Dodgers Sign Mark Ellis And Matt Treanor

After agreeing in principle to an eight-year extension with Matt Kemp yesterday, and making every Dodger fan happy as hell, Uncle Ned is back to his old ways, adding two more veterans to the roster.  

This morning they announced the signing of second baseman Mark Ellis. The deal is for two years and $8.75 million and an option for a third year. With Jamey Carroll now playing in Minnesota, Ellis basically takes his place. I honestly didn't see this one coming. I really thought the Dodgers would go cheap at 2B in '12, playing Ivan DeJesus and Justin Sellers. Wrong. 

From Dodgers.com:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that they have signed second baseman Mark Ellis to a two-year contract with a club option for a third year in 2014. Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

"Mark brings a veteran presence to our lineup and he knows how to handle the bat," said Colletti. "On defense, he's been one of the most dependable second basemen in baseball over the course of his career."

Ellis, 34, batted .248 with seven home runs, 41 RBI and a career high-tying 14 stolen bases in 132 combined games with Oakland and Colorado last season. After being acquired by Colorado on July 1, he finished the season by hitting .274 with six home runs and 25 RBI in 70 games as the Rockies' everyday second baseman.

Ellis led Major League second baseman with a .995 fielding percentage last season and has posted the top fielding percentage at the position three times in the last six years after also doing so in 2006 and 2008. The 2011 season marked Ellis' seventh consecutive season with a .990 or better fielding percentage and his .991 career fielding percentage as a second baseman is the second-best all-time (min. 750 games) behind only Placido Polanco's .993 mark. In 2006, Ellis posted a .997 fielding percentage, which was then a Major League record for a second baseman, and followed it up by setting an Athletics franchise record for second baseman with a 102-game errorless streak from May 14-Sept. 10, 2007.

The 10-year Major League veteran owns a .266 career batting average in 1,126 games with Oakland (2002-11) and Colorado (2011) and his 90 career home runs as a second baseman (92 total career homers) rank ninth among active Major Leaguers. Ellis is Oakland's all-time home run leader as a second baseman with 84 roundtrippers and overall ranks eighth on Oakland's all-time doubles list with 204 in 1,056 games with the A's.
Ellis has twice led Oakland in batting average, hitting a career-high .316 in 2005 and .291 in 2010, and established career bests in 2007 with 161 hits, 33 doubles, 19 homers and 76 RBI in 150 games.

The South Dakota native has been active off the field throughout his career and was honored as the 2007 recipient of the Dave Stewart Community Service Award, which is given annually to an Athletics player for outstanding work in the community. Ellis is also a two-time winner of Oakland's Catfish Hunter Award, which is presented annually to the Athletics player whose play on the field and conduct in the clubhouse best exemplifies the courageous, competitive and inspirational spirit demonstrated by the late Hall of Fame pitcher. The award is voted upon by Oakland A's players, coaches and staff.

Ellis was originally selected by Kansas City in the ninth round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida and traded to Oakland in 2001 as a part of a three-team, seven-player deal. He resides in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife, Sarah, and three children, Adelaide, Briggs and Dylan.

Then, tonight they announced the signing of catcher Matt Treanor to a one-year $850,000 deal with an option for 2013. The 36 year-old Treanor will replace Rod Barajas who left for Pittsburgh and is thought of as a defensive-minded catcher.

This is another one one I'm a little surprised at, but I really shouldn't be. I thought Barajas would be brought back. Since he wasn't, Ned had to go out and get a veteran catcher to replace him. There's no way he could go into 2012 with just  AJ Ellis and Tim Federowicz.

From Dodgers.com:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that they have signed catcher Matt Treanor to a one-year contract with a club option for 2013. Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

The Garden Grove, CA native has started 50 or more games in five of the past six seasons and thrown out 22.1% of basestealers throughout his career, including a career-best 41.9 caught stealing percentage in 2006 with the Marlins (13-of-31).

Treanor, 35, caught a team-high 81 games (52-29, .642) for the Rangers in 2010 and played a big role in Texas' postseason run, catching all four of C.J. Wilson's starts and homering in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees.

The eight-year Major League veteran is a .225 career hitter and has suited up in the big leagues with Florida (2004-08), Detroit (2009), Texas (2010-2011) and Kansas City (2011). In 2011, he hit a combined .214 with three homers and 22 RBI in 72 games, including 64 starts, with the Royals and Rangers.

Treanor was originally selected by Kansas City in the fourth round of the 1994 First-Year Player Draft out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. He is married to two-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor and resides in Coral Springs, FL.

So what's next for Ned Colletti? Well, he said he isn't going after a big bat. The Dodgers still need at least one more starting pitcher. Could we see Hiroki Kuroda back? That's one veteran I wouldn't mind seeing in Dodger blue next year.