The Cardinals can thank the Dodgers

Now that the World Series has started, it's worth noting that the Dodgers played a big role in helping the Cardinals get home field advantage. In addition to giving away Rafael Furcal to hit in the leadoff spot, it was the solid performances of Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Clayton Kershaw in this year's All-Star Game that helped pave the way for home field advantage for the National League.

Kemp got the start in center field and hit third. He hit three times and went 1-for-2 with a walk. Ironically, his one hit was against the Rangers' Game One starter, C.J. Wilson. His single followed one by Carlos Beltran (then with the Mets), which led to Prince Fielder's three-run homer to put the NL up for good.

Ethier was one of the last additions to the team, but made his sole at-bat count. With two outs in the fifth, he singled off of Joe Walden to score Rickie Weeks and go up 4-1. It was the first RBI by a Dodger in the All-Star Game since Mike Piazza in 1996.

Kershaw got the ball in the fifth with a 3-1 lead. He struck out David Ortiz swinging to start, then got Robinson Cano and Alex Avila to ground to Fielder at first to retire the side in order. In all, he made only eight pitches.

Raffy traded to the Cardinals

Rafael Furcal's six-year stint with the Dodgers came to an end on Sunday, as the Cardinals have acquired the veteran shortstop at the trade deadline. In exchange, the Dodgers receive minor league outfielder Alex Castellanos, and the Cardinals will receive some money to help offset the $12 million Furcal is making this year.

Furcal has certainly had an up-and-down six years with the Dodgers, and it pretty much has everything to do with his health. When healthy, he was an All-Star caliber shortstop, earning the honor in 2010. In '06, he played 159 games and hit .300 with 15 homers, 63 RBIs, and 37 steals. His numbers dipped down in '07 to .270/6/47/25, and missed a big part of the '08 season with a back injury, though he did come back for the playoffs (and committed three errors in one inning against the Phillies).

While Raffy did play in 150 games in '09, his numbers were still mediocre, and he only stole 12 bases. Last year he made the All-Star team, but only played in 97 games, which was a shame since he his .300 with 22 steals. This year has been awful, appearing in only 37 games with a .197 average and 5 steals.

For the Cardinals, it's worth making a move since Raffy has played in all of July, and can be such a sparkplug if he figures things out. Plus, they're only 1 1/2 games in back of the Brewers in the NL Central, so they're right within striking distance.

As for Castellanos, he has been spending time with Double-A Springfield this year. In 93 games, he has great numbers: .319, 19 homers, 65 RBIs. So, it looks like the Dodgers got a nice prospect out of this, which is pretty much all they can ask at this point as this lost season plays itself out.

I enjoyed watching Raffy play these last few years, as few leadoff hitters are as exciting as him when he's healthy. Unfortunately, the combination of age and dwindling numbers meant it was time to make a move, so I applaud Ned Colletti for pulling the trigger. Plus, Dee Gordon will rightfully make his way back up and get the playing time he needs and deserves. It's a win-win for all sides.

Broken thumb will cost Raffy 4-6 weeks

The news has become official, as Rafael Furcal suffered a broken thumb in Monday night's win over the Giants. The result will be a trip to the 15-day DL and most likely cost him somewhere between 4-6 weeks.

It's a tough blow for Raffy, as the injury bug just will not go away for him. After seemingly getting rid of a pesky back injury, now he breaks his thumb while being aggressive and stealing third. He wasn't too happy about it either, as he even mentioned the word "retirement" when talking with reporters.

I'm sure that was just a heat of the moment comment, as some time away should get him thinking clearly again. It's pretty simple for the Dodgers - when he's in the lineup and is feeling right, the offense is a whole lot better. When he's not, then it's a struggle.

The Dodgers will now have to rely on guys like Jamey Carroll and Aaron Miles to pick up the slack. Ivan DeJesus could be called up again, or possibly Juan Castro. DeJesus had a cup of coffee in the first few games and didn't do much of anything.

On second thought, Raffy lands on the DL

Rafael Furcal tried his best to avoid it, but to no avail. As a result of a bad back, Raffy has landed on the 15-day DL. The move is retroactive to August 3, so he can be back a week from today if all goes well.

The injury is not considered to be serious, which is always good news. The concern is that he has a history of back problems. He had back surgery in 2008, limiting him to only 36 games. Supposedly, this injury is unrelated, but you can't help but wonder.

In his place will be veteran Juan Castro, who's no stranger to the Dodgers. He spent last year in L.A., hitting .277 in 57 games. He was let go from the Phillies after appearing in 54 games this season.

Expect Jamey Carroll to resume getting regular starts at short, with Castro providing an occasional rest if needed.

Broxton earns the All-Star save

For the first time since 1996, the National League has won the All-Star Game. Thanks to a really dumb rule, the NL will now get home field advantage in this year's World Series.

There were four Dodgers who made and participated in this game, so let's take a look at how they performed.

Andre Ethier - Voted in as a starter, Ethier hit seventh and played center field. He got a pretty good amount of playing time, going four innings in center and two more in right. At the plate, he went 1-for-2. Andy Pettitte made him look silly his first at-bat, striking him out in three pitches. With David Wright on second and one out in the fifth, Ethier singled, but it was hit too hard to Josh Hamilton to allow Wright to score. Wright was soon stranded.

He was this close to getting another big at-bat in the seventh, but it didn't happen. With one out, Scott Rolen was on third and Matt Holliday on first. Joe Girardi brought in lefty Matt Thorton to face Ethier. Charlie Manuel countered with Chris Young, who popped up. Understandable given the lefty-righty situation, but Ethier has been so clutch for the last year and a half, I wonder what would have happened.

Hong-Chih Kuo - One of the several last minute additions, Kuo entered the scoreless game in the fifth. Obviously feeling some nerves, it didn't go so well. Evan Longoria walked leading off. Joe Mauer then bounced one weakly near the mound, and Kuo completely sailed the ball off the wall in foul territory. A sac-fly RBI from Robinson Cano put the AL up 1-0.

It could have been worse, though. With Mauer on second, Carl Crawford grounded to shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who easily threw out Mauer at third. Heath Bell came in to get Torii Hunter flying out, so after all of that, only one run scored.

Rafael Furcal - Another addition from last weekend, Raffy had a good night. He only had one at-bat and walked in the seventh. He was involved in the defensive play of the night when Marlon Byrd gunned out David Ortiz for a huge second out in the ninth. It wasn't an overly difficult play, but Raffy did catch the ball on a hop.

Jonathan Broxton - With the NL closer to winning for the first time in about 15 years, it was all up to Broxton to keep the two run lead. Thankfully, he did. Ortiz singled in the first pitch he saw, but thanks to a depleted bench, he had to stay in the game. Adrian Beltre struck out quickly on some nasty fastballs. John Buck was the one who placed the hit just in front of Byrd, leading to the great play at second. Ian Kinsler represented the tying run and put a good swing on it, but flew out to Young in center.

I've been critical of Broxton for fading in the spotlight, especially after giving away the lead in the last game against the Yankees. Going into the game, I thought Manuel would have Bell be the closer. I'm glad I was wrong, because Broxton had to face great talent in getting the save. It was fun to watch.


Overall, three of the four Dodgers really played well. Kuo really didn't do that bad, but in such a close game with little margin for error, his errant throw was magnified even more. I'm just glad that wasn't the focus at the end of the night and the Dodgers played a part in winning this game.

The new All-Stars: Raffy and Kuo

Congratulations to Rafael Furcal and Hong-Chih Kuo for being added to the National League All-Star squad this weekend. Both were chosen as injury replacements by NL manager Charlie Manuel, with Raffy in for Jose Reyes and Kuo in for Jason Heyward.

Raffy's battled some injuries himself along with a short leave for the unfortunate death of his father this season. He doesn't quite have enough at-bats to qualify, but his .333 average would be tops in the league if he did. Throw in six homers, 35 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases, and he looks like the Raffy of old (or young if you think about it) again.

Kuo is not someone you would typically think of being an All-Star, but middle relievers have received their just due this season. Arthur Rhodes of the Reds and Evan Meek of the Pirates are on the NL squad, and Matt Thorton of the White Sox is on the AL squad. Obviously, managers are looking at the late-inning matchups as a reason to bring along this type of pitcher.

On the season, Kuo has been filthy. In 26 1/3 innings, he has a very low 1.03 ERA and a very high 36 strikeouts. Against lefties, he's been just plain unfair, as they are 0-30 against him. Wow.

Both players join starter Andre Ethier and Jonathan Broxton in Anaheim on Tuesday.

Injury updates on Manny and Raffy

There's some good news on the injury front for the Dodgers.

Manny Ramirez has just finished up his last rehab assignment for Single-A Inland Empire. If he is feeling good on Friday, and indications are that he is, he will be activated and start Saturday's game against the Rockies.

Rafael Furcal is aiming for a return late next week. His injured hamstring is about 100%, and he will test it this weekend. With his history of injuries, the Dodgers are being extra cautious to not rush him back. It's a good strategy, even with the Dodgers struggling now. They're looking long-term at this, and it's the right thing to do.

As for who will get demoted, Nick Green is a slam-dunk once Raffy's back. While Xavier Paul has played pretty well in some starts, I just can't see him staying over Garret Anderson. Not with Joe Torre's history of leaning towards veterans. My guess is Paul goes back to Triple-A.

Another couple of names to consider are Charlie Haeger and John Ely. If Haeger gets shelled again soon, he could be the one as well. Ely is coming off a good start, so I see him staying for the time being.

3 regulars to rest today

Much like last Sunday, Joe Torre will have a strange looking lineup for today. He has decided to rest Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, and Casey Blake. In their places will be Juan Pierre, Juan Castro, and Juan DeWitt. Ok, Blake DeWitt. I just couldn't resist.

The rest for Raffy and Blake isn't unexpected since they've got backups with experience playing. Since the Dodgers are at 13-5, Torre can afford to give some time off like this to guys that can use a break every now and then.

Manny went 0-5 last night with 3 K's, so a rest isn't a bad idea. He's played in every game so far, and keep in mind he did miss 2 weeks of Spring Training. He'll be ready to go Monday in San Francisco.

A few notes for upcoming games

Vin Scully was just talking about the next few games, and he relayed a message from Joe Torre that Rafael Furcal will get tomorrow off (day game after a night game). Blake DeWitt gets the start at short.

On Friday in Arizona, Russell Martin will get a rest, so look for Brad Ausmus to see his first action.

Finally, the Diamondbacks announced that Brandon Webb will NOT make a start against the Dodgers. Good! Not that I'm saying it's good he's hurt, but good that the Dodgers... well, "dodge" that bullet. Great play on words by me.

Raffy is back in Dodger blue

After weeks of wavering and never really sure what was going to happen, Rafael Furcal has resigned with the Dodgers. This just a couple days after it looked as good as gold that he would go back home to the Atlanta Braves. It's been a weird few days.

So here's how everything has turned out. Two weeks ago, the Oakland A's were looking to give Furcal the magical 4th year he wanted, but for only $9 million (I say "only" as if that's chump change!). Probably not too willing to go to the A's, he declined saying that he thinks he's worth more.

Then a "mystery" team was thrown into the mix, which turned out to be the Braves. They wasted little time in supposedly getting him signed to a deal, but then the Dodgers were talked back into the mix. As I said on an earlier post, he must have not wanted to leave the Dodgers at all.

Now he's back in LA, but a compromise had to be reached. He wanted 4 years, the Dodgers wanted 2, so they settled on 3. It makes sense. I've seen that the deal is for either $30 or $33 million.

Since he is officially back (at least I think...), the Dodgers can now quit worrying about the leadoff spot and shortstop. What he can do hitting leadoff is anything from drop down a bunt to hit 15-20 homers. In the field, he has a cannon arm that is hard to match. It's obvious to see why he would have been very hard to replace.

Of course, that's all contingent on his health, which has been horrible the last couple of years. I guess it's worth rolling the dice on it, because when he's healthy, he's easily an All Star. Can he withstand a full season of good health? Just like any player, who knows. But it's worth the risk. With all due respect to guys like Orlando Cabrera and Jack Wilson, the Dodgers would have taken a hit if they lost Raffy and gained one of those guys.

Now that Raffy and Casey Blake are back, it's time to turn to Manny. For awhile, it looked as if it was just the Dodgers in the running, but of course the Yankees had to join the fun. So it looks to be down to those 2. Who's going to get him? That'll be the next big story.

This Furcal thing is getting confusing...

It seems like everyday, there's a new "Rafael Furcal is on the verge of signing with..." rumor. Today it got even crazier.

"Sources" were spreading word that Furcal was about to sign with his old team, the Atlanta Braves, by today. The deal was something around 3 years/$30 million with an option for a 4th. Just like his signing with the Oakland A's a week or so ago, this was a done deal. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Furcal is as good as gone!

So of course that meant that this thing isn't done yet. Now comes word that nothing has been signed, and the Dodgers are still in the mix. The holdup, like it has been since day one, has been the amount of years desired (4) and the amount of years offered (2). And neither side appears to be budging from that.

My guess is that Raffy really doesn't want to leave LA, or he would have been gone already. He must be holding out every hope that the Dodgers kick in another year guaranteed, which doesn't seem like it'll happen. He must have some nice property near Dodger Stadium.

As always, I'll keep you posted...

Manny and Furcal rumblings

Here's the latest word on 2 of the Dodgers' biggest free agents, Manny Ramirez and Rafael Furcal:

Just when it looked like the Dodgers were the only team that really wanted Manny, the good old Yankees jump right in. If the Yanks lose out on Mark Teixeira (who was just offered an 8-year deal from the Angels), then they could turn to Manny to add that extra offensive thump. Manny and A-Rod hitting back-to-back? Wow, that could be scary. Scott Boras still wouldn't get his long-term deal; rather, it would be more like 3 years.

Furcal has not made any noise since turning down the A's offer of 4 years about a week ago. One agent claims the reason he did so is because he truly does not want to leave the Dodgers. The Dodgers are still holding firm that he won't get 4 years, but will get a bit less than that with provisions against injury in case that happens (again). If Raffy does leave, then it's down to signing Angel Berroa, Orlando Cabrera, or trading for Jack Wilson (a rumor that never seems to go away).

4 teams courting Furcal

With Casey Blake and Mark Loretta signed, and with C.C. Sabathia gone and Manny Ramirez taking his time in deciding what to do, the Dodgers are now focusing on retaining Rafael Furcal. The holdup is the same - he wants 4 years, and the Dodgers aren't willing to go that high.

At last check, Raffy is being pursued by 3 other teams as well: Oakland, Toronto, and Kansas City. I thought the ship had sailed as far as the A's were concerned considering he turned down their last offer of 4 years and about $9 million per. He got the years he wanted, just not the money. Smart of not, he's playing hardball and not backing down from what he thinks he deserves.

The Royals are looking to get rid of Jose Guillen and his remaining $24 million to make an offer. Their interest seems serious. I'm not sure about the Blue Jays other than they've thrown their hat in there, whether that serious or not.

The contract that the Dodgers have on the table right now is understandably incentive-laden. It's for 2 years with an option for a 3rd. Seems fair in my mind. Raffy is an electric player, but I think it's kind of hard to claim that he's so valuable when he only played in 36 games last year and was banged up in '07 as well, causing his numbers to take a big dip.

Should he decide to go elsewhere, all indications now are that the Dodgers will look to replace him in-house, with Angel Berroa being the leading candidate.

Raffy says no to A's 4-year offer

In a bit of surprising news, free agent Rafael Furcal has rejected the Oakland A's offer of 4 years and anywhere between $35-$40 million. Despite getting the multi-year deal he was searching for, it still wasn't enough.

The holdup in this deal appears to be the money, as Raffy still feels he's worth more than the money they were offering him. The A's were certainly the leading contenders for him, even with Bobby Crosby as their shortstop right now. But, he's going to roll the dice once again that he can get a deal that matches the 3-year/$39 million deal the Dodgers gave to him.

2 other teams that appeared to be in the running, the Blue Jays and Cardinals, are also set at SS. The Blue Jays have John McDonald or Marco Scutaro, and are also not looking to spend more money. The Cardinals just recently traded for Khalil Greene from the San Diego Padres.

I guess there's something that the Furcal camp knows that the rest of us don't, because this left me scratching my head. I can't imagine another team giving him a 4-year offer considering how injury-prone he's been the last 2 years. Rejected the A's deal would seem to indicate to me that the years aren't the issue and that the money is.

The Dodgers can still come back with a similar structure of a deal that they want to give Manny Ramirez. It obviously won't come close to the dollar amount, but a short-term deal (maybe 2 years) for $12-$15 per? That could happen.

We know how electric he can be when he is healthy, and that's what he's banking on right now. But, the Dodgers of all teams know how risky it is to sign players who can immediately be decimated by injuries. The last thing they need is another Jason Schmidt or Andruw Jones type of result.

The rest of the winter will be an intriguing one for Raffy. Once Spring Training comes around, it will be real interesting to look back at this time and see if the A's deal was one he should have said yes to, or if he truly did make the smart move and not sign.

At long last, Raffy makes his return

A day before the Dodgers officially clinched the NL West, they received some great news on the injury front: Rafael Furcal has been activated from the 60-day DL and added to the 40-man roster. In his place, Brad Penny's season is done with right shoulder problems, swapping places with Furcal.

With the Dodgers in the postseason, it will be very interesting to see if Furcal is added to the 25-man roster. Let's face it - he hasn't played in practically forever, and his back may be feeling better, but I would hardly consider it pain-free. I give him a lot of credit for fighting his way back and trying to help the team... and the fact that he's up for a new contract may have something to do with it!

He did get an AB last night against the Padres and struck out. Oh well. Him being back in the fold can only be seen as a good sign. We shall see what the immediate future holds for him in the coming days. Will he be given a start to show if he can contribute? Or will he be like Jeff Kent and Penny, and be unable to be a part of the playoff mix? The answers will soon come.

Then there's the flip side of this, and that's Penny. This has been a lost year for him, as he was originally the opening day starter. It's really been all downhill since then, as 3 trips to the DL have totally derailed his season.

Another interesting note about Penny is that he may be done as a Dodger. The club can either exercise his $9.25 million clause or choose a $2 million buyout. At 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA, it would appear as if he's done, but I wouldn't say that quite yet. If Derek Lowe leaves, that leaves a big hole, and a healthy Penny can fill that. The offseason will be an interesting one for him.

Raffy eyes a September 1 return

The good news for the Dodgers seems to be getting better as Rafael Furcal said he wants to return by September. He's coming off of back surgery recently and hasn't appeared in a game since May 6.

The easiest stat I can point out that shows just how valuable he is would be this:

With Furcal in the lineup: 18-14
Without Furcal in the lineup: 36-41

And that is as easy as that. He was having a monstrous April, but just like the year before, injuries have really derailed his season. The positive thing about this year is that he can still come back to a team that is in the thick of a playoff hunt, unlike last year. No wonder he wants in so badly.

Even with the great additions of Casey Blake and Manny Ramirez, having a healthy Furcal leading off would just mean so much to the Dodgers. He adds a whole new dimension of speed, on base ability, power, and great defense. In other words, better than watching Juan Pierre every game. Let's hope he's being honest and really will be healthy then. If so, then look out.

Ouch... Raffy done for at least 8 weeks

I'm starting to wonder if we've seen the last of Rafael Furcal in a Dodger uniform.

His season is looking as good as lost as he suffered yet another setback, this time going under the knife for back surgery that will sideline him for a minimum 8 weeks. He has a bulging disc, which just sounds uncomfortable, so it's not hard to see why he's having such a hard time with it. It's another big blow in a season that started off with so much promise.

Recent examples in Dodger history were brought up of players who underwent similar surgeries like Furcal by Dr. Robert Watkins, and they were Kevin Brown and Eric Gagne. Brown came back briefly, but quickly shut it down after that. Gagne was done for the season.

Then again, both of those guys could have been incredibly drugged up (cough, cough... Mitchell Report), so who knows what to think of that.

So now the question shifts to what GM Ned Colletti will do to fill such a big hole. Chin-lung Hu was the first replacement, but his hitting was atrocious. Angel Berroa was cheaply brought in, and he's tearing it up with a blistering .183 AVG. Luis Maza is also lighting the world on fire with a .239 AVG. So... ya, looking for another option is definitely the way to go.

As for Furcal, who knows what will become of him. It's hard to believe he'll be the same this year even if he is back. He played last year not at 100% and was not nearly the same player he was in the past. Sorry to say, but I just don't see him contributing this year.

Another setback for Furcal

Rafael Furcal was finally looking like he was close to returning to the Dodgers. But, it's just not meant to be at this point. While rehabbing with Triple-A Las Vegas, his nagging back injury has flared up once again, and he has now been sent back to Los Angeles for medical evaluation.

Obviously, this is not at all good news for a few reasons. The biggest one is that the team is lost without him for the most part. He was an early MVP candidate at the start of the year, and the Dodgers were playing pretty well. Take him out of the equation, and the Dodgers' offense has been on life support. It's been ugly. No matter who they plug in at shortstop (Chin-lung Hu, Luis Maza, Angel Berroa), their production is a joke compared to him.

The other reason is that this is his contract year, and he may very well be seeing those dollar signs appear less and less as the weeks go by. The Dodgers have a bad recent history of signing damaged goods to big contracts, with Jason Schmidt and Nomar Garciaparra being the best examples. Even if a healthy Furcal is great, is it worth the risk? He's not getting younger, and he's had some bad injuries the last couple of years. I love the guy, but even I wouldn't blame the team for passing on a big extension.

Let's hope this is just a temporary setback, and that he'll be fine. I won't be holding my breath, though...

The Las Vegas Millionaires Club

It must be quite an interesting sight for fans of the Las Vegas 51's this week. In addition to Jason Schmidt rehabbing there, he has now been joined by Nomar Garciaparra, Andruw Jones, and Rafael Furcal. I'd say ticket sales have probably seen a spike.

Nomar, Jones, and Furcal all played last night, and each had some success. Nomar was 0-2 with walk, Furcal was 1-3 with an RBI double, and Jones was 1-3 with a homer. Man, those kinds of stats would earn them a spot smack dab in the middle of the Dodgers' lineup!

In all seriousness, it's great to see them close to coming back. For Furcal, he was clearly the top SS in the NL before his injury, and his return means everything. Nomar and Jones have not exactly torn up the league this year, but perhaps some R&R will do them good. Just reading about Jones hitting a home run is a big sigh of relief. Granted, he has a lot of prove that he can do that at the Big League level when he's back, but hey, it's a good start.

As for Schmidt, he's had pretty good success in his long road to recover thus far. He's made 5 starts for 13 IP. His ERA is 3.46, to along with 6 BB and 10 K. There's already been rumblings that he will team up with Clayton Kershaw to pitch in the same game, which makes since considering neither one of them is capable of going deep into games right now.

I'll be sure to keep an eye on all 4 of these player's performances as long as they are down on the farm.

Contract/trade news on Furcal and Penny

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has a new video up on the main page of foxsports.com where he talks about contract issues of Rafael Furcal and Brad Penny. Here's the breakdown:

Furcal - The Dodgers were in serious discussions with him to resign him to a long-term deal. Then he got hurt with his back injury, and those extension talks came to a screeching halt. For the Dodgers, they have to be extremely careful on their end not to sign another injury-plagued veteran that will spend more time on the DL than on the diamond while raking in millions (see Schmidt, Jason and Garciaparra, Nomar). Furcal will be 31 next season, which is still young enough to hope that he won't be damaged goods. I say all the time how much he's missed in the lineup, so I'd resign him.

Penny - Before the season it appeared very likely that his option for next year would be picked up. Now? Not so much. He has been absolutely horrific in the month of May, going 1-4 with an 8.82 ERA. Ouch. I knew it was bad, but not this bad. Rosenthal suggests that they will try to move him by the July 31 trade deadline rather than buying him out for $2 million at the end of this season. At least by trading him they can see what they can get in return. I don't think Penny is this bad, but with his history of fading in the 2nd half of the season, it might not be a bad idea to see if any other team wants to roll the dice with him.