Game 101, 2015

Athletics at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN, CSNCA

Here’s an interesting note which may or may not be taken as true (that’s why they’re called rumors): the Dodgers may listen to trade offers for Yasiel Puig. That’s the hook for the entire post, and there’s not much else there other than what we already knew: the team is unlikely to give up either Seager or Urias but it wants/needs starting pitching. The author thinks it unlikely they’d move Puig, and in fact the same site reported two days ago that the team had assured him he wasn’t on the block. However, that same day Ken Gurnick of MLB reported there had been no such assurances.

I can’t see trading Puig. He’s an excellent outfielder with a lot of potential upside and he’s cheap. He’s being paid $4.5M this year and the Dodgers control his future for three more years for just $19.5M. That’s less than one Crawford-year.

In other trade news of note within the division, the Rockies traded Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays for Jose Reyes and three pitching prospects. Since neither team needed a shortstop, why they swapped them must have had more to do with money (Tulo’s owed $113.7M over the next five years) than anything else. None of the other three teams in the division have made any deals yet, at least not ones made public. The next time we see the Angels they’ll have old friend Shane Victorino with them, as he was traded by the Red Sox today.

In tonight’s game it will be Brett Anderson (5-5, 3.33 ERA) going for the Dodgers against his former team, which trots out ace Sonny Gray (10-4, 2.30 ERA). Anderson says and the team agrees that his Achilles tendon is fine now after causing him to leave his last start early. Gray has cooled off some recently. He’s 2-1 with a 3.95 ERA and .232 opponents’ batting average over his last six starts after going 5-3 with a 1.37 ERA and .190 opponents’ batting average over his previous nine starts.

Lineup when available.

79 thoughts on “Game 101, 2015

  1. Every dead-serious, life-or-death trade rumor could use some levity. This from
    Dan Kolko, on-field reporter for Washington Nationals broadcasts on MASN and MLB Network correspondent:

    Dan Kolko @masnKolko

    Now not only are the Marlins not playing music during Nats BP, loud fart noises are coming through the speakers. I swear, I’m not kidding.

    4:28 PM – 29 Jul 2015

    Perhaps this trade has upset the Marlins’ whole system terribly, and that’s the medical problem.

    [comments in poor taste through laughter, slinks off]

  2. Keep watching MLBTR. Some are saying there is a medical problem holding up the trade, others say the Dodgers are trying to find a taker for Morse, and yet others say the deal is far from complete. It’s a mess and a mercy killing would be the best solution.

    • One mention that trade may be much bigger than reported and involve a third team. Who knows?

  3. Poor Matt Kemp now that he has heated up (OPS 1.009 over past 20 games) the Pads are expected to be in a sell off. He’ll be playing for a rebuilding team over the next 3-4 years.

  4. Jim Bowden suggests (MLBTR) this may be a three way trade, another club involved. I dislike what I’m seeing so much, I’ll blindly vote for it being a three-way. What could be worse….

  5. Grant Brisbee weighs in:

    Grant Brisbee✔
    @mccoveychron

    Dodgers will pay Carl Crawford, Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Dan Haren as much as the Marlins will pay their roster for rest of year.
    11:16 AM – 29 Jul 2015

  6. So what we’re actually getting is TWO months of Latos, a year and a half of Morse which will cost us about $12MM and whom we need like a hole in the head, and a Draft Slot. I guess I’m stupid but that doesn’t sound like a very good deal to me… Are you sure Ned’s not still in charge?

    • Not sure we want more than two months of Latos. His underlying numbers are at about career levels in tems of FIP, K/9 BB/9, so makes for an adequate temporary number 3-4 starter. Paying money probably means we got away with giving up prospects with less potential (haven’t seen who they are) as well as the draft pick.

  7. ANOTHER handful-of-hits-or-less game.

    They better hurry up and get that bobblehead of we fans cuz there’s a whole lot of shaking heads going on anyway.

  8. Tomorrow’s headline: Sonny Gets Blue. (I am trying to keep my sense of humor).

    • For some reason by browser hadn,t refreshed, so it looked like no one had commented at all

  9. Meanwhile, I see Pederson remains in the leadoff position with similar results.

  10. I was listening to the Giants’ pre-game shows — they are interminable, but I was in my car. Tonight’s Cain start was considered an important one for how the team may approach the trade deadline. So, this apparently poor outing by Cain may motivate Sabean to go after a front-line pitcher, which has already been rumored. Sabean has a track record of acquiring talent close to the trade deadline. Hamels is in his sights, it is reported.

  11. Hi all. When the ASG break started, I was involved with a heavy work project, then the real world interfered – some really nice, some very bad . . . and not sure how faithful I will be in checking in this next week.

    Unfortunately, it looks like the “second half” play shows the Blue continue to play where they left off: teasing us with their potential but ending up at .500. Equally unfortunate, the Giants don’t realize this is an odd-numbered year and they are on fire.

    Hopefully something will happen before this trade deadline to ignite the Dodgers.

    Go, Blue!

    • Nice to have you back. Dave from Winnipeg should be checking back in soon again as well.

      • Thanks, Bob. I’m heading to your corner of the world this weekend. My brother was at the “lights out” game (leaving after the 2nd one). I don’t think we’ll get to the park, but I always love visiting D.C. — even more now that it means I get to spend time with my nieces: 4 & 3.

  12. Bad news, we are down by 1 early. Good news, Brewers up by 2 with only one out

  13. I just realized tonight’s game is a blackout. One more reason to hate interleague play.

  14. Prediction, Dodgers will either: trade an outfielder and utility player for another outfielder and utiliity player….or…..and outfielder and utility player for a starting pitcher…..and go into the playoff with an inferior bullpen either way

  15. Why would they trade Puig? Because he was signed by the previous administration. It’s all about having your name on it, man…

    • Highly unlikely they would trade Puig, barring an absurd offer – Hamels straight up, for instance? The Dodgers do have outfield depth, but none of it has Puig-level talent.

    • Just a chip for something else? Blue Jays need pitching, no? Otherwise, DH for Tulo might make sense (with Dioner Navarro is their current DH) and go with slick fielding SS from somewhere. Just guessing as I await the Dodgers game and who they get (see that Rangers may inside track on Hamels as they are ready to give up top line prospects).