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On the Dodgers radio pregame show on KABC, Josh Suchon reported that Ted Lilly would make his Dodger debut Tuesday night in a start against the Padres. Lilly last started Tuesday, so he will be pitching on six days rest.
Suchon also reported that manager Joe Torre said new acquisition Ryan Theriot will be the everyday second baseman. Theriot has made 62 starts at second base this season, as well as 28 starts at shortstop. In his career, Theriot has started 115 games at second base.
The Dodgers released a statement on today’s trade of Blake DeWitt, Brett Wallach, Kyle Smit to the Cubs for Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot, and $2.5 million.
“We’ve been looking to improve our rotation and with Ted, we feel like we’ve got a very good group of starting pitchers for the stretch run,” said Colletti. “Ryan is versatile and can help us in the middle of the diamond as a nice complement to our existing infielders.
“Of all the times I’ve had to tell a player he was traded, this was one of the toughest telling Blake DeWitt,” Colletti added. “His professionalism, his passion and who he is made doing this one of the toughest moves I’ve made.”
The Dodgers made an attempt to bolster their starting rotation by acquiring Ted Lilly, a pitcher they traded at the July 31 trading deadline 12 years ago, from the Chicago Cubs. Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports the deal has more to it:
#Cubs would get DeWitt, Class AA pitcher and possibly third player for Lilly/Theriot package. Not sure of financial exchange.
On MLB Network, Tom Verducci said the Dodgers would receive roughly $2.5 million from the Cubs. Jayson Stark of ESPN has the full details:
Deal done. #Cubs sending Lilly & Theriot to Cubs for Blake DeWitt & minor lgers Brett Walch & Kyle Smit. LA also gets $2.5M
The left-handed 34-year old, who was drafted by the Dodgers in 1996, was 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts for the Cubs this season. Lilly is 106-92 with a 4.21 ERA in his 12-year career, split between the Expos, Yankees, A's, Blue Jays, and Cubs. On July 31, 1998, the Dodgers, under interim general manager Tommy Lasorda, traded Lilly, Peter Bergeron, Wilton Guerrero, and Jonathan Tucker, to the Expos for Carlos Perez, Mark Gruzielanek, and Hiram Bocachica.
The Dodgers have tried several fifth starters this season, and they have struglled mightily. John Ely, Carlos Monasterios, Charlie Haeger, Ramon Ortiz, and James McDonald have combined this season for 31 starts, including Friday night, and have a collective 5.82 ERA while averaging just 4.89 innings per start.
Lilly has averaged 6.12 innings per start over his last five seasons. He is owed $12 million this season, the last year of a four-year contract. With 64 days remaining this season, Lilly is owed approximately $4,196,721 for the remainder of 2010. He will be a free agent after the season.
Theriot has struggled this season, with career lows in both on-base percentage (.321) and slugging percentage (.329). He has played both shortstop and second base in his career. The 30-year old Theriot is making $2.6 million this season, and is eligible for arbitration during the next two seasons. He is owed approximately $909,290 for the rest of the season.
The Dodgers gave up DeWitt, a player who is better than Theriot, younger than Theriot, and cheaper than Theriot. DeWitt is hitting .270 this season, with a .352 on-base percentage and .371 slugging percentage, and is under club control through 2014. His is making $410,000 this season, which means he is owed approximately $143,388 the rest of the season.
Lilly last started Tuesday for the Cubs, so he would be on regular rest Sunday, although Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to start for the Dodgers on that day. The Dodgers are seven games behind the Padres in the National League West, and four and a half games behind the Giants in the Wild Card race.
Dodgers Acquire Dotel From Pirates For McDonald, Lambo
The Dodgers made another trade before today’s deadline, acquiring reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pittsburgh Pirates for James McDonald and Andrew Lambo, the team announced.
The 36-year old Dotel was 2-2 with 21 saves and a 4.28 this year for the Pirates, and has a strikeout rate of 10.8 per nine innings, the ninth time in nine full seasons he has topped double figures in strikeouts per nine innings.
Per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Dotel has a $3.25 million salary this season, plus a 2011 option for $4.5 millon, with a $250,000 buyout. With the trade, the 2011 option became a mutual option.
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reported that the Pirates send cash as part of the deal:
With 64 days remaining this season after today, Dotel is due approximately $1,136,612 the rest of the year, so the Dodgers are on the hook for $636,612.
McDonald, the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year in both 2007 and 2008, excelled in the bullpen last season, with a 2.72 ERA in 41 games in relief. He began this season in Triple A, and was recalled earlier this month to make a spot start. He remained in the bullpen ever since.
Lambo was the seventh rated Dodger prospect by Baseball America before this season, but was suspended 50 games earlier this season for testing positive for a drug of abuse, presumed to be marijuana. The 21-year old outfielder was hitting .271/.325/.420 in 47 games with Double A Chattanooga.
Jul 31 1:47p by Eric Stephen - 0 comments