Is That BOLD Enough?

Posted By on February 5, 2020

I was in the middle of a meeting with our outside CPA’s discussing tax strategies last night when a colleague busted in and told me the Dodgers just traded for Mookie and Price.  That is all he knew at the time.  Unsure who went in the deal.  He just knew that I wanted the Dodgers to get Mookie.  My meeting broke up shortly thereafter and I went back to my office to get all the info I could.  I then got a call from Mark who left a message that he was headed for Chicago and asked me if I could get something for today.  So here goes.

When I said the Dodgers should go bold for 2020, I was actually hoping for Gerrit Cole.  He was the one single FA I thought could change the complexion and dynamic of the 2020 Dodgers.  When NYY got him to sign, I was upset, but I understand childhood dreams, especially those tied to $324MM.  Time to move on.  Lindor was a suggested target, but AF ended the phone call when Gavin Lux was asked in return. 

Once Red Sox owner, John Henry, stated that he wanted the BoSox to get below the CBT threshold, Mookie Betts was immediately in play, and I thought that the Dodgers should make a play for him.  This could be a GO BOLD moment.  On January 6, 2020 in my “The Mookie and Price Dilemma” column, after reminiscing the Punto trade, I wrote…” Fast forward to 2020.  The Dodgers have a chance to get Mookie Betts, but one of the provisions is reportedly that they need to also acquire David Price, and his three years of a bloated contract.  The ownership is again facing a dilemma where their choice is to perhaps stay status quo (a strategy that has not yet worked), or go bold and pick up one year of Betts and bring along Price as part of the acquisition.  This time the financial obligation is a lot less (almost half).  The Dodgers ownership were not shy of walking away from still large remaining contract amounts by DFA Carl Crawford with 1.5 years remaining, and in essence paying for most of AGon’s final year salary with the cash considerations going to Atlanta where he was released per his request for agreeing to the trade.

“AF knows Price, and I believe he would thrive in an environment he felt more comfortable, and maybe LA (with AF) is that place.  We know he does not like Boston.”

Many Dodger fans never believed that AF would do what needed to be done to acquire Betts.  You could go anywhere in the blogosphere and read ad nauseum where AF would never make such a trade.  He only acquires players like Muncy or CT3 and hopes they turn out.  They choose to forget that AF traded for Rich Hill, Yu Darvish, and Manny Machado.  But the naysayers always come back with “yeah, but Yu Darvish was not Justin Verlander”.  But Darvish considered the best option of available starting pitchers at the time.  My memory is not what it used to be, but as I recall it was Hawkeye who mentioned early on in 2017 that he believed the Dodgers should/could/would be on Darvish at the trade deadline.  Now it did not turn out well in the end, and Verlander has resurrected his career.  NOBODY expected Verlander to ramp it up to win the CY at 36.  But he did.

Now AF has once again shocked many by making THE TRADE with Boston part deaux.  Does the acquisition of Betts and Price make the Dodgers WS Champs?  Who can say until the last out of the WS is in the books?  But I like their odds more today than yesterday.  Betts is arguably one of the five best MLB players in the game today.  He has a big RH bat that hits LHP and RHP equally.  He is an AL MVP, 4 X AS, 4 X GG, 3 X SS, and a former Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year.  And has done this all before his 27th birthday.  His clutch hitting is outstanding:

Career RISP – .332/.431/.551/.982

Career RISP w/2 outs – .322/.451/.550/1.001

Career High Leverage – .313/.388/.538/.926

His bWAR numbers:

2015 – 5.9

2016 – 9.7

2017 – 6.4

2018 – 10.9

2019 – 6.8

There is absolutely nothing to dislike about the trade for Mookie Betts.  He makes the Dodgers better for 2020.  I do not believe that AF works in a vacuum and is very cognizant as to what is expected if he wants to re-sign Mookie after the year.  We continue to hear how AF will never trade for a star, and yet he has on multiple occasions, but always on his terms.  If the opposing team did not meet his terms he walked away.  Good for him.  The one time he was willing to get away from truly overpaying was last year for Felipe Vazquez when he was willing to trade Keibert Ruiz.  Thankfully that worked out well for AF as well, when after thinking about his debacle of a trade of Gerrit Cole to Houston and his trade with Tampa Bay for Chris Archer, Neal Huntington said no because he wanted a HR with Gavin Lux.  I believe AF will next end another myth that he will not sign a FA for multiple $100MM and 7+ year contracts.  He shot it down with his Cole offer, but as we are so often reminded…he did not get it done.  I think Mookie signs a long term deal with LAD and ends his career as a Dodger.  If his career continues as it has started, he is destined for The Hall and he will be inducted wearing a Dodger Blue hat.

Of course many naysayers will call Mookie a cheater.  We (fans) still do not know how Boston cheated.  We know they did, but not how.  It seems unlikely that it was in real time as was the Asterisks cheating, but any cheating is bad for baseball.  Again, AF does not act in a vacuum.  Does anyone really believe that AF has not discussed with Joe Kelly exactly how the Red Sox cheated in 2018?  I believe that AF is fully aware of the extent and nature of the cheating and has concluded in his mind that Mookie’s numbers were not overly-inflated due to cheating.  Maybe naïve, but AF is convinced. And I am convinced that AF will know waaaaaaay more than any of us fans.

I know there are many doubters when it comes to the second piece of the trade; David Taylor Price.  Interestingly (at least for me), Price and Betts are both Tennesseans.  Price was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, while Betts was born in Nashville, Tennessee, a mere 34.4 miles apart.  As it turns out Price went to college in Nashville (Vanderbilt).  Yes LAD has another Vandy pitcher.  AF must like Vandy pitchers as he has drafted four…David Price, Walker Buehler, Phil Pfeiffer, and Jordan Sheffield.  Maybe AF can go back to AA in Atlanta and see if he can get Pfeifer back.  Also interestingly, the Dodgers previously drafted Price in the 19th round of the 2004 draft after high school.  We know he did not sign with LAD, but now he is a Dodger at last.

I know I am in the minority, but I like the Price acquisition.  Older, yes.  But his significant injury last year was due to a cyst on his left wrist that eventually led to surgery.  His numbers last year were not pretty when looking at the year in total.  However, for his first 17 starts, Price pitched to a 3.16 ERA in 88.1 IP.  He pitched into a lot of bad luck when his batting average with balls in play was .336, well over his career numbers.  His K rate was a career best at 10.7 per 9 innings, while his BB rate remained low at 2.7 per 9 innings.  His K/BB ratio was 4.00.  No, he will never resurrect his career as did Justin Verlander and win another CY.  But he sure looks good as a back of the rotation SP and slide into the bullpen come playoffs. Remember it was only two years ago when Price won two of the four Boston WS victories, including 3 hit pitching in 7 innings in the final clinching victory.  Can Rob Hill and Driveline amp him up a bit?  I look forward to seeing what he can do.  Regardless, it has been written that the baseball evaluators consider Price to be a $15MM pitcher now, and that is exactly what the Dodgers are paying. 

Of course, the cost will hurt, but it certainly was not as catastrophic as some surmised it would be.  Alex Verdugo may very well go on and have a sterling career, and I certainly hope he does.  RF and Boston have had a positive history, and hopefully Alex will add to that.  But to get a player at the caliber of Mookie Betts, you are not going to get him with Jeren Kendall and Michael Grove. 

I am ambivalent to the loss of Kenta Maeda.  Admittedly I have never been enamored with Kenta, but he did play well for LAD, and I will always hope he continues to play well and earn his entire contract with the Twins.  But at their best, Price is a better option than Maeda (IMO).

In a separate transaction, but one that would not have happened had the Betts/Price trade not been consummated, Joc Pederson is traded to LAA for utility infielder Luis Rengifo.  This is a AF and Farhan Zaidi specialty.  Why so many middle infielders?  Because they can play all over.  Kike’ Hernandez is one year away from FA and CT3 is 2 years.  It sure looks like Rengifo will slide right in.  Luis has two options remaining, so it seems just perfect that he is now a Dodger while Kike’ and CT3 march toward FA.  He will start out at OKC, but I expect he will be up and down during the year.  He will be 23.  When I spoke to an agent friend last night who knew how much I liked Mauricio Dubron, who SFG got from Milwaukee for Drew Pomeranz last deadline, he opined that Rengifo is a switch hitting version of Dubron, and someone I will like very much.  So I will go with my agent friend and Jayne Cobb and look at the acquisition of Rengifo as a positive, and not as an attempt to dump salary as many are projecting. 

Joc is a fan favorite, and will be missed not only by his fans, but also by his teammates, who loved him.  While never my favorite, Joc will always be a Dodger in my heart, and I will wish him well.  After all we now know, in my mind, Joc is truly the 2017 WS MVP.  I am guessing that AF is comfortable with Matt Beaty, Edwin Rios, and Zach McKinstry as LHH options for LF. 

Andy Pages is also heading to LAA and as of this writing, an unknown prospect coming to LAD from the Angels. Pages is truly a lottery ticket.  He could be very good, or again not so much.  Baseball America thinks that he will have a non-descript 2020, but as he matures, 2021 will be better.  We will see, and I wish him well.  I have not heard anything about Ross Stripling going to LAA, so I have no comment, other than I hope not. Now if Strip goes, and the prospect coming back is Brandon Marsh, I will get behind it in a big way.  But I do not see that happening.

So while the loss of Alex Verdugo will be felt, I choose to look forward to the positive impact that Mookie Betts and David Price bring.  I will worry about 2021 after the Dodgers win the WS in 2020.

This article has 65 Comments

  1. I wrote this Monday late night:
    Bobby
    February 4, 2020 at 1:04 am
    By the time I get to Staples Center tomorrow evening, I expect Betts to be a Dodger.

    If anyone will be at the Laker game tomorrow night, let’s meet up for a drink!

    I got a phone call that we got Mookie as I was at LA Live at 6:30pm haha. Fantastic deal, and we have full stable of ammo to go get a stud ace in July if need be.

  2. Here’s a crazy thought but it’s just Hope’s but dont get me wrong I am so happy with this trade and I am not being selfish, but does anyone else feel that the dodgers whom they are getting in the joc trade are gonna turn around and trade again that may also include Seager in another big splash trade?? Just wonder?

  3. Excellent article about the trade, written by Andy McCullough, in the Athletic.

    Yes, AC, it was a brilliant trade, orchestrated by Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers. What Dave Roberts said at the winter meetings regarding substantial roster turnover turned out to be correct.

    Although there were multiple variations to the deal being discussed, one involving David Price, that turned out to be the one the Red Sox favored for obvious reasons, thus Minnesota was brought into the deal to make it work. The Joc Pederson trade to the Angels was apparently pending, waiting for the Betts/Price deal to conclude.

    I really liked both Pederson and Alex Verdugo, but I’m not surprised and it’s a great deal for the Dodgers and the fan base. Verdugo was clearly someone the Red Sox liked and keeping Pederson, due to a crowded outfield and a chance to lessen payroll, was simply not an option.

    Reports that Price is healthy and has been throwing bullpens in Florida gives the Dodgers hope that he can be productive. They will obviously manage his workload to keep him fresh for the playoffs.

    What really amazed me is that Friedman was able to keep his top prospects and pull this off, which only enhances his reputation.

    Good column today, AC.

  4. Angels trade is shaping up to be:

    Pederson, Stripling and Pages

    For

    Rengifo and two other prospects.

    Then again, This is a Nightengale report so it could be totally wrong.

  5. AC, your article just gave me a crazy idea. Maybe Friedman signed Joe Kelly in part to get the details on the sign stealing? Kelly is talented, but it was a big contract.

  6. After Friedman got 2 top 100 prospects for Puig etc last year, I’ll trust that he gets some other nice pieces from Anaheim. I”m still stunned we gave up on a 18 year old outfielder in Pages, but then I’m sure Anaheim is giving us some talent in return.

    Meanwhile, Strip gets a chance to start. Joc gets a chance to bat somewhere between Ohtani, Trout, Rendon, Pujols. That’s big time lineup. Good for them as well.

  7. Crap ! Joc and Kenta were my two favorites. I like Price for 15 million and hopefully will warm up to Mookie as long as he doesn’t go MIA in the playoffs. Who pays Kenta’s 1 million trade clause ?

  8. Angels Working To Acquire Joc Pederson
    By Connor Byrne | February 5, 2020 at 10:40am CDT

    TODAY: The deal is expected to send righty Ross Stripling to the Halos and also involves other prospects going to the Dodgers, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). It has yet to be finalized, though, and “a lot of moving parts” remain.

    YESTERDAY, 10:30pm: The Angels will also acquire outfielder Andy Pages, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN reports. The 19-year-old Pages slashed a phenomenal .298/.398/.651 with 19 home runs in 279 plate appearances at the rookie level last season. FanGraphs rated the Dominican Republic native as the Dodgers’ 29th-best prospect last May.

  9. I’m thrilled to have Betts a Dodger and with Boston paying half of Price’s salary the price was right to include him as well.

    Betts and Turner are clutch hitters. When you need a hit they tend to deliver. Having two guys like that is awesome.

    I think Pollock was going to be a problem if he didn’t get the playing time he wanted and with Verdugo and Pederson gone he should get that if he can stay on the field.

    Lefty bats: Cody, Cory, Max, Lux.
    Righty bats: Will, Mookie, Justin, Pollock

    Great marching lineup– left, right, left, right…

    I like Stripling and liked it when he, Pederson, Seager, lived together. Reminded me of when Karros and Piazza lived together. It would be cool if Stripling joined Joc in LAA.

    The Angels will have a good team for 2020. Rendon, Trout, Upton, Ohtani, Pederson are mashers and Pujols is still intimidating. Other than Upton they have good defenders.

    Including Maeda and Pederson in trades and getting Boston to pay half of Price’s contract keeps the Dodgers below the CBT threshold. By making those trades it seems the Dodgers were intent on staying below the CBT and therefore I don’t think they do anything more.

  10. If the Angels are getting a guy who hit 36 homers last year, a pitcher who has made the All Star team and a highly thought of (although very young) prospect, we should be getting some worthwhile prospects in return. Maybe one of them will be Brandon Marsh. We need some outfielder prospects in the system and he looks like he should crack the Top 100 this year.

  11. I have been working on an article involving the Dodger prospects and the state of FARM. But I was always torn away because I did not know which one(s) of the Dodgers’ top 100 MiLB prospects would be moved. And as it turns out…NONE.

    I will miss Dugie and Joc, but I cannot wait to see Mookie and Belli playing next to each other. If Strip is indeed traded, I do hope AF picks up Brandon Marsh or at least Jordyn Adams (preferably Marsh). If Kenta Maeda can bring back a MiLB #53, why cannot Strip bring back a Brandon Marsh who is not a MLB Pipeline top 100 prospect. LAA does not have a lot of high profile prospects outside of Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh, and Jordyn Adams. Other LAA prospects that would be of some interest for me are Jack Kochanowicz (RHP), Kyren Paris (SS), Jahmai Jones (2B) and D’Shawn Knowles (OF).

  12. I have consistently criticized the Dodgers ownership and management for not making the big acquisitions, so I must certainly applaud them for having done so here.

    I’m excited about Betts, and do hope that we can sign him long-term. If not, then the whole thing was a lot to give up for one season of Betts. Sign him for many years, and we have one of the best players in baseball. I hope we go all-out to do so. As for Price, I don’t have too much hope that he will do anything special, but our pitching staff needed another veteran starter, and let’s hope that his arm is okay, and he can at least occasionally come up with a big effort. I was never much in support of us getting Price even when he was having his better years, and there were all these rumors about it. But I suppose it is worth a try,, particularly when it seems that this was the only way we could make the Betts deal, without giving up a top prospect.

    I am a little concerned about what was motivating the Dodgers to give up Pederson and Stripling to the Angels for not much of anything, unless there is some high-end prospect coming to us. It looks like mostly a “stay under the luxury tax” move. The problem is that if this is indeed what it is, we can forget about Kasten telling us that the luxury tax is not an issue for him; and we must calculate every possible Dodgers move in the future in relation to whether it would push us over the luxury tax threshold, in which case we can be pretty sure they will not do it. Pederson and Stripling would have helped us this year, and if we were going to give them up, I think we should have gotten more than we apparently have.

    That matter aside, I will look forward to the next season much more than i would have had we not gotten Betts. We should be more fun to watch with him , and we certainly have a better chance to win the title. For those who are interested in odds, the Dodgers have immediately dropped from about 6.5-1 to 3.5-1 to win the championship after the trade was announced. The Yankees are still the favorite, at about 2.85-1.

    1. Got to agree with you that the Joc trade is a “salary dump.” Joc, Strip and a very good 18 year-old prospect for a middle infielder “swiss army knife” player and a low level OF prospect (what’s rumored in the deal coming back from the Angels) seems a bit heavy. I know trades are supposed to be a win-win for both sides involved, but unless the deal is sweetened quite a bit I tend to give the advantage to the Angels in this deal. Let’s hope AF finds another hidden gem like Josiah Gray

  13. “Salary Dump”, one of my favorite baseball terms. Remember how everyone was screaming about the Puig,Kemp, Wood salary dump last year? We got two guys back that most of us had never heard of.
    “How the hell could Friedman have done that? All they want to do is save money.” Those two guys are now Top 100 prospects.
    We can’t assume that AF just wants to avoid paying the tax. This also sets us up for something big in July. Kasten already said that they expect to pay the tax this year. I don’t think they’re done with the roster yet. Let’s see what it looks like at the end of July.

  14. I am fine with the Boston trade. I know the Pederson trade is not final. However, giving up two major league players and a prospect for 2-3 minor league does not seem like a good deal to me. I will just have to trust AF. AF certainly made a good trade with Cincinatti.

  15. I really like the latest deals. While some fans were getting all panicked, AF showed skill and patience addressing the pressing needs. After last season, I recall the most pressing needs being another starting pitcher, a quality right handed bat and a closer. I’m confident that between the youngsters and Price the starting rotation will be fine. Price’s veteran presence should be a bonus. Bett’s addition takes care of the right handed bat and sets an outfield that was way overcrowded. Good luck to Duggie and Joc but this may provide Garlick and Beaty some AB’s. I would like to see Kike traded for more pitching or prospects. Now Pollock better step it up and earn his money. His opportunity is clear and he no longer has to be platooned. Now the closer part. I hope Treinen is the real deal or one of the youngsters fits the roll. I have absolutely NO confidence in Kenly Jansen. I hope I’m wrong and he regains his stuff with the help of Driveline. But I have no confidence that he can do the job. Remember the problem with him lasted all last season and was magnified in the playoffs as he could not be trusted thus changing completely the use of the pitching staff. I don’t want to see another season of that costs games and leads Doc to do “interesting” things. And speaking of Doc, maybe now we will have a more set lineup and less of his “lineup du jour” approach. Just a hope.
    I applaude AF. This was masterful without giving up the main young prospects.

  16. Heard this morning that RVS has previously worked with Betts. If so, Betts will likely feel a level of comfort starting his Dodger career. Also, makes me think that RVS probably had some influence on AF’s thinking.

  17. Jeff Passan of ESPN (or whoever he works for ) was on 710 LA right now. He said he got texts from LOTS of baseball people last night after the Joc trade telling him how much they like Luis Rengifo. This could be a sneaky good pickup for us, and Jayne Cobb called it first. Let’s hope Jayne Cobb is right!

    1. I agree. Rengifo has base stealing speed and base stealing instincts. He and Lux could be a great double play duo if Seager is not re-signed and Rengifo gets the Dodgers younger. Joc leaves one year early but still gets a chance to play in post season with the Angels.

      With Pujols, Trout, Upton, Rendon, the Angels needed a power lefty bat especially if Ohtani winds up primarily as a pitcher and only shares DH duties. Yes, I would have rather it have been Pollock that was traded to reduce the payroll but the Dodgers needed his righty bat and the Angels needed Joc’s lefty bat.

  18. So the latest I’m hearing is that the other piece coming from the Angels is Gareth Morgan.

    Which is a little bit surprising. I am very familiar with Gareth. He was actually one of the only really exciting players to watch on the 66ers (Angels High A) last year.

    But he has been in the CA League for both 2018 and 2019. And for most of that time I would describe him as… well, a hitter who made Jeren Kendall look like Tony Gwynn. Massive power, but not only could’t he hit is weight. He couldn’t hit within a stone of his weight. The Angels picked him up for nothing when the Mariners gave up on him. He proceeded to go on a two month tear through the CA league. Hitting tape measure bombs, seemingly, ever other at bat. After hitting 20 HRs in about 180 ABs (to go along with 95 Strikeouts and 8 walks), he was promoted to AA. Where he once again went back to his old ways.

    I know AD picked up the Mariners’ cast offs before. But this one seems a bit strange. I had/have no expectations the Angels would make Marsh available. They are extremely high on Marsh (for good reason). And they are nearly as high on Jordan Adams. Neither are Adell level untouchable, but not too far behind. But Gareth?

    So far, and the trade isn’t final, the Angel trade is a bit of a head scratcher. I love Luís Rengifo. But Gareth Morgan??

    1. I hope you are wrong, or maybe there is one more prospect coming over. I hate seeing Pages go.

      1. There has to be more to this. Perhaps Morgan is just the other piece beside Rengifo for Pederson, and if Stripling is included then other prospects would be coming to Dodgers?

      2. I hope I am wrong too. But it does appear that the other chip is Morgan. From multiple sources.

        Aside from the Angels top 3 prospects. their system drops off dramatically. And I doubt the Angels are willing to trade ANY of their pitching in the system. What little they have.

        I hope there is another chip in there somewhere. I doubt the Angels would let Marsh go. But It would be really nice if they did. Even if we had to give up a top 10 like Santana or White (or both). Angels are absolutely desperate for pitching right now on all levels.

        I just hope this isn’t the final.

        Joc/Strip/Pages
        for
        Rengifo/Morgan.

        That would be a head scratcher for me.

    2. Jayne, I have to agree with you on this Angel trade. It doesn’t make much sense and seems out of character for AF. I know Joc is a free agent in 2021, but he has to have more value than this. I don’t follow the Angels much, but I do remember them being very positive and happy with Rengifo’s play last year. I was glad to hear he was coming to the Dodgers. But, then to add Stripling and Pages on top of it is just crazy. Gareth Morgan is not even rated in the Angel’s top 30 prospect list which for a team with a middling farm system is not very impressive. I know it sheds some salary (approx $10-12M), but to get that kind of return is puzzling. Maybe, there’s another trade in the works.

      1. There has to be more going on. AD likes bringing in multiple teams. So there may be another team and some other names in the Joc trade. I have a hard time to believe Strip would get thrown in unless there is more.

        But whatever it is, it’s not being leaked.

  19. The Jackie Robinson Dodgers now have two African American players on the team. Awesome. Did I miss somebody?

  20. Ryu, Hill, Stripling, and Madea gone. That’s a pretty damn good rotation. Better than most teams have. I certainly didn’t expect this much turnover of the roster. I’m anxious to see what else the Dodgers got from the Angels. I was up late last night watching on TV and listening online to every bit of coverage I could.
    ~
    I woke up both excited about Betts being a Dodger and bummed Joc being gone. I get more attached to the players we’ve seen come up with the Dodgers. The Dodgers really only had one platoon last year. Joc/Kike/Taylor. I would have preferred that stay over AJ Pollock, but I’m guessing they couldn’t move AJ and they promised him he wouldn’t be platooned. I will try to reserve judgement until I watch him for a few months this year. The Dodgers did do right by their former players. Joc will continue to mash for the Angels. Ross and Kenta will get their shots at being full-time starters.
    ~
    I want to see what else the Dodgers got from the Angels for 2 very good players and an up and coming player like Pages. I won’t call it a salary dump until I see what we got. The Puig deal turned out great. It was a salary dump but AF saw two guys who could take off in Down and Gray and it created space on the roster by moving guys who wanted more opportunity in Puig and Wood. Joc, Stripling, and Pages would help just about every team in baseball. So, they need to get at least one more high upside prospect.

  21. Replying to Joe Francis above

    Yes Joe – I thought exactly that, and I too thought that Seagar will be the Centrepiece of the deal,
    I think there’s more to come – The Angels deal looks a little lopsided otherwise.

    1. I mentioned the same in the previous thread but the Dodgers did too much to stay below the CBT for them to turn around and trade Seager for player(s) that will lift them above the CBT.

      That said, a Lindor Lux DP combo would be awesome defensively. Or, might the plan be to move Lux to SS and Renglio to second and go after a pitcher with Seager?

  22. Somewhere up there , there is a very happy lady peddling her exercise bike this morning, delighted that her favourite player is now wearing Dodger Blue.

    1. Adding Markus Lynn Betts and subtracting Joc might mean that lady is eating chocolate while riding that bike.

  23. Great analysis of these trades AC! As a fan, I will miss Verdugo, Joc and particularly Stripling. Stripling was always a joy to listen to in interviews and had a refreshingly genuine spirit that is rare in sports nowadays. I will always remember his ear to ear smile coming off the mound in WS after a ball was caught at the wall, mouthing the word “Wow!”

    Trying to analyze the trades from a purely baseball perspective, I think the Mookie/Price trade is a pure win for the Dodgers. How often do you have the opportunity to acquire players like Mookie? Not very often. Like AC, I can envision Price being a good piece of the rotation.

    As to the trade with the Angels, I understand it from an economic point of view. Joc is a one year rental for the Angels. Maybe he’ll sign an extension, maybe he won’t. As a rental, I’m fine with Reglifo for Joc straight up. Adding, Strip and Pages, now I have to see the further return before making a judgment on the trade.

    2. For me, we gave up Maeda and got Price and gave up Duggie for Betts. I believe we won that one hands down. Whether we won on the Joc, Stripling, Pages for Rengifo side is a major secondary concern for me. We got who we wanted with minimal damage.
      It’s pretty funny actually. If AF doesn’t make a trade he’s a corporate man and selling out the fans. If he does pull the trigger, he’s dealing somebody’s favorite player and giving up too much. I personally think getting Betts and Price at 1/2 the money was a major win.

  24. First of all, I think the trade for Betts is brilliant. The Dodgers have acquired one of the top players in baseball (even if only for 1 season) and didn’t give up a top prospect. (Alright – if you think of Verdugo as a prospect, which he is still in a way, then they did.)

    Betts has the 2nd highest WAR among position players over the past 5 years (only that Trout guy has been better).
    As ESPN.com reported, his 42.0 WAR through his 1st 6 seasons is 7th all time among position players – the first 6 are Ted Williams, Trout, Albert Pujols, Jackie Robinson, Wade Boggs and Joe DiMaggio. (Right behind him are Mickey Mantle, Barry Bonds and Willie Mays.) He immediately improves the Dodgers significantly.

    No matter how you stack it, when you have the chance to get a player of Betts’ stature and talent, you jump, especially if you don’t have to give up any of your top prospects.

    What I don’t get is 2 players, one of whom is team controlled for several seasons (Stripling) for what sounds like mid-level prospects at best.

    I understand that Joc was going to be expensive, and that perhaps the Dodgers wanted to try Pollock as the every-day LF (although Pollock hasn’t played every day since 2015). They have left-handed depth in the corners with Beaty and Rios. Using that logic, moving Joc made some sense. But Stripling? He is cheap, team controlled for 2020-22, and can either start or relieve.

    And what have they gotten for these 2?

    Curious.

    But A++ for getting Betts.

  25. Disregard what I’ve said about Gareth Morgan and the Joc trade. His name has come up. But I don’t know the context.

    I have been texting a buddy in the org. He told me names are flying all over. Likely a third team in the mix. Doesn’t appear to be finalized at all.

        1. He’s not very high up. But the Angels staff (minors and majors) can be even more obsessive than we are. They’re dying to find out what’s going on too.

          Something isn’t right with this trade. The more I think about it the more it doesn’t make sense to me that the Angels would want Andy Pages. Angeles top 3 prospects are all OF.

          Thinking more and more that Strip, Pages and one of their top prospects might be going off to land a SP. Dodgers will get another piece from 3rd team.

          Pure speculation on my part.

  26. Way to go AF!!! Excellent trade to gain one of the top players in the game. Furthermore, if price is healthy he can play a big role in the playoff rotation or the bullpen. It wasn’t long ago that price was a postseason flop but not against us. He showed the grit to get it done. Interesting that maeda was not happy so gone, joc challenging salary/gone.

    I certainly hate to lose verdugo who quite possibly might become an all star. But, the Dodgers had a chance to grab a great player and they did. Now, we have 2 stars in Betts and Bellinger who should feed off of each other. Both players moving into there prime provides Dodger fans with great excitement on the upcoming season.

    Maeda did a fine job for LA and I wish him the best but I think the Dodgers upgraded. Lastly, verdugo must have passed the physical but his back issues are a red flag to me. Hopefully, he has recovered but he was out a long time. Go Dodgers!!!

  27. This is taking longer than the Iowa Caucuses! Is all this going back to Boston to get Verdugo back?

      3. Nor do I care. Especially about his politics.

        That’s the thing I may love about baseball more than any single aspect; politics doesn’t mean sh**

        Balls and strikes have nothing to do with anything else but balls and strikes.

        1. I’ve been coaching travel ball the last eight years and it’s been a great experience. Really depends on two things to me. Are your coaches there to develop everyone and how big a pain in ass parents are on the team. Fortunately we mostly had good parents. Only 1 that had an inflated sense of his son’s talent.

  31. Hearing the there’s an issue with the medicals of the Twins pitcher and that’s holding up the deal being finalized.

    1. Chaim Boom has an anxiety attack after reading and hearing all of the reports on the Dodgers making a great deal for Betts and Price.

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