The Dodgers need pitching, we know that. They need it bad, actually and a front line starter would be preferred.
However, we fans are getting the sense this is going to be a quiet off-season and that upsets us. Instead of taking the necessary steps to become a serious World Series contender, this team is going to plug the gaps.
Let's discuss who's out there and weigh the pros and cons.
John Lackey
He's the biggest pitching prize on the market. He'll probably command 4-5 years, $60-75 mil.
Pros: He's a bulldog. He loves to compete and he'll give his all every single time out.
Cons: A small injury history, and the Dodgers have no luck with long-term contracts. In my heart I'd love a guy like Lackey, but I know it won't happen.
Randy Wolf
Wolf had a great year for the Dodgers. He's going to command 3 years, $27-30 mil.
Pros: Wolf fits in with the Dodgers. He's a Southern California kid, he's great in pitcher's ballparks and he's a competitor.
Cons: I think the Dodgers got a charmed season out of Wolf. I'm okay with letting him go because he returns draft picks and I really don't think he'll be this solid, or this healthy, ever again.
Erik Bedard
Another injury plagued season. He can probably be got on a one-year, incentive laden deal.
Pros: When he's healthy, he's one of the best in baseball.
Cons: The guy is never healthy. Something inside me wants the Dodgers to sign this guy, but then I think I'd end up angry.
Ben Sheets
Coming off missing 2009. Probably another guy that could be had for a one (maybe two) year deal with heavy incentives.
Pros: As good as anyone.
Cons: Health.
Jon Garland
Solid 2009 year. Probably two years, around $7 mil per.
Pros: Makes every start.
Cons: He's not the top of the line guy we need to take pressure off Kershaw and Bills.
Vicente Padilla
Was great for the Dodgers down the stretch. Two years, $5-6 mil perhaps.
Pros: Umm... He's got good stuff.
Cons: I don't think he's very good. The Dodgers got really great starts out of him. I don't want him for a full season.
Pedro Martinez
He showed he's healthy and still decent. One-year, $6 mil or so?
Pros: Still a competitor and is looking healthy.
Cons: Lost some zip and he's 38.
Rich Harden
2009 was a mess. One-year, incentive laden.
Pros: Electric stuff.
Cons: Very frail and never fully healthy. Plus, when I covered the A's in 2007, he was always a jerk to me.
Justin Duchscherer
He'd like to forget 2009. One-year, incentive laden.
Pros: Great command and will compete.
Cons: Health was always a concern even before this year. He had a hip injury before. He joins the laundry list of promising, yet always hurt pitchers.
Brett Myers
Not a good 2009. One-year, incentive laden.
Pros: A competitor with top flight stuff when he's going well.
Cons: He's a bit of a red ass with injury problems.
This is a pretty good list of whats out there but here are the goods and the goods are bad!
Padilla = Garland would rather have Padilla and a 98mph fastball and a guy who will drill someone for the hell of it
Wolf = Harden, Bedard, Sheets, all good with serious health concerns...pass on all of them, would rather have a draft picks for Wolf
Pedro, Duchscherer, Myers = slumming
IS LACKEY HEALTHY...can he pitch three years and be an ace? Cause that is what we will be paying for! Lots of money!
About time you come out on mlbtraderumors.com
dito christian d
I know, I finally got some love.
Anything to the rumors about the dodgers interested in Edwin Jackson? Seems hard to believe the Tigers would part with him with that young rotation locked up for a couple of years and several bad contracts coming off the books after next year.
Alberto Callipso for AJ Ellis??? seems like we would need to give up more for him
So far it seems there is nothing to the rumors involving Edwin Jackson, Callaspo or Javier Vazquez. I would welcome all three with open arms.
i dont see why some say it going to be a quiet off season i am inspire this year we will make a big splash so the mccourts are going to court big deal ned colleti even say it wont effect anything believe in the man i bleed dodger blue
My reason for thinking its going to be a quiet off season for the blue crew is that we dont need to revamp our lineup and there isnt a big name free agent out there that would make huge splashes...
The ownership of the dodgers could be a huge deal and when the commish has to tell the two to shut up and keep things quiet during the world series, it means that it isnt just in house squabling.
"believe in the man" your not refering to Ned Colleti are you???? I'm not totally against the guy and feel he has improved the Dodgers but if he was on tv telling Dodger fans to trust him, it would be a huge laughing matter....WIN THE WS NED!!!! then I would believe in you...sorry for being the skeptic but these are the dodger bums
Very good evaluation of the talent available out there. The Dodgers, with the public divorce will want to (1) make a big move to show that Frank is still in control and (2) not spend too much doing it. To me, that means to sign BOTH Sheets and Bedard. One should stay healthy. If not, since, as you suggest, the contracts would be low-guarantee/high incentive, the financiual outlay in minimal. If one or both succeed, the Dodgers look golden and the financial output is justified. Then sign EITHER Garland, Wolf (only if for 1 or 2 years, not 3), OR Padilla, whoever is cheapest. Best case scenario is a rotation of Sheets, Bedard, Kersghaw, Bills, and Kuroda --- best in baseball. Probable result = (Sheets/ Bedard, with the other one hurt), (Garland/Wolf/Padilla), Kershaw, Bills, and Kuroda --- still damn good rotation. Worst case scenaruio = (Garlend/Wolf/Padilla), Kershaw, Bills, Kuroda, (look for a cheap fill-in as the fifth starter), which is essentially where we were latst year at little financial risk.