Friday, July 24, 2009

Remember the Reptile

Now with one short week before the trading deadline, Dodger fans are nervous. We could use another starter. We could use another middle reliever. We could use a ninth outfielder. We could use an antacid.

But before we get too agitated on the direction of this offseason, let's recall one of our more recent deals, involving a reptilian guy named Julio Lugo, for whom we gave up Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza in 2006. Guzman hasn't played in the majors since 2007, and Pedroza is struggling in AA ball with a .248 average. But that doesn't excuse the move to pick up someone who didn't make a difference, just to make a move. From yesterday's WSJ:

As baseball's trade deadline nears, contending teams will have to cough up a bounty of prospects to obtain a star such as Roy Halladay. But recent history tells us that a big deadline deal carries another major risk: A colossal waste of money. Practically each year a team throws millions at a player who leads them, well, nowhere.

In 2006, the Dodgers picked up infielder Julio Lugo, inheriting more than one-third of his $5 million salary. Mr. Lugo provided a .219 average for the remainder of the season, and the Dodgers fizzled in the first round of the playoffs. Two years ago, Mark Texieira was a beast after being traded at the deadline to the Braves. But the $3 million he cost the team wasn't worth it. Atlanta missed the playoffs anyway and had to surrender a wealth of prospects, including rising star Elvis Andrus.

Last year's pickup of Manny Ramirez for nothing is going to make any deal the Dodgers try and do this year seem inconsequential in comparison. So let's not rush to (literally) give away the farm if the alternative (staying put) isn't all that bad.

photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

9 comments:

Wicks said...

Lugo is a reptoid?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Still got some nice prospects after the Sox signed him.

rbnlaw said...

Interesting fact: The Alamo does not have a basement.

I checked.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Cards close to acquiring Holliday from Oakland. Just in time for the series against the Dodgers. I hate the Cardinals.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

Michael Wuertz.

If were looking for solid relief help, here it is. Oakland should be trying to dump some of its players. THe Twins are targeting Wuertz. Why can't we?

Dusto_Magnifico said...

For Lugo we got Chris Withrow and James Adkins.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

Somehow, the common theme with Dodger prospect pitchers is that they lack control... Thats not scouting, thats a coaching issue.

Withrow and Adkins are no different.

rbnlaw said...

Holliday has been hot of late, but has proven to much of the league that he can't hit outside of Coors Field.

The Cards won't be able to keep him, so he'd be an expensive rental with over $6 million in salary remaining.

Steve Sax said...

@rbnlaw: if the Alamo did have a basement, Lugo would be in it, slithering away in the shadows.