[PilotMan]

Grading the 1983 Dodger trades





Floyd Bannister and Orel Hershiser to the Royals for Roy Smalley – B-


While Smalley added a ton of pop and finally shored up the defense at short, the loss of both an ace type pitcher and the top organization pitching prospect in return was short sighted. Smalley is 30, and although he has a long contract, his age will work against him. Smalley would have a better year for the Dodgers than Bannister and Hershiser would have for the Royals. Bannister had an ERA of 5.85 with a 3-8 record, while Orel posted a 9.00 ERA in 27 innings of work.


Tack Wilson to the Giants for Greg Minton and Mariano Duncan – B


Wilson could have been productive, but Minton was a known quantity of quality. Getting Duncan was a bonus. Wilson played well for the Giants, and Minton had a 6.05 ERA for LA, but the trade was tipped in the favor for LA overall because of Duncan and how they used him later on.


Ted Power and Mariano Duncan to the White Sox for Ron Kittle – B+


Minton made Power obsolete and Duncan was a freebie from the Giants while Kittle was a top prospect for the Sox in '82 and had already hit 32 HR in a season and a half. Being young, and a better fielder he easily displaced and improved on the production that the team was getting in LF. Kittle would finish with 25 HR combined and 72 RBI, while Power had a 6.50 ERA in light work. Duncan still looks like a solid prospect. Across all levels, he batted .315, with 74 RBI and 46 SB in the minors.


All in all, the trades really benefited the team. The pitching staff didn't suffer the losses, this year anyway, and the addition of Smalley and Kittle made the lineup very difficult to face top to bottom.