The deadline to offer free agents arbitration came and went on Tuesday with the Dodgers offering nobody arbitration. That means whatever team signs the likes of Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson, the Dodgers will not receive any draft pick compensation in return.
This is an utter joke. The McCourts and their legal crap are hindering the Dodgers' abilities to improve the team. I mean, if you can't even offer arbitration to two guys who would have likely turned it down, how should the fans expect any type of acquisition that adds even a few million bucks to the payroll?
The Dodgers are collateral damage in the McCourts' legal war. Because Frank and Jamie can't possibly be civil or adult about the situation, the baseball team has to suffer. Thanks a lot you greedy scumbags!
I guess we should have known things were bad when McCourt had to borrow money to actually buy the team in the first place. The last time the team's ownership was in flux, the Dodgers lost a chance to sign Vladimir Guerrero, who signed with the Angels prior to the 2o04 season. Guerrero won the American League Most Valuable Player award that year and averaged .319/.381/.546/.927, 29 HR, 103 RBI and a 141 OPS+ (100 being league-average) in his six years as an Angel.
Oh, what could have been...
There is no Vlad available this time around, but guys like Roy Halladay and the afore mentioned Lackey aren't coming to Chavez Ravine with the current ownership still in charge. It's too bad we didn't see the signs earlier. You know, the whole trading Carlos Santana (the best catching prospect in the minors) so the Dodgers wouldn't have to pickup $2 million of Casey Blake's remaining salary in 2008 or the reluctance to go over-slot in the draft.It's just flat-out ridiculous. I can somewhat understand not offering Hudson arbitration, but not offering Wolf is inexcusable. There is no amount of spin that can make it right. He is going to get a multi-year deal on the open market, as he's the best free agent starting pitcher available this side of John Lackey.
It's frustrating and frightening sign of things to come. For now, it seems the Dodgers are going to get the young arbitration-eligible players signed for this upcoming season and fill in the "blanks" with cheap options. That's what not offering arbitration to Wolf and Hudson screams.
Just sell the team already. If Bud Selig wasn't such a moron, Mark Cuban would already own the Cubs. Maybe that mistake by Selig will work out in the Dodgers' favor. Right now, however, it seems more like a pipedream than reality.
The McCourts just need to sell the team and continue the legal proceedings when it cannot hurt the storied franchise.
This is so infuriating.
Go Dodgers, I suppose. The McCourts need to GTFO! (Google it)
No comments:
Post a Comment