Frank McCourt’s penny pinching ways are no secret heading into baseball’s trading deadline. The Dodgers post season hopes will likely rest on the shoulders of the current roster. Can the Dodgers succeed with this lineup? Tyson Qualls offers a few budget conscious suggestions to revamp the team and gear up for a pennant race.
Send Garret Anderson to the Big Baseball Diamond in the Sky:
The former Anaheim Angel has performed poorly in the role previously held by Juan Pierre. As Manny Ramirez’s replacement, the 38 year old left fielder is currently hitting at a .188 clip. He has batted in a paltry 11 runs in 128 at bats. After watching his 0-5, 4 K appearance in the final game of the Dodgers-Giants series, it became apparent that Anderson has nothing left.
The Dodgers would benefit from giving that playing time to the younger generation. Xaiver Paul would undoubtedly improve production. Anderson’s roster spot would be better utilized with a call up for Jay Gibbons, John Lindsey, Prentice Redman, or Jamie Hoffman. Each of these players would surpass Anderson’s poor production.
Explore Trade Options for Russell Martin:
Even though Martin is a fan favorite, the fact of the matter is that his production has slipped every season since 2007. The former All Star has not lived up to expectations and has continued his downward spiral in 2010.
 Russell Martin (Getty) |
Martin is currently batting .245, which puts him on pace for the worst offensive season of his career. The Dodgers starting catcher is slated to reel in over five million dollars this season and moving him could free up cash. There is always a market for fleet-footed catchers with upside. Martin may also benefit from a change of scenery.
Find Bullpen Help:
Bringing in a front line starter is virtually out of the question, but the Dodgers could make a move to improve the bullpen for a much lower price. George Sherrill has been a shell of his former shelf, Hong-Chih Kuo cannot pitch on consecutive days, and Ramon Troncoso was optioned to work on his mechanics. A veteran like Octavio Dotel or Will Ohman would come at a significantly cheaper cost than Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt.
Notes from the Dugout:
Rafael Furcal’s tear at the plate was finally rewarded with NL Player of the Week honors. Last week Furcal batted a remarkable .538 with nine runs scored and a .571 OBP. The short stop’s recent surge comes after losing his father to an unfortunate accident on June 20th.
Torre has stated publicly that he believes the Dodgers will get help via trade before the deadline. The Dodgers’ manager was quoted as saying “I know [general manager Ned Colletti] has been exploring, and we’ve done it the last couple years, and my guess is we’ll get some help.”
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