Ken Gurnick of MLB.com is reporting a minor league deal between Brian Giles and the Los Angeles Dodgers is official. Giles will compete for a fifth outfielder or pinch hitter role in Spring Training. Giles, who will begin the season at the ripe age of 39, has a tough uphill battle ahead. Had this signing taken place about four years ago, this signing would actually be good news. Instead Giles who struggled terribly in 2009, managed to hit .191 in 61 games. Giles has an opt-out clause in the contract, should he not make the major league club.
What does this signing mean? Absolutely nothing! Giles is washed up, and this becomes another unnecessary signing by Ned Colletti. I don't get it, I really don't. We have plenty of young guys begging for an opportunity, and Colletti continues to throw money down the toilet on guys like Giles and Ramon Ortiz.
Around The Bases
Here are some links from around the web to celebrate the Ramon Ortiz signing earlier today.
Dylan Hernandez provides us with the link for the L.A. Times new Dodgers blog. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/ Former L.A. Daily News columnist and Dodgers beat writer Steve Dilbeck will be heading up the new blog.
Sons of Steve Garvey provides an early look at the even uglier 2010 Spring Training baseball caps.
Chad from Memories of Kevin Malone takes a deeper look at the outcome of the Carlos Santana trade. This is the best read of the week so far, so get reading. Chad appropriately closes the book on this one by saying "there's a lot of angles one can attempt to defend Colletti from, but that trade is clearly not one of them."
Dylan Hernandez provides us with the link for the L.A. Times new Dodgers blog. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/ Former L.A. Daily News columnist and Dodgers beat writer Steve Dilbeck will be heading up the new blog.
Sons of Steve Garvey provides an early look at the even uglier 2010 Spring Training baseball caps.
Chad from Memories of Kevin Malone takes a deeper look at the outcome of the Carlos Santana trade. This is the best read of the week so far, so get reading. Chad appropriately closes the book on this one by saying "there's a lot of angles one can attempt to defend Colletti from, but that trade is clearly not one of them."
2010 Dodgers Complete Minor League Signings
Below you will the complete list of minor league signings by the Dodgers. All players below have received an invite to Spring Training 2010, and will have a chance to compete for a spot on the major league roster. The list is sorted by position, and I will keep it fresh and up to date as we inch closer to Opening Day.
C J.D. Closser
C Justin Knoedler
1B John Lindsey
1B Doug Mientkiewicz
2B Argenis Reyes
SS Angel Berroa
SS Nick Green
OF Brian Giles
OF Alfredo Amezaga
OF Brian Barton
OF Jay Gibbons
OF Timo Perez
OF Prentice Redman
OF Michael Restovich
LHP Juan Perez
LHP John Koronka
RHP Jeff Weaver
RHP Luis Ayala
RHP Scott Dohmann
RHP Ramon Ortiz
RHP Franciso Felix
RHP Justin Miller
RHP Russ Ortiz
RHP Josh Towers
C J.D. Closser
C Justin Knoedler
1B John Lindsey
1B Doug Mientkiewicz
2B Argenis Reyes
SS Angel Berroa
SS Nick Green
OF Brian Giles
OF Alfredo Amezaga
OF Brian Barton
OF Jay Gibbons
OF Timo Perez
OF Prentice Redman
OF Michael Restovich
LHP Juan Perez
LHP John Koronka
RHP Jeff Weaver
RHP Luis Ayala
RHP Scott Dohmann
RHP Ramon Ortiz
RHP Franciso Felix
RHP Justin Miller
RHP Russ Ortiz
RHP Josh Towers
Ramon Ortiz Signs Minor League Deal With Dodgers
Alright this is just getting out of hand now. Honestly, I laughed out loud when I saw this. Somebody needs to tell Ned Colletti you can only have one AAA team. He must be trying to set a record or something. Anyway back to Ramon Ortiz, he sucks.
It shames me to even have to add his name to my minor league transactions page. There are so many players on this list it has become ridiculous. Colletti is a numbers guy. He knows that if you throw enough crap on the wall something will eventually stick.
It shames me to even have to add his name to my minor league transactions page. There are so many players on this list it has become ridiculous. Colletti is a numbers guy. He knows that if you throw enough crap on the wall something will eventually stick.
...Or Maybe Not, Colletti Signs Weaver and Amezaga
Call me an idiot for thinking our roster was full, but I guess Colletti wanted 42 players on the 40 man roster. I don't get it. Isn't this a little overboard? I understand the need for depth in your roster, but seriously? In case you haven't heard the Dodgers and Jeff Weaver agreed to a minor league deal worth $800K. As of about 9pm last night the deal was official, according to Dylan Hernandez. Don't worry Colletti didn't forget to include the incentives on this one either. Hernandez is tweeting he can earn another $100K in incentives based on performance.
So that makes 41 players on a 40 man roster? Technically not really since Jeff Weaver signed a minor league deal. The Dodgers are going to want Weaver to contribute at the major league level, otherwise they wouldn't have signed him. The Dodgers got around this by giving him a minor league deal, and therefore putting off the tough roster decision that will ultimately have to be made. In order for someone to be added to the 40 man roster someone will have to be removed. Repko's days as a Dodger could be numbered. Maybe can trade him to the Pirates...
Dylan Hernandez also says the Dodgers and utilityman Alfredo Amezaga agreed on a minor league deal yesterday. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the deal is worth $650K, with up to another $800K in incentives. Amezaga is essentially the new backup shortstop for the Dodgers, but some obstacles remain in the way. The first issue is Amezaga becomes number 42 on the 40 man roster, we covered this above. The next problem is we have a ridiculous amount of competition for this job. Nick Green, Chin-lung Hu, Angel Berroa, and now Amezaga are all hoping for the same role on the bench. I am sorry but what a waste of money and time. Hu would've been fine for the Dodgers bench, but somebody apparently hates this guy and instead wants some overpaid garbage to do the job instead. So with Hu out, this leaves Green, Berroa, and Amezaga to battle it out. Out of these three guys I will take Amezaga anyday. First of all Berroa is one of the worst major league players I have ever seen. For that reason he will be left out of the conversation entirely. Green never made a lot of sense, he can barely hit and his defense is average at best. Amezaga brings the ability to be a super utilityman since he can play every position but pitcher and catcher. Defensively Amezaga is above average at most positions, which alone seals the deal in my opinion. He is also a switch-hitter which will help his case, since the Dodgers have an all righty bench currently.
There are going to be a lot of guys waiting for a phone call in Albuquerque in 2010.
So that makes 41 players on a 40 man roster? Technically not really since Jeff Weaver signed a minor league deal. The Dodgers are going to want Weaver to contribute at the major league level, otherwise they wouldn't have signed him. The Dodgers got around this by giving him a minor league deal, and therefore putting off the tough roster decision that will ultimately have to be made. In order for someone to be added to the 40 man roster someone will have to be removed. Repko's days as a Dodger could be numbered. Maybe can trade him to the Pirates...
Dylan Hernandez also says the Dodgers and utilityman Alfredo Amezaga agreed on a minor league deal yesterday. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the deal is worth $650K, with up to another $800K in incentives. Amezaga is essentially the new backup shortstop for the Dodgers, but some obstacles remain in the way. The first issue is Amezaga becomes number 42 on the 40 man roster, we covered this above. The next problem is we have a ridiculous amount of competition for this job. Nick Green, Chin-lung Hu, Angel Berroa, and now Amezaga are all hoping for the same role on the bench. I am sorry but what a waste of money and time. Hu would've been fine for the Dodgers bench, but somebody apparently hates this guy and instead wants some overpaid garbage to do the job instead. So with Hu out, this leaves Green, Berroa, and Amezaga to battle it out. Out of these three guys I will take Amezaga anyday. First of all Berroa is one of the worst major league players I have ever seen. For that reason he will be left out of the conversation entirely. Green never made a lot of sense, he can barely hit and his defense is average at best. Amezaga brings the ability to be a super utilityman since he can play every position but pitcher and catcher. Defensively Amezaga is above average at most positions, which alone seals the deal in my opinion. He is also a switch-hitter which will help his case, since the Dodgers have an all righty bench currently.
There are going to be a lot of guys waiting for a phone call in Albuquerque in 2010.
Dodgers Check Back In On Chien-Ming Wang
We found out in the beginning of December that the Dodgers were interested in Wang's services. Mark J. Miller of Yahoo Sports provides some new details regarding the free agent right-hander. Miller says the Dodgers are one of the four or five remaining teams interested in Wang. Miller also says that Wang had originally wanted to wait a few months to make a decision, but the interest in his services may force him to make a decision prior to the end of Spring Training. The Dodgers have made their interest well known and they have reviewed Wang's medical records, according to Dylan Hernandez.
Miller later adds that "the Los Angeles Dodgers apparently took a look at Chien-Ming Wang and the consensus was apparently that he's got a few months to go before he is healthy enough to contribute to a big-league club."
Wang is a perfect fit for the Dodgers, especially in the pitcher friendly Dodger Stadium. Wang has a high ground-ball ratio, and has an excellent supporting cast defensively to support him. Wang's scenario is often getting compared to Pedro Martinez's situation last year. Considering the similarities I can see how this makes sense. One important detail I notice being left off is the ten year age difference between the two players. While the Dodgers passed on Pedro last season due to the high risk which later backfired, Colletti and the Dodgers would be foolish to pass up this opportunity.
Miller later adds that "the Los Angeles Dodgers apparently took a look at Chien-Ming Wang and the consensus was apparently that he's got a few months to go before he is healthy enough to contribute to a big-league club."
Wang is a perfect fit for the Dodgers, especially in the pitcher friendly Dodger Stadium. Wang has a high ground-ball ratio, and has an excellent supporting cast defensively to support him. Wang's scenario is often getting compared to Pedro Martinez's situation last year. Considering the similarities I can see how this makes sense. One important detail I notice being left off is the ten year age difference between the two players. While the Dodgers passed on Pedro last season due to the high risk which later backfired, Colletti and the Dodgers would be foolish to pass up this opportunity.
Dodgers Sign Reed Johnson, Colletti Done Shopping
The Dodgers filled the last spot on the 40 man roster today by signing Reed Johnson to a one year deal. Dylan Hernandez is tweeting that the deal is official after Johnson passed the physical yesterday afternoon. The deal is worth $800K in guaranteed money, and Johnson can earn up to $250K in incentives based on games played and plate appearances.
Other than the fact that Johnson plays a pretty good leftfield, I don't see how this signing makes any sense. He can't really hit all that well, and is mediocre at best at everything else. Jason Repko or Xavier Paul could have gotten the same job done in 2010. I knew Colletti was going to waste money on a fourth outfielder, oh well.
Ned Colletti is justifying the signing by saying, “Reed is a versatile outfielder that comes to the ballpark ready to play every day,” said Colletti. “We’re excited to have him with the Dodgers. He provides Joe with a few defensive choices since he has played all three outfield positions in his career.”
Last season, Johnson hit .255 with four homers and 22 RBI in 65 games. One big plus was his ability to hit .324 against left-handed pitching, and .455 with the bases loaded. On top of that Johnson is a career .294 hitter with runners in scoring position. What lies ahead for Repko and Paul?
Other than the fact that Johnson plays a pretty good leftfield, I don't see how this signing makes any sense. He can't really hit all that well, and is mediocre at best at everything else. Jason Repko or Xavier Paul could have gotten the same job done in 2010. I knew Colletti was going to waste money on a fourth outfielder, oh well.
Ned Colletti is justifying the signing by saying, “Reed is a versatile outfielder that comes to the ballpark ready to play every day,” said Colletti. “We’re excited to have him with the Dodgers. He provides Joe with a few defensive choices since he has played all three outfield positions in his career.”
Last season, Johnson hit .255 with four homers and 22 RBI in 65 games. One big plus was his ability to hit .324 against left-handed pitching, and .455 with the bases loaded. On top of that Johnson is a career .294 hitter with runners in scoring position. What lies ahead for Repko and Paul?
Dodgers January Rumors and News Recap
The Dodgers have been busy this winter despite what you may be reading elsewhere. For those of you whose lives are too busy to keep with all the rumors and news on a daily basis, this is for you. This is the January monthly recap where you have a chance to get caught up on all that has gone on with one quick look. To keep up with all the latest Dodgers news and rumors easier, I recommend subscribing in a reader to get your daily dosage of Dodgers information.
For those of you who are not familiar with "readers" check out the following website www.google.com/reader
The month of January proved to be more productive than last month. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was able to shore up the rest of the starting roster, and has a few more decisions to make.
I started the month of January with a projected outlook on filling the remaining holes of the Dodgers 25 man roster. Two short weeks later Colletti brought back Brad Ausmus, Ronnie Belliard, and Vicente Padilla on one year deals. With these transactions official, it was time to release volume two of filling the remaining holes.
GM Ned Colletti and his assistant Kim Ng worked together to avoid arbitration with all nine eligible players. The Dodgers were able to hand two year deals to Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Jonathan Broxton.
Matt Kemp and James Loney were two profiled players in the month of January. Both of these guys are going to be keys to the Dodgers success in 2010.
The Dodgers announced their 2010 minicamp participants, some exciting names to watch this year.
We also saw a few rumors regarding Garrett Anderson, Noah Lowry, Eric Gagne, Ben Sheets, and Robb Quinlan. All of these players remain possibilities except for Sheets who recently signed with Oakland Athletics.
A complete list of all the minor league signings was released, I still like Mientkiewicz to make the team.
Finally the options for the fifth spot in the rotation were presented. We all know Eric Stults is gunning for the fifth rotation spot, as he is looking for permanent role in 2010. While Charlie Haeger won the fans vote (and mine) for the fifth rotation spot.
For those of you who are not familiar with "readers" check out the following website www.google.com/reader
The month of January proved to be more productive than last month. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was able to shore up the rest of the starting roster, and has a few more decisions to make.
I started the month of January with a projected outlook on filling the remaining holes of the Dodgers 25 man roster. Two short weeks later Colletti brought back Brad Ausmus, Ronnie Belliard, and Vicente Padilla on one year deals. With these transactions official, it was time to release volume two of filling the remaining holes.
GM Ned Colletti and his assistant Kim Ng worked together to avoid arbitration with all nine eligible players. The Dodgers were able to hand two year deals to Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Jonathan Broxton.
Matt Kemp and James Loney were two profiled players in the month of January. Both of these guys are going to be keys to the Dodgers success in 2010.
The Dodgers announced their 2010 minicamp participants, some exciting names to watch this year.
We also saw a few rumors regarding Garrett Anderson, Noah Lowry, Eric Gagne, Ben Sheets, and Robb Quinlan. All of these players remain possibilities except for Sheets who recently signed with Oakland Athletics.
A complete list of all the minor league signings was released, I still like Mientkiewicz to make the team.
Finally the options for the fifth spot in the rotation were presented. We all know Eric Stults is gunning for the fifth rotation spot, as he is looking for permanent role in 2010. While Charlie Haeger won the fans vote (and mine) for the fifth rotation spot.
James McDonald | (20%) |
Eric Stults | (19%) |
Charlie Haeger | (38%) |
Josh Lindblom | (20%) |
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