We don't need a Norihiro
We don't need to know Hideo

Honestly, is Tina Turner really a reliable source for this kind of analysis?

Which brings me to this morning's e-mail.

In the Dodger Thoughts In box:

I just wanted to make a polite lobbying pitch for you to do a post about Norihiro Nakamura. Haven't seen too much posted on him since the story first surfaced, but this piece suggests the Dodgers are a good bet to sign him and that he would be willing to play for only $500,000.

ESPN Rumor Central says "scouts suggest" that he only projects to be an average MLB third baseman.

- Ben Pershing

In the Dodger Thoughts Sent box:

I'm paying attention but just haven't been moved to post yet. I know I should - I know it's more important than some of the stuff I'm doing. But it strikes me, other than the international flavor of it, as talking in advance about the equivalent of signing Olmedo Saenz or not much more. Nakamura just doesn't look that important to me. Certainly, he could probably help, but I'm not worked up over it.

Maybe I'll just run your letter and my response to get things started ...

The two main keys for Nakamura, assuming he didn't have a lights-out Spring Training (or even if he did), are whether his dream to play in the United States could include at least a temporary stay in Las Vegas, and whether the Dodgers will carry 11 pitchers or 12. The surplus of candidates and the fragility of the starting rotation points to a 12-man staff, but it's no lock. A trade of fellow Japanese veteran Kazuhisa Ishii could tilt the balance back to 11 pitchers and a six-man bench.

Perhaps the more important news to draw is the reminder that Dodger general manager Paul DePodesta hasn't closed the book on improving the Dodger roster now, in March or throughout the season.

Kazuhisa is life beyond ... the thunderdome

Update: Dodgers win the bidding. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com suggests that Nakamura "could become a Plan B at first base should Hee-Seop Choi struggle offensively."