Dodgers Shopping Penny?

by Eli Greenspan on Jun 1, 2008 12:15 PM EDT

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers may shop Brad Penny at the deadline rather than exercise his 8.75 million dollar option. He is 5-6 with a 5.66 ERA in twelve games this season, losing in his last four decisions. Penny is an above average pitcher in the later months of the season, so he is definitely an option for a team like the Phillies, who could be fighting for the playoffs. The Dodgers need pitching help along with middle infield help, and the Phillies are good for both of those. If they were able to snag 2B Adrian Cardenas, who is blocked by both Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, it would be huge for them in the upcoming years.

Shortstop Chin-Lung Hu is struggling and Luis Maza is still getting his feet wet, but both are good prospects who should turn it around after adjustments are made. Jeff Kent is likely gone next season and bringing in Cardenas would be great for this Dodger lineup. The Dodgers do have a lot of raw infield talent, which might lead to a Rafael Furcal trade, assuming he can come back with enough time to prove himself before the deadline. A long term deal seems unlikely after he has missed about a month with chronic back problems.

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What about Penny to Atlanta for prospects (about 2 or 3 depending on who they are)Braves need a pitcher and Blanton is to expensive right now

by Anonymous on Jun 1, 2008 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

I seriously question that validity of this rumor and accuse Rosenthal of conjuring it up in his own mind. The Dodgers are hardly in a position to trade a starting pitcher, especially of Penny's caliber. He has certainly fallen back this year, but it would be foolish to take the buyout with $6.75 million more would keep him around for next season.

Penny is not considered a good second half pitcher (see 05, 06, 07 splits to see 2nd half drop) and although he put up above average stats in the second half last year, he was not the same pitcher the Dodgers saw in the first half.

His Phillies scenario also makes little sense. Although one of the Phillies' better prospects, Cardenas is only a B prospect, and the Phillies have one of the worst farm systems in baseball. Cardenas likely would not come close to cracking the Dodgers top 10. He's also only in A ball and has less upside than the likes of Abreu and even Hu. Further, the Dodgers are already talking about moving DeWitt to second base and inserting Laroche at third.

Luis Maza is hardly a prospect. He'll be 28 in 3 weeks and is a career .280 hitter in the minors. Signed as a minor league free agent, Maza has never been on the Dodgers radar until he was forced up by injuries to Furcal, Kent, Abreu, Laroche, and Garciaparra.

by Anonymous on Jun 1, 2008 2:00 PM EDT reply actions

For the record, Brad Penny is WORSE after the All-Star break for his career.

Pre All-Star: 60-40, 3.84 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, .263 BAA
Post All-Star: 33-32, 4.23 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, .268 BAA

Not by much (and it appears to be a case of bad luck given his WHIP and BAA), but lackluster second half production has always been a gripe about Penny.

by Anonymous on Jun 2, 2008 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

its extremely unlikely for the Dodgers to trade Penny. With uncertainty in the 5th spot, the inconsistency of Lowe, and Kuroda's recent struggles, the Dodgers if anything will be adding a starter. Penny is relatively cheap and has relatively low trade value.

The dodgers would have to be out of it at the deadline to move him and even then he's cheap for next year.

by Anonymous on Jun 2, 2008 6:50 PM EDT reply actions