Kevin Baxter and Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times bring us the latest from Tinseltown…
- Pitching is the number one item on the Dodgers' shopping list this offseason. "Pitching is a priority — both starters and relievers," said GM Ned Colletti. "We're open-minded to both left-handers and right-handers."
- Colletti declined to give an exact number, but he promised that payroll would rise from the $95MM or so they spent in 2010.
- Ted Lilly might end up being the Dodgers' biggest pickup. They aren't likely to pursue Cliff Lee, and could instead turn to Carl Pavano, Javier Vazquez, and Jake Westbrook. Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla might also become options if their prices drop as the offseason progresses.
- Colletti also wants to add a left fielder, "full time or platoon," plus figure out his bench and catching situation. Russell Martin is a non-tender candidate, but they could look at Miguel Olivo.
- There is nothing to indicate that the Dodgers will make a run at either Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth.
- "We're going to be active. Whether it's via free agency or trades," said Angels GM Tony Reagins. "We're going to look at the opportunities and be aggressive when the opportunity presents itself."
- Owner Arte Moreno is expected to approve a 10% payroll increase, pushing it to about $135MM. The team already has close to $93MM committed to 2011 contracts, not including the arbitration eligible Jered Weaver, Howie Kendrick, and Erick Aybar.
- The Times' scribes call Werth and Adrian Beltre "more economical Plan B options" to Crawford, relatively speaking of course. Both Werth and Beltre are Scott Boras clients however, and the Angels still have a bad taste in their mouths from the Mark Teixeira negotiations two winters ago.
- Rafael Soriano might be an option after Fernando Rodney's terrible finish (6.08 ERA after Sept. 1st).
I’d like to see the Dodgers get in to the Greinke sweepstakes…
Dee Gordon
Trayvon Robinson
Allen Webster
Kenley Jansen.
instead of Giving Kenley Jansen, I would Give Broxton. This kid is going to be our closer soon
i would love it if we did that but maybe we could sub someone for kenley jansen. i think jansen should be our future closer.
i hate how this website dismisses the dodgers from getting any possible big name, i absolutely hate it!
The truth hurts sometimes
so just because this website says something it makes it truth? i did not know that. but you know everything because your a giants fan right?
it’s not like the writers are just making things up on this site
i sure do. the writers on here are realistic not optimistic about your crappy dodgers.
oh yeah we’re crappy. you guys FINALLY have a good season and FINALLY win your first world series in san francisco, get over yourself. you guys won’t win crap for another century or so.
And when will the Dodgers ever win anything again? You guys had success for like a 35 year period in your 120 year history. Pathetic. Using history and championships to compare with other teams is an indication that you are a tool and don’t really know why you are a supposed Dodgers fan. lol
Sincerest pity,
Angels fan. :-)
dodgers just finished up the 22nd season without going to the world series. how long do you think it will be before they get there? i think they’re going to give the cubs a run for their money
i sure do. the writers on here are realistic not optimistic about your crappy dodgers.
I have no idea why West Coast writers keep bringing up Javier Vasquez. The guy was in AZ for one season and he thought he was going to fall into the Pacific Ocean (he has stated openly if it was his choice he would not go to West Coast).
$25-30M more available for payroll for the Angels eh? 12 hours till free agency? Lets get goin!
garland’s not coming back he hates LA.westbrook’s going to stay with the cards.vasquez wont come to the west coast. pavano’s probably a 10 million dollar pitcher which LA cant afford. kuroda is unnaforable too. padilla’s the only one left. hhow come no one’s mentioned harden? that would be an injury prone but solid 5 for the dodgers
1.Lilly
2.Billingsley
3.Kershaw
4.Padilla
5.Harden
i hope that those aren’t in order. lilly number one? no way bud.
1. Kershaw
2. Billingsley
3. Lilly
thats how it will be.
Bringing in Harden will kill the Dodgers hope of having the 4 hitting coaches they seek; that money would have to be spent on an Army medical battalion.
Bringing in Harden will kill the Dodgers hope of having the 4 hitting coaches they seek; that money would have to be spent on an Army medical battalion.
Id rather have Kuroda than Padilla
Likewise. Kuroda is very underrated, which I guess is what he gets for playing on a team that plays when most of the rest of the country is asleep.
I have an idea for the Angels.
– Sign Beltre 3 years 40 million +club option for 4th year.
– Trade Mike Napoli to the Red Sox for Jacoby Ellsbury.
– Trade Juan Rivera for a fringe LHP prospect.
– Trade Callaspo for LHP prospect.
– Cut Jeff Mathis.
LF Ellsbury
DH Abreu
3B Beltre
1B Morales
RF Hunter
2B Kendrick
C Conger
SS Aybar
CF Bourjos
BENCH: Wilson, Wood, Willits, Izturis, Pettit
ROTATION: Weaver, Haren, Santana, Pineiro, Kazmir
BULLPEN: Rodney, Walden, Jepsen, Kohn, Bulger, Thomspon
The team salary stays at 125-130 million, leaves the team with financial flexibility, brings in great defense at 3B and LF, lands us a middle of the order bat as well as a lead off hitter and doesn’t sacrifice any of our prospects.
I like your thinking
But I really feel they need to trade eat up
Abreu and sign Konerko for DH his numbers are impressive
There is no reason to trade Abreu. He was one of the few Angels that actually dod something in 2010. He went from 29 doubles in 2009 to 41 doubles in 2010. When you don’t have a leadoff hitter, and no #2 hitter, your middle of the order bats won’t do anything. Like Edgar Martinez from 1990-1994, if you don’t have anyone at the top of the order hitting in front of you, you don’t drive in runs.
The only reason I like this is because the Angels could afford Soriano if they pulled this off, but I’d actually like it more if they got both Crawford and Beltre and if Bourjos could somehow learn to bat leadoff, I think this would give the Angels more offense.
However, my dream offseason includes the Angels acquiring Wright from the Mets and landing Crawford, but that’s not going to happen. It can’t hurt to dream though.
That would be dope if the anqels trade for wriqht i say they offer mike trout mike napoli trevor recklinq and fransico rodriquez
The only reason I like this is because the Angels could afford Soriano if they pulled this off, but I’d actually like it more if they got both Crawford and Beltre and if Bourjos could somehow learn to bat leadoff, I think this would give the Angels more offense.
However, my dream offseason includes the Angels acquiring Wright from the Mets and landing Crawford, but that’s not going to happen. It can’t hurt to dream though.
Napoli for Ellsbury? Youre crazy. I need some of what youre smoking!
You’re right, we better get at least one more prospect for trading away Napoli..
You’re right, we better get at least one more prospect for trading away Napoli..
Napoli for Ellsbury? Youre crazy. I need some of what youre smoking!
Chances of Beltre, on the open market, accepting 3yrs @ 40MM: Zero.
Chances of Beltre, on the open market, accepting 3yrs @ 40MM: Zero.
I like this. Would still like to get rid of Rodney.Jacoby Ellsbury makes sense to me because he was a compensation pick given to the Red Sox in exchange for singing Orlando Cabrera.It also would follow close to a pattern the Halos have followed over the past 15 years or so; whether it be keeping players from Southern California (Salmon, Edmonds, GA, Percival, Kennedy, Jepsen, Haren), or bringing back players who used to be in the Angels’ system (Callaspo)Just think what we could have had a few years ago if the front office had decided to give David Eckstein what he wanted (and deserved) in 2005. That would have given us another leadoff hitter to complement Chone Figgins, as well as a successor. Shame. My thinking is get either Ellsbury or Brett Gardner from the Yankees and just let those two teams fight over who will regret overpaying Carl Crawford by $10 million for the next 5 or 6 years. lol
near the end of the regualr season didn’t colletti say our priority this offseason would be a middle of the order bat? i guess he forgot how bad our offense was.
“…..and the Angels still have a bad taste in their mouths from the Mark Teixeira negotiations two winters ago.”
MOST teams have a bad taste in their mouths after dealing with Boras, and in most cases, it’s not even in their mouths…
“…..and the Angels still have a bad taste in their mouths from the Mark Teixeira negotiations two winters ago.”
MOST teams have a bad taste in their mouths after dealing with Boras, and in most cases, it’s not even in their mouths…
Angels sign Beltre and Crawford. This will put them back on track to beat the Rangers.
Angels sign Crawford and trade for Bell, Beltre is overrated he can play only in small parks.