The Dodger's were, perhaps along with the Red and Yankees, the biggest winners at the trading deadline this year. Ned Colletti managed to really help the team without giving up very much at all. Here are the trades:
1. The Dodgers get Elmer Desens from Kansas City for Odalis Perez, and two Class A prospects.
This was the Dodgers getting rid of (1) an unproductive player and, (2) a disruptive player. Perez probably wouldn't have gotten picked up in front of my house with a "free" sign on him. If Perez thought things were bad for him with the Dodgers he'll be a basket case in the baseball purgatory that is the Glass Family KC Royals. Desens has already demonstrated that he is a useful addition to the Dodger bullpen. Desens is a bullpen guy and only an occasional spot starter and this Dodger coaching staff will understand that as opposed to the previous group.
2. The Dodgers get Wilson Betemit for Danys Baez and Willy Aybar.
Baez was a bust, there is just no getting around it. He lost his closing job even after Gagne was gone and he wasn't doing that great as a set up guy. Aybar is a prospect whom the Dodgers really didn't need. He's an above average hitter and plays a lot of positions, but none of them very well. Betemit (who went 3 for 4 in his first game) is an above average hitter and fielder, who was never going to get a chance at 3rd in Atlanta. Third base is his for a while anyway.
3. The Dodgers get Greg Maddux and $2million cash for Caesar Izturis.
This is an excellent trade. The Dodgers come out on the plus side in money and only have to give up a player who no longer fit into their plans. He didn't have a position to play with the Dodgers and he will always be a fair hitting (no power) great glove guy. Not sure how he fits with the Cubs. Maddux comes and give the Dodgers rotation help. Pitching friendly Dodger stadium is much better suited to Maddux and he will also have a good clubhouse presence and a good "coach." I expect the Dodgers to resign him for next year.
4. The Dodgers get Julio Lugo for Joel Guzman and a Singe A player.
This trade makes me think that either Jeff Kent or Nomar Garciapara is more seriously injured than the team has let on (if that's the case my guess is that it's Kent). Lugo is an upgrade with the bat and no loss with the glove. I assume he'll play 2nd base, which will give the Dodgers a very, very good fielding infield. Guzman may wind up being the Roberto Clemente of 2006 (for those who don't know, the Dodgers had Roberto Clemente in their minor league system and instead of bringing him up to Brooklyn they tried to hide him one year in their farm system, but Branch Rickey, who had been the Dodgers GM and was now at Pittsburgh knew Clemente and got him in one of the draft deals that existed in the 1950's) or not. He was really the only prospect that they brought up this year who didn't do much.
All in all, the Dodgers gave up none of their "core" prospects and probably helped their chances to win the division more than any other team in the west.
Posted by Narnia3 at July 31, 2006 4:06 PM | TrackBack