Editorials

Free Agent Shortstops And Trade Options For Dodgers

Jed Lowrie

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Complete group of free agents: Clint Barmes, Emilio Bonifacio, Asdrubal Cabrera, Stephen Drew, Rafael Furcal, Jed Lowrie, Hiroyuki Nakajima, Ramon Santiago

The list of free agent shortstops includes players both over and under the age of 35, and those who may be likely to play a different position but have experience at shortstop.

Based on their production thus far, none of the free agents would necessarily be able to replace Ramirez’s offensive production, but some stand out more than others as likely candidates to be signed by the Dodgers.

Asdrubal Cabrera

Cabrera began last season with the Cleveland Indians where he started 92 games at shortstop. He was traded to the Washington Nationals in July and played all but one of his 49 games with the team at second base.

A three-time All-Star with the Indians, Cabrera won a Silver Slugger Award in 2011 when he slashed .273/.332/.460 with 25 home runs and 92 RBIs. Since that point, Cabrera has never hit higher than .270, and his on-base and slugging percentages have fluctuated.

Cabrera committed 15 errors last season — 14 with the Indians — and finished the year with a .964 fielding percentage plus a -6.6 UZR, according to FanGraphs.

Stephen Drew

As a rookie in 2006, Drew hit .316/.357/.517 in 59 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He anchored shortstop for the Diamondbacks until 2012 when he was traded to the Oakland A’s. Drew went on to win a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and thought he’d parlay it into a multiyear contract.

Instead, Drew wound up signing a prorated one-year deal with the Red Sox in May and was eventually traded to the New York Yankees; he played both second base and shortstop in 46 games with the Yankees.

Jed Lowrie

Similar to Cabrera and Drew, Lowrie is also capable of playing multiple infield positions. The 30 year old exclusively played shortstop last season, but was at second base for 24 games in 2013.

Compared to 2013, Lowrie saw drops in several statistics including, games played, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs. Drafted by the Red Sox in 2005, Lowrie brings minimal postseason experience (18 games) with a lowly slash of .161/.262/.250.

Next Page: Hitting The Trade Market

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6 Comments

  1. If they can’t trade for a starting shortstop. Corey Seager should make the opening day roster.

  2. Seager might be ready by mid season but not ready now. Most likely just a September call-up.

  3. They will get Jimmy Rollins along with Cole Hamels in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. And they will use Zach Lee, Andre Ethier and/or Carl Crawford, couple more prospects not named Joc Pederson, Julio Urias, and Corey Seager, and a lot of cash to offset the money owed to the outfielder or outfielders being traded. Makes so much sense for the Dodgers it fills two pressing holes and get rid of the outfield logjam.

  4. First off Barry he’s are future, that’s how you ruin a ball player. All due respect to Brian Raugust, I agree with you on Hamels & Rollins, but why would trade Seager he’s the whole point??

  5. I makes no sense to be one or two years away, if Seager is the answer, bring him in…

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