Dodger Dilemma: What To Do With Shortstop Hanley Ramirez?
Sign him to a multi-year deal
After the 2013 season, this was the unanimous decision by anyone that watched the Dodgers. Ramirez carried the offense in the second half of the season and through the NLDS before being hit by a pitch in the NLCS and being limited. Many believed the Dodgers and Ramirez would get a deal done.
Well, it’s the end of 2014 and a contract extension looks like the least likely thing to occur. However, a long-term deal could be worked out with some stipulations. First, any deal over two years must include a move to third base. Ramirez is no longer a quality shortstop in terms of defense, and the Dodgers have top prospect Corey Seager waiting in the wings. Juan Uribe is signed for one more season and proved he is capable of being an everyday third baseman, meaning Ramirez would make the transition in 2016.
A long-term deal to Ramirez would be the final member of the Dodger core to be signed for more years. Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez all have multiple years left on their deals. Ramirez gets a long with all of them and is a joy in the clubhouse. Signing Ramirez to more than two years could prove smart in 2015 and could be a question park beyond that.
Let him walk
The final and likely least favorite move would be for the Dodgers to simply let the former Rookie of the Year walk away. There will be a few teams that could use Ramirez’s services, including the New York Yankees, and the Dodgers may simply decide the money and/or years are not worth it.
As mentioned earlier, the Dodgers have Rojas and Arruebarrena on the roster, and Seager in the minor leagues. While Rojas and Arruebarrena won’t hit over .300 or 20 home runs, they also will save more than a few runs on the defensive side. The Dodger lineup would still have Puig, Gonzalez, Crawford and Kemp to score runs. Ramirez dealt with numerous injuries all season and the front office could decide he isn’t worth the risk.
In order to get the large deal he wanted, Ramirez had to carry the offense again and lead the Dodgers deeper in the playoffs. While the loss doesn’t fall on his shoulders, Ramirez never found his power stroke from the 2013 season and his offense was streaky all year long. Getting by with Arruebarrena or Rojas for a season or two before giving way to Seager could be the Dodgers best choice.
2 years, $44 mil.
Rojas is not an option. He can’t hit his weight. What about Guerrero, do they now think he can’t play SS in the majors? He can hit so I was surprised we didn’t see him more in September.
i agree. You spend on all that money on the kid & then you hide him?
Try to lure Troy Tulowitski from the Rockies. The former Dirtbagger would love to be back in California and with a team that always expects to be in the post-season. He doesn’t want to end his career in Colorado.
Tulo has yet to play a full season without being on the DL and besides I believe his numbers are inflated due to playing in Colorado. The better move would be a 1 yr contract for Hanley.
We need Hanley’s bat in the lineup. Very simple.
Sure good bat but hard to swing from the dugout.
Arrueurrueubeubrrrebeena has the hands to be the best SS in the bigs. He’ll learn to hit with his size and athleticism.
Put Hanley at third. He’s a downgrade from Uribe defensively, but Uribe’s magic is all used up.
Hanley has got to go. He’s too injury prone & too old to resign & too much of a defensive weakness . He ruined what would have been a perfect game by Kershaw. He belongs in the American League where he can dh.
we need to keep hanley he does his best with what he has and for ruinning kershaws perfect game Kershaw said it didn’t matter so suck it up you hanley hatters hes better at defense than anybody that going to be a free agent. hes all ways said he wants to be a life long dodger well give him a one year contract and if he does good next year give him a multi year contract. if he new he was going to be a life long dodger I think hed do better .he wouldn’t have to worry about his contract.
Hanley is an expensive gamble. Sure he is a great hitter, poor fielder but if your injury prone we don’t get all that skill.
I would give him another year and then re-evaluate but I don’t really think his skill outweighs the amount of time he spends on the pine. If the Dodgers don’t get what they want in a contract and he leaves, oh, well.
get rid of mattingly he cant get them motivated, they need a dusty baker kind of manager or get one from inside the organization.mattingly doesn’t play funamental baseball he hardly ever hit and run .with gordons speed he should have him drag bunt hes let handed and he has that extra step toward first base
Yea anyway you look at it, this team did not play with that desperation, that super energy that we saw in St Louis players. We had a team with the highest credentials but did not get the most out of them. The hitters failed in the St Louis series and the puny St Louis hitters came thru when they had to, against our best.
I don’t think Mattingly will ever get the most out of his players.