Read More: Matt Herges (P – KAN), Doug Mientkiewicz (1B – FLA), Keyter Collado (C – LOS), Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers last week announced their minor league coaching staffs for 2012, and for the most part they look very similar to those of 2011. The biggest coaching news is the hire of Doug Mientkiewicz, who will make his coaching debut as the hitting coach of the rookie league Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League. Mientkiewicz played for the Dodgers in 2009.

Matt Herges, who pitched for the Dodgers as well as every other team in the National League West, will be coaching for his second year in 2012. He was promoted from pitching coach of the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers in 2011 to pitching coach of the Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes next year.

The Dodgers’ staffs at Triple A and Double A remained the same as 2011. Here are the 2012 coaching assignments for the Dodgers:

Field Coordinator: Bruce Hines
Senior Advisor, Player Development: P.J. Carey, Gene Clines, Charlie Hough
Senior Advisor, Latin America: Ramon Martinez
Hitting Coordinator: Eric Owens
Pitching Coordinator: Rafael Chaves
Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator: Damon Mashore
Infield Coordinator: Jody Reed
Catching Coordinator: Travis Barbary
Coordination of Arizona Instruction: Matt Martin
Campo Las Palmas Coordinator: Henry Cruz
Field Coordinator, Campo Las Palmas: Antonio Bautista

Triple-A Albuquerque:
Manager: Lorenzo Bundy
Hitting Coach: John Valentin
Pitching Coach: Glenn Dishman

Double-A Chattanooga:
Manager: Carlos Subero
Hitting Coach: Franklin Stubbs
Pitching Coach: Chuck Crim

Single-A Rancho Cucamonga:
Manager: Juan Bustabad
Hitting Coach: Michael Boughton
Pitching Coach: Matt Herges

Single-A Great Lakes:
Manager: John Shoemaker
Hitting Coach: Razor Shines
Pitching Coach: Hector Berrios

Rookie-advanced Ogden:
Manager: Damon Berryhill
Hitting Coach: Doug Mientkiewicz
Pitching Coach: Bill Simas

Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers:
Manager/Coordinator of Arizona Instruction: Matt Martin
Hitting Coach: Leo Garcia
Pitching Coach: Kremlin Martinez

Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Dodgers:
Manager: Pedro Mega
Hitting Coach: Keyter Collado
Pitching Coach: Alejandro Peña
Catching Coach: Jose D. Hernandez
Assistant Coach: Rafael Ozuna

Camelback Ranch – Glendale:
Pitching/Rehab Coach: Jim Slaton
Coach: Johnny Washington
Coach: Esteban Lopez

For more Dodgers offseason news and analysis, be sure to read True Blue LA.

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McClatchy news services

• Published December 22, 2011
Modified December 21, 2011

Creditors of the Los Angeles Dodgers are joining the team in urging a federal district judge in Dover, Del., to allow implementation of a bankruptcy court order authorizing the Dodgers to begin a process for selling television rights to future games.

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DOVER, Del. — Creditors of the Los Angeles Dodgers are joining the team in urging a federal district judge not to halt implementation of a bankruptcy court order authorizing the Dodgers to begin a process for selling television rights to future games.

In a filing Wednesday, the committee said there’s no guarantee that a sale of the team without the TV rights will result in Dodgers creditors being paid in full.

The committee noted that the Dodgers face several unreconciled claims, including a lawsuit filed on behalf of a San Francisco Giants fan who is represented on the creditors committee and was critically injured in an assault outside Dodger Stadium on opening day.

Fox is challenging the proposed media rights sale, saying it violates the company’s rights under an existing contract with the Dodgers.

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DOVER, Del. (AP)

Creditors of the Los Angeles Dodgers are joining the team in urging a federal district judge not to halt implementation of a bankruptcy court order authorizing the Dodgers to begin a process for selling television rights to future games.

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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers invited 15 players, including nine former Great Lakes Loons, to their fifth annual developmental minicamp at Dodger Stadium in January.

Former Loons include pitcher Steven Ames, pitcher Rubby De La Rosa, pitcher Shawn Tolleson, pitcher Josh Wall, pitcher Allen Webster, catcher Griff Erickson, outfielder Alfredo Silverio, outfielder Scott Van Slyke and catcher Matt Wallach.

Other Dodger minor leaguers invited include itchers Michael Antonini, Stephen Fife and Chris Withrow, plus position players Alex Castellanos, Tim Federowicz and Tyler Henson.

Two of the former Loons netted organizational honors, with Tolleson named the Dodgers minor league Pitcher of the Year and Van Slyke earning minor league Player of the Year honors.

De La Rosa, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, was at last year’s mini-camp, as was Erickson and Wallach.

The minicamps is to help the top prospects in the farm system get a little extra help as they near a possible promotion to the major leagues. It also gives Dodgers officials a chance to get a closer look at the prospects, while also giving the coaches a chance at some early instruction prior to spring training.

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December 20, 2011 – American Association (AA) Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
FARGO, N.D. – Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 3B C.J. Retherford had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the American Association club announced Tuesday.

Retherford, 26, batted .339 with 24 doubles, four home runs, 37 RBI and 34 runs scored in 56 games for Fargo-Moorhead last season. He joined the RedHawks in late June after being released by the Detroit Tigers organization.

Retherford began his professional career in 2007 with the Chicago White Sox organization after signing as a non-drafted free agent out of Arizona State University. Retherford quickly advanced through the White Sox minor league chain, reaching Triple-A with the Charlotte (N.C.) Knights of the International League in 2010.

Retherford is the second player from the 2011 squad to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization, and 55th in franchise history. RHP Alex Caldera was purchased by the Florida Marlins in August.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Read More: John Grabow (P – LOS), Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers

According to reports, the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed left-handed reliever John Grabow to a minor league deal. The transaction was first tweeted by John Scanlan on Saturday and was verified by MLB Trade Rumors.

The 33-year-old Grabow struggled after he was acquired by the Chicago Cubs from the Pittsburgh Pirates in July 2009. Grabow posted a 5.52 ERA in 88 innings while knee and shoulder injuries caused him to miss games. It was a disappointing tenure especially after Grabow signed a two-year, $7.5 million extension four months into his time with the Cubs.

In 506 games over a nine-year career, Grabow is 24-19 with a 4.31 ERA in 476.1 innings pitched. He started his MLB career in 2003 with the Pirates after being selected in the 3rd round of the 1997 amateur draft.

For more on the Dodgers and their minor league deals, and more, be sure to read True Blue LA.

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Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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LOS ANGELES – Former Great Lakes Loons pitcher Will Savage is one of 15 non-roster players invited to Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training camp.

Savage, 27, began his comeback with the Great Lakes Loons in 2010 after he was released by the Philadelphia Phillies.

He began the 2010 season with the Loons, going 6-2 with a 2.80 earned run average in 13 starts. He was promoted to Advanced A Inland Empire for eight games before another promotion to Double A Chattanooga, where he started four more games.

He spent the 2011 season in Chattanooga, going 12-6 with a 3.95 ERA in 23 starts.

Other non-roster players invited are outfielder Cory Sullivan, reliever Wil Ledezma, reliever Alberto Castillo, and catcher Josh Bard. Other pitchers invited include Angel Guzman, Fernando Nieve, Jose Ascanio, Ryan Tucker, Matt Chico, and Scott Rice. Infielders Jeff Baisley, Lance Zawadzki and Luis Cruz were also invited.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a $2 million, two-year contract.

Gwynn appeared in a career-high 136 games at all three outfield positions with the Dodgers last season, his first with the club. The 29-year-old son of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn averaged 0.11 assists per nine innings to lead NL outfielders.

Gwynn Jr. batted .256 and had career highs of 12 doubles, 22 stolen bases and 22 RBI. He gets $850,000 next year and $1.15 million in 2013.

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Read More: James Loney (1B – LOS), Andre Ethier (RF – LOS), Hong-Chih Kuo (P – LOS), Clayton Kershaw (P – LOS), Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night non-tendered relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo, making the dean of the Dodgers a free agent. On the deadline day to tender 2012 contracts to all unsigned players, the Dodgers did tender contracts to outfielder Andre Ethier, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, and first baseman James Loney.

Kuo had a trying year in 2011, battling control problems that caused him to miss over a month on the disabled list with an anxiety disorder. One year after setting a Dodgers franchise record with a 1.20 ERA in 60 innings, Kuo put up a 9.00 ERA in 27 innings in 2011. Then, he ended the season by having arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow on October 28, the fifth surgery on his left elbow in his career.

Kuo was signed by the Dodgers out of high school in Taiwan in June 1999, making him the dean of the Dodgers. He made $2.725 million in 2011 and while he is now a free agent, general manager Ned Colletti has expressed interest in re-signing Kuo, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

Kershaw is the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner and is arbitration eligible for the first time. He made $500,000 in 2011, but is expected to make at least $8 million in 2012. The 23-year old is a prime candidate for a long-term extension at some point this winter, though that may have to wait until the sale of the team is completed, a process that is expected to last until April.

Ethier made $9.25 million in 2011 in the final year of a two-year deal signed before the 2010 season. He hit .292/.368/.421 in 2011, but suffered a power outage with just 11 home runs in 551 plate appearances. Ethier battled a knee injury that ultimately required surgery in September and caused him to miss most of the final month of the season.

Loney was a clear candidate to be non-tendered in the first part of the season, hitting just .268/.311/.342 with four home runs in 91 games before the All-Star break. But a second half surge by Loney – .320/.380/.534 with 18 doubles and eight home runs in 67 games after the break – assured Loney of a job in 2012. He made $4.875 million last season.

The Dodgers have 39 players on their 40-man roster.

For more on Kuo and the other Dodgers tendered contract on Monday, be sure to read True Blue LA.

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