The Trolley Dodger

Let’s say you’re the GM of the non-existent MLB franchise Poughkeepsie Pachyderms. In this alternate universe, you have a 24-year-old Roy Halladay and a 21-year-old Cliff Lee at the top of your pitching rotation, with three serviceable pitchers in the other spots. The Pachyderms have these two aces under contract for five years at cheap prices. They are already good, and they will only improve. Virtually everyone who has scouted the pair raves about where they are at for their ages, not to mention their amazing potential.

Why in the name of all that is holy would you trade either of these young guns to get a 31-year-old pitcher who will cost you over $10 million a year? Oh, and he’s only yours for one full season and part of another, with no guarantees he’ll stick around after that.

The Dodgers are in that position right now with Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. Why would we trade either one of our aces, both of whom will otherwise be in Dodger Blue (and cheap) for years?

They are both good right now, whether you go by stats or by observation. They both will likely be great by next year.

Yes, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are awesome pitchers. It would be killer to have either one of them in Dodger Blue. But if getting one of them costs us Bills or Clayton, the price is too high. Why trade for one or two years’ worth of increased chances for the World Series when we could have five years’ (or more!) worth of increased chances?

Doesn’t make sense to me, and I’ll bet it doesn’t make sense to Dodger management either.

Now Roy or Cliff plus Bills and Kershaw as the 1-3?

Heh heh heh. [evil laugh]

So I made my way downstairs last night after the final out, taking the infamous elevator — nowhere near as slow as I was expecting based on Tony Jackson’s stories ;) — from level 5 where the press box and suites are to level 1, which is where the Dugout Club, clubhouse, and field access are. I was heading for Joe Torre’s office, where he always does a brief media post-game Q&A.

With all the fans leaving, the elevator headed up to the top before going down again. Russell Martin Sr. happened to get on the same time I did, but he was on the other side of the large car, so I didn’t have a chance to talk to him. He had a bemused expression on his face, listening to all the fans’ conversations.

Before the game, I had come down to the first level to head out on the field for batting practice. Now there was a roped-off line in front of the Dugout Club where fans were crowding, hoping for an autograph or just a glimpse of the Dodgers as they left. I walked past and through a pair of closed double doors, down a hallway to where a guard was stationed at a sort of lectern, double-checked with him that the clubhouse was open, then through another pair of double doors and another long hallway full of boxes, baseball equipment, and miscellaneous items. The actual door to the locker room was a little ways down, and I approached uncertainly.

The locker room was a lot smaller than I expected. Just beyond were the sinks and showers, and various Dodgers were here and there preparing to leave. To my right stood first-base coach Mariano Duncan, and I asked him where Joe’s office was — he pointed out a doorway nearby.

Just past it was the rack you might have seen before, with the five bats representing the five NL West teams, arranged in the order they are in the division, Dodgers currently on top. Then to the right of that I heard the familiar voices of Fox Sports West’s Michael Eaves and manager Joe Torre. Inside his office, I placed myself amidst the reporters and held out my voice recorder.

In the first audio file — joe01.mp3, 1:16 — you’ll hear Eaves asking his last question about Cole Hamels, then Joe’s answer, then one of the other media members asking about infield placement at a particular point in the game, and another answer. Torre had a cold, I believe, so you’ll hear them wish him well.

Suddenly everyone had left the office, and there I was alone with a recorder in my hand and Joe Torre sitting in front of me.

Luckily, I had prepared a pair of questions just in case I had the opportunity, so in the second file — joe02.mp3, 1:07 — you’ll hear me nervously asking him about Kershaw’s performance, then (knowing he’s a big horse racing fan and horse owner) asking for his prediction in the Belmont Stakes this weekend. Great answers, by the way. :)

I thanked him, told him I hoped he felt better, and left, heading back to the locker room in a daze.

More later.