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> JANUARY 2002 January
31, 2002
January
18, 2002 According to Dan Evans, eleven pitchers and five position players will be joining the Dodgers in spring training as non-roster invitees. The pitchers include Kevin Beirne, Ricky Bones, Bryan Corey, Robert Ellis, Lindsay Gulin, Mike Johnson, Jesse Orosco, Rafael Roque, Stan Spencer, Dennis Springer and Todd Williams. The position players are Jeff Branson, Angelo Encarnacion, Roberto Kelly, Mike Kinkade and Mark Whiten. Thank god they're giving Branson and Springer a chance to come back. Don't know if the team would be the same without them. Notable among the invitees are Roberto Kelly (who played with LA in 1995) and Mark Whiten (who tied the single-game home run and RBI record about 20 years ago with the Cardinals). January
15, 2002
January
9, 2002
January
9, 2002 Left-hander Kazusomething Ishii, one of the top pitchers in Japan, may soon be a Dodger... and no longer a swallower. The Yakult Swallows, Ishii's team for the past nine years, accepted the winning bid of $11,264,055 submitted by the Dodgers. Beating out four other teams, the Dodgers now have until Feb. 8 to sign Ishii. One baseball official said that Dodgers GM Dan Evans arrived at the last five digits by adding a combination of the ages and dates of birth of his children. Which explains why he signed Omar Daal... apparently A is Dan's favorite letter, and Daal has three of them in his name!! January
2, 2002
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Dante
Bichette agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday,
and the four-time outfielder was invited to spring training as a
non-roster invitee. Bichette, 38, signed an incentive-laden one-year
contract that pays him $575,000 if he makes the team, and possibly
$1 million more based on performance. Bichette hit .286 with 12
homers in 107 games for the Red Sox last season. Bichette had his
best seasons with the Rockies (go figure), hitting .340 with 40
homers and 128 RBI in 1995, and .298 with 34 homers and 133 RBI
in 1999. Though he may have a shot at winning the left field job
if Brian Jordan ends up in center, the Dodgers are primarily looking
for Bichette to provide right-handed power off the bench. Yeah,
sort of like how Geronimo Berroa did.
After
two years of rumors, the Dodgers have dumped Gary Sheffield, and
got garbage in return. Sheffield was traded on Tuesday to the Atlanta
Braves for often-injured outfielder Brian Jordan, piece of crap
pitcher Odalis Perez (who missed the entire 2000 season due to injuries),
and a minor leaguer who figures to never make it past Single A.
Essentially the Dodgers now have nothing to show for Mike Piazza,
and a weaker team than they had a day ago. Sheffield did have to
go, but at least get a closer or leadoff guy for him. By getting
practically nothing in return, Dan Evans has secured his place in
Dodger Hell. BURN, DAN.
On
the first day of voluntary winter workouts at Dodger Stadium, Paul
Lo Duca sat out because of a wart he had removed from his right
foot. Frankly, that sounds like a Mike Marshall excuse, but we'll
give LoDuca the benefit of the doubt, considering he's one of the
only bright spots in the depressing abyss that is now the Dodger
organization. In fact, it speaks pretty highly of him that he'd
show up despite what must have been a grueling wart operation. Jesus,
do we have nothing better to talk about?