May 7th, 2016 at 7:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka We’ve been hearing about it for months – the Dodgers have an abundance of pitching depth, and technically it’s true. In addition to the Dodgers current rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, Kenta Maeda, Alex Wood and Ross Stripling, they have Zach Lee, Sam LeCure, Jharel Cotton and Jeremy Kehrt but a 2:45 flight away; Mike Bolsinger on the cusp of returning from a left oblique strain; and Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy eyeing an All-Star-break(ish) return.
But as we wait for the much-anticipated return of Ryu and McCarthy, the Dodgers top two pitching prospects – left-hander Julio Urias and right-hander Jose De Leon – have shown that they are MLB-ready now … as in right now.
While it is understood and generally accepted that there is no real reason to rush the 19-year-old Urias and 23-year-old De Leon along, the simple truth is that neither of them have anything left to prove at the minor league level. Oh sure, one can argue that they haven’t spent much time at Triple-A Oklahoma City – especially De Leon – but to say that they’re not ready to face major league hitters yet is pure nonsense. Not only did Urias and De Leon appear in two and three major league spring training games respectively, many of the hitters they have faced while at OKC have major league experience.
Even at 19 years old and 23 years old, might left-hander Julio Urias and right-hander Jose De Leon be better options after Kershaw and Maeda in the current Dodgers rotation? (Image courtesy of milb.com)
Although the Dodgers are clearly hesitant to bring one or both of these guys up, it’s impossible to ignore what both Urias and De Leon did in their most recent outings (and in De Leon’s case, his first outing) at OKC. Urias was but a fielding error away of throwing six perfect innings with six strikeouts on only 77 pitches on Wednesday and De Leon pitched five innings of two-hit ball with one walk and nine strikeouts on 88 pitches the day before. If these respective performances don’t put these two close friends at the head of the Dodgers minor league pitching class, nothing will.
Granted, it’s hard to ignore that Bolsinger and even Zach Lee have major league experience and Urias and De Leon do not, but the simple truth is that both have a much higher upside. And what good is it doing these two guys wasting their bullets getting minor leaguer hitters out when they could be getting major league hitters out instead?
I’m sure that there are many who say ‘What’s the rush?’ and I get that. But realistically, aside from Kershaw and Maeda, the rest of the Dodgers rotation is a collective 3-7 with a combined ERA of 5.11 and 80 strikeouts as compared to Kershaw and Maeda’s combined 6-2 record and insane 1.73 ERA with 82 strikeouts.
It’s time to pull the trigger, Andrew.
Posted in 
Remember Adrian Beltre? Do they really want to rush Urias to the bigs to bolster a team that isn’t hitting anyway? De Leon figured to be up by the end of the year anyway and he’s 23. They threw Ross Stripling into the breach with no experience above AA and some fans are ready to give up on him already. This is depth?
You mean soon-to-be Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre? Yeah… I remember him.
The LA Times, Bill Shaikin, reported that the Dodgers say they need a left-hander in the bullpen who can be relied upon. How about sending Alex Wood to the bullpen and give Julio Urias the baseball every five days. When needed, the team can rest his spot during the off days and move him back to save on innings.
Actually I would rather see Stripling moved into the pen and Urias brought up to start. Ross does exceptionally well the first time through the order but struggles the second and third time through. BWTHDIKA.
I can’t fathom the Angels trading trout but would any of you trade urias and Holmes and maybe van slyke for him. I don’t know exactly what it would take but it would be very inticing.
I would try to give more quantity with a little less quality. In other words, no to Urias, but, Holmes ok, Sierra ok, Lee ok, Pederson ok, Van Slyke ok and Dodgers have other possibilities to restock Angels farm system.
This is y I dislike this site. Mark Timmons ladodgertalk talk had constant commenting. By now this thread would have had 100 posts easy. Come back Mark
My friend if you dislike this site that is OK but no one has forced you to click on to it.
I followed Mark’s site but rarely commented as I had no patience with the vitriol that was constantly spewed. I think Mark grew tired of it too or his site would still be up.
To each his own.
I wouldn’t trade Urias for Trout straight up. Would you trade Kershaw for Trout? Urias has the potential to be another Kershaw and until the Dodgers have a stable of young pitchers of their own they will not be able to compete consistently even with Mike Trout as demonstrated over the last 27 years.
Boxout – I wouldn’t give up on Pederson yet. There are definite signs he will be a good MLB player. Not a Trout but a good player. However, I would trade him in a Trout deal but not Urias or De Leon.
Agreed, no Urias or De Leon, well maybe De Leon, I haven’t given up on Pedersen, in fact, I am liking the way he is progressing. But if it gets Trout he is gone. From Angel point of view, they get a young center fielder to replace Trout and several other players including pitchers to restock minors. I have to admit, my trade proposals are usually heavily in Dodger’s favor. I want to give quantity for quality, don’t know if that is realistic.
I think FAZ’s biggest accomplishment in the short time they have been in charge is obtaining talent throughout the organization. The farm is now number one or two. This puts us in the game if someone like Trout becomes available. In fact, the Dodgers could really use a “quantity for quality” trade right about now. Unfortunately, it takes two to tango and this is probably the most important thing to get right. We don’t want another Pedro for DeShields trade!
Trade Mike Trout? Who started this rumor?
You don’t trade Mike Trout.
That said, if the Dodgers are willing to give up Pederson, Urias, De Leon, Holmes, and……. Kendrick – you still don’t trade Mike Trout.
I do. Urias, De Leon, Holmes, Richards and Heaney is a nice starting rotation in two years. Pedersen in center looking ok. If I am Angel GM, I am going to give you Pujols also, just because you gave me such a nice haul.
Richards and Heaney both headed for TJ Surgery so it would be two years. No way I ever trade Urias.
Yes, TJ surgery for them. That’s why some think Angels should be in full rebuild mode. Angels went down the high priced free agent path and neglected the farm. Now the cupboard is bare. I have seen it said, Dodgers wasted some of Kershaw’s best years, but, they are in playoffs every year with farm getting better every year. Angels not in a good place, no farm, bloated contracts, owner unwilling to buy more high priced players. Trout signed for four more years after this year, he will want to leave, diminishing asset as contract gets shorter. If I am Angels, REBUILD, I am all over Badger3’s trade proposal, especially if Dodgers take Pujols.
Ned might have done it, but, FAZ wouldn’t, unless Angels have compromising pictures.
I think Ned was always in panic mode especially at deadlines and loved three year contracts to guys on the downhill side of careers.
I don’t think F&Z panic but think longer term within a a short term context. They won’t take Pujols just to facilitate a trade and I still think they want financial freedom by the end of 2018.
Agreed, Bluenose Dodger, no Pujols for Dodgers. I believe the “financial freedom” plan is, out of luxury tax IN 2018. Crawford and Ethier gone after 2017. FAZ might want to do some shopping after 2018 season with luxury tax rates reset.
At that point I don’t think F&Z will pay any luxury tax and there will be no need to do so. With a farm system producing and acquiring good players from other systems like Kike,Austin Barnes, etc., they won’t need a plethora of high cost free agents. I’m expecting they will simply need a missing piece here and there. I’m also expecting the Dodgers to be young with most guys in their prime.
In a couple of years they may overspend on international signings, after their probationary time is over, if there is no international draft by then. At some point there will be an international draft so all teams can participate and international players don’t get bonuses that dwarf MLB draft bonuses.
You are correct, Bluenose Dodger, they are probably not in luxury tax territory after 2017. A good plan and the right plan. No organization can prosper with its main cost at a 50% disadvantage to the competition. The main plan will be to continue scouting, advancing the farm, player development and looking for market inefficiencies.
Good point about international signings, FAZ will continue the signings as long as baseball lets them do it, it’s that market inefficiency thing. I love the Sierra article. What a value! $30M/6 yrs, age 25 – 31 years. Try and fix the control, if you do, possible number one. If not, good trade asset. Hadn’t thought about an International draft, but, makes sense, small market teams can’t compete as it is.
By the way “extended spring training” concept interests me. I don’t remember hearing this term very much in the past. I now think it sounds like baseball player “boot camp”. Constant pre-competition training and supervision in Glendale, the baseball player factory, to train and prepare the player. No more just throwing a player into games before they are ready. I also like how FAZ is constantly bringing in players who have been DFA from other organizations for a workout and a look see.
And if the above isn’t enough, I do believe, as a major market team, that the player salary budget will usually be kept right around the luxury tax threshold for some “star power” acquisitions when the right opportunity/value presents itself.
Good times to be a Dodger fan!
Very good post Boxout7. Seems like we are in agreement on quite a bit. I too think it is a good time to be a Dodger fan.
That sounds much like the Dodgers official site. I liked this site better because it wasn’t full of trolls.
Feel free to leave at any time blake. We’ll get by just fine without you.
Hopefully the front office handles these two better than they have some of our other pitching prospects and our pitchers as a whole.
It’s almost comical how they have undermined Zach Lee’s progress and set him up for failure. Having him throw a “bullpen” the day before they ask him to make his major league debut last year and then getting him completely off schedule this year while they fly him around the country is not how you handle pitchers.
I’m afraid we have become too concerned with metrics and lost track that baseball players are creatures of habit.
Development I think has been an issue for some time with the Dodgers farm system. It seems that guys like Zach Lee, as you point out,get out of sync when the Dodgers need a minor temporary fix without regard to where the player is at that point. On the one hand it is all about the parent club but on the other hand perhaps more careful use of minor league players would pay dividends in the longer haul.
New people everywhere. It might take a while for the organization to get organized.
No doubt about it Badger. Big thing is to get Clayton signed beyond 2018 and sick with the action plan.
… and stick with action plan.
You do realize that we now have an ‘edit’ button, right? (as long as you do it within a half-hour or so)
I do and I use but missed this one.
Edit gives five minutes which is more than enough if one proof’s a bit.