Player Appearance: Rod Barajas

Dodger catcher Rod Barajas made an appearance at the Metro PCS store in Panorama City today. He was scheduled to sign from 12:00 to 1:00. My original plan was to head over to the signing on my lunch break since Panorama City is only about ten minutes from my office, but I woke up feeling like crap today and called out. So, after thinking about it all morning, I decided to get out of bed and head over to the event.

I got there at 9:30, there were about 50 people in line. I figured I might be able to get a couple of signatures. While waiting in line, I started talking to the guy behind me. He turned out to be Spiegel from Nomo's Sushi Platter. It's nice to have someone talk to while waiting, it really makes time fly by.

Barajas appeared on time, and the line moved very quickly. When I got to Barajas, I had him sign a 2010 Topps Mets card. I wasn't paying attention, and forgot to give him my silver paint pen, so he signed it in black sharpie, and it smudged. He was very nice and signed my hat too.

When I got out of the Metro PCS store, I noticed the line wasn't very long, so I got back in it. Someone was selling baseballs, so I bought one.  Barajas signed the ball and a postcard for me the second time around.

When I left at 12:40, there was no one left in line. Thanks to Rod Barajas for all the autographs.Thanks to Metro PCS for the event. And thanks to Vin Scully Is My Homeboy for the event information.  It was also nice meeting Mike from Nomo's Sushi Platter in person. I saw about 12 other people I know today, it was nice seeing everybody.

Dodgers Sign Rod Barajas

After non-tendering Russell Martin earlier tonight, the Dodgers wasted no time in signing another catcher. Rod Barajas will be back in Dodger blue in 2011. According to the LA Times' Steve Dilbeck, the deal is for one year, pending a physical.


Barajas, was a late-season pickup for the Dodgers last season, hitting .297 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 64 at-bats. Including his time with the Mets, he had 17 home runs and 45 RBI on the season.

I'm curious as to what the terms were. Regardless, signing Barajas for one year is a good move for the Ned Colletti. The hole at catcher is now filled, leaving the left field slot still open.

Update:
The contract details are in, and Barajas will make $3.25 million in 2011. I didn't expect Barajas to get that much. I was thinking he'd get something in the $1.5-2 million range. So Ned overpaid a bit, I'm not really shocked. At least it's only a one-year deal.

Dodgers News And Notes

No arb for Pods, Pad or Rod. The Dodgers declined to offer arbitration to their three Type B free agents; Scott Podsednik, Vicente Padilla and Rod Barajas. Am I surprised? Not really. I guess the Dodgers were worried they'd accept? It's just sad.  Very, very sad. They didn't offer Randy Wolf or Orlando Hudson arbitration last year either.

For Hiroki Kuroda, it was Dodgers or bust. During a news conference today at Dodger Stadium, Kuroda said he never seriously considered signing with any other Major League club and was excited about the one-year, $12 million deal he signed last week to remain with the Dodgers for a fourth season. I'm happy he's back too.

The Dodgers sign right-handed reliever Oscar Villarreal. The Dodgers added to their non-roster list for 2011 Tuesday, signing right-hander reliever Oscar Villarreal. Villarreal has spent parts of six seasons in the National League but hasn’t pitched in the majors since part of 2008 with the Astros. He has a career record of 24-15 with a 3.86 ERA.

Frank and Jamie are officially divorced. Frank and Jamie McCourt are officially divorced, even though their divorce proceedings could last several more years. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon granted a request to change the McCourts' marital status from separated to divorced, according to court documents.
The status change has no impact on the proceedings. Any assets determined to be community property would be considered as shared assets through the date of the separation, July 7, 2009, rather than the date of the divorce.

Win Streak Ends, Dodger News, Notes And History

The four game-winning streak came to an end tonight, as the Dodgers lost 5-3 to the Colorado Rockies. Starter Chad Billingsley had a rough night going 6 innings and giving up 3 earned runs. He walked five Rockies and struck out NONE. Bills gave up a solo homerun to Todd Helton in the 6th inning, ending an MLB-leading 92-inning stretch without allowing a homerun.

After scoring 23 runs in the last four games, the Dodger offense failed to show up tonight. A two-run homerun by catcher Rod Barajas with two outs in the ninth came too late.

Manny Ramirez was not in the starting line-up again for the third straight game. Joe Torre says the benching has nothing to do with a deal the Dodgers have in place with the White Sox, who claimed Manny off the waiver wire on Friday. So why is the best hitter on the team being benched?

Torre:

"This is just my dumb move. There is no reason I can give you that makes sense. A lot of what I do is a feel thing."

Yeah right. Manny appeared as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and struck out.

In other Dodger news:

Dodgers assistant general manager Logan White is expected to be a candidate for the Arizona Diamondbacks general manager position.

Carlos Monasterios will make one more start Tuesday night against the Phillies in place of Vicente Padilla.

Russell Martin is expected to have his broken right hip rescanned next week to determine if the fracture is healing properly.

Frank McCourt gives away 40,000 Dodgers tickets to LAPD officers. TJ Simers questions his generosity.

This Day In Dodger History:

August 28, 2002
Eric Gagne, who at the beginning of the 2002 season wasn't even sure if he was going to make the ballclub, notches his 45th save, setting a franchise record and earning a bottle of Dom Perignon autographed by each Dodger teammate.


"It's kind of weird, seeing a little Canadian in the record books for a Dodger," said Gagne. "I'm proud to be in it."

Gagne moves past Todd Worrell, having already bested Jeff Shaw. He has more in a season than Ron Perranoski or Mike Marshall or Jay Howell or Steve Howe.
"It shouldn't be just my name on it, it should be the whole team," said Gagne.

Although Gagne broke the record with a flourish, striking out the side in the 9th inning, preserving a 1-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium for starter Odlis Perez. The 26-year-old also made it exciting by allowing a single and a four-pitch walk.

"I was just thinking, 'Don't blow it for Odalis,'" he said.

Gagne would save seven more games in 2002, giving him a total of 52 for the season.

You can see Eric Gagne's 2004 Dodger Stadium bobblehead here.

AUGUST 28, 1977:

Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey enjoys a monstrous night against the St. Louis Cardinals, collecting three doubles and a pair of home runs – including a grand slam – as he piles up 14 total bases in an 11-0 victory. Garvey, who scores five times and drives in five runs, falls one base shy of the Los Angeles Dodger single-game record for total bases set by Davey Lopes on Aug. 20, 1974. His standout performance helps the first-place Dodgers maintain their 8 ½-game lead in the National League West. The dependable Garvey went on to enjoy one of the best seasons of his career, batting .297 with 33 homers and 115 RBI while helping the Dodgers to the N. L. Western Division title and an appearance in the World Series.

You can see Steve Garvey's Dodger Stadium bobblehead here.

Barajas makes Debut In Blue, Dodgers Win

The Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 tonight. This is what happens when the Dodger offense actually gives the starting pitcher some run support. They got that run support from a guy making his Dodger debut, Rod Barajas.What a night for the newest Dodger. He went 3 for 4 with a homerun, two doubles and three RBI.

Ted Lilly continues his hot Dodger start. He went 6 1/3 innings tonight, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out two Brewers. Lilly improves to 5-0 with an era of 1.84 as a member of the Dodgers.

Then there's Matt Kemp. The Bison crushed a 447-foot homerun tonight off of Milwaukee starter Dave Bush. The ball actually got lodged in the scoreboard! It was Kemp's 22nd homerun on the year and his third straight game hitting one out.

Hong Chih-Kuo earned his fifth save of the year after pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Dodgers Acquire Rod Barajas

The Dodgers acquired catcher Rod Barajas today from the New York Mets for cash considerations. The Dodgers claimd him on waivers. Barajas is batting .225 on the season with 12 homeruns and 34 RBI.  He's only thrown out four of the 27 baserunners attempting to steal on him. Ugh.

With Ned picking up a catcher, it doesn't seem like he's ready to give up on 2010 just yet. I guess Ned sees something the rest of us don't. With Russell Martin out for the season, 41-year-old Brad Ausmus and rookie AJ Ellis have been splitting time at catcher. The pair is hitting just .183 combined.