Mannymania – Part II… Almost!

Well, I’ll be damned!  I never thought it would happen… and it hasn’t actually happened, partially because the Baltimore Orioles medical staff is legendary for killing deals due to medical reports or actual physicals.  It’s possible it could still unravel… remember Peter Angelos is the owner of one of the worst-run franchises in baseball.  Hopefully it is finalized soon, so we can get on with it.

When the Dodgers traded for Manny Ramirez back in the day, I said “I would rather lose without him, than win with him.”  I felt that Manny Ramirez was not a person I wanted on the Dodgers.  Oh, he certainly gave us some wonderful moments, but ultimately, his character determined his fate.  Manny Machado carries none of that baggage… and Manny is now almost a Dodger.  For how long?  Maybe for the next 10 years, because I think the Dodgers will be players in trying to sign him long term.  10 years/$350 million seems about right.

Of course, some fans will say that is not part of FAZ’s M.O.  Like I said a few days ago:

“It still seems like something FAZ would not do, but this is a new paradigm – FAZ has never been in this position.  They have always had several “dead contracts” on the books.  They were prepared to have “Dead Kemp” but he was resurrected! They ARE committed to staying under the salary cap and re-set the tax threshold, so that is an issue they have to work around.

I guess it is going to depend upon what they have to give up.  The farm system is deep, and while there are only a few who have “star potential” (Verdugo, Ruiz, Diaz), there are many others who have an opportunity to evolve into star caliber players. Like every Front Office, FAZ has had their share of mistakes.  Even the Cubs and Astros had their share of mistakes – it’s just easier to cover those mistakes when  you have a bunch of high draft picks, year-over-year.  FAZ has never had that luxury, so you really can’t use the same measure.  The last two starters acquired by Theo (Quintana and Darvish) have not delivered like expected.  Houston whiffed on their #1 draft pick two years in a row. Stuff happens.

Fans complain that FAZ won’t spend the money, but they HAVE spent the money.  They have paid more in salary than any team in baseball the past 5 years!  I am still very concerned about the “in fighting” and legal issues at Guggenheim.  That has the potential to wreck this team.”

I am always reminded of Mannymania, Part I with this song:

Maybe it will be part of Mannymania Part II. Who wants to sit in Mannywood?

This is a game changer and the trickle down effect should be interesting. I think there will now be other trades.  Puig, Toles, Pederson… even Chris Taylor could be on the move. The Dodgers need another lockdown reliever,  Maeda and Wood could fill that role, but maybe they are violently opposed to it.  After all, being a starter will get you many more dollars on the open market.  If so, one or both may be moved.

I can tell you a few things that Manny Machado brings:

  1. He is a much better shortstop defensively that you may think.  He is a great athlete and this is this first season back at SS in a long time.  He will get better;
  2. His low strikeout, high contact rate and the fact that he is RH cannot be underestimated.  This should help the Dodgers’s offensive struggles at times;
  3. His enthusiasm will be contagious.  He plays with pure joy.  Now, as part of a winning team, he should do even better.

I was not sure FAZ would trade enough prospects t get Manny, but evidently they did.  The Rumors are the Dodgers are sending Yusneil Diaz and maybe 4 other players to the O’s.  We have heard that Dustin May, Errol Robinson and others are involved, but this is not confirmed.  Hopefully, the deal is finalized soon, but I do not trust the Orioles. This deal is really not done… YET! Did I mention that I do not trust the Orioles?

Dodger News

  • Doc was determined to rest Kenley during the All-Star Game;
  • Matt Kemp is like a little kid in a candy store.  I never thought I’d call him a “clubhouse leader” but he is.  What a story!
  • New McDonalds Item: Smoked Chicken Strips… sorry Ross! I couldn’t resist… bad day!

This article has 116 Comments

  1. Pretty much agree with all of the above. Did you work through the night writing that post, or did you get a head start before and during the game?

    Can’t believe that FAZ would surrender so many prospects unless they were determined to sign Manny long term. Got to believe that they see a gold mine if they could revive Mannywood.

    Apparently Kemp and Manny have worked out together in the past. Looks like they have good chemistry together, and without knowing much about Manny, it appears to me that he would be just as good a fit in the clubhouse as he would on the field..

    Now I will nervously keep an eye on my phone all day, and hope that a-hole Angelos doesn’t blow this deal up.

    And I agree, more is probably happening between now and the trade deadline.

  2. McStrips? I like it. Never got behind chicken strips..
    .
    Note to those here that said Machado would never be a Dodger: You forgot the clue to test questions that says correct answers to statements that include never and always are always false. Rudy, get ready for a Puig to Miami trade to follow this manny trade.

  3. Because Puig lives in Miami in the off season and because he is a righty killer and not a lefty killer and because the Dodgers have an abundance of outfielders, I will continue to say a Puig to Miami trade is a possibility. Sorry Rudy.
    .
    I am curious if Turner and Puig are going to be unable to play longer than the Dodgers are letting on.

  4. I won’t disparage Ramirez(?) because it was a thrill watching him carry our team on his back with his bat… As good a hitter as I’ve ever seen in his short tenure at the Ravine…
    His OF play??? Now that was an E coupon ride at best…
    If Machado doesn’t sign a long term I’ll be pissed…
    Manny-Mania Catch It!!!

  5. The Dodgers need to win a championship. That is why they will give up good prospects to win it this year. Normally I do not like a rental. However, I am ok with it this year. I hope they can sign Machado long term, but I would not bet on it. It looks like it is all or nothing for this year. We have duplicated position players especially in the outfield.

  6. Britton to the Dodgers seems like a natural match. He has enough of an injury history for FAZ to love him and for Baltimore to hate him.

  7. Wow! I still can’t believe this is happening. 5 prospects going back and one as high on the lists as Diaz makes me think a reliever is coming back in the same same deal. I don’t think that Joc or Puigy is going away any time soon. It makes more sense to deal one or both in the off season instead of sending them to a team they may have to play games against in the post-season run. Both of them have been hitting well as of late and are deeply ingrained in the clubhouse. If the Dodgers were ready to roll out Verdugo, he would have been called up instead of Toles. Toles is the outfielder that is most likely to be traded. Toles and Pederson are pretty redundant just like Diaz and Verdugo. The Dodgers did a great job trading from depth. I bet a catcher not named Ruiz is included in this deal, but I don’t think it’s Smith. Smith seems further along, having a big year and looks like he’s on schedule to replace Yasmani. Looking for a Smith promotion to AAA soon.

  8. I know I said that I wanted Manny for the middle of that lineup. But admittedly, I never thought that FAZ would pull the trigger. I know that it is not yet a done deal, but it will not be squashed because of FAZ. They did their job…Part 1. Now we need to see the full transaction, and to see what else is up FAZ’s sleeve. It is now up to the players. Maybe Belli, CT3, and others not named Kemp and Muncy can relax a little now.
    .
    Interestingly, both Dustin May and Dean Kremer are scheduled to pitch tonight for Rancho and Tulsa respectively. Kremer is due to face off against Chase De Jong.
    .
    While all the MannyDrama was going on:
    .
    Pedro Baez made a rehab appearance and pitched 1 inning for OKC. No baserunners and 1 K. 14 pitches and 9 strikes. I understand he was able to complete the inning in under 30 minutes.
    .
    Mitchell White’s start did not go as well as his last one. 4.2 IP, 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 walks, 5 Ks, and 1 HR.
    .
    Will Smith hit his 18th HR (a 3 run shot), to put Tulsa up by 1 going into the 9th. However, Dylan Baker blew his 4th save and was rewarded with his 5th loss. Save opportunities should now begin to go to Zach Pop.

  9. Man Mark, you brought back some memories with Paper Planes there!! Why not add “Don’t stop believin’ while you’re at it and let’s go back to 2008!

    Can’t wait until this is official. I”ll see you all July 30 for Manny’s first game at home

  10. I think the Dodgers have some trades up their sleeves that they are being coy about. They are bound and determined to stay under the salary cap this year. So, somebody is going to be moved. I would love to have them get de Grom but, I don’t see how. de Grom would take pressure off Kershaw and give the Dodgers that killer 1-2 punch in the rotation.

  11. With this happening it’s really a great thing Utley is still around. From what I’ve seen I guess makes a little fear of Machado getting a little too much of a taste of himself. With his calibre of play it’s more than a given him getting praise from all directions. Utley’s influence is something every player could benefit from. That’s gonna be missed when Chase is no longer with the team. Dodgers getting Manny Machado is big,big news! Almost unbelievable! I bet Vegas is adjusting the odds as moments pass.

  12. Just seems unlike FAZ and Guggs. Unless they know they’re gonna sign him to a longer contract, how is using prospects for a 2 or 3 month rental smart player and money management? And if it guarantees anything I don’t know what. Well, I might as well accept and settle in to the deal cuz it’s happening. I think of a line up with both Seager and Machado and that does make me smile. So, as in all the deals the Dodgers make, we’ll see what happens.

    1. Yeah, it makes me smile too! Resetting the cap will be done… bet on it! I could see FAZ taking a run at Hamels if, they can maintain cap for the stretch run. I think Hamels would be re-energized and the rotation crazy good. Maeda to the pen, the pen can play mix and match, maybe Koehler makes it back (if you’re going to dream, dream big!), and you got plenty of bullpen help!

  13. In the previous post, Bluto asked my assessment about Brock Stewart. From what I observed from his time in LA this year is that his fastball has lost more than a little velo. He is not even close right now. In looking at Fangraphs, his fastball has lost average velo from 94.1 (2016) to 93.7 (2017) to 91.6 (2018), which bears out what I saw. That is a big drop. When he first came up he was throwing in the upper 90’s. I think he tops out at 93-94 right now.
    .
    He has also been trying to throw more changes the last couple of years and not for the better. It is a much more flat pitch than his slider. He should never try to throw that pitch for a strike. He gets hit hard when he misses.
    .
    I do not know what is causing the velo drop. It could be an injury. He had shoulder tendinitis last year, maybe it is just persisting. Maybe he is simply losing focus, which definitely puts him in the reliever role. But overall, he did not convert to pitching until his Jr. year in college. Converted pitchers that late have a really tough time developing three pitches. Some have a problem developing two (right Petey?). Stewart so much wants to be a starting pitcher that he may be trying too hard to get that changeup to be a quality pitch. He threw very hard in the minors and got on the fast track, but did not have the time to really develop the other pitches.
    .
    If he is not injured, I think he should go back to building up the arm strength for the upper 90’s fastball and use the slider as his offspeed pitch, and focus on 1-2 innings. Just as he did the other night, the first three innings were outstanding, and then there was the 4th. He did bounce back for a quality 5th and 6th. His pitch repertoire and his focus really point him to being a reliever. But his heart is on starting..
    .
    I will make an effort to watch the next time he starts for OKC.

  14. Interesting comment by Andrew Friedman in an interview with David Vassegh:
    .
    On if the Dodgers will be active at the Trade Deadline
    .
    “I think so. Our mindset is to be aggressive. I think when you look around our roster, we’ve got a pretty high floor everywhere. There’s not this acute need at such and such position. We have a lot of different ways we can improve the team. We’ve got a really deep farm system, which in part is to help supplement the major league team, and used to supplement in another way by trading them to a different organization for players that fit us. We do have the prospect capital to be at the table in different conversations. We’re definitely going to be there and we’re going to do everything we can to help this team. We believe this is a championship caliber team. We will do what we can to help supplement it. We’ve got some time here to work through it.”

  15. So I was at the dentist and thinking about baseball. It will never happen but I was dreaming on a rotation of buehler, urias. Stripling, Ferguson. & santana. We can afford to lose Diaz. Hoping we keep may.

    1. There is a growing speculation that May is not included. May was the stumbling block for FAZ in the original offer. They did (do) not want to part with him. Maybe that is why there are 5 prospects going and no major leaguer. Obviously I have no knowledge, but some of the pundits who do have contacts are speculating. Or maybe they are just like me who think with the reported 5 prospects that the O’s would take Diaz and 4 prospects rather than Diaz, May, and a lottery pick.
      .
      The trade is supposed to be official today so that Machado can get to Milwaukee by tomorrow. Then we will know who all is included. Admittedly, I am continually checking in on the the blogs to see if it is official.
      .
      Dodger players, especially Kenley, are really excited. Jansen wants Britton included in the deal.

      1. I will be surprised if this deal works out that it for Machado only. Really surprised if the Dodgers also don’t get a good relief pitcher, perhaps not from Baltimore. That is, perhaps a three-way deal so not all prospects are from the Dodger fold. They have MLB players to trade.

        I would be pleased to see another MM in a Dodger uniform. Manny Mota being the first. I never took to the Manny Ramirez deal and stated when it happened that it would not end well. A Manny Machado deal, depending on what happens after the season, could indeed be a good one.

  16. I’ve been reading the rumors, Orioles board, and different sites. Diaz has posted a thank you to the Dodgers on his Instagram account and mentions that he’s looking forward to starting his future with the Orioles. Other rumors have 5 prospects going to the Orioles because the Dodgers have 22 guys next year who are rule-5 eligible. AC, do you have that list? Also, they are awaiting clearance on medicals of one of the Dodgers pitchers. Could that be Santana? Seems like Alvarez is going in this deal to me.
    ~
    It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. Count me as a guy who doesn’t love seeing Muncy at 1st Base. I’d rather see him at 2nd and filling in for JT at 3rd if he continues to hit. I’d rather see an outfield of Kemp, Toles, Puig with CT3 and Kike being super-utility guys and defensive substitutes. Toles is just a better ball player than Joc and brings more to the lineup.

    1. Toles over Joc preference ignores stats against righties. Joc’s OPS against righties is second best on the team.

      1. Bum

        Remember this will be Joc’s fourth full year, and most of of those numbers are from what Joc did in the first couple weeks, of June.

        But I don’t think this trade is going to happen, so I think this is just talk, so I don’t think any of the players on this team now, are going anywhere.

  17. Kiley McDaniel is back at fangraphs and chatting:
    `
    Nick: Is the gap between Keibert Ruiz and Will Smith closing?
    Kiley McDaniel: I’d say they’re around the same
    `
    Tacos: Is Diaz a good get for Baltimore?
    Kiley McDaniel: Seems like about what they should’ve hoped for: a near-ready, fringe top 100 hitter with a solid 2nd piece (45 FV I’d guess) and a lottery ticket 3rd piece (40 FV with upside). There has been higher prices paid for rentals, but not amazingly higher.

    1. And Kremer at Tulsa. I am sure there is a Plan B depending whether either pitcher is in the deal.

  18. Biggest beneficiary of Diaz being traded is DJ Peter’s. A future outfield spot is his for the taking. I love his makeup. Easy to root for. Wears 31.

    1. I”d bet the organization rates Peters and Diaz pretty close, hence trading 1 away isn’t the worst thing in the world.

      1. Knowing how much they value power, I would guess they value Peters slightly higher. But this does open it up for DJ.

  19. Steve Phillips now tweeting that the Orioles don’t like something in one of the physicals/medicals and the trade has hit a snag. Seems to fit the Orioles M.O.

  20. I’m not so sure that the Dodgers should pull the offer for a player who could be a big difference maker for them. However, since this is part of a persistent pattern established over the years be the Orioles, then it is perhaps a matter that has to looked into by MLB. The Orioles need to pay a price for this pattern of behavior, and the Dodgers need not be penalized by losing the player.

  21. Steve Phillips was just on am570. He basically said 1 or more of our prospects didn’t pass Baltimore’s ridiculous medical tests, and they’ll either get re tested or perhaps a new prospect or 2 get thrown in. Also mentioned how Balit is a pain in the butt to deal with in general.

    He said Manny will get dealt, but does this mean Balt re opens the door for others to jump in

    1. I don’t buy that Steve Phillips knows what’s going on with this specific trade. I do think he’s had experience dealing with Baltimore’s mess of a front office in the past and he’s jumping to some conclusions.

      1. Phillips has known Dan Duquette and Joe McIlvaine in the Orioles front office for a long time…

  22. The Dodgers and Orioles had a deal. If there is a snag, and it’s not legit, the Dodgers will likely file a complaint with the Commissioner. That would be extraordinary, but Baltimore is run by a scum bag and that scum runs down on everyone.

  23. Sounds like this will be resolved soon. A lesser prospect might have to be swapped out. Diaz is centerpiece with anywhere from 2-4 more players headed east. Have to think it will be finished in time for fridays games. Machado better mash. Mashado?

  24. From OKC’s Twitter feed:
    `
    Let’s get this out of the way:
    `
    No Alex Verdugo in OKC lineup tonight, but I’m told he’s not involved in possible Machado trade. He played both games of yesterday’s doubleheader.

    1. I’m going to have jump on the verdugo hype train if he makes it through the deadline. We better have a starting job for him year. I’m not ruling out cc for him.

  25. Latest update is that the “concern” is over one of the secondary pieces not Diaz.

  26. It is funny to read comments from Balt fans on MLB TradeRumors and defending the organization for not trading for damaged goods. This is from an organization that signed Yovani Gallardo. This year they signed Alex Cobb who has been injured most of his career, as has Andrew Cashner. This is from an organization that did not mind sending an injured Eric Bedard to the M’s for what was probably the best trade they ever made (at least in the Angelos era). One of the players they got back in the trade was Chris Tillman who is not the epitome of health. This is from an organization that is so knowledgeable that in the 24+ years that Angelos has owned the O’s they have won the division 2 times. They have been to the playoffs 5 times in those 24 years. From 1998 to 2011 they were under .500. This is from an organization that signed Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo to ridiculous contracts.
    .
    My guess is that the O’s wanted a player that the Dodgers did not want to include, and now that it has been leaked about Manny going to the Dodgers (and all of the ASG hype) they figured they could make an end around for that player figuring FAZ would fold. If the physicals are for a pitcher on the DL (Dennis Santana?), what do they expect? What pitcher does not have some type of strain somewhere? Not every pitcher is Max Scherzer. Do you pass on a position player because of a hammy?
    .
    The Dodgers have no problem signing players with injury concerns. Sometimes they work out (Walker Buehler/Caleb Ferguson), sometimes they do not (Brandon Beachy). I am very hopeful that Jesen Therrien comes through next year. It could be argued that Maeda was a health risk. He is certainly better than any of the current O’s pitchers. Their two best pitchers Gausman (112.1 IP, 4.33 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 97K), and Bundy (103.1 IP, 4.35 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 113 K) are not at the level of Maeda (86.2 IP, 3.12 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 108 K).
    .
    2 of the 4 top O’s pitching prospects are Hunter Harvey and Brenan Hanifee. I do not remember the last time Harvey was ever healthy. And Hanifee had a bad back when he was drafted. And yet maybe they will eventually work out. Sometimes you have to take a chance, or you end up on the bottom of the division far more often than you contend.

    1. Well, I hope baltimore enjoys kremer, because he’s the best pitching prospect they got from us. Not as gloat but a boast. I wish him well. The others too. I’d be worried if we didnt give up anything of value.

  27. Mark’s boy, Bowden, (wink wink) now tweeting that medicals are no longer an issue and the deal will get done soon.
    ~
    Hader will now where Hater in his jersey as part of his sensitivity training.

    1. I have been told told that while Andrew Friedman’s personna is of a schoolboy, he can be a deadly killer at the negioation table. I would expect that he unleashed the gates of Hades upon Baltimore’s FO.

  28. Machado figured something out at the plate this season. 45/51 bb/k. That’s turner-esque. Have to think justin will be relieved to have some pressure taken off him.

  29. After a small medical holdup involving one of the prospects coming back, the Dodgers are set to acquire All-Star shortstop Manny Machado from the Orioles. Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the deal “will happen”, and that an agreement “has been made”, citing an industry source. Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports confirms the news, adding that the teams have gotten past the “brief medical blip”.

    More to come…

  30. Bannon not in tonight’s lineup. I’m guessing Diaz. Alvarez & three marginal guys. Bannon’s a touch above that.

  31. Latest “rumor” is Yusniel Diaz, Yadier Alvarez, Ryan Bannon, Errol Robinson are in this deal

    1. I think we have our five. Pretty fair deal if you ask me. Losing Diaz hurts but outfielders might be the easiest position to replace. Alvarez regressed. Bannon smarts but the other two are reasonable. Baltimore can feel they got a groupon haul and we add a superstar for another ws run. Had to be done.

      1. Good guess, but:
        .
        Orioles getting Diaz, Kramer, Bannon, Pop, Valera, source tells The Athletic.
        .
        No way the Dodgers would give up Alvarez and Diaz.

        1. Strong deal for Dodgers!
          .
          As per the great Passan:
          In back-to-back years, the Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt for the biggest name on the trade market. In a National League as wide open as any in recent memory, Dodgers are using a deep farm system to make a play for back-to-back NL pennants. Now they need a bullpen arm or two.

          1. Diaz is the only top-100 type. Kremer could be a dude. Bannon undersized 3B crushing in Cal League. Pop is a reliever, Valera 26-year-old in AAA.

          2. Longenhagen:
            Yusniel Diaz: Think he’s a good everyday corner OF. All fields contact, more raw pop than has played in games so far, 5 run, 55 raw, chance for plus hit.
            .
            Dean Kremer: 92-95, t97, 5 curveball, fringe slider and change. Backend starter with relief floor.
            .
            Rosenthal:
            When assessing #Orioles’ return for Machado, remember that #Dodgers only are acquiring him for 66 games (plus potential postseason). Diaz, 21, was batting .314 with a .905 OPS at Double A. Rival exec: “Super talented, good player, a legit guy to get back for a rental.”

          3. More:
            .
            Rylan Bannon: Going nuts in Cal League this year. Big leg kick, low hand load guy who can lift the ball. Vulnerable up in the zone. Bench bat/utility type.
            .
            Zach Pop; 92-96 Low-slot righty with sink. Frisbee slider tough on RHH, violence, multiple injuries in 2017, relief-only.

        2. This is a good not great return. Zach Pop was quickly becoming a favorite of mine, but he has not yet pitched at AA. Marshall Kasowski now figures to move quickly. Bannon may hurt as well, but is he really any different than Matt Beaty who did the same at AA last year? Kremer may be something, maybe not. He had a great AA debut, but he was a reliever before this year. Valera? He is no better than more than a couple of utility players. Baltimore got players better than they have in their organization. I soprano them Diaz, Pop, Bannon, Kremer, Valera.
          .
          The best part of the deal…no Dustin at and no Gavin Lux.

  32. Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that Machado has been informed of the deal. It’s officially official kids!!

    1. Dammit. Upset about kremer. Shows how much we all know!
      *
      Hey Mark–you were right about not trading verdugo. You win again!

      1. No Verdugo, no White, no May, no Lux. And now LAD has a middle of the order bat. We will worry about next…next year. Now what is the next move. It looks like FAZ is all in.

        1. And no more excuses about missing Seager. Next stop reliever central. Let’s add 2-3 guys.

  33. Pretty solid deal. We traded one top ten prospect, two helium types, a reliever. And a utility infielder. Overall I say favorable to us but if Bannon and kremer develop. Who knows
    I like kremers story and bannon’s lack of hype.

    1. Hetes a partial list of all the players we still have in the system:
      Verdugo
      Smith
      Ruiz
      Peter’s
      Heredia
      Santana
      Kendall
      Wong
      Rios
      Vargas
      Cartaya
      .
      Ferguson
      Santana
      White
      Alvarez
      May
      Jiminez
      Gonsolin
      Sheffield
      Kasowski

  34. I agree, AC, FAZ is all in this year. They still have a bunch of bullets left in the chamber to make some deals for the bullpen in the next couple of weeks. How they only gave up Diaz and not the other guys you all were really high on just reinforces that Freidman and Zaida are the real deal, and they do their homework making these deals. They want to WIN the damn thing this year. I don’t think we are done by any means as far as trade deadline goes. Manny is just one thing they checked off the shopping list. Just like Darvish last year, they supply Roberts with the best guys they can get, and that’s all they can do. It’s up to the player to perform. Some can (Hill, Woods), some can’t (Riddick, Darvish). Tell you what, I sure am glad these guys are in our front office. Dodgers are in good hands. Bring on the second half!!

  35. Regarding kremer. There was a time I was upset over trading chuck tiffany. This too shall pass.

  36. Kudos to the draft and player development departments for helping this trade happen. This is an organizational win, regardless of what happens next.

  37. If you look at the trade through this prism:
    `
    Yusniel Diaz: Signed for ~$30M out of Cuba
    `
    Zach Pop: 7th-round pick, 2017
    `
    Rylan Bannon: 8th round, 2017
    `
    Dean Kremer: 14th round, 2016
    `
    Breyvic Valera: Acquired for Johan Mieses, who two scouts believe won’t be a big leaguer
    `
    You can make the case that a combination of the Dodgers financial well-being (having excess money to spend internationally) and the Dodgers players development enabled them to procure Machado without giving up or really depleting the system.

  38. I mean, all we got was one of the best players in baseball, I need no Kleenex

  39. When you trade players, especially when they are young, you really never know how they will develop. On August 1, 2016, the Dodgers trade Yordan Alvarez for Josh Fields. He was 19 years old and not highly regarded. Now, at 21 he is highly regarded and is Houstons’ #3 Prospect. Of course, he has not made the Big Team, so the jury is out, but he looks pretty good right about now.

    It’s a crapshoot. Pop and Bannon could be solid. Diaz could be very good. Kremer has a shot and Valera was just organizational depth. I’m all in and so is FAZ!

  40. I think there will be more moves… soon.

    Puig, Pederson and Toles are all in the mix, but CT3 could be as well. Two of those players could be traded and the Dodgers would not miss a beat!

    Would Miami trade Bear Claw and Conley for a package of Puig (he would sell tickets, put BIS and help profits), Alvarez, Sheffield, Toles and Baez?

    1. You want to trade more for 2 relievers than you just did for Machado?
      .
      Thank god you are only running a blog.
      .
      Puig is going to get very expensive soon, MIami won’t like that.

      1. The relivers are controllable for years – Machado is not. That’s the difference!

    2. In the LA Times, McCullough mentioned Puig, and that surprised me, with all the other outfielders that McCullough could mention.

  41. DODGERS ACQUIRE MANNY MACHADO

    LOS ANGELES
    – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired four-time All-Star shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Rylan Bannon, Yusniel Díaz, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop and Breyvic Valera.

    Machado, 26, was the starting shortstop for the American League All-Star team after batting .315 with 21 doubles, 24 home runs and 65 RBI in 96 games this year for the Orioles. The Florida native ranked among the American League leaders in batting average (6th), hits (115, T-5th), home runs (6th), RBI (T-4th), on-base percentage (.387, 9th), slugging percentage (.575, 5th) and OPS (.963, 5th).

    A two-time Gold Glove winner at third base, including taking home the 2013 AL Platinum Glove Award as the league’s top defender, Machado has a .283 career batting average with 162 home runs and 471 RBI in 860 games over his seven big league seasons with the Orioles. He has a .311 career batting average with runners in scoring position and has hit .333 with the bases loaded, including eight grand slams. Since his first full season in 2013, Machado ranks among the AL’s best in hits (927, 5th), extra-base hits (351, 6th), doubles (189, T-2nd), home runs (155, T-7th) and slugging percentage (.489, 14th).

    Machado was originally selected by the Orioles in the first round (third overall) of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

    Bannon, 22, has slashed .296/.402/.559 with 17 doubles, six triples, 20 home runs and 61 RBI in 89 games with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this season en route to the California League All-Star selection.

    Díaz, 21, participated in this year’s Future’s Game after hitting .314 with six homers and 30 RBI in 59 games with Double-A Tulsa.

    Kremer, 22, has gone 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA (29 ER/86.0 IP) in 17 combined starts this season with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa.

    Pop, 21, is 1-2 with seven saves and has posted a 1.04 ERA (5 ER/43.1 IP) in 30 combined games with Single-A Great Lakes and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this year.

    Valera, 26, appeared in 20 games with the Dodgers this season batting .172 (5-for-29) with four runs and four RBI, while spending majority of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, slashing .284/.350/.433 with eight doubles, two triples, six home runs and 25 RBI in 56 games.

  42. It’s fun listening to the different takes from major leaguers and former major leaguers vs pundits and fans. I watched JT’s and Wood’s reaction, and read Kenley’s reaction. Then listened to Preston Wilson and Harold Reynolds. All they care about is the top 25 and winning now. Most of those guys don’t even know any of the players going in the trade. “How do they help us win this year? That is the Major Leaguer’s attitude. Why not, their careers are short compared to the organization.
    .
    Fans and front offices do care more about the overall sustainability and know who these players are. Five decent to good to potentially very good prospects helps the O’s who had a poor minor league system, but the Dodgers have replacements already in line. And now they have Manny Machado, easily one of top five players in MLB.

  43. 1) It seems we really prioritized Lux and May. Now I’m really looking forward to the rest of their seasons, and especially Lux moving up to Tulsa

    2) Surprised we didn’t have to trade either of our highly touted catching prospects and does that mean one of them is available for the right price

  44. Valera was on the 40 man, so there are no overall roster changes needed. But there will need to be a 25 man change. It could be that the FO is working around the clock to move Forsythe for the proverbial cash or PTBNL before Friday’s game.

    1. Is it possible to keep Forsythe as an if supersub and make keekay the of supersub? Utley remains a ph and last man on bench. Obviously. Toles suffers here and puig’s return could trigger another round of moves. I dont think Forsythe is useless. Unless farmer could do his job . . .

      1. Obviously I have no idea what kind of thoughts go into these decisions. I was adamant that FAZ would never trade for Machado. Kike’ is a supersub for both IF and OF. Muncy can play 2nd, 3rd, and 1st. Forsythe really is not needed, but FAZ may see things differently. If one of the OFs is moved for a reliever, then Logan is suddenly needed to be the infield sub as you suggest. FAZ now has 2 weeks to acquire a reliever (or two). It might be nice to get one (or two) sooner rather than later as their schedule after the ASB gets a little dicey. They play 17 games without a day off, and against all potential playoff teams.
        .
        7 against the Brewers
        3 against the Phillies
        4 against the Braves
        3 against the Astros
        .
        After the day off:
        2 against Oakland
        4 against Colorado
        3 against SF
        .
        Another day off:
        3 against Seattle
        3 against Cardinals
        .
        That’s 32 games in 34 days against 9 playoff potential teams. It sure would be nice to get some high leverage help for Jansen.

  45. This is quite a commitment from the front office to win now. He is certainly a great player and a right handed hitter to boot. I think they give the orioles a really good return. Díaz seems to be playing at his highest level, Kremer I think is underrated and has pitched in big games, Bannon awesome year, pop don’t know but AC has been high on him, Valera bench depth. I’m sure the competition was high and if you are going to get a great player you got to give good ones back. I’m happy he is a dodger, unlike the Dodgers the orioles will probably rush Diaz and he could flame out. The Dodgers could make trades to pick up a prospect or 2, the international money from the reds could help them get another outfielder. I expect the brain trust is working on sending some salary somewhere. If turner could get back to being Turner we could have an awesome offense.

  46. The Dodgers calendar is very difficult after the break: Brewers, Philips, Braves, Brewers, Houston, Oklan

  47. Still going to go on record that with the Machado trade, FAZ is signaling that they are all in for this year, DO NOT underestimate FAZ and their ability to make chicken salad out of chicken sh&%%t. They are not done. Unfortunately the next couple of moves might be the existing guys on the roster to upgrade the bullpen in a big way. Some of my favorite players might be on the move, but as Uncle Ned says, some of the best trades are ones that sting both sides. I can handle that.

    1. Diaz was #4, Kremer and Bannon late 20s (27 & 29?). Pop not in. I guess that shows you the disparity in the minor league systems. I hope all four make it, and do well. But I really hope Manny (and a reliever or 2) bring a parade to downtown LA this fall.
      .
      Edwin Uceta, a pitcher at Great Lakes I wrote a little about earlier is now #21 for LAD. Omar Estevez is back in the top 30 at #29, and Cody Thomas breaks is at #30.

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