Dodgers: 5 things L.A. Should Not Do at the Winter Meetings

1. Do not trade for Giancarlo Stanton … unless

Giancarlo Stanton would normally cost more than any team is willing to take on in salary AND with prospects. Friedman and Zaidi have worked very hard to get the team’s payroll out of the “something we’ve never seen in a professional franchise before” category and into the simply “stratospheric” category. That means taking on fewer contracts that go into six figures.

Adding Stanton’s 10 years and $295 million to a payroll that Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimates at $206,189,286 (for Competitive Balance Tax purposes) for 2018 isn’t the type of frugal move that GMs who used to work in Tampa Bay and Oakland usually make.

The Dodgers have a guy by the name of Alex Verdugo anxiously waiting to become the next Corey Seager or Cody Bellinger. The kid can hit. He’s a gap hitter who could develop more power as he matures, and he’s an above average fielder with an exceptional arm.

So the Dodgers should not pursue a trade for Stanton… Unless… The Marlins are willing to bend. With full no-trade protection, Stanton can play hardball and let Miami know, in no uncertain terms, that he will only accept a trade to his hometown Dodgers, which would put L.A. in the driver’s seat.

The Dodgers can then demand that either the Marlins take on some of the $295 million, or they drastically lower their asking price in player return.

If either of these happens, the Dodgers should jump in with both feet. (Remember, the Clayton Kershaw window could slam shut as early as next November, so winning time is now).

The Marlins, however, have begun playing hardball themselves, saying that if Stanton refuses to ease up on his “no-trade” demands, they will tear down the rest of the roster to pare payroll, leaving Stanton as the only quality player on next year’s team. It’s high noon in Miami. Who will blink first?