Colletti unlikely to trade top prospects for 'elite pitcher'

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers, as usual, are on the prowl for pitching help with the July 31 Trade Deadline approaching.

But general manager Ned Colletti indicated on Saturday he still intends to keep the organization's top prospects. Colletti didn't mention them by name, but it's no secret the jewels of the farm system are outfielder Joc Pederson, infielder Corey Seager and left-handed pitcher Julio Urias.

"I'm open-minded, but based on what I know of who can be acquired, I don't see us doing anything that's going to tear apart the farm system," he said.

So Colletti doesn't expect to be dealing for an "elite pitcher" -- in other words, the Rays' David Price or the Phillies' Cole Hamels.

"Any elite pitcher will come at this time with a lot of prospect ability attached, probably more so than I'd like to part with," he said.

"We need to get Hanley [Ramirez] on track health-wise. If we get [Chone Figgins] and [Justin] Turner back and not lose anybody, pitching is where we have to be careful. Unless you've got young players ready to pitch in a race, everybody's in the same boat, some worse off than we are."

A year ago, Colletti's key acquisition was starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco, who picked up the slack after Chad Billingsley had Tommy John surgery.

Colletti said that the volume of calls from other clubs has tailed off recently. He believes there just aren't as many teams committed to selling, especially with the second Wild Card berth encouraging clubs to hang in there.

While the focus has been on the bullpen, Colletti acknowledged that the starting rotation is showing cracks. Josh Beckett is on the disabled list with a hip impingement and Dan Haren is slumping.