Editorials

Dodgers Rumors: Puig Trade Becoming More Likely, per ESPN

Only a couple days removed from rumors of Clayton Kershaw allegedly wanting Yasiel Puig traded (according to Andy Van Slyke) ESPN is reporting the front office is growing more flexible on their stance on whether to move the polarizing right fielder.

Well, this became a lot more interesting…


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Buster Olney had this to say on how Andrew Friedman and the rest of his team view Puig moving forward.

So there continues to be a lot of indication that Dodger players and staffers are pretty sick of Puig, and sources within the organization say that the team’s leadership above Friedman is much more open to the idea of moving Puig than they would’ve been, say, 18 months ago.

Because if the front office ever determines that Puig is a problem who needs to be excised, they can move him without fretting over the lost nickels in a poorly timed trade — and there’s no question that if the Dodgers moved Puig now, they’d be selling low. Puig, who turns 25 in December, is coming off a season in which he hit .255, with a .322 on-base percentage and a .758 OPS, or more than 150 points lower than his OPS in 2013. His reputation precedes him: The industry is well aware of the fact that before the only game Puig started in the postseason, Game 4 in the National League Division Series, he arrived on the last bus and was late to get on the field for the team’s pregame work.

I can’t help but slightly disagree with Olney here. Yes, the Dodgers are working with immense resources financially. Yes, they have options to fill the void both from within the organization and via outside help. Neither of those advantages simply give the Dodgers a blank check to absorb poor value on trades

Look at the other realistically movable assets on their major league roster the Dodgers currently have that wouldn’t entail them absorbing much of that player’s contract. They’re listed below.

(That wasn’t a typo).

That’s the issue with moving guys simply because you can. Eventually, the cupboard is bare and you’re sitting there wondering how everyone got away with so little in return. It’s a terrible habit to fall into.

There’s simply no rush to make a move like this. It was rumored earlier this week that if the Dodgers could move Puig, it would help them sign Heyward. This makes no sense, either, because of Puig’s incredibly valuable contract.

If moving Puig doesn’t give you any other advantage than team chemistry when the team isn’t together, why move him?

NEXT: Andy Van Slyke’s Comments Stir Up Unneeded Controversy

 

4 Comments

  1. If they sell low on Puig and then he plays up to his potential like Dee did- then that will become the legacy of this Front Office- it’ll be the only thing they are remembered for.
    I thought this FO’s MO was finding under valued players but It’s questionable if they know the value of their own players.

  2. They traded Matt Kemp because he was a so called clubhouse cancer…….He drove in 100 runs, they traded Dee Gordon because they felt he had reached the best he could be…he wins the stolen base and batting titles, and wins a gold glove. But Puig is a horse of a different color. He is a 5 tool player, he is exciting, BUT…he is a pain in the ass……if Kershaw, and Greinke are sick of the guy, you can bet others on the team are also…..He is lazy, and un motivated…….he needs to be gone

  3. Dfrank  this fo hasn’t done anything to improve the team from what ive seen.if you trade puig why not trade Kershaw,since you want to get low cost players. as far as I can see greinkes gone probably to san fran or Washington. friedmans to cheap to resign him. he said he wanted to go with younger players then why did he sign a 39 yr old has been last year that didn’t pitch the whole year.this front office is a joke.

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