Happy birthday to Clayton Kershaw, who turns 24 years old today. Kershaw has plenty to celebrate this year, between being the NL Cy Young Award winner and his new two-year, $19MM contract extension with the Dodgers.
Here's the latest out of L.A. from both the Dodgers and the Angels…
- Erick Aybar said that his agents have left the Angels Spring Training camp, reports Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. It was reported earlier today that Aybar and the Halos had made only slight progress on a contract extension for the shortstop.
- Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that he wants to play for three more years, though his age-40 season. Abreu just turned 38 on March 11. "That's what I want. I feel that I can keep playing," Abreu said. "I believe that you have to know when your body tells you when to stop. But I'm fine. I feel fine."
- Patrick Soon-Shiong has joined Steve Cohen's ownership group in a bid for the Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. Soon-Shiong, known as the richest man in Los Angeles, had been rumored to be joining the ownership group led by basketball legend Magic Johnson.
- Also from Shaikin, a mediator has reinstated the joint bid from Stanley Gold and the Roy Disney family into the Dodgers ownership process. The Gold/Disney group joins four other ownership groups in having their bids judged by MLB's owners, who are expected to vote on the matter by the end of the week.
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says it's too early to consider any possible roster needs before Opening Day, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. The Dodgers are also waiting until the club is sold in late April before making any possible additions to payroll.
