LOS ANGELES (AP)—First baseman James Loney(notes) and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a one-year contract worth $4,875,000.

The club announced the deal Friday, avoiding arbitration. Loney had asked for $5.25 million and had been offered $4.7 million when players and teams exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last month.

Loney hit .267 with 10 homers and 88 RBIs last season, when he made $3.1 million. His average and on-base percentage dropped during a slump in the second half, when he hit .211.

He was the last player in arbitration for the Dodgers, who open spring training Wednesday in Glendale, Ariz.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo(notes) have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2,725,000.

The club announced the deal on Wednesday after the sides avoided arbitration.

The left-handed reliever was 3-2 with a franchise-record and major league-best 1.20 ERA in 56 games last season, when Kuo earned $975,000. He made the All-Star team and inherited the closer’s spot when Jonathan Broxton(notes) struggled.

Kuo had asked for $3,075,000 in arbitration and had been offered $2.55 million.

Los Angeles has one player remaining in arbitration: infielder James Loney(notes).

Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 9:48 AM     Updated: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 9:59 AM

LOS ANGELES – Former Great Lakes Loons star Jerry Sands had a breakthrough season for the Loons in the first half of the 2010 season before a promotion to Double A.

He continued to hit in Double A and was named the Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year. Sands was invited to the Los Angeles Dodgers training camp this spring and will vie for a spot on the roster.

John Parker of milb.com tracked down Sands to ask him 10 questions, including his choice of at-bat music.

milb.com: You played mostly first base at Great Lakes and mostly in the outfield — plus one game at third base — at Chattanooga. Where do you feel most comfortable?

Sands: I was drafted as an outfielder and am probably most comfortable there, just because that’s where I’ve played the most. I’m feeling more comfortable in the infield, though. I’ve been working on getting the footwork right and everything — it feels more natural all the time. It’s a good challenge.

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. — Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig confirmed Thursday that he is actively involved in discussions with former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre about a position with the league office, a job that has been widely reported to be that of vice president of baseball operations.

Torre had said Wednesday, the first day of baseball’s two-day, quarterly owners meetings, that he had been discussing a job with Selig, but Torre said he wasn’t sure of the exact job or what his responsibilities would be. Torre also said he was fairly certain Selig also was talking to other candidates for the position.

“What Joe said is absolutely correct,” Selig said. “I have known Joe for 55 years, and I know his whole family very well. He and I have always had a very cordial relationship. There is no final decision as to what we’re going to do.”

Selig met Torre when Torre’s older brother, Frank, first reached the major leagues with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956. At the time, Selig was working for his father, who ran an automobile leasing company in Milwaukee and did business with several Braves players.

Torre, who grew up in Brooklyn, moved his family to Los Angeles when he took over three years ago as manager of the Dodgers, and he seemed to hint to media members Wednesday that he would like to stay there even if he goes to work for the commissioner. But at least one source in the league office said earlier this week that the position of VP of operations probably can’t be done from outside the office.

Selig declined to address the subject of whether Torre would be allowed to continue living on the West Coast if he is hired.

“We haven’t gotten into detail on what he would do,” Selig said.

Torre, who is a member of Selig’s 14-man competition committee, said Wednesday he hoped to discuss the job further with Selig during these owners meetings, “if he has time.” It wasn’t clear by Thursday whether the two planned to meet about the job, but Selig spent most of the two-day event going from meeting to meeting and was quickly ushered off to another meeting after the competition-committee meeting adjourned.

Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Tony Jackson on Twitter: @dodgerscribe

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. — Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig confirmed Thursday that he is actively involved in discussions with former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre about a position with the league office, a job that has been widely reported to be that of vice president of baseball operations.

Torre had said Wednesday, the first day of baseball’s two-day, quarterly owners meetings, that he had been discussing a job with Selig, but Torre said he wasn’t sure of the exact job or what his responsibilities would be. Torre also said he was fairly certain Selig also was talking to other candidates for the position.

“What Joe said is absolutely correct,” Selig said. “I have known Joe for 55 years, and I know his whole family very well. He and I have always had a very cordial relationship. There is no final decision as to what we’re going to do.”

Selig met Torre when Torre’s older brother, Frank, first reached the major leagues with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956. At the time, Selig was working for his father, who ran an automobile leasing company in Milwaukee and did business with several Braves players.

Torre, who grew up in Brooklyn, moved his family to Los Angeles when he took over three years ago as manager of the Dodgers, and he seemed to hint to media members Wednesday that he would like to stay there even if he goes to work for the commissioner. But at least one source in the league office said earlier this week that the position of VP of operations probably can’t be done from outside the office.

Selig declined to address the subject of whether Torre would be allowed to continue living on the West Coast if he is hired.

“We haven’t gotten into detail on what he would do,” Selig said.

Torre, who is a member of Selig’s 14-man competition committee, said Wednesday he hoped to discuss the job further with Selig during these owners meetings, “if he has time.” It wasn’t clear by Thursday whether the two planned to meet about the job, but Selig spent most of the two-day event going from meeting to meeting and was quickly ushered off to another meeting after the competition-committee meeting adjourned.

Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Tony Jackson on Twitter: @dodgerscribe

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. — Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig confirmed Thursday that he is actively involved in discussions with former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre about a position with the league office, a job that has been widely reported to be that of vice president of baseball operations.

Torre had said Wednesday, the first day of baseball’s two-day, quarterly owners meetings, that he had been discussing a job with Selig, but Torre said he wasn’t sure of the exact job or what his responsibilities would be. Torre also said he was fairly certain Selig also was talking to other candidates for the position.

“What Joe said is absolutely correct,” Selig said. “I have known Joe for 55 years, and I know his whole family very well. He and I have always had a very cordial relationship. There is no final decision as to what we’re going to do.”

Selig met Torre when Torre’s older brother, Frank, first reached the major leagues with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956. At the time, Selig was working for his father, who ran an automobile leasing company in Milwaukee and did business with several Braves players.

Torre, who grew up in Brooklyn, moved his family to Los Angeles when he took over three years ago as manager of the Dodgers, and he seemed to hint to media members Wednesday that he would like to stay there even if he goes to work for the commissioner. But at least one source in the league office said earlier this week that the position of VP of operations probably can’t be done from outside the office.

Selig declined to address the subject of whether Torre would be allowed to continue living on the West Coast if he is hired.

“We haven’t gotten into detail on what he would do,” Selig said.

Torre, who is a member of Selig’s 14-man competition committee, said Wednesday he hoped to discuss the job further with Selig during these owners meetings, “if he has time.” It wasn’t clear by Thursday whether the two planned to meet about the job, but Selig spent most of the two-day event going from meeting to meeting and was quickly ushered off to another meeting after the competition-committee meeting adjourned.

Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Tony Jackson on Twitter: @dodgerscribe