Dodgers “have talked about” moving Dee Gordon to outfield

By Aaron GleemanJan 11, 2013, 12:26 PM EST
18 Comments

Trade rumors swirling around Dee Gordon seem to have died down, but Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times has an interesting note about the Dodgers shortstop:

The Dodgers have talked about moving the fleet-footed Gordon to the outfield but appear inclined to keep him at shortstop for now. Gordon figures to start the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

“I hate to give up on him at short,” [manager Don] Mattingly said.

Gordon hasn’t hit well or fielded well in the majors so far, producing a measly .614 OPS and some terrible defensive numbers. His elite speed would be intriguing in center field, where range is far more important than sure-handedness, but barring a trade the Dodgers have Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier locked in as their starting outfield for a long time.

Hanley Ramirez is ahead of Gordon on the shortstop depth chart, but his moving back to third base could be an option at some point, especially if/when Luis Cruz comes back down to earth a bit. Whatever the case, at age 25 this is a crucial season for Gordon’s career.

Report: Mets sign Wilson Ramos to two-year, $19 million deal

Rob Carr/Getty Images
By Bill BaerDec 16, 2018, 4:55 PM EST
9 Comments

The Mets have signed catcher Wilson Ramos to a two-year deal, SNY’s Andy Martino reports. The total value of the contract is $19 million, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman.

Ramos, 31, split last season between the Rays and Phillies, putting up one of the best offensive seasons among catchers. In 416 total plate appearances, he hit .306/.358/.487 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI.

Ramos will presumably get the lion’s share of plate appearances behind the plate with Travis d'Arnaud backing him up. Grandal was made a qualifying offer, so the Mets would have had to forfeit a draft pick to sign him. And, of course, Realmuto would have cost prospects. Ramos simply costs money.

The Mets were aggressively pursuing a catching upgrade, having been involved in rumors surrounding J.T. Realmuto and Yasmani Grandal, but ultimately settled on Ramos. New GM Brodie Van Wagenen has made a significant impact on the team already, having also added second baseman Robinson Canó and closer Edwin Díaz from a trade with the Mariners.