With the MLB trade deadline looming on Thursday, it's time for
the media, fans and bettors to speculate about whether or not the rich will get
actually richer or the best thing for top contenders to do is just stand pat
and keep their current teams intact rather than mortgaging the future to win at
all costs now. ESPN.com writer Mark Saxon examined this very topic after
the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the San Francisco
Giants on Sunday night with a 4-3 road win to take a 1.5-game lead in the
National League West.
LA (-153) ranks third in the latest Don Best Advantage
MLB Power Ratings released on Monday and No. 1 in the National League with
San Francisco (-143) currently at No. 5 overall. The Oakland Athletics (-188) remain
baseball's top team for the fifth consecutive week, a little more than three
weeks after they traded for former Chicago Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija (2-1 and 2.70
ERA in four starts with the A's) to solidify their starting rotation.
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Saxon made the argument that the Dodgers might be better off
not making any big deals, especially after seeing the Giants lose their third
straight to LA and fourth in a row overall despite picking up veteran second
baseman Dan Uggla (0-for-8, four strikeouts and three errors in the series) and
starting pitcher Jake Peavy (1-10, 4.71), who was acquired from the Boston Red
Sox on Saturday and took the loss on Sunday. He may have a solid point, as
trading away outfielder Matt Kemp or other assets could hurt the depth of the
Dodgers more than help them.
One of the biggest rumors has Red Sox ace Jon
Lester going to LA two years after the two teams completed a blockbuster
deal that sent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, OF Carl Crawford, SP Josh Beckett
and 2B Nick Punto to the Dodgers for 1B James Loney and prospects. But Kemp
would likely go in any trade scenario for Lester (10-7, 2.52), who could still
head back to Boston in the offseason with a new contract. The defending World
Series champion Red Sox have virtually no shot at the postseason, sitting 10 games back in the American League East and seven out of the AL Wild Card race. It's
worth noting that neither the Dodgers nor the Red Sox made the playoffs after
that trade in 2012, with the Giants winning it all in a four-game World Series sweep of the Detroit Tigers.
Another big name rumored to be moving on is Tampa Bay Rays
ace David Price (11-7, 3.08). The Rays are four games ahead of Boston in the
standings, but they are still under the .500 mark at this point and could be in
a similar position where they would rather get some prospects rather than pay
Price big money in the offseason when he becomes a free agent. Price and Lester
are both scheduled to make their next starts on Wednesday, so keep an eye on
your Don Best Odds Screen for any moves.
Please note: The Dodgers made a minor deal on Monday when they picked up 2B Darwin Barney from the Cubs for a player to be named later. The Red Sox traded Lester to Oakland on Thursday with OF Jonny Gomes for OF Yoenis Cespedes on Thursday.