America: Land of Opportunity

Texas Rangers In Fire Sale Mode...they Will Give Up Third Baseman Mark Tex. For Bills, Kemp, And Inf. Prospect... The Blue Is Currently In Discussions With Them. Stay Tuned!

How About Eric GagMe Back In The NL West? The GNatS And DBacks Are Interested.

As much as I would like to see Texeira in a Dodgers' uniform, I don't know if Colletti should give up Billingsley and Kemp for him. Maybe one or the other, but definitely not both.

we are in argeement mak. besides, the dude is from the east coast, power is at a minimum, and the o's want him--badly. i believe he is a rental at best.

Makoto-

I think you'd have to consider it. With Kershaw coming through the system, there's a little flexibility there. It definitely leaves them thin in the outfield down the road, but Teixiera is a big time hitter, and is still pretty young (26 or 27, I think). One of those deals where he could be the offensive foundation for a lot of years.

Hard to believe Kemp will be more productive than what is looking like the standard 35/115 sort of season Teixiera produces, or maybe even a little better, and I'm always partial to taking the known over the unknown. I think Kemp will be very good, but I don't know. I do know Teixiera already is.

It's a tough thing with prospects. The important thing is if Colletti does consider packaging both, he gets top shelf talent in return (and that they're willing to pay the cash to keep them).

BK

It would be really easy to see Kemp go, but, Billingsley is a whole different story, he's very young and very talented.

Pitching is so hard to come by, but, on the other hand, Teixeira is awfully good.

Very mixed emotions on this one.

BK,
I hear ya that we need someone that can go deep on a consistent basis and in a Dodger uni. (I can't tell you how many "sluggers" have come to the Dodgers through my fan years only to see them underperform.)
I would trade Kemp for Tex but I hope Ned can avoid trading Bills as well.
I think that Bills should be starting and maybe we can offer them Timberrr.
I know, not likely that anyone wants Timberr now that he has reverted back to his normal form.
I would also be cautious about relying on Kershaw. Elbert is not looking so good but Bills looks like he has finally turned the corner.

I hope Penny does not implode from wearing himself out running the base pads. I think Penny could have a career as a DH in the AL.

Bases loaded. Penny, Pierre, Furcal. Do you think Furcal could catch Penny at home?

isnt texiera a first baseman....and how good of a 1st baseman is he? and juan pierre is terrrriblleee (wink wink)

I don't think we should trade Kemp and Billz for Tex. We should keep Billz. I think possibly trading Betemit and Kemp is enough for Tex. Can he play 3rd? Pitching is hard to replace. Where can Tex play? The Dodgers have a 1st baseman and one in the minors. Worst case, trade Bomko and/or Timber for Tex to put Billz in the rotation.

BK,

No doubt, when a name like Texeira is sent across the table, any GM would be crazy not to consider it. But, at the same time, it's been shown time and again that the key to building a successful young baseball team is pitching, and having more than one star to build around.

Right now Colletti has ridiculous depth and talent in the pitching department, but the Dodgers are short on superstar-potential players. Martin is on the almost there, but his talents lie in areas that don't necessarily light up a boxscore. Ethier, Loney, LaRoche, and the other young players are great, but they don't seem to have that spark. Kemp has the best chance to become a household name.

So, if the Dodgers do end up dealing Billingsley and Kemp to get Texeira, Colletti weakens the pitching future of the team, while also losing the only player in the organization with the potential to effectively protect the new 3B in the batting order. Free agency might land the Dodgers a big bat or good arm, but it's a tall order to get both.

That's why I say one or the other. Kemp or Billingsley, Abreu as the infield prospect, for Texeira and possibly a live arm from the Texas farm system (if Billingsley is the one to go). Toss in a couple of fringe players for salary and roster considerations, and I would pull the trigger in a heartbeat.

Makoto-

Hey, if they can do it for Bills or Kemp, then whatever else, I'm all for it (although something like Kemp and Kershaw would be equally expensive...). My point is that's a deal they'd have to consider. There are no sure things in baseball or sports, but Teixiera is about as good as they're going to find. He's young, and should have at least five or six good seasons in him before the power hitter decline that's pretty common (if it hits him). Guys like him don't come around often, and the price for them is going to be high.

You have to have pitching to win. There's no question. And in that sense, if the Dodgers would get the power they need in Teixiera, it would lessen the need for Kemp. Tex could play first, Loney moves to LF on a permanent basis, or is moved perhaps for an arm. LaRoche is theoretically your 3B, Abreu theoretically your 2B down the road. Plus there's Kershaw, etc. coming up as well.

There's an inherent risk in trading prospects, but it's equaled by the risk in keeping them, too. Because inevitably some will fail. Out of the group the Dodgers have, they seem to have a home run in Martin, very strong possibilities in Billingsley, Kemp, Kershaw (and others I'm forgetting, I'm sure), and probably LaRoche, then guys like Abreu as well who have blown up on the minor league level. And Ethier, too. But it would be the exception, not the rule, for all of those guys to become top shelf MLBers.

Of course, which ones to move? That's the trick. I can see both sides of that sort of deal.

Package-

I don't think that deal would get it done. Just my opinion.

BK

The Mets win in the 12th after Jose Reyes baits Armando Benitez into two balks in the inning, the second of which scored Reyes as the tying run.

The Dodgers pride themselves on having two rabbits at the top of the lineup, but when's the last time either Furcal or Pierre danced and bluffed up and down the third base line to rattle the opposing pitcher?

It's one thing to have speed, but knowing what to do with it is another thing altogether.

I'd make that trade in a heartbeat...All i seen from both Billz and Kemp is potential no real deal. They could become great but right now both are far off. Billz is not consistent and Kemp still can't hit the curve.