Daily Dodger in review: Ryan Theriot -- should he stay or should he go now?

RYAN THERIOT, 30, second baseman.

Final 2010 stats: .270 batting average, two home runs, 29 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, .321 on-base percentage, .312 slugging percentage.

Contract status: Arbitration eligible.

The good: Better defensive second baseman than most anticipated. Career  .284 batting average. A plus in the clubhouse. Scrappy, hustling player.

The bad: Hit an empty .242 after coming over from the Cubs in a July 31 deadline deal. Was advertised as having more pop than Blake DeWitt, but it never materialized. On the season in 586 at-bats, he hit two home runs. DeWitt hit five in 440 at-bats.

In his last 92 at-bats, Theriot did not collect a single extra-base hit. He’s a lineup problem. His on-base percentage is so weak, it doesn’t warrant batting him high in the order, and he has little power to bat at the end of it.

What’s next:The Dodgers have to decide whether to offer him arbitration. Most have simply assumed they will since they 1) need a second baseman, and 2) probably feel they have to show something for their trading of DeWitt, particularly if they are unable to re-sign left-hander Ted Lilly.

There is reason, however, to non-tender Theriot. He made $2.6 million last season, will probably get close to $4 million in arbitration and turns 31 in December.

The take:It seems like Theriot hasn't been around long enough to get much of a feel for him. Of course, that could simply be in response to what little impact he’s had since donning Dodger Blue.

More careful consideration of what Theriot brings to the roster makes offering arbitration far less than certain. There are a host of players who can put up numbers similar to Theriot’s.

Mike Petriello of MikeSciosciasTragicIllness.com makes a pretty convincing case for letting him walk. He would prefer the Dodgers spend another mil or so and land Juan Uribe, who would at least offer some power.

I understand there is also this guy named Orlando Hudson available. And, really, think triple-A Albuquerque’s Ivan DeJesus couldn’t put up stats similar to Theriot’s and at about $3 million less?

--Steve Dilbeck

Comments

[Zen]

Have you shopped in a good "dollar" store, lately? Bananas: 2 lbs for a buck, about a third off supermarket prices. A dozen eggs: About 50% off, or more.
Shaving cream and razors, well I could go on.

This is where the Dodgers need to go shopping for ballplayers. Farm clubs, not Bristol Farms.

[These Dodgers Suck!!]

here's a related question;
why wasn't Furcal dealt when it became apparent these Dodgers were going nowhere?

[jason]

because who would want Furcal now? At his salary he only plays like 50 games a ayear. He has been a huge bust considering over the last 6 years he has been paid as much as Albert Puljos.

[Mrooks]

Nope, the Blue don't Theriot they need someone who can hit in the two hole and play 2b a little better. Theriot is a good player to have but not to start but neither was Dewitt.
I rather have Theriot but for 3 or 4 million, you could have had Brandon P from the reds at the start of the 2010 seasons but the Dodgers being cheap as usual went with Blake Dewitt!!

[Orlando Hudson]

I told 'ya, too, Uncle Neddy.

[Labeldude]

Ryan Theriot - how many other players have an acronym in the Urban Dictionary based upon their baserunning ability?
.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=TOOTBLAN

Ned's first clue that Theriot doesn't even have the power of DeWitt should've been that he'd played half his games at Wrigley and still only had 1 HR when he traded for him.
.
No power. No OBP. Liability on the basepaths when he does happen to get on...

Of course Ned will offer him arbitration.

[Blue Sangre]

Theriot on his own is a joke. Trading lLake DeWitt for him was a sad joke. Resinging the flacid gimp? I will be offended if Ned COlletti even considers it. IF they aren't going to buy anything better, might as well give the job to DeJesus.

I second the motion to have Furcal publicly beaten for his lack of leadership, horrible play, and time on the DL. He swings like a #3,5,6, or 7 batter. Never puts the ball on the ground, always swinging for the sky. Injured way too often. HAte him.

[Since '58]

Why are we even discussing this? Until we know whether or not McCourt is going to allow Colletti to go after ANY player, let alone offer arbitration on anybody else, we're just pissing into the wind.
Theriot? Hudson? Uribe? De Jesus? So what? What kind of an impact will any of these players make? We still need a catcher, a left fielder, a healthy shortsdtop, a younger third baseman and an entire bullpen. I'm not even going to discuss Kemp, Ethier and Loney.
If we're going to do this exercise with every roster spot, I might as well just send in the same reply everyday. Please, LET me bore you.

[alanw19]

How can you discuss each individual player, and salary/arbitration moves, without discussing other moves you would make for the team? This idea of playing GM on the player of the day is a hopeless exercise and serves only to create more negativity.

We don't need that. We don't need false positives and smiley faces, but geez, some things are pretty darn apparent even to the most blind-eyed fools who join conversation. (And that would sometimes include me.)

[OldBrooklynFan]

It would be very surprising to see O Dog return after the way he was the forgotten man in '09 as the Dodgers headed to the end of the season, but then again Torre is no longer manager. I'd rather have him, if it's at all possible than Theriot.

[Sean]

Bringing up either Chin Lung Hu or Ivan Dejesus doesnt sound like such a bad idea to me. Im tired of the Dodgers signing old washed up players to play meaningless mediocre baseball. Id much rather watch a rookie flounder than a veteran.

Dewitt flopped, I liked him but the Lilly acquisition actually worked out well. Theriot was a disaster. At least Hu or Dejesus fit the prototypical 2 spot hitter, fast and hit for contact. Both play above average defense as well, the only problem is both are natural SS.

[FormerLifelongDodgerFan]

Colletti hates acquiring players who can hit HRs without using female fertility supplements.

Theriot is pretty worthless, so he is perfect for Ned.

[16blows]

With Ted Lilly now re-s$igned, Ryan 'The Riot' Theriot is now (2, 3, 4) "On the road again"...

[Steele Here]

Ba-Bye!!!

[Michael Sanchez]

bring back Orlando, lets see, the last time he was with the Dodgers he won a gold glove at second base....