Big Moves for the Blue Crew

Just when you thought the Dodgers were out of it, they start turning it around on the field with their 3 game sweep of the Washington Nationals over the weekend, and then they pull the biggest trade of the trading deadline acquiring Greg Maddux for Cesar Izturis. They also picked up Julio Lugo for Joel Guzman, a top prospect, which doesn't make much sense considering Lugo is just a rental as his contract is up at the end of this season.

The Dodgers currently sit only 5 games out of first, but they are last in the NL West. Izturis became expendable with the acquisition of Betemit last week and Furcal over the off-season so it's not as big of a loss especially since the Dodgers pick up an arm necessary in Maddux. However the trade of Guzman for Lugo is very surprising since Guzman has been considered at the top of the prospect list for the Dodgers and to get him for amounts to a rental in Lugo is confusing. With Jeff Kent out for a little bit Lugo could play 2nd, which is what the team was planning on having Izturis do but what happens when he gets back? Maybe move Kent to first if Nomar keeps having problems?

Obviously this signals that management believes this team is not that far off if it makes two trades here for players that probably won't be with the club next season, let's hope they're right and the Dodgers can make a run deep into the playoffs.