Editorials

Dodger Dilemma: What To Do With Shortstop Hanley Ramirez?

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Once the Los Angeles Dodgers season ended the first question turned to the front office and manager position.



Soon after those initial thoughts, heads turned to the shortstop position, where Hanley Ramirez will become a free agent. After his strong 2013 campaign, many believed that Ramirez would be signed to a contract extension that would keep him in Los Angeles for the extended future. Well, a deal never got done and the 30-year-old suffered through an injury-plagued season in which his numbers were lower than his injury-plagued 2013.

Ramirez was able to play in 128 games; however, how many of those games he was healthy remains to be seen. He hit .283 with 13 home runs and 71 RBIs a year after hitting .345 with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs in just 86 games. The slugging shortstop had trouble in the field this year, committing 16 errors and being worth negative-eight defensive runs saved. He was often substituted in the later innings for defensive purposes in games the Dodgers were winning.

The six-year, $70 million contract that Ramirez signed with the Miami Marlins comes to an end this year, leaving the Dodgers with a predicament of their own. Ramirez can be offered a one-year, qualifying offer worth $15.3 million by the Dodgers. If that is turned down, Ramirez will become a free agent but any team that signs him would lose a draft pick.

So what do the Dodgers do?

Extend the qualifying offer

Bringing back Ramirez for one more year at the aforementioned figure would be a great move for the Dodgers. While the former All-Star struggled on defense, it is of note that he improved his defense late in the year. It may have been a sign of health that could bode well for the Dodgers’ interest. In the postseason, Ramirez hit .429, albeit minus the power he displayed most of the year.

The Dodgers have a number of options for shortstop next year, but none have the offensive prowess that Ramirez possesses. Miguel Rojas and Erisbel Arruebarrena could handle the job on the defensive side at a significant downgrade on offense.

If Ramirez was to accept the qualifying offer, it would give the Dodgers another year of the shortstop in his prime. He is the best offensive shortstop on the market and enjoys playing in Los Angeles. A one-year deal could also provide incentive for Ramirez to improve his game in order to receive one last multi-year deal before his playing days are over.

Next Page: See The Other Two Options The Dodgers Have

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Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

13 Comments

  1. Rojas is not an option. He can’t hit his weight. What about Guerrero, do they now think he can’t play SS in the majors? He can hit so I was surprised we didn’t see him more in September.

  2. Try to lure Troy Tulowitski from the Rockies. The former Dirtbagger would love to be back in California and with a team that always expects to be in the post-season. He doesn’t want to end his career in Colorado.

    1. Tulo has yet to play a full season without being on the DL and besides I believe his numbers are inflated due to playing in Colorado. The better move would be a 1 yr contract for Hanley.

  3. Arrueurrueubeubrrrebeena has the hands to be the best SS in the bigs. He’ll learn to hit with his size and athleticism.

    Put Hanley at third. He’s a downgrade from Uribe defensively, but Uribe’s magic is all used up.

  4. Hanley has got to go. He’s too injury prone & too old to resign & too much of a defensive weakness . He ruined what would have been a perfect game by Kershaw. He belongs in the American League where he can dh.

  5. we need to keep hanley he does his best with what he has and for ruinning kershaws perfect game Kershaw said it didn’t matter so suck it up you hanley hatters hes better at defense than anybody that going to be a free agent. hes all ways said he wants to be a life long dodger well give him a one year contract and if he does good next year give him a multi year contract. if he new he was going to be a life long dodger I think hed do better .he wouldn’t have to worry about his contract.

    1. Hanley is an expensive gamble. Sure he is a great hitter, poor fielder but if your injury prone we don’t get all that skill.
      I would give him another year and then re-evaluate but I don’t really think his skill outweighs the amount of time he spends on the pine. If the Dodgers don’t get what they want in a contract and he leaves, oh, well.

  6. get rid of mattingly he cant get them motivated, they need a dusty baker kind of manager or get one from inside the organization.mattingly doesn’t play funamental baseball he hardly ever hit and run .with gordons speed he should have him drag bunt hes let handed and he has that extra step toward first base

    1. Yea anyway you look at it, this team did not play with that desperation, that super energy that we saw in St Louis players. We had a team with the highest credentials but did not get the most out of them. The hitters failed in the St Louis series and the puny St Louis hitters came thru when they had to, against our best.
      I don’t think Mattingly will ever get the most out of his players.

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