DodgerFan1234

I'll call your Jagr and raise you a Knoblauch & Koufax (&95% of the other players that downtrend after 30). Power does age just as fast as speed. It just shows up in other metrics (bat speed, swinging strike zone, etc). Guys who find huge power surges at 29, like Jose Bautista are the exception, not the rule. The Twins have some tradable assets, and yes, the value should not be wasted, but one cannot reasonably expect to get 24krt prices for 14krt gold. Yadier Alvarez in a trade would be a price I can't see the Dodger FO making with the Twins unless for example there were Twins pieces that could be sent to the Rays for Archer (with other premium Dodger pieces) as part of a 3-way.

This is 100% accurate. Just to expand on the is point, The Twins do have leverage in this situation but the amount of leverage is finite and likely vastly overstated on this board by some. Both FO's are likely smart enough to understand that. Right now the Twins have a guy who is a plus defender that just got done hitting 42 home runs in likely a career year. That is leverage against a team that needs to fill a gaping 2nd base hole. But if the Dodgers plug that hole with Forsythe or Kinsler or Solarte, or Hwang, or somebody else and Dozier has a bad 1st half (his 2nd 1/2 2015), wrong side of 30 and less than 2 years of control, The Twins would be lucky to get just the alleged 3rd/4th piece being contemplated. That is finite leverage and that's why somebody like Alvarez isn't (never was) on the table.

This has nothing to do with you. I just hate when Rosenthal/Heyman/others use that line of thinking. During the offseason, when no market forms, it's always: Dozier (or any player) can be held until the deadline when teams get desperate. At the deadline, when no market forms, it's always: Dozier (or any player) can be held until the offseason when 29 teams can bid for his services. It's a scam to increase viewership. The reality is that a market forms when a market forms. The fit between the Dodgers and Twins seems natural on the surface but the longer this drags on, the more I feel like Friedman is using the Twins as the fluffer (watch Unfinished Business if you don't understand). As a Dodger fan, I have no problem with this. If Colletti were still the GM I could see that fool sending JDL, Alvarez, and Urias. Fortunately Friedman isn't Colletti.

The first sentence is a matter of opinion and I'll accept it as that. I firmly believe that you're right about TINSTAAPP (There Is No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect). The only thing I will mention about Yadier Alvarez as it directly ties to Sale is that the main piece going to the White Sox was Moncada. The Dodgers offered (reported by Baseball America or Baseball Prospectus, can't remember this late) Moncada more money than the Red Sox if he just agreed to delay the signing until the following signing period so that they could specifically sign Alvarez. He refused, so the Dodgers were faced with a decision, sign Moncada and be blocked from the next signing period. Or pass on Moncada and sign Alvarez & others. They chose Alvarez and to this point he's done nothing to show that was the wrong decision. What his future holds, who knows. As far as your statement about JDL having no clear path to the majors, have you seen the infirmary rotation Friedman and company set up last year/this next year?McCarthy, Kazmir, Wood, Ryu, Anderson(last year), and Rich (I've pitched 600 innings in 12 years) Hill. Not to mention that Urias is still on a restricted workload. Add to health that Kershaw, Hill, Urias, Wood, Kazmir, Ryu are all lefties. JDL, assuming he stays with the Dodgers, has a clear path to the majors and could probably pitch 100 innings next year for the ML team.

Dodger fan here. I found this board here I'm sure like some other Dodger fans when reading about this trade rumor. I've been a member under two of the older Dodger forums for almost 20 years (I'm old!) and I have to say this board is one of the better foreign team boards I've seen in my time. You guys have some great/reasonable discussion going on. I thought I'd just give my .02 on what I've read on this board and in particular to the inclusion of Alvarez into JDL. This is my opinion, but it comes from a sick obsession of breathing Dodger information 24/7/365. From reputable Dodger sources JDL has always been part of this trade rumor. Seeing the way Friedman/Zaidi and current ownership at work I find it near impossible that Yadier Alvarez would be included in a deal for Dozier. That's not to say that they wouldn't trade Alvarez, but if they were trading a package that heavy, it would have gotten paired with a couple other pieces (like Bellinger) for Sale. Guggenheim ownership has been very clear since they took over in 2012. They would spend like drunken sailors for 3-4 years while the farm could be built up from the shambles McCourt left it in and have the farm then produce at the ML level. Well, they sure did satisfy the first part and farm is finally at that cusp now. Look, a chunk of the prospects are going to flame out. Every team has its Kevin Slowey or Greg Miller but ownership has been very clear about their process. Turner and Jansen are probably the last big FA expenditures for the next 2 years until Gonzalez, Ethier, Crawford, McCarthy, Kazmir , and all the other dead weight is off the books. They will need to keep pieces like Bellinger to replace AGon and Will Smith potentially to replace Grandal in 2 years. Alvarez as a 20 year old who throws like Chapman as a starter with Better control from the right side that they just got done paying $32MM and who's performed well stateside is somebody they aren't going to trade as a headliner/2nd piece in a trade for a very good but not superstar player. It runs counter to everything they've done to date. Look, Dozier is a very good player. He's been about 5WAR/yr for 3 years signed below market for 2 years. Personally, I would expect JDL to be the headline piece. That's a very good piece. Sickels had him just below Giolito at the end of this past year. I would expect some other good pieces but not Bellinger, Alvarez, and I'd put Buehler in that group as well. I am not the highest on Buehler, but Gabe Kapler and him are BFF's. Kap puts out videos of them working out in the gym together all the time. The fortunate thing for the Twins if a deal is consummated is that the Dodgers 6th or 8th or 10th best prospects would easily rank as a top 3 in most systems so it would be like getting the 3 from the same system. Also, I don't see them adding prospects of the caliber of Alvarez just to dump McCarthy/Kazmir. Markets are all about supply and demand. If the Dodgers were left holding their nuts with Kenley going to WAS and MIN had Britton (again signed for 2 years at less than Kenley) then I would think a huge package could be had while Dodger fans ate from the $hit sandwich. But the Dodgers need is very clear. Improve at 1 position with a RH bat. 2nd base has Kinsler, Dozier, Forsythe, Solarte, etc. Or they could just keep Alvarez & JDL and sign Hwang from Korea. If they choose OF instead of 2nd, there is always the proposed Puig, McCarthy, Sborz rumor for Braun. Or others. Again, just my .02. Not trying to say "Twins, take it or leave it!" Just what I see following it every day.