It’s that time of year again. When baseball’s general managers frantically call eachother looking for a trade that will drive their team into the playoffs. A time when battles for divisions are either down to the wire or teams are far in front. Even a time when Paul LoDuca and Guierrmo Mota sit in the Dodger clubhouse before a battle with the second place Padres crying.
A questionable move by first year Dodger GM Paul Depodesta sent lights out set up pitcher Mota, right fielder Encarnacion and Dodger fan favorite and all star catcher Paul LoDuca to the Florida Marlins. All this for starting pitcher Brad Penny, first baseman Hee Seop Choi and a minor league pitcher. Say it ain’t so Depodesta, say it ain’t so.
Dodger fans everywhere are laying sleepless tonight as they wonder what the management was thinking. All of them picturing the saddest image they have seen out of Dodger blue in years. Paul LoDuca, a team leader on and off the field and huge fan favorite (in a city that usually doesn’t care who is coming or going) said his goodbyes to L.A. fans on video played as soon as the Friday night game was over, with a cracking voice and teary eyes.
How can the fans be blamed for a restless night? In a taped interview where LoDuca had to end the answers prematurely because he began weeping he went on to say that “The fans in L.A., they treated me so well. It’s tough.” LoDuca became a fan favorite right off the bat when he came to the big show after almost a decade in the minor leagues. He was an all star twice and the star in a real Hollywood story. For the past few years he has become the model Dodger. A reminder of classic ballplayers who legged out every ball in play, toughed all bumps and bruises and earned his spot in the lineup night in and night out.
Mota, setup man to Eric Gagne and a huge reason Los Angeles has been nearly unbeatable the last two years leading games after six innings was also a well earned fan favorite. His record this year in relief only is 8-4 with a 2.14 ERA. A record that not many starters around the league can top. Throw in Encarnacion and the Dodgers should be getting the Marlins World Series rings from last year!
But instead they pick up a 26 year old starting pitcher Brad Penny who is 8-8 this year with a 3.15 ERA. An unproven 25 year old first baseman Hee Seop Choi who is hitting .270 with 15 homeruns. Not to mention a southpaw from the Marlins AA team. Granted, Encarnacion is hitting a measly .235. But LoDuca is hitting .301 with 10 homeruns and 49 RBI’s. Basically the best all around catcher in the NL.
It was absolutely depressing to hear legendary voice of the Dodgers Vin Scully speak of the trade and the players crying in the clubhouse before the game and the commentary he gave when the camera went to Dodger pitcher Jose Lima who had the trio of lost Dodgers’ numbers on his hat. It was as if they were fallen soldiers being remembered by a fellow warrior. A sign of the respect and care this years Dodgers have for each other. A team that was predicted early on to be the worst team in the league.
Scully went on to try explaining the thought process of Depodesta and why the trade may be good for the Dodgers. Announcing that LoDuca was 32 years of age and Mota 30. Compared to Penny and Choi who are both in their mid-twenties. A sad try at giving some worthwhile explanation for the depressing news. Dodger fans all knowing that deep down inside Vin must have been wondering himself what Depodesta had done.
LoDuca hadn’t been in any trade rumors. There have been talks of sending outfielder Jayson Werth and Encarnacion somewhere with a few prospects for a starting pitcher or premiere hitter but never any mention of any bigtime Dodger stars. All of LA wonders why management made such a huge move when the team is in first place and the players relationships are so strong. Such a close knit group of guys didn’t want to be broken up and especially lose a leader such as LoDuca.
Probably the most baffling aspect of the whole deal is what is next. Depodesta came on to talk with Scully during the game about the trade and how they recieved two up and coming young players. However he went on to announce that with these new young players he can put them back on the table along with more Dodgers to get Arizona’s highly sought after pitcher Randy Johnson and outfielder Steve Finley. This comment coming only minutes after he just claimed the Dodgers were trying to get a youthful core by acquiring the three young Marlins.
So Depodesta leaves Los Angeles fans tonight to sleep on their beloved LoDuca out of Dodgertown. A team in first place who just clobbered the second place Padres 12-3 and himself less than 24 hours to make that Johnson-Finley deal that can somewhat ease everyones bleeding hearts. If he doesn’t get it done he may have to go back to Oakland where he came from and hide behind his mentor A’s GM Billy Beane. Because Dodger fans just lost an even more beloved player than Mike Piazza had been and they won’t be too happy with him.
“It’s tough”, as LoDuca said, on everyone.
One reply on “Dodger Blues”
judge the results looks like this trade has done the Dodgers – as of today (8/6) they’ve won 4 in a row and are 6 1/2 games up in the West.
although LoDuca may have been a fan favorite, he was overrated defensively and always wears down in the second half of the year. Encarnacion is a burden on the offense and on the payroll. Mota definitely will be missed, especially if Gagne has to pitch more innings in more games, but really he was the main trading commodity.
Penny has a 3.15 ERA? that’s the second best ERA on the team behind O. Perez, and if you factor in home park effects, he’s probably the best starting pitcher on the staff. also, this allows Alvarez to move to the bullpen where he’s much less likely to break down physically. and remember that in the playoffs, you have to have a lights-out starting pitcher that can dominate a couple of games each series – Penny has the ability to do that.
Choi is batting .270, but look behind the empty BA stat and you see a .388 OBP and .496 SLG. put together a platoon of Choi and Werth (with Green moving between OF and 1B) and you have a hell of an upgrade over Encarnacion.
look beyond the empty stats (BA, W-L), the fan favorite status, the “intangibles” and you will see a very positive trade. especially if Alvarez or Brazoban or Dreifort can step it up as a setup man, the Dodgers are looking pretty good.