In order for the Dodgers to acquire Gonzalez, the Red Sox demanded that the Dodgers take two other veterans with bad contracts. In many situations, a team often is asked to take a bad contract as the sweetener to close a deal. But two really bad ones?
Carl Crawford, an outfielder, has just had Tommy John surgery and will be out for an extended period of time. The Red Sox overpaid dearly for the free agent a short time ago, and Crawford's production in Beantown has been horrible. Crawford is owed $102.5 million through 2017.
Josh Beckett is an underperforming starter who allegedly was in the center of the chicken and beer tailspin of the 2011 season collapse. Beckett is owed $31.5 million through 2014.
Gonzalez signed a massive extension with Boston after the trade from San Diego. Gonzalez is owed $130 million through 2018.
Gonzalez is the left handed hitting compliment to Matt Kemp. Gonzalez is expected to match his baseball card consistency of .295 BA, 30 HR, 100+ RBI seasons.
The Dodgers also received infielder Nick Punto, who earns $1.5 million per season through 2013. He can play all four infield positions which is a plus, but he is only hitting .200 this season which is a minus. But the Dodgers lost their existing reserve, Jerry Hairston, Jr., so the Punto pick up was to fill a need on the bench.
This big deal was all about the money. Boston getting rid of a massive amount of contractual obligations as a means of rebuilding beginning in 2013. The Red Sox received five players who have careers in the major league reserve/AAA category.
The key player in the bargain is Allen Webster, one of the Dodgers best pitching prospects. Webster is 6-8, 3.55 ERA, 1.455 WHIP, 2.05 K/BB ratio in AAA. Webster probably will be in the Red Sox rotation in 2013.
The Red Sox also got a rental player in first baseman James Loney, who is a free agent after the season. Loney is a 28 year old player who never had the break out power to be a star first baseman in the league. This year he was batting only .254, with 4 HRs and 33 RBI for LA.
The Red Sox got another young pitcher in the deal, 23 year old Rubby De La Rosa, who is a starter and reliever. For the Dodgers in 2011, he made 10 starts in 13 games. His record was 4-5, 3.71 ERA, 1.401 WHIP, 1.94 K/BB ratio. De La Rosa is coming back late this year from Tommy John surgery.
The Red Sox also received two players that project as bench/utility players: Ivan De Jesus, 25 year old second and third baseman, and Jerry Sands, 24 year old left fielder/first baseman.
DeJesus played in 23 games for the Dodgers this year, having a .273 BA, 0 HR, 4 RBI and 1 SB. Sands played in 9 games this season, batting .194 with 1 RBI. In 2011, he played in 61 games batting .253, 4 HR 26 RBI and 3 SB.
If you pare back the deal to its basic rationale, the trade summary is really Red Sox send 1B Gonzalez and $250 million in contract obligations to the Dodgers for AAA SP Webster and RP De La Rosa. De Jesus and Sands are not long term solutions for Boston. Loney will not challenge Ortiz at first base.
The Dodgers got the power hitter they wanted in the line-up. But they also added two dubious dead money contracts with Crawford and Beckett. It is an expensive trade for LA to try to keep a neck to neck race with the Giants going this season.
Ownership front man Magic Johnson inferred that the deal was made to show the Dodger fans that the new ownership group was serious about bringing winning talent to the club. It may have been a move to get more fans into the empty stands at Chavez Ravine. In some circles, you need to spend money to make money; but that principle has little bearing in baseball.
