Here are a few items out of Los Angeles as the Dodgers enjoy an off day before starting a three-game series at Wrigley Field…
- The Dodgers' seemingly minor offseason acquisitions have played a large role in the club's early success, writes MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.
- Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles profiles Mark Walter, the Dodgers' new majority owner who has purposely taken a back seat behind Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten as the faces of the team.
- At the new ownership group's introductory press conference on Wednesday, Kasten told reporters (including Steve Dilbeck of the L.A. Times) that he will be flexible with any limit on the team's payroll. “I expect moving forward it’s going to be north of where it is now,” Kasten said. “But I have to tell you, I never focus on a target in getting the 25 guys….So focus on the players that we get and don’t worry so much about the payroll. I don’t have a set number for you because we’re not going to do it that way. We’re going to take every opportunity that we can. If that means increasing payroll, then that’s what’s going to happen.”
- In news from earlier tonight, the Dodgers designated Mike MacDougal for assignment in order to make roster space for another right-hander, Ronald Belisario.
To this Dodger fan, Kasten has said exactly what I want to hear about payroll. If they actually go about building the team this way, then it will be a breath of fresh air.
Really? I found it a little disconcerting. Payroll increase hasn’t bode well for the Red Sox lately. Didn’t help the Mets in recent years. I know it will be nice to have some extra loot to pursue the big free agents, but it will be much nicer to start building up our farm system. Our international and amateur signings were especially scant under McCourt’s evil tyranny.
I didn’t read that as spending money for the sake of it, or exclusive of rebuilding the scouting or farm system. Kasten knows baseball. Coming from years of amateur team owners and artificial payroll limits, it all sounds good to me.
I see what you mean. Yes it will be good to have someone behind the curtain who knows baseball, as opposed to, say, parking lots?