And Then There Was One

Andre Ethier is the lone remaining player with whom the Dodgers have outstanding arbitration issues with. Rather than attempt to craft my thoughts I'll pass the baton to True Blue LA and their excellent report on the subject.

Russell Martin gets paid

From Ken Rosenthal

The Dodgers have avoided salary arbitration with catcher Russell Martin, signing him to a one-year, $3.9 million contract, according to a major-league source.
The deal is the largest ever awarded to a catcher in his first year of arbitration.
Martin, who turns 26 on Feb. 15, batted .280 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs last season, appearing in 155 games.
Martin was an All-Star each of the last two seasons for the Dodgers.

My Fellow Dodger Fans

A slight modification from Barrack Obama's inauguration speech:

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, [Dodger fans] — they will be met.

[Dodger fans], in the face of our common dangers, in this [off-season] of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the [NL West], and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth [several World Series championships] and delivered them safely to future generations.

Let's hope Ned Colletti is listening.

Dodgers/ Repko Agree

The Dodgers and Jason Repko have come to an agreement in terms of salary. Repko will earn $500,000 (slightly above the league minimum) in 2009 with $90,000 of incentives on the table.

Other than his pre-season collision with Furcal, and destroying his ankle while scaling the outfield wall, can anyone remember a play this guy has been involved in?

I hope he stays healthy, but I'm not optimistic for an above average season.

Just To Be Clear

Scott Boras said in a recent interview that eight teams called about Andruw Jones upon his release from the Dodgers. They probably called Boras to tell him they want no part of that fat sack of crap, and don't even think about mentioning their club as the mystery team.

Quick Notes

It's now clear why the Dodgers passed on CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe and AJ Burnett. They've got Ramon Troncoso! Ken Gurnick reports that the Dodgers might opt to keep James McDonald in the bullpen and groom Troncoso for a starting spot this season. With the signings of Mota, Estes, and Vargas the Dodgers are clearly just trying to get lucky. Kinda makes you wonder who they're going to find next?

Gurnick also reports that Jonathan Broxton, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, and Jason Repko filled for arbitration. The end of the article notes that the "Dodgers are 14-6 in cases decided with a hearing and haven't lost one since 2001." That's Kim Ng working hard for the McCourts. Personally, I hope Ethier gets the payday he deserves.

Martin seeks extension

Russell Martin seems to be hinting at wanting a long-term deal with the Dodgers. From Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm always interested in a long-term deal," Martin said. "Who wouldn't be?"

On the day the Dodgers formally released Andruw Jones, owners Frank and Jamie McCourt invited Martin to a private lunch here [Camelback Ranch]. Martin, an All-Star in each of the last two years, then joined the McCourts on a media tour of the Dodgers' new spring home. Martin said the lunch was informal, and his contract status did not come up. He officially filed for salary arbitration Thursday -- as did Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier and Jason Repko -- and General Manager Ned Colletti said the Dodgers are "concentrating on a one-year [contract] at the moment." But Martin, who has changed agents this winter, said he hoped to discuss a long-term extension as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess the real question is not whether or not to sign Martin to a multi-year deal, but as to how long. If he's the Dodgers starting catcher for the next 3-4 seasons, his health will be a concern. If he's given a start at third base once a week or so, combined with the occasional day off, Martin has a chance to stay away from the DL. Coletti had to be thinking that Martin was the long-term catching solution when he sent the Dodgers best catching prospect to the Indians in the Casey Blake trade last season.

Martin deserves a legitimate back-up catcher this season. The likes of Mike Lieberthal, Gary Bennett, and Danny Ardoin are not enough to spell Martin's defensive skills and/or replace his bat in the lineup. Brad Ausmus, Henry Blanco, and Ivan Rodriguez are among the free-agent catchers this off-season that the Dodgers should be looking at. Pudge would undoubtedly have the biggest price-tag of the three, considering that he calls Scott Boras his agent. Ausmus and Blanco don't swing a big bat, but their defense and game-calling abilities would suffice.

The Dodgers have made their goals for this offseason pretty clear, but they need to add a back-up catcher to that list....and then give Martin his due.

Franky, You Got Some 'Splaining To Do

Other Dodger blogs have already expressed their thoughts on the recent article by Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times. However, enough cannot be said about the outright disgrace Frank and Jamie McCourt have cast upon the Dodgers with their handling of the Derek Lowe situation. Take it away Dylan:

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said many times this off-season that Lowe made it clear to the club that he intended to sign elsewhere.

Lowe's agent, Scott Boras, said the pitcher never told him anything of that nature.

"Derek told me he enjoyed pitching for [Dodgers Manager] Joe [Torre] and would have considered L.A.," Boras said. "But early in the process when I was collecting information from teams, I spoke to the Dodgers and they indicated they were going in a different direction."

Torre and his coaching staff wanted Lowe back but that sentiment wasn't shared by owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, with whom the pitcher had personality conflicts. Lowe's relationship with a Fox Sports West anchor who covered the team -- which resulted in the dissolution of their respective marriages -- did not help in the eyes of ownership.

Is that supposed to make us feel better about our most reliable pitcher of the past four years going south? Given who's left (Wolf, Pettitte, Sheets) why did McCourt suddenly decide to take the high road and spurn non-positive image players? Isn't this the same owner that signed Rafael Furcal to TWO deals after his multiple DUI's? Isn't this the same owner that signed Joe Beimel after he broke curfew and lied to his employers about his whereabouts during a playoff trip in New York?

Unless a player has a reputation for having one too many run ins with the law, his off-field behavior should not play a role in deciding whether to sign him or not. While it's certainly frowned upon by this website, cheating on your wife isn't against the law.

If you think Derek Lowe's unfaithfulness is an isolated incident then it's time to take your blinders off. After all, what do you think they talk about in those "players only" meetings at the beginning of each season? Why do you think certain road trips are deemed "family friendly" and others aren't?

This one hurts because Lowe would have gone a long way to ensure more playing time in October. Frank and Jamie McCourt should be embarrassed.

Rumblings

• The Dodgers have expressed interest in starting pitcher Kris Benson.

• The Guillermo Mota deal is not done, reports Tony Jackson.

• Fire Ned Colletti Now has an excellent report on Dodgers players and their winter league progress.

• True Blue LA, and Sons of Steve Garvey share opinions on lack of excitement this off-season, and wonder when/what the Dodgers are going to do.

In a final thought, we know the Dodgers are playing it patient this off-season. Kim Ng confirmed this when she dropped the date of February 14th as a semi deadline, and said it may be weeks before anything is done with Manny. Assuming the Dodgers do sign Ramirez, when do you think it will be? Lets set the over/under for February 11th, two weeks before spring training. I'll take the over.

Mota Rejoins Dodgers

Assuming he passes his physical Guillermo Mota will be serving a second tour of duty at the Ravine. From dodgers.com:

The Dodgers have agreed to terms with free-agent reliever Guillermo Mota, pending a physical on Tuesday, according to a baseball source.

The signing of Mota would bolster an otherwise youthful bullpen after the losses of veterans Takashi Saito, Joe Beimel, Chan Ho Park and Scott Proctor. The current bullpen consists of closer Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, Cory Wade, James McDonald, Ramon Troncoso, Eric Stults and possibly Claudio Vargas.

Mota was acquired by the Dodgers from Montreal during Spring Training of 2002 and traded away with Paul Lo Duca and Juan Encarnacion to Florida for Brad Penny and Hee-Seop Choi on July 30, 2004. While with the Dodgers, Mota emerged as the ideal setup man during Eric Gagne's remarkable run as the top closer in the game.

The right-hander hasn't been the same pitcher since being traded away. He had a 2.60 ERA while with the Dodgers, a 4.79 ERA since. He's also served a 50-day suspension for violating MLB's drug policy and bounced from the Marlins to the Indians to the Mets and spent 2008 pitching for Milwaukee.

He was 5-6 for the Brewers, pitching in 58 games with a 4.11 ERA, his lowest ERA since he left the Dodgers. He earned $3.2 million last year.

I miss Joe Beimel already. Let's hope some of that Giovanni Carrara magic rubs off onto Mota.

Waiting Is The Hardest Part

If anyone knows anything about being patient and waiting for the right opportunity it has got to be Dodgers Assistant GM, Kim Ng. Below, from a recent interview on XM Radio, she offers her thoughts on the slow developments this off-season. Thanks to Diamond Leung for the information.

The most important thing is to just keep talking. I don't think we've drawn our line in the sand at all (at two years or two years plus an option year). I do think it's going to take a lot of discussion. I do think Scott is out there looking at his other options, and Manny is looking at his other options. I think a lot of other clubs are a little slow progressing as well, which is probably adding to our situation because obviously Manny's going to find the place for him. So it's all intertwined.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us do some things in the next couple weeks. Maybe a little flurry here and there. Hopefully we can get some things done. We're definitely working the phones. We've got a lot of people that we're talking to, both relievers and starters, and obviously Manny. We're just going to have to wait and see.

I would ask the fans to be patient. We still got a month to go. We're not at Feb. 14 yet. Even when we do get to Feb. 14, that's not the same as opening day. There's still a lot of time to go, so just be patient.

Fair enough.

Pinch Hitting

Tony Jackson has an article in today's Daily News that discusses the Dodger's needs from this point forward. While much has been made of our dread-locked hero and the starting rotation, there hasn't been much news on pinch hitting. From the article:

It isn't clear where Colletti will turn for that additional bat off the bench he is looking for. Dodgers officials still haven't completely closed the door on re-signing Nomar Garciaparra, who fits what they are looking for despite the fact he did six stints on the disabled list in his three seasons with the club.

"We would also like to address the bench and maybe add one more player, somebody who can come off the bench with some versatility. There are a lot of different ways we could do that. But I think having a veteran bat off the bench would be a plus."

There haven't been any rumors regarding this player, and he still might choose to retire, but the Dodgers should take a serious look at Jeff Kent.

You'll say he's old, but the role of pinch hitter allows that.

You'll say he's slow, but once he gets on base he could be replaced by speedster Juan Pierre.

You'll say he has limited fielding range, but he won't be doing much fielding in 2009.

You'll say he has lost his power, but clutch hits and doubles have been his MO all along.

You'll say he's a club house cancer, but lets not forget that the sheriff of Dodgertown is none other than Joe Torre. Who better to manage an aging, grizzled veteran?

Last season when Torre wrote in Blake DeWitt as his starting second basemen during the playoffs nary a word was heard from Kent. Had it have been Jim Tracy or Grady Little running the ship, Jeff Kent would have raised holy hell. However, the respect for each other transcended that situation. Kent has been known to view his baseball stature above others, but how can you view yourself above Joe Torre? Even Kent knows to stay clear of that one.

Jeff Kent would provide the Dodgers with a veteran clutch bat, spot starts and a professional approach to the game. Is it in him to accept a lesser role and subsequently lesser pay for one more shot at a championship? Will he be willing to come off the bench only to go right back on it?

Some of you don't think he will, and frankly I don't disagree.

But remember, that 92 times last year, when the Dodgers really needed someone to come to the plate and deliver a late innings hit they turned to Mark Sweeney and his .130 batting average. Need I say more?

Not Everyone Is Greg Maddux

Since Trevor Hoffman signed with the Brewers earlier today this direct example might not be relative; however, it still illustrates the thoughts we've heard on several players. The following paragraphs were taken from Bill Plaschke's recent article in the Los Angeles Times:

Oh, and in any case, they need to complete the signing of Trevor Hoffman.

Yes, he's aging and erratic, but he still had 30 saves in 34 opportunities for a dreadful San Diego Padres team last year, he still pitched strong at the end of the season, and he still has the sort of work ethic that can help the Dodgers in more places than the mound.

Think Greg Maddux, but in the bullpen. Think of one of the best closers in history grooming Jonathan Broxton for that job.

However, as Nat pointed out during our Hoffman discussions last night, what if Hoffman doesn't want to teach other people? What if Trevor Hoffman is a recluse who chooses not to pass on his trade secrets? Further more, what makes you think ANYONE could throw a change-up like Trevor Hoffman? Sandy Koufax has been mentoring young pitchers in spring training for decades and we've yet to see anything like him.

The Dodgers got a player/mentor in Greg Maddux for sure, but who's to say similar players would be willing to mentor the kids. I'm pretty sure Blake DeWitt wasn't knocking on Jeff Kent's door last season seeking sage advice. I don't recall Barry Bonds breaking down a teammate's swing during his record setting seasons. Just because a player has a storied past doesn't mean he's going to pass it on to future generations.

Plan B?

There should be another slugger on Ned Coletti's radar for the 2009 season. This outfielder was an NL MVP candidate back in '07, and if not for a nagging hamstring, might have seen his name mentioned for the honor in '08. It's likely he won't be moved until the July 31st trade deadline this year, but he would be well worth the wait. Oddly, his trade to the Oakland A's back in November did not draw much media attention.

This former NL West resident will be eligible for free agency at the end of the '09 campaign, and barring a complete meltdown this season, would command a large and lengthy contract. Ironically enough, he plays the same position as Manny Ramirez.

Knowing how Oakland GM Billy Beane operates, there's good reason to believe that if the A's are sellers at the deadline, Matt Holliday will be finishing his season with another team. If Coletti fails to sign Manny this off-season, Dodger fans should realize that there is always motive behind a GM's moves. He would not be doing his homework if he thrust all hopes of a 2nd straight playoff appearance in the signing of Manny. That's why there's good reason to believe in a Plan B.

Don't Hassle The Hoff

Rather than comment ourselves we'll let the fine post over at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness make the argument for/ against Trevor Hoffman.

Stockholm Syndrome

Bill Shaikin of the LA Times has authored a piece about the possibility of the Dodgers signing Trevor Hoffman. The article shifts into Manny talks before finally concluding on tickets sales. From the article:

The club projects to sell about 24,000 season tickets, the same as last year, he said. The sales pace is ahead of last year, he said, citing the Dodgers' first trip to the NL championship series in 20 years and the price freeze on season tickets.

Renewal payments are due Friday, and Mannion said he does not expect the uncertainty over Ramirez to impact most of the roughly 10% of accounts still outstanding.

"We've had plenty of 'Hope you sign Manny' but not 'You won't see a penny from me if you don't,' " Mannion said.

Still, he said, the Dodgers probably could sell another 2,000 season seats if they do sign Ramirez. At the average ticket price of $29.66, according to Team Marketing Report, plus the roughly $17 that each fan spends on food, drink and parking, those additional 2,000 seats would translate into about $7.5 million in gross revenue.

It appears the Dodgers are well on their way to once again selling 3+ million tickets. With 2008 being the glaring difference, the Dodgers haven't exactly been the poster boys of success during the past twenty years. Yet each season despite the failures, the injuries, the rising costs of going to a game, and Brett Tomko we still attend. We're being held captive and truly loving it.

Scott Boras=Giant Liar

The other day my father and I were having a conversation regarding the possibility of the Giants signing Manny Ramirez. While not quite sold on it, he certainly believed there was a chance that Ramirez might head north. I however, wasn't buying it.

As of this posting Manny Ramirez has received only ONE offer, and it comes courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the Dodgers that's great. For Team Manny not so much. As Manny's demand is dropping Scott Boras is having to get more creative. I reasoned that by bringing other teams (falsely) into the mix he's essentially trying to get Ned to bid against himself.

And then today this comes out...

As hard as Scott Boras may be trying to portray the San Francisco Giants as serious bidders for Manny Ramirez , it's even harder to find executives in baseball who believe that.

According to one source familiar with the Giants' thinking, just about every recent rumor connecting the Giants with Manny is "unfounded" or "baloney."

"If a million things came together over the next few weeks, would it be possible? Maybe," the source told ESPN.com. "But for where [Boras] is right now and where the team is right now, it doesn't make sense economically and it doesn't make sense for how the team fits together."

Industry sources estimate that the Giants' payroll, with no other additions or subtractions, is already likely to be north of $85 million -- and would be more than $90 million if you include deferred money owed to Barry Bonds. That's already significantly higher than last year's payroll (about $77 million) and close to the highest in team history. So signing Ramirez would push them well beyond $100 million. And multiple sources indicate there is virtually no scenario that would allow them to maintain a payroll in that range.

Assuming this report is accurate then that would leave the Nationals and Orioles as the only other teams mentioned in the Ramirez sweepstakes. Judging by the non-existence of ANY offers I don't see either of those teams, or the Giants, stepping up.

Manny will be back in Los Angeles in 2009. For how much, and for how long, really depends on Ned Colletti.

Dodgers Shed Pounds

2009 just got a whole lot better, and all it took was two days. Andruw Jones has opted for deferred annual installments of his $22 million for the next six years, thus freeing up a significant amount of money for the upcoming season. In the era of greed and selfishness among players and agents, Jones should be commended for at least working with the Dodgers to ease the pain of the biggest free agent bust in recent memory.

Hopefully, the Dodgers will be able to trade him. For what? Who knows. But something along the lines of "Dodgers ship Jones to Mets, get 2 dozen baseballs in return" should suffice.

Strange But True

Jayson Stark at ESPN.com has an article with 2008's weirdest baseball stats/ plays/ box scores. His list is quite extensive; however, he fails to mention the fact that the Dodgers won a game without getting a hit. On the list however is this one...

"Rafael Furcal committed more errors in one crazy NLCS inning (three) than Omar Vizquel committed all season (two)."

Anybody remember that one, or just me? Ouch.

The Cupcake

I don’t remember the score, or even who the Dodgers played, but I certainly remember who I was with on the night of July 12, 2008. Turns out the Dodgers lost 5-3 in extra innings to the Florida Marlins. Andruw Jones even managed to get on base that night! Although in all fairness it was after a strikeout and bobble by the catcher.

Yet, the night belonged to the two of us.

Upon conclusion of the game the fans were allowed on the field to partake in the after game fireworks show. Having been to two other on-field fireworks shows this was nothing new to my lady friend and I; however, the magic of fireworks always seems to spark something inside a person. As fathers and sons played catch, and kids ran around joyously, we grabbed our spot and watched the sky light up with independence magic.

As I reflect, this will forever be remembered as my favorite Dodger memory of 2008.