On this day in 1988, Los Angeles right-hander Orel Hershiser won the NL Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote after going 23-8 with a 2.31 ERA. Here are a few items of note regarding the Dodgers …
- Tom Golisano, the former owner of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, is preparing a bid to purchase the Dodgers, according to Craig Karmin and Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal. Golisano is "one of the first to declare an interest in buying the franchise who actually has the money to pull off the transaction," according to the report.
- Outgoing owner Frank McCourt hasn't told GM Ned Colletti not to spend on free agents — even ones of Prince Fielder's caliber — this offseason, a source tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Dodgers are "aggressively pursuing" infielders and are also interested in acquiring a catcher and starting pitchers, Major League sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Los Angeles is targeting Clint Barmes, Aaron Hill and Mark Ellis to play second base and/or a utility position.
- Juan Rivera's new contract with the Dodgers could be worth as much as $9MM over the next two seasons, according to Hernandez. The outfielder is guaranteed $4MM in 2012, with a $4MM option or $500K buyout for 2013, and he can earn as much as $500K in each of the next two seasons depending on his number of at-bats.
Am I the only one that doesn’t want ARam in a Dodgers uni? I watch a lot of Cubs games given I live in the Midwest and as good as he was and still is, he is not worth what he is asking. We already have one overpaid 3B in Uribe and Ramirez’s has far more of a history of injuries and is older. One year with a team option for a second is fine, but not the three years he wants and certainly for no more than 12 mil per.
I was never excited by the Uribe signing, but he brings plus defense to three infield positions and a reasonable amount of offensive power. If he’d had a par season in 2011 I don’t think anyone would be talking about it being a bad move. I really don’t get into values. All I really know is, the player market is what it is, and it changes every season based on the available players by position. Perhaps Uribe benefitted from that. Probably he did. One more thing for sure, he’s got two more seasons to show his worth.
Sign Aaron Hill and put him to bat 2nd. Perfect fit for Dodgers since we just lost Carroll and we need a legit #2 hitter. My Projected batting order: Gordon SS, Hill 2B, Kemp CF, Fielder 1B, Rivera LF, Ethier RF, Uribe 3B, Ellis C, Pitcher’s Spot.