LA Dodgers Rumors: Fans Want Yasiel Puig Trade, Don Mattingly Fired In New Dodgers Fan Poll
LA Dodgers rumors reveal that fans want a Yasiel Puig trade and to see Don Mattingly fired. Though Dodgers rumors have addressed both situations in the past, a report from the Los Angeles Times on Friday (July 10) confirms what many fans are thinking. A writer for the Times (Houston Mitchell) asked for fan suggestions on how the team could improve. He received more than 500 responses, with the two biggest ideas being to trade Yasiel Puig for a pitcher and to fire manager Don Mattingly.
Mitchell also posted a number of the responses from the Dodgers fans, highlighting the fact that a lot of them feel the team could easily improve using one of those two ideas. There had been previous Puig trade rumors floating around, but the team has never entered in negotiations. It’s possible that could change, especially if the need for pitching increases. Jim Lynch of Annadale, N.J. suggested exactly that to Mitchell.
“The Dodgers should trade Yasiel Puig to the Cincinnati Reds for Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman. Throw a couple of lower level minor leaguers in the deal from each team to help obfuscate the fact that this is simply a face-saving deal for the Reds. Yes, I know Cueto’s a rental. But Chapman has one more year of arbitration left after this year. Getting rid of Puig now is addition by subtraction for the Dodgers. They need to play Scott Van Slyke more. If they make him an everyday outfielder, he’ll outperform whatever Puig would have done. From the vantage point of the Reds, they clear out a lot of salary and can sell their fan base on the fact that they are getting a perceived superstar.”
There have been LA Dodgers rumors linking the team to Johnny Cueto, especially since the Cincinnati Reds are likely going to trade him before the July 31 deadline. Cueto is putting together another great season for the Reds, posting a 2.61 ERA, a 0.871 WHIP and 111 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings of work so far. He is also coming off a season where he went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA for the Reds. If not for Clayton Kershaw, he could have won the National League Cy Young Award with those numbers.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, it’s possible that the front office in Los Angeles has grown tired of the antics that Yasiel Puig brings to the ballpark. It’s also possible that the team may need to move in a direction that doesn’t have Don Mattingly as the manager. Maybe Dodgers fans should just be happy with the team that’s in place, because they are currently 49-38 and ready to head to the postseason again. Most MLB cities would love to see a record like that. Just ask Seattle, Philadelphia, and San Diego.
While there may be a lot of LA Dodgers rumors out there and the fans may be frustrated with Yasiel Puig and Don Mattingly, it seems highly unlikely the front office would get rid of both personalities. The perceived rift between Mattingly and Puig could certainly lead to something happening, though.
[Image Source: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]
