Los Angeles Dodgers: Brian Dozier Alternatives at Second Base
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been in long negotiations with the Minnesota Twins about a possible deal involving second baseman Brian Dozier. If that doesn’t work out, there are other quality options out on the market.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been involved in the whole Brian Dozier saga for a couple weeks now, but they still have not come to a resolution. The Minnesota Twins want the return package to be built around pitching prospect Jose De Leon while the Dodgers want to do a one for one deal. The Twins want more than one prospect and at one point demanded a huge return.
The two sides have settled on at least De Leon but the Twins seem to want more.
The #Dodgers are the heavy favorite to land #Twins 2B Brian Dozier,but Twins continue to insist they need more than Jose De Leon to move him
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 5, 2017
One prospect in particular has seemed to have caught the eye of Minnesota: Brock Stewart. If the price gets too expensive, the Dodgers front office should just walk away and look elsewhere. Even though he hit 42 home runs, chances are that he will not repeat it and possibly fall back into the 20s. That is still a good amount but couple that with the lack of hitting for average and below average second base defense (by most metrics)? No team should overpay. He won’t repeat his 42 home runs, especially in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. Luckily for Los Angeles, there are still some other quality options available out there.
Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers
Ian Kinsler is 34 and coming off a terrific season which saw him hit .288/.348/.484 with 28 home runs while slugging off left-handers to the tune of .309/.369/.525. He also won a Gold Glove in 2016 so he had one of the best seasons for a second baseman. He would definitely aid the Dodgers’ ability, or lack thereof, to hit off lefties. Also, even though he’s 34, Kinsler’s Gold Glove showed that he still has some athleticism left to play great defense at second base.
Back in the November the Dodgers and Detroit Tigers discussed a possible deal for Ian Kinsler but talks broke down because the Tigers wanted top prospect Cody Bellinger in return. Smartly, Los Angeles walked away because Bellinger is a legit blue-chip prospect and the heir to Adrian Gonzalez at first base. Luckily for the Dodgers, they have an extremely deep farm system meaning they can get a deal done without giving up their top prospects.
One thing that works against the Tigers’ value is Kinsler’s age and contract. He will be turning 35 next season and is an upcoming free agent but will make $11 million this upcoming season. Historically, the older a player is and/or the fewer years left on the player’s contract decreases a player’s value. The Tigers should still be able to get some solid value in return. A package of outfielder Yasiel Puig, pitching prospects Brock Stewart and Chase De Jong, and infield prospect Omar Estevez would be a fair deal.
Puig offers a younger and cheaper alternative to upcoming free agent J.D. Martinez and with a fresh start might finally be able to live up to his massive potential. Stewart and De Jong aren’t front line pitchers, but the Tigers don’t need those. They already have Michael Fulmer and Justin Verlander heading the rotation. Stewart and De Jong are young and talented pitchers who can be solid mid-rotation arms. Estevez, only 18, brings a promising bat and would be a possible future replacement for Ian Kinsler while make a future middle infield pairing with Jose Iglesias.
Logan Forsythe, Tampa Bay Rays
Logan Forsythe may not be as heralded, but he is a cheaper and younger option than Kinsler. He hit a solid, if unspectacular .264/.333/.444 last season. However, he did hit a career-high 20 home runs while adding 24 doubles. He also has defensive versatility, playing 56 games at third base.
Defensive versatility is something that this Los Angeles Dodgers front office values highly. However, Forsythe is primarily a second baseman, and the best part is that he hits from the right side of the plate. Logan Forsythe is due $5.75 million next season with a club option for $8.5 million in 2018.
Forsythe would still require some good value in return but he would not, nor should not, be as expensive as the two players listed above. The small-market Rays have always had a plethora of pitching. The thing always holding them back has been offense, so the package in return should be position player heavy. The package should start with Puig and Estevez.
Young Cuban prospect Starling Heredia might make for an interesting addition as well. He is only 17, but has great upside and is already the 13th ranked prospect in a deep farm system while not even legally an adult. A package of those three should be strong enough to get the deal done. The Los Angeles Dodgers can also switch either Heredia or Estevez with one of their pitching prospects.
Starlin Castro, New York Yankees
Starlin Castro is the definition of unfulfilled talent. In his first three seasons, ages 20-22, he hit .296 while clearing the the .300 mark twice. He collected 529 hits and lead the league with 207 hits during his second season. Castro has hit a disappointing .251 in the four years since. He did have a season, in 2014, where it looked like the tide would be turning back. He hit .292/.339/.438 with 14 home runs and 33 doubles, but he regressed the next season. This past season Castro had a solid year at the plate while showing some surprising pop. He hit .270/.300/.433 with 21 home runs and 29 doubles. You want to see him take more walks, but hey, it’s a start.
Castro moved to second base in 2015 and has held his own. He won’t win a Gold Glove anytime soon but he will be respectable. He is only 26 so there is still a chance that he can live up to his potential. Castro is under club control through 2020 for at least $30 million (not taking into account bonuses). He can make up to an additional $2,571,426. Money should not be an issue for the deep-pocketed Los Angeles Dodgers.
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The Yankees want and need pitching, MLB-ready and prospects. However, Castro would not and should not demand a prospect on the level of De Leon and even 19-year-old stud prospect Yadier Alvarez. The Yankees did not give much up to get Castro from the Cubs, nor should the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brandon McCarthy would be a start. After being traded to New York in 2014, he had a nice 14-game run with a 2.89 ERA. Throw in Brock Stewart, Chase De Jong and SS/3B prospect Brendan Davis and you have a package that might be enticing enough. Davis is only 19 but has upside and adds even more depth to the Yankees’ strong farm system.