Building The Farm: Dodgers System Returning To Prominence
Fortunately, the new ownership and management team seem set on changing that. Since the Boston trade (which involved Alan Webster, the No. 3 prospect in the system, and Rubby De La Rosa) and a trade with Miami to acquire Hanley Ramirez in early 2012 (involving No. 2 prospect Nathan Eovaldi), the Dodgers have seemingly refused to part with their best young prospects.
As a result, this week the Dodgers’ farm system jumped as high in the rankings as they have been since 2009 (albeit in a different person’s rankings), moving to No. 10 in Keith Law’s rankings. Those rankings are highlighted by the presence of Corey Seager (No. 5 prospect overall), Julio Urias (No. 9 prospect overall) and Joc Pederson (No. 28 overall) — a group Law goes on to say is the best prospect trio anywhere in the league.
That type of praise must be satisfying to the Dodger front office, if for no other reason than all of the temptations they have seemingly had to trade them. Last season, the Dodgers were rumored to be interested in acquiring Cole Hamels.
As per his reputation, Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. reportedly asked for an astronomical haul — Pederson, Seager and Urias. Thankfully, the Dodgers laughed and said no.
While I’m tempted to say it’s a new era of Dodgers baseball, the reality is I’m simply hoping it’s a return to an older era — one that produced prospects like they grew on the palm trees surrounding the stadium.
Urias. Seager. Pederson.
For once, a future we can all look forward to.
It is also the way to make record profits. IF the Dodgers only have to pay one or two big free agent salaries per year they will make huge profits which is why Guggenheim bought the team. That is the reason the Dodgers were not active in the big money free agent market. And they will not sign, I believe, unless forced to by injury, any free agent that costs them a draft pick. That is why no play for Shields etc. They will trade for prospects and draft picks but they are fixated on building from within. It is the Braves blueprint from Kasten and it WAS the Dodger way when I was growing up. All the Dodgers of that Era came from the Farm, Garvey, Cey, and earlier Wills, Koufax etc.
I agree it is getting better and also agree that big name free agents are not the way to go, but also do not want to trade top prospects for guys like Hamels, who would cost you 2 first rate guys
Yes did you see that the Phillies wanted to open up discussion about Hamels with the Dodgers and named Peterson, Seager and Urias? They are apparnetly not in a panic to trade him as they are asking for 2-3 A Plus Minor League Prospects and no takers. On the other hand I would love to get Shields in the #4 or 5 spot and put Anderson in reserve. We look to be very think up there with a bunch of guys with injury histories.