Dodgers trade Chin-Lung Hu to Mets

Chin-Lung Hu, Dodgers hot prospect no more.

Actually, the light-hitting shortstop had almost disappeared off their prospect list the last year or two, but he is officially out after they traded him Monday to the Mets for a nondescript minor league left-hander.

Hu was out of options and unlikely to make the team this season, so getting Michael Antonini for him was better than nothing.

Hu never demonstrated any ability to hit  major league pitching, batting .191 in parts of four seasons with the Dodgers, including .130 (three for 23) last season.

Hu will turn 27 in February, so his time as a Dodger was clearly running out.

Antonini is hardly some hot prospect, either. The left-hander was an 18th-round draft pick in 2007, and is 25-26 with a 4.04 earned-run average in four minor league seasons.

Last year, he split time between double-A Binghamton (6-9, 4.23) and triple-A Buffalo (2-3, 5.11).
So this is hardly some Earth-shattering trade, though it may mean good news for shortstop Ivan DeJesus Jr., who wasn’t called up last September.

The Dodgers already have starter Rafael Furcal and Jamey Carroll at shortstop, plus second baseman Juan Uribe who can slide over.

But it at least bumps DeJesus up on the depth chart, so the Dodgers must have been satisfied with his play during the Arizona Fall League.

And it offers a fresh start for Hu, who will be reunited with Mets Manager Terry Collins, formerly the Dodgers’ farm director.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Former Dodgers shortstop Chin-Lung Hu during a game against the Diamondbacks in September. Credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images

Comments

[Jesse011]

And here we thought the Mets weren't going to make a big move this offseason! Can he at least play 2B, or will he just be AAA depth?

[FrankMcCourtisawful]

Hes a defensive wiz. Cant hit at all. A utility player at best

[Rocco]

did the trade include "Hu let the dogs out?"

[BlueinAZ]

Sorry to see him go. I guess that's the end of the Dodger's routine of "Who's on first. Hu's on second. No, that's our shortstop!" Oh, well...

[waus]

Hu has to be the only player in baseball history with two body parts, excluding nicknames, in his name. Chin Lung. For example, I can't recall a player named Cheek Liver.

However, at this time I am unable to verify my assumption.

[Ashamed dodger fan]

Remember few years ago when we were all excited about out minor leauge system? We can do a whole list of players that we suppose to be good. What happend?????

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

Switching deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Chin-Lung Hu's mom]

Mets acquire Chin-Lung Hu!

[Dodger Tony]

Where's Joel Guzman when you need him?

[N.P.Krohn]

Am pretty happy we got anybody for Hu. And while Antonini might just have been a mid-level draft pick, he jumped up through the Mets system quickly due to his excellent control. He would have been on their big laegue club a couple of sept.'s ago if an injury hadn't derailed his meteroric rise. A lefty that can throw strikes at will and used to be a starter so he can throw alot of innings. Sounds like a major weapon in the pen. Haven't seen him pitch so don't know if Last year's numbers are his new post injury reality but he sounds like an interesting gamble. Can't wait to see him pitch this spring. We haven't had a good Italian pitcher since Brooklyn.

[N.P.Krohn]

I guess Candiotti was pretty good.

[Steve Careeta]

I was thinking that Hu would've had a decent year under Mattingly since he hit well in the minors that eventually catch up to major league pitching. I felt the same way about James McDonald potential. I feel disappointed that we had resounding prospects but we let other teams get the best of us by getting scrap players. We'll see how Antonini works out this spring.

[Since '58]

Huh?

[Kid Kuo]

Hu is an excellent defensive player, but more or less a free swinger, leading to an unimpressive batting average. He definitely has high up-sides, but I think he did not get enough consistent playing time at 2B/SS. He was only called up several years ago after Furcal was injured. Anyway, I wish him luck at the NY Mets and hope he gets more playing time at the MLB level. This trade may come back to bite the Dodgers.