UPDATE: Since this rumor initially surfaced, it has been shot down by Steve Henson of Yahoo! Sports, and most importantly, by Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti. And Colletti should know, because if this was a legitimate offer, he would have taken it in a heartbeat.
Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports hears that the Brewers approached the Dodgers about their interest in Fielder, but there’s nothing to suggest that talks advanced from there. And that’s that. Fun while it lasted, eh?
5:21 PM: Well, this is a juicy one.
According to Tony Jackson of ESPNLA.com “the Dodgers are actively involved in discussions on a possible three-player deal with the Brewers” that would send James Loney and Jonathan Broxton to Milwaukee to Prince Fielder.
Jackson notes “multiple sources” gave him the information, so this might have some legs.
Milwaukee is obviously open to trading Fielder and Los Angeles is said to be shopping Loney pretty heavily at the winter meetings, and Broxton’s status with the Dodgers can be summed up by Jackson calling him “embattled closer.”
On the other hand, I’m just not sure why the Brewers would do that deal. Loney could step in for Fielder at first base, but he’s hardly a long-term building block and they could just as easily sign a better-hitting replacement to a reasonable one-year deal.
Picking up Broxton when his value is perhaps at an all-time low makes some sense, but do they really want the centerpiece of a trade for Fielder to be a 27-year-old reliever who’ll earn $7 million in 2011 and is just one season from free agency himself?