Dodgers Web musings: L.A. drops five games back in 10 days, poised for historic May

There is never a good time to stink it up, but some times seem worse than others.

Times like right now for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers were sort of drifting along, a game under .500, 10 days ago. Still, they took comfort in knowing that no team was making a run in the National League West and they remained a semi-comfortable 2½ games out.

But since then, the Dodgers have lost eight of 10. And this time making it painfully noticeable, the Giants have gotten hot and the Dodgers have dropped 7½ games out of first place.

Things are going so badly, ESPN/LA’s Jon Weisman notes that the Dodgers are a historic pace. They have to finish the month 4-3 to avoid their worst May since moving to Los Angeles.

Also on the Web:

-- The Times’ Ben Bolch chronicles the Dodgers’ latest staggering loss.

Dodgers Web musings: Andre Ethier, you are sports' biggest rising star

That’s right, the Dodgers’ own Andre Ethier is not only the hottest thing on the baseball diamond right now, but also the biggest sports star to watch this month.

Anyway, so says a marketing research company that puts out a monthly list it calls "Rising Sports Stars."

Ethier, who at 27 games has baseball’s longest hitting streak in two years, had the biggest lift in popularity last month, according to Brand Affinity Technologies. They base their results on some nebulous formula that looks at media exposure, performance, awards, popularity, engagement and fan base.

Ethier’s rating climbed 136% last month, according to BAT. Before you get too excited, he just squeaked past New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza’s 135% increase.

Also on the Web:

-- Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi takes a look at Ethier's hitting streak.

-- Joe Torre has been mum on Major League Baseball’s takeover of the Dodgers from Frank McCourt since arriving on the scene with trustee Tom Schieffer last week but earlier confided to MLB.com’s Mark Newman that Commissioner Bud Selig did confer with him before taking action.

Dodgers Web musings: It's true, spring is in the air

It's spring, which means unfiltered optimism, troubles left to history, the future bright.

Even before the first full-squad workout Tuesday, positive thinking ruled Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers.

How they go this season figures to largely depend on how Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp step up and elevate their games. At least their 2010 games.

Ethier is now not only healthy but apparently willing to discard his nobody-really-loves-me routine to step forward as a team leader.

Ethier told The Times’ Dylan Hernandez that he recognizes the Dodgers need a boost in team leadership, and he is now willing to provide it.

"You overlook yourself as a presence on the team," Ethier said. "I have to come to grips with that and accept that."

Meanwhile, Kemp had his first interesting interview with The Times’ T.J. Simers, who is still waiting for the explosively talented outfielder to have the kind of impact on L.A. that Clippers rookie Blake Griffin has had.

Kemp told Simers he is better off now for his struggles from last season.

"I'm mentally stronger," Kemp said. "I just know you can't play this game frustrated or mad; you've got to be loose and have fun."

Also on the Web:

-- OK, it isn’t all positive energy from Camelback -- where’s a good Russian mystic when you need one?

Word came early Tuesday that Vicente Padilla was headed back to Los Angeles to have an MRI -- they don’t have those machines in Phoenix? -- on his elbow. It’s the same injury that bothered him last season. Going with an incentive-laden contract must look pretty good about now.

-- In other old/new injury news, the Toronto Star’s Mark Zwolinski says Scott Podsednik’s plantar fascitis has flared up again and so he won’t be able to open camp with the Blue Jays. The Dodgers picked up their half of a $2-million option on Podsednik this off-season but he turned down his half and ended up signing for $500,000 with Toronto; it jumps to $1 million if he makes the team.

-- True Blue LA’s Eric Stephen says the $4.2-million contract the Dodgers offered catcher Russell Martin this off-season was not guaranteed. He got a guaranteed base of $4 million with the Yankees.

-- CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler said it’s exam time for Don Mattingly as a manager.

-- Vin Scully Is My Homeboy’s Roberto Baly has an early word on a new Mattingly biography.

-- ESPN LA’s Jon Weisman thinks Clayton Kershaw is poised to explode as a superstar.

-- Opinion of Kingman’s Performance’s Evan Bladh is convinced he has come up with the greatest idea of his life for the Dodgers.

-- Yahoo.com’s David Brown gives his spring preview of the Dodgers.

-- Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness’ Mike Petriello looks at the Dodgers' potential batting order now that Mattingly has said Ethier will bat third and Kemp cleanup.

-- Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said Manny Ramirez has lost 12 pounds from a year ago and seems determined to resurrect his career.

"I love the game. I like to compete," Ramirez said. "I just want to show that I still can play. That’s my mind-set."

-- Former Dodger Dusty Baker is entering his 18th season as a manager, and the Reds skipper told Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci he still believes he can win his first World Series.

"Hey, my time is coming," Baker said. "I always believe that -- and more than one."

Optimism is everywhere.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers' web musings: How long will Dodgers go with Jonathan Broxton as their closer if he struggles again?

In a little over three weeks, Jonathan Broxton will once again report to spring training as the Dodgers’ closer.

And barring injury, when spring training draws to a close six weeks later, he will open the season as their closer.

But how long of a leash will he be on? How long are the Dodgers willing to go with him in the closer’s role if he continues to struggle, as he did mightily in the second half last season?

ESPN’s Tony Jackson poses the question, and figures Broxton will get a minimum of a month. Jackson said Broxton’s overall body of work from the last 2½ seasons warrants another opportunity in the role.

Yet no one expects Manager Don Mattingly to stick with Broxton as long as Joe Torre did, should he continue to falter. Jackson attributes Broxton’s failing as a crisis of confidence, and though Broxton never admitted it, there’s no way his confidence could have been intact.

In the first half, Broxton had a 2.11 earned-run average, 19 saves, a 1.07 WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.86.

In the second half, Broxton had a 7.13 ERA, three saves, a 2.13 WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.86.

That’s hard to do.

If he should again prove unreliable, the next question becomes who steps in after Broxton has exceeded his rope.

The obvious answer is Hong-Chih Kuo, who took over in the role for Broxton on Aug. 13 and finished off all nine of his ensuing save opportunities.

Kuo had a remarkable season, yet his history of elbow problems likely dictates Mattingly will also be reluctant to pitch him on consecutive days. And at this moment, he is the only left-hander in the bullpen.

The Dodgers have mentioned the possibility of using Vicente Padilla in a closing role, which if nothing else, is certainly intriguing. Then there is Kenley Jansen, who was just short of sensational in his brief stint with the Dodgers but will start only his second full season as a pitcher.

Jackson said the Dodgers could go to something of a bullpen by committee should Broxton falter, though that seldom works long term.

One indication that Broxton is serious about reclaiming the closer role will be if he shows up in Arizona having shed a few of those extra pounds.

Also on the web:

-- Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes that at the Baseball Writers Assn. of America’s baseball dinner in New York on Saturday, Torre -- honored along with retiring managers Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella -- said he was "home" once again.

-- Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness’ Mike Petriello thinks it may be dawning on Scott Podsednik about now that he messed up by turning down his half of the $2-million option to return to the Dodgers. Podsednik remains unsigned.

-- On CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler’s wish list of 10 things he hopes happens next season, No. 4 is that Frank McCourt announces in May he’s selling the Dodgers.

-- ESPN Los Angeles’ Jon Weisman is glad the Dodgers weren’t as desperate as the Angels in taking on Vernon Wells’ mega-contract.

-- Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick takes a look at third base coach Tim Wallach's family of baseball players. He’s had three sons drafted by the Dodgers.

-- The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser said a scout told her the Dodgers were raving about the workout third baseman Eric Chavez had for the Dodgers last week.

-- Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo said the Washington Nationals made a good push for James Loney this winter before signing Adam LaRoche.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Some rumors get your attention: Dodgers reportedly interested in Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon? Really? For left field?

That would be 37-year-old Johnny Damon, no longer so fleet of foot and never much of a consistent power threat?

Hey, it’s a rumor. During the winter, there are hundreds of them, a decent percentage of which are either unfounded or with a thread to reality so thin it could snap by the turning of a general manager’s head.

This one comes courtesy of Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal, who like everyone else has swung and missed on a few of these, but is also very well connected.

And Rosenthal writes the Dodgers are not only interested in Damon, but 38-year-old catcher Jason Varitek. It’s a run on Red Sox.

Actually, he writes they are in contact with just about every breathing catcher still on the market, which, given the uncertain status of Russell Martin’s hip, is understandable and believable.

But Johnny Damon?

Damon’s stat line for the Detroit Tigers last season: .271 batting average, eight home runs, 51 RBIs, 11 stolen bases in 613 at-bats.

Are you getting all excited?

Also, he bats left-handed, same as Jay Gibbons. And at this stage of his career, he plays the outfield about as well. And he made $8 million last season, though is salary would clearly drop. And he was used last season mostly as a designated hitter.

If the Dodgers really wanted another old left-handed hitter, they could make another run at Scott Podsednik, who is almost three years younger and -- plantar fasciitis permitting -- still capable of 35 steals.

Available among old right-handed hitters available are Marcus Thames, Lance Berkman (switch-hitter), Pat Burrell (look, another Giant!) and Magglio Ordonez.

OK, it’s thin. But it’s right-handed thin.

Varitek will be 39 the first week of the season and started only 27 games at catcher last season for the Red Sox. The Dodgers reportedly are looking at him as a backup, but a backup to whom?

Rosenthal said the Dodgers have also been in contact with Rod Barajas (35), A.J. Pierzynski (34 next month) and Miguel Olivo (a kid at 32). If they signed Pierzynski, they could have two catchers named A.J.!

They remain in conversations with Martin, but have only until Thursday to either sign him, figure out whether they want to offer him arbitration or let him walk.

Martin, by the way, is only 27.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers pass on offering arbitration to Vicente Padilla, Rod Barajas and Scott Podsednik

In continuing their recent trend, the Dodgers announced Tuesday night they would not offer salary arbitration to outfielder Scott Podsednik, catcher Rod Barajas or right-hander Vicente Padilla.

No big surprises, and not a lot a tears to shed here.

Failing to offer arbitration used to mean adios to their returning to the Dodgers next season, but these days teams can still re-sign players to whom they fail to offer arbitration. All three were Type-B free agents.

The Dodgers already had offered to pick up their half of a mutual option on Podsednik at $2 million next season, but he turned down his half and is now a free agent.

Podsednik is going to test the free-agent waters and see if he can do better than the one-year deal he received last season from the Royals. Good luck. It’s still conceivable he could return, but it’s far from a sure thing. He’s backup material.

Padilla made $5.025 million last season, and there was no way the Dodgers were going to approach that number again, especially for what would now be their fifth starter.

Padilla spent two stints on the disabled list and finished 6-5 with a 4.07 earned-run average.

Barajas made only $500,000 last season, so passing on him was less about the dinero than the Dodgers' being ready to commit to the 35-year-old.

There are other free-agent catchers out there still to be had.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Daily Dodger in review: Scott Podsednik flashes his stuff, hurts foot, checks out

SCOTT PODSEDNIK, 34, outfielder

Final 2010 stats: .297 batting average, six home runs, 51 RBI, 35 stolen bases, .342 on-base percentage, .383 slugging percentage in 595 at-bats.

Contract status: Free agent.

The good: Hit .300 with a .496 slugging percentage against right-handers, not so bad for a slap hitter. Thirty-five overall stolen bases easily highest on the team. Hit .317 with runners in scoring position. Can play all three outfield positions. Hit .310 in first 95 games with the Royals. Hit .304 in August for the Dodgers.

The bad: After collecting only three hits in 26 September at-bats (.115), he was shut down for the rest of the season with plantar fasciitis. Last seen in a walking boot. Was disappointing defensively, which is not to say he wasn’t a huge improvement over Manny Ramirez in left field. Overall batting average as a Dodger was .262, with a .313 on-base percentage. Different guy in the clubhouse. Very serious, keeps mostly to himself.

What’s next: Finished the season with enough at-bats to qualify for a mutual option, which he must have been pretty happy about. The Dodgers agreed to take on his $2-million salary for 2011, but Podsednik took a pass and declared free agency. Now he’s anybody’s baby.

The take: If the Dodgers could have kept Podsednik as a speedy, reserve outfielder at $2 million next season, that would have been a solid, reasonable addition.

If they wanted to make him their everyday left fielder, that would have worked about as well as Bristol Palin in the finals of a national dance show. Of course, at the moment, they have no regular left fielder, just an unattractive collection of all sorts (Xavier Paul, Trayvon Robinson, Trent Oeltjen, Russell Mitchell, Jay Gibbons).

Podsednik is gambling that his season earned him a better deal than one year at $2 mil. Risky, since he’ll be 35 in March and is coming off what can be a nagging foot injury.

That’s not to say he still couldn’t yet return to the Dodgers. Apparently, however, he has understandable ambitions about being an everyday player. Last off-season, he found few takers before signing with the Royals (that’s a team in Kansas City). Should he find his way back to L.A., however, that would only magnify the team’s lack of power if he’s presented as the starting left fielder. Like Gibbons, he bats left, so there’s no platoon there.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Daily Dodger in review: Reed Johnson pretty much the role player, as advertised

REED JOHNSON, 33, outfielder

Final 2010 stats: .262, two home runs, 15 RBI, 24 runs, .291 on-base percentage, .366 slugging percentage in 202 at-bats.

Contract status: Free agent.

The good: Brought in partially for his defense, he did not commit an error in 100 chances. Played all three outfield positions. Hit .301 against left-handers and .300 at home. As a pinch hitter, went 7-for-24 with a pair of doubles and RBI. Solid in the clubhouse.

The bad: Against right-handed pitching, hit just .222. Faded in the second half, batting .213. Strained his perennial bad back and went on the disabled list for 21 games (July 9-Aug. 4). Doesn’t make up for lack of power with speed on the bases (two steals).

What’s next: Since he’s a free agent, there are no guarantees he’ll return, and his play didn’t exactly make a loud case for it. He turns 34 next month. He's a local product (Temecula) and inexpensive ($800,000 last season), so we may not have seen the last of him.

The take: Johnson doesn’t figure to be a high priority for the Dodgers this winter. Should they decide to bring him back, it will likely be late when all the other pieces have fallen into place.

Though he did little to really distinguish himself, he pretty much provided what the Dodgers were expecting -- solid hitting against left-handers and reliable defense.

Unlike most of the rest of other backup outfielder candidates (Jay Gibbons, Trent Oeltjen, Scott Podsednik, Xavier Paul) he does bat right-handed, which counts for something.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers reward Jay Gibbons' perseverance with major-league contract for next season

While one outfielder may have been slipping away Thursday when Scott Podsednik became a free agent, the Dodgers were at least securing their bench strength with the signing of Jay Gibbons.

The Dodgers signed him to a one-year deal for [Updated numbers] $650,000, plus incentives that could add another $150,000 based on plate appearances.

Gibbons gave the Dodgers some much-needed power off the bench last season after he was called up Aug. 8, batting .280 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 75 at-bats.

He was a major upgrade over Garret Anderson at the plate, plus he can play some first base.

Gibbons doesn’t figure as an everyday left fielder -- his defense is what you might politely call fair -- but he’s a solid addition as an occasional starter and left-handed pinch-hitter.

He turns 34 in March, so he’s far from a long-term solution. Still, after being out of the majors for almost three years after being named in the Mitchell Report, it’s a long ways from retirement.

Gibbons had bounced around since the report on performance-enhancing drugs in the majors, even trying a stint in an independent league. He sent letters to every club asking for another opportunity, but received no offers.

He was set to retire when the Dodgers offered a chance to play in their minor league system last spring. There was no guarantee of a job back with the Dodgers, but after hitting .347 with 19 home runs at triple-A Albuquerque, he finally earned his call-up.

And now, a major-league contract.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Scott Podsednik declines his option to return to Dodgers; now do they have to do something?

OK, Dodgers, now what are you going to do?

Scott Podsednik on Thursday declined his option to return to the Dodgers, and that may end an easy and inexpensive way out for a potential left fielder.

Try to think of this as good news. It could now force the Dodgers to aggressively seek a left fielder, preferably one capable of sending a baseball over the fence.

They desperately need to find another middle-of-the-order threat at some position.

Podsednik had his uses, enough so that the Dodgers had picked up their half of the mutual option on him for next season, which called for a $2-million salary.

But apparently -- hopefully -- they weren't promising him a starting job, and $2 million is plenty cheap for a veteran starting outfielder. And his returning is not off the table either.

Podsednik's agent, Ryan Gleichowski, told The Times' Dylan Hernandez that they remain in conversations with the Dodgers and that Podsednik would like to return.

"We're still engaged in discussions with the Dodgers," Gleichowski said.

It's something of a gamble for Podsednik, 34, who as a free agent last offseason (after batting .304 and stealing 30 bases with the White Sox in 2009) found attractive offers wanting. He ended up signing a one-year deal with the lowly Royals for $1.65 million.

He hit .297 with 35 stolen bases overall last season. He missed the last month of the season after suffering plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

If the Dodgers were looking at Podsednik as their insurance plan, at this moment, left field is a wasteland. There is no one in their system close to being ready to claim an everyday job -- not light-hitting Xavier Paul nor Trayvon Robinson.

Jerry Sands emerged as their top-hitting prospect last season, but he split his time between class-A Great Lakes and double-A Chattanooga and looks a year away.

Jay Gibbons, currently a free agent, is viewed more as left-handed pinch hitter and role player.

The Dodgers are hardly dealing from a position of strength in acquiring a significant bat. Free agents Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth are thought to be out of their financial league.

That leaves the trade route, and the Dodgers don't have much to offer there either.

Podsednik as a backup and role player still has its appeal. Gleichowski said finances and playing time are all considerations in Podsednik's decision to become a free agent.

-- Steve Dilbeck