Dodgers get the better end of the Hanley Ramirez deal

The Dodgers did something they haven't done in awhile -- acquire an impact bat. But the fact it was a young impact bat was quite surprising and pleasing.

Hanley Ramirez is the Dodgers' newest addition and should be around for quite some time.

Look, I know he's not the Ramirez of 2006-09 who hit .316/.387/.531, but he has the potential and ability to be that player.

This is a classic change-of-scenery situation and I have no reason to believe Ramirez won't recapture some of his former glory.

There's no reason not to like this deal if you're a Dodger fan. Sure, they gave up Nathan Eovaldi, but it's a small price to pay for a former superstar who isn't washed up.

Ramirez is just 28 years old and is signed through the 2014 season. Here's a breakdown of his contract from Cot's:

• 2012: $15 million (less than $6 million remaining)
• 2013: $15.5 million
• 2014: $16 million

He also gets a $50,000 bonus for making the All-Star team.

It may seem like a lot for a guy batting less than .250, but this gamble is one the Dodgers needed to take. And no matter what happens, even if Ramirez hits at the level he's hitting right now, it will still have been a successful trade.

The only way this doesn't work out in the Dodgers' favor is if Eovaldi turns into a legitimate No. 2 starter and Ramirez doesn't excel.

When talented players become available, acquiring them is usually a good idea. Ramirez is a supremely talented player and the Dodgers got him.

Until Dee Gordon returns, I'd play him at shortstop. He started his first game at third base, so it's nice to see he's willing to play there long-term. The truth is, Ramirez has never been even an adequate defender at shortstop, but he's hit well while playing shortstop.

It's all about keeping him comfortable in my eyes. He's on a team in which he doesn't have to be "the man." That's Matt Kemp's job. He can thrive as a key component to a playoff-contending team -- hopefully a championship contender.

Ramirez also hit in the No. 5 spot in his Dodger debut. If I'm Don Mattingly, I bat Ramirez leadoff. While his speed isn't completely wasted in the 5-hole, it could be better utilized in the leadoff spot. Plus, Gordon wasn't exactly lighting up the world hitting first. This would make acquiring another middle-of-the-order bat a must, which is on the Dodgers' shopping list.

The Dodgers also acquired Randy Choate, who will be the primary left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen. The 36-year-old holds left-handed hitters to a measly .150 batting average and just two extra base hits (both doubles). He's exactly what the Dodgers needed in the bullpen. This will allow Scott Elbert to pitch more meaningful innings instead of being the only lefty out of the 'pen.

The Marlins' return, while not a lot in terms quantity, is not too bad in quality considering the Dodgers picked up all the money in this deal.

Eovaldi, at worst, will be a late-inning reliever. His makeup is such that he could handle and eighth- or ninth-inning role without much concern. However, his value right now remains in the rotation. He has the ability to be a No. 2 starter. However, a No. 3 or No. 4 guy is more likely -- and there's nothing wrong with that.

Eovaldi's fastball is his best pitch. It sits in the low-to-mid-90s with wicked movement. His breaking pitches are where he needs improvement. His slider is probably his second-best pitch, but it's an average offering at best. His curveball, while good at times, can get a bit loopy and sloppy. His changeup is a work in progress and his cut fastball is a new addition.

The repertoire is there, but he needs to nail down a couple of those secondary pitches to remain in the rotation. That, and he needs to start missing more bats. With that kind of fastball, he should be able to post a better K/9 than 5.6 in the majors. That's something the Marlin coaching staff must work on.

The final piece of the deal was Scott McGough. McGough, a 2011 5th-round pick, pitched well in his debut season. He's pitched the entire season in the California League and started off well. However, his ERA and WHIP have ballooned a little, but his K/9 is still impressive for a guy in his first full professional season (9.1). He has a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a slurvey breaking ball. He needs to improve that breaking pitch to be more than a middle reliever. If he can do it, the Marlins might have a future closer on their hands.

So, the Dodgers gave up a couple talented arms for a former and potential superstar (seems weird to write that). The Dodgers were able to use their best asset -- deep pockets -- to make this deal happen. It seemed the Dodgers weren't going to be able to swing a deal or acquire a decent player without giving up Zach Lee. However, they found middle ground with the Marlins and were able to absorb all the money, allowing them to acquire Ramirez.

And by moving Eovaldi, the Dodgers are almost a lock to trade for a starting pitcher (*cough* Ryan Dempster *cough*) before Tuesday's trade deadline.

I absolutely love this deal and I still can't believe it happened. I wish Eovaldi and McGough all the luck in the world, but the Dodgers got the better end of this deal.

Photo credits

Ramirez: SD Dirk, Flickr

Eovaldi: Eephus Blue, Paint the Corners

McGough: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers land Hanley Ramirez for Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough

Well, this is certainly some fantastic news to wake up to. The Dodgers have acquired Hanley Ramirez and Randy Choate from the Marlins for Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough.

Wow. I'm still not sure how to react. I'll do a more in-depth post later, but I wanted for fire this one off before going to work.

It seems the Dodgers' checkbook finally paid off (sorry) for them as they're picking up all of Ramirez's $37.3 to $39 million remaining on his contract.

As much as I like Eovladi, the Dodgers are getting a former superstar who should be in his prime for a guy who has middle-of-the-rotation upside. However, there's always been concern about his ability to stay in the rotation long-term.

It's not yet determined where Ramirez will play or hit in the lineup, but he's volunteered to play either shortstop or third base.

Also, it seems logical to bat him fifth, but I'd stick him in the leadoff spot. He's had tons of success hitting leadoff in the past and it could rejuvenate him.

That's all I have time for. Like I said, I'll do more analysis later.

Welcome to Los Angeles, Mr. Ramirez. Here's hoping your stay is longer and better than the last Ramirez the Dodgers acquired.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Dodgers promote Tolleson to AAA, Bawcom to AA, Eadington to A+

The Dodgers made a number of connected minor-league moves on Thursday -- all involving good relief prospects.

Shawn Tolleson was promoted from Double-A Chattanooga to Triple-A Albuquerque. The Dodgers tend to not send their good pitching prospects to the launching pad that is the Pacific Coast League, but relievers are at less "risk" of being knocked around rather than a starting pitcher.

Tolleson, 24, had a 1.38 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 13.1 K/9 (up from 11.2 with Chattanooga last season) and a ridiculous 5.5 H/9 rate. He was flat-out dominating Southern League hitters and has been dominant his entire career (1.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 13.3 K/9). The move to Triple-A is a good one in my eyes. Josh Wall will likely still get the ball in the ninth (and he's been good), but Tolleson will help to form a great 1-2 punch. Plus, he's one step closer to being in the Dodgers' bullpen, which is a really good thing.

In the resulting move, the Dodgers promoted Logan Bawcom to Chattanooga from High-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 23-year-old Bawcom, underrated by many who look at prospects (in my eyes), posted a 0.64 ERA (gave up his first run of the season on Tuesday), 0.71 WHIP, 15.4 K/9, a .087 batting average against and an even-more-ridiculous-than-Tolleson 2.6 H/9.

It's nice to see the Dodgers being a little aggressive with these guys. Of all the prospects out there, right-handed relievers tend to move quickest. It'll be interesting to see how Bawcom fares against advanced competition. Steve Ames figures to get the ball late in the game, and much like the Wall-Tolleson duo in Triple-A, Ames and Bawcom figure to be a formidable duo for the Lookouts.

To take Bawcom's spot, the Dodgers promoted Eric Eadington from Low-A Great Lakes. Eadington, Baseball America's No. 31 Dodger prospect, was throwing well for the Loons before his promotion: 3.06 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 13.8 K/9 and a 27.00 K/BB ratio. That's not a typo; Eadington has struck out 27 batters and walked just one. Even in Low-A, that's rather eye-opening.

Eadington, 24, will also help fill the role of left-handed reliever as the Quakes' Jordan Roberts went on the disabled list this week. Roberts has a 1.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 18 innings. He's not great (20 hits allowed, six walks, eight strikeouts), but he was decent for the Quakes.

Scott McGough has already taken over closing duties for the Quakes. Eadington had been splitting time with Yimi Garcia in Midland as the Loons' closer, so he can be a fall-back option if McGough struggles.

The guy who has the most to gain is Bawcom. He can prove he belongs in the same company as Tolleson -- his numbers are better this year, albeit against inferior competition. Plus, it'd give the Dodgers yet another right-handed reliever to turn to down the road.

We'll see if these guys adapt to their new environments well. I'm not too concerned.

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Look for the newest episode of "Dugout Blues," the podcast I do with LA Dugout's Jared Massey. It should go live sometime today.

My trip to see Dodgers' prospects at the Epicenter was a blast

Eight days ago, I was in Southern California for a journalism conference. While the conference fell flat on its face, my trip to Rancho Cucamonga to see the Quakes did not.

Despite the team not playing well, it was a great experience. It was the first time I'd ever received a media credential to cover anything but a college sporting event.

I arrived with Jared Massey of LA Dugout at a little after 4 p.m. after we met up for about an hour before at a brewery right down the street from the stadium. It was a hot day in Ranch, so we wanted to take advantage of the air conditioning (and beer) as long as we could.

We caught the last little bit of batting practice. Guys like Austin Gallagher (45), Tyler Henson (29), Carlos Mirabal and Tony Delmonico were finishing up their set.

Afternoon batting practice

Scott McGough

Scott McGough, all 170 pounds of him (soaking wet) was hanging around, too.

The 2011 fifth-round pick out of Oregon was in shorts and watching batting practice. By the look of him, I never would have guessed it was him. I know he's listed at 6-feet tall, 170 pounds, but I'd be shocked if he was either. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be needed on this night.

While we were on the field, Takashi Saito, who was with the Visalia Rawhide on a rehab assignment, walked by. After I had informed Jared that Saito had thrown the night before, I missed Saito the first time he walked by, as you can tell by this photo.

Takashi Saito walks by

However, I caught him on the second time back. He recognized someone affiliated with the Dodgers. He was wearing jeans and a blue shirt and was obviously not a player. Jared's best guess is it was Bill Mueller. He is serving in the Dodgers' front office as a special assistant to General Manager Ned Colletti.

After batting practice was over, we retreated to a WiFi-less press box. I didn't really care there was no WiFi access as I was just there to enjoy the experience.

Angel Sanchez, who struggled

Once the game started, we went down to the stands to get a first-hand look at the Quakes' starter, Angel Sanchez. I have some video of Sanchez's appearance, which I'll publish in another post. I want to have a chance to edit it first.

Sanchez hit 98 MPH at one time and 96 a couple other times (readings I think were not accurate), but he worked consistently in the 89-93 MPH range. He threw his slider a bit, but didn't throw his changeup much. That, coupled with leaving his fastball over the plate, led to a short, rocky outing for the 22-year-old.

Scott Wingo

Scott Wingo looked good on offense, tripling twice. And they were legitimate triples, especially the one to lead off the game for the Quakes. He drove the ball to the left-center field gap and it kept tailing away from the Rawhide defender. He flew around the bases and made it to third base with ease. He ended up 3-for-5 on the evening and played a solid second base.

There wasn't much in the way of offense, as the Quakes ended up with just four runs. Christopher O'Brien had a double and Austin Gallagher went 1-for-2 with two walks. Nick Akins chipped in two hits, but that was about it.

Jonathan Garcia

Jonathan Garcia hit well in his first two at-bats. Despite having good, raw power, he's struggled mightily in the California League. He had two solid singles in his first two at-bats before striking out in ugly fashion in his last two. He was retired on fastballs at eye-level -- pitches that only Mike Piazza could hit.

Even though the Quakes lost 8-4, I was happy to have the opportunity to attend the game with media access and I hope to get back down there sometime this summer to see another game at the Epicenter.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes the epicenter for young aces; 2012 roster announced

The Dodgers' High-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes announced their 25-man roster on Monday. Unlike the Loons' roster, there were little surprises here.

And also unlike the Loons' roster, the team is absolutely stacked with potential aces.

I took a look at the Quakes' potential roster back in January. I hit on a lot, but I also missed on a few.

It's a good thing the pitching is going to be strong because the California League is a notorious hitters' haven.

Top prospect Zach Lee (1, right) should head the rotation, followed by three other top pitching prospects: Garrett Gould (4), Angel Sanchez (5) and Chris Reed (19).

It's anyone's guess who the No. 5 starter is going to be, but I'm thinking it'll be Greg Wilborn.

The bullpen also looks solid. Scott McGough, 2011 5th-round pick, will join Logan Bawcom (26) and Juan Rodriguez (34) to form a nice 7-8-9 back end of the bullpen.

A lot of players from last year's Great Lakes team will make the trek to the Cal League. Since it's a great hitters' environment, a lot of guys should do quite well.

Leon Landry (18) will man center field and hit near the top of the order. He's the best position prospect the Quakes have. Jonathan Garcia (22, left) and Chris Jacobs will provide the thunder in the middle of the lineup. Tyler Henson, acquired in the Dana Eveland trade, will also (curiously) begin with the Quakes. I thought he'd be ticketed for Triple-A.

Two offensive players are returning to Rancho this season. One-time favorite Tony Delmonico and Austin Gallagher are back to presumably man the corners. Both are entering their third stints in the Cal League.

The biggest surprise is seeing Christopher O'Brien (41) make the squad. Son of former big leaguer Charlie, Christopher had 193 plate appearances between the Arizona League and the Pioneer League. He held his own, posting a .292/.358/.494 line with 18 walks in 168 at-bats.

Potential lineup
Landry CF
Gallagher 1B
Garcia RF
Jacobs DH
Delmonico 3B
Henson/Nick Akins LF
O'Brien C
Charlie Mirabal 2B
Pedro Guerrero SS

The top pitching prospects are the story to follow with this team. Allen Webster had great success in the California League before his promotion to Chattanooga. The team has a great 1-4 in the rotation. The bullpen looks solid. It's going to come down to whether the guys who struggled in Midland last season can muster enough offense to backup the great potential pitching.

The Quakes should make the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year behind strong pitching and (hopefully) some timely offense.

(#) - denotes Top 50 prospect ranking

Photo credits: mwlguide on Flickr