Dodgers web musings: Japan quake stuns Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers, baseball

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The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan was being felt hard throughout baseball.

Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda said his immediate family was safe in Los Angeles and most of his extended family live on the western side of Japan, but that he was still trying to locate his brother who lives near Tokyo and often travels north on business.

Via Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick: ‘I think he is OK, but I don’t know where his whereabouts are,’ Kuroda said through translator Kenji Nimura. ‘I’m trying to contact him.’

Other baseball response to the tragedy:

-- Dodgers communications vice president Josh Rawitch shared how some in the organization were reacting at his Inside the Dodgers blog.

-- MLB.com’s Spencer Fordin gives an overview of Japanese players’ reaction.

-- The Times’ Kevin Baxter said ex-Dodger Takashi Saito was granted a leave of absence from the Milwaukee Brewers. Team officials said he has spoken to his wife and children but unable to reach his parents.

[Update:] Baxter has a more in depth look at baseball’s overall reaction.

[Update II:] Baxter writes Saito has now been able to account for all of his family.

-- Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal also has response from players, including ex-Angel Hideki Matsui.

Also on the Web:

-- Once the Dodgers were the most popular sports team in town. Now it is clearly the Lakers, not that the Dodgers haven’t figured out a way to cash in on it.

The Dodgers have scheduled a ‘Lakers Tribute’ night, at which they will give away purple-and-gold-colored Dodgers caps April 14.

Vin Scully Is My Homeboy’s Roberto Baly has a picture.

-- ESPN/LA’s Jon Weisman makes a case for how the Dodgers offense could prove better than expected.

-- Dodgers.com’s Gurnick gives a team review half way through spring training.

-- Joe Posnanski explains how he’s opened up to many of the numbers promoted by baseball sabermetrics.

-- Basebally Savvy’s Howard Cole has his part five in his series looking at baseball bloggers, this time with the humorous if nonsensical responses by Sons of Steve Garvey, who continue to hide behind anonymity.

-- Steve Dilbeck