Monday, April 02, 2012

No Votto Lotto for Dodgers

Reds, Joey Votto Nearing Extension (MLBTR)

Report: Reds close to $200 million deal with Joey Votto (Aaron Gleeman, Hardball Talk)

UPDATE: Cain Expected To Sign Five-Year Deal (MLBTR)

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Posted by Orel at 10:16 AM
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31 comments:

John G said...

i'm more worried about the Matt Cain extension talks that look like they are heating up. Kasten built the Braves rotations in the 90s and I would love to see us swoop on Cain, Zack Greinke and Brandon Phillips in the off season.

I know this leaves us with some extra back of the rotation guys on the expensive side of their 2 year deals, but having too many SP has never been a bad thing (and once the elbows start blowing out around the league i'm sure we can dump them).

4/02/2012 10:33 AM
Dusty Baker said...

Exactly, JG.

@Orel

Should your headline be read sotto voce?

4/02/2012 10:46 AM
Franklin Stubbs said...

I agree. It's not like we're short on superstars, either. We just need to be replacing the Riveras and Uribes and Harangs with a few of those next-tier guys.

Cain would be a double-threat as well if we could take him off the Jints' hands.

4/02/2012 10:47 AM
Hideo Nomo said...

I know Cain is good and all, but I still can't reconcile the chants of "WE SIGN TOO MANY EX-GIANTS!" followed by "GO GET CAIN!"

4/02/2012 10:58 AM
Franklin Stubbs said...

WE SIGN TO MANY SHITTY EX-GIANTS!

(How's that?)

4/02/2012 11:01 AM
Greg Hao said...

Frankly, I see this as a positive. The whole traveling All-Star team that many seem to proclaim the Dodgers to be building is fast descending into a comedy of errors IMO.

I like what Kasten has said so far about focusing on player development and scouting while recognising that it is LA and they will need to spend. But the important thing is not that the Dodgers will sign up every single available free agent (paying peak dollar for non-peak performance) but that they are at least in the conversations now.

4/02/2012 11:07 AM
John G said...

very true. but 28/29 yearold ace level pitchers dont hit the market very often and that generally a good signing.

4/02/2012 11:11 AM
Franklin Stubbs said...

Indeed.

Ideally, talent should be home-grown, with free-agent signings to cover our ass when that doesn't pan out.

The question that remains is what to do in the short-term. Our asses are most certainly uncovered in the current team configuration.

So in the immediate future it comes down to whether we just tough it out, or bring in a smattering of above-replacement-level talent to fill in the gap until the farm system can recover?

4/02/2012 11:16 AM
Franklin Stubbs said...

Erm, that's not a question anymore, but you get the idea...

4/02/2012 11:18 AM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Votto's under team control for two whole seasons, but they're locking him up now, days before the regular season starts? Reds fans should be kissing our asses right now.

4/02/2012 11:44 AM
Orel said...

Post updated with Cain info.

4/02/2012 11:46 AM
John G said...

here is the plan for this year:

- we know the Dodgers can't win it all

- we know the key to long term success is a strong farm system.

- we don't have a strong farm system (and getting one quickly via drafting people that fell because of contract demands and paying over slot just went away)


- a lot less teams will be "sellers" at the trade deadline due to the extra playoff spots.


so here is what we do...

#1 - fell out Andre Either for a contract extension early. Is he worth what he is asking? If we can sign him mid season, do it. if not, he cold be the best bat in sellers market and we can fleece some team that thinks they are one guy away from the series. In the end we need the return to be stronger than a set of comp picks, shouldnt be tough.

#2 - trade everyone who isnt in the long term plans at the deadline. Harang, Capuano, Ellis, Hariston, Rivera, Coffey, McDougal, Treanor, Kennedy, Gwynn, Belisario, Guerrier, Lilly, Wright, Uribe (ha!) for whatever we can get. Totally panning for gold here but we might get a good AA-AAA guy or two here. Might even get a team really desprate to get a pitcher who can put up innings or a solid RP and give up somehting good.

#3 - play the kids. Sellers, Sands, T-Fed, Eovaldi - maybe even bring up Lee. Give them a few months of seeing big league pitchers/hitters every day and figure out if we can count on them for 2013 or not.

#4 sign as many stuf under 30 aces as possible + Brandon Phillips (plus bat and glove) plus what ever needs to be filled in position player wise.

#5 win 2013 NL pennant.

4/02/2012 11:50 AM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I hope Cain likes zero run support, because with the money spread between him and Timmeh, the Giants aren't getting any bats.

4/02/2012 11:51 AM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Coffey's the only player who would have value at this year's deadline.

Also, no, Zach Lee is not coming up at any point this season. Not only is he unpolished, it would needlessly get the clock going on his arbitration eligibility.

4/02/2012 11:55 AM
Dusty Baker said...

@John G

Next time you post a list that includes Harang, Capuano, Ellis, Hariston, Rivera, Coffey, McDougal, Treanor, Kennedy, Gwynn, Belisario, Guerrier, Lilly, Wright, and Uribe you really need to include a safety warning first before a reader goes through the list. Women who are expecting and people with heart conditions should probably not even read that list. Just trying to stay safe and healthy here at SoSG!

4/02/2012 12:04 PM
Franklin Stubbs said...

@MLASC

I think we could draw interest for either Capuano or Harang as an innings-eater or injury sub, assuming they stay healthy.

4/02/2012 12:12 PM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I don't think so, Stubbs. Two-year contracts, plus increasing salaries, make Harang and Capuano practically untouchable.

4/02/2012 12:13 PM
Franklin Stubbs said...

I'm not sure I entirely buy that reasoning. We're not talking Manny or even Juan Pierre money. Even under the backloaded 2nd year, They're overpaid, but I'm not sure they're overpaid to the point of being toxic.

4/02/2012 12:39 PM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I'm just not seeing why a team would part with prospects for a year and a half of subpar pitching, while taking on increased salary the next season. Unless the Dodgers are the only team entrenched in sell mode, Harang and Capuano are not going anywhere.

4/02/2012 12:41 PM
Franklin Stubbs said...

Granted, there's no way in hell I'd make a move for either of them, were I a GM, but if they perform at a merely competent level, I wouldn't exclude it from the real of possibility.

4/02/2012 12:43 PM
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

The Dodgers could conceivably eat a lot of the salary, though. But you'd still have to hope for both of them to have good enough seasons to actually draw interest in the first place.

4/02/2012 12:43 PM
Dusty Baker said...

To be sure, we've seen teams make this sort of move down the stretch. Not a great idea on the GM's part of a team that would be taking on the salary for a year and a half, but to think that there aren't GMs out there who have and will again make such a deal is folly. Guys who think they're just that ooooooone little move away from a 4th or 5th starter for the playoffs and who get caught up in the delusion...happens often.

4/02/2012 12:53 PM
Franklin Stubbs said...

It's all mastrubatory until we know what the trade landscape is going to be, anyway.

4/02/2012 1:06 PM
Dusty Baker said...

(masturbates)

4/02/2012 3:17 PM
Steve Sax said...

SoSG is mastubatory, by nature.

4/02/2012 5:00 PM
Franklin Stubbs said...

Coincidentally, when the Flaming Menudos broke up during Paul's rehab in '87, Neeebs formed a short-lived supergroup called Masturbatory by Nature.

4/02/2012 5:08 PM
Greg Hao said...

I hope the Dodgers don't go for broke trying to compete this year. Management needs to take a step back and assess the fact that the this is not a contending team and shouldn't be viewed as such.

Going back to Jon's points, I've often been accused of thinking the Dodgers' farm system is shit and that's true but because of the fact that the Dodgers have graduated their farm talent to the major league roster. It's due to McCourt's tight wallet and Colletti's ineptitude that we're at that point, the key now is to be patient and view this as a long term project.

4/02/2012 6:34 PM
Greg Hao said...

Also, trade Ethier at the deadline. Don't sign him to a long term contract no matter what.

4/02/2012 6:36 PM
rbnlaw said...

James Loney. Free!

4/02/2012 6:39 PM
Bryan said...

I thought the term was "rosterbating"

4/03/2012 4:04 AM
Franklin Stubbs said...

Well played, Bryan!

4/03/2012 10:32 AM

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