Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Dodgers Upgrade Left Field Bat 46 Points...To .243

Ned Colletti is making the moves for our stretch run! And first up, let's acquire 33-year-old veteran Juan Rivera and DFA Marcus Thames:

LOS ANGELES -- Trying to address their hole in left field, the Dodgers on Tuesday acquired right-handed hitter Juan Rivera and cash from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named or cash. Outfielder Marcus Thames was designated for assignment in a related move.

Rivera, 33, was hitting .243 with six home runs and 28 RBIs when he was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on July 3. But he was hitting .327 against left-handed pitching, with a .909 OPS.

"Juan will be the right-handed counterpart to Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field, and he can fill in at first base," said general manager Ned Colletti.

Rivera is only two seasons removed from slugging 25 homers with 88 RBIs for the Angels, who traded him and Mike Napoli to the Blue Jays in January in the Vernon Wells deal. Toronto will pick up almost all of the remainder of Rivera's $5.25 million salary. Rivera, who began his career with the Yankees, also played for the Montreal Expos.

Thames was signed to a $1 million free-agent contract to be a right-handed-hitting platoon left fielder. While dealing with leg injuries, he has hit only .197 with two homers and seven RBIs.

Whoo hoo! Toronto outfielders moving to Los Angeles, what a great idea!

Whoo hoo! Guys named Juan added to the Dodgers to add some sock from the plate, what a great idea!

Geez.

(Jon Weisman wins the headline award for "Dodgers send Thames up the Rivera". He calls it a "less-than-inspirational exchange." What is "less than inspirational," exactly? Desperational?)

(Weisman also notes that "the Dodgers are still carrying Eugenio Velez." But at least Velez doesn't weigh that much, right?)

10 comments:

Josh S. said...

Oh come on now, even the most delusional never thought Pierre was brought in to "add some sock to the plate."

I'm fine with this move now. If he plays out of his mind for the second half, then hooray. It's when he gets an $18-million 3-year deal in December that I'll be screaming.

Josh S. said...

^from the plate

Steve Sax said...

^ to the nuts

Steve Sax said...

Silly Josh S. Colletti wouldn't give anything less than $45M/3 years.

spank said...

Is it too soon to give Ned the G.M. of the year award?

Steve Sax said...

Which year?

karina said...

I'm afraid he kills the league with his hitting, so they let King James go and hire him. Then he'd suck and King James destroys the league :(

Fernie V said...

I guess that means no more Enter Sandman this year.

Fernie V said...

The summer of Fernie, just got better. Kemp does bleed blue, he got quoted, "great day for L.A. Dodgers."

Kyle Baker said...

Damn right, FV, damn right.