Ten Million for Tunnel Time Ted but a Penny for the Jays (rumour)
With JP unable to sign a high-priced low-profile pitcher after the winter meetings in Flordia he must now look to make one of the biggest decisions of his career. To trade Vernon Wells to the Dodgers or not.
Wells, with one year left on his contract and big money waiting him, will be traded, with a pitching prospect who has had more surgery than training to the Dodgers.Â
The Dodgers have an excess of pitching and will send Brad Penny and Canadian-born Russell Martin to the Jays for their Gold-Golve centrefielder.Â
Wells and Penny both are coming off the best season of their careers. Wells, is a bona-fide All-Star and Penny has had injury trouble but probably has better seasons ahead of him.  Penny is in his late 20s and still has a couple of years left on his contract with the Dodgers. He made $5.25million last year – which is an absolute steal by today’s market for starters. Â
Russell Martin, a Toronto native has yet to set up in the box for the 500th time but has been touted by some as the greatest Canadian catcher ever. He had an extremely solid rookie campaign and will only be 24 on opening day. He might be harder for the Dodgers to part with than Penny and his broken body.
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Can’t this happening as well. The dodgers are already kinda set in the outfield, with Either, Pierre, Lofton, Kemp, and maybe even Loney getting some time out there. I also can’t see them trading Martin after giving up his backup, Navarro to the Rays at the deadline last year.
But the Dodgers do need a power bat, so stranger things have happened. They would probably give up an arm like maybe a Penny & an infielder like a Aybar.
How about switching teams in your first rumour, and have Vernon + someone else going to the Padres for Peavy?
Just checked the news. They signed up Schmidt but they also signed Luis Gonzalez for one year at $7.5 mill. So that probably close’s up the possibility of trading an outfielder to the Dodgers.
Borowski an Indian!!
Also there is a theory being thrown around out there that the Ted Lilly “change of scenery” BS was triggered by the Rod Barajas deal falling through. It is widely known that Zaun and Lilly never saw eye to eye and could be the reason for Lilly’s elimination of the Jays. It was just last season that Lilly lobbied for JP to bring Molina to town.
It is rumoured the Schmidt signed with the Dodgers because of his close affinity with the trainer. Yikes, the Dodger trainer is probably sweating it already think of how over worked he will be with rubbing down and taping up J-Schmi fat, broken body.