Prospects and trade discussion

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/755466743091519490[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/755755536667279360[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/755755609283330049[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/755755726593818624[/tweet]

[Ranma]

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com (7/20/16)

2. Julio Urias, LHP, Dodgers (2): He's already made eight starts and shown he can get big league hitters out, striking out 10.9 per nine. He also uncharacteristically walked 4.2 per nine, but most of that came from one six-walk outing. His time back in Triple-A will be short-lived as he'll come back up to start in place of Clayton Kershaw on Thursday. It's easy to forget he's only 19.
...

7. Jose De Leon, RHP, Dodgers (20): He may be known as the "other Dodgers pitching prospect" right now because of Urias' ascendence ahead of him, but it would be a mistake to forget him. He started this season late because of shoulder inflammation, and the Dodgers have been very cautious in stretching him out. He's been striking out Triple-A hitters at a 13.8 per nine clip and holding them to a .200 batting average. Shorten him up, only for now, and let him give the bullpen a boost.

These Prospects Could Improve Contending Teams

[Quake Griffin]

Archer is on an incredible contract plus he has enough history to suggest the 1st half is a bit of a fluke.

Bring him in.
I'll take Matt Moore too but I'd like the package to be less.

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jaysonst/status/756187913134546944[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/756186755678793728[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/756185729361911808[/tweet]


Jayson Stark, ESPN.com (7/21/16)

Jayson Stark's take: Most clubs that have asked about Archer have come away with the impression Tampa Bay is highly unlikely to move him. So why would the Dodgers be a different case? This executive's take? Because Dodgers president Andrew Friedman and Rays president Matt Silverman are so close. Because the Dodgers have an extreme need for an impact starter they could control beyond this year. And because the Dodgers "have prospects that fit" what the Rays would need to get back in order to move their ace.

Nevertheless, the Rays have been telling teams the Dodgers don't have any advantage over anyone else, despite the history and friendship of Friedman and Silverman. So if the Dodgers were able to pull this off, it would take a massive package, one that separates them from teams like Texas, another club with an excellent farm system that hasn't been able to match up with the Rays on Archer.

Trade Deadline News and Views

[Ranma]

Unless Mike Trout is coming to us in a deal, I would not consider trading either Julio Urias or Yadier Alvarez at this point. I would also make Cody Bellinger untouchable as well. I'm open to including Jose De Leon for Chris Archer but the outgoing trade package would be along the lines of Grant Holmes, Alex Verdugo, and either Willie Calhoun or Micah Johnson. Chris Anderson, Josh Sborz, and/or Jharel Cotton would be fine fillers to round out our offer. I'd also prefer not to deal Austin Barnes but he seems like the kind of prospect the Rays would want and Will Smith's arrival affords us some latitude to deal from our lacking catching depth.

source via DodgersDigest.com forum (7/21/16)

Nothing new to report on the Dodger front. Dodgers and Tampa continue to go back and forth with convo. From what I heard, no particulars (players) have been discussed. Tampa scouts have already been deployed to scout Dodger minor leaguers. Tampa GM, Silverman, enamored with Alvarez though.

In other news: I guess TLR won't be getting his managerial spot back since he just promoted P. Nevin to be DBax's new manager. C. Hale getting axed tomorrow.

Livefyre Profile: idnt-h8ur-YourFriend


[tweet]https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/756422598540525568[/tweet]

[Quake Griffin]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/chris-archers-obvious-fit-with-the-dodgers/

dont like this view. I like DeLeon plus 1 position player going out. I don't want two position players going out for Archer unless one is a throw in like Micah who doesnt have much of a future here.

[Ranma]

The type of short-term thinking expressed below by the unnamed rival executive is precisely why his team is probably perennially underachieving. Sounds D-backs or Padres thinking to me. Acquiring Sale would be cost-prohibitive in any scenario and overpaying for Archer is just plain dumb, especially given his struggles this season. Archer will be expensive because of his past performance and favorable contract, but depleting the farm system in a misguided attempt to compete in the postseason is a strategy the Dodgers are trying to get away from, not repeat.

Archer is not really an ace, so he wouldn't be a replacement for Kershaw, anyway. Our postseason success will ride on Kershaw's health and performance as our team doesn't really stand out in any other category. Sure, our offense is heating up and approaching expectations but we still have problems with timely hitting. Our bullpen is actually doing well, but it's not exactly dominant either. We should make the playoffs regardless of whether we have Kershaw, but without him, it's unlikely that we'd reach the World Series no matter who is brought in to compensate for his loss.

Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com (7/22/16)

One rival executive reasons that the Dodgers, given the uncertainty surrounding left-hander Clayton Kershaw, have almost no choice but to overpay for a controllable starter such as Archer or Sale.

Think about it: The Dodgers already have spent about $250 million on this year's club. Their rotation is a hodgepodge of uncertainty. The addition of another top starter would give them a puncher's chance this season and make them that much stronger next season, when their rotation would include the new pitcher, plus Kershaw and left-hander Julio Urias.

Rays are Wisely Playing Hardball with Pitching in Demand at Deadline

[Quake Griffin]

The type of short-term thinking expressed below by the unnamed rival executive is precisely why his team is probably perennially underachieving. Sounds D-backs or Padres thinking to me. Acquiring Sale would be cost-prohibitive in any scenario and overpaying for Archer is just plain dumb, especially given his struggles this season. Archer will be expensive because of his past performance and favorable contract, but depleting the farm system in a misguided attempt to compete in the postseason is a strategy the Dodgers are trying to get away from, not repeat.

Archer is not really an ace, so he wouldn't be a replacement for Kershaw, anyway. Our postseason success will ride on Kershaw's health and performance as our team doesn't really stand out in any other category. Sure, our offense is heating up and approaching expectations but we still have problems with timely hitting. Our bullpen is actually doing well, but it's not exactly dominant either. We should make the playoffs regardless of whether we have Kershaw, but without him, it's unlikely that we'd reach the World Series no matter who is brought in to compensate for his loss.

Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com (7/22/16)

One rival executive reasons that the Dodgers, given the uncertainty surrounding left-hander Clayton Kershaw, have almost no choice but to overpay for a controllable starter such as Archer or Sale.

Think about it: The Dodgers already have spent about $250 million on this year's club. Their rotation is a hodgepodge of uncertainty. The addition of another top starter would give them a puncher's chance this season and make them that much stronger next season, when their rotation would include the new pitcher, plus Kershaw and left-hander Julio Urias.

Rays are Wisely Playing Hardball with Pitching in Demand at Deadline

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0
We have a pretty good defense as well. It's certainly better than the negative UZR's we've posted in the past.

I don't want to say our pen has been dominant. It hasn't but it's been good.
Kenley has been solid except for a few hiccups...and if Adam Liberatore was a big name like Chapman or Andrew Miller, we would be calling him dominant out of the pen.

I can live with Blanton and Coleman and others just being called solid though (or less if you're thinking about Hatcher).


________________

I don't like the media's tendency to treat our front office like a circus act...like the Friedman owes them some splash where we spin absolutely nothing into Chris Sale putting on a Dodger jersey.

Leave us alone for Christ's sake. The ones who hated are having a hard time admitting that we just turned out to be a good team and are in a solid position to add. So instead of just admitting that, they'd rather double down on their pride and challenge Friedman to make some huge splash.

STFU.
54-43.
4 games back of the 2nd best record in the game (and 4.5 back of the best record).


p.s.
IMO...i'd be cool with dealing for Andrew Miller and doing nothing else at the deadline.

[Ranma]

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0
We have a pretty good defense as well. It's certainly better than the negative UZR's we've posted in the past.

I don't want to say our pen has been dominant. It hasn't but it's been good.
Kenley has been solid except for a few hiccups...and if Adam Liberatore was a big name like Chapman or Andrew Miller, we would be calling him dominant out of the pen.

I can live with Blanton and Coleman and others just being called solid though (or less if you're thinking about Hatcher).


________________

I don't like the media's tendency to treat our front office like a circus act...like the Friedman owes them some splash where we spin absolutely nothing into Chris Sale putting on a Dodger jersey.

Leave us alone for Christ's sake. The ones who hated are having a hard time admitting that we just turned out to be a good team and are in a solid position to add. So instead of just admitting that, they'd rather double down on their pride and challenge Friedman to make some huge splash.

STFU.
54-43.
4 games back of the 2nd best record in the game (and 4.5 back of the best record).


p.s.
IMO...i'd be cool with dealing for Andrew Miller and doing nothing else at the deadline.

Ah, thanks for pointing out our defense. Our defense has certainly been better all around, but particularly with Seager taking over for Rollins. I still can't believe we stuck with him as long as we did. I totally agree with your take on the Friedman hate. Like these clowns know better than Friedman.

I'd be cool with getting Andrew Miller but I'm scared of the cost right now based on what the Yankees are asking for from teams. I actually think we have a good shot at Chris Archer but I don't want to give up any of the aforementioned prospects that I deemed untouchable for him. Also, Rosenthal confirms the D-backs contemplation of replacing Hale with Nevin, which indirectly confirms the source accompanying info that the Dodgers and Rays are engaging in discussions.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/756570462902165504[/tweet]

[Quake Griffin]

worried about Cody Bellinger.

.253 average
high OBP
20% + K rate at AA

I expect him to hit for a higher average at this point in his career. Makes me worried about how his bat is going to profile at the major league level and whether we should automatically pencil him in as A-Gon's heir apparent.

edit:
finally see why you were posting the Nevin news.
I had been believing that source since he was on top of the Greinke news.

[Ranma]

Bellinger made remarkable progress last season, so he advanced expectations for him to an almost unrealistic degree. He may not be ready to replace A-Gon next season, but he has shown an ability to make adjustments and excel while doing them. He's playing multiple positions on top of experimenting with his batting approach and reshaping his body. That's quite a lot for such a young kid to handle already. He may not be Corey Seager but I'm confident he'll right the ship in relatively short order.

[Ranma]

Wayne Cavadi, TodaysKnuckleBall.com (7/21/16)

As he has done every year of his brief professional tenure, Verdugo found another gear and took his game to a new level.

Verdugo is having yet another strong season, now in Double-A, earning Texas League All-Star recognition for the Tulsa Drillers. He is the reigning Texas League Player of the Week after hitting .444 with three doubles and two home runs to start the second half of the season. He has found more pop in his bat, on pace for 20 home runs.

The 20-year old is slashing .294/.353/.456 heading into Thursday’s action, with a career-best 11 home runs and 17 doubles. He is still striking out only 12.9 percent of the time, and the walk rate is climbing up to where it was in his debut season, at eight percent. The only downside is that Verdugo has been unsuccessful on the base paths, converting just two of his eight attempts. Verdugo never had blazing speed, and his previous success was dictated by his natural instincts, so it’s curious to see if catchers are simply catching up to him.

Verdugo has been solid in the field as well, already posting nine outfield assists on the season. He has been much more successful in center field, where he has gunned down eight of those nine runners. He has posted the same amount of errors in right field as he has in center in one-third as many chances.

Dodgers’ Alex Verdugo Continues His Surge to Stardom


Josh Norris, Baseball America (7/22/16)

1. Jose De Leon, rhp, Dodgers
Team: Triple-A Oklahoma City (Pacific Coast)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.32, 14 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 20 SO, 3 BB

The Scoop: With Julio Urias nearing an innings limit and the Dodgers’ rotation in a near-constant state of flux, might De Leon help buoy the team down the stretch? After a slow start and a lost month due to shoulder tenderness, De Leon has come on strong of late. He’s whiffed 29 in his last 20 innings, including back-to-back games with 10 punchouts.

Kyle Glaser, Baseball America (7/22/16)

11. Yadier Alvarez, rhp, Dodgers
Team: low A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 10 SO, 1 BB

The Scoop: While most of the Dodgers’ high-profile Cuban signees have struggled, Alvarez continues to be a bright spot for Los Angeles. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound righthander, who signed for $16 million in 2015 and has seen his velocity reach triple-digits this year, posted a 1.80 ERA in his first five professional starts in the Arizona League to earn a promotion to Great Lakes. In his first start for the Loons on Wednesday, Alvarez set a career-high with 10 strikeouts, including seven swinging.

Prospect Hot Sheet (July 22)

[Neddy]

looks like the dodgers are in on virtually every major trade rumors out there, from Sale, Archer, to Chapman but I don't see us making a deal. let's wait and see I guess.

[Quake Griffin]

Unbelievable the price the Cubs are about to pay for the rental of Aroldis Chapman.

Andrew Miller has officially become a pipe dream if that goes down.

[Quake Griffin]

think I'll make my thoughts on this official since we're close to the deadline.

Who I'd deal for:
- Archer
- Desclafani (quality young arm from the Reds)
- Quintana
- Eaton
- Andrew Miller

Who is untouchable:
- Urias
- Yadier Alvarez (outlay was too much)
- Yusniel Diaz (outlay was too much)
- I'm on the fence on Verdugo and Bellinger...but I can't lie...if the right trade came along...I'd include ONE of them.

Do Not Trade for:
- Cargo
- Jay Bruce
- Any warm bodies to be a SP. Make sure they're of quality.

I want Andrew Miller really bad....but if we're going to give the Yankees a big package for him and set them up for a WS run in 2020, I'd rather just deal for Archer than a bullpen piece. I still think the market for relievers is ridiculous and I refuse to pay that much for a relief arm just because the Royals won with a dominant bullpen.

I've drawn my lines in the sand on what will make me happy and what will piss me off.

[Quake Griffin]

Urias is available for Sale?

[Neddy]

Urias is available for Sale?

please god no.

Sale is a great pitcher now and certainly can help us much better in the next 2 seasons or so, but Sale also have clocked in ungodly amount of innings early in his career. guys who have pitched a lot while young do not end up very well in the long run for the most part.
Mark Fidrych is obviously an extreme case, but even our own legends like Sandy Koufax and Fernando Valenzuela are also in the same boat of over used arms who's careers got cut short. the way I see it, even Kershaw's herniated disk could be and probably, a result of 200+ innings he has been clocking in since he was 22 years old. I am not saying Sale will break down any time now, but the risk is certainly there. Urias is young, and the dodger brass has done an excellent job of grooming him while not abusing his young arm. he could be the Ace of the staff for a decade or two, if we continue our vigilance of not sacrificing the future for right now, as Ned Colletti-s of the old school GMs/managers would have.

Secondly, the way Sale's name has been in the news, he is in positive view, an outspoken guy in the clubhouse, or in negative view, a very antagonizing figure. his latest suspension from the team is just one of many incidents I can remember him being in the news for. Sale is clearly the better pitcher right now despite his personality shortcomings, if there are any, but I love Urias' demeanor of humble, soft spoken personality that turns lethal on the mound.

I guess the bottom line is that I don't think giving away a 19 year old who has dominated in all levels of the minors is a good idea regardless of what return we get, if we can offer anything else to make the same deal happen. and IF that deal won't do, so be it. I don't think not having Sale and say, settle for Archer or just De Leon coming up from the AAA would be all that bad at all. De Leon is killing it down there and his arm is super fresh after coming off that injury. he is also 23 years old. he can handle the load for the rest of this season. he clocked in 43 innings so far, he can go another 100 easy. we have 62 more games to go. that is 12 starts for him. that may be what, 72 innings more? 115 innings at the end of this season for a 23 year old should not be a problem at all.

the model we should build our franchise after, should be the Cubs who groomed a ton of prospects at all positions and not the Yankees who are basically a geriatric team full of all stars from the last 2 decades but not the last several years strapped with heavy payroll and thin farmhands.

[Neddy]

Urias is available for Sale?

oh **** I just saw the bleacher report update on this. you weren't asking, you were replying...

IF this is really the case, I hope the package of Urias does not include Jose De Leon or Yadier Alvarez.

maybe Urias, Anderson, De Jong and Branden Davis? **** **** **** I would hate to lose Urias. but I do understand that Sale is in his prime, and he is a year younger than Kershaw.

I just sure hope, if and only if this trade actually happens, that this transaction does not become the Pedro trade v. 2.0.

[Quake Griffin]

Urias is available for Sale?

oh **** I just saw the bleacher report update on this. you weren't asking, you were replying...

IF this is really the case, I hope the package of Urias does not include Jose De Leon or Yadier Alvarez.

maybe Urias, Anderson, De Jong and Branden Davis? **** **** **** I would hate to lose Urias. but I do understand that Sale is in his prime, and he is a year younger than Kershaw.

I just sure hope, if and only if this trade actually happens, that this transaction does not become the Pedro trade v. 2.0.

Sale is good enough to actually make me double take at this and go "hmph".

But the criticism's of Sale's violent delivery years ago and the thoughts of Pedro have me leaning no here.
I am ready to give up a significant package for Sale though without Urias included...my goodness, him and Kershaw in the playoffs would be awesome. Much better use of our assets than spending big on a 1 inning reliever.


Also.
Didn't notice the Royals are below .500
Wade Davis and Andrew Miller should be around a similar asking price.
Signed through next year while Miller is signed through 2018.

[Neddy]

Sale is good enough to actually make me double take at this and go "hmph".

But the criticism's of Sale's violent delivery years ago and the thoughts of Pedro have me leaning no here.
I am ready to give up a significant package for Sale though without Urias included...my goodness, him and Kershaw in the playoffs would be awesome. Much better use of our assets than spending big on a 1 inning reliever.


Also.
Didn't notice the Royals are below .500
Wade Davis and Andrew Miller should be around a similar asking price.
Signed through next year while Miller is signed through 2018.

every time I see this picture, it makes me sick.