The big news of the day for Dodger fans involves two non-Dodgers, Matt Cain and Joey Votto, who each signed contract extensions that remove them as acquisition targets for Los Angeles. Bob Nightengale of USA Today has details.
On the bright side, at least the Dodgers locked up Matt Kemp for what might be a relative bargain compared to the 28-year-old Votto’s 10-year, $225 million deal. More money to invest in the farm system!
Elsewhere …
- Magic Johnson will be a guest on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show tonight. In Los Angeles, that’s scheduled for 11:30 p.m. on KOCE 50.
- Dee Gordon is the subject of a lengthy profile by Jon Heyman at CBSSports.com.
- Jim Gullo’s new book “Trading Manny: How a Father & Son Learned to Love Baseball Again,” reviewed by Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News, looks like a potentially interesting read in addressing how a father and son try to defuse the effect of baseball’s substance-abuse saga.
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Anonymous
This means Brandon Phillips is gone. My Spidey sense tells me Phillips will be one of Magic’s first calls.
underdog
Could very well be. That is one possible upside of all this.
Joe Pierre
These two teams would be foolish or broke not to sign Cain and Votto. I think it makes a lot of sense to wait until a club lets a star that we can use go before we start getting even a little excited.
Anonymous
Can’t wait for the season to begin and btimmer continually drawing analogies with Soviet history.
Anonymous
If a Matt Cain gets that kind of money, what is a talented pitcher like Kershaw worth on the open market?
Anonymous
10 for 300. Hopefully he will be more Jared Weaver than Cream Cheese Sabathia in negotiations.
underdog
Votto’s a great player but, gosh, that contract… wow. A bit ludicrous.
Anonymous
Hope we are not “Back to the Nineties”.
Anonymous
This day in Lookouts history:
1931 – At Engel Stadium, Miss Jackie Mitchell strikes out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game held in Chattanooga, TN. The 17-year-old girl, a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts roster, also walks Tony Lazzeri in Chattanooga’s 14-4 loss to the New York Yankees. In 1933, Mitchell will pitch for the House of David baseball team.
Adam Luther
Grisham has a new baseball themed book (Calico Joe) out as well.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385536070/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0385511612&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=03J2JJK2P1Y07819G9T0 What are your Dodger thoughts on Grishman as fictional “sports” writer…Bleachers, Playing For Pizza, etc.???
Anonymous
Meanwhile, Todd Coffey is looking for his unconditional release.
Anonymous
He shouldn’t have to look far!
Anonymous
Nice pick by Uribe on Albert
Anonymous
Matt Cain is on the track I hoped Billz would be. SF fans are breathing a sigh of relief. I once blamed them for most of the inflation in player pay, but I had to admit they got it right with Bonds.Glad they got it wrong with the next Barry.
Anonymous
Aaron Rowand was regarded as the next Barry Bonds?
Anonymous
Oh wait, maybe you meant Zito. Never mind.
Jon Weisman
What the heck happened with our bullpen last night? Hope that was to get everything out of their system.
Anonymous
I meant to ask this last night: Speaking of Gordon what is plan B if he gets hurt/goes into a prolonged slump/ gets sent down. And I don’t mean just playing SS. Who would bat leadoff?
But now the bullpen seems to be a bigger worry.
Jon Weisman
I’d say our offense is still by far the biggest worry, followed by starting pitching.
I don’t know who would bat leadoff – there’s no one with OBP and any speed whatsoever on the roster. So maybe just Sellers or Hairston or whoever.
Anonymous
“No speed whatsoever on the roster” :(
Jon Weisman
NPUT