Martin And Prospects For Halladay?

Bill Shaikin says yes.

Mannywood is nice. Bleacher Beach is cool.

The World Series is better.

I'm with you so far, Bill.

That's why we're here. Now is the time. If Frank McCourt really wants to do all he can to deliver a championship to the fans of Los Angeles, and to parlay the best record in baseball into the best chance to win in October, he ought to send Ned Colletti shopping and tell him not to come back without Roy Halladay.

I want Halladay too, but "send Ned Colletti shopping and tell him not to come back without Roy Halladay"? That's what a desperate team would do. Are the Dodgers really desperate right now?

I'm sorry, but does anybody remember the last off-season where Ned Colletti had free reign to spend money how he wanted? Does anybody really want that again?

"He would make the Dodgers a World Series winner," a high-ranking American League executive said. The executive could not be identified because his team forbids him from publicly commenting on other teams.

I like how people throw these terms around as if they are a matter of fact.

Newsflash to all the morons out there, the best team does not always win in a short series, especially in a sport like baseball.

The Dodgers ought to start by offering two-time All-Star catcher Russell Martin, a Canadian star for Canada's team.

Really? You're bailing on Russell Martin because of his 2009? The same media who were practically in line to fellate the guy two years ago have already turned on him because of a single year below expectations?

Sorry, but at his best, Martin is worth upwards of 25 million dollars a year, and he's still cost-controlled for three more years.

By the way, despite all the flak Martin is taking for his nightmare year, he's still a top 10 catcher in baseball.

Martin is 26. The Dodgers ran him into the ground in each of the last two years and promised not to do it again this year, but he has caught more innings than any major league catcher besides Yadier Molina.

The Blue Jays would have control of Martin for three years beyond this one. They could maximize his offensive skills in that time by using him at third base, where he performed brilliantly for the Dodgers last year. They also could use him at catcher, at designated hitter, and on occasion at shortstop.

It's catcher or bust for Martin with the Dodgers, with no DH and third baseman Casey Blake signed through 2011.

I can't tell if he's serious or not with these paragraphs. He recognizes that Martin is under team control for three more years and still wants to do it? Ugh.

The Blue Jays using Martin at third base, shortstop, and designated hitter makes absolutely no sense. As it is, the complaint right now is about Martin's bat, so why in the hell would Toronto want to significantly reduce his value by shifting him to more offensively demanding positions? Worse yet, he wasn't "brilliant" at third last year, he just did well for a guy who normally plays catcher.

Shaikin cites Blake as the reason Martin is not playing third anymore, but seems to completely forget that the Blue Jays have a better third baseman (Scott Rolen) than the Dodgers do.

The Dodgers' lineup would be weakened a tad without Martin, but they could survive with Brad Ausmus, A.J. Ellis and Danny Ardoin. If the coaching staff objects, they could get the Jays to throw in catcher Rod Barajas.

This was the same logic that was used to deal Mike Piazza away.

"Yeah, we'll probably be a tad worse, but it'll be okay with Charles Johnson."

Oops.

By the way, Shaikin realizes that the Blue Jays have top prospect J.P. Arencibia in AAA, right? Personally, I think Arencibia is overrated, but Baseball America has him ranked as the 2nd best prospect in Toronto's system, and 43rd best overall. That has to count for something.

The Jays aren't going to trade Halladay for Martin straight up, of course.

The Dodgers also should offer two of their top 2008 draft picks -- shortstop Devaris Gordon, a high-ceiling shortstop prospect two or three years from the majors, and right-hander Josh Lindblom, the former Purdue closer who almost made the team out of spring training. Lindblom could go into the Jays' bullpen right now, perhaps into their rotation next year.

Even better! Just keep dumping cost-controlled players! Anybody remember why the Dodgers haven't won in over 20 years? Not me! I love ignorance!

But this is the time. This group of Dodgers position players will run out of time soon. Martin, Kemp, Andre Ethier and James Loney all are eligible for salary arbitration next season, when Manny Ramirez figures to play his final season in L.A. Orlando Hudson is not signed beyond this season. Blake turns 36 in August. Shortstop Rafael Furcal turns 32 in October.

The Dodgers might never be closer to winning it all with this group than they are right now. They are an ace away, and there is an ace to be had.

Eligible for arbitration? Oh noes! The Dodgers are screwed now!

Oh wait, the Dodgers are a big market team and can afford to retain homegrown talent. Does Shaikin realize that without some of Colletti's idiotic contracts, the team payroll is under 70 million dollars?

Why is there this urgency to win this year anyway? Everybody obviously wants to win as soon as possible, but you have to be rational about it. This is not a one-shot deal that will never come again, but trading everybody away for veteran players might make it that way.

If the Dodgers need to win the World Series so urgently, then why not unload everybody for Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee too? Then the rotation would be Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Chad Billingsley, Randy Wolf, and Hiroki Kuroda. How can they lose?!

Of course, the offense might be a "tad worse" by replacing Loney with Geoff Blum, and Ethier with Ben Francisco, but pitching wins championships, dammit. Oh, and Kershaw's gone too, but the Dodgers needed to win now, so whatever.

Right?

If Colletti says there is a deal to be had, just say yes. The Dodgers could pitch Halladay against Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs, or they could face Halladay and Hamels on consecutive days, perhaps the last two days of what would be a disappointing season.

Yeah, that's a definite possibility, but so is just about anything. It's the playoffs and all kinds of unexpected things can happen in small sample sizes.

All i'm really saying is that while acquiring Halladay will probably make the Dodgers better, shoring up the rotation and having the best record in the league is no guarantee of anything, even winning a single playoff game. Just ask the Cubs.