It is absolutely clear, however, that the negotiations -- which never really got started last month -- are now on-going, and agent Scott Boras is not part of the dialogue.

"Alex reached out to the Yankees, and he made it clear he wants to be a Yankee," said one source. "He understands what has to be done."

Rodriguez released the following statement on his Web site.

"After spending time with Cynthia and my family over these last few weeks, it became clear to me that I needed to make an attempt to engage the Yankees regarding my future with the organization.

Meanwhile, friends of Rodriguez say he has been embarrassed by what has taken place. Last week, one high-ranking official with an AL team made this prediction: "I think A-Rod will go back to the Yankees himself and make a deal without Scott involved," said the executive. "This way, he can get back into the good graces of the fans, and still get the biggest contract he can get."

Bronx Banter must be going crazy.

149. dzzrtRatt
139 I'm not sure if I'm getting your point. Sojo was another bench player. His busiest season for Torre, he only played 77 games, and though I don't follow the Yankees close enough to know, I assume some of those games he was a pinch-something or late-inning defensive replacement.

What did Torre do when his GM handed him a starting player who didn't produce? If he kept playing him regardless, then he's just like Little. But my sense is Torre doesn't do that.

As a manager, I could see Torre taking the position that you can't motivate your players to improve if one guy gets to start every game no matter how little he contributes.

I mean... If Luis Gonzalez had complained about why he had to sit while Pierre plays, he'd have had a legitimate point.

Anyway, it's just a "hopeful hypothesis." Maybe Torre is from the old school that sees Pierre as a great on-base guy, a sparkplug, a catalyst, a great distracter of pitchers, a guy who "creates" runs, plus a good American and a soul bound for glory. Maybe he'll think 162 games isn't even enough of a reward for a player of Pierre's superlative merits. If so, I'll be grumpy. But, to me, the Dodgers have needed a manager who doesn't suffer fools gladly, and I see Torre-Mattingly-Bowa as a tough-minded trio.

With that in mind, here's a thought: that A-Rod reaching out to the Henrys Steinbrenner might be orchestrated by Boras. Isn't that a way of making it seem like the Yankees are involved and a contender for A-Rod's services? At the end of the day, A-Rod can still go wherever the most money is and say, "I wanted to stay a Yankee, and Boras wasn't involved, but the Yankees still couldn't get it done."

Who's playing who here?

Take that, horse!! [Whack! Whack!]

vr, Xei

I'm not sure if it makes me happy or not. If Boras is truly getting dissed and is losing money and/or credibility, then I like it.

I think some of these other teams were anticipating a potential "discount" on ARod due to the Yanks non-involvement. Boras just needs a number from the Yanks to get things moving.

http://arod.mlb.com/players/rodriguez_alex/article.jsp?story=111407

Thing is, if it's a ploy, he's going to come out looking seroiusly sleazy, isn't he? Does he care? Is Cynthia on board with a big hoax? I don't pretend I can understand how his mind works, but, you know, "it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world... but for $35M, Alex, for $35M?"

Jeter will be looking hard for something he can do to measure up. I mean, what a performance. Getting the biggest contract in baseball and making it look like he's made a sacrifice!? Cue Sinatra!

Leia also said that too.

As well. In addition.

"huhuhuhuhu"

2008 - 28M
2009 - 28M
2010 - 29M
2011 - 29M
2012 - 30M
2013 - 30M
2014 - 31M
2015 - 27M plus 4M in incentives based on HRs, RBIs, etc
2016 - 27M plus...
2017 - 27M plus...

But the last three years would also be a Dodger option to buy him out for non performance or not being able to play enough games.

Arod is guarenteed 205K for 7 years ($29K+/yr), plus another 27M-30M for an additional 3 years if he continues to perform.

If the Ds negotiate for MCab, they will have to give up 3-4 top rookies with no assurance he will stay. I would much rather pay a little more for Arod and keep the kids.

I was hoping there was.

Nor is there an AROD or ODOG stock. Also there is no stock that is HU.

Lowe's Company uses the ticker symbol of LOW.

There is a penny stock called WEBB. It's only listed on the Pink Sheets.

Cabrera will turn 25 at the start of next season. Any extension will cover Cabrera's age 27-32(ish) seasons.

Mon Gm Avg/OBP/SLP/OPS
Apr 26 307/351/416/767
May 26 268/317/289/606
Jun 23 247/261/306/567
Jul 24 308/382/423/805
Aug 11 250/289/417/706
Sep 11 324/361/471/832

A decent 11 game streak in September, with the club in 4th place, does not offset the very poor Apr/May/June/Aug. Nomar is indeed done. Give him his $11M and stick a fork in him.

"Joining us now is Jon Weisman of SI.com and Dodger Thoughts, a very excellent blog and website a very very excellent site."

I'll enjoy watching Cabrera on the Angels. Maybe they'll take Kent off our hands to plug the hole they'll create for themselves at second base.

(Oh relax, Jamie. I like Kent! I'm sure he'll send your ear back one of these days.)

PLEASE have the Yanks deal fall apart. Pretty please?

I'd pay him 300 mil for 10 years. Instantly.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=BTIM.OB&t=my

Or we could set a place for Elijah...Dukes, that is.

He has outscored Minnesota's Mark Madsen, who is recovering from shoulder surgery following a summer jet-ski accident. Amazingly, he's still on the roster.

I remember the one time I went waterskiing, they assured me I couldn't get hurt, but I sprained my shoulder.

It's possible of course that Boras will parachute in like he did when Eric Gagne started talking about a "hometown discount" and slap Arod around a little bit.

Who was the guy who stepped in and claimed he represented Hochevar for 24 hours? Maybe Boras can bring that buy back into the picture and blame him.

Yes, as is "ARod dumping Boras".

This little tidbit from the following ESPN article:

http://tinyurl.com/359s66

Might lend credence to the "negotiation."

Before the 2002 season, the Atlanta Braves bypassed Boras and negotiated a six-year, $75 million contract with Andruw Jones and his father.

Concentrate and ask again. Or concetrate and ask again.

Girl 1: That A-Rod is hot! Somebody is going to give him $300 million, for sure!

Girl 2: No way! Cabrera is even hotter! And younger! I'd give up Billingsley, Kemp, and LaRoche to have him on my team!

Girl 1: A-Rod is in much better shape! Look how buff he is! Cabrera is fat. Ewww!

Girl 2: But I want Cabrera now! Daddy! Tell them to throw in Kershaw.

Girl 3: Guys! You won't believe this! A-Rod is down the street talking to George! Without his agent!!!

Girl 1 and Girl 2: OMG! Let's go!

"Dodger Thoughts, most excellent Dodgers website!"

Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky, Los Angeles Times

My general experience was that I got the big gift on the first night. Later in the week, it falls off to the middle relievers and utility infielders of Hannukah gifts.

What night does Hannukah start this year anyway?

What if all 30 owners said "We won't negotiate with Scott Boras, just his players"? Interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hmr5YOewww

Yes, it's safe for work!

I'm really confused.

For those fasting at home, Ash Wednesday is February 6 and Easter Sunday is a mighty early March 23.

Easter has not occurred as early as March 23 since 1913. And it will not be that early again until long after all of us are dead.

Or beyond the chart I'm looking at.

Basically, competitors, especially in a closed market, just cannot talk about any type of group actions. Period.

I wish the Dodgers would just keep their ALAR stock, since analysts say that one is sure to skyrocket in value, while other similar 3B stocks are overpriced at the moment.

What do you mean, "Those types" of dates? What are you trying to say?

Hand Held football game, socks, van halen fair warning tape, van halen diver down tape, rush moving pictures, rolling stones tatoo you, velor v-neck sweater vest, easton black magic baseball bat, and the topper was a fila full sweatsuit(navy)..circa 1983

Unfortunately, it does not tell me when the Rule 5 draft takes place or at what point does Jeff Kent finally have to tell us what he is doing.

And who remmembers Intellivision, anyone, anyone?

Yeah I think it was a later version of this one. Mine was Brown.

Mattel handheld football was the balls. The evolution from Mattel to 10 Yard Fight to Tecmo Bowl was glorious.

Tecmo Super Bowl was another plane of existence. Stats!

A man's got to compete with the big boys.

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Mattel/FB2.htm

It featured that incredible football innovation - the forward pass.

Any suggestions?

Mattel Hand Held Games = Things My Kids Will Never Understand

Trying to line things up for the 70 year pass . . .

And shaking free of tackles.

Anyone remember Picwood bowl?

Even if you don't, you can figure out where it was.

Ah memories.. I still have a pic, with my mom in her koufax jersey on hanuka(lol, my mom fits George's mom on Seinfield to a tee) trying to give me a kiss with my head down and totally into my football game.

I very much recall Intellevison. Those were rare, like betamax! They had those funky controllers)

I was way to into jumping over alligators on pitfall though to concern myself with trying to get my parents to get me Intellevison.

Yeah, no kidding.

I love the interwebs.

Surprisingly, it was the real Coleco version, and not the Sears version--though my Atari 2600 (and just about everything else) was Sears all the way.

http://weblogs.variety.com/wga_strike_blog/2007/11/breaking-pillow.html

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Misc/Fonas3in1.htm

One of the plastic overlays, I want to think Basketball, may still be lost underneath the bleachers (solid kind not the bench kind) in the gym of my elementary school.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045456/

Many television sets could have been ruined because of it.

One I've always wondered about, to be honest, is Greg Brock. It's a common enough name. Maybe his parents named him Greg Brock. It's a perfectly good name. Or maybe he's paying tribute to the one of the best, most disappointing first baseman the Dodgers had in between the Garvey and the Loney epochs.

Symbol of the Dodgers in my lifetime. Disappointing.

I'm Spartacus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

You're Spartacus on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

We trade off on Sundays.

(I'm aware that Peña won the 1984 NL ERA crown, but for some reason I like having only Honeycutt use it as a title)

http://tinyurl.com/2da6k6

The Learning Channel.

{counts money}

"Hi I'm mumble-mumble. You, know, Fleshy Thigh."

"Oh, hi Fleshy Thigh! I'm jbbbb sbsbbgj. You know, dzzrt Ratt."

"Hi dzzrt Ratt!"

Marty did have the advantage of being "Marty."

That is why it is good having 6 sisters. You learn the dues & do knots, different personalities & so on.

>> "It's a relief for Alex to know that the Yankees still want him, and now that he knows that, he's going to work something out. Whatever they have to do to work it out, they're going to do it. He was willing to eat crow, and he did."

## Rodriguez is free to negotiate with other teams, but no team — except perhaps the Los Angeles Angels — has seemed willing to give Rodriguez a raise over the $32 million he could have made in 2009 and 2010 under his original Rangers deal.

The lukewarm market was one of the reasons Rodriguez came back to the Yankees, and another was his business empire. ##

%% In any case, while the Yankees understand that Rodriguez has a right to representation, the sign that he was willing to talk without Boras is encouraging to them. But it does not mean that Rodriguez will necessarily fire Boras. %%

http://tinyurl.com/2dp4b2

At some point Kobe's gonna have to realize that whichever team he gets traded to is gonna have to give up something significant to get him, and that they aren't necessarily going to be better when he arrives.

Without a doubt,even if Boras isn't in the room,one of his minions/assistants from his evil empire in Newport Beach will be there.

This is a throwback to the pre Marvin Miller/union days when old school GMs like Bavasi would literally throw players out of their offices if they brought an agent. Koufax and Drysdale were abused by the press and public for trying to use an agent in '66.

... which works in the Dodgers' favor. They won't trade for Cabrera at such steep prices, and they'll instead use LaRoche at 3B, which is a great "consolation" prize.

http://tinyurl.com/2c8cz5

I had not known that.

And I am confused. The Red Sox are going to open their regular season in Japan, and then come back and play exhibition games against the Dodgers, and then continue their regular season?

2007 ERA

American League: 4.63
National League: 4.65

http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/baseball/dodgers/

Question: Does this mean our Red Sox fan (McCourt) has replaced the Freeway Series with a Red Sox Series?

It is intriguing watching these young men find out they have no choice and bow to Boras---I remember Luke Hockevar...

The Dodgers and Angels are supposed to play one preseason game. But with six regular season games, the need to play the preseason Freeway Series has been obviated.

NL: 4.43
AL: 4.50

So just who do you think should be getting the lion's share of the vast amounts of baseball revenue?

Should it all be plowed back into an autonomous collective to buy cheese or something like that?

I should find out if America produces $6 billion worth of cheese in one year.

And can we get Wilson Betemit back now?

I feel it is my duty to watch since no one else should be.

It's 7-0 Miami late in the game and the only score came on a fumble recovery.

As for Boras, he does what he's paid to do, maximize his client's earning power.

As a fan, does it matter whether J.D. Drew gets the money, or that the McCourts get a $30 mil Malibu beachhouse?

I hate Boros WAY more than I hate McCourt.

And a Congressman said that no one bets on fantasy football and she laughed at him.

You don't see that everyday -- witnesses laughing at Congresspeople.

I don't actually know him to like him or not like him.

I'm not sure That's Incredible! 07 is going to make it.

1)In the 21st Century, Ryan Seacrist will own, control,or host every form and outlet of entertainment. He will be like his mentor Dick Clark, only truly immortal.

2) If Seacrist is too busy,Frank Caliendo(well rested after Frank TV) is always available

I say Boomer Esiason, Kelly Rippa, and Drew Carey.

No, I was deliberately wasting your time.

203 Isn't Drew Carey all three of those things?

https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/12087.html

Teri Hatcher, on the other hand, strikes me as cougarific.

She said, you need a life.

Now, "Lynx," there's a term I could get behind!

Hah? Hah? {sound of crickets chirping}

Waiting...Ready to strike.

I actually like Jeff Van Gundy a lot. He always adds something to the broadcast, and he seems much more gregarious than he seemed from afar from his coaching days.

On the Rockets last possession, he saw the inbound formation by Houston and said "watch for the direct inbound pass to Yao Ming" and sure enough in came the inbound pass to Yao. Little things like that add a lot to the broadcast.

Also, JVG is self-deprecating. Bonzi Wells has been discussed a lot during the game for his good performance thus far in 2007-08, and Van Gundy said something to the effect of "who is the idiot coach who didn't play him last year?", when of course it was him.

I'll listen to Jeff Van Gundy any day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofaCGy-wVV0

Count the cougars! SFW.

220 Do they say, "Darling, come to mother. I'm the little feller's mother, and I've been so worried about him. Ee-eeeee!" ?

Grandpa Brock drove a Merc Coug. Which he gave to my frugal father when it was on it's deathbed. Needless to say, I walked to school.

As far as cheeses go, try Dubliner cheddar sometime. Phenomenal.

The $500K question he did not answer (paraphrased): Which child actress went on to author an academic paper on magnetic fields.

195 - yeah, I'm not surprised by Ms. Duke's intelligence, given her pedigree. There are so many things about the internet gaming ban that annoy me, I'm fairly certain I'd be violating rules 1, 5, and 6... and probably a couple of unwritten rules. But, suffice it to say: Congresscritters should be laughed at more often.

Not as Conservative as CHONE though.

ZIPS really undershot their projections last year of Billingsley, Loney, Kemp and Martin.

Andy Laroche 2007 projection:
274/349/443

Laroche 2008 projection:
256/343/431

weird...

http://tinyurl.com/343eu3

Victory!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lindsey_(Baseball)

He's a career .310 minor league hitter and hasn't hit below .300 in the minors since hitting .288 in Low A in 2004.

Not big fans of Delwyn: .255/.295/.408

Of course, this is assuming that his K-rate won't improve and he will lose his speed.

I see his K-rate improving and Kemp still maintaining his speed. A BABIP of .411 is high, but Kemp is the type of player that will probably have a higher than league average BABIP through his prime years.

The 2007 top 9 (BB-Ref starting 9 plus Kemp) combined for 105 HR. That does not include Betemit, and the team had 129 total HR.

I'd like to think the current starting 8 can hit more than 115 HR. Call it overly optimistic or blue-colored glasses, but I think it can be done.

In return, the Marlins are seeking a package of players that definitely would include second baseman Howie Kendrick. Other names that have been discussed are pitching prospect Nick Adenhart, along with either Brandon Wood or Maicer Izturis, both of whom play third base.

Kendrick, Adenhart and if the Angels can get away with Izturis and not Wood aren't worth Kemp alone, much less Cabrera, if Cabrera is worth Kemp and/or Loney + Billingsley + LaRoche + Kershaw.

Maybe getting Cabrera out of the NL is weighed in the balance.

216 - you should have said urbandictionary.com:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cougar

Apparently there's an entire set of definitions for some other members of the cat family:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=puma
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jaguar
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=panther
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mountain+lion

&c.

I'll say 3.39

Gotcha! :)

All I know is what I read in the papers, er, internet. This was an article on the Marlins' page of MLB.com.

Maybe scareduck knows these Angels are much more fabulous than I'm thinking.

The killer is Izturis. He's a nothing. A big pile of nothing.

And the Billingsley projections are pretty conservative. I expect Billingsley to absolutely break out next year.

I would imagine Hunter is looking for a longer deal, mainly because he's almost 2 full years older than Andruw.

http://tinyurl.com/3xbzeb

For some reason I am not an Abreau fan in that loosing him to me would be no big deal. Maybe I undervalue him. He didn't really impress me at all

I think Young can mash. The ball seems to jump off his bat. His outs are hard.

I like LaRoche and think he will be really solid. When he lays off some of those outside sliders and just gets comfortable I can see him being a solid run producer.

This is only based on my eyes and watching them last year. Not numbers..

254 I totally agree. I think he has it all and will dominate next year and be our ace. 17-19 wins 200k 3.10era

---

I don't mean this to be insulting, but why are ZIPS projections that important? Seems as if they're wrong a lot. Or is it just one of those things that are fun to track...?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exQKyfWEUm8&NR=1

Not to mention they project Loney to hit 15 home runs. He hit 15 last year in 350 at bats, but they say he'll hit one more with 300 additional AB's? I dont really get that one at at. Same thing with Kemp. If he gets 600+ at bats he hits way more than 18 homers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba61tLjIu0Q&feature=related

talk about bat speed..D. Young!!

/Plug/Teaser

I suggest "Brock & Jocks", if only to title your World Series recap "Brock & Jocks™ Talks Sox-Rox"

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7446572

>> Boras did not return telephone calls seeking comment on the surprising development. But unless Rodriguez, in conspiracy with Boras, has initiated a scheme to wrangle millions from the Yankees, he is repudiating Boras by letting the team know he would negotiate a contract without him. <<

## Maybe Boras, admitting a huge mistake, is engineering the entire situation, telling Rodriguez to appear to shed him and approach the Yankees alone because they are his best bet for the many millions he seeks. Contributing to that suspicion was Boras's reported presence yesterday in Miami, where Rodriguez lives. ##

%% But Yankees officials, knowing the rules, said yesterday they would negotiate with anyone Rodriguez chose. Randy Levine, the Yankees' president, was once the owners' chief labor negotiator and knows a club cannot bar a player from using the representative of his choice. %%

http://tinyurl.com/323uxj

The first post is a "Hi, we're here" post. The next one is an interview with a minor league player, who describes what it's like to be drafted, and what it's like to play in the minors.

Bonus: He pitched against the Jacksonville Five. And beaned Russell Martin.

If Coletti loses out on both players - which seems more likely by the instant - what does he do? Is there any way he stands pat?

Keeping in mind the nature of a GM's job and the fact Coletti has publicly been after both A-Rod and Cabrera on some level, how do you think he'll respond?

The Red Sox want LaRoche. The baseball community fawns all over him. Why isn't he good enough for the Dodgers?

But I promise some good stuff.

Keep the prospects, I agree. But the game isn't "make the best team for the money". That's Billy Beane's job. The game is "build a winner" and do it year after year.

I recognize that the young players are going to be the key to continued excellence. I also think some of our prospects are excellent. I think Billingsley is going to be an ace. I think Kemp has all the tools.

But I also recognize that James Loney is Shea Hillenbrand and that the kids can only take the Dodgers so far. The obsequious fawning over prospects on this blog leaves me cold. Many of them wont pan out. Period.

I'm about winning in a city that hasn't won in 20 years. You really think Andy LaRoche and Nomar are going to get you there?

As ridiculous as it sounds, the Angels are fast becoming L.A.'s team. I'm hoping Coletti spends the money instead of trading young talent. Either way, it's time to make a move.

I think Trainwreck is out toasting the recruiting class.

I hope Kim Ng writes her memoirs. I'd love to know what kind of conversations go on up there. Does the universal criticism of Pierre and the universal excitement about guys like LaRoche make Colletti upset? Does he feel misunderstood and alone? In the wee small hours of the morning, does he cry out, "Pierre is a great on-base guy, I don't care what anybody says?" Or is he cocksure in his beliefs? "Anyone who thinks Matt Kemp is a good player is just a complete idiot! I have no time for such morons." Or, is he just scared?

"There's nothing I'm afraid of like scared people" -- Robert Frost.

It's up to ARod to decide whether he wants to negotiate without Boras or talk to another team. His comments made it pretty clear that he thinks the Yankees will pay him more than any other team, even if Boras isn't "in the room".

If ARod wants to talk to the Yankees sans Boras, he's acting within his rights, and in accordance with applicable rules.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/11/14/greenberg.carnegie/index.html

1. If revenue is static, then there's really no problem with increasing the percentage of the revenue that goes to the players. Either the owners keep it or the players get some of it. Might as well give it to the players.

2. But revenue isn't static. Revenue is apparently going up, as are salaries. At some level, the fan is ultimately paying for a chunk of this through increasing ticket prices, concession prices, etc. Why should we be indifferent about this? It's not as simple as "Give the players their fair share". They're all getting richer, due in large part to us getting poorer (by giving them our money).

3. As I've said before, Boras doesn't do anything impressive. He says he and his players want a lot of money, and doesn't give in until a team gives him the money he wants. It's not rocket science. This method works in large part because he has a stable of very good players. Anyone could utilize this method if they had good players and were so inclined. The media, fans, GMs, etc. act like Boras is some kind of god. It's annoying.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-sp.bedard15nov15,0,4916561.story?track=rss

What if ARod is in such a hurry to sign a contract because he knows his name will be in the Mitchell Report...?

The only players who need to care are those players who are named and have seen a drop in performance since testing was instituted.

Like Andruw Jones, for example.

If that were allowed Stan Kasten would already have implemented it.

I am going to huddle in my hut with my loved ones.

If the Association has notified the Office of the Commissioner that a
Player has designated a certified Player Agent or Agents to act on his
behalf for the purposes described in this Article IV, no Club may negotiate
or attempt to negotiate an individual salary and/or Special
Covenants to be included in a Uniform Player's Contract with any
Player Agent(s) other than such Player Agent(s).
A Club may require a Player's physical presence only once during contract
negotiations. This limitation shall not apply to telephone conference
calls, at reasonable times, with a Player and his certified Player
Agent. A Player required to be physically present during negotiations
shall be entitled to be paid by the Club for round-trip first-class transportation
and first-class hotel costs.

An attorney friend of mine (I have a lot of them) got on my case for failing to understand just what in reality Rodriguez could sue for and reminded me also that for any collusion charges or unfair negotiating charge, the burden of proof is the side making the claim.

I apparently didn't understand the meaning of "tortuous interference" or something like that.

Again, the Yankees are not violating this. They're not attempting to negotiate with an agent other than Scott Boras.

The language doesn't say a team has to negotiate with the player's agent, it just says that they can't negotiate with an agent that is not the player's agent.

"No negotiations can take place unless a player's agent is present", then I don't think the Yankees are violating anything.

If Joe Torre is involved I'm sure he's pushing very hard for us to get Bedard. He saw enough of him to know how special he is. I'm still staying with the thought that hiring Joe Torre is the worse thing this team could do if you want to be rooting for a home grown based team over the next 3 years. I doubt very much we will ever see Kershaw wear a Dodger jersey.

I can see why projection systems would be down on Loney. His terrible half a season in AAA would mean he's due for a huge regression to the mean, plus it can't be a fan of his nine home runs in 599 career at bats in Vegas. I honestly don't know how to predict his year. He's obviously a great line drive hitter, but I have no idea how real his power is. Instinctually, I'll say .315/.370/.460 with the caveat that I could be very, very wrong.

It would surprise me a lot of that type of interference with a player's right to choose an agent was permitted by the CBA. (And there may be another portion of the CBA than this that says the player has a right to be represented by an agent of his choice which could be the peg.)

Anyhow, I'm way out of my depth here.

"We had a conference call today talking about our players and stuff. The last couple weeks have been a quick learn for me, but I'm enthusiastic -- just the fact that there are a lot of young players with a lot of talent it seems. So I'm anxious to get to spring training," [Torre] said.

Torre said Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is exploring ways to upgrade.

"You've got to help your offense some way, but we're looking to help our club in a few different areas, whether it be through free agency or trade. I think that's what we're discussing right now," Torre said.

"A Player, if he so desires, may designate an agent to conduct on his behalf, or to assist him in, the negotiation of [contract terms] to be included in his in his Uniform Players Contract with any Club . . ."

I believe an arbitrator would find it a violation of this sentence of the CBA for a club to refuse to negotiate with an agent selected by a player. Obviously, there is a gray zone if all the Yankees have done is say something like "we want to his this stratight from A-Rod" as part of starting negotiations or something. But I don not believe a club can (i) refuse to negotiate with players who employ agents or (ii) refuse to negotiate with a particular agent selected by a player, even though they will negotiate directly with the player or another agent.

Management in different industries has long tried to go around unions and negotiate directly with individual workers and that has been considered a violation of the right to unionize; the Yankees' reported statements here would raise very similar issues.

Geez, Olney annoys me. He starts the "How Dare ARod opt out and rain on Boston's parade" talk single-handedly, and then observes that ARod took a hit in the media. He's like a spurned lover who lashed out at the time of the opt-out, and now that they're getting back together, he has to stick to his story that it was "done the wrong way" to save face.

It's not just Olney. The media loves to whip up firestorms and then spend weeks reporting that there's a firestorm.

OK, I gotta finish my coffee. I'm just bitter that ARod won't be coming to LA, and that the danger of a dumb trade just went way up.

Its all about the production in the end I guess. A team with a bunch of Juan Pierre's would be no fun. Wait a team with one Juan Pierre is no fun either. You gotta have a few bad guys on your team. Maybe Kemp wont get traded. Dont worry im talking to myself.

I guess. Still a lot of facts we don't know. But per my 251 above, I'm just gonna have very little patience for endless harping on how badly Boras misread the market if his client signs the largest contract in baseball history after opting out of a deal that one year ago almost no one would have believed he opted out of.

Is the yardstick really going to be that, if A-Rod doesn't get the most exorbitant number ever floated by his agent, he got snookered?

Or the danger of a dumb trade just went way down. With fewer 3B on the market, the Marlins may stick to their high demands, making a trade less likely.

I will also refuse to be a pessimist when so far the Dodgers still have their top prospects and young players.

I wish I could be that successful at negotiation. I had a hard time getting an extra cookie at home after getting straight As.

Better Miguel Cabrera than Kyle Kendrick.

The Dodgers have had one of the best farm system in baseball during the past 20 years. What has that produced, really? I can imagine the primrose pseudo-analysts on this blog labeling Todd Hollandsworth "untouchable" in 1996.

The dodgers have zero star power. The faster perennial All-Star caliber players leave the market - A-Rod may be gone, Peavy may be close to extending - the more likely Coletti does something foolish and reactive, like signing Lowell or Rowand to a ridiculous and destructive contract.

GMs have to make moves or they will be replaced. Coletti is feeling the pressure.

If Coletti makes a splash, I'd at least like him to snag a no-doubt-about-it talent like Miguel Cabrera rather than hoping Lowell hits like it's a contract year.

Holly's minor league numbers:
Age 19: A+ 430 AB .258/.335/.426 113 K
Age 20: AA 474 AB .251/.294/.447 101 K
Age 21: AAA 505 AB .285/.345/.479 96 K

Anyone who calls that untoucable would probably have brain damage. None of our high tier prospects are anywhere close to as bad as those numbers.

GMs have to win or they will be replaced. That can come from making moves or not making moves.

Regardless of what people would have said about Todd Hollandsworth in 1996, the idea that his flaws means that the Dodgers should have a cavalier attitude toward the current group of young players is absurd.

Very few people here are against the notion of adding Cabrera. But I think it's fair to say there's a limit to what should be given away to get him.

I don't want to give up the farm -- but I do insist that something be done. I don't accept the notion that the Dodgers become a contender by standing pat.

Nor do I accept the odd inertia among Dodger fans, particularly some on this blog; the vague, destructive acceptance of low expectations.

Who is a guaranteed All-Star on the Dodgers right now? Honestly.

I refuse to believe that Esteban Loaiza, Bret Tomko and the hope that our prospects become excellent professionals is the best we can do.

Bob, remind me to tell you someday about my career as a librarian, complete with MLS. It climaxed that day I went over the circulation desk after a patron.

You are underestimating the impact that improving young players can have on a team. Loney and Kemp will get a full season. LaRoche will upgrade third. Replacing Pierre with a good CF would bring another upgrade. I'm not worried about the offense -- I think just the one small move in CF, combined with the natural progression of young players will produce amazing results.

This is one place where the Dodgers are a lot better off than the Angels. The Angels can expect improvement from Kendrick, and possibly Kotchman, but they have bigger question marks at 3B, an aging LF, no decent DH, a CF who is not that good, and a RF star who is declining soon. If anyone is feeling pressure to move, it's the Angels, while I feel the Dodgers are much safer staying pat and making an upgrade in CF.

1) We all think the same thing.

2) We all want to horde prospects and never sign anyone or trade anyone.

3) We all believe that all our prospects are the best and will become All Stars within one or two years of being called up.

I'm sure there are more.

I guess at the deepest level my fear is putting too much stock in our prospects. With respect to 340, Matt Kemp (who I really like) is not "our Matt Holliday".

I agree with 338. "Ethier, McDonald, Broxton? I'd let those guys go, if necessary." I believe it is necessary.

My question for the group:

Realistically, does anyone doubt that Coletti is going to make a move?

If we accept that he is going to make a move, the discussion changes significantly.

It's chess and checkers. Colletti does not appear to be the type of strategist who thinks two or three moves ahead. I have this feeling that if Ethier, Loney, or Kemp are traded, there is plan as how to replace them in the starting line up in place.

That's why I'm a little concerned about a trade for Caberra, in filling a "hole" at 3rd, we create one in the starting rotation (or possibly two), in the outfield, and maybe somewhere else. Quite frankly, given the Marlins' high asking price, Caberra just isn't worth it.

Two ways to be a guaranteed all-star

1) Be the only good player on the team
2) Be the best at your position and get the starting job every year

#2 looks like it could be Russell Martin. Besides, good players get snubbed all the time from the All-Star game, unless you want to argue the merits of AJ Pierzynski over Travis Hafner last year, for example.

That is the thing that scares me about Ned this year, hopefully he wont do anything to crazy or else I think McCourt will probably fire him on the spot no?

349. Not sure what players get it done, but I would be interested in acquiring Bedard, Haren, Santana or Miguel Cabrera. To me, each of these players is a proven (that is, excellence over more than one season) star. I would be wary of trading Matt Kemp. Billingsley would be off the table. Everyone else is replaceable.

348. Perhaps I was unclear. Who is the marquee player on the Dodgers? It is my contention -- feel free to attack it -- that great teams feature great players.

1) Kemp strikes out a bit more, walks a bit less.

2) Kemp is 5 years younger than Matt Holliday, so 4 years Younger than Holliday's 2006 season.

It's not nearly as cost effective, and the centerfielder trifecta probably isn't quite as good as Kemp, but you aren't stranded with Delwyn or Stulton getting any useful amount of time.

Matt Holliday just hit .340 and drove in 137 RBI. He is one of the best hitters in baseball. But to hear (some) bloggers tell it, Matt Kemp is essentially the same player (he does "walk a bit less").

Coletti is going to make a move. Instead of reflectively dismissing the notion of trading, say, Kemp, out of hand, I'd rather discuss what Kemp is worth on the open market.

I have been out of it for the past few days, but here are my two cents:

1) 353 Currently our "great" player is Martin, but I feel that the potential is there for Bills and Kemp to be that as well.

2) 339 Excellent

3) I think that Colletti needs to do something for the long term (2-3 years) with the pitching staff. Lowe and Loaiza will be gone in a year, Schmidt is a big fat question mark, and our young pitching will probably need a year or two to adjust to 200 innings in the bigs. If we could somehow get Blanton, Bedard, or Kazmir, well that would just make my day. It would also show that Colletti is indeed thinking ahead.

4) I am also hoping that Ned's reluctance to deal youngsters (or McCourt's reluctance to do so) will hold unless the right deal comes along. I think everyone knows that 4 top talents are too much for any player especially when one has the potential to be better than all but 5-10 pitchers in the NL this year (Bills). Colletti can be brash and impatient, but I don't think that he is that bad. I see Andruw Jones as being more likely than MIggy.

5) Finally, why do we have to give up Bills and Kershaw when they just want Adenhart and positional prospects from the Angels. Why aren't they asking for something like Adenhart, Weaver, Kendrick, and Wood/Rivera? That is equivalent to Bills, Kershaw, Kemp, and LaRoche. This asking us for just ridiculous amounts of talent is getting old.

We don't have any idea what the Marlins are really asking for from either team, or how those requests are being treated.

Looking at how baseball works these days, and the economics of building around young players, and watching the Nationals be unable to trade Soriano or a scorching-hot Dmitri Young or Chad Cordero for top-tier prospects because other teams value those young players so highly, I also think it smart to maximize what you are getting from you own farm and then backill with FA signings.

But it really has become emotional for me. The Dodgers are blessed to have the big core of young players coming to the league at the same time. They have the top pitching prospect in all of baseball! Wow. What fun.

Let's play two!

Piazza - 62nd Round Draft Pick (1988)
Karros - 6th Round Draft Pick (1988)
Hollandsworth - 3rd Round Pick (1991)
Jose Offerman - Amateur Free Agent (1986)
Raul Mondesi - Amateur Free Agent (1988)
Chan Ho Park - Amateur Free Agent (1994)

First Round Picks (1988-2001)
1988 - Bill Bene RHP
1989 - Jamie McAndrew RHP
1990 - Ron Walden P
1991 - No First Round Pick
1992 - Ryan Luzinski C
1993 - Darren Dreifort RHP
1994 - Paul Konerko C
1995 - David Yocum P
1996 - Damian Rolls 3B
1997 - Glenn Davis 1B
1998 - Bubba Crosby OF
1999 - Jason Repko OF
2000 - Ben Diggens P
2001 - No First Round Pick

So it is very understandable why many here want to see this group of players develop on the Dodgers because it has been such a long time to see fruits of the farm at Dodger Stadium.