Introducing Andre Ethier: The New Face of the Dodgers
After getting called up to the big leagues in 2005, Andre Ethier was immediately traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angles Dodgers, in exchange for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez. Though the Dodgers gave up a formidable talent in Bradley, they saw something special in the minor-league right fielder. Simply stated, it was potential. When new general manager Ned Colletti was given the reins in 2005, he focused on creating a starting lineup that depended on its youngsters. Since then, he’s been brutally criticized for signing former stars to bulky contracts that have failed to pan out. However, he should be credited for completing what he set out to do way back in 2005. By dipping into his farm system instead of his check book, Colletti has made Russell Martin, Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Andre Ethier into everyday players.
At times, it’s tough to be a Dodger fan. Besides the Yankees, the Dodgers make more transactions involving blue chip players than any other organization. Their starting lineup one day may be completely different the next, as a smorgasbord of future hall-of-famers and one-time greats jump in and out of the lineup. Colletti has taken huge risks in spending enormous sums on big-name players. Manny Ramirez is proving to be his first untainted success after the unfruitful acquisitions of Andruw Jones, Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Juan Pierre, Jason Schmidt, and Brad Penny. Colletti is paying each of these guys at least $5 million a year and is hearing about it every day.
Then there’s Andre Ethier. After signing a one-year $425,000 deal for the 2007-08 season, Ethier has quickly matured into the Dodgers’ most economic star. Actually, forget “economic.” He is the Dodgers’ best all-around player and will soon become the face of their organization if Colletti plays his cards right. Keep in mind, Ramirez came aboard more than two-thirds into the season. At 36 years-old, Manny is a future hall-of-famer with only a few years remaining. As much as the Dodgers and their fans would love to keep the free-spirited slugger, his contract is up at the end of the season, and all signs point to Manny in pinstripes.
Ethier is only 26 and just finishing his third professional season. He has an unbelievable arm, can hit for both power and average, and has avoided injury. On a roster that contains five capable outfielders—Ethier, Jones, Kemp, Ramirez, and Pierre—Ethier has undeniably earned a starting slot. He leads the Dodgers in homeruns (20) and batting average (.299), is tied with Matt Kemp in doubles (36), and is second in RBIs (71) and triples (6). Ethier is a free agent at the end of this season and, as these numbers show, he’s proven more valuable than those other cash cows.
The Dodgers are finally breaking away from the Diamondbacks and are running a blue streak towards the pennant. This current success can be found in the bats of the veteran Ramirez and the youngster Ethier. Next year, the Dodgers are likely to look much different. (Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent, Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, Russell Martin, James Loney, Matt Kemp, Greg Maddux, Chad Billingsley, and Derek Lowe are all up for contract renegotiation.) Hopefully, Ned Colletti will follow those same instincts he had in 2005 and focus on youth by re-signing Andre Ethier.
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Posted in: MLB
Tags: Andre Ethier, Andruw Jones, Antonio Perez, Brad Penny, Casey Blake, Chad Billingsley, Derek Lowe, Dodgers, Greg Maddux, James Loney, Jason Schmidt, Jeff Kent, Juan Pierre, Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Milton Bradley, Ned Colletti, Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin
The Dodgers could be the sleeper team in baseball come October.
Torre + Ramirez = World Series Title
How can you put Penny, Furcal, Pierre and Garciaparra in the same category as Schmidt and Jones. Those other players showed up healthy and gave it their all. I was a huge critic of the Penny deal at the time, but have been proven wrong as he has been a huge asset and he’s not done yet.
Dammit, I lost everything I just typed out.
Anyway, like I said, the key word there was “unfruitful” meaning “the Dodgers haven’t gotten what they paid for.” Only Penny and Furcal were earning their salaries. Still, with Penny, he’s now had two bad years to those two good years—hardly a fair exchange if you ask me. Pierre, starts once every ten games—unfruitful. Garciaparra, can still play great defense, but is a so-so hitter and is hurt all the time—unfruitful. That’s all I was saying in terms of the amount of money Colletti dished out for them. If there was anybody I was criticizing, it’s him. And true, Manny’s arrival has put the lineup in flux, but that’s partly because of Colletti’s haphazard dealings.
Anybody giving neddy credit for Manny’s arrival is mistaken. But even a broken watch is correct 2x a day. The new GM should pay Ethier, Billingsley, Martin, Loney, Kemp, even Lowe-the rest need a rest. Maddux would be a great player-coach if Penny is still around. But neddy needs to go back to the giants.
Clearly, what happens in the offseason will determine Colletti’s future. It’s amazing, the amount of contracts that are up. I’d hate to be in his position—especially after they’ve made the playoffs and much of Los Angeles is impressed.
The bottom line to the Dodger’s success to this date is not rocket science. Colletti’s success and failure in the trade market was only possible with McCourt’s willingness to go “deep pocket” ala Steinbrenner and Moreno. Timing and money go a long way in the free market of baseball. The Dodgers are hitting on all cylinders right now and regardless how they fair in the playoff chase let’s see how they can make a push next year by cutting veteran player waste and ensuring the future with the young players and rewarding them with lucrative contracts.