Dodgers sign Matt Guerrier to 3-year deal

Updated 1:28 p.m.

And the hits keep on comin'.

The Dodgers inexplicably signed former Minnesota Twins' reliever Matt Guerrier to a 3-year deal, $12 million deal today, as reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

On the surface, Guerrier looks like a decent pickup. Then you factor in his age (32), the number of games pitched (most in baseball after Pedro Feliciano) and his low K/9 rate (5.9 for his career) and it isn't a great deal.

New stuff: And most of all, the contract. Why on God's green earth is Guerrier getting a 3-year deal? It's not like right-handed middle relievers are rare. This just makes no sense.

Ned Colletti strikes again. There is absolutely no need to dump $4 million a year (though I'm sure some will be deferred) on a middle reliever. Guerrier has a nice ERA for his career (3.38), but his peripherals are not great.

The only good thing is Guerrier has been better the past two seasons than he has his entire career. He has a 2.75 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 7.0 H/9, 2.3 BB/9 and 2.34 BB/9 in his last two seasons. However, his K/9 is less-than ideal (5.4).

And if you're a fan of sabermetics, FanGraphs says his numbers are likely to be worse in L.A.

Then again, he has averaged 76 innings pitched per season since 2005, so it wouldn't shock me one bit to see him end up on the disabled list during his tenure as a Dodger.

If Guerrier was brought in on a 1-year deal, this would be easier to take. But he's here for three years and probably will not live up to the $4 million a season he'll average annually.

As of now, the bullpen looks like this:

• Vicente Padilla
  
• Blake Hawksworth
• Matt Guerrier
• Kenley Jansen
• Hong-Chih Kuo
• Jonathan Broxton

That leaves probably one spot; preferably for a lefty. With the way Scott Elbert pitched in the Arizona Fall League, he should have a great look at the last spot in the bullpen. That would leave 2009 standout Ronald Belisario out of a job. And what to do with Ramon Troncoso? I think he still has options, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility that he starts the season in Triple-A.

Guerrier joins the list of terrible signings by Colletti:

Juan Uribe - $5 million
Rod Barajas - $3.25 million
Dioner Navarro - $1 million

You're telling me with $13.25 million, the Dodgers could not have signed or traded for an impact player? Because none of the guys above are impact players.

Colletti gets money to try to improve the team and he goes and makes it potentially worse than 2010. OK, maybe not worse, but the team isn't significantly better right now than it was in 2010.

Granted, there would be other holes to fill, but finding patchwork pieces is a lot easier than landing an impact player. It just isn't a good allocation of the team's limited resources.

The signings of Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla were nice signings. Ted Lilly's deal is looking a little worse than it did at first, but it's acceptable. Every other signing was a joke and there were cheaper alternatives available.

I never knew someone could be so incompetent -- and this is the same guy who signed Juan Pierre for five years and an injured Jason Schmidt for three years.

Ownership cannot change fast enough. I don't care who ends up owning the Dodgers (for the most part) as long as he or she gives Colletti his walking papers.

Until then, we're stuck with these medial moves by one Mr. Colletti.

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Former Dodger catcher Russell Martin passed his physical and finalized his 1-year, $4 million contract with the New York Yankees today.

He signed for $200,000 less than the Dodgers offered in guaranteed money.

Looks like he underestimated the market and the interest in him.

Oh well. I still wish Martin well. He was once my favorite Dodger, as I'm partial to catchers. Perhaps I'll have to do another installment of "What could have been," featuring Martin.

Dodgers to make move with recent SP acquisitions?

Dodgers about to bring back Dioner Navarro

Editor's note: This is my own speculation. There is no factual basis behind this post.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing four starting pitchers this off-season -- Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla -- could the Dodgers be getting ready to make a big, unexpected trade?

I realize Padilla was signed to be a "utility" pitcher, but it still begs the question.

Two of the names the Dodgers have been linked to in some way, shape or form are Prince Fielder and Zack Greinke.

I posted yesterday about the Fielder rumor and didn't give it much life. For the Brewers to trade the slugging first baseman, they'd have to certainly get a good, young starting pitcher in return. While I wouldn't trade two cost-controlled years of Chad Billingsley for one year of Fielder, a deal of some sort would make sense for both teams.

To Milwaukee: RHP Chad Billingsley, 1B James Loney
To Los Angeles: 1B Prince Fielder

The Brewers just traded their top prospect -- 2B Brett Lawrie -- to Toronto for RHP Shaun Marcum, so they are committed to signing current 2B Rickie Weeks to a long-term extension. If the Brewers could get a pitcher like Billingsley for Fielder, they'd have to seriously consider it.

If they acquired Billingsley, their rotation shapes up like this:

1. Yovani Gallardo
2. Chad Billingsley
3. Randy Wolf
4. Shaun Marcum
5. Manny Parra/Chris Narveson

That is not the worst 1-5 out there. The offense suffers with Loney replacing fielder, but the starting pitching is much better. The original rumor (which was shot down by many sources) was Jonathan Broxton and Loney for Fielder. Billingsley has a much higher trade value than Broxton.

Also, Fielder is a free agent after the season. I'm sure the Dodgers would try to lock him up long-term, but it's going to take a lot of money to do so.

Greinke is being "seriously" pursued by five teams, Ken Rosenthal writes in his latest article.

While most would rather build a Greinke package around prospects, the Dodgers might not have enough to get it done. I suggested a prospect-only package last month, but it probably isn't the best deal Kansas City could get for the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner.

If the Royals want to get Billingsley in a package for Greinke, something like this could work:

To Kansas City: RHP Chad Billingsley, SS Dee Gordon
To Los Angeles: RHP Zack Greinke

Let me just say, I would not do the above deal. However, the Royals are asking for a lot for Greinke. It might take something like this (if not more) to get something done.

Now, if you're getting 2009-esque Greinke, this is a solid trade. If you're getting any other other year of Zack Greinke, it's a lateral move.

Like I said, this is my own speculation from the reports out there right now. The vast majority of what is reported at the Winter Meetings is rumor or flat-out false, so I wouldn't get too worked up about this.

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Updating a piece from yesterday, OF Matt Diaz signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates last night -- 2 years, $4.25 million. Jayson Stark, renowned Philly homer, said the Dodgers were prepared to make a larger offer but Diaz wanted to stay on the east coast and train in Florida. Pittsburgh also offers him more playing time.

Well, Mr. Diaz, enjoy your time in Pittsburgh. It isn't going to be the best experience of your career (win-wise) and you're likely to be traded before your contract expires.

Oh well. The Dodgers move onto other options, including Bill Hall and Austin Kearns. I'd gladly take Hall, as his versatility is a plus. We'll see what happens.

Update (2:38 p.m.): Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times tweets the Dodgers are looking at Hall for the LF vacancy. He'd presumably be platooned with Jay Gibbons and/or newly-acquired Tony Gwynn, Jr.

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This just came down: The Dodgers are close to signing former Dodger catcher Dioner Navarro to a 1-year deal.

Navarro was an all-star with Tampa Bay in 2008 (.295/.349/.407) but had a miserable couple of seasons in 2009 and 2010 (.212/.263/.306). This will ensure two things: Russell Martin will not return and A.J. Ellis -- who could put up comparable numbers to Navarro for likely a cheaper price -- will again start in Triple-A.

The Dodgers traded Navarro, RHP Jae Weong Seo and minor-league OF Justin Ruggiano to Tamap for LHP Mark Hendrickson and C Toby Hall in June 2006.

Fare the well, Russell Martin, Dodgers cut ties with catcher

Russell Martin was one of the most promising young catchers in baseball, mentioned in the same breath as Joe Mauer and Brian McCann. Now, he's an afterthought -- and a free agent.

The Dodgers effectively ended their relationship with Russell Martin on Thursday night when the declined to tender him a contract.

They could try to re-sign him, but it's highly unlikely.

Martin will catch on (my apologies) somewhere else. Rumors has it the Red Sox could be interested in his services. They lost Victor Martinez and just re-signed Jason Varitek, who is no longer a starting-caliber catcher in the Major Leagues. Theo Epstein loves guys who can get on base, and Martin still has a good walk rate.

However, his health must be a major concern. With a weak catching market, one would think the Dodgers would have been more inclined to bring Martin back. If his hip isn't kosher, there's no sense in the Dodgers spending as little as $4.04 million or up to $6- or $7 million for a guy who's hurt and would give below-average production.

So what will the Dodgers do? They've been rumored to be interested in Varitek, A.J. Pierzynski and Yorvit Torrealba -- all of whom have signed this off-season. That pretty much leaves Rod Barajas and Miguel Olivo.

A.J. Ellis is a lock to make the roster. He had a solid September/October, so there's hope for him as a backup. A platoon of Ellis and a guy like Barajas/Olivo could work, but only if the Dodgers acquire a big-time bat. With Adam Dunn signing with the White Sox today, their options are dwindling.

Barring a trade to bring in a catcher, the Dodgers are going to be light offensively at the catcher position.

Update (9:17 p.m.): Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times tweeted, saying the Dodgers are close to re-signing Rod Barajas.

Update (9:24 p.m.): From Hernandez, Martin's last proposal to the Dodgers: $5 million plus $1 million in incentives. He also said the Dodgers remain interested in re-signing Martin and if he comes back, it could be as a part-time catcher. Whether that means he'd play 100 games at catcher or get some time at 3B, we don't know.

Update (9:46 p.m.): Hernandez tweets, saying Barajas' deal is for one year.

Martin was on the fast track to stardom before regressing greatly the past two seasons. I've ripped him enough. Despite that, I'm still going to miss him. I've always had a soft spot for catchers, as that was my primary position playing baseball growing up.

I wish Martin luck with whatever team he ends up with. The hip injury won't be easy to bounce back from -- especially for a catcher.

The Dodgers also non-tendered George Sherrill and Trent Oeltjen. Good riddance to Sherrill, unless he wants to come back for $1 million to be the LOOGY (left-handed-one-out-only-guy).

Ryan Theriot a Dodger no more, traded to Cardinals

The Dodgers traded infielder Ryan Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals for right-handed pitcher Blake Hawksworth.

Unlike yesterday's horrific news, this is actually good news. Theriot was not going to return after the signing of Juan Uribe, but many thought he'd be non-tendered.

The Dodgers acquired Hawksworth, 27, who had a really good rookie year for the Cardinals in 2009 (40 innings, 2.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP). However, his 2010 was not nearly as good. He is a long reliever-type, as he appeared in 45 games last season (eight starts), totaling 90 1/3 innings. A positive sign in Hawksworth's 2010 numbers is he increased his K/9 rate to 6.1 (up from 4.5 in 2009). He was a starter for all but four games in the minors, so he has the stamina to be the Dodgers' long reliever.

Another encouraging sign is Hawksworth had a 3.25 ERA and 1.32 WHIP (a tad high) as a reliever, so he fared much better in that respect.

Hawksworth is making the near the Major League minimum, so the Dodgers (assuming no money is changing hands) will not take on much in terms of payroll. Hawksworth is also out of options, per Eric Stephen of True Blue LA.

Theriot's less-than-spectacular run as a Dodger is thankfully over. He hit .242/.323.283 in his 228 Los Angeles Dodger plate appearances. While he had a nice walk rate, he provided virtually nothing else offensively (42 singles out of 48 hits). Theriot's defense is solid, but not for what he would have made in arbitration -- as much as $4-5 million.

This is not a blockbuster trade by any means, but the Dodgers did well to at least get a potentially serviceable piece for a guy who was going to be off the team come Thursday anyway.

What does this mean for Carlos Monasterios? Potentially nothing. Monasterios was slotted in the long reliever/swingman role for the Dodgers. Then again, it couldn't hurt to have two guys who could start on short notice or throw extended innings if a member of the Dodgers' rotation has a bad outing.

I still wish Juan Uribe wasn't a Dodger, though.

Dodgers sign Juan Uribe, Baby Jesus weeps

In a not-so-surprising move, after yesterday's rumor, the Dodgers have indeed signed the free-swinging Juan Uribe to a 3-year, $21 million contract.

That's right, three years and $7 million a year for a guy with a career .300 on-base percentage.

Just when you think Ned Colletti couldn't out do himself, he drops this gem on everyone.

There goes $7 million the Dodgers could have used to acquire a real hitter -- someone who would make an impact on the lineup -- not a utility infielder with a career .731 OPS.

This is just laughable.

Any optimism Dodger fans had after Colletti was able to shore up the rotation with the re-signings of Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda and the addition of Jon Garland are gone. This could very well go down as Colletti's worst free agent signing. And yes, I am taking into account the Juan Pierre debacle.

The Giants picked this guy up two years ago after a bad season with the White Sox (.247/.296/.386) and put together a nice 2009 season (.289/.329/.495). His 2010 was not so great, despite a career-high in home runs (24) and RBI (85).

Uribe, 31, has a solid glove, but not solid enough to justify $7 million a year and giving a supplemental first-round pick to the Giants.

Side note: You see, Ned, this is what happens when you offer arbitration to Type-B free agents. The signing team doesn't have to give up a draft pick, but the player's former employer gets a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds. It's too bad you're too incompetent to offer arbitration to the likes of Scott Podsednik (who would have certainly declined) and Rod Barajas, the latter of whom you tried to sign during the exclusive negotiating period.

But I digress.

I hope you, the reader and Dodger fan, weren't hoping for a big-name bat because Colletti likely blew a lot of his remaining budget on Uribe.

The only good news to come from this is Ryan Theriot is quite likely to get non-tendered.

This reeks of the Casey Blake deal two-plus years ago -- except for the fact that Casey Blake is actually a solid baseball player. Uribe is not, and this deal will not work out well for the Dodgers.

Dodgers 'eyeing' Juan Uribe... for some reason

Ken Gurnick of dodgers.com said the Dodgers are interested in Juan Uribe.

Oh boy.

All that damn clutchiness Uribe displayed in the playoffs really piqued Ned Colletti's interest. Earlier in the off-season, a tweet by Enrique Rojas of ESPN said the Dodgers were looking at Edgar Renteria for their second base opening.

I said in my last post I wanted to see the Dodgers involved in rumors for a bat, but I was thinking more along the lines of Adam Dunn, Adrian Beltre or a player via trade -- not some washed-up, free-swinging middle infielders.

I also have to take exception with this comment from the article:

"The addition of Uribe not only would weaken San Francisco but provide the Dodgers with a needed veteran power bat for the middle of the lineup."

OK, the first part of the statement is true. Uribe is a versatile player and would hurt the Giants' depth. However, the second part couldn't be more off-base. Middle of the lineup? Are you kidding me? Uribe would bat sixth at very best with the current Dodgers' lineup.

In his off-season plan post on Mike Scocia's Tragic Illness, Mike said he would sign Uribe for one year, $5 million and a club option for 2012.

"Uribe's not perfect. But for $4-5m, would you rather a low-OBP guy with zero power and decent defense, or a low-OBP guy with good power and plus defense? Now, it's possible I'm short-changing the contract Uribe would get here, but he was horrendous in 2007 and '08, to the point where he had to take a minor-league deal before 2009."

The "low-OBP guy with zero power and decent defense" is Ryan Theriot. These are valid points. At the time this was written (Oct. 11), Uribe had yet to "clutch up" in the playoffs. Now, Uribe's market value has increased and no longer makes sense for the Dodgers -- especially a multiyear deal.

I know the Dodgers aren't going to land a Carl Crawford or Adrian Gonzalez, but they have to be able to do better than Uribe. The money it would take to sign Uribe could be used to acquire Dunn, Beltre or someone else while letting Ivan De Jesus have a shot at second base.

Uribe's versatility is enticing, but his .300 OBP and free-swinging ways are not. The Dodgers need to invest their resources better this off-season. The rotation is shored up and Colletti did a good job there. He still thinks the Dodgers need a reliever, even though the Dodgers' current contingent could do just fine. However, other than these washed-up players, the Dodgers have not been involved in any rumors for a big bat. I know big bats don't grow on trees, but it'd be nice to hear the Dodgers connected to an impact power hitter.

Just say no to Uribe and Retneria.

Dodgers reach agreement with Jon Garland

Dylan Hernandez tweeted that the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement with Jon Garland.

The length and terms of the deal are not known at this time.

Update: Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the deal is for one year with a vesting option, and the option is contingent on Garland reaching a high number of innings pitched.

Update (1:04 p.m.): Hernandez said Garland's option vests with 190 innings pitched.

Update (1:07 p.m.): Jon Heyman said Garland's base salary for 2011 is $5 million plus high performance bonuses. Update (1:16 p.m.): Garland's 2012 option is for $8 million.

Garland pitched with the San Diego Padres in 2010 and had a solid season. He went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.31 WHIP -- both career-bests. He benefited from playing in Petco Park, as he posted a 3.00 ERA at home (4.01 on the road).

Garland last pitched with the Dodgers in late 2009, when L.A. picked him up from Arizona in a post-non-waiver trade deadline deal.

Garland was solid with the Dodgers, posting a 2.72 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 36 1/3 innings.

He will obviously slot in as the No. 5 starter behind Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly and Hiroki Kuroda.

Whether or not this is a good deal depends on the length and money involved. Garland reportedly was looking for a multi-year deal. Garland was a Type-B free agent, so the Dodgers will not have to surrender their second-round pick. However, the Padres will be awarded a supplemental first-round pick.

If this is a reasonable deal (length/money), it's probably going to be a solid deal. Garland isn't going to blow anyone away, but the Dodgers -- and a lot of teams -- could do a lot worse for a No. 5 starter.

I'll update this when the length and terms are announced.

Update: This deal appears to be good for the Dodgers. To get Garland for one year plus a vesting option is almost a steal. The terms are still unknown.

The signing allows the Dodgers to focus on the offense. The rotation is set and I still think the Dodgers don't need much help in the bullpen (though, Ned Colletti seems to think otherwise).

This signing also isn't going to push the Dodgers' budget to its brink, so an upgrade in left field, at second base or third base is still in play.

It'd be nice to hear the Dodgers have rumored interest in a hitter, as that is the weakest part of the team right now. We'll see what happens.

Dodgers decline to offer arbitration to free agents

The Dodgers declined to offer arbitration to OF Scott Podsednik, C Rod Barajas and RHP Vicente Padilla tonight.

Sigh.

While Padilla was unlikely to get an offer, Podsednik and Barajas should have been offered arbitration without hesitation.

There is absolutely no reason for the Dodgers to not have done this. It just blows my mind and is a microcosm of the horrible McCourt/Colletti reign over the Dodgers.

Podsednik made about $1.75 million this past season. Moreover, the Dodgers picked their half of his option earlier this season. They would have been willing to give him $2 million. He could have made slightly more in arbitration, but not enough to scare the Dodgers.

Barajas made $500,000. He wasn't going to break the bank in arbitration, yet the Dodgers were -- for some reason -- scared of him accepting arbitration.

This is just frustrating.

It just doesn't make sense. I could at least somewhat understand last year when they didn't offer arbitration to Randy Wolf or Orlando Hudson (even though it was the wrong move). Those guys were coming off multi-million-dollar deals. Podsednik and Barajas made a little more than $2 million... combined.

The Dodgers talk of raising payroll, yet they won't offer arbitration to guys making minimal money for a chance to bolster the farm system? This must be some kind of joke.

Jesus Christ. I can't wait to hear the "official" explanation on this one.

The Dodgers also signed LHP Dana Eveland and RHP Oscar Villareal to minor league deals and invited them to spring training.

Recent Dodger updates: Kuroda, Loney, Renteria, Dotel trade

The Dodgers officially re-signed Hiroki Kuroda on Monday to a 1-year, $12 million deal. The deal includes a base salary of $8 million in 2011 and $2 million deferred in both 2012 and 2013.

As previously stated, this is a fantastic move. The Dodgers' No. 1 through No. 4 is good enough to hang with any 1 through 4 in baseball.

Deferring $4 million allows the Dodgers to have some payroll flexibility this off-season.

Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts wrote a nice piece on the Dodgers and deferred payments.

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Some folks are saying James Loney is the player the Dodgers are most likely to part with on the trade market.

I'm a Loney fan. Despite his poor ending to the 2010 season, I think he still has real value on this team. His glove is great and has saved the Dodger infield many errors in his time at first base.

Instead of jettisoning him, the Dodgers should look to upgrade power at another position such as left field, third base or second base.

Dan Uggla is beginning to make a lot more sense. Ken Rosenthal tweeted the Braves were talking to the Marlins about a deal involving Uggla and inexplicably 2010 all-star Omar Infante and left-handed pitcher Mike Dunn.

If that's all it could take to get Uggla, the Dodgers need to be on the phone to Miami STAT. The Dodgers would have no problem topping that package, as I outlined in my trade targets post a 11 days ago.

In retrospect, that might even be too much to give up for the offensive-minded second baseman.

It might not matter, as the Braves appear primed to acquire Uggla, says Braves' beat writer for MLB.com.

It'll be interesting to see what the actually deal is. Short of the Braves trading Freddie Freeman or Julio Teheran, the Dodgers could likely top any deal the Braves propose.

Update: Well, apparently the deal was just finalized and it is Infante and Dunn for Uggla. What an absolute steal for the Braves. Sigh.

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ESPN's Enrique Rojas tweeted saying the Dodgers would be interested in Edgar Renteria for their second base opening.

My initial response: "Jesus no."

Seriously. What good is a washed-up veteran who has played exactly zero games at the position. His postseason clutchiness might be too much for Ned Colletti to pass up, which is sad and maddening for Dodger fans.

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The Dodgers chose 26-year-old Double-A outfielder Anthony Jackson as the player to be named later in the Octavio Dotel trade.

Now, I wasn't expecting much in return for Dotel. But Ned Colletti, by trading Dotel to Colorado in September, must have said to himself, "How can I make this deal even worse?"

Well Ned, you found a way. And a 26-year-old Double-A outfielder isn't going to make up for the loss of James McDonald and Andrew Lambo.

As I said in my post about it in September, I don't mind trading guys like McDonald or Lambo, but the return needs to be at least somewhat good.

Dodgers, Kuroda close to 1-year, $12 million deal

In a surprise development, the Dodgers are close to re-signing RHP Hiroki Kuroda to a 1-year, $12 million deal.

The news first came down last night when there were reports it was $8 million for one year. That would have been too good to be true. Apparently it was.

Still, to nab Kuroda, who had a 2.87 second-half ERA and his best season in the majors in 2010, this is still a damn good deal for the Dodgers.

It was widely believed Kuroda would either pitch in Los Angeles (slight chance for another West Coast team) or return to Japan. I'm glad to (almost) have him back in Blue.

The Dodgers' rotation is shaping up quite nicely, with Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly locked in as the No. 1-3.

Despite this throwing a monkey wrench into my off-season prediction, this is a good move for the Dodgers. Now they won't be hard-pressed to find another starting pitcher who could cost them resources they need to upgrade the offense (I'm looking at you left field).

This is an encouraging and positive step for the Dodgers. Here's hoping it keeps up.

My 2010-11 Los Angeles Dodgers off-season plan

I tried to stay within the realm of possibility, so despite my earlier posts wanting guys like Beltre and Werth, you won't find any big-name free agents or trade acquisitions here. Let me know what you think!

Non-tender
Russell Martin
George Sherrill
Ryan Theriot

Arbitration
Scott Podsednik (with the hope he declines)

Free Agents
J.J. Hardy - 2 years, $6M (3rd year club option at $4 million with $0.5M buyout)
Ted Lilly - 3 years, $33M
- 2011: $7 million ($0.5M signing bonus); 2012: $11.5M ($1.5M signing bonus); 2013: $12M ($1.5M signing bonus)
Vicente Padilla - 1 year, $4M ($2M in incentives)
- Incentives: performance bonuses: $0.25M each for 150, 160 IP; $0.3M for 170 IP; $0.35M for 180 IP; $0.5M for 190 IP; $0.6M for 200 IP

Analysis: No big splash here, as expected. Hopefully there will be in 2011.

Trades
To TB: 1B/OF Jerry Sands, RHP Chris Withrow, OF Kyle Russell
To LA: RHP Matt Garza, OF B.J. Upton

To KC: OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez, OF Xavier Paul, RHP Nathan Eovaldi
To LA: 3B/OF Alex Gordon

Analysis: I'm sure many would disagree with dealing Sands, Dodgers' best power prospect. My hope is by next off-season, the Dodgers will have new ownership and the ability to sign either Albert Pujols or Adrian Gonzalez to fill the void at first base. Of course, James Loney could just have a career season and put all that worry to rest, but I'm not holding my breath. This trade might be a little out of the realm of possibility, but not completely impossible.

Gordon, who has seemingly fallen out of favor in Kansas City, gives the Dodgers an option other than Casey Blake at 3B.

Roster

Lineup (8)
Furcal SS
Upton CF
Ethier LF
Kemp RF
Loney 1B
Hardy 2B
Gordon 3B
Ellis C

Analysis: This lineup isn't going to scare anyone, but the outfield defense should be much improved. A few "ifs" in the lineup (Upton, Hardy, Gordon), but the talent is there for success.

Rotation (5)
Kershaw
Billingsley
Lilly
Garza
Padilla

Analysis: The only thing that would make this rotation better (aside from Zack Greinke) is if Kuroda was back instead of Padilla.

Bullpen (7)
Monasterios
Elbert
Troncoso
Belisario
Jansen
Broxton
Kuo

Analysis: If Broxton bounces back, a Jansen-Kuo-Broxton back end of the bullpen will be the best in baseball. Elbert needs to sink or swim as a left-handed reliever in this 'pen.

Bench (5)
Barajas C
Gibbons OF/1B
Hoffmann OF
Carroll IF
Blake 3B/1B/OF

Analysis: Solid bench, especially with Gibbons and Blake as part-time/platoon players.

Thanks for reading.

Juan Pierre, former Dodger

I never thought I'd see the day.

Juan Pierre has been traded to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed pitchers John Ely and Jon Link.

The Dodgers are paying roughly $10.5 million of the $18.5 million he is owed through next season.

Pierre came to the Dodgers in 2007 when Ned Colletti signed him to a 5-year, $44M deal. It was a mistake, as it forced the Dodgers to platoon young players who didn't need to platoon. It also tied up a lot of resources in an eventual fourth outfielder.

Pierre deserves a chance to start, so I'm happy to see him go to a team who plans on playing him everyday. However, he was quite effective last season in a part-time role, putting up a .365 on-base percentage and posting his highest adjusted OPS number since 2004 (105). On the flip side, he filled in admirably for Manny Ramirez when he was dinged for 50 games by MLB.

The White Sox' farm system was hit hard after the Jake Peavy acquisition, but they still found a way to acquire Pierre.

Ely, the Sox' No. 8 prospect heading into the 2009 season, posted a 14-2 record with a 2.82 ERA at Double-A Birmingham. He will be 24 years old in May. He was also rated to have the best changeup in Sox' system. Link is a reliever who had a 3.99 ERA at Triple-A Charlotte before putting up a 2.95 in the Arizona Fall League. He was rated as having the best slider in the Chicago system.

Not a bad return for a guy many Dodger fans wanted gone a long time ago.

Good luck, Juan.

Off-season preview, part IV

So far, we've looked at Dodger free agents, arbitration-eligible young players and free agent possibilities. Now it's time for the fun stuff: A look at trade targets.

Before the trading deadline, the hot name was Roy Halladay. Former Blue Jay general manager J.P. Riccardi was outrageous with his trade demands -- at least from the Dodgers' point of view. Now that Halladay is only slated to pitch for a team, Toronto or otherwise, for one season significantly decreases his trade value.

Roy Halladay

Some players Toronto would be looking at:

Chad Billingsley, RHP - Who wouldn't want a 25-year-old all-star pitcher?
James McDonald, RHP - He might profile better as a reliever, but could still make it as a starter; was the No. 2 prospect heading into the season
Dee Gordon, SS - A Jimmy Rollins/Jose Reyes-type shortstop who had an outstanding season in the minors
Ethan Martin, RHP - First-round pick in 2008, Martin is one of the Dodgers' best pitching prospects and is in the mold of the afore mentioned Billingsley
Chris Withrow, RHP - Like Martin, a former first-rounder who had a breakout season and might be the Dodgers' best pitching prospect
Andrew Lambo, OF - He was the Dodgers' top-ranked prospect coming into the season and had a less-than-stellar campaign, but still has great talent
Josh Lindblom, RHP - The Dodgers' most MLB-ready pitcher, Lindblom had a solid season working as a starter and reliever
Ivan De Jesus, Jr., SS/2B - De Jesus lost his season after breaking his leg early in spring training, but has the best plate discipline of any Dodger minor leaguer
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP - Another of the Dodger right-handed prospects who had a solid season
Scott Elbert, LHP - Elbert still has talent, but his control is his only problem
Xavier Paul, OF - ML-ready outfielder who profiles best as a fourth outfielder
Chin-Lung Hu, SS - Like De Jesus, Hu could step in and play shortstop right now, but his bat will always be a question

The Dodgers would be awfully foolish to trade Billingsley in a deal for Halladay. If anything, they should be looking for Roy to mentor Chad, if acquired. Halladay's $15.75 million contract for 2010 could be a sticking point with the McCourt legal problems.

My proposal

To Toronto: Ethan Martin, James McDonald, Ivan De Jesus, Nathan Eovaldi
To Los Angeles: Roy Halladay

Why it works for Toronto: Martin is quickly becoming an elite pitching prospect while De Jesus could step in right now and play shortstop for the Jays. McDonald could slide into the bullpen or rotation, while Eovaldi could develop into another solid starter.

Why it works for LA: Roy Halladay is a horse and one of the best starting pitchers in baseball and could be a great mentor for Billingsley.

Another hot rumor that started up quickly before the deadline was Adrian Gonzalez. He would be an upgrade at first base and as much as I love James Loney, Gonzalez is about the only guy I'd replace Loney with (save Albert Pujols). The rumor was Loney, Russell Martin, Ivan De Jesus, James McDonald and Blake DeWitt for Gonzalez and Heath Bell. However, with the change of Padre ownership, trading the cost-effective Gonzalez without getting top-tier talent in return would be foolish.

Adrian Gonzalez

Here are some other guys to consider, as well as those already mentioned:

James Loney, 1B - With the acquisition of a first baseman, moving Loney is a must, unfortunately
Blake DeWitt, 3B/2B - A stellar third baseman, he was a key component in 2008 for the Dodgers, yet was lost in the shuffle last season
Russell Martin, C - Martin's bat has gone so far down that it's concerning, but he still draws a lot of walks and plays pretty solid defense behind the plate... not to mention how well he handles the pitching staff
Kyle Russell, OF - The Dodgers' best power prospect, Russell is in the mold of Adam Dunn, but with superior defense
Scott Van Slyke, OF - Had a breakout season and could shoot up the Dodger minor league rankings

My Proposal

To San Diego: James Loney, Blake DeWitt, Dee Gordon, Ethan Martin, Scott Elbert, Kyle Russell
To Los Angeles: Adrian Gonzalez, Heath Bell

Why it works for SD: Loney replaces Gonzalez while the Padres get two of the Dodgers' best prospects. DeWitt could step in and play 3B for SD, allowing them to move Kevin Kouzmanoff and his increasing price tag for other help. Elbert could slide into the pen or rotation for the Padres. Russell immediately becomes the Padres' best power prospect and it allows SD to trim the payroll a bit.

Why it works for LA: A 2-3-4-5 of Kemp-Ethier-Ramirez-Gonzalez is devastating. Plus, Gonzlaez is a great defensive first baseman. Also, Bell at the end of the Dodger pen makes it that much more deadly. The Dodgers cannot move Russell Martin without a viable replacement, which is why he isn't in this proposal.

Edwin Jackson

A speculative rumor out there is involving a former Dodger, Edwin Jackson. It's Jackson for George Sherrill.

My Proposal

To Detroit: George Sherill, Tim Sexton
To Los Angeles: Edwin Jackson

Why it works for Detroit: The Tigers are going to need a closer with Fernando Rodney likely to leave via free agency and Sherrill has experience closing in the American League. They also get a young, developmental arm in Sexton. In the long run, Jackson will end up costing more, money wise, than Sherrill will.

Why it works for LA: The Dodgers get a guy back that they should have not sold low on when they traded him for Danys Baez and Lance Carter. He could immediately step in and be the Dodgers' No. 3 starter.

Expanded Trade Proposal

To Detroit: George Sherill, Tim Sexton, Juan Pierre
To Los Angeles: Edwin Jackson, Carlos Guillen

Why it works for Detroit: Guillen is owed $26M over the next two seasons, while Pierre is owed $18.5M. This deal saves the Tigers money and gives them a lead-off hitter.

Why it works for LA: It works because Jackson is the main piece of the deal. Guillen would fit better at a corner infield spot, but would have to play 2B in LA.

Second base is going to be an issue for LA, as Orlando Hudson isn't likely to return. DeWitt could have a shot at the position, while Ronnie Belliard could be brought back. However, an upgrade at 2B is likely -- guys like Dan Uggla, Brandon Phillips and Carlos Guillen will be available.

Dan Uggla

I'm not an Uggla guy, but I could see the Dodgers getting him.

My Proposal

To Florida: Josh Lindblom, Chin-Lung Hu, Cole St. Clair
To Los Angeles: Dan Uggla

Why it works for Florida: The Marlins shed payroll and get two guys who can step in and play right away. Lindblom can serve as a starter or reliever. Hu could play SS if the Marlins decide to move Hanley Ramirez to 3B.

Why it works for LA: The Dodgers' second base hole is plugged, despite Uggla being a sub-par defensive 2B.

Brandon Phillips

Phillips is one of the best defensive 2Bs in baseball, has pop and speed. So, why do the Reds want to trade him? Because of his contract, of course. He is owed $23M over the next two years ($1M buyout in 2011, if necessary). I like him better than Uggla, basically because his glove is light years ahead.

My Proposal

To Cincinnati: Juan Pierre, Ivan De Jesus, Nathan Eovaldi
To Los Angeles: Brandon Phillips

Why it works for Cincinnati: The Reds save $4.5M, get a guy who could take Phillips' spot and a solid pitching prospect.

Why it works for LA: Fills the need at second base with a guy who can also hit.

Another rumor out there is A.J. Ellis for Alberto Callaspo. If there's any hint of truth to this, the Dodgers will get it done ASAP. Ellis is nothing more than a decent backup catcher and Callaspo had a great season last year for the Royals. He could be a valuable piece off the bench.

Now, there's no way all these trades happen, but it's just a look some of the guys the Dodgers should be targeting in the trade market, if they become available.

That concludes the off-season preview. I'll update the blog when there's any significant Dodger news. With the Hot Stove season quickly approaching, there should be lots of things to talk about.

Go Blue!

Off-season preview, part III

With the McCourt's impending divorce, the free agency period is going to be an uncertain time for the Dodgers.

If their legal issues don't prevent the Dodgers from making significant moves, the Dodgers will be in the hunt for a starting pitcher or two. John Lackey is by far the best starter available, with guys like Randy Wolf, Rich Harden and Erik Bedard could be other targets.

Lackey is going to command a huge pay day (some rumors say as much as $100 million), so I wouldn't exactly hold out hope Lackey hops on I-5 and makes the trip to the real Los Angeles.

Wolf had one of the best seasons of his career and is looking multi-year deal. He shouldn't be that unaffordable, though.

Harden and Bedard are injury risks. In fact, there are concerns whether or not Bedard will even pitch this season. Harden has some of the best stuff in the game, but he can he stay healthy?

Some lesser options include Jon Garland, Vicente Padilla or a reclamation project like Ben Sheets.

It seems the trade route could be better for the Dodgers when it comes to starting pitching.

Second base is also going to be something for the Dodgers to explore.

The signing of Orlando Hudson in February was brilliant and paid off. Hudson brought solid offense and gold glove defense -- the latter of which is something the Dodgers have missed for quite some time. However, his benching toward the end of the season likely spelled the end of his time as a Dodger. He was great and I'm going to miss him.

Ronnie Belliard, acquired in August, is a candidate to come back. However, if the Dodgers think he'll be a viable option for an entire season, they're sorely mistaken. He's a good part-timer and he should be brought back for that purpose.

Felipe Lopez is an intriguing option. He wouldn't cost a lot and would provide some solid offense, as he did this year with Arizona and Milwaukee.

The Dodgers could just as well hand the job to Blake DeWitt or see if Ivan De Jesus, Jr. is ready for the job. However, as is the case with starting pitching, a trade might make more sense to fill the second base need.

Next up: Potential Trade Targets

Off-season preview, part II

The flood of arbitration-eligible young players is finally here for the Dodgers. Coming up through the ranks, we all heard about the Billingsleys, Kemps and Loneys -- well, now it's their time to cash in.

Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, James Loney, Hong-Chih Kuo and Jason Repko are all eligible for arbitration for the first time -- which means substantial raises from the peanuts they made in the past.

Well, for everyone except Repko, who will undoubtedly be non-tendered.

Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier and Russell Martin will be eligible for a second time, as will George Sherrill, but it will be his first time as a Dodger.

With all the players eligible and approximately $40 million coming off the books, the Dodgers should have no trouble covering the raises.

However, with the pending divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt, it might not leave a lot of money left over for free agents and/or trade acquisitions.

Here are the numbers, in terms of what the Dodgers paid the afore mentioned players in 2009 (save Sherrill):

Second-timers
Broxton - $1.825M
Ethier $3.1M
Martin - $3.9M
Sherrill - $2.75M

First-timers
Billingsley - $0.475M
Kemp - $0.467M
Kuo - $0.437M
Loney - $0.465M

Ethier, Martin, Billingsley and Kemp are likely to get the largest raises, which will have an adverse effect on the payroll.

If Manny Ramirez doesn't exercise his option, it would be a blessing. Ramirez isn't the same player he was before the 50-game suspension and can't hit an inside fastball with authority anymore.

Saving his $20M on the payroll would be a long way to improving the team. However, I don't expect that to happen.

Next up: Potential Free Agent Targets

Off-season preview, part I

I've decided to break down the off-season preview into four parts: Dodger free agents, arbitration-eligible young players, potential free agent targets and potential trade targets.

The Dodgers have 15 free agents, not counting Manny Ramirez, who is all but a lock to exercise his $20M player option for 2010.

Dodger Free Agents
Brad Ausmus
Ronnie Belliard
Juan Castro
Jon Garland ($10M mutual option, $2.5M buyout if team declines, $1M if player declines)
Orlando Hudson (Type A)
Mark Loretta
Doug Mientkiewicz
Eric Milton
Guillermo Mota
Will Ohman
Vicente Padilla ($12M club option, $1.75M buyout)
Jason Schmidt
Jim Thome
Jeff Weaver
Randy Wolf (Type A)

Hudson: Many have said Hudson will not be back, especially after his benching toward the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. If it comes to be, his signing will have been well worth it. He hit for the Dodgers' first cycle since 1970 and played Gold Glove-caliber defense at second base -- something the Dodgers haven't had since 2004. The Dodgers need to offer him arbitration. The worst thing that can happen is he accepts and the Dodgers are "stuck" with a great team player for another season. Arbitration: Yes

Wolf: Randy is an interesting topic. He had a career-year in 2009, and the Dodgers needed every bit of it. He is likely to command a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal on the open market. The Dodgers should be in the hunt to re-sign him, but don't be surprised if he cashes in on his fantastic 2009. Arbitration: Yes

Garland/Padilla: First of all, neither of these guys will have their options exercised. However, the Dodgers could look to bring back one or both of these guys on the cheap. The Dodgers need an ace, but these guys aren't aces. They're decent back-of-the-rotation guys. Perhaps there is only a need for one. Arbitration: No

Belliard: Belliard was a late-season spark off the bench and, eventually, as a starter. However, if the Dodgers think he'll perform nearly as well as he did with the Dodgers in a full-time role, they are sadly mistaken. The Dodgers should bring him back as a utility/part-time guy, though. Arbitration: No

As for the rest, no other player will be offered arbitration. And if I'm the Dodgers, the only guys I consider bringing back are Doug Mientkiewicz and Jeff Weaver. Doug didn't play as much as expected, due to injury, and Weaver was a pleasant surprise as a spot-starter/long reliever.

Next up: Arbitration-eligible young players