 12/13/2003 11:57 PM ET
Dodgers acquire Encarnacion
Marlins outfielder heads to LA for player to be named
Fantasy analysis
NEW ORLEANS -- The offense-starved Dodgers added their first bat of the winter Saturday, acquiring outfielder Juan Encarnacion from the Florida Marlins for a minor league player to be named.
Encarnacion hit .270 with 19 home runs and a career-high 94 RBIs for the Marlins in 2003, when he earned $3.465 million. He is eligible for salary arbitration in 2004 and was likely to seek a salary in excess of $5 million.
The world champion Marlins had indicated he would be non-tendered later this month because of that projected salary increase and the emergence of Miguel Cabrera.
Now the Dodgers can try to sign Encarnacion, or non-tender him Dec. 19 if they decide he is too expensive or if they acquire a player they value more. Evans sounded like he wants to keep him.
"He was one of the guys we targeted," said Evans. "We didn't want him on the open market. We think he's coming into his own. He's made great strides the last couple years."
Juan Encarnacion
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The Dodgers like Encarnacion because he combines right-handed power, speed and defense. He is a .273 career hitter who stole 19 bases in 2003 and had a career high 33 in 1999, but he also has a career on-base percentage of .313.
"Not every player is perfect," said Evans. "We think he's on the upswing and getting better. We think he's going to help our ballclub. He drove in more runs than anybody on our club. And it's a relatively small move.
"In no way is this an indication that he's the answer to what we're trying to accomplish. Any incremental improvement in the offense makes the club better."
Evans said the acquisition of Encarnacion, despite the projected salary, does not hinder his mission to land a legitimate clean-up hitter. Among the Dodgers' rumored targets for that role are Magglio Ordonez, Nomar Garciaparra, Carlos Beltran, Preston Wilson, Miguel Tejada, and Ivan Rodriguez.
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