Andruw Jones officially released by Dodgers

Andruw Jones was unconditionally released by the Dodgers today, officially ending his miserable tenure with the team.

Jones was granted his release in exchange for deferring most of the $22 million remaining on his contract over the next six years, a move that will result in the Dodgers saving $12 million this season. The Dodgers had until today to trade or release Jones.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said that Jones requested a trade at the end of the season. "He let it be known that he could not come back and play," Colletti said.

Colletti said he never envisioned that the player he signed to a two-year, $36.2-million contract could falter the way that he did. Jones hit .158 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in last season for the Dodgers.

We'll have more on Jones at latimes.com/sports.

-- Dylan Hernandez

Photo: Andruw Jones making his debut with Aguilas Cibaenas during the Winter Dominican Baseball Championship match against Toros del Este at Cibao stadium in Santiago, Dominican Republic on Dec. 12, 2008. Credit: Jose Bueno / EPA

Comments

[Hollywood dodger mark]

when wig boy colletti picked up from Atlanta for 36 million, he had been turned down by every GM in baseball. Why? Because he hit .222 and struck out 138 times for the Braves in 2007. Colletti thought he saw something that no other GM in baseball saw. What that was we don't know and may never know. But that is why GMs are fired. That is where the buck stops.