Looking ahead to 2014 - SS and 3B

[Villain]

The Dodgers have one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball - Hanley Ramirez. But many think that his defense is lacking and that he's better suited to play 3B. As of right now, the Dodgers do not have a clear in-house option for the hot corner. Currently, it's Juan Uribe, who will be a free agent this winter.

The Dodgers have two options for next season:

1. Keep Ramirez at SS, acquire a 3B.
2. Move Ramirez to 3B, acquire a SS.

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Potential Free Agents to Consider:

Shortstops (age)

Clint Barmes (35)
Willie Bloomquist (36)
Jamey Carroll (40) - $2MM vesting option with a $250K buyout
Alexi Casilla (29)
Stephen Drew (31)
Yunel Escobar (31) - $5MM club option
Rafael Furcal (36)
Alex Gonzalez (36)
Cesar Izturis (34)
Derek Jeter (40) - $8MM+ player option with a $3MM buyout
John McDonald (39)
Jhonny Peralta (32)
Brendan Ryan (32)

Third Basemen (age)
Yuniesky Betancourt (32)
Wilson Betemit (32) - $3.2MM vesting option
Jamey Carroll (40) - $2MM vesting option with a $250K buyout
Eric Chavez (36)
Mark DeRosa (39) - $750K club option with a $25K buyout
Jerry Hairston Jr. (38)
Brandon Inge (37)
Placido Polanco (38)
Mark Reynolds (30)
Juan Uribe (34)
Kevin Youkilis (35)
Michael Young (37)



So it's time to play GM again. What do you think the Dodgers should do this winter? Sign one of those guys or try to make a trade?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Wilson Betemit is a former Dodger and the youngest guy on that list lol. Uribe takes years off. I'd try to get a trade for Freese/Headley, if not I'm not sure it will matter much who we choose out of this list in terms of offense.

Hanley's happy at SS, and when Hanley's happy he starts batting like he did when he joined the Dodgers.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Wilson Betemit is a former Dodger and the youngest guy on that list lol. Uribe takes years off. I'd try to get a trade for Freese/Headley, if not I'm not sure it will matter much who we choose out of this list in terms of offense.

Hanley's happy at SS, and when Hanley's happy he starts batting like he did when he joined the Dodgers.

Forgot to add that Hanley's really improved his defense this year, I have 0 gripes with him this year. Last year I kept facepalming because he constantly double-clutched the ball. This year is a different story. The improvements he made to his personality are quite evident. The WBC sparked something in him, I don't think Mattingly is just blowing smoke when he says that.

 

[Silas]

Wilson Betemit is a former Dodger and the youngest guy on that list lol. Uribe takes years off. I'd try to get a trade for Freese/Headley, if not I'm not sure it will matter much who we choose out of this list in terms of offense.

Hanley's happy at SS, and when Hanley's happy he starts batting like he did when he joined the Dodgers.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Wilson Betemit is a former Dodger and the youngest guy on that list lol. Uribe takes years off. I'd try to get a trade for Freese/Headley, if not I'm not sure it will matter much who we choose out of this list in terms of offense.

Hanley's happy at SS, and when Hanley's happy he starts batting like he did when he joined the Dodgers.

I agree looking at the list there aint really a good 3rd basemen all those free agent are old....we are going to have to make a trade.

 

[besaesa]

I dont want anyone that is on that list.

 

[Villain]

Forgot to add that Hanley's really improved his defense this year, I have 0 gripes with him this year. Last year I kept facepalming because he constantly double-clutched the ball. This year is a different story. The improvements he made to his personality are quite evident. The WBC sparked something in him, I don't think Mattingly is just blowing smoke when he says that.

I agree that Ramirez has seemed better on defense this year, but how does one suddenly become a decent fielding shortstop after turning 30? I'm worried that this year is the anomaly year and that Hanley will soon go back to being the mediocre glove that he had been for the duration of his career.

Maybe the Dodgers can get away with it for one more year, but Hanley playing SS isn't the long-term answer. He's going to have to move to third someday.

I agree looking at the list there aint really a good 3rd basemen all those free agent are old....we are going to have to make a trade.

Who do you trade for? Who are you willing to give up in a trade?

I dont want anyone that is on that list.

Same question. How do you fill that need without emptying the farm? All the MLB clubs with trade-able third basemen know that the free agent market is thin. This gives them the leverage to have a high asking price.

You want to trade for Headley? He's not going to come cheaply, even after having a terrible season. Intra-division trades of big leaguers are always attached to a big price tag. Are you willing to trade Zach Lee for Chase Headley?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I agree that Ramirez has seemed better on defense this year, but how does one suddenly become a decent fielding shortstop after turning 30? I'm worried that this year is the anomaly year and that Hanley will soon go back to being the mediocre glove that he had been for the duration of his career.

Maybe the Dodgers can get away with it for one more year, but Hanley playing SS isn't the long-term answer. He's going to have to move to third someday.


Who do you trade for? Who are you willing to give up in a trade?


Same question. How do you fill that need without emptying the farm? All the MLB clubs with trade-able third basemen know that the free agent market is thin. This gives them the leverage to have a high asking price.

You want to trade for Headley? He's not going to come cheaply, even after having a terrible season. Intra-division trades of big leaguers are always attached to a big price tag. Are you willing to trade Zach Lee for Chase Headley?

No, I'm willing to give up Gordon and McGill (if needed something/someone else added) for Freese though. Worst case scenario we look at Betemit and if need be get a 1 year deal for Uribe since he seems to fit in with this version of the Dodgers.

 

[shopson67]

If Headley or Freese proves too expensive, I'd continue pursuing trades for other 3B. Look for someone with an entrenched vet that's blocking a prospect. Not that it would be any cheaper of a situation, but something like Texas' situation with Beltre and Olt.

 

[Villain]

No, I'm willing to give up Gordon and McGill (if needed something/someone else added) for Freese though. Worst case scenario we look at Betemit and if need be get a 1 year deal for Uribe since he seems to fit in with this version of the Dodgers.

I don't know if Gordon and Magill will be enough, though. Actually, yes I do. Gordon and Magill and not enough for Chase Headley. C'mon an All-Star 3B for a shitty SS and a pitching prospect who's probably 2 years away? Don't think so.

There are lots of young arms to get, not so many MLB-caliber 3B. The price will be high for a guy who isn't even that good (Freese) or looking to get old fast while costing a fortune (Headley).

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I don't know if Gordon and Magill will be enough, though. Actually, yes I do. Gordon and Magill and not enough for Chase Headley. C'mon an All-Star 3B for a shitty SS and a pitching prospect who's probably 2 years away? Don't think so.

There are lots of young arms to get, not so many MLB-caliber 3B. The price will be high for a guy who isn't even that good (Freese) or looking to get old fast while costing a fortune (Headley).

Valid points, but nothing that makes me want to move Hanley to 3b, and I never mentioned Headley?

None of those guys at SS are outperforming Uribe offensively this year other than Peralta, but as you said, it's hard to find good 3bmen so why move Hanley over to somewhere he doesn't want to be when he's doing fine this year defensively and we have Uribe who's been great at 3b this year and likes the clubhouse? I said I wanted him gone but if there's no other options then I'm fine with a short deal.

Most of the players on that list are pretty bad this year.

 

[ksudodger]

Or option C... trade for David Freese and keep Han Ram at SS which is the most effective of the options. Cards want Dee Gordon, Freese needs a change of scenery and the need to not be "the face" of the team... it is a win win for both teams.
And as someone who works in the media in St Louis, I can tell you that this is more than casual talk. Mo and Ned almost pulled the trigger on this at the deadline...it will get done in the offseason.

 

[Villain]

Or option C... trade for David Freese and keep Han Ram at SS which is the most effective of the options. Cards want Dee Gordon, Freese needs a change of scenery and the need to not be "the face" of the team... it is a win win for both teams.
And as someone who works in the media in St Louis, I can tell you that this is more than casual talk. Mo and Ned almost pulled the trigger on this at the deadline...it will get done in the offseason.

Keep Hanley at SS, Acquire 3B is option 1. Freese is going to take more than Dee Gordon and Matt Magill. How much more would you give?


Also, why is everyone so dead set on "anyone but Uribe"...? Re-signing Uribe would be very easy and cheap. He's also out-preformed David Freese all season.

Uribe: .276/.330 /.429 wOBA: .330
Freese: .261/.338/.379 wOBA: .320

Juan Uribe is also WAAAAAAY better at defense then Freese.

David Freese is clearly not going to be a significant upgrade on Juan Uribe, so why give up a bunch of prospects for him?

 

[Silas]

I sense that more people here than not would find bringing back Uribe on a one year deal would be ok. He's certainly played good ball this season.

The Dodgers should explore other possibilities for 3B, but any deal they make needs to be reasonable. I am pretty sure Stan Kasten has a very good idea what he is or isn't willing to do.

The Dodgers have done a pretty good job building this team, with the exception of acquiring some over the hill pitchers.

The Dodgers also need to strengthen the bench next season as Hairston, besides getting old, is likely to retire. A RH bat with some power would be nice to see.

One of the OF'ers is likely to be traded and The Dodgers hierarchy probably are of the opinion that Ethier is the best trade chip. I don't particularly have any desire to see Ethier traded, but things may very well work out that way.

 

[duke1861]

I think the first thing we need to do is sign Alexander Guerrero to play 2nd base. He is a power hitting 2nd baseman and we should be able to get a deal done.

Secondly, we need to lock up pitching. Nolasco is a must as he is clearly comfortable pitching for the team and at home. He is a perfect #5 starter for us and will address the problems once and for all. In a perfect world we would go after Mashiro Tanaka from Japan and have him be our #3/#4 starter, however, he is going to cost a fortune as he is the best pitcher in Japan. Bottom line is that this year taught us that you just can't hope that #4 and #5 starters emerge. We only dug ourselves out of the hole once Nolasco really came aboard.

Lastly, we need to trade for a 3rd baseman. We have an abundance of minor league pitchers who could be traded. We need a solid, above-average player who can produce for 2 years until Seager gets here.

Outside of that and signing Kershaw, it should be a piece of cake.....LOL.

 

[ksudodger]

I think the first thing we need to do is sign Alexander Guerrero to play 2nd base. He is a power hitting 2nd baseman and we should be able to get a deal done.

Welcome to LA, Alex Guerrero!!

As for the Uribe vs Freese comparisons, Freese is 4 years younger than Uribe and while we have some options in the minors that could play 3B in 2015 (if we kept Uribe for 1 more year), most are honestly 2 years away or more from the big club. That is why Freese makes more sense.

As for a deal we could send Gordon,McGill and one of the other OF not named Joc Pederson (James Baldwin,Noel Cuevas or Scott Schebler) for Freese.
Other option is to decide if Corey Seager will be ready to man the hot corner in 2015..if the scouts think so, we can maybe roll with Uribe for 1 more season.

 

[Villain]

I think the first thing we need to do is sign Alexander Guerrero to play 2nd base. He is a power hitting 2nd baseman and we should be able to get a deal done.

Welcome to LA, Alex Guerrero!!

Nothing there yet. He just signed with Boras so expect him to cost even more than was originally thought.

As for the Uribe vs Freese comparisons, Freese is 4 years younger than Uribe and while we have some options in the minors that could play 3B in 2015 (if we kept Uribe for 1 more year), most are honestly 2 years away or more from the big club. That is why Freese makes more sense.

Wait, why does that make sense? Younger doesn't directly translate to more skill. Freese isn't even considered young in baseball terms. He's past 30. His "youth" is gone which probably explains why the Cardinals are so willing to get rid of him.

As to the 2-year timeline for a new player to come up through the system: I don't see how that helps Freese's cause. I'd rather sign Uribe to a cheap, 1-year deal with a team option for a 2nd year instead of giving up prospects for another over-30-year-old who isn't much better.

As for a deal we could send Gordon,McGill and one of the other OF not named Joc Pederson (James Baldwin,Noel Cuevas or Scott Schebler) for Freese.
Other option is to decide if Corey Seager will be ready to man the hot corner in 2015..if the scouts think so, we can maybe roll with Uribe for 1 more season.

His name is MAgill, not McGill. Why are you so eager to ship off a 23-year-old prospect for a declining, mediocre 3B? Uribe is basically free! You can go year-to-year with him or any of a number of similar guys.

I think that would be a terrible trade.