ESPN's Waiver Deal Projections Involve Dodgers, Benoit, Benjamins

Deal does not involve this tiny-headed player, despite what the headline might imply.

Conspiracy theorist ESPN.com analyst Jim Bowden has some waiver deals he thinks might happen (link insider only), one of which involves the Dodgers:

4. The Padres trade Joaquin Benoit to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Zach Lee.

The Dodgers' bullpen is a disaster, and they have just two weeks to do something about it. The question here is whether Benoit would get claimed by another team during the waiver process before the Dodgers get a shot at him. I think it's a long shot that Benoit actually gets to the Dodgers unclaimed, though stranger things have happened. If he does, the Dodgers should claim Benoit and send pitching prospect Zach Lee to the Padres for him. Benoit, 37, is having another banner season as a setup man for the Padres, including a 2.17 ERA in 51 appearances, with a 0.85 WHIP and only 25 hits allowed in 49 2/3 innings.

Lee, 23, is finally starting to put it together, and a change of scenery is exactly what he needs. There might be no better place for him to land than pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Worth noting: Lee was originally drafted by Logan White when he ran the Dodgers' scouting department, and White is now one of the top talent evaluators for GM A.J. Preller and the Padres.

Benoit comes with a team option for 2016 at $8 million or a $1.5 million buyout, so the move isn't necessarily a rental-type deal, which the Dodgers tend to stay away from.

Bowden also thinks the Giants will pick up Chase Utley from the Phillies in exchange for a mediocre pitching prospect (Kyle Crick), in order to fill the gap of the injured Joe Panik. I suppose we'll see; two weeks to go!

Post-Game 99 Thread: Egg Zach Lee

METS 15, DODGERS 2

Zach Lee's major league debut was pretty much a nightmare, with the Mets stomping all over Lee over 4.2 IP for 11 H and 7 ER. Lee's ERA ends his first ever day at 13.50, which is horrific, particularly considering the Mets have had offensive woes of late.

Lee was relieved by Chin-Hui Tsao, who didn't do much better: 0.2 IP, 6 ER. Tsao's ERA is 10.29. Throw out yer' dead! Because really, it's only one game.

Joc Pederson and Jimmy Rollins each had solo HR. Lead shrinks to two games in the West.

Welcome to the Bigs

Rough first inning for Zach Lee in his major league debut. Thanks to reader goodchild27 for the photographic proof:

Game 99 Thread: July 25 @ Mets, 4p

Major league debut!

Zach Lee (0-0, -.--) vs. Matt Harvey (8-7, 3.19).

photo by Scott Killeen

We Want a Pitcher!

We want a pitcher, not a belly itc-.....wait, no, we really do want a pitcher. We really NEED a pitcher. For Saturday. Is anyone available? Word is that Zach Lee might be an option, albeit a poor one.

Good lord, generally sucking in the minors has not been kind to Zach (although he is having a decent season with AAA Oklahoma City). He looks older than some of the Sons. What happened?

Yours truly has tickets for Saturday night, but I'm not sure I have the fortitude to make it through a pitching by committee game.

Sooooo...who will it be? Put in your guesses in the comments section.

photo: Paul Sancya/AP

Spring Training Game 10 Thread: Rangers @ Dodgers

Zach Lee vs. Martin Perez.

Hanley Ramirez has already jacked a home run to put the Dodgers up 2-0 (through two innings). Good to hear Charley Steiner again!

photo: Bill Mitchell / Four Seam Images

Scott Killeen's Outstanding Zach Lee Photos

Dempster Getting Closer, Again?

Is that a dumpster getting closer?

Word's breaking that the momentum to get Ryan Dempster to the Dodgers has picked up steam, as the Cubs' leverage dwindles with both the player, and the clock, working against them:

Still hoping to add a starting pitcher, the Dodgers continue to engage the Cubs in discussions for Ryan Dempster and indications are that those talks are gaining momentum, according to CBSSports.com sources.

The fact that the Cubs have yet to deal remains one of the biggest surprises with Tuesday's non-waivers trade deadline now barely more than 24 hours away, and after declining the trade to the Braves, Dempster could in the end get his wish and be on the way to Los Angeles.

The Cubs initially wanted Zach Lee, a top prospect deemed off limits by the Dodgers, who also nixed a Cubs request for right-hander Allen Webster. And the Dodgers initially appeared more interested in Cubs right-hander Matt Garza than in Dempster.

But a couple of things have changed. Chicago clearly lost leverage when Dempster nixed the Braves deal. And Garza became less attractive after his latest start had to be pushed back to later this week when an MRI exam revealed a "trace" of fluid in his right triceps. Garza had complained of cramping in his right forearm.

So now we might not have to give up Zach Lee? Cool.

UPDATE 3:41p: Buster Olney says Dempster in mirror is not as close as it appears. "[T]here hasn't been any recent dialogue between LAD/Cubs." Hmm, because that's not what ESPN Chicago reporter Bruce Levine just wrote. Maybe you two guys should IM each other over the ESPN intranet and work things out.

Dodgers Holding Zach Lee; Cubs Seek Allen Webster For Dempster?

Jon Morosi's twitter feed has the details on the latest rumor:

Source: #Cubs have asked #Dodgers for Allen Webster as primary piece in Ryan Dempster talks.

#Wow. Surprised we're actually holding onto a prospect this time.

Use Lee (And Sands) To Get Hamels From Phillies?

At least, that's what Dan Szymborski of Baseball Think Factory / ESPN thinks (link insider only), in his "Five NL Trades That Must Happen" column:

Trade No. 2: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels to Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Zach Lee, pitcher Chris Withrow and first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands

As long as the Dodgers want to continue accumulating players who were good in 2007, why not actually add one who is good in 2012? With the exception of Felix Hernandez, whose availability may still be of the pie-in-the-sky variety, Hamels is the best pitcher available who's not getting scratched from starts to "recharge his batteries."

The Dodgers have the ability to extend Hamels long-term, should they choose, and the top of their rotation looks a lot scarier in October with the addition of Hamels, especially if Bud Selig doesn't make Chris Capuano take off his Cy Young Winner Halloween costume.

Lee is the likely prize for the Phillies, and if they aren't willing to wait for Withrow, you could easily substitute another next-tier prospect such as Garrett Gould. Sands doesn't have much prospect status left, but he can provide Philadelphia some 1B/OF depth as a useful throw-in.

Keeping Track of Zach Lee

Pitching is at the very soul of Dodger baseball, and our next great pitching hope made his first professional start yesterday. How'd he do? 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K. Not bad....Is it too early to start dreaming about a Kershaw & Lee one-two punch?

• Dodgers' Lee makes solid pro debut (MiLB.com)

photo by Bill Mitchell/Four Seam Images

Spring Training Sights

Signs of spring: changing your clocks and Vin Scully's voice wafting through the air. Here he prepares for yesterday's game at Cashman Field in Las Vegas.

Tommy sings with a mariachi band courtesy of Andre Ethier.

Casey Blake, the Muttonchop?

Zach Lee, fresh from LSU.

Dee Gordon on deck.

photos by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers except Blake: Wally Skalij/LA Times

STGT: March 4 SS vs. Giants, 6p

Hiroki Kuroda: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K in yesterday's 3-1 loss to the Reds.

Also yesterday: Lilly shakes off flu to pitch in 'B' game (Ken Gurnick, Dodgers.com)

And from "Dodgers' top picks on display vs. White Sox" by Gurnick:

After Ted Lilly's appearance in Thursday's "B" game, the Dodgers trotted out their top picks from the past three First-Year Player Drafts, including 2010 first-rounder Zach Lee.

Lee allowed one run in two-thirds of an inning with a strikeout and walk against the White Sox in his unveiling in front of most of the Dodgers' staff. He was signed at last summer's deadline at a club record (for an amateur) $5.25 million after being considered the most un-signable player in the Draft because of a scholarship to play at LSU.

Egg-Zach Lee What We Needed

...some good news!

• Dodgers, first-rounder Lee come to terms (Ken Gurnick, Dodgers.com)
• Sources: Dodgers, Joc Pederson agree (Tony Jackson, ESPNLosAngeles.com)

Logan White searched his sofa cushions and somehow scraped together $5.25 million to sign the unsignable Lee. According to Josh Rawitch, the Dodgers have "a total of 30 of their 50 picks signed, including nine of their top 10 and 13 of their top 15." Does this mean that Frank McCourt is ready to start re-investing in his farm system, or that White is a miracle worker? Whatever the case, Dodger fans now have a glimmer of hope on the horizon.