Washington Nationals Trade Ronnie Belliard to Los Angeles Dodgers, Belli-YARD To LA!!

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 6:01 PM EDT

According to a report on the MASN post game show, (and now confirmed in an article by MASNSports.com writer Matt Winter entitled, "Nats swept by the Cardinals, Belliard traded"), the Washington Nationals have traded infielder Ronnie Belliard to the Los Angeles Dodgers in return, "...for minor league pitcher Luis Garcia and a PTBNL." Belliard, who had hit .246 with 7 doubles, 5 HR's and 22 RBI's in 86 '09 games with DC, goes to LA for Garcia, a 6'2'' right-hander who is currently (5-3) with a 2.92 ERA and 55 K's in 34 games and 71.0 IP with the Dodgers' Class A affiliate the Great Lakes Loons.

Belliard leaves the Nationals after 3 seasons in DC in which he hit for a .280 AVG in 994 at bats, collecting 64 doubles, 2 triples, 27 HR's and 126 RBI's.

So long, Ronnie Belliard.

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J-MAX called up.

I feel bad for the Chiefs. We have Padilla and J-Max and Mock and so on…

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

The Chiefs had a better run this year than many years under Toronto....

I think it’s sad they took some of these guys just to fill out the bench when Syracuse is/was contending, though, but that’s the nature of the 40-man…..

"I Never Want the First Pick Again."

by cat daddy3000 on Aug 30, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

...and heck, we need to fill the 25-man in the bigs.

This probably signals that TAWH goes back in the infield rotation with Orr and Gonzalez…and if Guzman’s foot issues require a lot of rest…hmm

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Good luck Ronnie

Deserves a shot with a contender. Time to look for the middle infield we so desperately need.

Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

by Mezza on Aug 30, 2009 7:29 PM EDT reply actions

not sure what role he plays with the LAD, though

I guess you can never have enough utility insurance for the postseason run, though

by Expatcardfan on Aug 30, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions

You got it...

“He gives us some offense,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. “He can play around the infield, all probably but shortstop. I’m going to use his ability to spell these guys when I need him.”

Belliard is a career .274 hitter with 107 home runs and 565 RBIs in 12 Major League seasons.

“I think he gives us a little more depth and good experience coming off the bench,” Torre said.

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry to see him go

Ronnie was a very productive member of the team in recent months. His defense helped out in several positions and he was swinging a hot bat since the All-Star break. Though the Nats aren’t going to the playoffs this year, I hope the team can still play .500 ball for the final month without Nick Johnson and now Ronnie Belliard.

Don’t know much about this Luis Garcia fellow. Hopefully he can contribute to the Nats in 2010 or 2011.

Even though the team is focusing on young pitching and other young talent for next year and beyond, I think the Nats still need some veteran guys like Belliard to help stabilize the clubhouse and fill in where needed.

Good luck to Ronnie Belliard in the postseason race.

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Washington, first in war, first in peace, last in the NL East :(

by Potomac Fan on Aug 30, 2009 7:50 PM EDT reply actions

Lets not forget...

the player to be named later. So 2 prospects for Ronnie at this stage of his careeer is a decent deal. it will be a sad to see Ronnie go – I never felt like he let the team down and always played pretty decent ball. I think Guzman needs to be next although finding replacements for both will be a long hard process.

I still think the NJ trade was also a good deal – the curse aside – he is on the DL on the Fish with no timetable for coming off with the bung hammy (sorry Ed, but it needed to be said).

Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

by Mezza on Aug 30, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions

On the DL again?

I hadn’t been following up on NJ lately so I didn’t know about the DL. Well, it looks like the Nats traded him away at just the right time. It was always risky to rely on him to stay healthy for an entire season. Yeah, now it looks like a good deal, depending on whether Aaron Thompson ever amounts to anything.

For what it’s worth, the Nats also made the right move in releasing Shawn Hill. He only pitched 12 innings for San Diego this season and he’s still on the 60-day DL. Looks like his career is over unless someone wants to pay him to pitch 10 innings a year.

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Washington, first in war, first in peace, last in the NL East :(

by Potomac Fan on Aug 30, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep - trust the Rizzo

Have much more respect for what he is trying to achieve. Completely agree about Hill (although it broke my heart). I think Beimel and Belli were just guys you have to cash in when your at the bottom of the league.

NJ is on the 15 Day DL – listed as coming back possibly early September. Although there was a lot of ‘not sure when he’ll be back’ talk which is always bad for NJ. Sad for NJ as this was the first season he had played more than 100 games since 2006.

Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

by Mezza on Aug 30, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

after looking at the deal

1 young hard throwing pitcher and a PTBNL from the Dodgers who historically have a pretty solid minor league system, not a bad deal for a Belliard

by Expatcardfan on Aug 30, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

bye Ronnie B

Played the best secondbase on this team over several seasons, and the glove is still somewhat there as is the bat. Now we are stuck with the general and that seems painful to me. We so need infielders and FA pool looks really week this season.

"What you know is often the enemy of what you can learn" Bill James

by PhDBrian on Aug 30, 2009 9:14 PM EDT reply actions

I'm gonna miss watching him out there on the outfield grass...

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions

My last image of him is the "Superman" DY Wave from second base a couple of games ago....

"I Never Want the First Pick Again."

by cat daddy3000 on Aug 30, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions

One less Nat doing the DY Wave...didn't think of it that way....

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

.......things are disappearing....

There are some intangible enjoyments that will also be missed….

"I Never Want the First Pick Again."

by cat daddy3000 on Aug 30, 2009 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions

according to Rizzo's interview posted at Nats Journal...

the PTBNL will be another pitcher and have a chance to be “impactful” quicker than Garcia. interesting….

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Aug 30, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions

Hmmmm....

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Broxton? I kid, I kid...

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Dodger fan here. Sound like a guy on the Dodgers 40 man roster.

Jesus A. Castillo, who pitches at double-A
Victor Garate, who pitches at high-A, but is ready to make the jump to double-A/Triple-A
Brent Leach, a left handed reliever who spent some time with the Dodgers for a couple of months.

Those three are probably the 3 biggest probabilities.

I’d be mad if its James McDonald, who’s pitching in the Dodgers bullpen and projects to a 3rd starter, or Scott Elbert, a lefty pitching at Triple-A and is the 2nd or 3rd best pitching prospect the Dodgers currently have. Its unlikely that either two are traded, but Ned Colletti does have a history of trading quality prospects for low end talent.

That’s my two cents.

http://www.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=la

by Tripon on Aug 30, 2009 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't imagine a PTBNL being any more "impactful" than a wisdom tooth...

I sense an innings eater after the minors finish, with no more usefulness than not being named Logan….

"I Never Want the First Pick Again."

by cat daddy3000 on Aug 30, 2009 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Nook or Kensing...

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 30, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Kensing......... I was never a Nook basher....

Off to ~~see~~ take out the Wicked……. until about 8AM local time……. what’s sleep?

"I Never Want the First Pick Again."

by cat daddy3000 on Aug 30, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the report Tripon.

The Dodgers have always had a good track record at developing pitchers.

I’m wondering it Rizzo agreed to let the PTBNL finish out the season. The minors end in just a week…barring any playoff appearances.

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Its a decent deal

Belli is off contract this year… Dodger get some bench impact for a month, we got a couple of arms that may or may not work out. I think it works both ways.

Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

by Mezza on Aug 30, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm always for a younger team

so I’m happy with trading a 34-year-old for some young guys.

by John Quinn on Aug 30, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah...we lose about a month of Belliard and receive 3 hit or miss prospects.

In Rizz I Trust

First cool day in DC tomorrow. Autumn is really coming. 3 weeks and counting.

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Meh

Its hot here already. Winter and 33C. What the?

Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

by Mezza on Aug 31, 2009 1:44 AM EDT up reply actions

…and Big Jon Rauch on the Twins? Not many inked up 7 footers on the Twins. I guess they needed one.

by RoscoeNats on Aug 30, 2009 11:47 PM EDT reply actions

The offseason

The Nats can always re-sign Belliard to a short-term contract over the winter. I think it would great to have him in DC for another year as long as they don’t need to pay him too much. I haven’t seen any young guys on the team who can be good utility players and spot starters at multiple positions. There’s Pete Orr and Mike Morse but neither have much of a track record.

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Washington, first in war, first in peace, last in the NL East :(

by Potomac Fan on Aug 31, 2009 12:17 AM EDT reply actions