Bill Shaikin On Gresh and Zo: A LA Perspective Of Red Sox-Dodgers Trade
Bill Shaikin of the LA Times joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Gresh and Zolak on Monday to offer the West Coast perspective on the Red Sox-Dodgers blockbuster trade from over the weekend.
The Dodgers had targeted Adrian Gonzalez ever since the team was purchased by their new owners in May. They viewed him as a perfect fit for their franchise, and kept approaching Boston on a potential deal. Until last week, the Red Sox were reluctant to give up the slugging first baseman, but with the playoffs in doubt and owners wanted financial flexibility, LA was able to get their man.
"He's a great player and people had seen him be a great player for years in San Diego," said Shaikin. "Maybe things happened in Boston and things went a little sour -- he didn't do what he thought he should do, and the team didn't do what it thought it should do. But if you want a gap player who is used to playing in a pitcher's park in the NL West, knows the division and is a great guy -- he's not a 35-year-old on his downside. He's still a great player; the Dodgers think he's still a great player and we'll find out over the next few years. The idea that he is an average first baseman is just ridiculous."
As for what the Red Sox got in return, Shaikin says they acquired two of the three young arms the Dodgers didn't want to part ways with.
"The two guys you really want to look at are the two pitchers, Rubby De La Rosa and Alan Webster," he said. "De La Rosa got to the majors last year, pitched well but then he had Tommy John. The Dodgers showcased him in the majors for an inning last week so the Red Sox could see him."
"Webster is more of a prospect in terms of he's still at the Double-A level. There were three pitches the Dodgers didn't want to trade this year, even though they wanted to acquire everyone in baseball. The Red Sox got two of those guys, so they should feel pretty good about that."
