Dodgers' shortstop Rafael Furcal is drawing interest from the Brewers and the Giants. Ken Rosenthal reported the Brewers are doing "background work" on Furcal.
Rosenthal also reported Furcal is owed roughly $4 million for the rest of the season and the Dodgers would include "significant" money to get a deal done.
One thing that bothers me, though, is the fact that the Dodgers will only trade Furcal or Jamey Carroll -- not both. This makes zero sense.
Carroll's signing has been unsung, but he has no value to a team that's currently 13 games out of first place. If the Dodgers can get anything of value from a guy who is a free agent next year and a borderline Type-B free agent, they need to do it. There's no guarantee that he'll re-sign in Los Angeles or that he'll earn that Type-B status.
Furcal is often injured and has a 2012 club option that will not be exercised. He's also on the border of being a Type-B free agent, but it'd be shocking if he made the cut.
Not only that, but the Dodgers have two guys ready to come up and take their spots. Dee Gordon would slide right in at shortstop and Ivan DeJesus would take over second base duties because Juan Uribe has been downright awful, as we all expected. Not to mention Aaron Miles, who is drawing no interest on the trade market -- he'd get a lot of playing time at second and third, too.
The Brewers would be an ideal landing spot for both Carroll and Furcal. With Rickie Weeks going on the disabled list, there is a glaring need at 2B for the short term. Coupled with the fact that Yuniesky Betancourt is the worst shortstop in baseball and Casey McGehee has regressed mightily this season and there's no better fit for Carroll and Furcal.
If the Brewers acquire both, Carroll takes some time at 3B and 2B, Furcal starts at SS and Beatancourt and McGehee are relegated to part-time duty.
I looked at the Brewers' blog, Brewer Fan, which has an often-updated Top 50. Now, the Milwaukee system is depleted from trades in recent years (CC Sabathia, Zack Greinke) and was ranked as the worst in baseball by Baseball America. That's not to say there isn't talent o be had.
Three guys who stood out when I looked were RHP Austin Ross, 3B Taylor Green and 1B Hunter Morris. If the Dodgers could get two of the three for Furcal and Carroll, that'd be a nice get. Milwaukee doesn't have much in the way of catching prospects, but Green could see some time in the Majors in September.
And without fail, as I'm writing this, the Brewers just acquired Felipe Lopez from the Rays.
This might make things easier for the Dodgers, if they don't want to trade both. Perhaps the Brewers would be interested in just Furcal, while the Indians could sweep in and snag Carroll. We'll see what happens.
One thing is for sure: one of the two middle infielders will not be Dodgers in 48 1/2 hours. It just remains to be seen which one is dealt.
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