And just in case anyone is wondering about other Joe Faves...Scott Brosius is currently the head coach at Linfield College. Luis Sojo is a manager in the Yankees system. Miguel Cairo is still active, however, playing last year for StL.

"I've been listening to all the things that have been said, and all the news and everything," Williams said. "I've been kind of an outsider looking into the whole situation. It's kind of bizarre to look at it from outside. But no, I don't think I have any plans to do anything like that at this point."

http://tinyurl.com/377xhn

Joe: "You know who would really help this team: Bernie Williams."

Everyone else in the entire world, including Bernie himself: "Wait, huh?"

I think Repko might be getting the Jayson Werth treatment, in that they might just non-tender him. I honestly don't know if that's a decision they need to make on him just yet, given his service time.

(From Herald Tribune) "Dodgers' Minor Leaguer Delwyn Young hit a three-run homer in the first inning to lead the U.S. to a 5-1 victory over Japan on Saturday in a Group A clash in the 37th Baseball World Cup in Taiwan."

And they're not rowing a Viking ship over there - they'll be traveling in style. As long they get a couple days off at some point, they'll be fine. I can't imagine any lingering effects.

I don't know Go Bears I kind of agree with LAT big time.

Also I gave this a shot twice yesterday to no avail. not sure if I am being given the cold shoulder or what but can anyone shed any light on Jon Meloan possibly starting for us? An answer from say Nate Purcell or any of the other prospect guys would be great.

Dodgers coming off the payroll in 2009
Furcal, Nomar, Lowe, Penny*, Kent

That said, I don't know any reason the Dodgers need to go instead of some other team.

Peavy's 2009 option is for $8M (with an escalator clause that can bring it up to $11M.

Eventually we will find out that Andrew's real name is Owen Lattimore.

John Huston spooks me to this day!

Have the Padres committed to China yet?

I thought we did that to appease Bud Selig.

Meloan's fastball would take a significant hit if he would become a starter (I'm thinking 88-90MPH) his fastball is also pretty straight so I think the coaches who switched him to a reliever did him a favor. I'd be more than happy if he proves us all wrong but as it stands I like him as a reliever plenty more.

We do a lot of things to appease Selig. Maybe the culmination is that Selig won't get pissed when we give Arod 250mil dollars.

Assuming some sort of long term deal (especially for Martin) I will subtract about $12 million from that total. That is some serious dough coming off at the right time with all of those guys except Lowe having ready replacements waiting in the wings.

Our fiscal situation looks good enough to go after ARod this year or wait and get a world beater rotation next year.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall during the Ng/White/Watson/Colletti meetings to see what they think...

I actually have seen Meloan quite a bit. He went to my college and I use to watch his starts during his junior year.

When he starts or pitches for a long length, his stuff diminishes a bit and his fb doesn't have the same velocity and his breaking pitches do not have the same bite. I also think the recoil action in his delivery will give his elbow significant problems if he logs a lot of innings.

I mean, he could definitely start. He has grown up starting and has done it to start his professional career. But to maximize his stuff, he is better off going in 1-2 inning stints.

On Nov. 6, it was written that my office was "concerned about the McCourts' scorecard." In just four years of Frank and Jamie McCourt's stewardship, the Dodgers have increased their fan base by more than 600,000, have invested nearly $120 million into renovating Dodger Stadium, donated millions of dollars to the community and Major League Baseball initiatives such as the Compton Youth Academy and the Jackie Robinson Scholarship Foundation, and invested heavily in improving their minor league system.

If he wanted to say "increased attendance," why didn't he?

P.S. I wonder if middle relief is the plan for Chan Ho? Does he have that kind of ability?

Definitely, but I would rather toss in Meloan if we had to decide between the two.

Bills has to wait until after 2009.

62 If they can play let's sign em.

Say it with me. Matt Kemp and James Loney.

2009 - Abreu in for Kent
Kershaw in for Lowe
Hu in for Furcal
Extend Penny
Have a field day on legit FA's

It just seems so much more efficient than giving up anything for Cabrera. I know hes amazing and 8 years younger but I don't feel ARods drop off being too dramatic over the next 5 years baring injuries considering his work-ethic

Kemp is exciting, I agree, but the Dodgers still need power this offseason.

If we need to trade a fourth outfielder on a good team (that's you, Andre Ethier) to get star-quality talent, it needs to be done.

how do you figure to trade a fourth outfielder on a good team to get star quality talent?

I am in the sign A-rod camp, I would rather the dodgers trade an obscene amount of money for a top tier player than and obscene amount of talent.

If they do trade for MC I wouldn't give up more than LaRoche,Ethier and MacDonald with maybe some cash incentives or a throw in second/third rate prospect.

I can see him with an OB% of 340, hitting between 15 and 20 hr's and driving a fair amount of runs...he is not a player who you build around, but he is not a bench player...

And, are the games usually day games?

Loney has a career OPS of .915. 05 and 06 combined give him a full season of plate appearances. .900 OPS is a big bat, regardless of how many HRs were hit in the process.

Plus A-Rod isn't on the Chris Farley diet.

Who do you think is realistically going to be available? Young all-star talent almost always get resigned because GMs cannot let that talent walk and expect to keep their jobs.

This is why I advocate making a run at A-Rod, Cabrera, Johan, et al. this offseason.

79 As far as I am concerned you have defined a fourth outfielder: a guy capable of hitting 16 HR with an OB% of 340.

Look, I do not want to trade the kids. However, why keep mediocre young talent? Keep Kemp, yes, because he has massive upside. Does Ethier? Really?

85 I could quibble about whether 400 OPS is really a big bat, but suffice to say I basically agree with you that Loney is a quality player (and a guy with "upside").

However, how many players in the Dodger lineup strike fear in an opposing pitcher? How many players would you want to pitch around with runners on base?

SOLUTION: Sign A-Rod, trade for Jason Bay. Bay is coming off a down year but is still relatively young and would not require as much premium talent (read: Andre Ethier, not Matt Kemp).

I'm hoping that Nomar takes one for the team and waives his no trade clause if the Dodgers sign A-rod. I also support the idea of giving LaRoche a try at 2nd and left.

If Ned insists on trading for MC than I hope he tells the Marlins either Kerhsaw and Abreu or LaRoche and Macdonald.

Good point RockMrete but NedCo doesn't work that way.

I think a lot of us are underrating the talent we have. Why assume that Ethier will OBP .340, when he's OBPed better than that each of his first two years in the majors? Why assume that Loney is not a power bat, when he's shown in the majors that he has power, and he's OPSed over .900 in a season's worth of PAs?

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php

Jason Bay is more of a meh (so-so slugger) than an awesome slugger. ARONS!

Matt Garza
Ian Snell
Tom Gorzelanny
Ian Kennedy
And