Dodgers Add Jim Thome & Jon Garland

Was he a future replacement for Blake, Furcal or Hudson?

our prospects suck ass. So forgete Tony Abreu.

Yeah, that’s the ticket!

home-grown Dodgers was going to happen. In some ways Tony Abreu lost his shot last year when he was hurt and couldn’t fill in at 3B or at 2B when Kent got hurt at the end of the year. At some point Casey Blake may fill a bench player role (maybe in his 3rd year) but right now he will play 3B in 2010.

Haeger
Stults
Repko

These guys are gone tomorrow in my opinion.

But then again, I don’t think Ohman is coming up either.

I have always had one word in mind when it comes to describing Ned Colletti’s philosophy about his roster. And its actually two words, back up. He does not want to be caught in a situation without having adequate replacements if something were to happen.

When he constructed the 2009 Dodgers, he knew there were 2 possible injury risks in Hudson and Furcal and this year, instead of having a rookie like Hu be the primary back up, he got both Loretta and Castro, both long time major leaguers who would know their roles before the season started.

He got Brad Ausmus, as a second catcher, he already had Pierre for the outfield.

And what happened, well, only’s Manny 50 game suspension has thus far (knock on wood) made a significant impact of to the playing time of the 8 regular players.

However, his pitching staff has really been a patchwork job all year. Billingsley has missed a few starts due to hamstring problems but he’s basically been there when his turn comes, Kershaw hasn’t missed a start but he is still under a pitch count, and Wolf has pitched better than a lot thought he could.

When it comes to the 4th and 5th spots, that has been a revolving door, 7 other pitchers have made at least one start, Kuroda was out for about two months after his opening day start and when it appeared he was starting to find some consistency, he got hit by the line drive and it will probably end up costing him 3 weeks or more. Weaver has made some spot starts and everyone knows the rest from Stults to Haegar, many of these guys spent time both in Albq. and LA.

The one thing that struck me about this period, is that the Dodgers did not go out and find another mid-level guy to fill in that spot. They really just used the options they had in-house. And when you add the wins and losses from those guys, the Dodgers had a really good record.

So the deal for Garland isn’t a surprise, the surprise is that it didn’t happen in May.

“The Dodgers will receive Thome and cash for minor league infielder Justin Fuller.”

Let’s take a moment to reflect the fact that we got JIM FREAKING THOME! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know- no DH in the National League. But consider these facts-

1) The Phillies got Matt Stairs last year under similar circumstances, and sadly, we all know how that worked out- and Thome is WAY better than Stairs.
2) It is ASTONISHING how little the Dodgers had to give up for Thome, an unquestionable future Hall of Famer who has still, for the most part, “got it”. I remember as a kid in New York the reaction when the Yankees gave up Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps- who was ok, but was certainly no Jim Thome. The only lasting thing that the Yankees got out of that deal was the funniest Seinfeld joke ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUwSxqnRW-8
3) Manny Ramirez really likes him, and say what you want about clubhouse chemistry, but it is VERY important to keep Manny happy.
4) Many people around these parts and others have been complaining that we need a power hitting lefty off the bench, with JASON GIAMBI as a best case scenario. Seriously- how much better is this?!
5) Last but definitely not least…There may be no DH in the National League, but there sure as heck is one in 4 games of the World Series!

play third during a blowout just one play. How did Kruk say that?

Wow. Some comments

for me to read

Blake DeWitt, Ivan DeJesus Jr. and Tony Abreu were all going to play the same spot in the majors for the Dodgers, and that’s on 2nd base. I don’t like the Garland trade at all, but it allows the Dodgers to lift the log jam a bit.

If Thome can teach Loney anything at all about hitting with power then this trade was more than worth it.

Most likely not though. It would be sweet though

Good discussion, people.

But my eyes are starting to glaze over. Must sleep.

Living here is kinda depressing, those forest fires are bitches.

South Side Sox are pretty depressed. What’s funny is that someone made the comment that it’s gonna be funny that Manny & Thome are gonna be on the same team, since they’re such opposites. Um, yeah, except that they’re both close friends who started their career together, and were talking about ending their career together earlier this season. Looks like they may get their wish. Who know it’d be in LA?!

as more significant than any of these trades. Not be a debby downer, but the best player out of the three is going to bat once or twice every couple of games…I don’t see any of these trades affecting the season’s outcome, and I think the Matt Stairs/Thome comparison is just too unlikely considering that was such a random and unlikely occurrence.

but I’m not sure I see the wisdom in the Garland trade, unless there are questions about Hiroki coming back strong. I really thought Abreu could be a league average 2B, but in any case I am excited to have a stronger bench and more innings out of the SP.

Joe Cowley, the Sox beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, was just n the Dan Patrick radio show, and described Garland as someone who really “digs himself,” and walks off the mound real slow to make sure the cameras see him. I thought that was odd.

With all of these rants, it seems people are missing sight of the goal. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Here is the goal for everyone:

TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES.

Good Job Ned , We need more pitching Great call , now lets win tonight ,