Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE
Is it still way too early to talk about if the deal between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angels Dodgers has failed? Yes, it is. With still so many years left to go on players contracts, there is still a lot of time left for the Dodgers to prove they got the better end of the deal.
But, has it failed yet for this season? We do not know how the trade will work out five years from now, but when the Dodgers made the huge deal in late August, they were favorites to pull away with the NL West.
The San Francisco Giants were hit hard with the news that they were losing Melky Cabrera due to a suspension for testing positive for high levels of testosterone. The Dodgers added another big bat to their roster in Adrian Gonzalez. Before the trade deadline the Dodgers also acquired Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino. With all the new additions, and the Giants losing their best hitter, it seemed like a shoe in the Dodgers would take the division.
Since the trade the Dodgers have posted a 6-11 record. The Giants have put up a 10-6 record and took a commanding lead in the NL West. Putting up a seven game lead up over the Dodgers in the standings.
Gonzalez has not lived up to what the Dodgers had hoped for. After homering in his first at bat in Dodger blue, Gonzalez has yet to homer again, and has only driven in 12 RBIs. Gonzalez’s slash line doesn’t look much better, either (.229/.286/.357).
Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and Carl Crawford were also apart of the blockbuster deal. Crawford has yet to play a game as a Dodger due to Tommy John surgery. Beckett has actually put together a few good starts. So far he is 1-2 with a 3.86 in three starts. Punto has saw very limited playing time (only 14 at-bats) which reflects his .143 average.
The Dodgers remain only one game out of the wild card in the National League. But if they do not make the playoffs, this trade has humongously failed this season.
Inheriting over 250 million dollars in contracts, you expect to see that team in the playoffs. No one will truly know if the trade was a bad move for the Dodgers in the long run. They could win the World Series next year and then Magic Johnson and the new ownership look like geniuses in the eyes of Dodgers fans. But as for right now and this season, the trade has not lived up to expectations, and it is failing big time.
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