Comments on: The Dodgers are interested in Kyle Lohse

By: salvomania

salvomania — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:18:29 +0000

If the Dodgers want a pitcher who’s likely to be league average, they already have them.

Shouldn’t Lohse project to quite a bit better than average? He may have a 97+ career ERA, but over the past two seasons he’s been one of the better NL pitchers.

Among all NL pitchers with at least 300 ip in 2011-2102, Lohse has the 12th-most innings pitched, and has had:

Sixth-best WHIP (behind Kershaw, Hamels, Cain, Lee, Halladay)
Eighth-best ERA+ (behind the above and Cueto, Dickey and Jordan Zimmerman)
Eighth-lowest OPS+ against (behind the above minus Dickey plus Tim Hudson)
Third-lowest walk rate (behind Lee/Halladay)

If there are any other pitchers in the NL better than the 10 pitchers listed above, who are they? Obviously one would say guys like Strasburg and Medlen who haven’t made the innings cutoff I used, but how many other guys are there like that? Three or four?

So if Lohse isn’t one of the best 15 starters in the NL, who is better? And if this person is better, why hasn’t he rated better than Lohse in any of these categories over the past two seasons?

By: skids003

skids003 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:41:38 +0000

If they spend like the Federal Government they’ll end up in last place!

By: protius

protius — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:16:14 +0000

Clearly, the Dodgers have learned nothing from their peers. A pox on all their butt cheeks.

By: sailcat54

sailcat54 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:14:03 +0000

Wait until the Dodgers try to unload their high-priced underachievers. Stay tuned!

By: simon94022

simon94022 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 02:10:38 +0000

The rest of the NL West knows the Dodgers are going to spend like the Federal government one way or another.

So it is good to see them throwing that money at mediocrities in a continuous search for a quick fix.

By: njbrian67

njbrian67 — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:23:44 +0000

Somewhere George Plimpton is smiling…..

By: chukpark

chukpark — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:15:16 +0000

The Dodgers may seemingly have all the money in the world, but they don’t have unlimited draft picks. A pitcher of Lohse’s caliber, even coming off a by far career year last season at 33, is not worth the draft pick plus the inflated salary he would require. Lohse’s career ERA+ is 97. Two affordable veteran pitchers who are already on the Dodgers payroll at a fraction of the cost of Lohse have better career ERA+, Chris Capuano (98) and Aaron Harang (101). If the Dodgers want a pitcher who’s likely to be league average, they already have them. Big money and losing draft picks should only be considered for pitchers who project to be better than average.

By: jm91rs

jm91rs — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:48:50 +0000

It seems like the Dodgers are in a very unique position here. They are about have money to spend like no team has ever seen. We all thought the Yankees and RedSox were buying World Series titles (they weren’t great at it, but they won a handful), but the Dodgers have a chance to go get whoever they freaking want right now. Get the best available everything and try to get a title or two before some of the other teams catch up with big TV deals.

By: mirmz

mirmz — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:48:03 +0000

Report: Dodgers exploring option of signing Sidd Finch. Team has sent scouts to Tibet with instructions to search every yoga hut until he is found; inform him that money is not a problem.

By: uwsptke

uwsptke — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:15:29 +0000

Of course they effin’ are. Why not? Even if you don’t get him, you drive his price up and futher limits the resources of your competition. They should at least feign interest in everyone looking for top dollar.