LA Dodger/Hot Stove Thoughts, part deux

As promised, my thoughts and feelings about the players that were, or will be, gone next year, including some guy whose name eludes me at the moment. Grades indicate, again, how I feel about the move (A: great move, F: horrible move).

- Losing Greg Maddux (SP) to the Padres: 1 year, $10 million contract, with an option in 2008 for up to $10 million more. Yet I'm supposed to believe it wasn't about the money. Terrible signing for the Padres, but only because I'm a Dodger fan. Maddux has to be credited somewhat for the way Lowe and Billingsley improved so much in the second half of the season, and realizing that Maddux could now work with the likes of Jake Peavy and Chris Young pains me. Still, a potential $20 million deal for two years for a guy who couldn't throw a fastball through a window does seem like overpaying just a bit. If I can be persuaded into believing that Maddux's departure opened the door for Jason Schmidt, then I'll sleep better tonight. Grade: B/B+
- Losing Julio Lugo (SS) to the Boston Red Sox: 4 year, $36 million contract. Based solely on what Lugo provided us after the trade from Tampa Bay, I could care less about him. What angers me is that we gave away Joel Guzman to rent this guy and his barely-over-.200 average in the time he was with us. I do take solace, though, in the fact that Boston outbid themselves to pay this guy $9 million a year. Still, that offer makes way more sense than the Gary Matthews to Anaheim deal, or the Juan Pierre (sigh) deal. Grade: eh, whatever...B?
- Losing that guy (RF) to the Boston Red Sox: 5 year, $70 million contract. Count me in among those rooting for this guy to fail miserably in BoSox gear, even if that means watching Boston choke to the Yankees! I hope the Dodgers schedule Boston in Dodger Stadium this year. BoSox fan, enjoy your 20 HR, 90 RBI, .280 average, high OPS, and total lack of emotion. I remember when this guy began his Dodger career, nearly going 0-for-April. The fact that this is a distinct possibility in BoSox gear makes me giddy. I can imagine all New England sports writers lining up their bombs, waiting to blast this guy. Good riddance! Grade: A+++++.
- Losing Eric Gagne (RP) to ??????. I'm sorry to see the guy go, but the fact that Scott Boras wants $6 million+ for a guy who hasn't thrown much at all in recent memory speaks about as much as Boras'/Gagne's greediness as it does the ridiculous pitching market these days. The 84-save streak will not soon be forgotten, though. Good luck elsewhere, unless you end up in Boston. If you do, hopefully you hang a change that is lined off that RF's head. Ok ok, that was mean; hopefully you hang a change that is hammered into deep right, and that RF twists a knee chasing it down. Grade: C