‘Tis the Season for Outfielder Trade Rumors

Another offseason means the usual trade speculation rumors surrounding Dodger outfielders heats up. It’s par for the course. November rolls around, and suddenly all the Dodger outfielders are involved in speculative trade scenarios. We’ve been through this before. There’s too many outfielders. Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson are all competing for the three starting spots in the outfield on the Dodger roster for 2015. Which of those three will be in the Opening Day lineup next year?

While trade rumors have been swirling for years now in regards to the Dodgers’ outfield, nothing has happened. In fact the only thing that has changed about the situation is that Joc Pederson is knocking on the door a lot louder. Albatrossed by long-term expensive contracts to Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford, the situation looks just as sticky as it has been the past two off seasons. With a revamped front office taking shape, I still am unsure whether the Dodgers will be able to unload any of their outfielders this winter.

Andre Ethier’s contract extension was the first move the new ownership made when they took over the Dodgers from McCourt. I never thought the Dodgers would move Ethier unless the deal was right and Matt Kemp was healthy. With Matt Kemp injured for most of two seasons, Ethier was looked to as a versatile outfielder who could play center field or any of the three outfield positions when needed. Ethier brought value to the team in 2013 even though his offense has all but fizzled out. Now that Matt Kemp is healthy and proved the naysayers wrong with a glorious comeback season, Joc Pederson is in the wings, and Carl Crawford is also on the payroll, it may now finally be the winter when one of the outfielders is moved.

Once Yasiel Puig cemented his place in center field and wowed the baseball world with his untamed athleticism in the larger pasture of center, Ethier’s role was

Jul 31, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford (3), right fielder Yasiel Puig (back) and right fielder Matt Kemp celebrate at the conclusion of the Dodgers 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers swept the Braves in the 3-game series and have won 6 in a row. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

diminished to the point of barely getting a pinch-hit every few games in 2014. Being a long-time Andre Ethier fan, it was sad to see. Ethier had been an important part of the Dodgers’ success along with Matt Kemp for many seasons. Even though he is not the same Captain Clutch circa 2009, Ethier is still a career Dodger and fan favorite.

Ethier was very uncomplaining in his reduced role this year. Don Mattingly and Andre Ethier have had their tensions between each other, but Andre was nothing but compliant yet disappointed with Mattingly’s choice to go with Carl Crawford over Dre during the second half of the season.

Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times thinks the Dodger should hang on to Ethier. I have agreed with Steve the past two off seasons, but this time around I’m beginning to wonder if Ethier should be traded in order to allow him to move on with his career. The Dodgers  hopefully can pick up some depth along the way and clear room for Joc. I definitely do not agree with Dilbeck’s assertion that “Clayton Kershaw may be the only significant player in the clubhouse universally respected by his peers,” and I think that Ethier most certainly has gained the respect amongst his teammates for nine seasons in Blue.

The Dodgers still owe Ethier $56 million for the next three seasons (with an vesting option for the fourth season), and if I had to choose one outfielder to move it would be Carl Crawford instead. Ethier, coming off his worst season of his career, can’t bring in much from a trade. The Dodgers would have to end up eating part of either Ethier or Crawford’s contracts in either scenario. The question then becomes whether receiving mid-grade prospects in return for either Major Leaguer will bolster the roster or will it water it down? Is Joc ready to produce at the Major League level consistently? Can the remaining outfielders remain healthy?

Crawford has health concerns and is in the middle of his 7-year $142 million contract through 2017. The 13-year veteran only played in 105 games for the Dodgers this year after turning his ankle and battling his usual bout of rustiness which pops up sporadically throughout the season. Crawford stole 23 bases last season which was the most since he stole 47 in 2010 with Tampa Bay. He has some speed, some pop remaining in his bat, but he has a weak arm in left field and is not versatile in the outfield.

With the Dodgers stating that they want to go younger, and the new front office regime putting checks and balances on the hefty contracts of yesteryear and of the future, I finally feel as though the Dodgers could possibly make a move this offseason to unload an outfielder. While I scoff at any mention of trading Yasiel Puig (that’s never going to happen), and with the resurgence of Matt Kemp, I feel as though Ethier and Crawford could be on the chopping block.

Of course the Dodgers, with then GM Ned Colletti, always answered the outfield conundrum with the same “it doesn’t seem like a problem to us, because you can never have enough talent in the outfield,” response. I expect Andrew Freidman and Farhan Zaidi to try to shave off excess from the payroll while at the same time unblocking young talent like Joc Pederson. The long-term contracts both acquired via trade and handed out by Ned Colletti will no doubt be reassessed with perhaps the goal of getting them off the books.

Even though Joc Pederson seemingly struggled during his cup of coffee in the Majors this September, the Dodgers will not be able to waste his talents in Triple-A any longer. 38 Major League plate appearances is way to small of a sample size to gauge Joc’s future as a Dodger, but without a clear path to a starting spot, Joc won’t be able to make an impact on the 2015 team.

When asked about his outfield surplus, Andrew Friedman said:

"“I’ve been asked that question as if it’s a problem. If it is, it’s a tremendous problem to have,” Friedman said. “There are a lot of really talented players who happen to play the outfield here. We have to look through it and figure out what roster puts us in the position to have the most success next year.”"

Sound familiar? Don Mattingly has often said that having a surplus of outfielders is a “luxury” of sorts.

"“Right now, I think you almost have to look at it as a luxury. And it’s not a luxury you’re going to have forever. It’s a luxury you’re going to have for a time. I don’t know how long that time is going to be. Is that window going to be a year? Two years? I don’t know that.”"

Ned Colletti never pushed the button on a trade during the past two clogged outfield  seasons.

"“Everything depends on the dynamics that surround it. Would you trade one just to trade one?” Colletti asked rhetorically."

The vague response by Friedman does not delve into the Ethier issue nor does it help sort out the outfield puzzle which also includes not only up and coming stars like Joc Pederson but also prospects like Scott Schebler who hit 28 homeruns for Double-A Chattanooga last season.

Scott Van Slyke is another potential trade piece, but Van Slyke was excellent for the Dodgers off the bench in 2014 and would most definitely be a cornerstone of the 2015 Dodger bench.

Perhaps the Dodgers could trade Ethier or Crawford for a veteran starter or reliever to add depth in the backend of the starting rotation or the bullpen. A potential trade to shed one of the outfielders is going to take some skillful negotiating and most likely a return which won’t include any top prospects. The Dodgers would also end up paying a portion of said contract.

The new management team has a lot to work on this off season with not much time do so. With the winter meetings around the corner, and the Dodgers still piecing together their front office, the outfield might remain overflowing. With the best potential outfield being Joc, Puig and Kemp, Zaidi will have his work cut out for him in finding the right balance in the roster while also trying to cut costs and add depth for the long-term success of the team.

It may finally be Dre’s last day in L.A…unless it’s not.