Dodgers, Cards meet as trade deadline looms
Dodgers, Cards meet as trade deadline looms
St. Louis got the jump on the trade deadline last week when they bolstered the lineup around Albert Pujols in two separate deals. First the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday from Oakland for three top prospects before taking Julio Lugo from Boston after the Red Sox designated the infielder for assignment. Now it's the Dodgers turn to get involved in the July shopping, with reports LA might be trade buddies with Cleveland.
Are the Los Angeles Dodgers really that interested in Cliff Lee?
A report Sunday from Ken Rosenthal at FOX Sports had the Dodgers in “serious” discussions with the Cleveland Indians about picking up Lee (3.17 ERA, 4.07 xFIP) and catcher Victor Martinez (.833 OPS) for 1B James Loney (.751 OPS) and either Chad Billingsley (3.72 ERA, 3.91 xFIP) or Clayton Kershaw (2.96 ERA, 4.27 xFIP). Martinez would play first base for Los Angeles and represent a pretty good upgrade at the plate, at least according to the stats. But the stats also say that Lee is once again stranding an unusually high number of base runners: 79.6 percent. Last year’s Cy Young campaign was assisted by a 78.3 left on base percentage.
The two teams have until Friday to make this deal happen without putting anyone on waivers. If Lee ends up in Dodger blue, at least he can count on stronger run support than the 3.86 per game he’s gotten in Cleveland. That’s the primary reason Lee is in last place in the MLB money standings for pitchers at minus-9.69 units. Los Angeles (62-36, plus-19.67 units) is No. 8 in the majors with 5.01 runs per game, even factoring in the 50-game suspension OF Manny Ramirez (1.113 OPS) served for violating the steroid policy.
Depending on the timing, this potential deal could throw a monkey wrench into the starting assignments for L.A.’s four-game series starting Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals (53-48, minus-1.45 units) have already done some wheeling and dealing of their own. They’ve been hungry for some offense to support the typical MVP-quality work delivered by 1B Albert Pujols (1.145 OPS). Enter OF Matt Holliday (.831 OPS), their new clean-up hitter acquired from the Oakland A’s last Friday for three prospects. Freed from the cavernous Oakland Coliseum, Holliday went 4-for-5 in his debut that very night in an 8-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies (-135).
Then the Cards took SS Julio Lugo (.719 OPS in 37 games) off the hands of the Boston Red Sox to patch the hole created by injuries to 3B Troy Glaus (shoulder) and SS Khalil Greene. Lugo was 6-for-10 against the Phillies in his first two games as a Cardinal.
However, St. Louis lost both times to fall a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central division race. Glaus (.856 OPS in 2008) can’t come back too soon for the Cardinals.
Here are the starting assignments for this series as we went to press. St. Louis is listed as the -155 favorites (LA +135) to take two of the first three games this week.
Game 1: Randy Wolf vs. Chris Carpenter
Monday, 7:05 p.m. (ET) ESPN
Carpenter’s hard-luck story continues this year with an 8-7 team record (minus-0.55 units) despite a brilliant 2.26 ERA (3.74 xFIP). The under is 9-5-1 in his starts. Wolf (3.45 ERA, 4.32 xFIP) is pitching well and has the Dodgers at 13-8, 3.75 units in the black. Betting odds have the Cards as -170 home faves with a total of 7.5 runs.
Game 2: Chad Billingsley vs. Adam Wainwright
Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Billingsley would be the bigger loss in the short term for L.A., especially from a betting perspective with his 14-7 team record, good enough for 3.87 units. But Billingsley has enjoyed ample run support at 5.05 per game, and those runs will be harder to come by against Wainwright (2.95 ERA, 3.70 xFIP). St. Louis is also 14-7 behind Wainwright, earning 4.59 units.
Game 3: Clayton Kershaw vs. Joel Pineiro
Wednesday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Kerhsaw has better prospects in the long term wherever he ends up pitching, although both he (age 21) and Billingsley (age 24) still have lots of tread on their tires. The big lefty with the nasty curveball has a 12-8 team record for 1.93 units in earnings. Pineiro (2.95 ERA, 3.76 xFIP) has rescued his career since moving to St. Louis in 2007. But he falls under the radar with a 10-9 record (plus-0.55 units) on 3.89 runs for per game. The under is 13-5-1 for Pineiro.
Game 4: Hiroki Kuroda vs. Kyle Lohse
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Kuroda (4.57 ERA, 3.82 xFIP) has been sabotaged by bad luck of his own, judging by his 60.3 left on base percentage. He’s got L.A. at 6-5 (minus-1.24 units) with the under at 8-3. But the man they call Lohse the Hose (4.35 ERA, 4.46 xFIP) is getting drubbed with a 4-9 team record at 5.99 units in the red. The Cards have lost eight of his last nine starts; Lohse failed to reach the sixth inning in three of his last four outings.
St. Louis got the jump on the trade deadline last week when they bolstered the lineup around Albert Pujols in two separate deals. First the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday from Oakland for three top prospects before taking Julio Lugo from Boston after the Red Sox designated the infielder for assignment. Now it's the Dodgers turn to get involved in the July shopping, with reports LA might be trade buddies with Cleveland.
Are the Los Angeles Dodgers really that interested in Cliff Lee?
A report Sunday from Ken Rosenthal at FOX Sports had the Dodgers in “serious” discussions with the Cleveland Indians about picking up Lee (3.17 ERA, 4.07 xFIP) and catcher Victor Martinez (.833 OPS) for 1B James Loney (.751 OPS) and either Chad Billingsley (3.72 ERA, 3.91 xFIP) or Clayton Kershaw (2.96 ERA, 4.27 xFIP). Martinez would play first base for Los Angeles and represent a pretty good upgrade at the plate, at least according to the stats. But the stats also say that Lee is once again stranding an unusually high number of base runners: 79.6 percent. Last year’s Cy Young campaign was assisted by a 78.3 left on base percentage.
The two teams have until Friday to make this deal happen without putting anyone on waivers. If Lee ends up in Dodger blue, at least he can count on stronger run support than the 3.86 per game he’s gotten in Cleveland. That’s the primary reason Lee is in last place in the MLB money standings for pitchers at minus-9.69 units. Los Angeles (62-36, plus-19.67 units) is No. 8 in the majors with 5.01 runs per game, even factoring in the 50-game suspension OF Manny Ramirez (1.113 OPS) served for violating the steroid policy.
Depending on the timing, this potential deal could throw a monkey wrench into the starting assignments for L.A.’s four-game series starting Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals (53-48, minus-1.45 units) have already done some wheeling and dealing of their own. They’ve been hungry for some offense to support the typical MVP-quality work delivered by 1B Albert Pujols (1.145 OPS). Enter OF Matt Holliday (.831 OPS), their new clean-up hitter acquired from the Oakland A’s last Friday for three prospects. Freed from the cavernous Oakland Coliseum, Holliday went 4-for-5 in his debut that very night in an 8-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies (-135).
Then the Cards took SS Julio Lugo (.719 OPS in 37 games) off the hands of the Boston Red Sox to patch the hole created by injuries to 3B Troy Glaus (shoulder) and SS Khalil Greene. Lugo was 6-for-10 against the Phillies in his first two games as a Cardinal.
However, St. Louis lost both times to fall a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central division race. Glaus (.856 OPS in 2008) can’t come back too soon for the Cardinals.
Here are the starting assignments for this series as we went to press. St. Louis is listed as the -155 favorites (LA +135) to take two of the first three games this week.
Game 1: Randy Wolf vs. Chris Carpenter
Monday, 7:05 p.m. (ET) ESPN
Carpenter’s hard-luck story continues this year with an 8-7 team record (minus-0.55 units) despite a brilliant 2.26 ERA (3.74 xFIP). The under is 9-5-1 in his starts. Wolf (3.45 ERA, 4.32 xFIP) is pitching well and has the Dodgers at 13-8, 3.75 units in the black. Betting odds have the Cards as -170 home faves with a total of 7.5 runs.
Game 2: Chad Billingsley vs. Adam Wainwright
Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Billingsley would be the bigger loss in the short term for L.A., especially from a betting perspective with his 14-7 team record, good enough for 3.87 units. But Billingsley has enjoyed ample run support at 5.05 per game, and those runs will be harder to come by against Wainwright (2.95 ERA, 3.70 xFIP). St. Louis is also 14-7 behind Wainwright, earning 4.59 units.
Game 3: Clayton Kershaw vs. Joel Pineiro
Wednesday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Kerhsaw has better prospects in the long term wherever he ends up pitching, although both he (age 21) and Billingsley (age 24) still have lots of tread on their tires. The big lefty with the nasty curveball has a 12-8 team record for 1.93 units in earnings. Pineiro (2.95 ERA, 3.76 xFIP) has rescued his career since moving to St. Louis in 2007. But he falls under the radar with a 10-9 record (plus-0.55 units) on 3.89 runs for per game. The under is 13-5-1 for Pineiro.
Game 4: Hiroki Kuroda vs. Kyle Lohse
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
Kuroda (4.57 ERA, 3.82 xFIP) has been sabotaged by bad luck of his own, judging by his 60.3 left on base percentage. He’s got L.A. at 6-5 (minus-1.24 units) with the under at 8-3. But the man they call Lohse the Hose (4.35 ERA, 4.46 xFIP) is getting drubbed with a 4-9 team record at 5.99 units in the red. The Cards have lost eight of his last nine starts; Lohse failed to reach the sixth inning in three of his last four outings.