Dodgers Acquire Maddux and Lugo from Cubs and Devil Rays

The official press statement from the Dodgers front office. We tried getting into the conference call with Ned Coletti, but the lines was full. Apparently, four slots alone were taken up by writers from some rag called the L.A. Times. Glory hogs. But we'll keep an eye out when the audio is posted on the Dodgers website and let you know.
—AK

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Greg Maddux and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs for infielder Cesar Izturis and infielder Julio Lugo from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for minor leaguers Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza, according to Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti.

“Greg is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game,” said Colletti. “What he can bring to this team goes beyond his ability on the mound. We expect him to solidify our rotation and serve as a strong influence in the clubhouse.

“Julio is a solid infielder both offensively and defensively and will help strengthen us up the middle. He also adds more speed to our lineup.”

Maddux, 40, is a four-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star. His 327 career victories are second among active pitchers behind Roger Clemens and rank 12^th on the all-time victory list in Major League history. He has won 15 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, including 13 consecutive from 1990-2002 and back-to-back awards in 2004-05. Maddux has led the league in victories three times and ERA four times.

In 22 games (21 starts) this season, the right-hander is 9-11 with a 4.69, tying him for the ninth-most victories in the league. He recently surpassed Bob Gibson on the all-time strikeout list, as his 3,133 rank 12^th in big league history and third among active pitchers behind Clemens and Randy Johnson.

Maddux has appeared in the postseason 11 times, including nine consecutive years with the Braves from 1995-2003. He has twice helped Atlanta to the World Series, winning the championship in 1995. In 31 career playoff games, Maddux has a 3.22 ERA, including a 2.09 ERA in five World Series starts.

From 1988-2004, he won 15 or more games each year, surpassing Cy Young (15 from 1891-1905) for the most consecutive 15-win seasons (17) in Major League history. His next victory will give him 19 consecutive seasons with 10 or more wins, equaling Young’s mark set from 1891-1909.

Maddux’s brother, Mike, played for the Dodgers in 1990 and 1999, making the duo the ninth pair of siblings in franchise history, joining Con and Ed Daily, Jim and Mickey Hughes, Ramon and Pedro Martinez, Dave and Steve Sax, Larry and Norm Sherry, Chris and Johnny Van Cuyk, Lloyd and Paul Waner and Zack and Mack Wheat.

Lugo, 30, is batting .308 with 12 homers and 27 RBI and 18 stolen bases for Tampa Bay this season. In 2004-05, he averaged 158 games played and a .286 mark with 66 RBI and 30 stolen bases.  In eight Major League seasons, he has a .279 career average with 68 homers, 326 RBI and 133 stolen bases.

Lugo set career highs in homers with 15 in 2003 and RBI with 75 in 2004. He swiped a career-high 39 stolen bases in 2005, which ranked fifth in the American League. He ranked sixth in the AL with 41 doubles in 2004. In 2005, Lugo led all Major League shortstops in batting average, doubles, triples, RBI and stolen bases. The Dominican Republic native was raised in Brooklyn, where he attended Fort Hamilton High School.

Izturis, 26, was batting .252 with one homer and 12 RBI in 32 games for the Dodgers following Tommy John surgery last season. The 2004 Gold Glove Award winner has played six seasons in the Major Leagues, including the last five with the Dodgers.

Guzman, 22, is batting .297 with 11 homers and 55 RBI this season for Triple-A Las Vegas. He appeared in eight games for the Dodgers this season and batted .211 (4-for-19) with three RBI.

Pedroza, 22, batted .281 with 21 homers and 75 RBI in 89 games for Single-A Columbus before a promotion earlier this month to Single-A Vero Beach. In 13 games with the Vero Beach Dodgers, he was batting .154 (6-for-39) with three homers and nine RBI.

Comments

[Makoto Ueno]

That's great. I'm glad Maddux has such an outstanding postseason record, when he may never see the playoffs in a Dodgers uniform.

[Makoto Ueno]

Actually, I'm glad Maddux is with us now. I just don't like the fact that Izturis had to be dealt before the end of the season.

[RC]

Thoughts on the two deals:

I'm very happy with the Maddux-for-Izzy deal. I'm sorry to see Cesar go but he'll have an opportunity to go back to his native position in Chicago.

I am very upset, however, with the Lugo trade. Exactly why do we need Julio Lugo? We have Betemit now, who can play third and second as well. Kent will be coming back. Furcal's healthy. Nothing against Julio Lugo, but I just don't see a spot for him. If Izzy was a spare part, Lugo is just as much of one.

And to get him, we had to give up Joel Guzman? Why? Guzman was hoarded for years as our top prospect -- a future 40-plus homer guy. What has suddenly made him expendable for a player as mediocre as Julio Lugo?

I wasn't happy to lose Aybar but figured that Betemit was an equal caliber player who, as Ned said, is a little farther along in his development. But Guzman projects to be a major stud down the line -- a guy like that we really need to hang onto. This trade just doesn't make any sense at all.

[Fish Guy]

AK:

Did Ned feel questions??

[LoLo]

I'm STILL trying to figure out why we traded Guzman for player to turn into a bench player. Somthing HAS to be up with Kent and/or Nomar.

[Dodgerdog]

A reminder....Nomar was injured while hustling to cover 2nd base on the fly ball hit by Josh Barfield that should have been caught in the first place. Ouch!

[Andrew Kamenetzky]

Fish Guy,

Yeah, that's why we were trying to get into the conference call. Unfortunately, it filled very fast.

AK

[Makoto Ueno]

Well, look on the bright side. At least Ned didn't settle for a Maddux/Walker combo, which I'm pretty sure is what Chicago was trying to sell him.

For those of you who say you like one but not both of todays trades:

The two deals are connected at the hip. Colletti wanted Maddux, but Chicago wanted a Major Leaguer in return. So, Colletti gave up Izzy, but made sure that a replacement was available. Neither trade would have happened without the other. This probably means that Kent's injury is a little worse than the Dodgers are willing to admit, and that Nomar is gone next season.

[wmm]

Really sorry to see Cesar go but I'm happy to get Maddux, who pitches very effectively and efficiently at Dodger Stadium and, frankly, should be a solid, stabilizing influence on Penny and Lowe. Penny's got all the talent in the world but I'm not sure he's the pitcher you want as your acknowledged team leader. Yet. With Maddux around as a role model, I look for Penny to raise his game to the level where it belongs. And with Maddux's innings, our bullpen just improved. I think pitching was a priority for us over hitting.

As for Tampa Bay, our track record there sure leaves a lot to be desired. Not sure I understand all of the reasoning -- unless there are serious questions about Kent, Izturis was gone and we needed a big-leaguer. I'm skeptical but am willing to wait and see.

Hall is getting on my nerves. I was of a mind that we definitely need to move him but could wait until after the season. Now I'm not so sure.

This will be a telling road trip for us. A lot of travel, heat and humidity, and at least one opponent that seriously updgraded.

[RC]

I don't see how either of these deals has anything to do with Nomar. Clearly, the Dodgers should resign him to a long-term deal based on what he's done this season. I expect that they will.

Neither Lugo, Betemit, Furcal, or Kent are first basemen. I don't see how Nomar factored into any of the thinking on either of these trades.

[Saxie]

Guzman has been passed by several prospects now, and his value was as a trading chip. With Kent and Nomar both out, they needed another major league power bat and Lugo is that. When those guys get back, then Betamit probably becomes the utility guy for now. Can't be afraid to trade young guys, though mistakes will be made, Pedro, Wetteland, John Franco, Konerko. . . . This roster is still a little hodge-podge, but it's stronger than it was last week,and will be very strong when Kent and Nomar get back. Hope it's not too late.....

[Makoto Ueno]

They say the Padres are starting to look like the BoSox west. The Dodgers are in danger of looking like the D-Rays west. At least we won't have to sit through another outing of Carter and Baez.

[sok]

good points makoto.

i like the maddux trade but was a little confused why we picked lugo. that helps clarify it for me.

i believe with maddux, we definately are making it to the playoffs.

first a 3 game winning streak, now this. great day.

[Steve M]

I think Kent is the one who is gone next season.

Has anyone noticed that Izturis was the only Dodger left from the full 2004 season? I'm sad he's gone, but at the same time, with Russell Martin emerging as the new heart of the Dodgers, we can see today that the torch has definitely been passed from the pre-Depodesta era to the post-Depodesta era. (He doesn't get his own era.)

Also, losing Guzman worries me. Watching Aybar go 4-6 in Atlanta made me feel worried. If either of these guys turn into all-stars, they will join the long list of bad Dodger trades.

[Anthony T.]

Wow! Ned has done it again! Greg Maddux for Izzy? He is going to look good in Dodgers blue. Since he is coming into the rotation, one pitcher has to go out? Is it going to be Chad Billingsley or Aaron Sele?

Giving up Joel Guzman for Julio Lugo could be a great trade or bite us in the azz. In comparison Julio Lugo stats are pretty good so far; .308 BAA, 12 homers, 27 RBI's, 52 runs scored, 18 for 22 in stolen bases, .498 SLG, and .373 OBS. And for Joel Guzman, he was our top prospect but didn't perform to our expectation. Therefore, I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't want to take a chance on this kid and trade him for Julio Lugo.

Overall, I like all the acquisitions that Ned has executed.

[LoLo]

I still don't get the Lugo trade. We keep turning starters into backups and expect them to be happy. All these plans for Lugo sound good. But happens when Lugo starts complaining about not starting? What if Guzman turn out to be great. The risks are too high in this trade and it's one we could have gone without.

[LoLo]

Steve M,

Kent signed an extension this year. I don't see Ned being able to trade him in the offseason. Old player with a big contract coming off a sub-par year is not exactly a catch.

RC,

Everything finished with Nomar. He is the only one NOT signed after the season. Every decison that is made affects the desion to keep Nomar. Not only that, Kent was pegged as our future 1B. That also affect Nomar.

[RC]

Guzman didn't perform to our expectation? When was he given a chance? I think he only had around 12 ABs in the bigs. I would have traded Loney, LaRoche, or even Kemp before Guzman.

Among the young kids we've seen this year, Aybar and Guzman were the two I thought had the best long-term offensive potential.

And now they're both gone.

As I asked the other day, would the Dodgers of 1970 or '71 have traded Cey, Garvey, or Lopes for "quick fixes"?

When you have a group of top young players all coming up at once, you have the chance for a special team over a period of 6 or 7 years -- a team with minimal personnel turnover from year to year. Sort of like we had in the 70s. You don't trade your top prospects for players who won't be around for more than a couple of months.

[RC]

Kent at 1B? That's a really dumb idea, whoever came up with that one. He will pale both offensively and defensively next to Nomar. Let's face it -- putting Nomar at first was a gamble -- and it has worked out spectacularly. You don't throw out the one move that HAS worked out in order to try another that is even less likely to benefit the team.

If the Dodgers don't resign Nomar to a long-term deal, Coletti should be fired. We don't have another option at first.

[LoLo]

The brothers behind the blog have been awefully quiet. Where's your 2 cents, AK/BK?

[LoLo]

Kent was played at 1B last year. That move has been talked about since he got here. Depo talked to him about that, and so did Colletti. It's not a new theory. Is it the right move? Not in my opinion. But you asked why all this affects Nomar.

[Ben C.]

Lugo is a poorman's Soriano. He got some pops, good speed and plays both infield and outfield. I'm guessing Kent's injury's more serious than broadcasted and he just hasn't done much all year. I know that Martinez is hitting around .300 but that won't last long so I would rather rely on Lugo than Ramon.

As for Guzman, he really has no room to fit in. We are loaded infield-wise (LaRoche is waiting) and he is not going to play outfield with Eithier, Repko/(Kemp), Drew out there already. We had a chip to use and we did.

Overall, not a bad trade if we make it deep into the playoffs but we will see if Maddux and Lugo are willing to sign with us next year.

[john]

RC,

I don’t think any baseball scouts like Guzman better than: Kemp, LaRoche, Ethier- maybe not even Loney or Young really at this point... he may well turn out to be good, but I do we need 5 OF prospects? And I liked Aybar also, but he was looking like a utility guy with a decent bat and suspect glove....

The "untouchables" Kemp, Ethier, LaRoche, Martin, Bills, Broxton, Elbert ... etc.. more? are still intact.

Good work Ned. Now lets at least have a cup of coffee in the playoffs- and who knows what can happen? its been too long!!!

[Steve M]

Lolo,

I agree that Coletti has painted himself in a corner with the recent moves along with re-signing Kent. But I'd rather see Kent turn into the "Saenz of '07" then see Nomar go. Either that or release him. With the creativity Coletti has shown, I don't doubt he can make it work.

Nomar has kept this club afloat this year, until the all star skid, when he and the Dodgers both tanked. Kent is past his prime and without the saving veteran feature...leadership skills.

[Eric B.]

My two (or three) cents...

Overall, I like both trades. While I hate to see Izzy go, let's face it -- his fate was sealed the moment Furcal was signed. At least he got to go somewhere he can start. And I think Maddux will be a good stabilizing influence to the pitching staff, as well as an important mentor to Bills.

Lugo's a good offensive upgrade, although all the injuries now might make playing time awkward in the near future. I'm not upset in the least about Guzman going. Sure, he shows some offensive promise, but no more than Kemp, Ethier or Loney. Plus, he has no defensive presence to speak of. He needs to go to the AL where he can be a career DH. And then there's his attitude -- the last thing the Dodgers need, now that OP is gone, is a AAA diva.

And I, too, think Kent is gone after this season -- most likely to retirement. Both his health and his production have taken a big downturn this year. I'm sure he's feeling his age, and sitting on his ranch and polishing his motorcycles must look pretty good right now.