From "Dodgers have no moves as Angels shake it up" by T.J. Simers at the LA Times:
My first thought, of course, after hearing the Angels had traded for Mark Teixeira, was how are the Dodgers going to beat them now in the World Series? [...]Shouldn't the Dodgers be making the kind of move the Angels made -- the Angels already in the playoffs, but the Dodgers still fighting to get there? [...]
The Angels are 26 games over .500, the best team in baseball and yet making a move to get better. They traded a quality first baseman in Casey Kotchman and a minor league prospect to maybe win a World Series. [...]
The Dodgers have a chance to make the playoffs too, competing against opponents a combined 47 games below .500, making a good acquisition possibly a difference-maker. [...]
The Dodgers had the same chance, though, as the Angels a few weeks back, but passed on Atlanta's asking price for Teixeira of James Loney and a prospect.
Back in January, Brian Kamenetzky at SportsHubLA asked us, "Brighter Future, Dodgers or Angels?" I reluctantly said the Angels, who right now have better pitching, better hitting and better management than the Dodgers. The Dodgers are working on improving their pitching, hitting and management—while somehow still contending for the post-season.
But in Simers' mind, not trading Loney (under team control for the next four years) for a "difference-maker" means the Dodgers are "headed back to the drawing board." Does Simers really think any NL West team, with our without Teixeira, is going to make it past the first round of this year's playoffs? It's an American League world, T.J., which is why the Angels should be commended for landing Teixeira*—and the Dodgers should be commended for not.
*and keeping him away from the Diamondbacks
2 comments:
Keeping with the "It's an American League world" idea, the Yankees just replaced one old catcher with another by acquiring Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers.
http://tinyurl.com/6k3ojz
Texeria is a great player, who is in the last year of his contract and has Scott Boras as an agent. He won't be with the Angels on Opening Day '09, but if they are having a ring ceremony it won't matter.
Sadly, the Dodgers are more than one impact bat away from real contention. They need a left-handed starter at the front of the rotation, a defensive upgrade at both short and second AND at least one more power bat. That is assuming Loney, Kemp, Martin, Ethier, Billingsley, Kershaw and DeWitt are here long-term.
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