Why the Dodgers should keep Andre Ethier
- Updated: March 14, 2016
With spring training now starting to get into full swing the old Andre Ethier needs to go conversations once again start heating up. Personally I like Andre Ethier. The guy has done nothing but everything this team has asked him to do. He has sat on the bench on more than a few occasions and watched his position be played by somebody else. When the Dodgers had a supply of outfielders Ethier’s name as usual was the first to be mentioned in trade talks. Without Matt Kemp in my opinion this team is better. He is now the problem of the San Diego Padres.
Ethier may not have had a breakout year in 2015 but if you compare the numbers to Carl Crawford Ethier had a great season. Carl Crawford in my honest opinion has been nothing but a thorn in the proverbial sides of the Dodgers since the trade. The Dodgers in this trade acquired Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, and Carl Crawford. Adrian Gonzalez proves to be the only tangible piece remaining from this trade. Granted Josh Beckett was forced to retire due to his arm issues. But if you seriously sit down and crunch the numbers there is a legitimate reason you do everything you can to keep Ethier in Dodger blue.
The Red Sox are sitting over there in Boston with a huge smile on their face that can only be compared to the cat that ate the canary. The numbers as they say never lie. In 2015 Carl Crawford played in 69 games compared to Andre’s 142. 2014 and Crawford plays 105 games Andre 130. These numbers do not lie. In a 3 year total Carl Crawford has managed to play in 290 games compared to Ethier’s 414. If it were my call here Carl Crawford couldn’t pack his bags fast enough for me. With Don Mattingly now gone to Florida I believe it is time for some truly serious and drastic changes. I may not speak for Dodger fans everywhere but as a lifelong diehard Dodgers fanatic I am sick of watching the Halloween Crew (I have named them) win it all in San Francisco. 1988 was the last time that the Dodgers have brought that trophy home to Los Angeles where I believe it truly belongs. These days you hear it all the time about how the Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball. Yet with all this money being shelled out there still is no trophy in Los Angeles.
The younger generation may not have had to deal with the rivalry in the ways some of us older fans have. I have been dealing with the rivalry on a pretty much daily basis since moving to the Bay Area in 1978. With the Giants winning World Series titles in 3 of the last 6 years maybe the Dodgers need to look into what has made the Giants the success they have been. With an influx of younger players coming up to the big club this team needs a clubhouse leader desperately right now. I believe Andre has been and is the leader of that Dodgers clubhouse. I am of the opinion that if the Dodgers let Andre Ethier get away in the end it will come back and bite them in the rear end. No matter where Andre ends up I have nothing but great respect for him as a player. I say thank you Andre For all you have given to this team and the fans of Los Angeles.
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