>Dodgers Trade Deadline

>

Ned Colletti sure isn’t the fan favorite he was two years ago when he traded for Manny Ramirez from the Boston Redsox.

The Dodgers needed a lot of help with the pitching staff.

They acquired (SP) Ted Lilly and (2B) Ryan Theriot from the Chicago Cubs for (2B) Blake Dewitt, (AA) Kyle Smith, and (A) Brett Wallach. The Dodgers also received $2.5 million to help pay for some of Lilly’s remaining salary.

I understand the Dodgers needed another starter but why give up on Blake Dewitt so early in his career. He’s only 24 years old and was starting to turn it around. Ryan Theriot is nothing better except for having more experience. He’s 30 years old and slowly declining. He brings a lot more speed and that can help at the bottom of the lineup.

Brett Wallach was 6-0 with an ERA of 3.71 in Single-A and Kyle Smith was 5-3 with an ERA of 2.35.

I also read this from Dylan Hernandez, Dodgers beat writer. “Colletti said that the Dodgers could have acquired Lilly without parting ways with DeWitt.” If that was the case, what was the point of acquiring the more expensive Theriot?

The second trade of the day wasn’t that much better.

The Dodgers acquired Octavio Dotel and $500,000 from the Pirates for James McDonald and Andrew Lambo. McDonald had many opportunities in the big leagues but couldn’t satisfy the front office. But to add Andrew Lambo in the deal for a 36 year old that would most likely go elsewhere after the season is not good.

Dylan Hernandez also reports that, “Colletti said he felt he could afford to move Lambo because of the youth of Ethier and Kemp, the presence of Xavier Paul and emergence of Sands.” Why not use Lambo in a trade for someone else?

The farm system has taken some huge hits in the past 3 seasons. If the Dodgers don’t make the playoffs this season, the deadline might be the date the Dodgers look back on. Only 7 games back with many games against National League West opponents.

I still like the Scott Podsednik trade.

I’m anxious to see what happens in August during waivers. Manny Ramirez could be on his way out if the Dodgers don’t gain any ground on the Padres or Giants.

Lilly, Theriot and Dotel need to help make the playoffs if they want this to be a successful deadline.

 

>The Downfall of George Sherrill

>

I’m sitting in class hoping the day goes by quicker. I just won (2) Game 1 National League Championship Series tickets to see my Los Angeles Dodgers take on the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

It’s game time at Chavez Ravine. Dodgers need to win this opening game to have a shot at winning the series. They can’t afford to go down 0-1 against this tough team.

Top of the 8^th inning, George Sherrill is coming into the game while the Dodgers are trailing 5-4. Sherrill had a phenomenal season for the Dodgers after being acquired before the deadline last season. He has an ERA of 0.65, 22 strikeouts, and 11 Holds in only 27.2 innings of work. There was no way the Phillies were going to touch him for a run.

Oh was I wrong.

Sherrill walks the first two hitters of the inning and here comes Raul Ibanez. The first pitch to Ibanez is sent over the fence into the Right Field Pavilion. Just like that, the Dodgers trail by 4 runs and couldn’t score enough runs to win the game.

Phillies go on to win the game 8-6 and win the series 4-1. Dodgers never had control of the series.

Fast forward to the 2010 season. Everyone had 5 months to forget about what happened last year and focus on this upcoming season.

In the very first game of the season, Sherrill comes out of the pen looking nervous. The Pittsburgh Pirates score 3 runs forcing Sherrill out of the game after retiring only 2 men in his 2010 debut.

For the past month, every time Sherrill comes into a close game it feels like the Dodgers are throwing in the towel. I know I’m not the only person who feels this way. He only has 2 holds and 12 strikeouts this season. His ERA is currently at 7.23 and he’s not the same pitcher the Dodgers acquired last season.

The Dodgers offense has been horrendous since the All-Star break and that didn’t change today. They were facing the 1^st place San Diego Padres in an important game. A loss sends the Dodgers 7 games back while a victory gets them to only 5 games back.

It’s the bottom of the 9^th inning, with the scored tied 2-2. The Dodgers weren’t doing anything against the Padres pen but neither were the Padre hitters against the Dodgers pen. That all changed once Joe Torre inserted Sherrill into the game.

My brother was not happy and said, “Broxton needs to pitch this ninth. Forget about saves and worry about trying to win games.”

Turns out he was right. Sherrill quickly gave up a single to Scott Hairston who was sacrificed over by Tony Gwynn Jr. in the very next AB. That is the only player that Sherrill retired.

The Padres put in Oscar Salazar to pinch hit and with a 3-2 count, Sherrill throws a fastball down the plate. Salazar pokes it into center field, allowing Hairston to score from second. Padres win the game and give Sherrill his second loss of the season.

It’s time the Dodgers do something with Sherrill. It’s obviously not doing him or the team any good by continuing to put him out there when the game is on the line. Send him down to the minors and hopefully he can get back to 09’ form when he was lights out. I’m not pleased with his performance this season and i’m sure i speak for most if not all Dodger fans around the world.

 

>Podsednik to the Dodgers

>The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik on Wednesday. Podsednik is having a great year hitting .310 with 6 HRs, 44 RBIs, and 30 SBs.

He adds a lot more speed to the top of the lineup for the Dodgers while Manny Ramirez is on the disabled list. He’ll most likely hit in the 2nd spot before Rafael Furcal.

Dodgers will pay 650k of his salary for the rest of the season and have a mutual option to bring him back for the 2011 season with a salary of $2 million. This option becomes mutual if Podsednik reaches 525 at-bats (currently at 430 ABs).

Dodgers sent their top catching prospect, Lucas May, and Class-A pitcher, Elisaul Pimentel, to the Kansas City Royals.

We’ll have to wait and see how this trade turns out in a couple of years, but hopefully the Dodgers got their left fielder for next season, since we know that Manny won’t be back in Dodger blue.

Hopefully this move means the end for Garret Anderson. He’s had a great career but he’s been less than average for the Dodgers this season. Only hitting .182 and slugging .277 off the bench.

Dodgers are still looking for starting pitching, which has been the biggest concern this season.

One last thing about the trade: Welcome back to Los Angeles the beautiful,

Lisa Dergan.