The Dodgers should enter the Jorge Soler sweepstakes

While some thought Frank McCourt's final present to Dodger fans could have been to sign Prince Fielder to a mega deal (and the Dodgers were close), there's something a little more practical that could be done; something that would hopefully spur the next Dodger owner to invest in: international scouting.

Who am I referring to? None other than Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler.

Mike Petriello had a great post in December about the Dodgers' lack of international spending in recent years. He said it a lot better than I can, but I'm going to give it a shot.

The Dodgers were once known as one of the most active teams in the international market -- signing players like Fernando Valenzuela, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Martinez Hideo Nomo, Chan Ho Park, Adrian Beltre and so on. Now, the international signings include Rubby De La Rosa and Kenley Jansen, which isn't bad, but the quantity of international signings has been unimpressive.

The Dodgers spent about $314,000 in international signing bonuses in 2010. Gone are the days of finding the next Pedro or Fernando if the Dodgers refuse to spend on international scouting and spending.

Even with the changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement -- basically eliminating the bidding wars involving international amateur prospects -- the Dodgers should make one final splash before the new rules take effect.

If the Dodgers invest more in international scouting, they could have the upper hand when it comes to acquiring international players.

Now, I'm not saying every guy the Dodgers acquire on the international market will be a great player, nor am I saying the Dodgers need to be in on everyone. But right now, the Dodgers need to be in on Soler.

Soler, 19, is a a big kid (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) who some view quite highly, including Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.

"Protypical RF package with plenty of athleticism and raw power. If he was an American high school kid entering the 2012 draft, he'd be a single-digit pick."

So, he'd be a Top 10 pick -- something the Dodgers haven't had since they drafted Clayton Kershaw at No. 7 overall in the 2006 draft.

Scoutingbook.com had this to say about Soler:

"He's already showing the signs of that very-likely plus power, and his very strong arm is certainly real. His contact skills and lack of patience at the plate, though, are equally clear indicators that he's still a very rough gem."

Like with any athlete, there's give-and-take. Despite the concerns about discipline, this is clearly a risk worth taking.

Now, he's going to cost more than your prototypical Top-10 draft pick,

Fellow Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes just signed a 4-year, $36 million deal with the Oakland Athletics (of all teams). The difference -- Cespedes is 26 years old while Soler is just 19. Soler won't cost that much, but I could see a team putting down $20 million to sign the youngster.

For a reference point, the Cubs signed Cuban left-hander Gerrado Concepcion to a $7 million deal (plus another $1 million in incentives). Soler is a much better prospect than Concepcion, hence the higher price tag.

As C. Trent Rosecrans of CBS Sports points out, Soler isn't yet eligible for free agency.

"...Soler has yet to establish residency in the Dominican Republic, but has applied. After establishing residency, Soler will need to be declared a free agent by Major League Baseball and be cleared by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assts Control before he can sign a contract. Cespedes was declared a resident of the Dominican Republic on Jan. 24 and 19 days later he was cleared by the OFAC..."

So, this might be a bit premature, but it seems Soler gaining residency in the Dominican Republic is just a formality at this point.

Rosecrans also had this to say:

"Unlike Cespedes, whoever signs Soler won't expect him to contribute to the major league team anytime soon, but in the end, he could be even better than the 26-year-old Cespedes."

This is exactly what the Dodgers need right now. I know they have a ton of outfield prospects, but none are on the level of this prospect. And by the time Soler would be ready, the Dodgers would probably have a vacancy in their outfield.

The Blue Jays, Cubs, Orioles, Phillies Red Sox, White Sox and Yankees have all expressed some level of interest in the right fielder. How fitting would it be for the Dodgers to reassert their dominance in the international market -- smacking down some of the "big boys" before the rules change?

For me, this is a no-brainer. Will it happen? Absolutely not, but it's more practical than giving Fielder $160 million.

Report: Dodgers were in on Prince Fielder

Maybe Ned Colletti does read Dodger blogs, as the Dodgers were reportedly finalists for Prince Fielder's services.

From Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

"The Dodgers' attempt at Fielder, with a high annual salary on the four years Fielder was guaranteed to be a Dodger and the always favorable player opt out, is believed to have put them among the final three teams in on Fielder..."

I kind of wish I didn't know that.

The details -- as limited as they are right now -- had the Dodgers paying Fielder $26 million for the first four years and "in the low $20-million range" for the last three years. There was also an opt-out clause in the contract.

I, and others, have written about Fielder to the Dodgers before he signed with the Tigers this week. It made sense. But in the end, it's hard to blame him for not taking a 7-year, $160ish million deal instead of a 9-year, $214 million deal.

This is, most likely, the last time I'll write about him in detail. Good luck to him in Detroit. It's too bad Victor Martinez had to go and tear his ACL. The Dodgers will enter the season with James Loney at first base, which was to be expected all along.

Prince Fielder agrees to 9-year deal with Tigers

Well, that just happened.

Prince Fielder, the man who would have been perfect hitting behind Matt Kemp, just agreed to a 9-year, $214 million deal with the Detroit Tigers today.

Fielder will take Victor Matrinez's spot in the lineup, as he suffered a torn ACL last week and could miss the vast majority of the 2012 season.

Preliminary reports make it sound like he'll play first base for the Tigers, forcing all-world hitter Miguel Cabrera to change positions. Cabrera came up as a shortstop and has experience in left field and at third base.

Having said that, the Tigers do have the benefit of the designated hitter, so I'm betting the two split time at first and DH.

There was talk he might consider a 1-year deal to hit the market next off-season when the Dodgers could afford him. That obviously went by the wayside.

Instead, super agent Scott Boras worked his magic again, landing Fielder a 9-year commitment and more than $200 million.

It now seems the Dodgers are going to have to acquire a big bat via the trade market once a new owner is in place. The best bat available next off-season is Josh Hamilton, who isn't the most durable player and I'm sure the Rangers wouldn't want to let him walk so easily.

A name to keep an eye on is David Wright of the Mets. They're going nowhere fast and Wright isn't the lifetime Met many thought he would be. He has a $16 million option for 2013 (I think... Cot's is down at the moment) that isn't a no-brainer for the Mets to exercise.

Fielder would have been nice, but it wasn't meant to be (and certainly not for that contract). I've already written about how the Dodgers blew their chance -- even with limited funds (or so we thought). The $23.8 million average annual value isn't absurd, but the nine-year duration is less-than desirable.

James Loney's job is safe -- for now.

Dodgers avoid arbitration with Andre Ethier and James Loney

The Dodgers avoided arbitration today with Andre Ethier and James Loney, signing them both to 1-year deals.

Ethier will earn, surprisingly, $10.95 million as a base salary. Tony Jackson has the contract details:

"Ethier's deal is one year, $10.95 mill plus $25,000 for each of 600 and 625 plate appearances. He has reached 600 PAs just once, in 2009"

It's surprising because he made $9.25 million last year and he was almost a lock to make at least $11- or $12 million in base salary. Instead, he got an 18 percent raise (thanks to Jon Weisman for pointing that out).

Even without Kim Ng looming, the Dodgers were able to get Ethier for less than a lot of people thought.

The base contract is $45,000 less than the Dodgers' second-highest paid player for 2012: Ted Lilly.

Mike Petriello pointed out Lilly will make $12 million this year, as he's due a $1.5 million signing bonus in April. So by April, barring something totally unexpected, Lilly will be the team's highest paid player. That's awfully depressing.

Jackson also has the details of Loney's contract:

"Loney deal is $6.375 mill plus $25k for 585 PAs, $50k for each of 625/650 PAs. Would max out at $6.5 mill"

As Weisman points out, Loney got a 31 percent raise. I was expecting somewhere in the range of a $6- to $7 million contract for Loney, so this isn't too bad. And the only reason he's still a Dodger is because of his late-season surge.

However, with that money and the $18.75 million the Dodgers spent on spare parts this off-season, they could have easily landed Hiroki Kuroda, Prince Fielder and a couple of the other guys General Manager Ned Colletti just had to have.

Sorry, had to get that dig in there.

Clayton Kershaw is expected to go to arbitration, as the two sides couldn't agree to a contract before the deadline.

The kid is gonna get paid. It'd be nice to lock him up long-term, but I suspect that will happen next winter.

McCourt 'laughs' at adding Prince Fielder, plus other news

For this being a blog about the Los Angeles Dodgers, I sure am writing about a player with little-to-no-chance of being a Dodger.

Anyway, today at the MLB Owners' Meetings, soon-to-be-former Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt was asked about Prince Fielder.

He laughed. Literally.

"But, to the question of whether the Dodgers might pursue Fielder, outgoing owner Frank McCourt laughed.

'We're not going to talk about that,' McCourt said Thursday at the Major League Baseball owners' meetings.'"

McCourt does appear more focused than ever in trying to sell the Dodgers, as the bidders are lining ready to spend a billion-plus bucks to acquire the historic franchise.

There was even talk about the Brewers bringing Fielder back on a 1-year deal so he could hit the market next winter with the new Dodgers' owner in place.

Scott Boaras, Fielder's agent, probably laughed in the way McCourt laughed at the Fielder question.

Still, it might not be a bad proposition for Fielder, if he really wants to be a Dodger and play with Matt Kemp and Tony Gwynn. That, or Fielder/Boras wait to see what happens after Jan. 23 to re-assess their options.

#####

Reliever Blake Hawksworth underwent surgery on his right elbow on Wednesday and should be out 4-to-6 weeks.

Chad Moriyama and Mike Petriello both wondered if Hawksworth was pitching hurt toward the end of last season.

Moriyama thinks it was normalization while Petriello thinks it happened post-season.

Either way, it's good Hawksworth is getting this taken care of, as he's slated to be the Dodgers' long reliever this season. Petriello also points out this could lead to Josh Linblom making the squad out of Spring Training, if Hawksworth's recover is slower than expected.

#####

The Dodgers and FOX have settled the ongoing dispute over the TV rights.

Clayton Kershaw was named Sportsman of the Year by the Los Angeles Sports Council. He'll be honored on March 15. His trophy case must be filling up, especially after winning the National League Cy Young Award and a Gold Glove earlier this off-season.

Brandon Lennox of True Blue L.A. is counting down the Dodgers' top 200 prospects. He's down to No. 131.

Dodger Bobble has some details about the Vin Scully bobblehead (Aug. 30). I'm really going to try to make it to that one.

Jon Weisman asks who will be in the Dodgers' rotation in 2013. He lists 10 legitimate candidates. Hmm... 10-man rotation anyone?

Evan Bladh of Opinion of Kingman's Performance wonders why the Dodgers are so hated.

Roberto Baly of Vin Scully is my Homeboy has a look at the latest billionaire to enter the bidding. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN L.A. has a more in-depth look at Josh Macciello.

Buster Olney thinks the Dodgers should sign Prince Fielder

The Dodgers' ownership flux will be resolved in the next couple months, with Jan. 23 being a big day. And with the the 23rd approaching quickly, Buster Olney penned a column (ESPN Insider required) today stating the Dodgers should sign Prince Fielder.

"There's one more thing McCourt can do to add to the feeding frenzy, however. He should go out and sign Prince Fielder. Right now."

He said it'd benefit McCourt in the long run because it'd make the club more attractive to the seemingly never-ending stream of billionaires lining up to bid on the Dodgers.

Olney threw out a couple of contract numbers, both of which are not exactly realistic this far into free agency.

"The Dodgers might be able to get Fielder for seven years and $175 million, or maybe eight for $192 million."

Yeah, that'd be crazy. I don't think there's any way Fielder gets that many years or dollars annually. The teams lining up for his services aren't exactly top-notch franchises (Washington, Baltimore, Seattle) which benefits the Dodgers. Something along the lines of five or six years guaranteed with a couple option years seems more realistic.

But we've been through that before.

Olney did make a good point, though:

"They would sell more tickets, draw higher ratings and give the next owners a little more leverage in negotiating that next television contract."

Most definitely. Well that, coupled with McCourt being out as the owner and the Dodgers would be back to 3 million-plus fans in no time. And the next TV contract would benefit from a better product on the field.

However, I strongly disagree with his next statement.

"Fielder would be to the Dodgers what Shaquille O'Neal was to the Lakers."

That's a bit far-fetched for me to buy into. O'Neal made the Lakers a championship contender right away. O'Neal is one of the most dominant players of all-time. Fielder is a really, really good player, but he's not on the same level as Shaq.

I obviously agree the Dodgers should sign him, as it makes a ton of sense. But his column didn't really make a persuasive argument.

While the addition of Fielder would make the club more attractive to potential buyers, he isn't a franchise-changing player. He's more of a division-changing, maybe league-changing player, but he's far from the likes of Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez (with Boston) or Shaquille O'Neal.

Still, it's fun to daydream about it. The odds of this happening have to be less than 5 percent (admittedly arbitrary), but every day Fielder is a free agent only benefits the Dodgers, and not just in the "he's-available-for-anyone-to-sign-way."

While Fielder or Scott Boras, his agent, won't come out and state it publicly, it's fair to say they're waiting to see how the ownership situation plays out before committing to a team. But if a team came to them with an outrageous offer (like the ones Olney proposes), they wouldn't hesitate.

If Fielder is still a free agent in February, the odds Fielder signs with the Dodgers goes up to at least 6 or 7 percent.

A 3-4-5 of Matt Kemp-Fielder-Andre Ethier would be quite attractive. Here's hoping it happens, even though it most likely won't.

#####

Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness has a fantastic post about the 12 ownership groups looking to buy the Dodgers. It's a great read.

Jared Massey of L.A. Dodger Report also has a breakdown of six billionaire groups looking at purchasing the Dodgers.

The Magic Johsnon/Stan Kasten group is the most appealing to me.

Dodgers about done with moves, focus on Winter Development Program

To no one's surprise, Ned Colletti said the Dodgers are at their payroll limit, meaning there are not going to be anymore significant moves this off-season.

It's disappointing to know guys like Hiroki Kuroda and Prince Fielder, who seemingly want to be in Los Angeles, have no chance of playing there because of a limited payroll.

Then there's this gem from Ramona Shelburne's article:

..."(the payroll) is down from a year ago. But sometimes it's not what you spend but how you spend it."

Really Ned? You don't say. It's too bad he doesn't take his own advice, because he's spent money more foolishly than almost any other general manager since 2006.

Just another chapter in the long book for frustration for the Dodgers' upper management for the last seven-to-10 years.

#####

The Dodgers began their annual Winter Development Program a few days ago. The Dodgers had 15 prospects/young players attend, as well as some Major Leaguers.

Players in attendance:

Steve Ames, Michael Antonini, Alex Castellanos, Rubby De La Rosa, Gorman Erickson, Tim Federowicz, Stephen Fife, Tyler Henson (acquired from the Orioles), Alfredo Silverio, Shawn Tolleson, Scott Van Slyke, Josh Wall, Matt Wallach, Allen Webster and Chris Withrow.

Roberto Baly of Vin Scully is my Homeboy has a ton of photos and videos from Monday's media day. He also said in his blog post he saw Castellanos playing some second base, a position he played in the minors. There was talk earlier in the winter about trying him at first base, but if he can hit like he did in 2011 as a second baseman, he could see himself in Los Angeles sooner rather than later.

Brandon Lennox of True Blue L.A. was also in attendance and said Don Mattingly said Castellanos would play mostly in the outfield. It's always nice to know if a guy has versatility, though. He said he also saw Henson playing third base. Like Castellanos, Henson is mostly known for playing outfield, but he has some infield experience in the minors.

Prince Fielder is ripe for the Dodgers' taking

Here we are on Dec. 29 and one of the biggest (no pun intended) free agents of this off-season is still available.

Prince Fielder has yet to sign, even following Albert Pujols' record contract (I know it isn't the largest contract of all-time, but I'm sure it's record-setting in some way). Recent reports said he might be willing to settle for a 3-year deal, but those were quickly shot down by his agent, Scott Boras.

But why is Fielder really still available? I'm not 100 percent sure, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

Well, teams are obviously concerned with giving a man of his carriage a long-term, big-money deal. But the numbers do not lie. Fielder is one of the game's best power-hitters and is not incapable of hitting left-handed pitching.

Since his first full season in 2008, Fielder, 27, has 228 home runs and a .541 slugging percentage. He also has a .391 on-base percentage in that time. The man is a productive hitter.

His splits against lefties for his career are solid -- .257/.340/.458 -- but he's been much better against them in recent years, including a .943 OPS in 2009 and .822 OPS last season.

Fielder doesn't just mash at Miller Park, either. His career home/road splits are as follows:

Home: .286/.399/.566, 123 HR in 504 games
Road: .279/.381/.515, 107 HR in 494 games

And for all the concerns about his weight, he's yet to play fewer than 157 games in a full season (save his 2005 debut season). That's in the NL, without the designated hitter at first base -- Not many players in the Majors can make that claim, let alone a beefy first baseman.

It appears Fielder is a perfect fit in Los Angeles for a number of reasons:

1. The Dodgers need a power hitter
2. He is good friends with Matt Kemp and Tony Gwynn
3. His home/road splits are not drastic

If the Dodgers have any chance of signing him, it'd be because of No. 2. Having familiar faces in a place where the ownership situation is far from settled could be comforting to Fielder. If he sees Kemp just signed a long-term extension, he might feel better about committing five, six or seven years to the organization.

The Dodgers would obviously have to backload any Fielder contract. As pointed out by Twitter follower senor_penguino, it might not be as difficult as some would expect:

"Backload a 5 yr deal. 13 yr 1 24 yr 2-5. Lets him be a FA @ 32."

2012: $13 million
2013 through 2016: $24 million per season

Editor's note (Dec. 29, 1 p.m.): For a deal to even have a chance, the Dodgers would likely have to add an extra guaranteed year at $24 million, making it a 6-year, $133 million deal. I'd also include a couple option years.

It makes a lot of sense (too much sense to happen, unfortunately). But where do the Dodgers find an extra $13 million in the 2012 payroll? The Dodgers would obviously have to find a taker for James Loney and his estimated $6-to-$7-million contract. Finding a team to take all that money could be a a problem, but the Dodgers could at least shed half of that contract in a trade.

Juan Uribe's $8 million contract for 2012 is an albatross the Dodgers won't be able to rid themselves of, unless Brian Sabean comes calling with nostalgic memories of 2010. Juan Rivera's $4 million deal is looking absolutely horrible right now, especially since none of it is deferred.

Matt Guerrier will make $3.75 million as a mediocre middle reliever -- a role that could have been filled with a non-roster invitee on the veteran's minimum or a young guy making the Major League minimum.

Chad Billingsley's $9 million salary could be moved, but that would just create a hole in the starting rotation.

Ted Lilly's $10.5 million cannot be moved without his permission (full no-trade clause -- thanks Ned!) and the Dodgers don't appear interested in trading Andre Ethier and his estimated $11-to-$13-million deal (arbitration). A 3-4-5 of Kemp-Fielder-Ethier would be the best Dodger trio in a few years.

Despite the ownership issues and the Dodgers having no money to spend on big-name free agents this off-season, it seems past moves have hindered the Dodgers even more. Billingsley's deal was good (still is), but the money from the other deals (save Ethier's) mentioned above could have helped the Dodgers land Fielder with few questions. And the Dodgers likely wouldn't have been any better or worse as a team without Rivera, Uribe, Guerrier and Lilly.

But here we are. It's Dec. 29, one of the best free agents is still available who fills the Dodgers' needs almost perfectly and they are merely an afterthought in the Fielder sweepstakes.

Unless something drastic happens before March, it looks like it could be a long 2012 season.

Dodgers looking to pickup Matt Treanor, plus other tidbits

Well, we knew Ned Colletti wouldn't go into the season with A.J. Ellis and Tim Federowicz as the team's only catchers, so he's decided to pursue veteran Matt Treanor.

Yet, I can't understand why.

The guy is the textbook definition of an all-glove, no-bat catcher, and I'm not sure his glove is even that good.

Treanor is a career .225/.315/.307 hitter. He's never had more than 237 at-bats in a season, so he's clearly going to be the backup.

At least the Dodgers are looking at Ellis as the team's starting catcher (one can assume).

He'll likely get about a million bucks -- the same million bucks the Dodgers gave Dioner Navarro last season (by comparison).

Update (Nov. 15, 4:20 p.m.): The L.A. Times' Dylan Hernandez tweeted Treanor is getting $850,000. The Dodgers' official Twitter tweeted Treanor will get a 2013 option.

I'm not in favor of this signing, but at least it lets Federowicz and Gorman Erickson do a little more marinating in the minors. For $1 million, it's hard to be too upset about it.

#####

Any hope you had left of the Dodgers pursuing Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols should be just about gone with this article by Dylan Hernandez.

"Asked Tuesday of the possibility of adding a big bat this winter, General Manager Ned Colletti said, 'As of today, it looks less realistic.'

Fielder was at the top of the Dodgers’ wish list at the start of the winter, but Colletti said he has no meetings scheduled with Fielder’s agent, Scott Boras, at the general managers meetings in Milwaukee this week."

Now, that doesn't mean the Dodgers couldn't have a change of heart, but it's highly unlikely.

Too bad. Fielder would have looked awfully nice in Dodger Blue protecting Matt Kemp.

#####

The Dodgers still want to bring back Hiroki Kuroda, reports Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com. However, if Kuroda leaves, guys like Jeff Francis, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang could interest the Dodgers.

If I can't have Kuroda, I'd rank the trio like this:

1. Harang
2. Capuano
3. Francis

Harang is the best of the bunch -- by far. Capuano is a better version of Francis. He had a couple of solid seasons with the Brewers in 2005 and 2006, but that was a long time ago. Francis has been bad for three consecutive seasons. I'd pass on him.

Harang would cost the most, but would also be the best pitcher. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Capuano is the pick -- with or without Kuroda returning. Hell, if Kuroda doesn't return, maybe the Dodgers can grab both to limit Nathan Eovaldi's workload.

#####

Kenley Jansen got two points in National League Rookie of Year voting yesterday. Craig Kimbrel won the award unanimously. My pick, Freddie Freeman, finished second. Brandon Beachy amazingly got zero votes. Hard to wrap my head around that one.

2011 Los Angeles Dodgers off-season preview: Free agent position players

This is the third in my off-season preview series. This time, I look at the free agent market for position players. There are a few huge names available, but the rest of the market is pretty barren.

Catcher

Dodger catchers under contract: A.J. Ellis, Tim Federowicz

Available free agents
Ryan Doumit, PIT
Ramon Hernandez, CIN

Yeah, the free agent market for catchers is that thin.

Doumit: He has a a $7.25 million option for 2012 with the Pirates, but it's no sure thing it'll be exercised. He's pretty brutal behind the plate, but he's also the best offensive option of the three listed. If he hits the open market, he'd be worth a look, but I don't think the Dodgers would give more than a 1-year deal at $3- or $4 million.

Hernandez: I only included Hernandez as a formality. He's a Type-A free agent, which would cost the Dodgers' their first-round draft pick. Safe to say, that isn't going to happen.

What to do?
I'd take a flier on Doumit at the right price, but an Ellis-Federowicz platoon might be best for the Dodgers in 2012. Rod Barajas is always an option.

Corner Infield

Dodger corner infielders under contract: Russell Mitchell, Jerry Sands, Juan Uribe

Available free agents
3B Wilson Betemit, DET
1B/3B Michael Cuddyer, MIN
1B Casey Kotchman, TB
1B Prince Fielder, MIL
1B Carlos Pena, CHC
1B Albert Pujols, STL
3B Aramis Ramirez, CHC

Betemit: The former Dodger could be a cheap source of quality at-bats from the hot corner. He wouldn't cost much in terms of salary.

Cuddyer: He might be the most underrated free agent on the market, which usually leads to a team overpaying for him. He's versatile (can play all the corners and even a little second base in an absolute pinch). Cuddyer followed up a mediocre 2010 with a solid 2011 season. He'll be 33 by the time the season starts, so the Dodgers might not want to invest in him.

Kotchman: He (somehow) managed an .800 OPS this season after not achieving that mark since 2007. He's a solid defender with a light bat. Sound like someone you know (James Loney)?

Fielder: He's going to be a nice consolation price to the team that loses out on Pujols. Depending on the contracts, he could end up being a better long-term investment than Pujols, despite his weight. He'd slot in right behind Matt Kemp, if the Dodgers could actually afford him. Fielder is on of the best left-handed power hitters in the game and the Dodgers have a glaring hole at the position. It makes sense, in theory. However, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Pena: His defense has slipped, which makes his putrid batting average an even bigger glaring weakness. He's the definition of "boom or bust."

Pujols: The prize in this year's market, Pujols is still one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. Many think he'll stay in St. Louis (as I do), but he's going to command a contract in excess of $200 million. The Cubs could be hot on his trail, too. It's fortunate the Yankees and Red Sox have absolutely no room for him, or he'd be going to one of those teams. Of course, the Dodgers are the team that needs him the most, but there's that whole "money thing" again. He's the greatest hitter of the last decade-plus. He's good for another three or four years at the elite level he's playing at right now.

Ramirez: He, like Doumit, has a team option for the 2012 season. However, he can determine whether he returns to the team. Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago gives Ramirez about a 10 percent chance of returning. Ramirez is 34 but is still one of the best offensive third basemen in the game. He could get a 4-year deal on the open market. He'd be a cheaper alternative to Fielder and Pujols, but again, I wouldn't hold my breath for a big-time signing.

What to do?
Pujols and Fielder are 1 and 1a. Either would be a great signing. However, the Dodgers probably aren't in the market for either. Ramirez would be a nice consolation price, but he won't be cheap, either. The other options aren't any better the James Loney, whom the Dodgers could bring back via arbitration.

Middle Infield

Dodger middle infielders under contract: Ivan DeJesus, Dee Gordon, Justin Sellers, Uribe

Available free agents
Aaron Hill, ARI
Kelly Johnson, TOR
Jose Reyes, NYM
Jimmy Rollins, PHI

Hill: This guy is a wild card. He had a breakout 2009 season, hitting 36 home runs while scoring and driving more than 100 runs. His 2010 was good in the power department (26 HR, 22 2B), but he hit a measly .205 with a .271 on-base percentage. He was doing poorly in Toronto until getting traded to Arizona in August. He hit .315/.286/.492 with the D-Backs. He had an option declined by Arizona, but I'm not 100 percent sure he's an unrestricted free agent. If he is, he'd be a nice risk at $4 or $5 million.

Johnson: The guy traded for Hill, Johnson is also somewhat of a wild card. He's hit 21-plus home runs in back-to-back seasons and knows how to take a walk. Unfortunately, he doesn't do much else at the plate. Like Hill, he could also be a nice risk at $4 or $5 million.

Reyes and Rollins: I only mention these guys because they're big names. The Dodgers have no need for either with Gordon in fold at shortstop. The Giants, however, could be in the market for both, as they're in desperate need of a shorstop. Just something to keep an eye on.

What to do?
It could be my irrational fondness of Hill, but I'd absolutely love to see the Dodgers bring him in. They have to do something, as I don't think Ned Colletti would stand for Sellers starting Opening Day at second base. DeJesus doesn't seem to be in the Dodgers' future plans after not getting a call-up. Guys like Jamey Carroll and Aaron Miles could also be retained.

Outfield

Dodger outfielders under contract: Alex Castellanos, Andre Ethier, Jamie Hoffmann, Matt Kemp, Kyle Russell, Sands, Alfredo Silverio, Scott Van Slyke

I included Ethier and Kemp, even though they aren't under contract because there's no way the Dodgers non-tender them. The rookies are all internal options, with Hoffmann the only one to have made his debut.

Free agents available
Carlos Beltran, SF
Jonny Gomes, WAS
Josh Willingham, OAK

Beltran: Beltran could be a nice signing for some team, as he still has the potential to be a solid middle-of-the-order bat. He's a Type-A free agent, but there's a stipulation in his contract that he can't be offered arbitration. He might be better off heading back to the American League so he can be a designated hitter at times.

Gomes: He'd be a solid platoon partner for Ethier, even though the Dodgers wouldn't dare platooning him.

Willingham: The only way I bring in Willingham or Beltran is if the Dodgers are going to play Sands at first base. However, he's an intriguing option after hitting 29 home runs with the A's in 2011.

What to do?
The Dodgers are actually rather deep at the outfield positions. There are a lot of minor-league options, too. However, if the Dodgers trade Ethier, that could open them up to bringing in a guy to replace him (Beltran or Willingham). If not, they should just bring in a platoon guy (River or Gomes). I'd go with Rivera because of his ability to play first base and familiarity with the team.

Conclusion
The Dodgers would love to make a big splash with a guy like Fielder or Pujols, but I just don't see that happening. Taking a flier on a guy like Hill and grabbing a platoon outfielder could be the most realistic option for the Dodgers. If they want to land an impact bat, it'll likely have to come via trade (part V of my off-season preview series).

Next up: Free agent pitchers

Dodgers to make move with recent SP acquisitions?

Dodgers about to bring back Dioner Navarro

Editor's note: This is my own speculation. There is no factual basis behind this post.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing four starting pitchers this off-season -- Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla -- could the Dodgers be getting ready to make a big, unexpected trade?

I realize Padilla was signed to be a "utility" pitcher, but it still begs the question.

Two of the names the Dodgers have been linked to in some way, shape or form are Prince Fielder and Zack Greinke.

I posted yesterday about the Fielder rumor and didn't give it much life. For the Brewers to trade the slugging first baseman, they'd have to certainly get a good, young starting pitcher in return. While I wouldn't trade two cost-controlled years of Chad Billingsley for one year of Fielder, a deal of some sort would make sense for both teams.

To Milwaukee: RHP Chad Billingsley, 1B James Loney
To Los Angeles: 1B Prince Fielder

The Brewers just traded their top prospect -- 2B Brett Lawrie -- to Toronto for RHP Shaun Marcum, so they are committed to signing current 2B Rickie Weeks to a long-term extension. If the Brewers could get a pitcher like Billingsley for Fielder, they'd have to seriously consider it.

If they acquired Billingsley, their rotation shapes up like this:

1. Yovani Gallardo
2. Chad Billingsley
3. Randy Wolf
4. Shaun Marcum
5. Manny Parra/Chris Narveson

That is not the worst 1-5 out there. The offense suffers with Loney replacing fielder, but the starting pitching is much better. The original rumor (which was shot down by many sources) was Jonathan Broxton and Loney for Fielder. Billingsley has a much higher trade value than Broxton.

Also, Fielder is a free agent after the season. I'm sure the Dodgers would try to lock him up long-term, but it's going to take a lot of money to do so.

Greinke is being "seriously" pursued by five teams, Ken Rosenthal writes in his latest article.

While most would rather build a Greinke package around prospects, the Dodgers might not have enough to get it done. I suggested a prospect-only package last month, but it probably isn't the best deal Kansas City could get for the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner.

If the Royals want to get Billingsley in a package for Greinke, something like this could work:

To Kansas City: RHP Chad Billingsley, SS Dee Gordon
To Los Angeles: RHP Zack Greinke

Let me just say, I would not do the above deal. However, the Royals are asking for a lot for Greinke. It might take something like this (if not more) to get something done.

Now, if you're getting 2009-esque Greinke, this is a solid trade. If you're getting any other other year of Zack Greinke, it's a lateral move.

Like I said, this is my own speculation from the reports out there right now. The vast majority of what is reported at the Winter Meetings is rumor or flat-out false, so I wouldn't get too worked up about this.

#####

Updating a piece from yesterday, OF Matt Diaz signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates last night -- 2 years, $4.25 million. Jayson Stark, renowned Philly homer, said the Dodgers were prepared to make a larger offer but Diaz wanted to stay on the east coast and train in Florida. Pittsburgh also offers him more playing time.

Well, Mr. Diaz, enjoy your time in Pittsburgh. It isn't going to be the best experience of your career (win-wise) and you're likely to be traded before your contract expires.

Oh well. The Dodgers move onto other options, including Bill Hall and Austin Kearns. I'd gladly take Hall, as his versatility is a plus. We'll see what happens.

Update (2:38 p.m.): Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times tweets the Dodgers are looking at Hall for the LF vacancy. He'd presumably be platooned with Jay Gibbons and/or newly-acquired Tony Gwynn, Jr.

#####

This just came down: The Dodgers are close to signing former Dodger catcher Dioner Navarro to a 1-year deal.

Navarro was an all-star with Tampa Bay in 2008 (.295/.349/.407) but had a miserable couple of seasons in 2009 and 2010 (.212/.263/.306). This will ensure two things: Russell Martin will not return and A.J. Ellis -- who could put up comparable numbers to Navarro for likely a cheaper price -- will again start in Triple-A.

The Dodgers traded Navarro, RHP Jae Weong Seo and minor-league OF Justin Ruggiano to Tamap for LHP Mark Hendrickson and C Toby Hall in June 2006.

Dodger happenings: McCourts, Fielder, Padilla, Diaz, Gwynn

It's been a busy couple of days at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. The Dodgers have been involved in a few things. Here's a quick recap.

The potentially big news is the judge in the McCourt v. McCourt case ruled in favor of Jamie, meaning Frank does not own the Dodgers completely.

Josh Fisher of Dodger Divorce has everything you need to know regarding the case, including the court document.

This is good news if you want Frank to sell the team. However, it virtually ensures it will be a long, drawn-out battle.

Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times says the ruling is reason enough for Major League Baseball to force the McCourts to sell the team. That would be splendid.

#####

On Monday, Tony Jackson of ESPN LA first reported (later updated) the Dodgers and Brewers were talking about a James Loney and Jonathan Broxton for Prince Fielder trade. It was shot down by a lot of other sources.

The Dodger blog, Dodger Rumors, made an interesting argument to try to find validity in the initial report. I'm sure there was some validity originally, but reporters are told false information by sources all the time. I'm not buying the rumor, mostly because it's too good to be true.

The Brewers would more than likely acquire a quality young starting pitcher in a deal for Fielder, which is why the rumor doesn't exactly pass the smell test. One can hope, though.

#####

The Dodgers have indeed re-signed RHP Vicente Padilla to a 1-year, $2 million contract with performance incentives.

The Dodgers have been rumored for nearly a week to be interested in Padilla's services. He's likely to serve as a swingman and potentially a late-inning reliever.

I'm not sure how I feel about the latter part of the above statement. Padilla has some nasty stuff but I'm not sure he's cut out for late-inning duties. This could be a precursor to a Broxton trade, as he is available, said CBS Sportsline's Scott Miller.

Having Padilla back as insurance for the rotation is great -- and at a great price.

#####

Finally, the ESPN's Molly Knight tweeted yesterday that former Tampa Bay Devil Ray (they were still the Devil Rays then), Kansas City Royal and Atlanta Brave Matt Diaz was the Dodgers' No. 1 priority for left field. Jackson followed it up with a story saying it was down to Diaz, Scott Podsednik and a "mystery" third outfielder.

Today Knight tweets that Diaz-to-LA could happen "sooner rather than later."

This would be a great get. Diaz absolute kills left-handed pitching, boasting a career .907 OPS against southpaws. He would be the ideal platoon partner for Jay Gibbons and/or Xavier Paul. Word is if Diaz is signed, Paul would be available via trade as he is out of Minor League options.

Update (2:51 p.m.): This just came across the wire: The Dodgers signed Tony Gwynn, Jr., to a 1-year deal, Major League contract, tweeted Tom Krasovic of Fanhouse. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times confirmed the report. This is probably nothing more than filler (fifth outfielder) and shouldn't take the Dodgers out of the Diaz running.

#####

Finally, many thanks to the Dodger blog, Dodgerbobble, for a mention in his most recent post. :)