Point being, we all feel like he's a friend after spending all that time with him over the years. It's natural for us all to want to know him better. What he sees as not having control of his life, I see as his enormous base of fans wanting to get better acquainted.

I just wish he could feel better about that.

Great Man, and Dodger fans are honored to have him call the games.

Well besides his very bad joke at the Torre coronation "Chicken Catcher Torre", "I'll take two"... Lasorda. The Borscht Belt even groaned at that one.

Pre-written word, maybe.

On Jackie Robinson day this past season, I got chills during the ovation given to Scully. Vin seemed embarrassed more than anything ("Please, thank you" begging the crowd to hush as it wasn't his day), but he certainly deserves it.

2009 will be his 60th year announcing the Dodgers. That seems as good a time as any to honor the great Vin Scully.

While I understand Vin's feelings--along with John Wooden Vinnie is tied for my favorite sports-associated individual; I really am in favor of any in-depth biography that might be produced about Vin Scully, so long as it isn't a hatchet job.

While I did meet Vin once for about thirty seconds (I introduced myself as he was waiting for his car at valet at the Bonaventure Hotel and told him how much his broadcasting had meant to me--and he was very gracious and kind,) I know that an in-depth bio will be the closest I will ever get to hanging out with the man. I'd like to have the chance to read this bio.

My thought on the matter is that a book will eventually be written about him, no matter what. At least this way, he can answer the critical items for himself. Nothing is worse than sullying the name of the dead with something salacious. I am glad that this is being done now rather than after he is gone.

Nope, but publishing houses had much tighter and smaller communities where bad boys and girls did not pull this sort of stuff off too many times.

Just like in electronic media, lots more outlets and publishing houses all looking for material to sell and make a buck off of. How else do you explain the Kitty Kelley's of the world, or for that matter "If I did it"?

Why wouldn't you, esp. with a player like Cabrera and if you are giving up talent that you'd control for a long time absent such a deal?

I guess both sides face complicated risk scenarios along the way, but in some ways, doesn't the player's leverage go up a bunch as FA approaches, since he has another attractive option if he declines to sign?

By the way can someone remind me of the exact words of PVL. I often think there should be a glossary of DT acronyms and terms(PVL) and nicknames(ie. Slappy McPopup, Lucille II) compiled somewhere.

Someone should start a pool on how bad A$Rod and Darth Borris come out in this episode of GREED, from the planet A$Rod.

My bet is he goes back the Yankees under the offer for arbitration, and for less than he wanted.

Unlike the "colorful" life of Harry Carey, its doubtful Smith would, or could do any damage to our Dodger icon.

It's also believed that Florida also will seek Angels infielder Maicer Izturis as part of a trade package.

How is Kendrick/Maicer even in the same universe as Kemp/LaRoche?

That's not a joke, I really dreamt that last night, like I was watching it on SportsCenter!

Hands off Billz and Martin. I'm partial to Loney over Kemp (subjectively speaking). And Kershaw can go in the right deal (Santana or Cabrera, basically) - seeing what Greg Miller is doing these days has me believing in TINSTAAP more than ever.

Channeling Arnold M. Johnson are we now?

Who was the benefactor of your largess?

I'm going to google all that before I respond...

I don't think many publishing houses would consider you a bad boy for doing an unauthorized but flattering bio of a beloved celebrity.

I will continue to state I have no idea why issues of "GREED" and other complete BS come into play with some people. You all act like ARod and Boras are actively harming the game. It's not like MLB and the MLB owners are all poor bastards that need our sympathy. ARod has a job and it's pretty clear that he is being paid well below market rate for his production.

I hope he is a Dodger and I hope he gets paid a ton of cash for being one. There are not that many long term, big money contracts that make sense, but ARod is certainly one of them.

Big money doesn't worry me, it's the long term aspect that does. A 10-year contract to a 32-year old sounds ludicrous to me. I'd much prefer to offer a 5 year/$175M contract ($35M per) than a 10 year/$300M one. I guess that's rather obvious, but it's not the annual amount that scares me, it's the fact that I'm paying him that well into his 40s.

What i am hoping for is a Kemp OR Kershaw + LaRoche + Meloan OR Hu. That I think is WAY more fair, but I am doubtful Neddy could pull that one off. Lets be realistic if we are going to make a trade we are going to over pay. it is bound to happen.

Ignoring things that should be anti-trust violations absent poor SC decisions, a #1 draft pick is worth a hell of a lot more, on average (e.g. including all the ones that never pan out) than the paltry amount of money assigned to their slot. They are, on average, worth about $20M. So maybe the persons you should be upset about when your favorite team fails to sign a high draft pick are the very very wealthy owners who want to squeeze that last penny out of an already very good bargain.

Second, Vin has worked hard to keep his personal life separate from his public life. He has dealt with some tragedies--the death of his first wife and his oldest son. That doesn't make him different from a lot of other people. But I remember the LA Times interviewing him for his 45th year--1994--just after his son died and being asked about it, and he said he goes into the booth to try to put that aside, and that's what he's doing, and that's all. Plaschke did a wonderful, long article that included some personal anecdotes, but even then, you could sense a distance. And I think that's his right. He doesn't have to like what Smith did, but I would expect the book to be affectionate, yet address some of those personal matters.

1. Asks Vin if he'll work on an autobiography with him. Vin says no.

2. Engages a publisher, writes book, submits to publisher, it's accepted, and the marketing plan is underway.

3. Through a cameraman, i.e. not through his agent or through the Dodgers who employ him, Vin accidentally find out about the book.

Some friend!

I'm sure we'll find out too that Smith -- trading on his "Voices of the Game" reputation -- told some of Vin's old friends that Vin was okay with them submitting to interviews. If he'd done the right thing and told Vin he was doing a book, Vin might have scotched it by asking friends not to cooperate. Or maybe he wouldn't have! The problem is, Smith gave him no choice, did the whole thing behind his back.

Finally...how good a book could this be without Vin's voice in it? Would Smith have had to go thru the Dodgers to get access to archives of game calls and so on? I assume if that request had been made, Scully would've been notified. I pray that's the case or we're going to have one ticked-off announcer!

As a reader, a book by Vin Scully would have been fascinating. A book about Vin Scully, in which Scully's way of expressing himself is absent? I don't know if that's going to be all that interesting in the way I would want it to be interesting. It's his perspective on his career that would draw my attention. Viewed from the outside, has Vin led a really fascinating life?

"It was 1954, time for another season of Dodger baseball..."

"It was 1971, time for another season of Dodger baseball...."

"It was 2003, time for another season of Dodger baseball...."

I guess we'll see. But I feel bad for Vin. Finding out a friend has betrayed you behind your back taints everything.

Traditionally, the Marlins seek pitching back in any trades they make. As painful as it is to part with Cabrera's bat, he is the team's most valuable asset to lure in top-flight, affordable, young pitching.

So while the Marlins would like to secure a catcher and center fielder, Cabrera is being used to bring in strong pitching.

---

The high price the Marlins are rumored to be asking the Dodgers for Cabrera is definitely way too high, no matter how incredible he is. Compared to what they're purportedly asking other teams, it's another case of the Dodgers being punished for having a terrific farm system. If Ned Colletti is the great negotiator he was rumored to be when he was first hired by LA, this would be a time to prove it. Hold out, make the Marlins lower their asking price a bit. If we're getting Cabrera, then, fine, trade LaRoche, but Kemp and Kershaw (the #1 pitching prospect in baseball) too? Fuhgedaboutit.

Miguel Cabrera can say/do whatever he wants, as long as he produces.

As can Matt Kemp.

Hopefully the Dodgers realize this in the end, and the veteran posturing is just that--posturing.

It'd be a sad day in LA if Kemp was traded due to "poor character", or Miggy not traded for due to "poor character".

They dealt Beckett/Lowell for Hanley Ramirez/Anibal Sanchez. That was probably a fair deal for both sides.

Kemp, McDonald, LaRoche for Miguel Cabrera seems fair. And if anything, the Dodgers have to give up more than usual, bc the Marlins are under no pressure to trade Miggy anyways. He's not a free agent till after 2009.

Though I suppose that's more of a discipline issue.

Assuming Ned is not going to stick with LaRoche/Nomar, there are many potential alternatives out there, and his take on all of them is worth pondering.

His take on what Florida would be looking for in return for Cabrera is also interesting. The real problem the Dodgers will face in going after Cabrera is that Florida's primary focus will be pitching. We're all focusing on Kemp, but it sounds like the Marlins would not value Kemp as highly as they would Billingsley and Kershaw. Billingsley is a deal-breaker IMO, and Kershaw... Ned needs to make it very clear to the outside world that he is perfectly happy to stand pat at third base and see if the Marlins come down in price. If he was as shrewd as he thinks he is, he'd have Mattingly say in the next interview something like, "LaRoche blows me away. He's going to have a monster year. I barely have to do a thing with a swing that perfect." Then offer LaRoche and Meloan.

They sort of are, considering they operate under a 40mil payroll.

They have already talked to Pierre about moving to LF, so unless they plan to play Kemp or Ethier in CF, they will have to acquire a new CF.

You could also go big and sign Andruw, or grab a RH veteran bat to go with Delwyn in LF. That puts Cabrera at 3rd, making Nomar and perhaps LaRoche expendable, though I really dislike Cabrera at third for the long term.

who plays 3b? a 270/320/390 nomar?

Does anyone know offhand if Jane Leavy's biography of Sandy Koufax a few years ago was unauthorized, or if she had Sandy's cooperation?

Maybe I didn't read your post correctly.

I really agree. Proven young starting pitching is more valuable to me than a young slugger like Cabrera. Unless maybe Florida takes Pierre as their desired CFer.

Monday night, newlywed Steve Lavin returns to Pauley as an analyst in ESPN2's coverage of the CBE Classic game with UCLA playing Youngstown.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6916

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6918

Even without Brook Lopez, Stanford should win, but they shouldn't look past UCSB either. Should be a good game.

Boras: "Ned I've got an offer in my pocket for $325 million, so if you want to stay in, you've got to top that."

Colletti: "Really, from who? Not the Yankees. Not the Angels. Not the Mets. Not the Giants. You lying sack of crap, I'll pay $250 million and that's it."

Boras (sighs): Okay, fine.

Including one of those guys, however, precludes putting Kershaw in the deal. My thinking goes, "You want one of our top studs? Fine, but no Minotaur for you." If the Marlins really want Kershaw, they have to pass on Kemp or Billingsley.

in related news, some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.

"We never talked about walks," Mattingly said. "We talked about hitting good pitches."

And writing that, along with Jon's note about Vin, makes me realize how thoroughly I disagree with comment #49. I want more Koufaxes and Scullys associated with the Dodgers, not more spoiled brats and jerks. That does not presume that Cabrera is such a brat/jerk. If he is, though, I'd just as soon pass.

Chappy (Upland, Ca): It is being reported here in Los Angeles that Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt stepped in and overruled his GM Ned Colletti as Colletti attempted to make trades prior to last season's trade deadline. Have you heard anything about this and if this is true why didn't Colletti quit?

Jerry Crasnick: Chappy,

If you stand in the lobby at the general managers' meetings, you hear a lot of stuff about how difficult Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, are to work for. But the same applies to Drayton McLane, Peter Angelos and a bunch of other owners. I suspect that Ned Colletti puts up with a lot of stuff because there are only 30 GMs jobs, and he appreciates the opportunity to run the Dodgers (regardless of the headaches he encounters).

Greg (LA): Maybe I'm crazy, but if I'm the Dodgers, I don't trade Kemp, Billingsley and Kershaw for Cabrera. I'd rather keep and build.

Jerry Crasnick: Greg,

That really does seem to be the problem with the Dodgers. Logan White loves his former draft picks, Frank McCourt's approach is day to day, and Ned Colletti is caught in the middle. They don't know if they're coming or going.

80
The game will be on FSN.

Turner Classic Movies

6:30 PM (eastern)
Whistling In Brooklyn (1943)

A radio sleuth infiltrates the Brooklyn Dodgers to solve a murder. Cast: Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, "Rags" Ragland. Dir: S. Sylvan Simon. BW-87 mins, TV-G
---
What's a "radio sleuth?"

Why would he be unlikely to consider an exension with his new team? I'd think no matter if he's traded this offseason, or next offseason, or July 31,2009---it'll only matter what team he actually goes too.

Plus, with the Marlins core, I doubt they'd give up Cabrera now since they have a chance to win in 2008 if their pitching health recovers.--Josh Johnson being primary.

In the book I'm reading today,`Fear Nothing' by Dean Koontz, some say the world will end due to bad monkeys...

If you are putting Ned on the list near the bottom, how close to the top are you putting Logan White?

And Logan White should be in there somewhere, too. Upper third of the list, I think.

bah! Is George Steinbrenner suddenly "a dream to work for?" How about the folks who own the Marlins and basically have a payroll the size of a single player?

I'll let that one stand on its own. If it was the McCourts holding Ned back from trading the farm, they were doing us fans a favor.

I'll add one note - Broxton over Saito.

What have you been up to, Benaiah? Seems like you used to be around more.

Matt (Providence, RI): Hey Keith - I have a really serious question for you. Joba Chamberlain - great pitcher, or greatest pitcher? No, seriously though, what is with Farmer Ned and Andy Laroche? I have read in two distinct places this week that the Dodgers have a hole to fill at 3B. Seriously? A hole? You think he's starting in Miami next year? Got to figure Kemp, Laroche +1 gets it done, right?

Keith Law: (2:32 PM ET ) LaRoche isn't really a Marlins type of guy. They love their ath-a-letes down there, and they love power arms. I've heard that they're asking for Kemp plus one of Billingsley/Kershaw, so LaRoche could be a third piece but not a major guy. I saw one of those articles about the Dodgers having a hole to fill at third base. Fifteen teams would kill to have a hole like that.

Mike (San Francisco): The L.A. times is reporting the Marlines want Kendrick, Adenhart & Wood for Cabrera. Is that a good idea for the Angels? It seems like that's a lot for a soon to be DH who will cost at least $20 million a year in 2 years.

Keith Law: (2:38 PM ET ) That's a bad idea for the Angels, not a terrible one. I think the next five years of Kendrick are worth more than the next two years of Cabrera, a lot more when you figure in the cost. You can trade average players/prospects for a star, but trading a young soon-to-be-star for another star, plus throwing two prospects in the deal? Anyway, I don't see that as likely.

Jay (Palo Alto, CA): Great chats, Keith!! With their past employment history, could we see Colletti & Sabean work out a trade of a SP (i.e Lowry) for young postional player(s) (i.e. LaRoche)? Your thoughts please....

Keith Law: (2:41 PM ET ) Interesting - hadn't thought of that, but we see that kind of incestuous dealing all the time. If LaRoche isn't included in a Cabrera deal, but Billingsley is, they could flip him for Lowry ... I'm just making this all up, but it seems reasonable.

Oz (LA): Keith, Is Kemp as good as his hype and if so why are the Dodgers dangling him?

Keith Law: (3:16 PM ET ) Yes, and because there's a weird pro-veteran/anti-youth thing going on there.

J Arlington Ma: Do you think any teams will learn from the Sox patience with Pedrioa? It seems that they gain quite an advantage by having everyone adhere to a core organizational philosophy. How hard is it for a team to give a guy six weeks to prove himself if they believe in him?. How much better off would the Mets be just to give Milidge a job and trust he will eventually perform?

Keith Law: (3:33 PM ET ) Teams won't learn - it's too much of a reactive industry, reactive to media pressure, reactive to fan pressure, reactive to internal pressures. The Red Sox are unusual in that they just don't care. They don't care what fans say. They certainly don't care what the radio guys say or the writers say. They have a plan and they stick to it. It's a sort of useful arrogance.

Martin (5-tool catcher)
Billingley (Ace 1A)
Kershaw (Ace 1B)
Loney (May be a Triple Crown winner in his prime)
Kemp (30/30 man in his prime)

All of the sudden Billingsley is a 1A ace? I like Chad but the promotion seems premature.

Mine would be:

1. Penny
2. Martin
3. Billingsley
4. Kershaw
5. Kemp
6. LaRoche
7. Kent
8. Loney
9. Ethier
10.Broxton
11.Furcal
12.McDonald
13.Lowe
14.Kuo
15.Hu
16.Schmidt
17.Abreu
18.Proctor
19.Pierre
20.Nomar
21.Loaiza

That is a little too optimistic.

Any thoughts on Jon Meloan starting for us? I remember that being brought up somewhere.

Penny at the top? Kent before Loney?

Also, this offseason makes me want to care less, it is terrifying to have the Dodgers at a crossroads with McCourt and Colletti at the wheel. April can't come soon enough (in more ways than one, with the New England winter fast approaching).

Kent's before Loney bc the Dodgers could much easier find a hitter, put him at 1st base, and have him put up Loney-esque numbers, than finding a 2nd basemen that could put up Kent's numbers.

I made my list thinking about "how hard would it be to replace what the Dodgers have" at each position.

That might be overstating a bit, no? It would obviously be great if Loney developed into that, but I don't think his power will be that good.

I would list these as potential triple crown winners:

Pujols
Cabrera
A-Rod
Vlad
Holliday
Wright

I wouldn't put Loney in that list.

I still think JoeyP doesn't really believe in Loney.

Kent, even if he's at the downside of his career, is still right now quite irreplaceable. If the Dodgers had a 2nd basemen in the minors ready, I'd move Kent further down. But I dont see any, and I dont consider Abreu that player either.

I dont think replacing him with what I expect him to do (be medicore), would be that difficult.

Russell Martin
Ichiro
Hey Look, Its Placido Polanco
Jimmy Rollins
David Wright
Carlos Beltran

Legally speaking, it looks like an interesting case.

And it's not like Plaschke or the other idiots need much of a reason to scapegoat him.

Are Lincecum's walk rates that much of a problem?

I just wonder what McCourt truly thinks of Juan Pierre.

That is an elite company (aside from Polanco). I'm really glad Russell Martin's hard work is paying off & I really hope he continues to WANT TO GET BETTER (I'm sure he will, he's just an elite/special player) I really hope Kemp is working hard in the Arizona Athletic complex cause he's another one who can break out BIG for us in '08.

The Dodgers "dangling" Kemp is a few miles from trying to dump him. And while the comments about him, specifically, were unnerving, most of the comments about Kemp have been to the effect that he is a great player and "isn't finished yet." That can be taken as a compliment, too. "He's going to be better."

I think this idea that the Dodgers are scheming to rid themselves of this menace, Matt Kemp, are a mass hallucination. He is being discussed in trades because he's a 50-pound gold ingot on the trade marketplace who plays a position where the Dodgers think they have a few options. He's untouchable unless it's Cabrera or Santana coming back, I have to figure.

Dealbreakers
Martin
Billingsley
Loney

Your deal better include someone named Cabrera or Holliday
Kemp
Kershaw
Broxton
LaRoche
Saito
Penny

Valuable building blocks and hard-to-replace guys
Ethier
Saito
Furcal
Lowe
Proctor
Meloan
McDonald
Kent
Abreu
Hu
Young

Really? Sure you can have...
Nomar
Loaiza

For the love of God, take $30 million and you can have him...
Pierre

Sorry for that and many other awful typos today. I'm just all thumbs. You should've seen me chasing a cherry tomato around the kitchen.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqgoy

what about Oakland's big three? And Atlanta's famed staff from the 90s.

There are situations where everything turns out great as well as the horrible ones you mentioned.

As far as Billingsley: I see him being the type of player that can pitch a lot of innings and get 20 wins if he has a decent defense behind him. His progression reminds me a lot of Dan Haren.

Truth be known, though, Martin is probably the only guy on the team who is absolutely not on the table at any price.

Stan from Tacoma