INSIDE PITCH
Trayvon Robinson, who grew up in Southern California and attended Crenshaw High School, Darryl Strawberry’s alma mater, had become a Dodgers fan favorite before even reaching the big leagues.
So it wasn’t easy for Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti to trade Robinson, but he pulled the trigger on a three-team trade that came together just minutes before Sunday’s non-waiver trading deadline.
The Dodgers sent Robinson to the Red Sox, who flipped him to Seattle for pitcher Erik Bedard(notes). In return, the Dodgers received Class AA catcher Tim Federowicz, Class AA starter Stephen Fife, and low Class A reliever Juan Rodriguez.
The Dodgers also completed the expected trade of shortstop Rafael Furcal(notes) to St. Louis, receiving minor league outfielder Alex Castellanos. As expected, the Dodgers promoted rookie Dee Gordon(notes), who started at short Sunday and batted eighth.
Based on how much time Colletti spent talking about the three new minor leaguers in the Robinson deal, Federowicz is the key to that trade. He was batting .275/.337/.397 at Class AA Portland and could be ready for the majors by 2012. He’s getting assigned to Class AAA Albuquerque, and will turn 24 next week.
“We’ve watched him a lot this summer,” Colletti said, from his suite at Dodger Stadium, during the Dodgers’ 6-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. “(He’s) very good defensively right now. Good leader. Strong behind the plate in a lot of ways. Offense is still a bit of a work in progress, but he’s made gains. We’ve been on Tim for quite awhile.”
The lack of catching depth in baseball overall, and the Dodgers system specifically, also triggered the move.
Both the Dodgers catchers, Dioner Navarro(notes) and Rod Barajas(notes), will be free agents. The Dodgers have A.J. Ellis(notes), who is now 30, at Class AAA Albuquerque and he’s considered a major league backup at best. Colletti himself said they were “ultra lean” at catcher.
The only noteworthy free agent catcher this offseason is Ramon Hernandez(notes).
Colletti felt Jerry Sands(notes) was still above Robinson on the depth chart of Dodgers outfielders. He also felt it’s easier to find an outfielder than a catcher.
Still, Robinson was having breakthrough season, with a slash line of .293/375/.563 and a career-high 26 home runs. The biggest question mark about Robinson, who turns 24 on Sept. 1, is plate discipline. He’s struck out 122 times in 368 at-bats, against just 45 walks.
The 24-year-old Fife has the best numbers this year. He was 11-4 with a 3.66 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) at Class AA Portland. He’s had a 4.75 ERA for Portland last season. He’s not a hard thrower (88-91 mph), but the Dodgers like his command of three pitches. He’ll join an already strong rotation at Class AA Chattanooga.
Rodriguez, 22, could have the highest ceiling. Signed in 2008 from the Dominican Republic, he’s struck out 88 batters in 59 innings for low-A Greenville. His ERA was 5.19 in 32 games, but if he lowers his walks (4.9 per nine innings), that could drop. Opponents are hitting .249 against him. He’s projected as a seventh-eighth inning setup reliever in a couple years. He’ll report to low-A Great Lakes.
Furcal was hitting .197 in 37 games for the Dodgers, who wanted to clear a path for rookie SS Dee Gordon. Castellanos was an All-Star in the Class AA Texas League, who was hitting .319 with 19 homers and 62 RBI for Springfield (Mo.). He will be assigned to Chattanooga.
NOTES, QUOTES
• RHP Rubby De La Rosa(notes), who switched to uniform No. 41, threw a whopping 103 pitches in four innings Sunday against the Diamondbacks. He served up a couple home runs, walked four, and endured a lot of long at-bats. It was the shortest of his 10 starts in the majors.
• LF Tony Gwynn Jr.(notes) was credited with a double in Friday’s game after a scoring correction. Originally, Gwynn’s drive to the warning track was scored a two-base error on right fielder Justin Upton(notes). That gives Gwynn another RBI. He’s 3-for-5 with a walk entering Sunday’s game.
• 3B Casey Blake(notes) was activated from the disabled list before Saturday’s game, and INF Juan Uribe(notes) took his place on the DL with a hip strain. Uribe continues to take batting practice, but it affects him when taking grounders or running. The Dodgers think he’ll be ready to come off the DL when eligible, but it’s too early to tell.
• INF Jamey Carroll(notes) finally reached double-digits in RBI in the Dodgers’ 106th game on Saturday with an RBI single up the middle. The ball was thrown into the Dodgers’ dugout, so it could be saved. It’s remarkable that Carroll could have so few RBI, despite a .364 on-base percentage.
• 1B Coach Davey Lopes changed his uniform number from 12 to 15 after it became available with the trade of Rafael Furcal. During his career with the Dodgers, Lopes wore 15.
By The Numbers: 20—Consecutive stolen bases, without getting caught, by Matt Kemp(notes). That’s the most in the majors. Brett Gardner(notes), Ian Kinsler(notes) and Chase Utley(notes) each have 18 in a row. The last time Kemp was thrown out trying to steal was May 2.
Quote To Note: “I had to think about it. Any player would like to win. I know how it feels to pitch in the playoffs, how exciting it can be. I had to fight to come to the conclusion. That’s my decision. It was a privilege to play in the playoffs. But a key factor in staying here (was) that it’s really important to play with the same guys I started the season with. I want to finish with these guys. It’s hard for me to win, but it’s more important to play with my teammates.”—RHP Hiroki Kuroda(notes), through translator Kenji Nimura, on his decision to not waive his no-trade clause.
ROSTER REPORT
Medical Watch:
• 3B Casey Blake (neck strain) went on the 15-day disabled list July 3. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on July 28, and he was activated July 30.
• RHP Kenley Jansen(notes) (irregular heartbeat) went on the disabled list retroactive to July 27. He was hospitalized after the July 26 game, and he was released from the hospital July 28.
• INF Juan Uribe (left hip strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 24.
• RHP Jonathan Broxton(notes) (bone bruise on right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 4. He threw a bullpen session June 7. He made rehab appearances on June 21 and 23 for Class AAA Albuquerque, but he felt tightness in his elbow when playing catch June 25, and he was shut down from throwing. He had yet to resume throwing as of July 18. There is a chance he might not pitch again for the Dodgers this season.
• RHP Vicente Padilla(notes) (right radial nerve irritation, sore neck) went on the 15-day disabled list May 14 due to the arm injury. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on May 29, but he was shut down in early June due to a neck ailment. He underwent neck surgery June 16, and he likely will miss the rest of the season.
• RHP Jon Garland(notes) (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 2. He played catch June 21 but had to shut it down quickly. He underwent season-ending surgery during the All-Star break and began his rehab.
Rotation:
RHP Hiroki Kuroda
RHP Rubby De La Rosa
Bullpen:
RHP Javy Guerra(notes) (closer)
RHP Kenley Jansen
Catchers:
Rod Barajas
Dioner Navarro
Infielders:
2B Jamey Carroll
SS Dee Gordon
3B Casey Blake
INF/OF Eugenio Velez(notes)
Outfielders:
LF Tony Gwynn Jr.
CF Matt Kemp