Phil Rogers Article

[DBAHO]

Another beauty from Phil Rogers ,

Mulligan, anyone?

 

Just because the Alex Rodriguez-Manny Ramirez swap-a-rama didn't come off before Thursday's deadline, don't believe it's really dead. No, this thing is baseball's version of the next-door neighbor in a Stephen King novel.

 

It is leaving the cookout when it is good and ready to go, not when some union lawyer says it's closing time.

 

After spending two weeks trying to get rid of some of the best players in baseball, the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers aren't likely to say, ah, forget it. Not until it has been pronounced dead by someone other than Larry Lucchino, the Red Sox president who never skips a chance to take a swing at the Players Association.

 

Dan Evans better hope not.

 

Nobody has more to lose if this historic deal grinds to a halt than the former White Sox assistant who runs the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was positioned to land Nomar Garciaparra on the rebound—a potential job-saving transaction for a good guy in a bad position, forced to prove himself to new ownership.

 

Evans needs Garciaparra. He does not need set-up man Guillermo Mota or prospects Greg Miller, a left-handed pitcher who throws 95 m.p.h., or Franklin Gutierrez, a center fielder with power.

 

Sooner or later, assuming the Rodriguez-Ramirez trade is revived, Evans should admit the obvious. He must pay a high price to get Garciaparra from the White Sox, who are positioned to send Magglio Ordonez to Boston for him.

 

What choice do the Dodgers have?

 

On the one hand, there's Garciaparra, a homegrown superstar who can put a face on a franchise that badly needs one. On the other hand, there are stop-gap free agents like 39-year-old Rafael Palmeiro and the enigmatic Juan Gonzalez.

 

Hard to see how Evans can hit a home run with prospective owner Frank McCourt if he tries to put those kind of Band-Aids on the lineup that saw its run-scoring average drop from a meager 4.4 in 2002 to an utterly feeble 3.5 in 2003.

 

No, Evans needs Garciaparra, no matter how much he may hate doing business with Ken Williams, who was hired over him to run the White Sox. And, make no mistake about it, after all this time as conspirators, the Red Sox and Rangers need each other.

 

That's why Rodriguez, the reigning AL MVP, still could wind up playing alongside Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez and Ordonez in Boston.

 

Imagine how unpleasant life could be with Rodriguez, Ramirez and Garciaparra if they don't change uniforms after their bosses so publicly tried to relocate them. Ditto, for that matter, Ordonez.

 

Although when you think about it, who haven't the White Sox considered trading this winter? Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko and Billy Koch all have been involved in more rumors than Justin Timberlake.

 

Williams could have avoided much of this by making a simple little trade with Carlos Lee a month ago (to Los Angeles for Odalis Perez, for instance). But he got greedy when he took a hard look at the Dodgers' inventory of quality arms.

 

That could turn out to be wise if the Rodriguez deal recovers from the damage it suffered when the players union's Gene Orza declined to allow Rodriguez to defer $25 million to $35 million of the $179 million he is guaranteed. If the Rodriguez deal collapses, Williams probably will hang onto Ordonez and try to fill his pitching needs with low-cost free agents.

 

He's willing to go either way. But he sees an opportunity to extract a high price for a guy he can't afford to keep beyond 2004 and he wants to find a way to pull off a deal with the Dodgers.

 

For sending Ordonez and an unnamed pitcher (possibly Dan Wright) to the Red Sox, the White Sox would wind up with reliever Scott Williamson and Garciaparra. But there were indications Wednesday the Sox would do their part of this deal only if Los Angeles met Williams' price for Garciaparra.

 

The price, according to sources, could be paid one of two ways: either 20-year-old right-hander Edwin Jackson, Mota and the 20-year-old Gutierrez or the more credentialed (and less valuable) Perez, Mota, Miller, who will pitch in Double-A at age 19, and another prospect.

 

It would be hard for any GM to give up a pitcher like Jackson. He throws 98 m.p.h. and beat Randy Johnson in September, becoming the youngest pitcher to win his debut since Dwight Gooden.

 

Baseball America rates Jackson as the Dodgers' top prospect, followed by Miller, Gutierrez and first baseman James Loney (another name that could figure in talks).

 

But how could Evans explain to McCourt passing up Garciaparra to hang onto Perez (who is seeking a trade after going 12-12), the late-blooming Mota and Miller?

 

Evans handcuffed the Dodgers when he traded for Todd Hundley and signed Fred McGriff last year. He let San Diego beat him to Brian Giles last August and then failed to pull off deals for Richie Sexson and Derrek Lee last month.

 

Sexson, who was traded from Milwaukee to Arizona, might have wound up in Los Angeles if Evans had been willing to give up Gutierrez, a five-tool player with a high ceiling but no guarantees. He had 131 strikeouts between high Class A and Double-A last year and currently is batting .224 in Venezuela.

 

This is a guy you would lose your job for?

 

Evans was popular with scouts during his 20 years in the White Sox organization. It still must be that way in Los Angeles, given how he protects homegrown talent.

 

But sometimes the path of least resistance is the right one to take. If Rodriguez eventually does become the Boston shortstop, Garciaparra should wind up in Los Angeles. This is one deal that shouldn't be that tough.

[JoshPR]

Good ARTICLE

[YASNY]

Basically, he's saying that Evans HAS to do something big. His previous trades have not worked for him and if doesn't have Maggs or Nomar on hand when McCourt buys the team, then he's screwed. I like it!

[Flash Tizzle]

Reading that article after browsing through the LA message boards, it would be within Evans best interest not to get involved with the Nomar/Maggs trade. People on that board were furious with the thought of picking up a player (Nomar) in his walk year to give up so many great pitchers. I believe their right.....but if Evans felt his job was in jeopardy he would make the trade regardless of what they think. Those who thought Maggs wasn't expendable under any circumstance I hope you read through the article. Jackson, their top prospect, throws 98 mph and is 20 years old! Mota was superb in the bullpen and Miller is also a quality pitcher. Trust me, you want Maggs traded if it brings this talent.

 

Either get something for Maggs now or risk losing him next year for a draft pick.

[Pastime]

I used to think that the Sox made the wrong move by picking Kenny over Evans, but I really have re-thought that whole mindset. Kenny is at least keeping his head barely above water, while Evans is on the bottom of the sea sucking sand up his nose.

 

However, it's still the lesser of two evils. Almost like "Dumb and Dumber" - Harry is smarter than Lloyd. And Kenny is smarter than Dan. Hardly a great endorsement.

 

[BrandoFan]

Those who thought Maggs wasn't expendable under any circumstance I hope you read through the article. Jackson, their top prospect, throws 98 mph and is 20 years old! Mota was superb in the bullpen and Miller is also a quality pitcher. Trust me, you want Maggs traded if it brings this talent.

 

If Kenny can swing Jackson AND Miller for Magglio, I will NEVER say another BAD thing about KW's abilities as a GM for as long as I live.

[DBAHO]

If Kenny can swing Jackson AND Miller for Magglio, I will NEVER say another BAD thing about KW's abilities as a GM for as long as I live.

I would be happy just gettin those 2 for Maggs alone. Jackson's stuff is pure nasty, and Miller is prob da best stud lefty pitchin prospect in da game at the moment with Cole Hamels from Philly.