Welcome to the Playoffs, George Sherrill…
July 30, 2009 at 1:20 pm | Posted in George Sherrill, Josh Bell, Steven Johnson | 13 Comments
I’ve re-written this intro about four times, ranging from “This trade rules!” when I thought it was just Josh Bell, to “holy hell no!” when I thought it was Bell and Scott Elbert, to “yeah, that’s fair” now that we know it’s Bell and Steven Johnson.
As far as relievers go, Sherrill’s basically the best on the market, and we’ve heard that up to eight teams were after him – so for the Dodgers to get him is a pretty nice feather in the cap. He’s a little older than you might think – 32, since he didn’t make his MLB debut until 27 – but he’s been one of the best relievers in the American League for the last several years. After some quality years in Seattle (dig that 2.36 ERA in 70 games in 2007), Sherrill was dealt to Baltimore in the disastrous Erik Bedard trade, and has put up 51 saves as the O’s closer the last two seasons. Clearly, he’s not coming to LA to be the closer, but if you can put up a 191 ERA+ and strike out nearly a man per inning in the toughest division in baseball, he’s still a pretty nice addition to the pen.
Sherrill has an absolutely absurd platoon split in 2009 – while righties are OPS’ing .731 off him, which is a little better than average (88 OPS+), lefties have no prayer whatsoever, OPS’ing just .356. That’s an OPS+ of 3. THREE. His career numbers haven’t been quite that crazy, but he’s still holding lefties to a good 250 points of OPS worse than righties.
As far as what he adds to the bullpen, a strength just got stronger:
CL Broxton
LH Sherrill
LH Kuo
RH Troncoso
RH Mota (I know, but he’s been incredible over the last few months)
That’s a top five in the ‘pen that you can put up against anyone else in the league, and that doesn’t even count the imminent return of Ronald Belisario, the quality long relief of Claudio Vargas and Jeff Weaver, and the hope you still hold for Cory Wade. Who needs the starters to go more than 6 innings when you’ve got guys like that holding down the last three?
For the guys going to Baltimore, it’s not exactly a cheap price. Josh Bell’s a third baseman who’s been steadily progressing through the system since his drafting in the 4th round in 2005, and Kensai thinks he might even have a 30-35 homer peak in the bigs ahead of him. As a 22-year-old in AA this year, he’s more than held his own, putting up a line of .296/.386/.497 with 11 homers. Steven Johnson (hey, he’s a native of Baltimore! congratulations, kid) was a 2005 draftee like Bell, but was on no one’s top prospect list. His first shot at advanced A ball last year as a 20 year old was a disaster (7.10 ERA in 11 games), though he’s bounced back to strike out more than a man per inning repeating that level before a recent promotion to AA.
And really, it’s the fact that it’s Steven Johnson, and not Scott Elbert, who’s joining Bell with the O’s that makes this trade a win and not a disaster. Bell’s a solid prospect, but not a superstar-in-waiting, and you have to expect to give up at least that much. Johnson’s intriguing, but hardly someone you lose sleep over. Elbert’s already shown success at the major league level, and losing him would not only cost his services as a Dodger, but his availability in any possible Roy Halladay trade.
I say that I hate things so often around here that I’m thrilled to be able to take the other side: this is a good, solid trade that’s going to help the Dodgers without killing them in the future. Even better, Sherrill’s only arbitration-eligible, so he can’t just walk away. Job well done by Ned Colletti on this one.
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Bill ‘I Eat Fish Penis’ Plascke just said the Phillies are favorites to win the NL… because…. !!!!
Pitching!
I wish Matt Garza would tag him with 108 stitches.
Comment by Wilson Fonasty-Foshow— July 30, 2009 #
I respectfully disagree with you on this one.
Comment by Steven M— July 30, 2009 #
2 – why?
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— July 30, 2009 #
I’m a bit conflicted on this one. My first reaction was largely the same as yours. Quality reliever for Josh Bell, who according to Baseball America won’t be playing third base too much longer, and a minor league pitcher on no one’s radar.
But what Jon Weisman said struck me too, in that we already had a pretty great bullpen which has been bolstered by Kuo’s comeback (hopefully) and will be more so when Belisario gets back. In that perspective the trade looks a bit unnecessary.
I have to say the factor which makes me think that this will all come out as a positive is that Sherrill is controlled through 2011. In addition, a change in league seems to benefit the pitcher so I’ll hope for just as strong a performance in the second half.
Comment by GKLarsen— July 30, 2009 #
I’m of the opinion that you can’t have enough good arms. I like that we have both Kuo and Sherrill in the bullpen. Sherrill adds versatility. He can pitch against lefties, he can pitch the 8th, he can even, in a pinch, pitch the 9th.
Plus, having Kuo back is nice. But can we expect it to last? Kuo is injury prone. He could be dominant until the end of the year, or he could go down next week.
Comment by J— July 30, 2009 #
The reason I wanted a different lefty reliever (Rhodes) was so we wouldn’t have to give up Bell. Sherrill is pretty solid, though. All we need now is for Torre to change his mind about tomorrow and start Elbert or Stults.
Comment by The Dude Abides— July 30, 2009 #
I think the Dodgers gave up wayyyy too much. That’s not to say I don’t like the deal: Sherrill will really help a bullpen that could use another late-inning elite option.
But they gave up a lot. Johnson is a great blue-chipper and Bell will be a middle of the order hitter in 3-4 years.
Comment by Evan— July 30, 2009 #
I really like both players we dealt, but Johnson, while a quality pitcher does not light up the radar guns and his off-speed stuff isn’t gonna make any top ten lists. His command has to be nigh onto perfect, as it has been for most of this year. Even when we drafted him, his upside wasn’t that great.
As for Bell, if he stays at third, he will hurt. But, this is the first season where he has not been hurt and actually came to camp in shape. There are also some serious questions about his accuracy with the arm. He will hit and hit with power, plus he is a disciplined hitter, but I think he will end up at first before too long.
Comment by grabarkewitz— July 30, 2009 #
I really like both players we dealt, but Johnson, while a quality pitcher does not light up the radar guns and his off-speed stuff isn’t gonna make any top ten lists. His command has to be nigh onto perfect, as it has been for most of this year. Even when we drafted him, his upside wasn’t that great.
As for Bell, if he stays at third, he will hurt. But, this is the first season where he has not been hurt and actually came to camp in shape. There are also some serious questions about his accuracy with the arm. He will hit and hit with power, plus he is a disciplined hitter, but I think he will end up at first before too long.
Comment by grabarkewitz— July 30, 2009 #
This trade is pretty fair if not benefiting the Dodgers more because of their current position to push through October. Bell and Johnson are promising but aren’t exactly lighting it up in double A/single A. While Sherrill is a proven all-star caliber closer that is a perfect compliment to an already good bullpen. Having a lefty and righty closer coming out of right field during a World Series push = good even if it costs 2 guys that have a good chance of spending more than 1 year playing in the show.
I’m glad the Dodge sacked up and are going for it.
But then again… Steven M does make a strong, detailed, and well pontificated argument for the opposition.
Comment by Wilson Fonasty-Foshow— July 30, 2009 #
I agree this deal is a win for Ned. A rare win I might add. But if this is the only thing we do before the deadline, it’s disappointing. I say trade the 5 prospects for Halladay! If we can get him without giving up Bills or Kersh, it’s a gift. Let the Jays have their pick of anybody in the minor league system for all I care.
Comment by Jordan— July 31, 2009 #
That is my feeling, also. It is not like Logan White can’t refill the farm in short order. Shoot, Eovaldi was on no one’s radar, last June, now he could be part of the biggest trade at the deadline. Just tell Ricciardi to pick four or five players from the farm and call it a done deal.
I love the farm, but we are not the Cardinals or Astros, we always are loaded with high end prospects – time to use them to help the big club. 21 years is too long a wait for a World Series win.
Comment by grabarkewitz— July 31, 2009 #
Well Bell has a very high upside, and the pen is doing fine right now, and that is while we are waiting for a huge piece to return in Belisario. I don’t know, I am tierd of seing guys we trade away emerge as Stars..(E. Jackson, J. Werth, Etc…)
Comment by Steven M— July 31, 2009 #