Editorials

Acquiring Roberto Hernandez Worth Arano And Valentin?

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Roberto Hernandez



The Dodgers looked like they had gotten a steal with positive immediate returns from the 33-year-old veteran. In his first two starts, Hernandez allowed just three runs in 12 innings, walked four and struck out 10.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t been the same in his most recent pair of outings, surrendering six earned runs in 11 innings with four walks and just five strikeouts. When he came over to the Dodgers, Hernandez was essentially replacement level, meaning the Dodgers (theoretically) could have found someone who did what he did for free.

Analysis

There are two things to consider with this deal. The first being the chances of Arano and Valentin even making the Major Leagues are razor thin. They are 20 and 19 year olds, respectively, and haven’t played above A-ball. The odds are against any Minor Leaguer to reach the show and these two don’t scream “can’t miss prospects.”

The second matter is about principle. Why would you trade depth out of a thin system? The Dodgers’ Minor Leagues are still recovering from the Frank McCourt era, when the team was spending among the bottom of the league in both the draft and internationally.

A strong 2012 draft, along with the international signings of Yasiel Puig, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Julio Urias that year, has helped replenished a depleted system, but there’s still plenty of work to be done.

Then, there’s the Dodgers previous trades over the past few years that have drastically diminished the club’s big league options. In 2012, the team traded away Nathan Eovaldi, Ethan Martin, Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa.

Two years later, the organization is light on internal options to replace starting pitchers. Go figure. Trades like this further thin out in-house options in years to come.

That is the main issue here. Trading away young players who could develop for two months of a replacement level player simply isn’t good business. It’s less bullets in the chamber, less lottery tickets, whatever metaphor you want to use. When you’re digging through the scrap heap, you don’t leave a tip.
[divide] Dodgers Looking To Add Another Reliever?

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Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

One Comment

  1. 14th ranked prospect in a organization that really only has only maybe 6 or 7 future major leaguers is not a significant loss.

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