The Dodgers have been quite active in making deals in the weeks before this year's July 31st trade deadline. Milwaukee sent UT-L Tyler Houston to LA for RHP Ben Diggins and LHP Shane Nance on Tuesday. In order to clear room on the roster for Houston on Thursday, the Dodgers then traded UT-R Hiram Bocachica to Detroit for RHP Tom Farmer and a PTBNL.

Although Houston had a fairly regular starting job on the Brewers as their third baseman, the Dodgers desired him because they wanted to add left-handed power bat to their bench. He's also a very flexible player, capable of handling the entire infield defensively, including catching.

However, the price they paid in order to acquire him was exorbitant. The Dodgers drafted Ben Diggins out of the University of Arizona with the 17th overall pick of the first round of the 2000 draft. He signed in late August of 2000, so he didn't start playing minor league ball until last season. Diggins spent last year at A Wilmington in the South Atlantic League and was on the Dodgers' Arizona Fall League team after the regular season. This year LA placed him at A+ Vero Beach in the Florida State League. In 114 IP at A+, he has a 101:41 K:BB with 103 H and 8 HR allowed. The 23-year-old should be ready to start in the majors by the end of 2004.

Houston for Diggins alone likely would have been a good deal for the Brewers, but they were also able to obtain Nance, who the Dodgers drafted out of the University of Houston in the 11th round of the 2000 draft. He worked as a starter in the Short-Season Northwest League after signing, but LA moved him to relief the following season. Nance split last year between A+ Vero Beach and Jacksonville in the AA Southern League. He also attended the 2001 AFL. The Dodgers sent him straight to AAA Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League this year. In 58.1 IP as a reliever, he has a 53:26 K:BB with 58 H and 5 HR allowed. Milwaukee believes the 24-year-old left-hander can become a productive member of their major league pen next season, and they are likely correct.

Dodgers' GM Dan Evans mentioned after the acquisition that LA has been interested in Houston for three or four weeks. Consequently, they were likely taken in by his hot performance prior to the All-Star game, causing them to overspend for his services. At the All-Star break, Houston was hitting 315 with a .361 OBP and .495 SLG in 216 AB on 68 H, 14 2B, 2 3B, and 7 HR with a 12:33 BB:K and 1/1 SB%. He's since cooled down, going 13 for 43 with a triple and a 2:8 BB:K, so that at the time of the trade, he had a .302 BA, .347 OBP, and .459 SLG.

LA called up Mike Kinkade when they placed Jeff Reboulet on the DL last Sunday. The Dodgers preferred to keep Kinkade on the roster over Bocachica and made plans to either attempt to send him to the minors through waivers or trade him. Kinkade compliments Houston well as an equally versatile right-handed power bat off the bench. There's no schedule for the return of Reboulet, who has a stiff back.

Reportedly, the Dodgers knew that if they tried to send Bocachica to the minors through waivers, the Tigers would claim him. It would follow that Detroit suspected Bocachica would be placed on waivers if they did not make the trade with LA, so I'm not entirely sure why they didn't just wait.

The Expos originally drafted Bocachica with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 1994 draft. In 1998 they traded him to the Dodgers with Mark Grudzielanek for Wilton Guerrero, Peter Bergeron, Jonathan Tucker and Ted Lilly. Bocachica received a brief major league call up in 2000 and has worked off the Dodgers bench for the last two seasons as a utilityman, playing second, third, and the outfield. While he demonstrated promising plate discipline in the minors, he's been unable to carry that skill to the majors, limiting the impact of his power and speed skills. Detroit has an affinity for multi-positional players and the 23-year-old still possesses good upside, particularly if they can rekindle his strike zone judgment. Fortunately, the Tigers didn't give up a lot in Farmer.

Detroit drafted Farmer out of the University of Miami in the seventh round of the 2001 draft. The right-hander signed quickly and spent time starting at three levels before the end of the season, including 4 starts at Oneonta in the Short-Season New York-Pennsylvania League, 6 at A West Michigan in the Midwest League, and 2 for AA Erie in the Eastern League. Farmer returned to AA to start the 2002 season and had a 51:32 K:BB in 103 IP with 122 H and 12 HR allowed when Detroit moved him up to AAA. He only made one start at AAA Toledo prior to the trade. Perhaps he's simply moving too fast, but his dominance is far below target levels and his hits and homers allowed are barely acceptable. Farmer turns 23 today, the Dodgers may be able to develop a productive major leaguer if they move him to relief, but he currently has very little upside. However, he's better than losing Bocachica on waivers for nothing.