Clayton Kershaw‘s extension has been widely anticipated by Dodgers fans for a while now, and most (including me) seem to want it done as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as if that’s necessarily going to be the case.

A week ago, Dylan Hernandez said nothing was imminent:

Clayton Kershaw’s agent was at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, but a new deal between the Dodgers and their ace didn’t appear imminent, according to people familiar with the situation who weren’t authorized to speak on the matter.

He was right on the money, as no deal has been reached yet and figures are still being thrown around, though the $200 million price tag seems about right, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Clayton Kershaw’s people and the Dodgers are still talking with the season underway, but no one really knows what’s going on behind closed doors. At the same time, no one should be surprised if Kershaw winds up being the first true $200MM pitcher. Inking him for a total of ten years would keep him locked up through his age 34 season and even though that length sounds crazy, Felix Hernandez is signed through age 33 and Justin Verlander through age 36. Rosenthal’s guess is an eight-year, $200MM extension on top of the two years of control that he has left.

If that sounds nuts though, then this might sound even more so, as Kershaw’s price might be getting higher, according to Jon Heyman.

“I hear they’re already over $200 million,” one baseball official said.

Regardless, the encouraging thing is that everybody is reporting that the Dodgers and Kershaw’s agent are deep in negotiations, and that rarely ends without an extension getting done. It figures to be especially true with these new owners and their deep pockets.

The news of Clayton Kershaw‘s allegedly imminent extension with the Dodgers was broken recently by Mike Petriello, and since then, reporters have chimed in, all confirming the existence of talks.

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Jon Heyman confirmed the negotiations and mentioned that Opening Day was not a hard deadline despite what Kershaw has previously said to have preferred.

Star left-hander Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers are quietly talking about a multiyear deal, people familiar with the situation say.

While the sides officially aren’t speaking publicly about it, based on how the new Dodgers ownership team has acted and the value it places on big-time players, it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers not locking up Kershaw at some point. Opening day isn’t necessarily a hard deadline, though Giants star Buster Posey and Tigers star Justin Verlander treated it as one before making their big deals, for $167 million and $180 million, respectively.

Tim Brown confirmed the talks but says a Dodger official shot down the report, though Kershaw himself seemed to tease that something was in the works.

Nudged again, asked if an agreement could be reached by Monday, Kershaw grinned accommodatingly and said, “Never know.” All lilting at the end, like “stay tuned” or “miracles happen,” one of the two.

Regardless, this ends well for Kershaw. It probably ends well for the Dodgers. An Internet report Friday said the two were nearing agreement on an eight-year, $200 million extension. The Dodgers have not been of the mood to comment either way, though one official shook his head gravely at the report.

Negotiations proceed. As of Friday afternoon, there was nothing. A lot could change in a day, two, almost three. Presumably, if there is a handshake, it will be to seal something in the range of eight years, and something in the neighborhood of $200 million. That would appear to be where the market is headed.

Given that the official Dodgers executive position on the matter is that rule number one about the Kershaw contract negotiations is that there is no Kershaw contract negotiations, it doesn’t shock me that a random Dodgers official refused to confirm a deal.

Locally, Bill Shaikin also confirmed that negotiations are taking place.

People familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Friday that the Dodgers were having contract conversations with former National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

Perhaps most promising, though, were tweets by Ramona Shelburne, who yesterday after the game described the extension as “imminent” and that word around the clubhouse was the deal would “get done”.

So for everybody asking about it and worrying about it because Kershaw’s preferred deadline has already passed, I would advise you to calm down, because all indications seem to point to a deal being finished sometime soon.

Ronald Belisario & A.J. Ellis have agreed to terms with the Dodgers, thus avoiding arbitration, report Ken Gurnick of MLB.com and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Belisario’s contract is for one year and $1.45 million, while Ellis signed on a one-year, $2 million contract. Assuming he can stay clear of trouble, Belisario figures to be a key component in the back-end of the team’s bullpen (3.09 2012 FIP), but that assumption could be troublesome given his history. Ellis, as made obvious by the meme above, became somewhat of a folk hero in 2012, clocking in at 3.8 WAR for the year seemingly out of nowhere. He’ll be hard-pressed to duplicate that performance, but if he gets anywhere close, he’ll continue to be a bargain at an offense-starved position.

The Dodgers have now not been to arbitration since 2007 with Joe Beimel.

The Dodgers are shopping right fielder Andre Ethier, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, and that could mean they’re in the hunt for Nick Swisher to serve as his replacement in right. Normally, this wouldn’t be enough to warrant a post, but Mike Petriello said he heard similar yesterday afternoon, so the rumor appears to have legs.

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The news marks a surprising turn of events given that Ethier just signed a five-year extension for $85 million six months ago, but nothing regarding this team under the new ownership should be seen as truly shocking anymore.

As far as Ethier’s value goes, what is it? Not much, really, because with an AAV of $17 million, he’s already being paid above market value. However, in a vacuum, Ethier is a solidly above-average player, which would absolutely carry value if his contract was more reasonable. As such, the assumption here would be that in order to get a return on him, the Dodgers would have to eat a significant portion of his contract, thus making him attractive to a potential suitor.

Swisher ties into this drama because he’s basically the last corner outfield option left for those that missed out on Josh Hamilton and friends, so it’s no surprise that he’s drawing interest from the Red Sox, Phillies, Mariners, Rangers, and Orioles. However, that interest level is probably why Ethier is on the block, because Ethier is a similar player to Swisher, except almost two years younger.

But why would the Dodgers be interested in replacing Ethier with Swisher? I’m not totally sure, because they’re basically the same player except Ethier is younger. Swisher has a 125 OPS+ the past three years compared to Ethier’s 126, and their defense and baserunning are about pushes. The primary difference in their lines is that Ethier has a severe platoon split (.913 RHP/.649 LHP), while Swisher doesn’t (.820 RHP/.842 LHP). While that does carry some value, at the end of the day, it’s the player’s total contribution to the team that matters (WAR), and they’re about the same in that aspect.

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Look, I certainly wasn’t a fan of the extension that Ethier was signed to, but these potential deals surely aren’t being done with the thought of saving money by signing Swisher and dealing Ethier, at least if the payroll situation is to be believed. As such, it’s about the better player, and from that perspective, I see little value in making this trade unless there’s significant return for Ethier. That, of course, is always a possibility, but I remain skeptical since I certainly wouldn’t do it as an opposing GM.

Remember, if you guys don’t want him, then what makes you think other teams will be clamoring to give up significant pieces to get him? Cuts both ways.

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Update 1: Ken Rosenthal has confirmed the report and has added details.

The Dodgers are shopping Ethier, major-league sources say — and their intent might be to clear a spot for a free agent such as first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher or center fielder Michael Bourn.

However, one official with knowledge of the Dodgers’ thinking says that the talks about Ethier originated from inquiries by two American League clubs, and that the Dodgers are not actively pursuing a deal.

That official says that the renewed interest in Ethier stems from the shrinking pool of available hitters on both the free-agent and trade markets.

The Dodgers have “zero intention” of trading Ethier, the official said, but will listen to offers. The discussions, to this point, have failed to progress.

Whatever the Dodgers’ intentions, it seems doubtful that any team would take Ethier’s new contract in its entirety. He is a career .238 hitter against left-handed pitching.

But, in the words of one source who has been in contact with the Dodgers, “I wouldn’t put anything past them. They’ve got so much money, they don’t care.”

I have no idea why the Dodgers would have no intention of trading Ethier, honestly. If possible I would like to replace him with a better player, but I just don’t think Swisher is all that different.

Update 2: Mike Petriello says the Mariners and Rangers are two of the teams that asked about Ethier.

Update 3: Jon Heyman says that the Dodgers talked with Swisher but that it was weeks ago.

After expected rumors of the Dodgers and Hyun Jin Ryu’s agent Scott Boras being far apart, the two sides eventually agreed to a contract worth $36 million over a six-year span, according to Jon Heyman. As far as incentives go, Ryu can earn up to $1 million per year based on innings pitched and can increase his base salary (via Dylan Hernandez) if he does well in the Cy Young Award voting. Additionally, Tim Brown reports that if he throws 750 innings over his first five years, he can opt out of the deal. The Dodgers won the rights to negotiate with Ryu for $25.7 million via the posting system, and that money will now be sent to the Hanwha Eagles.

We’ve gone over this on the site previously, but reports on Ryu’s potential range from a middle of the rotation starter to a middle reliever, but most agree he has the talent to slot in around #3/#4 in a rotation. Granted, he hails from the KBO and has no MLB track record, so he’s riskier than those on the free-agent market, but given the current market and the Dodgers payroll, it seems to be an acceptable risk to take for an investment that totals a little over $10 million annually to lock up all of his prime years.

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As for the state of the rotation, this now means that, in addition to Ryu, the Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Josh Beckett, Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano, and Ted Lilly in the stable. Furthermore, rumor has it that the team isn’t done yet and would still like to acquire another starter.

The acquisition of yet another starter would leave Ryu potentially questionable to enter the rotation right off the bat, especially if Billingsley is healthy and they can’t find trade partners for both Capuano and Harang. Still, that’s an awful good problem for the Dodgers to have, and given Billingsley’s questionable health, the stockpiling of starters is obviously by design as well. Regardless of where Ryu starts off the season though, he should slot into the back of the Dodgers rotation at some point if he’s as good as most expect him to be.

The Dodgers have signed Zack Greinke to a 6-year, $147 million contract, according to Jon Heyman, with Gina Miller getting the scoop. The $24.5 million average annual value of the deal makes him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball on a per-year basis.

If you’ve followed me in years past, you’d know that I usually do some type of efficiency analysis in terms of whether the deal makes sense on a dollars per WAR basis, but at this stage, with the 2013 payroll already around $235 million, I’m not sure it matters as much.

The important part now is whether or not Greinke is a quality pitcher and whether he makes the Dodgers better, and those questions aren’t even debatable.

After battling back from anxiety issues and becoming a full-time starting pitcher again, he has averaged 5.7 FIP WAR and 4.8 RA WAR over the past five years. Needless to say, he’ll slot in nicely behind Clayton Kershaw in the rotation, and even looking if we do look at it from the $/WAR perspective, at a $5 million per WAR rate and growing, it hardly seems like an overpay.

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Update: Jim Bowden said on Twitter that the contract has an opt-out clause after three years, and that it also has a provision in case he’s traded.

According to a Dodger source:Greinke has a full player opt out clause after 3 yrs & if traded during contract he can opt out at end of yr

Not sure how legit this is considering that he was the one shilling the hardest of the “Greinke to the Rangers” crowd, but if it’s true, does it change anything?

Not really.

Obviously the risk here shifts entirely to the team, much like with the J.D. Drew situation, but if he pitches excellent and opts out at 32 to look for a new contract, either the Dodgers let him walk and go after another front-end guy, or give him a minor raise/extension to retain his services, much like the Yankees did with C.C. Sabathia.

I’d rather not have it in there, but it’s not a deal-breaker or anything.

The tide has shifted completely in the Zack Greinke sweepstakes with sources now almost universally agreeing that the Rangers are the favorites.

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi speculate that their push for Justin Upton is born out of confidence regarding Greinke.

The Rangers’ fervent push for Upton, according to one rival executive, is an indication of their confidence in landing Greinke, who also is being pursued by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Later, on Twitter, Rosenthal said that the Dodgers are considering pulling out of Greinke negotiations all together.

Mark Saxon got quotes from Ned Colletti expressing pessimism.

Asked if he was on the “doorstep” of acquiring Greinke, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said: “We’re not on the front lawn. … We’re barely out of the car at the curb. It’s better than driving around the neighborhood looking for the house. We know where the house is located. We just can’t seem to get out of the car.”

The Dodgers began negotiations with Greinke’s agent, Casey Close, in Nashville, but it doesn’t appear that they have made a formal offer to this point. Speculation is that Greinke could command a record deal for a right-hander — in the six-year, $150 million range.

Given the Dodgers’ deep pockets, it’s unlikely they would be outbid for Greinke, so it’s possible he prefers to pitch in another city. Reports indicated he was leaning toward the Texas Rangers.

Jon Heyman relays much of the same sentiment.

Dodgers people have begun to sound a bit less optimistic within the last day or so about their pursuit of star free-agent pitcher Zack Greinke. And although there’s no evidence anything is close or decided in Texas’ favor, a couple of Dodgers people even suggested that they are beginning to wonder whether Greinke may simply prefer the Rangers.

Just piling on at this point, Jim Bowden says Greinke is impressed with the Rangers organization.

A source has told me that Greinke was blown away by Nolan Ryan and Rangers Front Office..loves the ML team, prospects and chances to Win WS

So yeah, it’s safe to say that the momentum has shifted from the Dodgers to the Rangers for whatever reason, but whether this remains legit or is being fed to the press in order to drive up prices, or whatever else, is still unknown.

Like many of you, I’m just getting tired of the saga already because it holds up all of free agency, but then again, nobody said the rest have to wait for Greinke. He’s free to do things at his own pace if he so chooses, especially considering that he’s looking at committing the next 6 to 8 years of his life to a location.

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The suitors for Dee Gordon now total four, with the Braves and the Phillies now apparently in as well, according to Jayson Stark.

#Indians, #Mariners, #Braves & #Phillies among teams I heard asked #Dodgers about Dee Gordon. It appears all but Seat would try him in OF.

Not seeing what the return would be from those teams, so there must be other things at work in the background here if this trade were to happen.

Honestly though, I’m not seeing the upside in moving him to the outfield. The potential for him to be an MLB regular contributor came with the value of him playing shortstop, where his bat could be decidedly below average but he could still have value. In center or, even worse, left or right, he would basically be relegated to the upside of a poor man’s Juan Pierre. Say what you want about Pierre, but Gordon’s talent with the bat isn’t anywhere close to Pierre’s right now, and I’m not sure it’ll ever get there.

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Confirming a previous rumor, it was reiterated that the Dodgers have interest in Skip Schumaker.

The Dodgers and Twins are among the teams that have some level of interest in Cardinals bench player Skip Schumaker, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

I gave my thoughts on him the first time his name came up.

Credit: The LFP

The Zack Greinke saga is the story of the Winter Meetings, not only because he’s the top free agent out there, but also because he’s holding up the deals of other free agents, as they’re all waiting on him.

Whatever he decides, it figures to be at least borderline historical, as Jon Heyman notes.

Strong belief by people close to situation is greinke can beat cc sabathia $161M record deal if desires. #dodgers #rangers

But who’s in the lead now? Jayson Stark says the talk revolves around the Rangers…

The big buzz this morning at the winter meetings is: Watch out for Texas on Zack Greinke.

…and Joel Sherman gives a potential reason why Greinke might be leaning that way.

Told Greinke’s wife is former Dall #Cowboys cheerleader and could influence desire get back to Tex. score1 for #Rangers

The Nationals are out of the sweepstakes thanks to their Dan Haren acquisition, and the Angels are assumed to be out of it as well due to price concerns, according to Danny Knobler.

With Greinke bidding heading to $160 million and perhaps beyond, one Angels person said: “That’s going to blow us out of the water.”

Additionally, they just added Joe Blanton to their rotation.

Ken Gurnick reports that Greinke’s personal fingerprints appear to be all over the negotiations.

The speculation is that Greinke, and not Close, is orchestrating the leisurely pace of negotiations, which has log-jammed the free-agent market for pitchers. The 29-year-old Greinke could wind up with a contract bigger than CC Sabathia’s record for a pitcher of seven years and $161 million.

Reading between the lines a little, this could mean that the money is close enough where it boils down to personal matters, which could lead him to stray away from the Dodgers and the most money. It could also be the reason Josh Hamilton to the Mariners talks have picked up, as his agent might sense the Rangers will be out of the market for him.

Hopefully not, but the reports yesterday certainly weren’t as optimistic for the team as the day before.

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Those Dee Gordon rumors from yesterday? Well apparently they have some legs, and Jon Paul Morosi/Ken Rosenthal report that the Indians are in.

I looked at the Mariners roster yesterday to find a potential fit in a trade, but for the Indians I don’t see a clear-cut fit for the Dodgers current roster. I’m hoping it doesn’t involve Ubaldo Jimenez.

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As for Hyun Jin Ryu, yesterday was just a continuation of the day before.

Nor would Colletti say if he felt he was closer to a deal for Korean free-agent pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin.

“I just feel closer to Sunday,” Colletti said, because at 2 p.m. PT Sunday the Dodgers must either have a deal with Ryu or he returns to Korea.

Oddly enough, I think Jim Bowden‘s thoughts most accurately reflects reality.

Dodgers not worried about negotiations w Ryu… they know Boras style & will wait until Sunday Deadline to bear down with him & get it done

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) December 6, 2012

Though I would be lying if I said I didn’t cringe when Scott Boras started comparing him and his impending contract to Daisuke Matsuzaka.

“We have standards that all of us agree the guy is a No. 3 starter in the Major Leagues,” Boras said Wednesday. “And past practices, negotiations that we’ve done for [Daisuke] Matsuzaka, at that time Matsuzaka got paid [$52 million, six years] like he was a No. 3 pitcher in the big leagues. We think very highly of Ryu.

Why?

1) Expecting that contract is ridiculous to me.

2) Why would he ever want to associate an Asian pitcher’s potential career with that of Daisuke Matsuzaka?

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The Dodgers do need a lefty reliever in the pen for next year, and with Randy Choate now off the board, Mike Petriello brings up Matt Thornton‘s name.

With LH RP dropping off the board, #Dodgers will probably need to get one via trade. One rumored possibility: Matt Thornton of Chicago.

Would have loved this idea three or four years ago, but he’s now on a three-year negative trend, is going to be 36, and his stuff diminishing is becoming an annual event.

Still a better option than signing Choate for three years, but not exactly a guy you want to give up meaningful assets to acquire.

The Dodgers made an offer to Hyun Jin Ryu, but it was rejected by Scott Boras, according to Ned Colletti.

The Dodgers made a long-term offer to Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin on Tuesday, but it was rejected by agent Scott Boras.

“Predictably, it fell a tad short,” said general manager Ned Colletti.

The Dodgers have until Sunday to sign Ryu or they lose exclusive negotiating rights and their $25.7 million posting fee is refunded.

“We’re debating our next step,” said Colletti. “I don’t believe we’re close right now.”

As I said yesterday, I still think this is all posturing by both sides to get the best deal possible.

For his part, Boras later clarified the situation to Dylan Hernandez.

[Updated at 5:35 p.m.: Ryu's agent, Scott Boras, said he presented the Dodgers with a counteroffer. "We exchanged offers, and negotiations continue," Boras said.]

Boras, said his client should be compensated like a major league No. 3 starter. So, presumably, he’s looking for something in the $50-million range. [Updated at 9:45 p.m.: This estimate was high, according to a person familiar with the discussions.]

The reasons for the Dodgers wanting to wait should be obvious, because if they sign Zack Greinke and trade for James Shields or something of the sort, then their leverage in negotiations with Ryu becomes extremely one-sided.

For now? Just have to wait it out.

—–

Speaking of Greinke, the Dodgers and Rangers are apparently in a bidding war of sorts, according to Jon Heyman.

The Dodgers have been viewed as a fairly clear favorite for Greinke, but Texas is showing signs of determination, according to major-league sources.

The Dodgers are seen as having an almost unlimited payroll, but people familiar with the happenings now suggest the derby could go either way. Not many teams could hope to go dollar-for-dollar against the Dodgers, but the Rangers are trying to do just that.

The bidding is said by major-league officials to be “quite high” now, with two people pegging the dollar amount at about $160 million. And that’s with the deal not done yet. There seems an extreme likelhood now that Greinke will not only set a record for righthanded pitcher but for any pitcher, which is currently held by CC Sabathia, who signed for $161 million and seven years with the Yankees.

Some have suggested they could even see the Greinke deal reaching toward the $175-million mark.

This situation, however, could be severely impacted by the Rangers negotiations with Josh Hamilton, according to Danny Knobler, as they probably won’t sign both.

But one scenario they don’t see happening, according to sources, is a double free-agent signing of both Greinke and Hamilton.

And they certainly seem on pace to sign one or the other, according to Ken Rosenthal.

For his part, Jon Paul Morosi is of the belief that the Dodgers are the clear favorite, while Bill Shaikin adds that this drama may not be over by the time the Winter Meetings conclude.

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Connected to Greinke in a way, the Dodgers are apparently shopping Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang to whoever.

One exec says “Dodgers shopping Capuano and Harang around lobby. Greinke and Rhu, or Greinke and Sanchez or Dempster?”

#Dodgers becoming aggressive in shopping Harang and Capuano, source says. Could be a sign of confidence in landing Zack Greinke. @MLBONFOX

I doubt either of them would be hard to deal at any point in the off-season. Both are on short-term deals, the Dodgers could eat money if necessary, and the return demands probably won’t be significant.

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COMEDY BREAK

The Dodgers are running around shopping Juan Uribe!

One of the agendas the Dodgers are pushing aggressively in the lobby is to find a trade partner to take utility infielder Juan Uribe. Needless to say, the Dodgers are garnering little interest unless they’re willing to pay his entire contract. Uribe, who has batted .199 the past two seasons combined, is entering the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract.

What a disaster.

Asked an MLB official if #Dodgers might be able to interest #Yankees in Juan Uribe with A-Rod injured. The guy chuckled.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) December 4, 2012

It’s become a punchline, as it should, really.

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Dee Gordon appears to be a popular target for teams, including the Mariners.

The Dodgers are fielding tons of inquiries on shortstop Dee Gordon, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports, though they’re not looking to deal him. The Mariners are among the teams hitting the Dodgers hard on Gordon, tweets Miller.

I’ve given my thoughts on Dee previously, though I’m not sure what the Mariners have that the Dodgers want.

No, it’s not Felix Hernandez. Stop.

I’m thinking more along the lines of Kyle Seager, Corey Seager‘s older brother. The Mariners have Alex Liddi and Vinnie Catricala.

—–

Perhaps the R.A. Dickey rumors have some legs after all?

Hearing Dodgers thinking big, have strong interest in Dickey even if they sign Grienke. But they don’t have good young OF to trade.

— John Harper (@NYDNHarper) December 4, 2012

Source says Mets could get speedy SS Dee Gordon and top pitching prospect Zach Lee from Dodgers for Dickey. But that doesn’t help OF.

— John Harper (@NYDNHarper) December 4, 2012

That would be … a lot for a rental.

Still not sure I buy the interest as legit either. Not yet, at least.

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In interest of filling out their bench, the Dodgers are apparently interested in trading for Skip Schumaker, according to Danny Knobler.

He plays second, left field, center field, and right field, so there’s versatility there, but he’s a terrible defender at second, a bad one in center, and just solid-average in the corners. Over the last three seasons, since he turned 30, he’s had an OPS+ of 88.

Not so thrilled, really.

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Oh, and Colletti shot down those rumors from yesterday about them seeking starters at SS/3B. But there’s no reason to think he’s being truthful either.

The Dodgers will offer Zack Greinke the most money to sign, according to Jon Heyman, because they have no concept of a budget.

The Dodgers have an interesting strategy that’s been employed only rarely: Sign the best, no matter the cost.

“They are like theSteinrenner Yankees of the ’70s,” one competing GM said.

Rival executives are beginning to wonder of there’s any chance to compete with the Dodgers in the Zack Greinke sweepstakes. Greinke is said by friends to be an unusual free agent who values comfort and winning right up there with money, so some teams will hang in there with a bit of hope.

But it seems pretty clear who is going to offer Greinke the biggest deal at this point. The Dodgers seem determined to sign him, no matter the cost. As Dodgers president Stan Kasten said, “We are the opposite of the mystery team.”

Asked about their budget, one Dodgers person responded on Monday, “What budget?”

Some wonder whether it might be wise to sign up Clayton Kershaw first, thus in effect capping Greinke’s final price. But one rival exec said, he believes the Dodgers “just don’t care” how much things cost.

Greinke is a unique free agent in the sense that it’s believable that he could make his decision based on comfort over sheer money. Though if the combination of staying in Los Angeles and an offer with the most money comes across the table, I find it hard to believe he’ll turn that down.

This goes counter to what Joel Sherman reports though, as he says the Rangers have every intention of spending right along side the Dodgers on Greinke.

Heard #Rangers right there with #Dodgers in willingness to spend on Greinke, #Nationals still talking #Angels all but fallen out at these $$

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 3, 2012

Could make things interesting since they also have television money to spend.

The sleeper in all of this is still the Nationals, who I think have a lot more money than people would expect.

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Ned Colletti has said that if things continue the way they are, Hyun Jin Ryu is unlikely to be signed.

#Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said talks with Ryu Hyun-jin are moving slowly.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) December 3, 2012

Colletti: At this pace, a deal with Ryu won’t get done.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) December 3, 2012

In response to this, Scott Boras trolled back, saying Ryu could end up in Japan.

South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin could pitch in Japan next season if he doesn’t sign with the Dodgers, his agent said Tuesday.

“Japan is a very viable option for him,” said Scott Boras, who disputed the notion that his client doesn’t have any leverage in his negotiations with the Dodgers.

Never a dull moment with Boras, man.

The deadline is 5 PM on Sunday, so there’s still quite a bit of time, and we knew from before that the Dodgers probably preferred to wait until after the Winter Meetings were over to finalize a deal with him. That makes sense, especially in light of news that they’re involved on a whole mess of players at the moment.

At the end of the day though, I have a difficult time believing that a deal with Ryu won’t get done, especially given the team’s alleged lack of financial restrictions.

—–

The Dodgers are talking with a whole bunch of teams in regards to trades, according to Colletti.

#Dodgers are talking to 10-12 teams about potential trades, GM Ned Colletti said.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) December 4, 2012

Ken Gurnick says this includes the Mets and R.A. Dickey (along with at least seven other teams), while Molly Knight adds that the Rays and James Shields are involved. Jon Heyman adds that the Rays are increasingly likely to deal a starter and that the suitors include the Dodgers, Rangers, and Nationals.

I’m not sure how legit that Dickey interest is, but I have been hearing about the Dodgers being in on Shields a lot, so it seems that would be their primary target. Wouldn’t be surprised at all to see that rumor escalate today.

—–

As for the fourth outfielder issue, Ken Gurnick has mentioned that Nate Schierholtz is a target.

One non-tendered player the Dodgers have some interest in is outfielder Nate Schierholtz, cut loose last week by the Phillies, who acquired him from the Giants in the Hunter Pence trade.

Schierholtz doesn’t play center, is left-handed, and had a .698 OPS last year.

I know he has hit righties well over the last two years, but if you look at the larger sample size of his career, there’s like a 30 point OPS difference in his platoon split, which hardly makes him a platoon weapon.

I would hope they can do better.

—–

Rafael Ynoa is generating interest in regards to the Rule 5 Draft, which doesn’t surprise me.

Hearing some Rule 5 buzz on #Dodgers infielder Rafael Ynoa.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 3, 2012

I would give him a ceiling of a utility player, but I think there’s a chance he could stick all year, so why wouldn’t a team with 40-man roster space give him a shot now? Coming off his red-hot AFL, there’s probably no better time.

Both Ned Colletti and Don Mattingly will return to the Dodgers in 2013.

Colletti’s extension is according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, though no details have been released yet.

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti and the team have a new deal to keep Colletti in the role he’s held since late 2005, CBSSports.com has learned.

Colletti’s contract called for mutual options after this season, but a new deal was being discussed. The Los Angeles Times had reported eight days ago that an offer was on the table from the new Dodgers owners.

Joy. If it’s possible to not win a World Series with a $200 million payroll, Colletti is the one to do it.

—–

On Mattingly, Colletti confirmed himself that he would be returning to the Dodgers in 2013, regardless of how the team finishes out the year.

“I think he’s done a really good job of keeping it together and there’s never an excuse. He doesn’t give any and he doesn’t take any,” Colletti said. “I don’t have any doubt that our efforts every day are there, and I think that’s one of the main jobs of a manager, to make sure guys are into it.

“You know that if you get beat, it’s not a happy room, it’s not one people take lightly and are cavalier. It means something to everybody and that’s a credit to him and his staff.”

This was expected, but I didn’t expect an official confirmation so soon. I guess with Colletti’s extension being announced, the timing makes more sense.

Update: Heyman says the Colletti extension could be two or three years.

The new deal will be a multiyear arrangement. One person said it could wind up being for three years, though previous reports suggested two.

The trade deadline is now less than 48 hours away and the Dodgers are still looking for another bat and an upgrade to their rotation.

An additional bat should be the priority, but the Dodgers seem intent on securing an arm instead.

Either way, what are the rumors today?

—–

Remember that Ryan Dempster thing? Well, it’s still going on.

The Cubs and Dodgers are still discussing righty Ryan Dempster, tweets Yahoo’s Tim Brown. Left fielder Alfonso Soriano remains part of these trade talks, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Dodgers are said to be Dempster’s first choice, and he controls the process with 10-and-5 rights.

I think a package deal of Dempster and Alfonso Soriano is the most likely move the Dodgers make before the deadline.

—–

Jayson Stark of ESPN has the Dodgers in active pursuit of Josh Johnson.

Clubs identify the Dodgers, Orioles and Blue Jays as other aggressive suitors for Johnson while the White Sox, Red Sox, Braves, and Royals have checked in.

Still don’t think they could form an appealing package for him even if they wanted to.

—–

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times says the team is chasing James Shields as well.

The Braves, Dodgers, Indians and Rangers are the teams most interested in Shields, who, along with Miami’s Josh Johnson, are two of the most prominent starters being talked about in advance of Tuesday’s deadline for nonwaiver deals.

Not entirely sure how much of an upgrade he actually is at this point.

—–

Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly puts the Dodgers on Shane Victorino.

Multiple baseball sources indicated on Saturday that the Phils’ talks involving Victorino were getting warm. The Reds, Pirates, Dodgers and Giants all have interest in Victorino, and scouts from those clubs have peeked in on the Phillies lately. The Dodgers have two scouts eye-balling the Phillies in Atlanta, and the Reds also have a scout in town for the Phils-Braves series. The Reds also like outfielder Juan Pierre.

Please no.

Moving on to actual potential upgrades, Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports says the Dodgers would like to get Shin Soo Choo, but Buster Olney of ESPN plays Johnny Raincloud and says it would take a ton for the Indians to move him.

Count the Dodgers among teams interested in Choo.

— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) July 30, 2012

Indians think it’s unlikely they’ll move Shin-Soo Choo. They’d need the perfect offer to make it happen.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 30, 2012

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says the Dodgers have interest in Justin Morneau.

At least the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Giants appear to have some interest in Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who is making a nice comeback this year.

Despite all the rumors, it doesn’t appear as if anything is imminent. The Dempster/Soriano deal is closest to being done, but most of the other rumors have the Dodgers just interested for now.

With that said, I doubt the Dodgers are done for 2012 in the trade market, so I anticipate things escalating quickly.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Dodgers rejected a deal of Ryan Dempster for Allen Webster.

The Cubs offered to send Ryan Dempster to his preferred Dodgers straight up for solid right-handed pitching prospect Allen Webster, but the Dodgers have rejected the offer.

The issue seems to be this: The Dodgers don’t appear to love Dempster quite as much as he loves them.

According to people briefed on the talks, the Dodgers have thus far offered a couple of lesser prospects, guys who may project as relievers.

Could it be that the Dodgers offered some combination of Josh Lindblom, Shawn Tolleson, Josh Wall, and Chris Withrow?

#Dodgers and #Cubs discussing a Ryan Dempster-for-Josh Lindblom deal, source says.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 28, 2012

Seems likely that the offered deal from the Dodgers side would include both Withrow and Lindblom because the Cubs were previously rumored to have shown interest in Withrow.

In related trade news, Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports that the trade might be expanded to include Bryan LaHair or Alfonso Soriano.

The Dodgers and Cubs, stalled on what the Dodgers would give up in a trade for Ryan Dempster, have had some discussions on expanding the deal to also include Alfonso Soriano or Bryan LaHair, sources say.

The inclusion of Soriano or LaHair is still viewed as a longshot, perhaps even a “massive longshot,” as one person briefed on the discussions described it.

I’m guessing that an expanded deal would include haggling over either money (Soriano) or prospects (LaHair). Plus, it would probably include Webster or Garrett Gould in addition to a reliever or two.

—–

If the Dodgers can’t get Dempster, their attention may turn towards James Shields or Josh Johnson, according to Heyman.

With the Dodgers and Cubs seemingly at an impasse in Ryan Dempster talks, the Dodgers are looking at Josh Johnson and James Shields as rotation alternatives.

Johnson won’t come cheap though.

The Marlins seek a Mark Teixeira-like package for Josh Johnson, Jon Heyman reported yesterday. In other words, Miami seeks at least three good young pieces for the right-hander. The Blue Jays are pursuing Johnson and the Rangers, Angels and Orioles also appear to have interest.

Not sure it matters at that price, because the Dodgers don’t have the horses in the system to make the trade feasible.

Matt Garza of the Cubs was once considered an option, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be dealt anymore.

Matt Garza won’t start before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, so the chances of a midseason deal involving the right-hander are remote, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports (on Twitter). Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio notes that Garza might not be traded until the offseason (on Twitter).

An MRI revealed a slight fluid buildup in Garza’s triceps area, manager Dale Sveum told reporters, including Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com. The Dodgers and Red Sox are among the teams with reported interest in Garza.

Only reason I worry about this is because it seems more and more like the Dodgers only rotation option is Dempster, which lessens their leverage in a deal.

—–

Bats are a priority for the Dodgers as well, but are more rumor than substance at this point.

The Dodgers have talked about quite a few other hitters, including both Justin Morneau and Josh Willingham of the Twins. The Twins have said it’s a longshot that they trade Willingham, however.

Phillies still listening on Victorino. Reds, Dodgers, Pirates & Giants among teams interested. But no indication they’re ready to deal him

Justin Morneau is the most intriguing target to me, specifically because he’s making $14 million this year and $14 million next year. His line of .256/.318/.448/.766 is far from impressive, and there are injury concerns, but he does have upside. Plus, the amount of money he’s making is not likely something the Twins want to deal with, so he might not be as expensive in terms of prospects.

GM Ned Colletti says the Dodgers are far from done after landing Hanley Ramirez, as they still want a starter and a bat.

The Dodgers landed the middle-of-the-order bat they’ve been looking for in Hanley Ramirez, but general manager Ned Colletti on Wednesday said he’s still looking for a starting pitcher and another hitter.

“We’re still hunting for starting pitching. We won’t let this deal stand in the way of that,” said the general manager, who dealt starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and Minor League pitcher Scott McGough to the Marlins for Ramirez and left-handed reliever Randy Choate.

Completely makes sense, but who? Hence the mess of rumors to follow.

—–

Ryan Dempster Dumpster Fire Of Rumors

Yesterday, it was widely reported that the Dodgers were the front-runners for Ryan Dempster and that the team was confident they could land him.

A trade between the Dodgers and Cubs still seems “realistic,” Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.

The Dodgers have the upper hand in talks with the Cubs, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.

The Dodgers are feeling increasingly confident that they can work out a deal for Dempster, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets. The Cubs don’t have many alternatives given Dempster’s interest in playing for L.A. and his no-trade protection.

Today, it has been more of the same.

The Dodgers and Cubs continue talking and “might” be getting closer to a deal involving Dempster, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.

Rival executives say the Dodgers are projecting an air of optimism about their chances of obtaining Dempster, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports (on Twitter).

There seems to be a consensus on his destination, which makes sense since he’s all but said it’s the only place he’ll go at this point.

I had no problem with acquiring Dempster, because I figured he would be the upgrade that would come the cheapest for the team. That is, until I saw this tweeted:

Source: #Cubs have asked #Dodgers for Allen Webster as primary piece in Ryan Dempster talks.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2012

Uh … yeah … no thanks.

I thought the price was supposed to go down as they lose leverage, not up.

Allen Webster is a more advanced version of Garrett Gould with better velocity.

—–

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports that the availability of James Shields has drawn interest.

The Angels aren’t the only team in pursuit of James Shields. The Rangers and Dodgers have also made the Rays trade offers for the right-hander, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports.

Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports says the Dodgers have alternatives to Dempster in … uh … vastly superior pitchers.

The Dodgers have Zack Greinke and Josh Johnson on their list in case they don’t trade for Dempster, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.

Odd but okay.

Jayson Stark of ESPN reports that the Dodgers are in on basically every starting pitcher on the market.

The Dodgers are in on a number of starting pitchers, including Nolasco, Blanton, Kevin Millwood, and Jason Vargas in addition to Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza. They’ve also checked in on outfield and first base help, including Victorino and Justin Morneau.

The team is also looking at outfield and first base, which wouldn’t surprise Ken Rosenthal.

Source: #Dodgers deal for Victorino or Pence possible even if team gets Dempster along with H. Ramirez. LA has been in talks with #Phillies.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2012

—–

In terms of pitching, I’m sort of at the point now where if the Dodgers don’t swing a trade for an elite arm, I’d rather they just do nothing. If Dempster is seriously going to command at least a top five prospect in the system, why bother? With Ted Lilly on his way back, the team has five starters, and John Ely, Stephen Fife, and Webster wait in the minors.

As far as the bats go, I’ve already explained why I’d rather the team not acquire Shane Victorino, and Justin Morneau‘s 0.0 WAR line of .253/.314/.437/.751 doesn’t impress me. The only name that’s intriguing is Hunter Pence. His .267/.334/.447/.781 line isn’t impressive, but he’s a ~3 WAR player that would represent a meaningful upgrade.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Dodgers are now “very unlikely” to land Ryan Dempster, but it seems like the team is still in on the chase.

The Dodgers are “very unlikely” to trade for Dempster according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). They prefer not to trade prospects for a rental, making Matt Garza a more logical target.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Dempster sweepstakes is currently down to the Braves, Nationals, and Cardinals.

So what now?

Well the Dodgers have reportedly moved on to Dempster’s teammate on the Cubs, Matt Garza.

The Dodgers don’t want to surrender prospects for a rental and are “very unlikely” to acquire Ryan Dempster, but Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports that they have shifted their focus to Matt Garza. Los Angeles had a deal on the table to acquire Dempster yesterday but it was not consummated.

Why the shift?

One possibility is that the overwhelming interest in Dempster has changed his price and the Dodgers don’t want to go further than what they have already put on the table. However, part of me wonders if this was influenced by the team’s recent struggles and Cole Hamels appearing to be close to agreeing to an extension. In other words, the Dodgers seem intent on getting a rotation contributor beyond 2012 now, perhaps because their plan was to get Dempster at a cheaper rate than Garza and then sign Hamels in the off-season. However, if that scenario is no longer on the table, it raises questions about both how they would improve the rotation in 2012 and how they would add a quality arm for 2013 and beyond.

—–

Of course, it could just be because Garza is the more valuable asset on the table. Despite their ERA difference (which doesn’t measure pitcher worth, IMO), Dempster isn’t actually a superior pitcher, generally speaking.

Dempster is suppressing his HR rate at close to career best numbers, while Garza’s HR rate is by far his career high.

While FIP is a wonderful tool for determining what actually happened within the pitcher’s control, xFIP and SIERA are better tools for projecting future performance, as they normalize HR rate. So assuming these 100 innings or so don’t represent some type of skill change in the two pitchers, it’s not out of line to say Garza is the better bet going forward.

Garza is a 2.5-3.5 WAR pitcher, plus an extra year of team control in 2013, putting him around 4.5 WAR of value. Dempster is around the same skill level, but without the extra year of control, so he’s worth about 1.0-1.5 WAR. The preference change makes sense in terms of asset value for every team, but in the Dodgers situation it may make more sense than for most. Like any other trade though, it depends on the eventual price on the Dodgers end.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Dodgers have signed Bobby Abreu, formerly of the Angels. In a corresponding move, the team has demoted utility infielder Justin Sellers to the minors and will probably use Jerry Hairston Jr. at shortstop.

The Angels will be paying Abreu’s 2012 salary, and speculation is that the Dodgers will be paying Abreu a prorated league minimum salary.

The Angels released Abreu one week ago and will be on the hook for the remainder of his $9MM salary. Abreu’s new deal could be for as little as the pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum.

So at the very least, he probably won’t be expensive.

—–

My initial thought? Wow, wonderful. Any time you get the chance to platoon Juan Rivera and Abreu in what should be an elite offensive position in left field, you’ve absolutely got to do it.

With that said, it doesn’t seem like it will be much of a platoon, at least if Bill Shaikin is correct.

Abreu would not fit with #Dodgers or any other NL team except as a PH. He can’t play defense regularly any more.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) April 28, 2012

Seems he’ll see limited action in left field and be the primary bat off the bench.

—–

Now the main question on the minds of fans is why wasn’t Adam Kennedy released instead of having Sellers sent down. Well, the sad reality is that Abreu might not be much better than Kennedy.

Kennedy projects to hit .252/.305/.358/.663 the rest of the season, according to ZiPS. Once a plus defender at second base, Kennedy has now been reduced to playing fringe defense at first base, second base, and third base.

Abreu? Well, he’s on a four-year OPS decline (.843/.825/.787/.717), and ZiPS projects him to hit .243/.333/.382/.716 the rest of the way. Better with the bat, but not a gigantic gap between the two. Defensively, Abreu has been worth -76.3 runs according to UZR and -47 runs according to DRS over his career, coming out to around -8.4 runs UZR per 150 games and -5.2 runs DRS per 150 games. In simpler terms, he’s a shitty defensive player.

If I give Abreu ~100 PA for the remainder of 2012, he comes out to being worth ~1.3 runs with the bat, ~3.3 runs replacement level, ~-0.8 runs position adjustment, ~-0.8 runs on the bases, and ~-1.1 runs defensively. A total of ~1.9 runs or ~0.2 WAR.

At this stage in his career, he’s basically a well below average player whose only redeeming quality left is being able to take a walk more often than most.

—–

So basically, Kennedy can’t hit, but has defensive versatility and is competent with the glove. Abreu is a better hitter, but not by as much as you’d think, and he’s terrible with the glove.

Given that Kennedy’s current role is essentially that of a pinch hitter, I would think/hope Abreu is more valuable to the Dodgers. However, if they start to play Abreu in the outfield against every righty, it could get ugly, not so much at the plate, but for the Dodgers pitching staff.

—–

Kennedy is bad and he deserves all the criticism thrown his way, but the reality is that, depending on the role, Abreu might be even worse.

It all leaves me to wonder why the Dodgers can’t ever do better on the bench (Mark Sweeney/Garret Anderson/Mark Loretta/Eugenio Velez), because while Kennedy hasn’t been the answer, I don’t think Abreu is the thump off the bench the team is looking for either.

MSTI: Mike Petriello asks how good Matt Kemp‘s contract looks in light of other long term deals. Pretty awesome, I’d say.

Grantland: Bill James goes through the best pitcher duels of 2011 and the Dodgers land on the list 10 times.

3. July 20, 2011, Dodgers at San Francisco, Clayton Kershaw against Tim Lincecum

5. September 9, 2011, Dodgers in San Francisco again, Kershaw and Lincecum rematch

23. June 26, Angels at Dodger Stadium, Jered Weaver against Clayton Kershaw

31. August 2, Dodgers in San Diego, Mat Latos against Hiroki Kuroda

32. March 31 (season opener), San Francisco in Los Angeles, Lincecum against Kershaw

35. June 8, Dodgers in Philadelphia, Hiroki Kuroda against Cole Hamels

36. July 9, Dodgers in San Diego, Rubby de la Rosa against Aaron Harang

42. June 19, Houston in L.A., Bud Norris against Hiroki Kuroda

60. September 14, Arizona in L.A., Daniel Hudson against Clayton Kershaw

82. July 8, San Diego in Los Angeles, Mat Latos against Chad Billingsley

No surprise to see Clayton Kershaw there five times. Hiroki Kuroda being there three times goes to show how effective he was and how the team gave him no support. Interesting cameos by both Rubby De La Rosa and Chad Billingsley in games that I didn’t remember.

Minor League Ball: John Sickels has the Dodgers farm system ranked in the bottom third.

22) Los Angeles Dodgers: Some intriguing pitching depth, much of it fairly close to the majors, but not much hitting.

Not sure if I agree or not yet, but my instinct is to concur.

—–

ESPN: Jayson Stark relays the thoughts of one executive who thinks the Dodgers are going to be huge spenders next off-season.

As Buster Olney has mentioned recently, if Hamels does reach free agency, the Dodgers will be perfectly positioned to make it worth his while. It’s amazing, in fact, how much other teams fear the Dodgers’ potential spending power once their new owner is in place. Remember, L.A. has only TWO players on the roster signed beyond 2013 — Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley.

“Next year this time,” said an exec of one team, “the Dodgers will be THE team calling up every marquee free agent. They’re going to have serious money. They’ll be the Yankees West. They can just look at that free-agent list and cherry-pick whoever they want. And why would anyone not want to go there? They’ll be the sleeping giant in free agency next year.”

Makes sense.

ESPN: Andre Ethier doesn’t understand why the Dodgers can’t be signing Prince Fielder.

The ownership limbo seemingly affected the Dodgers’ ability to deal in free agency this offseason, with general manager Ned Colletti saying earlier this month the team was essentially done with its offseason acquisitions because “we’re at our payroll.” So when news broke Tuesday of the Detroit Tigers nearing a deal with marquee free agent Prince Fielder, it wasn’t lost on Ethier.

“Why can’t the Dodgers be doing that? Look at the markets those two teams are, and the stability you see through the front office and the team being able to operate … on the level it should be,” he said, adding, “you don’t try to think of it too much as a player, but obviously if you’re not going after the big fish like other teams are, like our partners are down there to the south of us, the Angels [who acquired Albert Pujols], it’s tough to go out there and keep competing year after year if you’re not going out there and making your team better every year. “I think that’s the situation we’ve been in. Obviously it’s going to get better from here on out because of the sell and getting new people in there.”

Oops.

—–

Dodgers Now: Patrick Soon Shiong, the richest man in Los Angeles, will not bid on the Dodgers, but may join a bid.

The richest man in Los Angeles has not bid for the Dodgers.

However, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong could join the Dodgers sweepstakes soon — not by bidding on his own, but by joining one of the groups already in the running to buy the team. Soon-Shiong has met with several prospective bidders, and he had dinner recently with outgoing Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.

If he links up with the Magic Johnson group, this could get good.

CBS Sports: Jon Heyman said on Twitter that Steven Cohen is the biggest threat to win the Dodgers. Ugh.

I recapped all the Dodgers bidders here, so go find out why I don’t want him.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Harang to a 2 year deal worth $12 million, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. The deal is assumed to be back loaded, but there’s no confirmation on that yet.

—–

Once upon a time, Harang was a consistent workhorse type of pitcher for the Reds, posting three consecutive seasons with an ERA- below 90 from 2005 to 2007 (3.83/3.76/3.73). From 2008 to 2010 though, things weren’t as pretty, and his Reds career ended with him posting an ERA- of 130 (5.32).

Like a lot of pitchers try to do, he headed to the Padres to ramp up his value, and Petco Park certainly seemed to do the trick, as he posted a career best 3.63 ERA. However, his ERA- was just 105 and his peripheral skills weren’t all that different from 2010 (16.3/17.3 K% & 7.5/8.1 BB%).

As such, the 2012 Dodgers are basically getting a 2010 Aaron Harang salvage title car with minor body work done in 2011 to make it look like a 2005-2007 generation but an engine that’s still as questionable as the 2008-2010 version.

Yearly Salary Estimated

Assuming he’s even able to stay healthy, which hasn’t exactly been a given since 2007, his skills indicate that he’s about a 4.20 ERA type of pitcher in Dodger Stadium, which is basically like a right-handed version of Ted Lilly.

I gave him 175 innings pitched, which came out to around 12 runs above replacement. Given that he’s going into his age 34 season in 2012, I regressed him a bit as well.

—–

I’m not going over this again and again, but I’m just gonna say that with all this money they’ve spent over the off-season, the Dodgers probably could have signed Hiroki Kuroda, Chris Capuano, and Mark Ellis if they just resisted the temptation to give away money to Harang, Juan Rivera, Matt Treanor, Adam Kennedy, and Jerry Hairston Jr..

=====
Update
=====

The Dodgers officially announced the Harang signing on Thursday, and with it came the contract specifics.

Harang will receive $3 million in 2012 and $7 million in 2013. In ’14, there is an option with a $2 million buyout. The option for 2014 will vest between $7 million and $8 million if he eats up at least 360 innings over the two years and at least 175 innings in ’13.

Since the terms are now known, I figured I should update my chart.

For the most part, it’s still the same deal, but it’s deferred even more than I predicted.

While many aren’t happy about the vesting option, I would argue that it’s actually not worse than the buyout. In order for Harang to vest, he has to be healthy, therefore I staved off a WAR decline in 2014, making the option year almost Surplus Value neutral.

As with most clubs, the Winter Meetings have been busy for the Dodgers, but while other teams are pursuing impact players, the Dodgers are busy trying to identify the clean garbage at the massive dump.

Ned Colletti revealed that he is looking to upgrade through trade with a position player and would be willing to listen on a reliever.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said he met with a handful of clubs at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday looking for “an upgrade, a position player,” but that he would listen if a club offered a late-inning reliever.

Upgrading a position player makes sense, but given the payroll limitations, I doubt it’s anything good.

As far as listening on a late inning reliever, why? That’s honestly one area where the Dodgers seem to have an endless supply of solid arms and the price of relievers this off-season is insane.

In the first case, he still wants another bat. He wouldn’t say at which position, but it would most likely have to be an outfielder or first baseman. James Loney would seem to be a logical offering in return as he enters his final season before free agency and Colletti often has mentioned the capability of Juan Rivera, Jerry Sands and Adam Kennedy to play first base.

From all indications, it would not be a catcher (where the Dodgers will start A.J. Ellis with Matt Treanor the backup) and he’s seemingly committed at the other five positions with center fielder Matt Kemp, right fielder Andre Ethier, third baseman Juan Uribe, second baseman Mark Ellis and shortstop Dee Gordon.

Without offering a name, he said one player he is targeting has been a starter at his position and would be “payroll neutral,” indicating that either the player he would send would be of similar salary or the other club would pick up part of the incoming salary. Colletti said he didn’t expect a deal while at the Meetings, which end Thursday.

As people like Eric Stephen and Mike Petriello have been discussing on Twitter, it certainly would seem like this might involve a Delmon Young, Carlos Lee, or Alfonso Soriano type. Additionally, since the trade might be payroll neutral, some of the speculated names leaving were James Loney and Chad Billingsley.

Yikes. Let’s hope not.

As for the reliever, Colletti was expected to meet Tuesday night with the agent for Mike MacDougal, who bounced back with a fine season while under the radar after being picked off the scrap heap with a Minor League contract. Colletti said he has had two previous conversations with the agent, but “it might be time to get more serious about it.”

No. Just no.

Colletti did what he had to do last season and he got solid value for Mike MacDougal at a relatively cheap cost. Re-signing him for another year is just pressing your luck and hoping you don’t hit a whammy.

—–

As far as Josh Bard goes, there are conflicting reports.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says it’s a done deal for 1 year and $750k, while Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times said a minor league deal was close but then clarified that Bard is not the only catcher the Dodgers are talking to.

I’ll easily take Dylan Hernandez’s report over Jon Heyman’s, so I’ll wait this deal out. However, if it goes through, I become more and more confused as to the direction of the team.

Is the goal of this league to stockpile as many replacement level players as possible or something? I don’t get it.

As I covered yesterday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to be put up for auction in bankruptcy court, thus ending Frank McCourt‘s embarrassing reign as Dodgers owner. However, while we’re busy celebrating his demise, fans need to be aware of the next owner’s credentials, lest history repeat itself.

For their part, Major League Baseball has committed to facilitating the process quickly and approving potential bidders as owners before the auction starts.

Still, nobody knows exactly who will be in the Dodgers sweepstakes just yet, but there are a ton of rumors to go around.

—–

So who are the rumored potential owners of the Dodgers?

Bill Shaikin has already ruled out former Dodgers owner Fox (thank god) and Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff, but there are many others showing interest, so let’s take a closer look.

==========
The Frontrunners
==========

Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is often talked about as a potential buyer and is a popular choice with the fans. He has previously shown interest in purchasing an MLB franchise with the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, so there’s not only current interest, but precedent as well.

That said, Ken Rosenthal reports that Cuban is not willing to go over 1 billion dollars on the Dodgers, while Jon Heyman says 1 billion dollars is the lowest price the Dodgers are likely to go for.

While it would be simple enough to dismiss Cuban’s price talk as not wanting to show his hand, he’s unlikely to overpay just for the sake of getting to own a baseball franchise, as he proved when he finished in second place for the Rangers.

—–

Dennis Gilbert, the current Chicago White Sox executive who made a run at the Rangers ownership, is getting significant buzz from the press, as his name pops up in the top 3 of almost every article talking about potential Dodgers buyers. Fans seem content enough when his name pops up, which I assume is primarily because he’s a fan of the Dodgers himself. However, not much is known about his investment group, or if he even has one put together.

==========
The Declared
==========

Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire has already publicly declared his interest in the team and he seems to have support behind him.

While true that he was the GM at the time of the last Dodgers World Series victory, it should be noted that his major baseball moves were signing Daryl Strawberry, trading for Eric Davis, and trading for Delino DeShields.

His investment group includes Ben Hwang, a former Senior Director of Life Technologies Corporation, and Andy Dolich, a former high ranking executive for many teams in many professional leagues.

—–

Peter O’Malley, former owner of the Dodgers, has said that he’ll pursue the team.

While it’s nice that he talks about restoring the franchise, fans must remember that he sold it to Fox in 1998 to begin with, which started this whole downward spiral. I’m happy that he says he reads Dodger related blogs, but there are significant concerns with his potential ownership, especially considering part of the reason he sold the team in the first place was that he believed he didn’t have the money to be in baseball anymore.

I suppose there’s always the possibility that the rest of the group he puts together could be financially stacked, but we don’t know anything about them yet, so all we can judge is the frontman.

—–

Former Dodgers players Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser are fronting an investment group that plans to bid on the team.

The investors are unknown as of now, so it’s obviously hard to judge their credentials, but while I love Hershiser, Garvey was once broke and his personal affairs have been well publicized, so I’m not sure about the decision making of the investors if that’s the primary face for the group.

==========
The Sleepers
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Ron Burkle, a California born billionaire and co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, lurks in the shadows a bit.

He has stated in regards to the Dodgers that he “would be proud to be part of its future“, but hasn’t said much else about the situation.

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Alan Casden, a real estate businessman, comes up in auction related articles primarily as a throw-in type of name, but he seems to have the means and had previously made a run at buying the team.

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The Unlikely
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Alec Gores, a billionaire businessman, keeps coming up in articles about the auction, but I can’t see any actual interest from him or reason for buying the team.

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Mark Attanasio, the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, has been mentioned in articles, but I’m pretty sure the only reason is his ties to Los Angeles.

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Tom Werner, a businessman with stakes in the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. via New England Sports Ventures, is primarily mentioned due to his Los Angeles ties.

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Billionaire Eli Broad is included in the speculation of those who might bid on the Dodgers, but he has declined comment on the issue and the speculation seems hopeful at best.

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Billionaire businessman Larry Ellison has been included in the speculation as well, but he hasn’t commented either. Again, seems more hopeful than legitimate at this point.