Rockies @ Dodgers June 8, 2016: Bye bye Alex Guerrero

We haven’t given Alex Guerrero an official farewell, so this will be it. But first, something quick about tonight’s actual game.

	Rockies			Dodgers
	7:10 p.m. PT			Los Angeles
CF	Blackmon		SS	Hernandez
2B	LeMahieu		3B	Turner
RF	Gonzalez		1B	Gonzalez
3B	Arenado		CF	Thompson
LF	Parra		RF	Van Slyke
C	Hundley		LF	Kendrick
1B	Descalso		C	Ellis
SS	Adames		2B	Barnes
P	Rusin (L)		P	Maeda (R)

Kenta Maeda is going for the Dodgers in the rubber game of the series. After three consecutive starts from May 11 through 22 of allowing four runs, he has allowed just two runs in his last two games. He’ll go against a potent Colorado offense tonight. He faced the Rockies on April 23 at Coors and held them scoreless over 6 1/3 innings.

Platoon player Joc Pederson is sitting for the second time in three games because the Dodgers are facing a lefty. Not a particularly tough lefty in Chris Rusin (.309/.367/.473 vs. left-handed batters), but a lefty nonetheless. Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. I know he’s struggling (5-for-his-last-42, one walk, 12 strikeouts), but he’s not going to break out of the funk sitting on the bench two times in three days.

Corey Seager also sits because, well, reasons. I know, he needs a day off every once in awhile, but he’s also the team’s hottest hitter and there is no game tomorrow. But hey, at least Austin Barnes is getting some playing time.

Now, onto Mr. Guerrero. The Dodgers signed him in 2013 to a 4-year, $28 million deal. We all know about the ear situation with Miguel Olivo. That was unfortunate. Also unfortunate was his play for most of his Dodger career.

Save April 2015 when he won the National League Rookie of the Month, Guerrero was generally bad as a Dodger and overall baseball player. In the face of much adversity, I claimed Guerrero was a solid bench piece, not a starter. I was right for awhile, but I was ultimately wrong because Guerrero proved to not even be a usable bench piece.

The natural shortstop never really got much traction in the majors. He was fine in the minors (until this year), but that’s not what he was signed to be — a minor-leaguer.

Guerrero has a career .224/.251/.414 triple slash, a 81 wRC+ and was worth -0.5 wins in his 117 MLB games. He had no home on defense, couldn’t play any position even adequately well and couldn’t hit anything with a bend in it. Then he started getting beaten by fastballs. It all adds up to a wasted $28 million investment. His and Erisbel Arruebarrena‘s signings are the reason former international scouting director Bob Engle and his crew were let go last year. Some team might take a gamble on him now that they won’t be obligated to pick up the remainder of his contract. If a team does, expect it to be an American League team that is desperate for a designated hitter.

Smell ya later, Alex. At least we’ll always have that grand slam in Colorado.

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