That pretty much sums up the media coverage of the Red Sox and Twins Johan Santana talks yesterday. Stupidly, I kept hitting refresh on my browser over and over, but to no avail as far as Santana. Anyways, that's the reason I was totally quiet even though one of the hugest trades in the last 10 years or so occured when Miguel Cabrera was traded from the Marlins to the Detroit Tigers with Dontrelle Willis for Andrew Miller, Curtis Maybin and four other farm implements.
The dodgers could have topped this offer easily, but would have had to substitute an infielder like LaRoche for the younger, outfield prospect that Maybin is. In addition, they would have had to substitute out one or two of the 4 pitchers for position players. Billingsley is more advanced and just plain better than Miller. I don't know if Elbert would be considered more valuable than Miller since Elbert still hasn't pitched above AA while Miller has pitched limited innings in the MLB. The other four guys are the difference probably.
The dodgers cannot afford to give up even their so-so young arms in bulk because that is where their system is light, and more importantly it will be the team's biggest future need in the next 2-3 years. Lowe will probably be leaving as a free agent at the end of next season and Penny getting to test the free agent market a year after that. Those two guys will be hard to replaced. That's why we need one or 2 guys beyond Billingsley to emerge as productive starting pitchers.
I'm okay with the dodgers not getting Cabrera. The Marlins demanded way more from the dodgers (if I'm to believe the rumors and media coverage of their demands) than Detroit ended up giving the fish. In addition, the dodgers could've but smartly refused to offer up a bunch of young arms (if this was even an option) to Florida because they need to hold onto them. The Marlins supposedly wanted 3 or 4 proven, young, major league players. Arguably they ended up receiving one kind-of-ready starting pitcher, an outfielder that is about 2 years away from playing at the MLB level and 4 more undistinguished arms. To each his own...
O.K. this article is the one that made me want to post this morning. Most of it is regurgitation but there was a new nugget that sounded interesting in the reporting that the dodgers talked to the brewers about Bill Hall, who could shore up either center field and making Pierre expendable, or can shore up third base if the team makes a major trade that includes LaRoche. Heck, he even makes Furcal expendable if you believe in his defense at short. He had an off year in '07. It's kind of easy to explain his down year when you take into account he went from shortstop to centerfield and dealt with a sprained ankle for a month or so. He also has a decent contract at 6 million per year for 15-20 homers, maybe 15-20 steals if his ankle isn't nagging him.
But maybe he's already peaked. He might be a very talented walking DL list type player. I don't know what the brewers would want for him. I wouldn't think the brewers would want to trade him away unless they're bowled over by a crazy offer, which would be bad for us.
It probably doesn't happen, but it's fun to think of alternative ways to shore up your team's roster.
Oh, and I read the press enterprise dodgers beat writer Diamond Lung's account of Jeff Kent bullying the quiet James Loney over an untucked shirt. I'd have told Kent to tuck off. Maybe tuck this. Nah, tuck off. It makes me more entrenched in the view that Kent is more trouble than he's worth. The kids may have a lot to learn, but bullying them over insignificant things invalidates Kent's authority and influence over the young players. Par for the course for Kent I guess. That phrase is out of style already, isn't it. :(
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