Hurry Up… and Wait!

In case you have forgotten, here are the three starting pitchers rumored to be on the Dodger’s radar:

Yu Darvish

Last 14 Days: 7.36 ERA/1.148 WHIP
Last 28 Days: 7.20 ERA/1.467 WHIP
This year: 4.01 ERA/1.168 WHIP

Sonny Gray

Last 14 Days: 0.98 ERA/1.036 WHIP
Last 28 Days: 1.39 ERA/0.835 WHIP
This year: 3.43 ERA/1.175 WHIP

Justin Verlander
Last 14 Days: 3.26 ERA/1.034 WHIP
Last 28 Days: 4.60 ERA/1.432 WHIP
This year: 4.50 ERA/1.444 WHIP

When I look at the ages, innings and current records, I cannot see the Dodgers trading for Darvish or Verlander. Then there is Lance Lynn (a local boy who played right down the road from me – literally about 5 miles away).  Lynn would cost the least in terms of prospects, but he is coming off Tommy John Surgery and already has 120 innings.  How many will he be able to pitch?  Here’s his recent splits:

Last 14 Days: 0.98 ERA/0.927 WHIP
Last 28 Days: 1.17 ERA/0.913 WHIP
This year: 3.21 ERA/1.102 WHIP

Of the pitchers mentioned above, I would take Lance Lynn over Sonny Gray… if I thought he could pitch 200 innings.  Maybe he does a 15 day DL stint in August?  In 11 of his 21 starts, he has pitched 6 or more innings.  He’s a bulldog – that’s for sure.  I am not sure what the Cardinals would want, but like everyone else, they would ask for Buehler… and not get him!  Alvarez, Diaz and Farmer?  Not sure that would be what they want…

So, we just hurry up and wait.  I do know this:  If the Dodgers were to trade for another starter, they could be in a position to trade Maeda, McCarthy or Ryu – maybe even two of them.  It could be a 3-way deal – you never know with this bunch…

On one hand, we have the best record in baseball and and team chemistry is unbelievable.  On the other hand, this is the best team the Dodgers have had in 30 years.  Any trade made could impact the team adversely and getting a big name pitcher at the trade deadline is seldom the recipe for success.  So…. we wait!

This article has 70 Comments

  1. I hope the Darvish rumors are just rumors at this point. Something isn’t right, 7.20 ERA over the last 28 days!! That sucks. I’d take Gray or Lynn. I prefer Gray because of the extra two years of control.
    .
    You are right, Gray would allow us to trade some other starters. I believe McCarthy and Ryu will be gone by next spring, because of the luxury tax problem. I also think both pitchers and Maeda have some pretty good trade value. Although I agree with AlwaysCompete, not Clint Frazier value.

  2. Lance Lynn is just too big of a health risk. The whole idea is to get a pitcher for the playoffs. The most prudent approach for pitchers the year after TJ surgery is 180 IP. HE is a workhorse, so with 11 or 12 starts left, he would be done before the playoffs. Now maybe he can go 200-210 innings. But if not, he is a rental. The Dodgers need him for the playoffs, not to get to the playoffs.
    .
    Unless they can somehow pull off the Sonny Gray sweepstakes, I would be more inclined to go with what they have. I would prefer a good reliable RHP to slide between Kersh/Wood/Hill, but if it has to be McCarthy or Maeda, okay that is what it is. Just get the deep bullpen.

  3. Let’s replace and add from within. It’s not like we have a slim lead or are trying to catch anyone. We have the luxury of being patient and waiting for Kershaw and MacCarthy to get back. The power of DEPTH.

  4. Last 30 years? I believe this is the best Dodger team ever! Not because the 8 everyday players are better, but Faz has changed the model. Instead of 8 everyday players playing their positions everyday through slumps and injury we have a major league roster full of high quality pieces, many of which can be used in different positions. We have NEVER had this kind of depth and quality.

    I love the type of players that Faz targets. They are above average defensively, run well and are good clubhouse guys. Offensively they collect guys with high on base percentages because they are patient and have good eyes. I love it when our guys get into an 0-2 count. Seems like every time they will take or foul off pitches until the count goes full and they force the pitcher to throw them something to hit or take their walk. There is a reason that the Dodgers have the lowest chase rate in the league.

    1951 the Dodgers had a 13 1/2 game lead in mid August and lost it. So don’t count your chickens too soon. But I believe the depth we have will help to prevent any prolonged slumps.

    I’d like to say hi to the many old friends who still post here. I read everyday but I still work full time so I don’t have much time and I can’t stand trying to write on my phone.

    And thank you Mark for this place and all your thoughts on the Dodgers.

    This is a great time to be a Dodger fan and I hope we can all enjoy this amazing season and what Faz has built for us.

    1. Careful SpokaneBob, It sounded like you approve of the FAZ Platoon. Some here have said it more resembled F Troop. But we haven’t heard about that lately.
      .
      I also love the type of player FAZ targets. Versatile, hard working, focused, Athletes.

    2. SpokaneBob, couldn’t be happier, blog-wise, to see you re-appear. Glad to see you back and hope that you will be a regular here. Always enjoyed your comments.

    3. Bob

      To be better then those Dodger teams in the 70s, and up to 81, would put this team, into lofty company!

      Because those teams went to the World Series, three or four times.

      Give this team some time!

      But that was actually a little more, then just thirty years ago!

  5. I agree with the above.
    For me it’s Sony Gray or nothing.

    I would rather get the 8th innings LHRP.

  6. Nice to hear from you Bob and I agree with you. You are in my neck of the woods.

    I think it will be Darvish and a relief pitcher. I am not saying I like it. Here are my reasons. FAZ wants to win this year. They want to Keep the farm kids. With a rental he should not have to give up much to get him. They will not sign Darvish for next year. We have kids to fill the starting rotation next year and better pitchers than Darvish. FAZ is think this year, not long term.

    I think we need a LHRP. However FAZ will not give much for one. He does not have to. Beuhler may be brought up soon to fill a bull pen position. We do not have a good LHRP, but we have some very good flame throwers in the pen. Ravin, Morrow, and Baez can all throw close to 100 mph. Fields , Stripling, Stewart, Beuhler and Jansen. I will take my chances with this group. They are all right handed, but still, very god. You do have Avilan, Dayton and Liberatore for left handlers if you feel you need one.

    Just my thoughts. Tear it apart.

  7. Kudos Watford my man…Spot on!!! Now I can kick back with my coffee and a couple Biscoffs and be in peace…

  8. Kershaw, Stewart, Wood, McCarthy, and X with X being one from Ryu, Maeda, Gray.
    .
    Agon might be back in August and might be healthy enough to fix a nose dive a player might take. I hope he isn’t needed but it is comforting to know that he might be available. He probably would take a spot on the 25 from the bullpen.
    .
    I have always liked Gray and as such thought that I might have been wrong after watching him slump last year.
    .
    I have been looking forward to a time when Pederson, Seager, and Bellinger would play together along with three young pre-arb righty hitters. Taylor and Barnes make up two of those righties and I expect Peters might eventually the the third.
    .
    Puig and Grandal are probably gone after 2018 so FAZ has to think about who will replace them. Smith and Peters might take their place on the 25 in 2019.
    .
    I don’t like a lot of player turnover so I don’t want Toles to replace Pederson but if Taylor moves to second next year, so there will be a place for him next year adding a 4th pre-arb lefty bat. Turner, Grandal, and Puig could be the only regulars with a contract next year.
    .
    I would give up one of Toles or Verdugo plus Maeda for Gray. Whatever is added to the trade is way out of my imagination ability. Hopefully Alvarez, Buehler, and Stewart stay Dodgers.

    1. Where is Hill in your first sentence?? An abundance of riches make you forget him or don’t you like him?

      1. I know you have higher hopes for Joc than I do, but I think it would be a fair trade.

  9. I am wearing my Alex Wood jersey to Seattle today for a weekend wedding. I am going to be without my computer and the wedding is in a remote location with questionable coverage. So I will probably be several hours behind any news. While in Seattle I will see how far I can get with a Segura for Arruebarena trade.

    1. Yes, forget the Wedding, Segura would look very nice in Dodger Blue! Get it Done!!!

  10. Darvish’ s last 5 outings were bad,good, good, good, disaster. He should have been pulled much earlier in the disaster. He’s been my choice but what concerns me is whether or not he’s running out of gas. He’s at 22 starts which is the most since 2014. A bullpen arm or two could come from Texas too.

    Gray would be nice but for those who pooped themselves over dealing Cotton, Holmes, and Montas. Gray will cost much more.

    Verlander equals short term upgrade that may equal dope fiend move.

    Dave V is reporting that the Dodgers have zero interest in JV. Only interested in Darvish and Gray.

    1. Excellent Article! Which one of you message board executives has been playing connect the dots? I know MJ, anybody else leaking to the press?

    2. I find it funny that people keep saying that this front office won’t trade for a rental when they traded for two last year.

      1. I think they had a pretty good idea Hill could be resigned. Hill may have his warts, but he has potential #1 stuff and at $16M per season for only three years, he becomes very FAZesque.

        1. Holmes, Montas, Cotton. Looks good now but all three were well regarded last year and the Dodgers had no idea they were going to give Hill a 3yr deal when they traded for him.

          1. Hawkeye

            I agree with that, because I wasn’t so sure, about the deal, for a good while.

            I was just thinking in general.

  11. Spokane, you’re right. The lesson of 1951 teaches us not to “count your chickens too soon.” But at least it wasn’t so much a Dodgers collapse as it was the Giants finishing with a 37-7 run. Worse was the 1964 Phillies collapse, who blew a 6.5 game lead with 12 to play.

    http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/philadelphia-phillies-collapse-of-1964-still-stings-50-years-later-092414

    So while none of that is likely to happen this year, it’s still true that it ain’t over until it’s over.

    LIke I mentioned at the very end of the last thread, I wouldn’t get too excited with a Lance Lynn deal, cheaper as it might be. He’s already surrendered 21 HRs this year in those 120 innings, and his GO:AO ratio indicates a fly ball pitcher; and not one with an overpowering fastball that gets lots of popups and weak fly balls. He would be a decent back-end rotation guy at the beginning of a season, but not a piece I’m trying to acquire to pitch big games in the postseason. Gray/Darvish are more that guy, with some questions regarding Darvish that I trust that FAZ has a good read on.

    Regarding a lefthanded reliever, I wonder if the Pirates have fallen behind far enough, with maybe more to come before the trade deadline, to maybe consider trading Felipe Rivero, and perhaps McCutchen.

    And of course, there are dangers in trading prospects when you consider that the Nationals traded Rivero to the Pirates last year in order to acquire Mark Melancon. Which doesn’t mean I’m saying that the Dodgers shouldn’t trade prospects, since having the ability to trade prospects is one of the reasons for building a deep farm system. In that area I simply fall back on my confidence that FAZ knows what they are doing.

    1. it comes down to: would you rather start McCarthy in Game 4, or Lance Lynn? I say Mac for 3, Ryu for 2, Maeda for 2, and Kenley and his group to close it out.

      Frankly, Lance Lynn isn’t needed on this team. If a deal is to be made, it needs to be for a guy who starts game 2 or game 3, or a stud left handed pitcher in the pen

      1. I think Gray brings more excitement, because he can pitch like a number one, at times.

        Gray has also pitched in a big game in the post season, and we would have him, for that extra year.

        Lynn is more Meh, to me, sorry Mark, but not a bad idea!

        1. It will be Darvish or Gray. They are trading for a mid rotation guy this year.

  12. New to this site and glad I found it! Great read by the way. Question: I live abroad and used to listen to Dodger Talk over Google Play but not since 6/20/17. Everywhere I look online seems to have stopped updating episodes. Does anyone know of an alternative way of listening to Dodger Talk? I need to keep up with the boys!

    1. Don’t know how to “listen” to Dodger Talk, Papa, but if you want to keep up with the boys, you can do that right here! Welcome Aboard!

  13. Papagerorgio, Rusty from Las Vegas Vacation. Great Name. Any takers on Edwin Santana for a RH Starter to plug into the rotation? I am afraid of Darvish now. I also like Gray but all I hear is the Yanks for him.

  14. This weekend series will have a playoff atmosphere. The giants lead the season series and I don’t expect the games will be blowouts. I do expect that the team will go all out to sweep the dreaded ones. Bumgarner wont pitch so Puig can rest easy.

  15. Heyman on the Dodgers:

    The Dodgers’ preferred pitching target remains Yu Darvish, according to sources — though word is they aren’t likely to surrender their very top prospects in any deal.

    Sonny Gray appears to be more of a fallback candidate for L.A., according to people with ties to the Dodgers.

    Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi was recently quoted saying he couldn’t see parting with their top hitting prospect Alex Verdugo. Though nothing was said about top pitching prospect Walker Buehler, the same could hold true for him.

    https://www.fanragsports.com/news/heyman-dodgers-prefer-darvish-price-prohibitive/

    1. Here’s my question:

      Puig, Pederson, Verdugo, Thompson, Toles, Taylor, maybe even Calhoun (in LF).

      That’s a lot of players needing playing time.

      If Verdugo is indeed untradeable, is it possible Toles and Calhoun are shit outta luck?

      Would be a shame.

      1. Throw in Diaz and Kendall. To me that makes Buehler and maybe Ruiz the only untradeables.

        1. Unless you know something extraordinary it seems it bit early to throw in the towel on Kendall. Also, I believe, 1st year drafts still are not able to be traded.

          1. Not throwing in the towel just listing outfield depth. Kendall can’t be traded this year.

  16. The main thing Heyman has going for him is that he picked the Dodgers to win it all this year!

  17. Nick Papagorgio (from Yuma). Download the iheartradio app. You can listen to pre game and post game Dodger talk that way as well.

  18. DODGERS ACQUIRE LUKE FARRELL FROM ROYALS

    LOS ANGELES
    – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired right-handed pitcher Luke Farrell from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations.

    Farrell, 26, appeared in 17 games (16 starts) with Kansas City’s Triple-A Omaha this season going 7-4 with a 4.07 ERA (44 ER/97.1 IP) and holding batters to a .245 average, while striking out 94 batters against 33 walks. He also made his Major League debut this season after the Royals selected his contract on July 1 and made his first career start in the first game of a doubleheader against the Twins on that day. Farrell allowed five runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings with two strikeouts against Minnesota and did not factor in the decision in the Royals 11-6 victory.

    The Westlake, Ohio native has posted a 24-26 record with a 4.27 ERA and has collected three saves in 99 career games (80 starts) over five professional seasons with the Royals organization. He has struck out 448 batters against 175 walks, while limiting hitters to a .259 average. Farrell, who was designated for assignment on July 24, was originally drafted by the Royals in the sixth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Northwestern University. Farrell is the son of current Red Sox manager, John Farrell.

    In order to create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred left-handed pitcher Adam Liberatore to the 60-day disabled list (left elbow strain).

    PRINT THE TICKETS!

      1. Well, I am certainly capable. But I do not see where.

        Is it Sunny Grey?

          1. OK, I’m slow.

            If you want to make me laugh on Friday, tell me a joke on Wednesday.

  19. DODGERS RECALL KYLE FARMER

    LOS ANGELES
    – The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer (#65) from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed left-handed pitcher Grant Dayton on the 10-day disabled list with neck stiffness.

    Farmer, 26, will make his first career appearance on a Major League roster after posting a combined .339 batting average with 46 runs, 20 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 47 RBI in 81 games with Triple-A OKC and Double-A Tulsa this season. Since being promoted to Oklahoma City on May 23, he has hit .316 with 25 runs, 13 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 29 RBI in 48 games. The Atlanta, Georgia, native caught 49 combined games (46 starts) this season, while also seeing time at shortstop (two games), second base (four games), third base (25 games) and first base (two games).

    Farmer, who was selected out of the University of Georgia in the eighth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft by Los Angeles, has posted a .298 average with 209 runs, 118 doubles, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 234 RBI in 413 career games over five minor league seasons with the Dodgers organization. He was added to the clubs 40-man roster on November 18, 2016.

    In 29 relief appearances this season, Dayton has gone 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA (13 ER/23.2 IP) and has held hitters to a .221 average, while striking out 20 against 12 walks.

  20. This is the series I want Dodgers to sweep up to date so far. It’s far from the most important by most standards but not to me. Where has Bobbie17 been? Oops! There you are! So those Giants fans up there don’t like seeing you much these days I bet. Eh?

    1. The Dodgers come from behind to win just as often as the Giants blow leads and lose.

    1. Morrow has been extremely impressive that last week or two. I’ve never seen Buster Posey look defeated like he did after strike two. Then Kenley comes in with his A game tonight. Morrow appears to be getting stronger with each outing. I remember Dave saying in ST they thought there was more there and he was right.

      1. I noticed Posey’s reaction too. He got a 100mph fastball for a first pitch strike. Then he saw a 89mph slider for a called strike two. That’s when he had that look on his face.
        .
        Here are the possibilities for what he was thinking:
        .
        A: “100mph fastball and a 89mph slider with late movement – that is SICK.”
        B: “we had a chance to get this guy Morrow, why didn’t our FO sign him – we definitely have the need.”
        C: “I guess there’s a good reason these guys are undefeated after taking a late lead…”

  21. Just hit me after a couple of friday night cocktails,,, I don’t care how many games the Giants are out of first place, I will never get tired of beating their ass. What a game tonight, this is a dangerous team, there is no THE MAN guy, which will create matchup nightmare for other teams in the play-offs. The regulars are good to go, if we can secure a #2 or 3 starter and a LOCKDOWN lefty 8th inning reliever, we are there. Which by way, Morrow is just flat out Bad Ass tonight, Not bad for a scrap heap pickup.

  22. I have an obnoxious son in law who’s a life long Giant fan. My daughter is working on my grandson’s Dodger heritage! I agree there is nothing better than to crush the spirit out of the Giants. In our house they are known as the Vagiants! I’m dying to know what the front office is going to do!?

Comments are closed.