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.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Gotta run!.

LOS ANGELES – Former Great Lakes Loon star Clayton Kershaw could net as much as $8 million in arbitration if he does not come to an agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kershaw won the National League pitching triple crown, leading the league in strikeouts, ERA and wins, leading to the NL Cy Young Award.

The left-handed starter is eligible for arbitration and is expected to earn much more than the $500,000 salary he had in 2011.

So Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti approached Kershaw and his agents to see if they were interested in a long-term deal. Kershaw responded that he was.

mlb.com: “That’s the stage that that’s at,” he said. “We haven’t sat down and started to negotiate a deal. I have no idea what their financial interest is. All they said was a snappy ‘OK.’”

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

By Rich Linton, on November 17, 2011, at 12:28 pm

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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston
Red Sox each earned three Gold Gloves, while nine players became
first-time recipients of the award for defensive play.

Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier won for the
Dodgers, the first time the National League team produced three
winners in a year.

Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury are the
first three Boston players to win the accolade in the same year
since Rick Burleson, Dwight Evans and Fred Lynn achieved the
feat for the Red Sox in 1979, Major League Baseball said on its
website last night.

Managers and coaches vote annually for the best fielding
performances at each position in the National and American
Leagues.

Yadier Molina of the World Series champion St. Louis
Cardinals won the NL catcher award for the fourth straight year,
while Matt Wieters of the Baltimore Orioles claimed his first
award as Molina’s AL counterpart.

Mark Buehrle became the first pitcher in Chicago White Sox
history to win three Gold Gloves and the only player from the
club to claim three straight since Robin Ventura from 1991-93.

Other winners included Cincinnati Reds second baseman
Brandon Phillips, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado
Rockies, Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre and
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco.

Among first-time winners were left fielder Alex Gordon of
the Kansas City Royals, right fielder Nick Markakis of the
Orioles and Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar, who
unseated the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter, winner in five of
the past seven years in the AL.

In the NL, Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Gerardo Parra
and Reds first baseman Joey Votto won for the first time.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Dex McLuskey in Dallas at
dmcluskey@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net.

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

NEW YORK — Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier became the first trio of Los Angeles Dodgers to win National League Gold Gloves in the same year, while Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury became the first three Boston Red Sox in 32 seasons to win the AL honor together.

Kershaw became a first-time winner at pitcher when the awards were announced Tuesday. Ethier earned his first Gold Glove in the outfield and outfielder Kemp won the NL honor he also received in 2009.

First baseman Gonzalez earned his first AL Gold Glove to go along with two he won in the NL while with San Diego, Pedroia won at second base for the first time since 2008 and center fielder Ellsbury picked up his first Gold Glove. The previous three Red Sox to win in the same year were shortstop Rick Burleson along with outfielders Dwight Evans and Fred Lynn in 1979.

For the first time since 1986, the Mariners lacked a Gold Glove winner. Ichiro’s streak ended at 10; he shares the AL record for Gold Gloves won by an outfielder with ex-Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. and Al Kaline.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle, who won for the third year in a row, was the lone AL honoree who also earned a Gold Glove last year.

Other AL Gold Gloves went to catcher Matt Wieters and right fielder Nick Markakis of Baltimore, shortstop Erick Aybar of the Los Angeles Angels, ex-Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre of Texas and left fielder Alex Gordon of Kansas City.

Non-Dodgers to win NL Gold Gloves were St. Lous catcher Yadier Molina, Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips, Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, Philadelphia third baseman Placido Polanco and Arizona left fielder Gerardo Parra.

Managers and coaches do the voting.

McCourt to sell Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the Los Angeles Dodgers, surrendering the team he fought to retain for two years and in two courts.

McCourt and Major League Baseball have agreed to seek approval from U.S. Bankruptcy Court for an auction of the Dodgers.

Notes

• Former Mariners infielder Willie Bloomquist, 33, has declined his end of a $1.1 million mutual option for 2012 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

• Brian Cashman, New York Yankees general manager, signed a three-year, $9 million contract.

What are your opinions.

updated 8:14 p.m. ET Oct. 20, 2011

OKLAHOMA CITY – Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers has won the Warren Spahn Award, given annually to baseball’s top left-handed pitcher.

Kershaw was selected Thursday after finishing first this season among lefties in each of the categories included in the formula that determines the winner. He had 21 wins, 248 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA.

Kershaw says he is “truly humbled” to have his name mentioned alongside one of baseball’s best left-handed pitchers. Spahn’s 363 career wins are the most of any lefty to pitch in the big leagues.

Kershaw will receive the award during a gala in Oklahoma City in January.

Past winners include David Price (2010), CC Sabathia (2007-2009), Johan Santana (2004, 2006), Dontrelle Willis (2005), Andy Pettitte (2003) and Randy Johnson (1999-2002).

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

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  Down to their last three outs, and in danger of dropping into a serious World Series deficit, the Texas Rangers rallied against St. Louis’ vaunted bullpen for a 2-1 victory Thursday night.

Thanks for reading! .

Read More: Dana Eveland (P – LOS), Matt Kemp (CF – LOS), Tim Lincecum (P – SFG), Hiroki Kuroda (P – LOS), Ryan Vogelsong (P – SFG), Clayton Kershaw (P – LOS), Madison Bumgarner (P – SFG), Jerry Sands (LF – LOS), San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers, Sep 21, 2011 7:10 PM PDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants 8-5 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, in a game devoid of the pitch-by-pitch excitement of the Clayton Kershaw vs. Tim Lincecum duel of the night before. However, Matt Kemp did provide the home crowd with a delight, furthering his own case for National League MVP.

Kemp hit a long home run into the pavilion in left center field in the fifth inning, a three-run shot off Ryan Vogelsong. It was the 35th home run on the year for Kemp, making him the 14th player in MLB history to have 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases in the same season.

Kemp now has a National League-leading 116 RBI on the season, the sixth highest RBI total in Los Angeles Dodgers history.

Dana Eveland took the loss, allowing five runs in four innings in his fourth start as a Dodger. The Giants were up 5-0 early, then saw Kemp cut their lead to 5-4 in the fifth inning. But San Francisco tacked on one run in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh.

A pair of Dodgers rookies extended their hitting streaks on Wednesday. Jerry Sands singled in the eighth inning, pushing his hitting streak to nine games, and he has 17 hits in his last 34 at-bats. Dee Gordon’s streak is now at eight games, thanks to two singles, a stolen base, and a run scored tonight for the shortstop.

Hiroki Kuroda starts on Thursday for the Dodgers in their final home game of the season. Madison Bumgarner starts for San Francisco.

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

Thanks for reading! .

The 2011 season hasn’t provided too many positive memories for Los Angeles Dodgers fans, but that doesn’t mean the ones it has provided can’t be extremely satisfying.

Take the incredible success of Clayton Kershaw(notes) for example. Kershaw is currently enjoying the best season by a Dodgers starter in over 20 years. He further cemented that on Tuesday night, tossing 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball while leading Los Angeles to a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. With the win, Kershaw became the team’s first 20-game winner since Ramon Martinez(notes) in 1990.

I would imagine that’s very satisfying to witness. But going beyond that, it’s the fact Kershaw has achieved a good deal of that success against their arch-rivals that likely has Dodgers fans doing cartwheels — or at least staying off the ledge — at the tail end of this lost season.

How good has Kershaw been against the defending World Series champs? With the victory Tuesday night, the 23-year-old lefty improves to 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA in five starts this season. Not even Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale or Fernando Valenzuela can lay claim to a 5-0 record over the Giants in a given year. In fact, you have to go all the way back to Vic Lombardi — who would have turned 89 on Tuesday — in 1946 to find the last time it happened.

On top of that, in four head-to-head matchups with two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum(notes), Kershaw has gone 4-0 and only allowed one earned run in 30 1/3 innings.

Fully acknowledging the shortcomings of the San Francisco Giants offense, those are still pretty crazy ridiculous numbers. And assuming the Giants fail to make the postseason, they can look back at their inability to solve Kershaw as one of the main reasons why.

Knowing this, Los Angeles reporters decided to ask Kershaw for his thoughts on contributing to San Francisco’s current predicament, to which he deadpanned a very short response.

“It’s a shame.”

That’s enough to make a Giants fans’ stomach churn.

As is the following question: With 20 wins under his belt, and remarkable success against the defending world champions on his résumé, has Clayton Kershaw done enough to unseat Roy Halladay(notes) and hold off the competition from Cliff Lee(notes) and Ian Kennedy(notes) in the National League Cy Young race?

Personally, Kershaw had my vote at the beginning of the season, and he has my vote now.

There’s no denying Kershaw put an impressive stamp on his candidacy Tuesday night with an outing so dominant, center fielder Matt Kemp(notes) had time to debate the Cy Young with himself while standing around in the outfield.

“If this boy doesn’t win the Cy Young, something’s definitely wrong,” Kemp recalled saying to himself.

Honestly, I couldn’t think of a more ringing endorsement than that.

Related: Clayton Kershaw, Ian Kennedy, Tim Lincecum, Matt Kemp, Cliff Lee, Ramon Martinez, Roy Halladay, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley(notes) hasn’t won in more than six
weeks, but he’ll have a solid chance to change that against a struggling
Pittsburgh Pirates offense.

Los Angeles seeks its fourth win in five games Sunday when it hosts
Pittsburgh in the finale of a four-game set.

Billingsley (10-10, 4.30 ERA) is 0-1 with a 4.78 ERA in seven starts since
beating Arizona on Aug. 5. He hasn’t earned a decision in his last four outings
after allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings of the Dodgers’ 5-4, 10-inning loss
to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

The right-hander lost 4-1 to the Pirates on May 9, allowing three runs in
seven innings. It marked his first defeat in nine career appearances – five
starts – against Pittsburgh, going 4-1 with a 4.54 ERA in those outings.

The Dodgers (75-76) have a chance Sunday to reach the .500 mark as they near
the end of a disappointing season. Despite having an MVP candidate in Matt Kemp(notes)
and a Cy Young Award contender in 19-game winner Clayton Kershaw(notes), Los Angeles
hasn’t had a winning record since it was 6-5 on April 12.

The Dodgers beat Pittsburgh 6-1 on Saturday with the help of James Loney’s(notes)
first-inning three-run homer and two hits from Kemp.

Kemp scored his 100th run on Juan Rivera’s(notes) third-inning homer, then stole
his 40th base in the sixth to become the first in franchise history with at
least 30 homers, 40 steals, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in a single season.

“I didn’t even to know I was the first person to do that, so that surprises
me to hear that,” Kemp said. “I definitely set personal goals at the start of
the season, but I don’t talk about them because my goals wouldn’t come true if I
did. I try to come close to reaching them if I can.”

The Pirates (68-84), meanwhile, continue to struggle. Finishing up its
record 19th consecutive losing season, Pittsburgh has dropped seven of nine.

Josh Harrison’s(notes) RBI double in the second inning resulted in Saturday’s only
run for the Pirates, who have been outscored 13-3 in the last two games after
winning the series opener 6-2 on Thursday.

The Pirates were tied for the NL Central lead July 25, but their 186 total
runs since then are tied with Florida for the fewest in the majors.

Brad Lincoln(notes) (1-2, 3.73) will take the mound for Pittsburgh looking to
bounce back from a rough outing.

Lincoln is coming off his worst start since being placed permanently into
the rotation Aug. 22, allowing four runs – three earned – and a season-high
eight hits in 5 1-3 innings Monday, but escaping without a decision after
Pittsburgh rallied to beat St. Louis 6-5 win over St. Louis.

It marked the first of six starts in which the right-hander failed to last
six innings. He pitched six Sept. 1 at home against the Dodgers, allowing three
runs in a 6-4 loss – his only career start versus Los Angeles.

The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 12 meetings with the Pirates.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Bothered by a stiff neck in his last few starts, Hiroki
Kuroda(notes) could have skipped his turn in the rotation and rested. Instead, he went
ahead, somewhat reassured by results of an MRI that showed no new damage.

Kuroda set a career high with his 12th victory, helped by pinch-hitter James
Loney’s(notes) three-run homer and Matt Kemp’s(notes) 111th RBI in the Los Angeles Dodgers’
7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

“It was a little peace of mind, but I still think it bothered me,” Kuroda
said through a translator. “Little things bother me. I didn’t change any of my
mechanics.”

He said he plans to make his next scheduled start.

Kuroda (12-16) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. The
right-hander struck out seven and walked two to win for the first time in three
starts this month. He is now 5-1 against the Pirates in his career.

“(Rod) Barajas called a great game,” Kuroda said. “He knew all the
batters. He wanted me to pitch inside and every time I was doubting pitches he
called the right ones.”

Loney’s first career pinch-hit homer off Chris Resop(notes) hit the top of the
right-field wall, capping a four-run sixth inning that extended the Dodgers’
lead to 7-2. Dee Gordon(notes) grounded into a fielder’s choice to first base, scoring
Russell Mitchell for the other run.

“Those extra runs made it a lot easier on us,” Dodgers manager Don
Mattingly said.

Kuroda gave up three consecutive hits to open the sixth, including Alex
Presley’s(notes) leadoff homer, before retiring the next three batters to end the
inning.

“Hiro was good,” Mattingly said. “He was sharper than his last two
outings, like he had a little zip back. It felt like he was throwing the ball
where he wanted. The MRI helped him because it let him know there was no damage
and gave him the freedom as a player to go out there and let it go.”

Pittsburgh’s Jeff Locke(notes) (0-2) gave up three runs and five hits in three
innings, walked two and struck out none in his second major league start after
being recalled from Triple-A on Sept. 6.

Locke, who lives in New Hampshire, said it was his first time being out of
the Eastern time zone.

“It was very exciting,” he said. “It’s definitely an honor to come here
and pitch in one of the legendary stadiums of all time. I had this adrenaline
going. But I wasn’t nervous at all. I just left a lot of pitches up and got into
a lot of deep counts.”

Pittsburgh is 17-39 since July 20, when it was 51-44 and led the NL Central
by a half-game.

The Dodgers took a 3-1 lead in the third on Kemp’s single that increased his
career high RBIs total and Juan Rivera’s(notes) fielder’s choice groundout. Barajas
tied the game at 1 in the second when his RBI double hit the left-field line.

The Pirates’ other run came in the first when Garrett Jones(notes) scored on
shortstop Gordon’s throwing error that sailed past first base.

NOTES: Kemp had his 51st multi-hit game, the most by a Dodger since Juan
Pierre’s(notes) 59 in 2007. … Mattingly said he heard from GM Ned Colletti that LHP
Clayton Kershaw(notes) won’t be suspended by MLB after hitting Arizona’s Gerardo Parra(notes)
with a pitch and getting ejected Wednesday. … Dodgers RHP Jonathan Broxton(notes)
will have arthroscopic surgery Monday to reduce a spur on his right elbow and
remove loose chips. He hasn’t pitched since May while bothered by his elbow and
a sore back. … Pirates C Ryan Doumit(notes) had two singles to improve to 18 for 49
in 14 career games at Chavez Ravine.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Jeff Locke(notes) is learning a lot in his first September
callup, lessons that he hopes pay off next spring in a big-league roster spot.

His second major league start resulted in a 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles
Dodgers on Friday night, but Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle liked some of what
he saw from Locke (0-2).

The 23-year-old left-hander gave up three runs and five hits in three
innings, walked two and struck out none, having been recalled from Triple-A on
Sept. 6.

“There were some nice sequences, but unfortunately, the first run was on a
changeup and a breaking ball up, and both those guys jumped on those pitches,”
Hurdle said. “Then after that, he battled. We’ve just got to get him to work on
getting the ball down with more consistency. But there’s something there that
you like and you want to see more of.”

Locke, who lives in New Hampshire, said it was his first trip out of the
Eastern time zone. To compensate, he stayed up late and slept in after the
Pirates arrived for the four-game series that began Thursday.

“It was very exciting,” he said. “It’s definitely an honor to come here
and pitch in one of the legendary stadiums of all time. I had this adrenaline
going. But I wasn’t nervous at all. I just left a lot of pitches up and got into
a lot of deep counts.”

Locke made 68 pitches, with 30 coming in the third inning, which caused
Hurdle to pull him.

“It was quick, but the biggest reason it was quick was because of the
number of pitches he threw in the third,” the manager said.

The Dodgers took a 3-1 lead in the third on Matt Kemp’s(notes) single that
increased his career high RBIs total to 111 and Juan Rivera’s(notes) fielder’s choice
groundout. Rod Barajas(notes) tied the game at 1 in the second when his RBI double hit
the left-field line.

“This experience is incredibly beneficial, just to get up here and get your
feet wet,” Locke said. “It’s definitely a good feeling, getting ready to come
back into spring training again knowing that you had that experience the year
before. Now it’s about consistency and staying tough.”

Hiroki Kuroda(notes) set a career high with his 12th victory, helped by
pinch-hitter James Loney’s(notes) three-run homer.

Kuroda (12-16) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. The
right-hander struck out seven and walked two to win for the first time in three
starts this month. He is now 5-1 against the Pirates in his career.

Loney’s first career pinch-hit homer off Chris Resop(notes) hit the top of the
right-field wall, capping a four-run sixth inning that extended the Dodgers’
lead to 7-2. Dee Gordon(notes) grounded into a fielder’s choice to first base, scoring
Russell Mitchell for the other run.

Kuroda gave up three consecutive hits to open the sixth, including Alex
Presley’s(notes) leadoff homer, before retiring the next three batters to end the
inning.

“He throws a lot of different stuff that moves different ways. He’s
tough,” Presley said. “He doesn’t throw much down the middle and he keeps it
off the plate, so he gets a lot of weak contact and you have to be patient with
him and wait for him to make mistakes.”

Pittsburgh is 17-39 since July 20, when it was 51-44 and led the NL Central
by a half-game.

The Pirates’ other run came in the first when Garrett Jones(notes) scored on
shortstop Gordon’s throwing error that sailed past first base.

NOTES: Kemp had his 51st multi-hit game, the most by a Dodger since Juan
Pierre’s(notes) 59 in 2007. … Mattingly said he heard from GM Ned Colletti that LHP
Clayton Kershaw(notes) won’t be suspended by MLB after hitting Arizona’s Gerardo Parra(notes)
with a pitch and getting ejected Wednesday. … Dodgers RHP Jonathan Broxton(notes)
will have arthroscopic surgery Monday to reduce a spur on his right elbow and
remove loose chips. He hasn’t pitched since May while bothered by his elbow and
a sore back. … Pirates C Ryan Doumit(notes) had two singles to improve to 18 for 49
in 14 career games at Chavez Ravine.

There is the quick update of the day.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

Sept. 14, 2011 06:25 PM
The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com

Feel free to leave your comments below.