Big deal in the works for Dodgers?

07-27-2009 @ 14:02 Andy Charles

Strange timing, it would seem, but trade talks surrounding Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley appear to be growing pace with deals with both the Blue Jays and Indians being mooted in recent days.

Billingsley has been in such poor form up until his most recent start that his trade value would seem to be at its lowest all season. The win over Cincinnati on Wednesday was the first time the right-hander had given up three or less runs in a start since his first start of June.

His previous outing against Houston was also one of the worst of his career, giving up nine hits and six earned runs in under two innings with not a single strikeout, but we are still talking about a pitcher with 10 wins before the end of July, so it can’t be all bad!

But is he now the starter the Dodgers will dangle in trade talks rather than Clayton Kershaw, whose numbers are heading in the right direction?

Since last week, Billingsley has come up in reports linking the Dodgers with two bona fide veteran aces in Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.

Most baseball bets have Halladay down as the more sensible option, as another right-hander with incredible stuff and a penchant for big-game victories. There are few starters out there I’d prefer to have pitching Game One of the World Series (and probably Game Five as well).

Because of the difference in age, there is a chance the Dodgers could even get an extra bullpen arm in this sort of deal – perhaps Jason Frasor or Jeremy Accardo, who would provide the depth missing in recent weeks where the reliance has been on Ramon Troncoso and the sometimes-ailing Jonathan Broxton.

However it seems talks with Indians are more serious, with lefty Lee and perhaps Victor Martinez coming to California in exchange for Billingsley and James Loney (plus prospects).

There were reports the pitcher going to Cleveland would be Kershaw, but would that really make sense? Lee and Kershaw would be ideal together probably split up by Hiroki Kuroda, although with Randy Wolf in the rotation as well, is three lefties one too many?

And isn’t Kershaw worth a lot more than Lee now after giving up only five earned runs in eight starts? Would seem a strange time to be trading him for a soon to be 31-year-old?

Baseball betting suggests that things are heating up in trade central anyway, so maybe we’ll all find out soon.