Dodgers Have Approached Wilson Ramos About a Potential Deal

Published on by Dennis Schlossman
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While the Dodgers did not make a mighty splash at the 2018 Winter Meetings, they did walk away with a significant upgrade to their bullpen with the acquisition of righty Joe Kelly. And, as there are still a few wants and needs before the 2019 roster puzzle is complete, there’s still plenty of time for deals to be made. Pitchers and catchers will report to Camelback Ranch in mid-February, which still gives the club more than eight weeks to perform some fine tuning ahead of spring camp.

Andrew Friedman has already stated that he expects Will Smith to contribute to the club at some point in 2019, but ideally, the team would like to acquire a veteran catcher to pair with Austin Barnes until Smith, or perhaps even Keibert Ruiz, show that they’re ready for big league action. A ton of rumors were circling towards Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto before the Winter Meetings began, but after the Marlins reportedly demanded Cody Bellinger as the centerpiece of a prospective deal with the Dodgers, discussions have slowed down.

One catcher the Dodgers apparently spoke to at the meetings this week is 31-year-old Wilson Ramos. According to Jorge Castillo of The Los Angeles Times, Friedman reportedly was throwing around a one-year offer; however, being one of the Top 2 catchers on the free agent market, Ramos is obviously commanding a multi-year deal. Tim Dierkes of MLBTR has Ramos pegged at receiving a deal in the 3-year/$36 million range.

Regardless, Ramos has been an offensive machine over his nine-year big league career and would even be an upgrade over Yasmani Grandal in terms of OBP and OPS, among several other notable stats. Last year, the Venezuelan native slashed .306/.358/.407 between the Ray and the Phillies while pounding a combined 15 long balls, 22 doubles and 70 RBI over 111 games and 416 PA. His benchmark season came in 2016 when he hit .307/.354/.496 with 22 home runs, 25 doubles and 80 RBI.

Ramos was named an All-Star last year as well as in 2016. He also captured a Silver Slugger Award during his memorable 2016 campaign in Washington.

As far as defense goes, Ramos has above average framing skills, and he’s decent with the glove in terms of blocking balls in the dirt. His arm is respectable as well, at least in comparison to Grandal. Ramos’ career caught stealing percentage is 32%, while Grandal has a 26% lifetime mark. In 2018, Ramos threw out a whopping 44% of would-be base stealers.

In an ideal world, the Dodgers would want a left-handed hitting catcher (Matt Wieters is still out there) but in all other categories, Ramos may be the best fit, especially if the demands from the Marlins stay where they are now.

With plenty of time remaining before camp commences, Friedman will certainly take his time in making his final decisions in regards to catcher, but based on what’s available for the taking, he may conceivably cave on giving Ramos the deal he’s looking for.

 

75 thoughts on “Dodgers Have Approached Wilson Ramos About a Potential Deal”

  1. If Andrew takes his time someone else will snap up Ramos. Maybe he will just bite the bullet, give him his three years and hope to trade him at such point as one of the young guys is ready.

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  2. You can always sign him and then trade him when you think the kids are ready. Signing Ramos would mean they have no confidence in Barnes as a starter even for a year. It doesn’t really matter to me. Having Ramos would be nice but it wouldn’t kill the offense if you had Barnes starting with someone like Maldonado backing him up.

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      1. I’m surprised that we haven’t heard anything about Wieters. I’ve heard us mentioned with Maldonando, Ramos, Hundley and of course Realmuto, but no mention of Wieters. I guess his reputation has fallen so far that nobody feels he deserves a mention any longer. Strike while the iron is cold!

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  3. Padres signed Ian Kinsler to a team friendly 2 year $8 million contract with a club option for a 3rd so that takes one more 2B possibility off the market. Smart deal for the Friars as I’m sure the plan is to play Kinsler half the year and try to deal him to a contender at the trade deadline to acquire a prospect for their current rebuild.

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  4. Wieters could be a interesting sign for one year as he is coming off a tough year and could be looking to have a come back year in hopes of a multi year contract next year. I really like Barnsey but he is not a everyday catcher. I see AJ Ellis is still out there would love to see him as part of the coaching staff as he may have a big problem finding a major league job

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  5. I think Ruiz is the catcher of the future, he is 20 years old and slashed only .268/.328/.401 at AA. He needs more time in the minors. He could learn a lot from Wilson Ramos. I hope this happens. 3 and $36M is a fair deal.

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  6. Here’s an idea: we tell the Marlins that we want a chance to extend Ralmuto before trading for him. If they say yes, we try to extend him for another 4-6 years beyond the 2 remaining. Buster Posey signed for 8/159 so maybe that would be a good comparison (20 mil/year). If we manage to agree on a number, we include Ruiz in the deal. Ruiz, plus whatever else it takes without Bellinger and hopefully without Verdugo. Maybe something like Ruiz, May, Stripling, Rios. Any thoughts?

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  8. Where does Realmuto want to play? Those prospects mentioned are a lot for 2 years of anybody and probably too much for an offensive catcher that hasn’t played a meaningful game in his entire career. If you’re going to give him 3 of our top prospects and an All Star starter I’d make damm sure he wants to stick around.

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  9. Hate to sound like a broken record but are we crazy placing our bets on a 25 year old catcher that apparently cant hit double a pitchers and s 20 year old “prospect”. Who were the last two 21/22 year old catchers that could hold down that position. And s lot of higher rated catchers never made it. Tough position for 20 year olds. Others are right. Sign someone for 3 years and see what happens. You can always trade them.

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    1. I have no real problem in signing Ramos for 3 years, in fact I was one of the folks who suggested it earlier. However, the guy has a long history of injuries so if Smith or Ruiz are ready in July 2020 and you want to trade Ramos at the deadline, it becomes quite difficult if he blows out his knee again. So maybe we should substitute the word “possibly” for the word “always”.

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      4. No serum needed, though the right cocktail could help. Just swing up as hard as you possibly can. Uppercut the bejezus out of it – maybe 22-30 degrees so you won’t hit it on the ground if by chance you make contact. No worries if you miss. You get two more tries. In fact, every game you get 12 attempts to hit it over 400’. If you do it once, you have an OPS of 1.250 and will sign a contract worth 9 figures.

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      5. I think we need to get Dee Gordon back to play second, just for something different to look at. I’m getting a stiff neck from looking up all the time. At least 1 out of 9 at bats I could look down.

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  10. Some real morons on twitter are believing the Dodgers willing to trade Bellinger rumors. One St Louis fan asking for packages that the Dodgers would take for the Birds to get Cody….I told him he was wasting his time.

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      2. If Cody actually buys into what RVS is preaching and is willing to bunt and hit to left against the switch, along with cutting down his swing on two-strike counts, he could be the league’s MVP next year. You have to assume that half of Scoop’s comments are made with a wink Bear. I’m assuming that was one of them.

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  11. I was and still am a huge Dee Gordon fan but the fact is he fell off a cliff last year. He had 9 walks all season. 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t begin to describe how terrible that is especially for a leadoff hitter.

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      1. I love your optimism Jeff, my kinda guy! Honestly Chris Taylor is the best choice we have currently for a leadoff hitter I just wish they would let him run a little more because he’s deceptively quick on the bases.

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      2. I really don’t think the 2018 version of CT3 is the guy we want leading off. His OBP was only .331, 7th best on the team and he was caught stealing 6 out of 15 attempts. Cody had a better OBP and was 14 out of 15 stealing. Even Puig was 15 out of 20. I’m hoping Taylor can turn it around next year and get his stats more in line with 2017. If that would happen, we could certainly consider him for the leadoff spot. Supposedly Dino Ebel, our new third base coach is terrific with the running game. We shall see.

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      6. How about if you write a story where the Dodgers get Realmuto, Kluber and Harper without trading anything worthwhile and then win the World Series. Now that’s creative writing.

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  13. I like your idea of signing Ramos for three years then trading him whenever Barnes, Smith, or Ruiz steps up. It’s good to have some insurance in case the young guys aren’t ready as quick as projected.great idea, good deal, make it happen Andrew, scoop, or Jeff. Whichever one of you who’s in charge.

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  14. It sounds like the teams have been offering one or maybe two years to Ramos, if Andrew was willing to offer up the third year he might sign, maybe even a little lower AAV.

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  15. I learned something long ago that when it comes to baseball rumors I adhere to 100%. I believe nothing of what I have read and only half of what I see. There are rumors everywhere. One guy on twitter is insisting the Dodgers have already signed Harper and his signing will be announced in a couple of days……yet he forgets, the FO would have to approve any contract of that size and it is not that easy to keep a secret of that magnitude from getting out….there are always leaks. He also fails to realize that the Dodgers do not have a roster slot available for said player and they have not traded or released anyone to open a slot or removed significant payroll to have the MONEY to sign him. I am not going to believe any of this stuff until I see a press conference with Andrew and any player where it is announced he is a Dodger, or an exe Dodger…….too much BS bouncing around out there.

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    1. Only thing holding up the press conference is the fact that they’ve also re-signed Machado, have signed Kimbrel and have traded for Kluber and Realmuto. They thought it would be easier to do one presser for everything. The internet has made it so much easier to spread wild rumors. Of course this isn’t a rumor, it’s 100% true, I swear.

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      1. You are stirring the pot again Jeff…..you and Ol Scoop are really good at that. But I am not falling for it…..LOL

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  16. Loosen up Bear. You’ve known me a long time. I pull lanyards for my own amusement. For the record Bader isn’t even arb eligible yet. He’s not a free agent until 2024. And do you think St Louis intends to keep Paul Goldschmidt for only 1 year? I don’t. And I also don’t think it would be a challenge to clear a roster spot for Bryce Harper.

    Perform Enhancing Serum. For me that’s ginseng tea.

    Taylor isn’t likely to repeat his ‘17 season. Steamer has him projected at .718 OPS, composite is .763. I’d box him up and send him to Ohio for Gennett if possible. If we do sign Harper, there are many options to get a second baseman, a catcher and another pitcher. It’s past time to cull the outfield. Friedman can get creative. We got many names that would be of interest to other teams.

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    1. You would actually trade 3 years of Taylor for one year of Scooter? They were both at about 4 WAR last year. Only difference was that some of Taylor’s was accumulated on defense. The Steamer may have CT3 projected at .718 OPS next year but the Stirrer has him at .825. I say no to that trade, but then you didn’t ask me did you? This is supposed to be a collaborative effort Scoop, but no, you just go ahead and make that trade without even consulting me. I’ve had it with you. I’m off to SF to help Farhan. We have a 20 year plan. Watch out for us in 2038!

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      1. Ye of limited vision.

        We need to solve second base. If we never intend to extend anyone, if all we are looking for is controlled players, it’s going to be tough to get the right people on board so we actually accomplish what is that we so far have failed to do. It’s my humble opinion that Gennett is the perfect fit for ‘19. Scooter is an every day second baseman and Taylor is a utilitarian. Scooter is a better hitter. Find out if he wants to be a Dodger and if so get him and extend him.

        Or, keep Taylor and his redundant brother Hernandez and go the platoon utility route again and see if this time it yields different results. Maybe the 7th time is the charm.

        Have fun in SF. It shouldn’t take more than 3 years to become competitive.

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      2. I understand that you think Taylor won’t repeat his 2017 season. Most people agree with you. Just wondering though, if he could would you be happy with him as the permanent 2nd baseman?

        SF – I expect it will take closer to 5 years than 3.

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    2. Scoop sure does seem to be all in on Bryce Harper for some reason. I just don’t see how you can justify the money he will command for the level production you would receive. He was only a 1.3 WAR player last year and you want to pay him at least $300 million. Not a chance. For comparison Joc Pederson, even useless against lefties, was a 2.3 WAR player last season.

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      1. Wait a minute Alex. I thought I made myself clear on this. Let me try again…..

        I’m not exactly a Bryce Harper fan. Not yet anyway. He is yet to convince me that he believes in something bigger than himself. I think he has A LOT of work to do to be the consummate pro. Are you with me so far?

        What I am expressing here is my belief that Friedman and the Dodger brass want this to happen. Apparently you, and others, don’t agree with that. Frankly I kinda hope you’re right. But, I won’t be disappointed if you’re wrong. I think Harper is a generational talent that needs to be apart of something bigger than himself and certainly bigger than the Washington Nationals. The only thing I see standing in his way is his enormous ego. Coming to a place like LA could make that worse. Playing for an organization like the Dodgers (or Yankees) might keep that ego in check.

        We’ll see where this goes. More than anything I want to see something different in my team. Shake it up. We’ve had a lot of years of being good. What will make us great?

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      2. One more thing apparently you missed…

        1.3 WAR. True. Do you know what his oWAR was? Look it up. It was his unsightly dWAR that sunk him. I have the solution to that and explained it in detail yesterday. If the man is willing to work at it I could make him a 0 dWAR player and with that he becomes a butts in seats 5 WAR player that EARNS his $30 million. And as I said yesterday, if he isn’t willing to put the time in then ef him. Let the Yankees have him.

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  18. Harper is a guy that has proven time and again he’s about his own brand. I keep hearing people throwing out the term “generational talent” about him but I don’t see what is so once in a generation about him. I think people still get hung up on thinking of him as that 19 year old phenom from Vegas that came straight into MLB from high school. The only problem is he hasn’t really developed more since he’s been in the league. He’s got natural power with a swing that can hit for average when he really tries to but also can strike out a ton and be a headache in the clubhouse. He’s not overly quick on the bases and is average in the field. To me he’s worth value wise what Boston paid for JD Martinez. 5 years $110 million. He’s probably a better fielder than Martinez but JD is the better hitter if you look at the numbers. In no way is worth committing 10 years when his attitude and ego are even the slightest bit of a question. I would much rather you save that money and try to go after Nolan Arenado next year who is a superior player in every way or even try for Trout in 2 seasons. Mike Trout is the ONLY player worth a commitment of that size if you ask me. For the price of Harper you could land a front of the rotation pitcher, a solid middle of the order position player as well as a good late inning reliever. Harper puts buts in the seats but that has never been an issue with the Dodgers. I know he’s the big flashy toy everyone wants but what happens if he gets hurt or if the LA life has an adverse reaction to his play on the field. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect that but if you ask me it’s just a gamble not worth taking. If you sign him and he doesn’t hit .300+ with 35+ HR and and OBP north of .400 every year of that 10 year deal you’ve made a bad deal.

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    1. “I don’t see what is so once in a generation about him. I think people still get hung up on thinking of him as that 19 year old phenom from Vegas that came straight into MLB from high school.”

      And that is exactly what makes him a generational talent.

      I guess one has to ask what is a generation I figure it’s about 20 years but I could be mistaken.

      I agree with everything else you said Alex. There are a few other players I’d rather have. Arenado tops that list.

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  19. Alex, I understand your position on Harper, and I have mixed emotions about him myself, but I don’t think your being fair to him. Go look at his numbers. He was 22 when he won the mvp he had a monster year, not many players have ever had a year like that. A lot of people think he had a bad year last year, he still batted .250, with 34 hrs, and 100 rbis, if that is a down year I will take it. There is merit to what you say about attitude, and defense, I agree with scoop,he is only 26, he is not too old, or to broken down, to better his defense. As far as attitude goes Roberts has done an excellent job of getting everybody to play for the team first, look at the sacrifices these guys make, no one ever complains about their playing time or abs, why would you think doc can’t work that magic with Harper. I’m okay with Andrew, if he can find 30 mil + to spend on one guy like harper or he spends it on 3 guys. But I think Harper is much better than your giving credit for. No offense ment I respect your opinion, just thought I would try to throw a different view on the subject.

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    1. I understand why fans want Harper. They think he instantly puts the Dodgers in a position to finally win a World Series. I doubt that very much. They thought the same thing about Machado last year. There are so many different things that add up to being champions. But first, you need great pitching. The Red Sox out pitched the Dodgers as much as they out hit them. He is a little fact. Bryce Harper averages 32 homers and 91 RBI’s a season. That’s his average…..he has had 2 seasons out of 7 that were excellent. He won the MVP in 2014, and finished 12th in 2017. He has driven in 100 runs exactly once. 2014. He is a mediocre fielder with an ego problem. Now maybe, if he applied himself he would be a better fielder. But you won’t know that until you get him on your team. Is he worth 30 mil plus a year for 10 years? No way in my book. JD Martinez, who has played 1 season more than Harper has better per season average stats than Harper……34 homers, 106 Ribbies and a .292 average. Harpers is .279. Neither was what you would call great leaders or fielders, so what makes Harper worth more than Martinez? Martinez has driven in 100+ runs 4 of the last 5 years. Harper has done it once in his career. I really do not think that Harper is the magic piece to winning a series. The Red Sox were so superior to the Dodgers in every way last year. Would Harper have made a difference against the Astros? Not unless the Dodger pitching was better. Pitching wins titles. The Dodger offense while inconsistent was still pretty good. They led the NL in HR’s and they scored a lot of runs. Had the pitching been in top form during the series, it would have been a different outcome maybe. Their bats were shut down totally and I do not think Harpers bat in the lineup would have made any difference. He is one player. It takes a team to win series. A journeyman won the MVP of the series, Steve Pearce. Played for 7 teams over his career. But he had a great 5 games. I do not think Harper is worth more than Martinez. I do not think Harper makes the Dodger offense that much better. Oh he gives them a big name in the middle of the order, but that’s about it. Like Scoop said, he is more into himself than team. It is all about the fame with him. Sure, he wants to play in LA. It is the 2nd biggest stage in the game, NY being the first. He can make millions in endorsements and jersey sales. But does he make the Dodgers a World Champion? I doubt it and they spend all that money for nothing. Fix the catching position, solidify the pitching staff and get a everyday player at second and they pretty much are assured of getting back to the big show.

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    2. And since that MVP season he has been pretty pedestrian. He has come no where close to matching those numbers again, so not being fair? Please….Keith, the guy loves himself.

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      1. Good stats guys.

        More stats – .279/.388/.512. His career slash line As a 25 year old. With 7 years of ML experience. He hasn’t hit his peak yet. 8.5. His combined oWAR the last two years. 585. The number of base on balls in his career. 130. The number of base on balls he had last year. Lead MLB. Put him in a lineup with thunder behind him and he might see more strikes.

        “The guy loves himself”. You know what? I’d love me too if I were him. I hope he cares as much about baseball as he does about his hair. I also hope he will accept fewer years. I don’t see Friedman doing a 10 year deal. Not without some built in protections.

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  20. Dennis, any way you can take polls on Word Press? You said you were thinking of making some changes this winter. Maybe you can add that to the list of things to consider. I would love to have the readership of TBPC vote on whether they want Harper or not. I’m guessing the vote would be about 40-60 against, but that’s just a wild guess. And if we can take that poll we have to let Andrew know it’s non-binding. Otherwise he might go out of his way not to find out the results.

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      1. I’m obviously in on Harper. Ain’t my money.

        10 years I personally find too long. But, he’d only be 35 when finishes it.. If the contract is weighted by production years, kinda front loaded, it may not be that difficult to trade him. We could keep him 5 years and we’d be trading a 31 year old. Just entering his prime DH years.

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      1. Scoop, I was comparing what Kemp did at a young age. Injuries have taken their toll, but he was as good if not way better than Harper at around the same age. Harper is so overrated and over priced it is just hilarious to watch everybody falling all over this self centered slug. I think he is no HOFer that’s for sure. Of course a lot of the players today are never going to reach the heights of guys like Mays. Harper is probably a lock for 400 plus homers. But in my world, no way this guy is an elite player. He is not even a well rounded player. You said something on a post not too long ago that struck me. You said the players today are better athletes, they are stronger, and bigger….what they are not is great baseball players. Most are terrible at fundamentals. The game has changed and we are stuck with a bunch of over paid athletes who think they are the cats meow. Most of them could not carry Willie Mays jock. Harper will get in because the writers of today, who will be voting after he retires think he hangs the moon. They are into all his saber geek stats, and do not care about other things. I know I keep bitching about the same stuff, but give me a team with some bunting skills, the ability to hit the other way, pitcher who can actually get people out and pitch some innings, a power hitter or two to keep the opponent off balance, and a team that can field and steal bases, and I would kick the butts of almost every team in the majors. Simply by being a better and more fundamentally sound team. Baseball today is boring, as are most of the play by play announcers.

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  21. I don’t think we will end up with Harper, your right bear, it’s not Andrew’s style, but I do think Andrew is keeping the option open if the years come down to something he is comfortable with. You may think he is pedestrian, you may be right, but I’ll say to all you guys, he is better than any outfielder we have on our roster. BTW I would go with pitching first also.

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    1. He’s a better hitter than any outfielder we have. I need a nerd explanation on why he had a negative 3.2 dWAR this year. That makes no sense to me. The previous 6 years he was a combined + in dWAR then a -3.2? What happened? He’s athletic enough to be an above average outfielder if he works at it. And he’s going to hit. He was born to hit.

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    2. Better hitter? Kemp had a higher average, was better with men on base. He is no where near the fielder Puig is. He has his pluses that is true. But he is not the all out savior and final piece everyone is making him out to be. He is one player. One piece in the puzzle. He can only hit so many times in a game. Does he make the middle of the lineup better? A little. But he is a career lousy hitter at Dodger Stadium. Stanton hits much better there than he does. He hit .247 vs LHP and .250 vs RHP. That’s not 30 million dollar a year territory. Plain and simple he is not worth the price tag that his agent and he have set for him. Prove me wrong. So he is 26, big deal. A lot of players that age have regressed, not improved. His track record says he will hit .about 280 with 32 homers and 90 plus ribbies. That’s good, but not superstar or HOF worthy like everyone seems to think. Plus unless that kid gets his head out of his ass and plays for team goals, not his own, I do not want him on my team.

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      3. Last season he was. Harper had a average below .300 with men in scoring position. Kemp led the Dodgers with a .353 average with runners in scoring position. He was only 15 RBI’s behind him and he played a lot less in the 2nd half. They were very close in slugging. In his 26 year old season, 2011, he had a year that was comparable to Harper’s MVP season. Better in some ways as Kemp was a stolen base threat back then. Harper had more walks than Kemp, and he drove in more runs and hit more homers. But Kemp was way above him in the clutch. Kemp might not be the hitter he once was, but in his prime, I would take him over Harper any day. Better fielder, fast, just as much power. I do not think Harper is as good as everyone else does, so sue me. I do not think he is the answer to the question of the Dodgers winning one, or even multiple titles. He is a good player. but he is no super human this guy will win it all for you player. I would rather have a complete player like Mike Trout than this self centered bum. But that’s just me.

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      4. Well, you present your argument well, but a quick check this morning says least year with runners on Harper OPS’d over 1.000. That’s pretty good. At age 25 Harper has double the oWAR Kemp had at the same age. Kemp was better in 2011, but Harper was 18 that year. The next year, at age 19, he hit 22 home runs and OPS’d .817. Kemp was better that year too, but he was 27. I think it’s been Harper is the superior hitter since then. His horrible defensive metrics is yet to be explained (reading articles this morning seeking an answer) but in my estimation if Harper can get it together on defense, he’s probably a lock for the HOF. Kemp is not.

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      1. Just get me an edit capability Dennis and I’ll be happy. Tired of reading my own mistakes.

        Those videos of Harper in the outfield are freakin hilarious. He looks lost out there at times. It doesn’t take many screw ups like those to ruin your runs saved totals. He sure looks like his career would be better served in left. It’s an easier position to play.

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