Wow!!! That is a Blockbuster!

Unbelievable.  If Jon Morosi is to believed a trade appears to be done.

(twitter link)

In exchange for:

• James Loney (who we no longer need due to this trade);
• Jerry Sands (who has no room to play in the Dodgers outfield);
• Ivan De Jesus (who really didn't have a shot with us);
• Allen Webster (a great pitching prospect who was a bit of a late bloomer); and
• Rubby De La Rosa (no doubt the centerpiece of the trade)

We get:

• Adrian Gonzalez (a power hitting first baseman we have longed for);
• Josh Beckett (a pitcher who has struggled all season long);
• Nick Punto (an infielder who would come off the bench); and
• Carl Crawford (who will likely miss 8 to 12 months due to Tommy John Surgery that will be performed soon)

Obviously, the kicker here is that the Dodgers take on a bunch of salary.  A whole bunch.  Fortunately, I hear Boston is throwing some cash our way, as well.

Gonzalez is owned $21 Million a year starting in 2013, and it jumps up to $21.5 Million in 2017 and 2018.  Josh Beckett is owed $15,750,000 in 2013 and 2014.  Nick Punto is owed $1.5 Million in 2013.  Carl Crawford (and this is the really big one) is owed an average of $20.5 Million over the next 5 years, and he will miss most of 2013 due to Tommy John surgery. 

That's a lot of change to consider, but I don't really see it as a huge risk (save Carl Crawford).  I think any Dodger fan would happily pay Adrian Gonzalez his salary.  If a change of scenery causes Beckett to revert to form, then his salary is more than fair.  Punto is a reserve infielder and paid fairly for that role.  Carl Crawford, on the other hand, is a bitter pill to swallow.  He is to have Tommy John surgery soon and is at best expected to be back by the All-Star break next season. 

That said, I can't be too displeased with this deal.  We get a power hitter at 1st, and someone to start games who isn't named Joe Blanton. 

Anyway, check out some stats of these potential new Dodgers.

Here are his career stats, via Baseball Reference: 

Here are his career stats, via Baseball Reference: 

Here are his career stats, via Baseball Reference:

Here are his career stats, via Baseball Reference: 

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Josh Beckett Has Been Claimed... Was it the Dodgers?

Per MLB Trade Rumors, Josh Beckett has also been claimed, but the team is still an unknown.  Considering the recent news that Adrian Gonzalez was claimed by the Dodgers, it might not be too much of a stretch to believe that they did the same with Beckett.

Could something be in the works?

Per a tweet from Sean McAdam of CSN.

(twitter link)

UPDATE:

Confirmed!  The Dodgers have also claimed Josh Beckett, per Sean McAdam.

(twitter link)

Now, my mind is reeling.  Has a trade already been in the works?  Is Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett coming over for some salary relief for the Red Sox and some prospects- maybe Jerry Sands, Zach Lee and/or Allen Webster?  Is all 3 too much?  How about two of those three?

Here are Beckett's career stats from Baseball Reference:

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Goodness... Dodgers Claim Adrian Gonzalez

With news recently circulating that the Red Sox placed 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez on waivers, we have just gotten word from Bill Shaikin on twitter that the Dodgers have filed a claim for him.

(twitter link)

Although this is something to take note of, it's hardly something to be excited about.  After all, we've gone through this before (see Cliff Lee), and at this point there is nothing that leads me to believe any deal will get done here.  Take note that Ken Rosenthal mentioned earlier this month that any trade concerning Gonzalez would have to be a blockbuster; i.e. you better be willing to trade some major pieces along with taking some of our junk.

(twitter link)

So, does anything get done?  Would you take a couple of Red Sox dogs to get Gonzalez?  And if so, do you give up the farm if you do take their under-performers?  What if they want Billingsley?  Do we make them take Loney?  What if Andre Ethier were to go to Boston?

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 8/24/2012

Happy belated Birthday to Kobe Bryant.  He turned 34 yesterday.  Pic via twitter @Dodgers.

• Rob Neyer at SB Nation has an excellent article that is a bit of a rebuttal to Plaschke's idiotic diatribe about wanting to fix Dodger Stadium traffic issues by reducing the number of seats.  Neyer nails my very first thought when I read Plaschke's article.

We might call it "the gentrification of baseball", and we've just seen it happen in New York. Maybe this makes me a radical, but it seems to me that you should build a ballpark big enough to hold the fans who are willing to pay a reasonable price for a ticket. And considering the Dodgers' attendance over the years -- and those 10 sellouts already this season -- it seems that 56,000 is just about right for Dodger Stadium.

As Neyer notes, if you reduce the number of seats you are guaranteeing that the cheap seat will be the ones going away- and I love those cheap seats!  They are the most affordable deal in the Southland.

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA notes that Andre Ethier is the first Dodger to have 6 straight seasons with 30 or more doubles.
• Blake Hawksworth is done for the season, via Alex Angert at MLB.com.

Hawksworth has been on the DL all season after right elbow surgery, and he had his rehab shut down at the beginning of July after feeling pain in the area of his clavicle. The reliever is expected to miss another year.

• Jerry Hairston Jr. is also done, via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times.

The Dodgers announced after Wednesday’s game that Hairston will have surgery on his left hip sometime in the next two weeks.

• Nomo's Sushi Platter met his namesake, Hideo Nomo!  I am more envious than your can understand.  Wow!  David's Autograph Signings was there, as well.
• Mike Petriello at Rotographs takes a look at Rubby De La Rosa.

Long-term, de la Rosa is likely still looked at as a starter. If he can stay healthy and limit the walks just a little – and let’s not forget, he’s not even 24 until next March, and still has fewer than 300 professional innings under his belt – he can be a star. 

• Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher took in a Dodger game on Wednesday.  Pic via twitter @Dodgers.

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