December 17th, 2018 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka On Sunday afternoon it was reported that the New York Mets had signed free agent catcher Wilson Ramos to a two-year / $19 million contract. And while on one hand this may not directly affect the Dodgers, on the other hand it very much does and could have huge ramifications for them.
Very huge.
As most Dodger fans know, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has been reluctant to pull the trigger on a deal that would bring highly-touted Miami Marlins All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to Los Angeles, primarily because of what it would cost the Dodgers in return in prospects (Realmuto won’t be a free agent until 2021), but also because Dodgers top-ranked catching prospect Will Smith is very close to being MLB ready, with fellow top catching prospect Keibert Ruiz right on his heels. And because of that 2021 free agency thing, it is highly unlikely that the 27-year-old Del City, Oklahoma City native would be willing to accept a short-term (one-year) deal when he could – and probably will – land a multi-year / high-dollar deal elsewhere.
As for Ramos, the Dodgers were reportedly very much in on him as recently as the just-concluded MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, where they were said to have offered him a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount of money. But the 31-year-old Valencia, Venezuela native was also looking for a multi-year deal, with the Mets eventually offering him two – something that the Dodgers were unwilling to do.
Ramos split time last season between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies, posting a very impressive slash-line of .306 / .358 / .487 for an excellent .845 OPS. He also slugged 15 home runs while driving in 70.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that he has torn the ACL in his right knee twice over his nine MLB seasons and appeared in only 111 games in 2018, and only 33 after being traded to the Phillies at the July 31 trade deadline.
Among the key pieces being considered in a potential Realmuto trade is extremely popular just-turned-28-year-old Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. And while it would most certainly be a disappointment to see the eccentric “Wild Horse” (as Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully dubbed him) leave the Dodgers, it would be even more painful to see someone like Cody Bellinger go; this in addition to a boatload of top Dodgers prospects that the Marlins would undoubtedly be asking for … say, like, Will Smith or Keibert Ruiz, etc.
Then again, with Ramos now off the market and with Smith and Ruiz still (probably) a September call-up away, the available catching options – at least the better ones – has just been reduced by one. This alone could have once again put J.T. Realmuto squarely back in the sights of Andrew Friedman.
Will Friedman pull the trigger on Realmuto this time?
Stay tuned…
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Why not play the waiting game for a while longer? Waiting seems to be helping the Dodgers and hurting the Marlins.
Dodgers probably have many irons on the stove. Address the other issues FIRST.
If you do the catcher position becomes less of an issue. Grab a STUD starter and a shut down lefty reliever and we have the division locked up.
We could then roll with Barnes and ????, if necessary, during the regular season and see if either Smith or Ruiz are ready by September.
Puig and Mattingly are oil and water, only way I see Marlins taking Puig is by immediately flipping him to another team for other player(s)/prospect(s). Love to see Dodgers acquire another catcher today, say Luke Maile of the Bluejays, or Michael Perez of the Rays which would help to lessen any perceived leverage the Marlins may think it has over the Dodgers. BAFO to the Marlins becomes: Austin Barnes who becomes its regular catcher until its highly regarded catching prospect Banfield is ready (same age as Ruiz), Kiké Hernandez who becomes the Marlins regular SS, 1b prospect Ed Rios, and pitcher Kenta Maeda.
How about Kenta to the Angels for Heaney, Rios to the A’s(?) for Hatcher, then flip them both to go with Barnes and Herna. . . . Is there something familiar about that?
Hmmmm, does seem to ring-a-bell.
Of course those ‘aggs’ cannot be put all into 1 basket or so they say, and I can see marlins in no hurry to deal Realmuto if they don’t at least come close to what they are asking for. It means that maybe, just maybe the Marlins would keep Realmuto until maybe perhaps the July trade deadline.
I see no reason the Marlins would settle for less at this time, or any other for that matter. They hold all the cards, why settle for a field goal.
I’ll handle the mixing of metaphors.
Why I think Marlins want to trade Realmuto before ST. His value right now is as high (trade wise) as it is likely to be for the Marlins. In 2019 they have to be concerned that Realmuto suffers a significant injury and/or his stats take a step back to previous years. Marlins know that he is not going to re-sign with them and a year from now any acquiring team only has one year of control. No problem with Marlins having high expectations, but every day brings the possibility of Dodgers and other teams going in a different direction. If Dodgers acquire a catcher this week every other team has just gained more trade leverage. IMO, the Dodgers should acquire another catcher either by trade or free agency and wait for Smith and Ruiz. Use its prospect capital to acquire Mitch Haniger.
So far Derek Jeter hasn’t impressed. He’s probably asking for the moon –right now– but will settle for something in the stratosphere. With two kids (and then some!) in the pipeline, the Dodgers should focus its attention on other FA catchers, even if they are less talented –aka cheaper. We have Barnes and we have Farmer, as a last resort.
Our old friend AJ is available. He had a good year with the bat last year and has always been good behind the plate.
We’re only looking at one year (or less). I’d think about a player to coach contract. He could also be a big help to Kersh as he works out his future.
I think a reunion with AJ would be terrific! And, he may only be needed for half the season if Will Smith, or possibly Ruiz, perform well for their respective minor league teams. But this FO did not seem to value AJ as highly as others. Trading him to the Phillies was a mistake.
Trading AJ to the Phillies has to rank as one of THE MOST UNPOPULAR deals the Dodgers ever made! It was beyond a mistake, it was a joke, big time!
This is actually the best idea I’ve heard yet (article pending).
A.J. as a stopgap until Smith and/or Ruiz are ready which, according to Friedman, could happen before September 1, is a great idea and would be relatively inexpensive.
It would be a HUGE morale boost to the Dodgers clubhouse and, of course, it would be very well received by Dodger fans.
Good call, Bob!
I hope the Dodgers turn away from Realmuto because the cost is just simply to high, as I see it.
sign AJ Ellis and let’s go to spring training.
If the Miami organization want to make up for the poor returns they got for the trades they made last year then the Dodgers and any other team should just walk away. If the Dodgers think Ruiz is going to be an above average player and he will be ready to play for the Dodgers next year than losing him and a group of very good prospects for just 2 years of Realmuto to me is the wrong move.
SPOT ON!