Just when I thought I had seen the worst of my Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011, it got uglier.
Hold on a second …
Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little at the thought of the latest and greatest trade deadline deal that Brilliant Ned Colletti pulled off with the Boston Red Sox (and, eventually the Seattle Mariners, since that’s where the misery will eventually end up).
I’m not sure where to start with my disgust over this trade debacle. Colletti, who just might be getting some discrete dollars from Brian Sabean and the San Francisco Giants to sabotage the Dodgers, dealt Trayvon Robinson to the Red Sox for catching prospect Tim Federowicz and two pitchers we may or may not ever hear from.
Why did Knucklehead Ned do this?
Because he and the Dodgers had not become convinced that Robinson’s triple-A numbers this season would translate to the major-league level.
Robinson, who has cranked 26 homers and has driven in 71 runs this season at triple-A, was the fourth-best prospect in the Los Angeles organization, according to Baseball Prospectus. In 2010 at double-A, Robinson stole 38 bases, hit .300 and drove in 57 runs. In 2009, he hit 17 homers, drove in 64, hit .300 and stole 47 bases.
Like I’ve said before, I’m not a GM, but those numbers for Robinson look pretty decent to me, Ned!
But, let’s forget Robinson and his numbers for a minute. How about the “prized” catching prospect that Colletti acquired from the Red Sox? What is so special about him that the Dodgers gave up an elite center field prospect without batting an eye?
Federowicz, who turns 24 this week, has hit 27 home runs over his four-year minor league career. He has also driven in 186 runs and has posted a .277 average. For those of you who aren’t mathematicians, that is an average of just under seven homers and 47 RBIs a season.
Baseball Prospectus doesn’t even list Federowicz in the top 20 of the best Boston prospects. However, according to Nescient Ned, Federowicz has excellent defensive skills, but his offensive skills “are a work in progress.”
Really, Ned? In case you haven’t been paying attention, we already have a load of catchers in our organization who have good defensive skills, but whose offensive abilities are a “work in progress.” Do you need an example? See A.J. Ellis.
A 24-year-old catcher who hasn’t advanced past the double-A level is like a 40-year-old woman who has never been married, but “has a great personality” … there’s something missing in each equation.
After I read about the Robinson-Federowicz trade, my first reaction was to hope that Robinson struggles once he’s called up to Seattle. After thinking about it, though, I now hope that Robinson tears it up for the Mariners and becomes another Paul Konerko — a prospect the Dodgers give up on who goes on to haunt us for years to come.
That would be about right for the Dodgers fans like me who have always wondered what it must be like to be a Cubs fan. If we’re ever going to achieve that kind of annual heartbreak, the Robinson to the Red Sox trade is a good place to start.