Dodgers not expected to make run at Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols

The Dodgers aren’t expecting to make a run at top-line free agents Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.

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.

In fact, the Dodgers’ payroll in 2012 will be less than it was this year, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Dodgers’ payroll was around $110 million last season.

The Dodgers finalized an eight-year, $160-million contract with Matt Kemp on Monday. Colletti wouldn’t confirm the deal, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.

Without a premium bat coming in, Colletti said, “we’re going to have to find other ways to produce runs.”

He said he is counting on Andre Ethier, James Loney and Juan Uribe to produce as they have in seasons past.

“Their seasons weren’t indicative of their careers,” Colletti said.

The Dodgers are closing in on a deal with light-hitting catcher Matt Treanor, according to baseball sources. Treanor would back up A.J. Ellis.

Colletti said he would like to add a backup infielder capable of playing shortstop, but wouldn’t mind starting the season with Justin Sellers as the utility man.

Colletti said he is also looking for a starting pitcher, adding that Hiroki Kuroda hasn’t told him whether he would re-sign with the Dodgers.

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Left photo: Prince Fielder. Credit: Zia Nizami / Belleville News-Democrat / MCT

Right photo: Albert Pujols. Credit: Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press

With Hiroshima offer, Hiroki Kuroda must make a choice soon

As news items go, it ranks up there with "Matt Kemp Is Pretty Good" or "Frank McCourt Complicates Court Process."

Still, at least the Hiroshima Carp’s interest in bringing back right-hander Hiroki Kuroda has become official.

Nikkan Sport has reported, and it has in turn been picked up and translated by NPB Tracker’s Patrick Newman, that the Carp have made an offer to Kuroda for next season. Also, surprise: Kuroda is happy about it.

“I’m happy that they would evaluate my contributions like that," Kuroda told Nikkan. "Naturally, I’m happy. A feeling that they really want to win came across. [Hiroshima’s competitiveness this season] has come to a frustrating place, to a place where they are one step away…. I’m very happy I got an offer from the Carp.”

Of course he is. But really, what else would you expect him to say? Kuroda has been very careful all along to pay homage to his former team. He’s nothing if not courteous and respectful.

He is also seemingly very happy living in Los Angeles with his family. Happy enough that he turned down an opportunity at the trade deadline to join a contending team and remain with the Dodgers.

For now, he is apparently deciding whether to re-sign with the Dodgers or return to the Carp. I still believe those are the only choices the free agent is seriously going to consider, though Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal thinks having gone through the thought process of joining another team back in July opens him up to the possibility now.

Even though he’ll be 37 next season, the Dodgers would very much like him back. He went a misleading 13-16 last season with a career-low 3.07 ERA. And if he leaves, they need to fill at least one and possibly two spots in a rotation that would only return Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly.

Kuroda, however, has to understand he needs to make a decision relatively quickly so the Dodgers know how to address their off-season. That would be the one dealing with players, and not ownership.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers' Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw all Golden

Those 2011 Dodgers must have been some ballclub. At least some defensive club.

Three Dodgers were awarded Gold Gloves on Tuesday night -- outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier and pitcher Clayton Kershaw -- the most for one season in team history.

It was the second Gold Glove for Kemp who won in 2009, and the first for Ethier and Kershaw.

This year the Gold Gloves were awarded to each specific outfield position, meaning three center fielders could not gobble up the awards.

That had to have helped Ethier, who did not make an error in 128 games and is considered a solid outfielder, but previously wasn’t mentioned in the Gold Glove conversation.

Kemp returned to the defensive form he displayed two years ago, and probably had an even more consistent season. He had 11 outfield assists and five errors.

The Gold Gloves were presented as something of an awkward awards show on ESPN. It was clearly taped, since no mention was given to the show broadcasting 50 minutes late because of Northern Illinois’ 63-60 football victory over Tulane. There was curious big-band music played throughout.

It did allow for a few interviews, including Kershaw, who looked very relaxed while saying how excited he was to capture his first Gold Glove.

"It’s awesome," Kershaw said. "I really didn’t ever expect to win that type of award. When you look at some of the names that have won before like Greg Maddux, it’s pretty special."

Kershaw is also a leading candidate to capture the National League Cy Young award, and was asked about a potential double victory.

"That would be an awesome off-season," Kershaw said. "I’ll let this one sink in for now. If I get the other, that would be the icing on the cake."

This year the three finalists at each position were announced, Kershaw winning his award over nominated teammate Hiroki Kuroda. James Loney was also nominated at first base for the Dodgers, where Cincinnati’s Joey Votto won.

Kemp and Ethier became just the fifth pair of outfielders from the same team to win National League Gold Gloves for the same season.

In the American League, the Angels’ Erick Aybar won at shortstop over Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera and Baltimore’s J.J. Hardy. It is Aybar’s first Gold Glove.

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Photo: Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, and is congratulated by teammate Matt Kemp after throwing a complete-game shutout against the Detroit Tigers on June 20. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Dodgers have most free agents, four days of exclusivity to re-sign

The clock is now ticking on the exclusive window for teams to re-sign their free agents.

The Dodgers, with 10 free agents -– the most in baseball, have until 9 p.m. Wednesday before the players are free to also negotiate with other teams.

The four-day exclusive period for a team to re-sign its free agents began Saturday night.

Of the Dodgers’ 10 free agents, only one –- catcher Rod Barajas -– is thought to project as a Type B free agent, which could provide a team a supplemental draft pick if the Dodgers offer arbitration.

Of course, what the Dodgers can do financially is the great unknown. The team remains tied up in bankruptcy court. The team and Major League Baseball are reportedly working on a settlement. Their trial is currently scheduled to start Nov. 29.

Barajas, 36, earned $3.25 million last season with a one-year contract. The Dodgers are looking at going young behind the plate and not expected to offer him arbitration.

The Dodgers’ other free agents are: infielders Casey Blake, Jamey Carroll and Aaron Miles, pitchers Jonathan Broxton, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda, Mike MacDougal and Vicente Padilla, and outfielder Juan Rivera.

Any could return, but it’s hard to have a firm offseason plan when ownership and a true budget is uncertain.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Outfielder Juan Rivera connects for a two-run double in a Dodgers victory over the Pirates in September. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Daily Dodger in review: Hiroki Kuroda makes pitch to stay

HIROKI KURODA, 36, starting pitcher

Final 2011 stats: 13-16, 3.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings, .254 opponent batting average in 202 innings.

Contract status: Free agent.

The good: Kuroda was remarkably consistent. He had a small bump in May when he had a 4.02 ERA, but the other five months he combined for a 2.90 ERA. His strikeouts, innings and victory totals were career-highs. Batters hit just .189 against him with runners in scoring position.

The bad: Not a whole lot there. Gave up 24 home runs. His win-loss record was unimpressive, but not much of that cannot be blamed on him. The Dodgers struggled to score him runs the first two-thirds of the year –- they averaged 5.52 runs for Kuroda on the season, ranking 71st among major league starters –- or he would have had a more impressive record.

What’s next: Will he stay or will he go now?

The Dodgers want him back and could certainly use him. GM Ned Colletti said he would give Kuroda some time after the season to determine if he wanted to return. Retirement doesn’t appear to be an option, but he could go back to pitch a final season in Japan.

The take: And there was a time when that’s exactly what I suspected he would do. He was a treasured star for the Hiroshima Carp, a second-tier team mostly devoid of starts. Figured loyalty called him back to finish his career where it started.

Only now I’m not so sure, which doesn’t mean with Kuroda I have any particular insight. Remember, he is a different cat. When the Dodgers wanted to trade him at the deadline to a contending team, he refused. Instead of playing in the postseason –- a la Rafael Furcal –- he stayed in Los Angeles to pitch for a third-place team out of playoff contention.

He got a pass on lacking competitive juices because of some supposed cultural divide, which I never bought for a second. Now I’ve decided that he just likes it here. He’s purchased a home in Los Angeles, his kids are in school here, he’s become comfortable living and working in Southern California. He’s also made over $47 million in his four years here; guess that would make plenty comfortable here.

I’m leaning on him returning, a good thing for a Dodgers team with only three other current starters. He’ll have to take a pay cut, but when you’re working down from $12 million, that ain’t too tough a duty.

Kuroda is a steady presence on the mound and in the clubhouse. He’s still throwing as well as ever, and even if he takes a slight step back, he’ll remain a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda works against the Angels during an interleague game this summer. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Meet the new Dodgers, same as the old Dodgers?

Hope you really, really believe in that Dodgers team that finished the 2011 season on a nice roll.

Because the more I think about, the more I expect it to return largely unchanged.

That wouldn’t be much of a stretch given the bankrupt Dodgers’ ever-uncertain ownership situation. Hard to spend a significant amount of money when you don’t have much and it's not clear who can spend it.

But the more closely you look at a lengthy interview that General Manager Ned Colletti gave to ESPN's Jim Bowden, the more it looks like you’d best get out the 2012 welcome mat for the 2011 Dodgers.

Yeah, he wants to add an impact bat. So do about 29 other teams. Yet despite how much sense it makes, no one really expects the team in the second-largest market in the country to make a serious run at either Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols. After that, a serious drop-off. Hey, he could always sign Carlos Beltran. He’s an ex-Giant and everything!

Not signing a free agent leaves trading for a big bat, and the Dodgers have precious little to offer in return. Unless, you know, you want to unload this Clayton Kershaw kid.

So the odds are exceedingly poor that a bat of significance will be brought in, and then there are Colletti’s comments to Bowden where he pretty much has everyone coming back from 2010 save for catcher Rod Barajas.

Which means you’d best get ready for this sales pitch: The Dodgers will significantly upgrade their lineup simply by adding a healthy Juan Uribe and Andre Ethier to it.

Ooooh, when do pitchers and catchers report again?

Assuming health for Uribe (sports hernia surgery) and Ethier (minor knee surgery), and the return of James Loney at first, the Dodgers’ lineup holes would be at second, left and catcher.

And Colletti flat out said, "Behind the plate, we'll probably let Tim Federowicz and A.J. Ellis handle the duties." He also said: "We need to figure out left field as well, but we're leaning towards Jerry Sands, especially after the way he finished this season with us." At second base he noted that Jamey Carroll and Aaron Miles were free agents and said: "Right now we have the two young players in [Justin] Sellers and Ivan DeJesus that we might let compete for that job next year."

Believe that last one if you feel so inclined, but the Dodgers GM –- as he needs to –- clearly has his Plan B in place if he's unable to acquire a big bat.

The same ol' even extends to the rotation, where Colletti at least sounds hopeful that Hiroki Kuroda will re-sign, citing the fact that Kuroda bought a home here and his children go to school here. That would leave a familiar rotation of Kershaw, Kuroda, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly and Nathan Eovaldi.

The bullpen evolved into a young strength, though Colletti would like to add another veteran.

Sounds remarkably like your 2011 Dodgers. The Dodgers were 25-10 in the last five-plus weeks of the season. That's encouraging, but the season is six months long. Keeping that group mostly intact places a lot of hope on a team that excelled for five weeks.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Juan Rivera, who might be returning to play left field, is congratulated by first baseman James Loney after bringing in Andre Ethier, left, and Matt Kemp with a three-run home run against the Phillies on Aug. 10 at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Kuroda shines, but Roberts' slam wins it in 10th for Arizona

If that was goodbye, Hiroki Kuroda made it memorable. Then Ryan Roberts added his own memory.

Kuroda will become a free agent at the end of the season, and at age 36, has said he’s uncertain whether he wants to pitch in the majors again next year or return for a final season to Japan.

When Kuroda took the mound Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, everyone knew it might be his final performance as a Dodger. So all he did was go out and throw six scoreless innings, holding Arizona to five hits. While not walking a batter and striking out five. It was Kuroda at his best.

Just so the humble Kuroda didn’t think anything had changed, the Dodgers typically offered modest support, scoring  only one run for him. They finally pushed five across in the 10th, only to see the Diamondbacks come back with six of their own in the bottom of the inning, Roberts' walk-off grand slam leaving Arizona with a stunning 7-6 victory.

Kuroda completed his fourth season with a 13-16 record and a 3.07 earned-run average -– ninth lowest in the National League.

Was that a last chance to bid adieu to half the Dodgers?

So did you wave goodbye? Blow a few kisses, you know, just in case.

Bid a fond farewell to the nine Dodgers who can become free agents at the end of the season? The five Dodgers who are arbitration eligible and could be non-tendered? The two whom the Dodgers hold options on that they’re not expected to pick up?

That’s almost half of the 38 Dodgers currently in uniform or on the disabled list. Some will be back; some won’t. But which, and in what roles?

The free agent list: Aaron Miles, Jamey Carroll, Rod Barajas, Juan Rivera, Hiroki Kuroda, Vicente Padilla, Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo and Mike MacDougal.

The arbitration five: James Loney, Tony Gwynn Jr., Eugenio Velez, Blake Hawksworth and Dana Eveland.

The options not expected to be picked up: Casey Blake and Jon Garland.

That’s a lot of moving parts. For sure, several appeared on the field at Dodger Stadium for the last time Thursday in the Dodgers’ final home game of the season.

Matt Kemp adds capper to the Dodgers' home season in 8-2 win

And so ends another season at Dodger Stadium. Can’t say it wasn’t memorable, on the field and off.

The Dodgers completed their 2011 at home Thursday with an 8-2 victory over the Giants before an announced crowd of 37,560 that once again saw Matt Kemp polishing off his MVP resume.

Kemp had three doubles and a two-run homer. It was Kemp’s 36^th home run of the season and he looks like a guy trying to hit one almost every at-bat now. And almost managing it.

He was once again greeted with frequent chants of "MVP," and when he hit his towering two-run homer in the eighth inning, the crowd brought him out for a curtain call. The four hits raised his season average to .326.

The victory left the Dodgers 42-39 at home for the year. Not exactly the stuff of their dreams, but not the nightmare at which it once hinted.

And in the short term, they took two of three games from a Giants team that came in on an eight-game winning streak but left with their playoff hopes severely damaged. So it was hardly all bad.

The Dodgers had Tom Lasorda in the dugout as an honorary coach on his 84^th birthday, Kemp going nuts at the plate and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda limiting the Giants to two runs in his seven-plus innings.

Kuroda gave up a solo home run to Carlos Beltran in the first inning, but the Dodgers came right back in the bottom of the inning against Madison Bumgarner with Kemp’s first double and Juan Rivera's two-run homer.

Get out the pompoms: How to try to make Hiroki Kuroda stay

 
So here's what you do: Get signs and banners that read "One More Year!" And then you hold them up every time Hiroki Kuroda walks off the mound Thursday night. Maybe start it as a chant. Plead a little.

Think it can't work?

It already has once.

Kuroda is scheduled to start Thursday in the Dodgers' final home game of the season. And all indications are that it will be his final start in Chavez Ravine.

The growing sentiment is that Kuroda is going to return to Hiroshima, where he pitched his previous 11 years before joining the Dodgers in 2008, for one final season before retiring.

Not that it has to happen. The Dodgers need him in their rotation next season and General Manager Ned Colletti has said he wants Kuroda back.

Kuroda, as is his way, isn't saying what he's going to do, but he plans to take some time at the end of the season to decide.

He was in a similar position with Hiroshima in 2006, able to become a free agent and sign with a team in the major leagues.

But the fans in Hiroshima, a small-market team in Japan, packed the ballpark in his last start at home. They held up signs asking him to return. Banners that read "Please Stay!" Cheered him throughout.

And he came back for one more year.

What if that effort was duplicated at Dodger Stadium on Thursday? Give me a "K!''

"I'd be surprised if that happened,"’ he told The Times' Dylan Hernandez, with a laugh.

Kuroda remains a highly effective pitcher. This season, he is 12-16 with a career-low 3.19 ERA.

"He's pitched much better than his record," Colletti said.

The Dodgers have only three established starting pitchers returning next season -– Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly. Even though he'll be 37 next spring, the Dodgers need Kuroda back.

As it is, they might have to look at starting the season with rookie Nathan Eovaldi in the rotation. If Kuroda leaves as expected, the Dodgers would probably have to sign or trade for another starter.

Kuroda earned $12 million this season, and it would probably take a similar amount for him to return. It's doubtful, however, this will be about the money. He'd make substantially less in Hiroshima.

This is more about commitment and obligation to a team and city that stood by him, that showered him with affection.

Get the signs out. A little duplication couldn't hurt.             

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  -- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Hiroki Kuroda. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images.