December 24th, 2013 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten’s proposed “Phase II” of his master plan to “get younger” took yet another Ned Colletti hit late Sunday night when it was reported by LA Times Dodgers beat reporter Dylan Hernandez that the team was near to closing a one-year deal with former Indians closer Chris Perez. And while there is no disputing that Perez is an extremely talented right-handed reliever, the move basically kicks 23-year-old Dodgers prospect Jose Dominguez to the curb.
The signing of troubled right-hander Chris Perez is yet another Ned Colletti head-scratcher. (AP photo)
Prior to straining his left quadriceps during a game against the Blue Jays on July 22 in Toronto, Dominguez had been lights during his brief time with the Dodgers – with a fastball frequently hitting the century mark. In fact, in the nine games in which he appeared, Dominguez went 0-0 with a sizzling 2.16 ERA, allowing three walks while striking out four in 8.1 innings pitched. Granted, this is a very small sample size, but it was enough for Dodger fans to embrace the San Pedro de Maroris, Dominican Republic native.
With the signing of Chris Perez, fireballer Jose Dominguez will most likely begin the 2014 season at Triple-A Albuquerque. (Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)
Through six MLB seasons, Perez is 15-21 with a very respectable career ERA of 3.41. He has 132 career saves, which averages out to 22 saves per year. The 28-year-old Bradenton, FL native has had as many as 39 saves (in 2012) but he is not being signed by the Dodgers to be a closer. In fact, he isn’t even being signed to be a set-up man. He is being signed to be at best a 7th inning guy – a role that the hard-throwing Dominguez or even lefty Onelki Garcia could (and should) fill. With the closer role securely belonging to Kenley Jansen and with Brian Wilson and (gulp) Brandon League as the likely back-up closers, the Dodgers simply do not need Chris Perez and the dirty laundry that he brings with him.
Last June Perez and his wife Melanie were arrested for possession of marijuana after postal inspectors intercepted two packages addressed to Brody Baum at their home in Rocky River, OH. Brody is the name of the couples’ dog and Baum is Melanie’s maiden name. Ironically, the packages had a Los Angeles return address. Perez eventually pled no contest to the charges and was given a $250 fine and ordered to give a talk about the perils of drug use to students of Rocky River High School. (I’m not making this stuff up).
But perhaps of bigger concern to Dodger fans is that Perez has a reputation for being a malcontent and recently spoke out publicly criticizing the Cleveland Indians organization.
“It’s not just ownership,” Perez told MLB.com’s Anthony Odoardi. “They don’t make trades. It’s the GMs. It goes hand in hand. … Josh Willingham would look great in this lineup. They didn’t want to (pony) up for that last year. That’s the decision they made, and this is the bed we’re laying in.”
Perez’s misdemeanor drug conviction and his inflammatory comments about the organization led to him being non-tendered earlier this month. Perez was in line to possibly receive as much as $9 million through salary arbitration but Indians general manager Chris Antonetti felt that the organization would be better off without the distractions that Perez brought to the team. Instead, Antonetti signed 30-year-old right-hander John Axford to a one-year/$4.5 deal to be the Indians closer in 2014.
Although some may argue that signing Perez to a one-year guaranteed MLB contract is a low-risk/low-cost deal, I can’t help but be reminded of the old baseball saying that “Sometimes the best deals are the ones that you don’t make.”
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UPDATE
On Monday afternoon the Dodgers signed 39-year-old right-hander Jamey Wright to a one-year guaranteed MLB deal. Here is yet another move that is in direct contrast with Stan Kasten’s plan to “get younger.” It will also most likely push right-hander Chris Withrow out of the Dodgers bullpen and back to Albuquerque along with Jose Dominguez.
Unless…
This is all a build-up towards a blockbuster trade, which Ned Colletti is famous for. The obvious problem with this is that such a trade (for say like… David Price) would all but decimate the Dodgers already thin farm system.
Could Monday’s surprise signing of 39-year-old former Dodger Jamey Wright be part of an even bigger plan for the Dodgers?
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
Stay tuned…
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It is all a bit baffling to me. I keep referring to the Cardinal bullpen (pitching staff) mostly homegrown.
Withrow, Dominguez, the Garcias all seem to be good options in the pen but they have to be given the chance. Might I say it again – experience is overrated. How many WS rings have the Dodgers acquired in the last 25 years by bringing in experienced players? You might argue that they brought in the wrong players but how it is possible to do it for 25 years running?
Chris Perez brings a big load of baggage – criticized ownership, hyper critical of manager Manny Acta, criticized the fans and then whined about being booed for inept performances, drug issues. I hope it works out but Perez is not even coming off a good year as Brandon League did.
He is on a year’s probation and was ordered to complete Major League Baseball’s drug-treatment program.
Perhaps I am all wrong but I think quality of character is often as important as quality of performance. In the second half of 2013 Chris Perez had neither.
It looks like Colletti is stocking up on closers, probably just in case something goes wrong with Jansen as history keeps showing us how things change so quickly in baseball.
It seems to me a good idea to have a lot of closer experience in the bullpen which may even shorten the games (at least in time) if everyone does their part. At least that’s what this is telling me.
Of course building up for a big trade could be another reason, as you say.
I don’t mind some experienced guys being added to the pen but I always tend to think longer range with the younger guys who are quite good.
For Chris Withrow to be at risk of getting a spot, there must be a trade in the wind.
It does look like a trade is in the wind but it also looks like Ned is stocking up for ST injuries.
Chris Perez – this is what class looks like. You get traded but come
back to participate in the Children’s Holiday Party with your now ex-teammates. Mark Trumbo had one question when traded – “Can I attend the holiday party?