As it stands, the Dodgers are 15-17.
This is an appalling statistic for a team loaded with talent. Unfortunately the Dodgers are one dimensional and can’t play with the mentality of always climbing uphill; mainly due to the fact that it isn’t uncommon to be down five runs in the third inning.
The remedy would make for a story comparable to the Manny Ramirez trade. Eight letters encompass what the Dodgers desperately need: Cliff Lee.
The former property of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cliff Lee would be (by far) the most coveted player on the Dodgers radar, should he become available. It would be astounding should the former CY Young award winner become the topic of trade.
It’s still fresh in the minds of Los Angelinos how the southpaw handled their team in the post-season. Especially given the caliber of play the Dodgers were showcasing.
With that in mind, Seattle is off to a lousy start as well, dipping at 12-19. That would point to the fact that the master plan for Seattle’s organization failed, though it was gutty enough to make the moves they did.
Now it’s the Dodgers turn.
In 2005 the Boys In Blue started the “Youth Movement”. This was the idea that the team would eventually grow into All-Stars and consistently appear in the post-season.
Last year Los Angeles swept the long hated Cardinals to advance to the National League Championship Series for the second year in a row. Then it got better. They were presented with facing the Phillies again in a rematch of two formidable powers.
Unfortunately the Dodgers had to face a test that they were not capable of passing. The unanswerable question was how to solve Cliff Lee.
The offense was scorching and Lee shut them down with insurmountable authority.
The Phillies reached the World Series and failed to defeat the Yankees, leading to the trade of… Cliff Lee. This defiantly turned out to be hard news to handle for Lee.
If geared in Dodger Blue, Lee would make the Dodgers the co-favorites to reach the NLCS, along with Philadelphia. An exciting time it could be, Roy Halladay the Ace of Spades against Cliff Lee, the answer to again becoming the boys of summer.
Los Angeles fans and players have done what they could and gotten as far as they could go. The off-season came and went, and an ugly divorce within the Dodger’s Organization replaced what would have been an arbitration offer to Randy Wolf.
Still, it could happen.
Trading a player who can help Seattle now as well as in the future should be an attractive option for the Mariners. That player would be James Loney.
It would be a heavy loss in Dodger hearts but necessary for a possible marquee maneuver. He would be a huge upgrade form Casey Kotchman. Throw in a couple prospects such as John Ely, Carlos Monasterios, and Scott Elbert and you might have a deal.
In order for the Dodgers to even reach the post-season (let alone compete in it), they must acquire the qualified pitching. Cliff Lee would lead the rotation and present a major threat to go eight innings in every start.
Hope may be on the horizon for the Dodger faithful as baseball has a way of making the unbelievable happen.
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