DODGERS UPDATE: L.A. STORY ENDS FOR FREE AGENTS HANSEN AMONG THOSE WHO'LL DEPART.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer Working with a budget of about $4.5 million to find a starting first baseman or outfielder, bench help and a left-handed reliever, it came as no surprise the Dodgers didn't offer salary arbitration to any of their free agents before Saturday's deadline. Dodgers general manager Dan Evans said he won't surpass the $117 million luxury-tax line, limiting his flexibility even in the wake of the trade that sent Eric Karros Todd made his major league debut with the New York Mets on May 18, 1990 when he was only 20 years old. and Chad Hermansen Chad Bruce Hermansen (born September 10, 1977 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a former Major League Baseball player. A center fielder and right fielder, Hermansen is still an active player, and he spent 2006 with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent American Association. last week. So, as was reported last week, the Dodgers didn't offer salary arbitration to free-agent infielders Dave Hansen
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft, Reboulet would make his Major League Baseball and Tyler Houston Tyler Sam Houston (born January 17, 1971 in Long Beach, California), is a former professional baseball player who played third base and catcher in the Major Leagues from 1996-2003. Hitting Stats
``The key for us is we have to fit guys inside this dollar amount,'' Evans said. ``We're going to focus on an everyday player and then we'll move to the role players. The risk isn't worth the reward (through arbitration).'' Hansen, the Dodgers all-time leader with 110 pinch-hits, is close to agreeing to a two-year deal worth about $1.4 million with San Diego, sources said. But the Dodgers were deterred from re-signing Hansen because his average as a pinch hitter the last two seasons is .202 and because of finances. Hansen was hoping to remain with the Dodgers. ``The business part sucks. Period,'' said Hansen, 34, who was drafted by the Dodgers in 1986 and spent 10 seasons in Los Angeles. ``You kind of have to separate the two, business and personal, which is hard.'' The Dodgers made a contract proposal to outfielder Marquis Grissom, sources said, but it was well under the two-year, $4.25 million offer Grissom signed with the San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California that currently play in the National League West Division. New York Giants history Early days and the John McGraw era . Grissom was a vital bench player the past two years with the Dodgers, but the club didn't believe he was still a starter and wouldn't give him that chance. Daal, who went 11-9 with a 3.90 ERA, made $5 million last season and would have made more through salary arbitration. The Chicago Cubs are the leader to sign him, but Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and St. Louis are interested, sources said. Houston had no interest in returning to the Dodgers. Evans doesn't want to lose a draft pick by signing another team's free agent, if that player was offered arbitration. Therefore, Mets left-hander Mark Guthrie could be crossed off the Dodgers' list. However, the Yankees failed to offer lefty Mike Stanton, who is interested in pitching in Los Angeles. But before the Dodgers make a move on the free-agent market, Evans said he expects to pursue trades as he tries to deal with a bloated payroll that has nearly $91 million tied to 11 players. ``I think we want to explore (players on) the other 29 teams,'' Evans said. ``For us, it makes the most sense so we don't get into a situation where we lose a draft pick. The focal point focal point n. See focus. needs to be a starting player and then see the complementary players afterward.'' |
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