6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Dodgers Sign Chan Ho Park

According to the Korea Times, the Dodgers have signed Chan Ho Park, but it's unknown to what kind of a contract. My guess is it's a minor league deal.

Update: Jon quotes Josh Rawitch as saying the deal isn't in the can just yet, but "it's heading that direction." And thanks to SoSG for the linky.

Dodgers To Pursue Hiroki Kuroda

Late, but why not: speaking of Asian pitchers, the Dodgers are pursuing Japanese free agent Hiroki Kuroda, a 32-year-old control specialist with a 95 MPH heater. Hat tip, as ever, to Jon.

Dodgers Hire Dennis Mannion As CEO

Whatever.

Steve Dilbeck Thinks The Angels And Dodgers Should Forget About A-Rod

Because his salary demands are so ludicrous:

Here's a better idea for the Dodgers: Sign free agent Torii Hunter and put him in center, and then try to swing a Matt Kemp-for-Miguel Cabrera deal with the Marlins.

Cabrera, 24, is getting pricey for Florida and figures to get over $10 million in arbitration this year. He has two years before being eligible for free agency.

Hunter, 32, is expected to receive offers for around $15million per season and wants a five-year contract, which is still half the commitment Rodriguez is apparently after.

With the money saved from signing A-Rod, the Dodgers could try to pry Scott Kazmir from Tampa Bay or take a run at the latest Japanese pitching import, Hiroki Kuroda. Or at least hold off on that next parking fee increase.

The Angels could act similarly, or go after Mike Lowell at third or Andruw Jones or Japan's Kosuke Fukudome in the outfield. Try to swing a trade for Marlins starter Dontrelle Willis, another suddenly expensive player for the Marlins. And still keep beer prices down.

Cabrera might be a better fit for the Angels if the talk of his increasing weight is correct; that would move him to first base or a perma-DH, where his value would be appreciably lower. Cabrera's already poorly regarded with the leather at third.

Labels: angels, dodgers, front office, pay-rod, transactions

Murray Chass writes that it takes two teams to tango in the offseason:

The more Boras talks the more he sounds like he thinks he erred by orchestrating the opt-out clause with Rodriguez. Maybe Boras was calling the Yankees’ bluff, and now may see that they are serious about not talking to A-Rod to play third base. Any agent with a player like A-Rod for a client would want the Yankees to drive up the bidding. The question now is if there is anyone else to drive up the bidding? Boras has almost always achieved his goals for his superstar clients, finding some team to bid big. But is there a team among the other 29 prepared to make his and A-Rod’s day?

In the sidebar, the article claims both the Mets and Red Sox are out of the serious bidding, but c'mon, the offseason — measured by the time when teams can actually make a bid for free agents — hasn't even begun yet.

Labels: angels, pay-rod, transactions

Angels Run The Numbers On A-Rod

The Angels are not ruling out a run at A-Rod. The money's the thing (emphasis mine):

The loss of Bartolo Colon -- a free agent whom the Angels will not attempt to re-sign -- Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco will clear $25 million off the books, but it's not as if the Angels can plug Rodriguez's salary -- he's expected to command $25 million to $30 million a year -- into that slot and call it even.

Raises to core players such as Guerrero, Gary Matthews Jr., Orlando Cabrera, John Lackey and Garret Anderson, and a significant jump in closer Francisco Rodriguez's salary will add at least $16 million to the 2008 payroll.

That leaves the Angels at about $100 million. Add Rodriguez, and the payroll jumps to about $130 million, not including the millions it would cost to insure his contract. The Angels, in need of rotation depth, also would have little room to add a quality pitcher.

...

"Finances are definitely going to be involved," new General Manager Tony Reagins said. "You want to make the best decision for your club. I'm sure Alex wants to make the best decision, and if the two jell, something can get done."

He has spoken to agent Scott Boras about Rodriguez, "and we'll be speaking again," Reagins said. Boras is also expected to meet soon with Moreno.

...

"You have to look at the long-term picture," Reagins said. "When you make that type of investment, you want to make sure you can absorb it. If it makes sense, you pursue it."

Does signing Rodriguez make sense?

"I can't say that because I don't know what the numbers are going to be," said Reagins, who is awaiting payroll parameters from Moreno. "Arte and I talk about a lot of things, and the most important is improving the club, bringing a quality product to the fans year after year. If something makes sense, we'll take a strong look at it."

Roster Notes

• Chone Figgins had surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. He should be fully recovered by January 1.
• The Padres expect to re-sign Greg Maddux by either his exercising an $8.75M player option, or the team exercising an $11M club option.
• The Dodgers supposedly are one of several teams interested in Cubs free agent Kerry Wood. Wood was sporting a 98-MPH fastball late in the season.
• The Dodgers will pay half of Odalis Perez's $1.5M buyout for his $9M 2008 club option with Kansas City. The former Dodger had a 5.57 ERA in 2007 with the Royals.
• The Diamondbacks are negotiating an extension for manager Bob Melvin.
• The Rockies declined a $3.75M mutual option on LaTroy Hawkins.
• The White Sox declined Darin Erstad's $3.5M 2008 club option.

U.S.S. Mariner Hearts Bartolo Colon

U.S.S. Mariner has their 2007 offseason plan up, and one of its pillars is picking up Bartolo Colon, a pitcher Dave Cameron calls "the hidden gem of free agent pitchers".

OT: Something For Halloween: Kaspar The Dead Baby

A little something for Halloween: my friend Marv Wolfman, fairly early in his career, wrote a rather gruesome backstory for Casper the Friendly Ghost, called "Kaspar The Dead Baby", which appeared in Crazy:

Marv wrote that it was applauded the first time it was published, but when Crazy ran it later, they got subscription cancellations.

Labels: angels, dodgers, ex-angels, ex-dodgers, pay-rod, transactions

In today's Unfiltered (read the whole thing, it's amusing):

THE CLINTON/GIULIANI MEMORIAL RUNAWAY FRONTRUNNER DIVISION

2. Dodgers – Means, motive, opportunity, a GM and ownership that seem determined to prove themselves, and now Joe Torre at the helm. If A-Rod is spotted house hunting in Silver Lake, look out. 1. Angels – Arte Moreno feigns disinterest, but this team needs a premium hitter and we’ve been hearing all winter that they’re prepared for a payroll blitz.

Labels: angels, dodgers, pay-rod, transactions