2012 MLB Trade Deadline Updates: Why Hanley Ramirez Makes the LA Dodgers the Favorites in the NL West

2012 MLB Trade Deadline Updates: Why Hanley Ramirez Makes the Los Angeles Dodgers the Favorites to Win the NL West: After a fast start to the 2012 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers stumbled through a miserable month of June and are now looking up at the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings. The Dodgers have struggled scoring runs during their slump and throughout the year in general, and even with superstar center fielder Matt Kemp back in the lineup, this team has been average offensively at best.  However, the front office just made a big move to address the issue, landing third baseman Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins. The addition of Ramirez is just what the doctor ordered for Los Angeles, and the Dodgers should once again be considered the frontrunners in the NL West.

After all, Los Angeles has stayed within striking distance of the Giants despite putting up horrendous offensive numbers. The Dodgers have scored the sixth-fewest runs in the majors this season, and their team slugging percentage is the third worst in the game. Not to mention that Los Angeles is sitting dead last with just 60 home runs this season. It’s not like the power department is the only area the Dodgers have been struggling in either. They are hitting just .249 as a team this year with an on-base percentage of only .319.

Even though he has been struggling by his standards for the past year and a half, Ramirez is an instant upgrade offensively. His 14 homers will tie him with Kemp for the team lead, and in what has been a down year, he is still on a pace to approach 80-plus runs scored and RBIs. Putting his bat in the middle of the lineup next to Kemp and Andre Ethier suddenly gives the Dodgers three legitimate run producers that can protect and feed of each other. The fact that Ramirez can steal bases and play both short stop and third base is just icing on the cake.

Another important factor to consider in the deal is the history of success Ramirez has had at Dodgers’ Stadium. He is a career .388 hitter in the park with a .468 on-base percentage at what will now be his home stadium. In fact, Ramirez has always had a ton of success against the entire NL West. His career average at every stadium in the division combined is over .300. With plenty of the remaining games coming at ballparks where he has been at his best, Ramirez should start to resemble the player the competed for batting titles and approached 30-30 on a yearly basis prior to 2011.

It’s not like the Dodgers need him to be superman anyway. The strength of this team from the start of the year has been its pitching, and Los Angeles currently owns the third-best ERA in the majors. Defending Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw and a resurgent Chris Capuano have anchored the starting rotation, and the bullpen has been one of the best in baseball all year. The Dodgers don’t need to score 10 runs a game to win, but they do need to score more than 10 runs in a week. Whether he is driving in runs with his bat or manufacturing runs with his legs, Ramirez will provide the little added pop to the lineup that has been missing this far.

Add it all up, and Ramirez gives the Dodgers a legitimate offense to support its stellar pitching staff. Not only does he make Los Angeles the team to beat in the NL West, but he makes them a strong contender for the pennant. The National League doesn’t have a frontrunner for the pennant, and teams with little playoff experience such as Washington, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh appear to be headed for the postseason. With Ramirez on the roster, Los Angeles has as much star power on offense as any of those teams, and they still have the top arm in the NL in Kershaw. Place your bets on the Dodgers as soon as possible to maximize the payout because their odds are only going to improve as they climb up the standings.

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