MLB Trade Deadline: Los Angeles Dodgers Need To Let These 5 Bums Go

Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers have climbed out of the cellar in the last week, they continue to be the major league's best option for selling off quality players. With the trade deadline today, general manager Ned Colletti has to rebuild with young talent and needs to get rid of players that have not performed.

The Dodgers are looking at potentially the worst record a Dodgers team has had since moving to Los Angeles. The time for action is now, and fans are in great need of change. Otherwise, the next two months will have the same disheartening and depressing feel to it; all fans just waiting for spring training. 

2011 free-agent acquisitions Juan Uribe and Ted Lilly have been disappointments thus far, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake and Rod Barajas have been tormented by injuries and the bullpen that was once so strong is full of fresh, young faces, called up before their time. Unfortunately James Loney has failed to live up to expectations, and his name is among those discussed in trade speculation. 

The Dodgers can’t seem to catch a break, as even their best trade option, veteran starter Hiroki Kuroda, may not lift his no-trade clause.

See if your favorite Dodger is on this dreaded list...

Rafael Furcal: Either Trade Him or Bench Him

Rafael Furcal, the Dodgers All-Star shortstop from only a year ago, has been hampered by injuries all season long and continues to fail to stay on the field consistently. Batting .167 this season, the Dodgers have to try to find a suitor for Furcal even if it means paying almost all of Furcal’s remaining $10 million contract. 

Waiting in the wings is future shortstop Dee Gordon, who impressed many during a stint with the club earlier this year. Gordon has nothing left to prove in the minors and is just working on becoming a better gap-to-gap hitter right now. 

Gordon will be and should be the starter next year, assuming Colletti does not make a huge mistake and re-sign Furcal.

Furcal’s experience, his excellent defense and career statistics should be enough for a team to take a chance on him. With a batting average under .200, teams would have good reason to be very skeptical that he has lost his stroke.

However, Furcal has looked better this week with eight hits and three doubles. His two stolen bases in the past homestand also give hope that Furcal has not lost his speed.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Milwaukee Brewers have inquired about Jamey Carroll and Furcal.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com tweeted the St. Louis Cardinals were making a play for Rafael, who is deciding whether to waive his no-trade clause or not. The Cardinals would be a great fit for Furcal, where Ryan Theriot currently roams shortstop, batting only .268 with no power numbers. 

However, Furcal needs to go or else spend the rest of the season on the bench watching Gordon get more seasoning.  

Juan Uribe: Get Rid of Him and Get Rid of Fans' Agony

Juan Uribe, the Dodgers’ biggest free-agent signing this past offseason, has been absolutely dreadful this year for the boys in blue. Currently batting just .204 with a meager .270 on-base percentage and .300 slugging percentage, Uribe is well below his career averages. He only has four home runs and 28 RBI for the "Bums," and has been on the disabled list twice already. 

Uribe is a versatile player, however, that some teams could potentially take a chance on. Uribe can play practically any position in the infield, and has played spectacular third base for the Dodgers over the last month. Although not in tremendous athletic shape, Uribe moves well and makes some fantastic plays at the hot corner. 

However, his swing is just terrible right now. He has looked lost all season at the plate, and his body flails around after the ball is already in the catcher’s glove. His approach is awful and is basically an automatic out right now. That being said, he is a professional who did very well for the Giants last season in the playoffs, coming up with some clutch hits that doomed the opposition. 

Uribe is vastly overpaid, making $7 million this season and two years remaining on his three-year, $21 million contact. If a team wanted to take a risk on Uribe finding his stroke, the Dodgers would probably have to offer to pay at least the rest of this season’s contract. That might still be worth it considering Uribe’s next two years will hamper the team during a tough financial time. 

Hopefully, a team like the New York Yankees will get desperate looking for a replacement for Alex Rodriguez and turn to Uribe.

Rod Barajas: A Nice Guy Who Should Be Used Elsewhere

After acquiring Rod Barajas last season in a questionable move, a native Los Angeles boy got to come home and play in front of his friends and family for the team he grew up rooting for. However, when the Dodgers re-signed Barajas to be the starting catcher this season, it was to many fans' chagrin. 

Barajas has put up mediocre numbers this year, reflecting his mediocre career. He is currently hitting .209 with eight home runs and 21 RBI, and is batting .237 in his career. His power is an asset the Dodgers have not had at catcher since Russell Martin’s power declined, but overall, Barajas would be much better suited as a skilled backup on a contending team. 

Barajas is making $3.25 million this season, so it would cost another team about $1.5 million to acquire him. However, I could see the Dodgers offering to take some of the financial burden off the other team in exchange for a low-level prospect that could be utilized in a couple years. 

If the Dodgers can find a suitor for backup Dioner Navarro, they should trade him for whatever they can get. Navarro is also signed to a one-year deal and hasn't impressed fans to the point where the club must re-sign him.

Barajas, a good clubhouse guy, could be a help to the rival San Francisco Giants for the rest of the season, considering they have been using backup Eli Whiteside in the starting role after Buster Posey was injured for the rest of the season. 

The Chicago White Sox, very friendly with the Dodgers in past seasons, also could use some depth for aging A.J. Pierzynski, who has no true backup after Ramon Castro went down with an injury. 

Wherever Rod ends up, it would be nice to see him get a chance to compete and let A.J. Ellis get a real chance at being the starter for the Dodgers for the rest of the season. 

Ted Lilly: Colletti Needs To Get Him out of a Contract, Mediocrity

Ted Lilly, acquired last season from the Chicago Cubs, has been quite frustrating to watch this year. At 7-10 with a 5.02 ERA, Lilly has been very hittable this season and has really not possessed the grit that made him an All-Star only a couple years ago. 

Lilly, however, has been successful at staying healthy and eating innings for the Dodgers. Lilly has thrown 113 innings, averaging almost six innings a start. His contract is bloated, as Lilly is signed for three years at $11 million a year. 

At the end of the day, Lilly’s chances of being moved are slim, but if Colletti shops him hard enough, he might find a suitor. His 1.2 WHIP is respectable, and that might entice a team to take a chance of him. 

If a team wanted to take on Lilly for the playoff run to provide depth to a starting rotation, the Dodgers would likely have to fork over multiple millions of dollars to offset the blunder of Lilly’s contract. Lilly could be very successful pitching in a big ballpark like Jacobs Field for the Cleveland Indians or for the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Hiroki Kuroda: The Best Trade Chip They've Got

A quality starting pitcher is hard to come by in the midst of a heated major league season. Hiroki Kuroda has been a valuable starter for the Dodgers for the last four years, but the best service he can do for them now is lift his no-trade clause and allow them to deal him to a contender. 

Kuroda, a hard-luck pitcher who is 6-11 this year with a very respectable 3.13 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, is making $12 million this year. The Dodgers could definitely help out any team that wants his services and get more prospects in return.

The news on Kuroda changes daily. He could be a good fit with the St. Louis Cardinals, who could use some help from a quality starting pitcher that has done well under pressure. Kuroda won two games in the 2008 playoffs for the Dodgers on their run to the NLCS.  

Expect many more teams to jump in the Kuroda sweepstakes, potentially making it harder for Kuroda to resist a trade to a contender. The only issue is whether Kuroda will give a straight answer to where he will accept a trade to.