Dodgers: Former LA GM Ned Colletti Talks Trade Market with Fred Roggin

Former Dodgers GM Ned Colletti made an appearance on Thursday’s episode of Lunchtime with Roggin and Rodney on AM 570 LA. 

Ned Colletti Talks About Potential Offseason Plans For The Dodgers https://t.co/cIrgseqskQ

— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) November 9, 2019

Colletti’s interview begins at the 21:19 mark of the broadcast and lasts approximately 12 minutes, with Fred Roggin giving the now-San Jose Sharks scout several possible scenarios involving trades that the Dodgers could possibly make this winter. 

Roggin’s first proposal to Colletti is trading for Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts and signing him to a five year, $40 million per year contract, to which Colletti laughs in amusement. Roggin doesn’t stop there though. He also suggests that the team send Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Dustin May, and another young pitcher to Cleveland in exchange for Francisco Lindor and Corey Kluber. 

“That would be quite the off-season,” Colletti replied to Roggin.

Rodney Peete brings the conversation back down to Earth by pointing out, “don’t you have to trade somebody to Boston to get Mookie Betts in the first place?” To which Roggin half-jokingly replies that they wouldn’t re-sign Betts anyways, so the Dodgers could get away with sending a lesser player to Boston.

Colletti then brings up Anthony Rendon and asks Roggin about him, but Roggin admitted that he would take Betts over Rendon if he could only take one. Colletti then asked Roggin if he would feel confident enough that he has enough players to acquire Betts without being guaranteed to re-sign him.

Roggin replies that he would make sure that Betts is 100% committed to signing with the Dodgers before making the trade, but Colletti tells him that although that kind of deal is common in other sports, it is rarely seen in baseball.

“If it goes that way, Boston then loses a ton of leverage if a deal can’t be made,” Colletti said. “So teams are … not too keen on giving that right. They may, and they may run it by the player … but again, it is a very slippery slope for a club to do.”

The conversation shifts back to Lindor and Betts, with Colletti saying that it takes more than money to acquire faces of franchises like them, it would require a lot of talent that the Dodgers may not be willing to part with. He also asks Roggin an essential question about his proposal: which trade would he pursue first? 

After giving it some thought, Roggin tells Colletti he would trade for Lindor and Kluber first. Colletti responds by saying Cleveland would likely not take Roggin’s offer, considering Seager and Pederson will be free agents at the same time as Lindor.

“I don’t know why you have to blow the whole thing to hell Ned,” Roggin jokingly responded. “Why you blowing up my whole deal?”

Colletti replied simply with “let’s talk Lakers or something,” before all parties burst out in laughter. 

You can listen to the rest of Colletti’s interview with Roggin and Rodney in the link above.