Dodgers Rumors: Reliever Brandon League On Trading Block
Bullpen help was one of the Los Angeles Dodgers biggest needs after their first-round playoff exit that highlighted the team’s weakness.
While the Dodgers failed to land one of the big-name relievers, they have acquired some help via trade in Joel Peralta and Chris Hatcher among others. Those new names, along with some of the useful returners, give the Dodgers some wiggle room in deciding who will pitch the later innings. On Tuesday morning, they designated Brian Wilson for assignment and are now trying to rid themselves of another reliever.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Dodgers are looking to trade one of their right-handers:
#Dodgers aren’t done. Per sources, talking to teams about Brandon League, willing to pay almost half of his $7.5M salary as part of deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2014
League was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in 2012 and signed a three-year deal following that season. He struggled in his first full season with the Dodgers, racking up a 5.30 ERA in 58 games. The 31-year-old redeemed himself a bit last season by becoming one of the few consistent arms in the bullpen. He finished with a 2.57 ERA in 63 appearances. By the end of the year, League was one of manager Don Mattingly’s go-to guys.
By agreeing to pay half his salary, the Dodgers are looking for a bigger return. It’s unclear what they could get for League, or what teams would be looking to trade for him, but with the new front office anything is possible. League could end up on a team that would use him as a closer again.
What is with this gutting of the roster??? I admit last year’s bullpen was horrendous, I hope these guys know what the heck they are doing?
Track record. Tampa Bay and Oakland. Trust the process.
Track record? Tampa Bay hasn’t won a world series and Oakland hasn’t won it since1989. Sure, these Front Office guys have put together contending teams with a low budget in their previous jobs, which speaks volumes but they have no track record of winning a world series. Until then, their decision to gut a team that won 94 games and were NL West division champs in 2014 is highly questionable. Moreover, the manner is which the have handled the Dee Gordon trade makes me question their integrity. One day they are saying the Dee Gordon is not on the trading block and the next week he’s traded! What a dumb thing to say and do! I’ll just hold off on buying any more Dodgers Jerseys of my favorite players because sooner the new Front Office surely trade those players. Enjoy watching Kershaw and Puig in a Dodgers uniform because they are next to be traded in the next couple of years if not sooner!
I’m just trying to close my eyes and trust it as well…I like they are making difficult decisions and cutting big ridiculous contracts of players who aren’t performing…but with the money we are saving we shouldn’t be signing “injury projects” in mccarthy and anderson…mccarthy I think would be a great number 5…but shields or scherzer should of been brought in….unless this is just a mess around year til next year when price, cueto, greinke, and many other big fish are free agents…I don’t know but I’d like to see them flex a little financial muscle along with their contract slashing
We are going to have a practically new team once spring training rolls around. I hope these new guys bring the “chemistry”ready to go, because I will be pissed if they don’t after what the FO has done with this team. I also certainly hope these FO guys have made the right decisions and we are on the way to a World Championship. If they don’t there is certainly going to be hell to pay for the moves they have made from fans who loved who we had with just minor adjustments being needed to turn our team into a championship contender.
Lets hope this is the season , one of the young arms (Zack Lee or ?) steps up and is na pleasant surprise, been eons since we had a arm from the minors make the team !
Aquistion of Rollins and Howie Kendrick is HUGE !
Go Blue