August 3rd, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka * * * UPDATE: August 3, 2016 at 3:00 pm PT * * *
Although most of the attention from Monday’s trades are centered around the acquisitions of Josh Reddick, Rich Hill and Jesse Chavez – and rightfully so – there was a fourth trade acquisition made by the Dodgers on Monday that very well could play a big role in the Dodgers getting into and succeeding in the postseason; soon-to-be 31-year-old right-handed reliever Josh Fields.
Fields was a last-minute trade deadline acquisition from the Houston Astros in exchange for recently acquired 19-year-old Cuban first baseman Yordan Alvarez, who the Dodgers signed on June 15 as an international free agent. Alvarez did not appear in a professional game with the Dodgers organization and hasn’t played competitively since the 2014-2015 season with the Lenadores de Las Tunas of the Cuban National Series.
Fields was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the first round (20th overall pick) of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Georgia. After spending two season in the Mariners minor league system, the Athens, Georgia native was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2011 and to the Houston Astros in 2013, making his MLB debut with the major league club on April 2, 2013. Since that time Fields has appeared in a total of 164 games over four major league season with the Houston club. But after 15 appearances this season and posting an 0-0 record, 6.89 ERA and 1.66 WHIP, he was optioned to the Fresno Grizzlies, the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate.
Friedman’s and Zaidi’s uncanny ability to look beyond Josh Fields’ less-than-stellar major league numbers may have netted them yet another gold nugget. (Photo credit – Ronald Martinez)
While you would think that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manage Farhan Zaidi would stick with their M.O. of “getting younger,” a closer look at Fields suggests that they really like what they seen in him. Although one of the elder statesmen on the Grizzlies, Fields put up some very good numbers there. In his 23 relief appearances, Fields posted an 0-0 record and a very impressive 1.65 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He struck out 32 opposing batters while walking only seven for an outstanding 4.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio 4.57 and his strikeout per nine innings average 10.5 is better than Pedro Baez‘s 10.0 and Joe Blanton‘s 9.0. Granted, these are Fields’ Triple-A numbers, but still…
Although Fields was initially assigned to the Dodgers 25-man roster upon his acquisition, he was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday afternoon and it is highly unlikely that he will be brought back up immediately. However, it is very likely that he will be a September call-up when rosters expand on September 1. And though it will take a couple years to determine if Alvarez develops into a major league-caliber first baseman, by all appearances the Dodgers won this trade.
…for now.
* * * UPDATE: August 3, 2016 at 3:00 pm PT * * *
Josh Fields has been called up to the Dodgers, along with Julio Urias. Louis Coleman (right shoulder fatigue) and Adam Liberatore (left elbow inflammation) have been placed on the 15-Day disabled list. Clayton Kershaw has been moved to the 60-day DL but is eligible to return on August 27.
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I have never understood the mindset of people who criticize deals like this. Sometimes you pick up a player because you see something that you think you might be able to “fix.” Many times you are wrong… and you really can’t fix whatever the issue is, but sometimes you get a Jake Arrieta, Joe Blanton or Rich Hill – guys who suddenly put it together and become a good pitcher after years of struggling.
What does it hurt to try? There is no downside to this kind of deal. You never know….
I think many are cautiously optimistic. Optimistic because we are Dodger fans. Cautious because of the Latos, Wood, McCarthy and Anderson deals.
These names are always brought up to show how inept FAZ is. Mat Latos was part of a huge trade that included Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan, Jose Peraza and assumed two contracts for Bronson Arroyo and Michael Morse. For this the Dodgers traded away Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez (TJ surgery), Victor Araujo (released), Jeff Brigham (24 at high A), Kevin Guzman (on DL – 27.2 IP in low A), and Zachary Bird (22 on DL in High A – 44.2 IP w/8.66 ERA). The Dodgers were 2-3 for the 5 games Latos started, and was released. His presence had no impact on the final standings. The Dodgers were already 2 games better than the Mets, and if they had won the 3 games their 95 wins would have still been less than the Cubs and Cardinals.
In the two months prior to the trade, Latos averaged nearly 6.5 IP per start, with a 2.96 ERA for those 7 games. His ERA for July up to the trade was 1.8. I certainly thought that Latos was worth a shot in light of what was given up. Latos did not cause the Dodgers to step away from Hamels. That was always due to what the Phillies asked for. You believe the Dodgers could have got Hamels without Seager and Urias. While many of us believe it would have cost at least two of Seager, Urias, and De Leon, plus others (Verdugo?) I do not want to rehash Hamels, he is not a Dodger, and none of us on this forum will ever know what was asked. Bottom line – Latos was a non-factor that did not cost the Dodgers anything except his salary. But consider what if he had continued his June/July pitching?
Alex Wood is 25, with a 3.38 career ERA (3.99 in 2016), 2.99 career K/BB (3.26 in 2016). Compare that to a pitcher many believed that the Dodgers should have signed, Jeff Samardzija. He is 31, 4.12 career ERA (4.3 in 2016), and 2.78 career K/BB (2.91 in 2016). Wood is making $530K in 2016, and has three years arbitration, while Samardzija is in the 1st year of a 5 year $90M contract. Wood will probably be back in late September, where he will go to the bullpen. I know I am in the minority, but I believe Wood is going to be a fine pitcher for LA. Seems like a worthy risk to hold on to, even if he ends up in the pen.
McCarthy and Anderson were supposed to be #4 and #5 pitcher. McCarthy did have prior shoulder surgery but not TJ. He is back now, and at $12M each for the next two years, he is worthy as a back of the rotation starter. Brett Anderson was 10-9 in 2015 with 180.1 IP and 3.69 ERA. He catches grief because he was a #5 who assumed a #3 role for the post season, when he should have been in the pen and Ryu starting game 3. Stuff happens, but he certainly lived up to what was expected of him when signed. Where FAZ can be questioned is giving him a QO. They gambled that Anderson would not accept (as nobody in all the previous years ever did) and the Dodgers would have another supplemental #1. They gambled and lost. Anderson is rehabbing now, so we will see what he can do for the last 6-8 weeks of the season.
It’s easy to criticize results after they are known, but the decisions made seemed sound at the time, at least IMO.
AC, we’re pretty much in agreement on Anderson. He figured to be injured before McCarthy, but shockingly made it through an entire season while McCarthy had TJ surgery. I’m not sure whether the Latos trade was a true 3-way; i.e. whether any players went from Miami to Atlanta or vice-versa. I know we ate Michael Morse’s contract and gave them a couple of 2nd-tier prospects.
I also agree that there’s no point beating the Hamels horse at this point although I would have been very interested in getting Cueto and Chapman if we could have done it without giving up Seager and Urias. I thought at the time the Reds might be interested in Puig or Olivera–who knows? A lot of decisions that look sound turn out badly, but I must say Latos never passed the eye test.
It was just in answer to a question AC. But it isn’t surprising to hear you leap to the company line. Heard it all before.
I would simply ask this: did it work? Also, of the names I referenced, who is in there pitching well now?
Badger, I appreciate your recognition that I am a Company guy, and I proudly wear it. But to answer your question directly, none of those pitchers are pitching well right now. I repeat, NONE. I do not have the pleasure of a crystal ball to see how Wood and Anderson will pitch late August and September. I choose to believe that both will do well as relievers down the stretch. Maybe they won’t. But at least they are available to try.
After two very good starts, and two not so good, McCarthy may still have a good August and September. I do not really count Tuesday because it is not easy for anyone to warm up, come in to pitch to two hitters in the 1st inning, go out because of a rain delay, and then come back in. This is especially true in an environment that is not easy for any pitcher. I choose to give him the benefit of the doubt that his control was hurt because of the delay. If you think it is because he is a bad pitcher, okay, I do not want to change your mind.
The whole point is not whether any of those pitchers were game changers, although it could be argued that the Dodgers do not win 92 games without Anderson in 2015. You like to look at IP, and Anderson had 180+, with less than a 3.7 ERA. Not Ace-like, but not bad for a pitcher that came onto the roster as a #5 SP. The point is that Friedman and Zaidi gave the Dodgers a shot at a Championship without giving up Seager, Urias, De Leon, Verdugo, or Bellinger, or anyone of any potential significance. Not as a favorite, but with an opportunity. I still contend that McCarthy, Wood, and Anderson will be positive factors for the final 6 weeks in 2016, and that McCarthy and Wood will be good members of the Dodgers pitching staff in 2017 and if so, probably 2018.
Dodgers recently signed Alvarez to a $2MM signing bonus which cost another $2MM in tax penalty. Dodgers sure like giving money away to Cuban players (Olivera, Guerrero, Arruebarrena, Fernandez, Sierra and I may be missing a couple)
That’s an interesting story: $4M to sign a player who is traded before he even suits up. Is this some kind of money laundering scheme? Fields may have just been unlucky in the majors but unlucky relief pitchers have a way of making managers unlucky. As we’ve seen, there’s a big difference between AAA and the majors.
Maybe the money is being funneled into Cuba to help finance a mass refugee pipeline into the United States? Ooops… politics. Wrong sport.
* * * UPDATE: August 3, 2016 at 3:00 pm PT * * *
Josh Fields has been called up to the Dodgers, along with Julio Urias. Louis Coleman (right shoulder fatigue) and Adam Liberatore (left elbow inflammation) have been placed on the 15-Day disabled. Clayton Kershaw has been moved to the 60-day DL but is eligible to return on August 27.
Ron, I am assuming that Kershaw going on the 60 day was to allow Fields to be added to the 40-man. I don’t believe that Kershaw has picked up a ball for awhile, so the 60 day does not seem out of line. I think everyone was hopeful that Kershaw would be back by Sept 1 anyway. August 27 is a little more than 3 weeks. Dodgers need to stay close so that Kershaw and that AAA army of pitchers can pitch in September. Dodgers should not have to worry about IP or # of pitches when September rolls around.
It was indeed to create a roster spot. Kershaw most definitely would not have been back before then anyway.
“And though it will take a couple years to determine if Alvarez develops into a major league-caliber first baseman, by all appearances the Dodgers won this trade. … for now.”
Uhm, nope.