fell off so badly that he only got one start in the playoffs, losing Game 4 of the NLCS at home against the Cardinals, lasting only four mediocre innings.
Oh ya, he also was skipped over in Game 4 of the NLDS, as Don Mattingly chose to put Kershaw on the mound with only three days of rest. The same Kershaw who eventually ran out of gas in getting drilled in the NLCS Game 6 to end the season. Could the two things relate to one another? Who knows, but you have to wonder.
So, while we all know the Dodgers have incredibly deep pockets, I'm happy to see them stay away from throwing around $50 million at Nolasco for multiple years and instead give Dan Haren $10 million for a year. It makes much more financial sense, and while Haren won't get as scorching hot as Nolasco did in August, he can still be a very effective 4-5 starter in that rotation.
Good luck to Nolasco in Minnesota, who most likely becomes their #1 starter by default.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Dodgers sign Haren for end of rotation
As Dodger fans wait on any possible movement with big names like David Price and Masahiro Tanaka, management added a piece to the back end of the rotation.
Dan Haren has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal on Monday, with an option for another year in 2014, and $3 million in incentives. He'll slot in right behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu as Josh Beckett and Chad Billingsley work their way back from injuries.
Now 33 and with over 2,000 innings of Major League pitching already under his belt, it's safe to say we can't expect to see the same guy who was an All-Star from 2007-2009 with the A's and Diamondbacks. In 31 starts with the Nationals last season, he went 10-14 with a 4.67 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, as his team went from World Series contenders to flameouts for a variety of reasons.
Taking a closer look, however, you'll see some encouraging second half splits. After he returned from a right shoulder injury in June, he ended up going 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 13 starts after the break. Plus, his BAA went way down from .299 to .226.
If you're a believer in a second half performance carrying over into the next season, then Haren gives you plenty of reasons for optimism. With the Dodgers, he can fit nicely into the 4-5 spot and not feel immediate pressure to beat other teams' aces. It's a low-key signing, but a good one if his shoulder problems don't come back.
Now Haren has to prove he should keep his rotation spot when Beckett and Billingsley are declared good to go. As Ned Colletti pointed out, the Dodgers know more than any other team that you can never have enough starting pitching. Remember how Ted Lilly, Aaron Harang, and Chris Capuano were all left out of the rotation coming out of Spring Training last year? Well, one injury after another made them scramble to call up guys like Stephen Fife and Matt "Ball 4" Magill to make emergency starts. It wasn't pretty.
I applaud Colletti for going with a deal like this over giving Ricky Nolasco way too much money. Haren might not get as hot as Nolasco was for a stretch last season, but he can still be very solid behind the studs at the top of the rotation.
Dan Haren has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal on Monday, with an option for another year in 2014, and $3 million in incentives. He'll slot in right behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu as Josh Beckett and Chad Billingsley work their way back from injuries.
Now 33 and with over 2,000 innings of Major League pitching already under his belt, it's safe to say we can't expect to see the same guy who was an All-Star from 2007-2009 with the A's and Diamondbacks. In 31 starts with the Nationals last season, he went 10-14 with a 4.67 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, as his team went from World Series contenders to flameouts for a variety of reasons.
Taking a closer look, however, you'll see some encouraging second half splits. After he returned from a right shoulder injury in June, he ended up going 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 13 starts after the break. Plus, his BAA went way down from .299 to .226.
If you're a believer in a second half performance carrying over into the next season, then Haren gives you plenty of reasons for optimism. With the Dodgers, he can fit nicely into the 4-5 spot and not feel immediate pressure to beat other teams' aces. It's a low-key signing, but a good one if his shoulder problems don't come back.
Now Haren has to prove he should keep his rotation spot when Beckett and Billingsley are declared good to go. As Ned Colletti pointed out, the Dodgers know more than any other team that you can never have enough starting pitching. Remember how Ted Lilly, Aaron Harang, and Chris Capuano were all left out of the rotation coming out of Spring Training last year? Well, one injury after another made them scramble to call up guys like Stephen Fife and Matt "Ball 4" Magill to make emergency starts. It wasn't pretty.
I applaud Colletti for going with a deal like this over giving Ricky Nolasco way too much money. Haren might not get as hot as Nolasco was for a stretch last season, but he can still be very solid behind the studs at the top of the rotation.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Nolasco wants the big bucks
But then again, don't we all?
As Ricky Nolasco hits the free agent market, he let it be known what he thinks he's worth: five years and $80 million.
Yes, really.
Maybe the two-year, $35 million contract that Tim Lincecum signed to remain with the Giants made guys like Nolasco think they can raise the bar even higher. And you know what? It might just work.
Let's take a look at Nolasco's 2013 season. He started off the season making 18 starts with the Marlins, going 5-8 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He was then moved to the Dodgers in early July and went 8-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 16 starts.
Looking at those numbers, it's safe to say that the trade worked out for the Dodgers, and his numbers improved. And that would be true, as he was as red hot as a pitcher could be through his first 12 starts.
And then September 14 hit, and Nolasco was absolutely pummeled at home by the Giants, and everything fell apart. His two starts after that weren't any good either, and his Game 4 start in the NLCS only lasted four ineffective innings against the Cardinals, putting the Dodgers in a 3-1 hole.
So, we've seen the absolute best and worst of Nolasco in a short amount of time. Obviously he's going to sell his first 12 starts to prospective teams, as well as the innings he eats, as he's hovered around 190-200 the last three years. For teams hard pressed to find quality starters, that's tough to ignore.
Unless Nolasco is willing to ease his contract demands, there's no way we should expect to see him back in Dodger blue next season. Keep in mind that Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett are still lurking, and guys like David Price and Masahiro Tanaka could be sought after.
Teams that are being linked to Nolasco are the Giants, Twins, Padres, and Phillies. There could always be more, but my guess is more in the two to three year range, not what he currently is asking for. Even the big money Dodgers have to draw a line at that.
As Ricky Nolasco hits the free agent market, he let it be known what he thinks he's worth: five years and $80 million.
Yes, really.
Maybe the two-year, $35 million contract that Tim Lincecum signed to remain with the Giants made guys like Nolasco think they can raise the bar even higher. And you know what? It might just work.
Let's take a look at Nolasco's 2013 season. He started off the season making 18 starts with the Marlins, going 5-8 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He was then moved to the Dodgers in early July and went 8-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 16 starts.
Looking at those numbers, it's safe to say that the trade worked out for the Dodgers, and his numbers improved. And that would be true, as he was as red hot as a pitcher could be through his first 12 starts.
And then September 14 hit, and Nolasco was absolutely pummeled at home by the Giants, and everything fell apart. His two starts after that weren't any good either, and his Game 4 start in the NLCS only lasted four ineffective innings against the Cardinals, putting the Dodgers in a 3-1 hole.
So, we've seen the absolute best and worst of Nolasco in a short amount of time. Obviously he's going to sell his first 12 starts to prospective teams, as well as the innings he eats, as he's hovered around 190-200 the last three years. For teams hard pressed to find quality starters, that's tough to ignore.
Unless Nolasco is willing to ease his contract demands, there's no way we should expect to see him back in Dodger blue next season. Keep in mind that Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett are still lurking, and guys like David Price and Masahiro Tanaka could be sought after.
Teams that are being linked to Nolasco are the Giants, Twins, Padres, and Phillies. There could always be more, but my guess is more in the two to three year range, not what he currently is asking for. Even the big money Dodgers have to draw a line at that.
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