Ethier for Hardy?

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by irish, Jun 7, 2013.

  1. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    just some blogger's opinion, so fwiw...

    Los Angeles Dodgers' Trade Target: Hello Baltimore Orioles Shortstop J.J. Hardy, Goodbye Andre Ethier
    Yasiel Puig and Manny Machado Make Ethier and Hardy Expendable in the Right Deal
    By Greg Zakwin | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 18 minutes ago

    The Los Angeles Dodgers sit at 26-33, 7.5 games behind the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. The team has been ravaged by injuries in 2013 and while most of those shelved players have returned and almost all will, the club is still in need of reinforcements at the key positions of third, second and starting pitcher.

    As the trade deadline approaches, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti will likely be looking to improve the team if the opportunity presents itself. His trades generally comprise giving away prospects for veterans, and he's nothing if not consistent in his desire to acquire at the deadline. With that in mind, if I was advising Colletti, I would push for the club to target and make a run at Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy.

    Hardy is hitting .266/.304/.485/.789 with a .337 wOBA, a solid line for a shortstop to go along with 13 bombs. His defense is fantastic, and he's in year two of a three-year deal that will pay him $7 million this year and next.

    The pieces going back to Baltimore in this proposed exchange for Hardy? Andre Ethier, enough cash to cover half or more of the remaining time on his long-term deal, and a B to B- prospect as well (a Chris Withrow, Scott Schebler or Angel Sanchez type).

    While Hardy's first year with the O's was tremendous (4.3 fWAR, elite defense, 30 homers, 57 XBHs), his offensive production and overall value have regressed back to the norm in the two years since. Hardy can still defend and hit the ball out of the park, though, and the Dodgers desperately need that at short.

    Acquiring J.J. would allow Hanley Ramirez to slide to third base, Juan Uribe to become a "super-sub" of sorts, and Luis Cruz to not be necessary on the roster, as I discussed a few weeks ago. The Dodgers have Cuban sensation Yasiel Puig to take over for Ethier in right and could use a stabilizing force in the middle of an infield that has been ravaged by injury.

    They also have the luxury of being able to afford however much of Dre's contract they would need to eat to make a deal feasible. While Ethier has struggled, he's not this bad, especially against righties. Regression back to the norm will come.

    Ethier would slide into either left field or the DH spot in Baltimore, and even in a down year and with his clear issues against southpaws, he's still a better option offensively than the DH quartet of Chris Dickerson/Danny Valencia/Steve Pearce/Nolan Reimold and has a longer track record than Nate McLouth. McLouth hasn't produced this well since 2009, and Ethier has always been the better hitter.

    Again, this is a deal the Dodgers should be trying to make. The Orioles, on the other hand, may not be keen on parting with Hardy, as he's a good shortstop and those "chemistry and will to win" clichés have surrounded the team over the last year.

    However, the Orioles could certainly use an upgrade at DH and with Manny Machado able to slide over seamlessly to short, they wouldn't lose any defense there.

    Greg Zakwin is the founder of Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle, a Dodgers' and sports card blog. He writes with an analytical tilt about The Blue Crew at ChadMoriyama.com. You can find and follow him on Twitter @ArgyledPlaschke. A graduate of UCLA in 2011 with a Bachelor's in History, he's been a follower of the Dodgers since birth and still mourns the loss of both Mike Piazza and Carlos Santana.​

    __
     
  2. bestlakersfan

    bestlakersfan DSP Legend

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    Ethier and $15-20MM, I'd do it.
     
  3. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    You need to be 100% certain in Kemp/Crawford production/health, which might not be known til mid July.

    Also have no idea why the O's would do this.

    Honestly, if Ethier is ever traded it's going to be for some B/C prospects or a big contract pitcher. Just don't see a COF getting traded for a premiere defensive position unless the dude just can't hit.
     
  4. bestlakersfan

    bestlakersfan DSP Legend

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    Yea, that is the part that gets me. They have young and good OFs.
     
  5. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    A mini rant, but I kinda hate what yahoo is doing with its bloggers. It's cool that it lets bloggers just apply and come out on there home page, but it tricks you into reading a headline and thinking it's something for reals when it isn't a national writer with a scoop.
     
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  6. BigDaddyKaine

    BigDaddyKaine DSP Legend

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    I'd do it but I don't get why Orioles would, do they have a prospect at 3B they want to call up?
     
  7. bestlakersfan

    bestlakersfan DSP Legend

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    BR #2.
     
  8. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    exactly, and why i prefaced it with the fwiw caveat
    kinda scary not knowing about kemp and cc as you said
    would love to believe svs and puiggy are ready to play every day and that joc is mlb ready
    but that's a pipedream and not very realistic...



    ...which would probably qualify me as a yahoo contributor :retard:
     
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  9. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    They want to move Machado to SS.
     
  10. BigDaddyKaine

    BigDaddyKaine DSP Legend

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    I know that but what would they do for 3B.
     
  11. THINKBLUE

    THINKBLUE DSP Gigolo

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    Machado to the Dodgers for Cruz and a 1st rounder is rumored to be close.
     
  12. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    Not sure, this writer seems to think their lineup is so deep that it can afford a hole, which it probably can. I mean Hardy is batting 7th tonight.
     
  13. BigDaddyKaine

    BigDaddyKaine DSP Legend

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    No way man, we could get much more for Cruz than that.
     
  14. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    Yahoo! Contributor Network 1m
    The Machado for Cruz deal is dead. Baltimore asked for Justin Sellers instead of a draft pick and Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said no way.
    3:36 PM - 7 Jun 13
     
  15. LAFord

    LAFord DSP Legend

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    Dee Gordon and Andre with money to somewhere for something decent that can pitch or play Left side of infield.

    I'd take Hardy. How about Texas, aren't they full of guys?

    Does BOS want him anymore?

    I'd rather trade Puig for something...because we can get anyone we want with him, he's gonna regress, and I don't like this HR every game shit...getting boring.
     
  16. THINKBLUE

    THINKBLUE DSP Gigolo

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    That trade would make me Hardy.

    I'm done with Andre.
     
  17. THINKBLUE

    THINKBLUE DSP Gigolo

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    Call Dodger talk tomorrow and do your PED bit. I think the Ethier one is pretty valid and if you do it respectfully I'd be interested to hear what Kevin has to say.
     
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  18. LAFord

    LAFord DSP Legend

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    Should I bring up P.E.D.s and Puig too or just focus on Andre?
    Kennedy was ripping on ARod earlier on the radio. It was boss man, boss.
     
  19. THINKBLUE

    THINKBLUE DSP Gigolo

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    Yeah, I heard that on PMS.

    Just stick to Andre. Puig has done nothing to deserve that. Andre is a legitimate question.
     
  20. LAFord

    LAFord DSP Legend

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    LMAO! ok bro. ;)
     

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