Dodgers sign Jamey Carroll to two-year deal, Ayala to minor-league deal

This is the move that will put the Dodgers over the top.

Career utility man Jamey Carroll signed a two-year, $4 million deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Carroll hit a respectable .276 last season for the Indians in a part-time role. That's the role he'll play for the Dodgers -- for now.

However, it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend $2M on a bench player of Carroll's "caliber" when there are perfectly good non-roster invites and/or prospects/young players who could do what Carroll will do -- Blake DeWitt, Chin-Lung Hu, Ivan De Jesus, etc.

The Dodgers just spent $2M on a part-time player when they just saved some money by trading Juan Pierre yesterday. With limited financial resources this off-season, $2M on a 36-year-old utility guy doesn't seem like the smartest move.

It makes you wonder where the Dodgers' priorities are this off-season. There hasn't been much noise about a potential starting pitcher coming to Los Angeles. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

But it doesn't look promising. Here's hoping the Dodgers are somehow able to prove me wrong.

Also, the Dodgers signed right-hander Luis Ayala to a minor-league contract. Again, another move that'll ensure a trip to the Series.

Still waiting on the big move. Here's hoping the big move hasn't happened already.