Dodgers Ink World Series Champ Uribe

Uribe goes to rival LAD

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued a very surprisingly active winter, signing one of their rival's biggest bats.  Juan Uribe, the utility infielder who had very clutch home-runs throughout the 2010 postseason, has signed a 3-year deal worth $21M total. Uribe hit .248 with 24HR and can play 2B/SS/3B.  He will likely be the Dodgers' everyday second-baseman though.  It obviously pays to be a champion, as Uribe is a very good player but not worth $7M per year from a cash-strapped team like the L.A. Dodgers.  Still, the Dodgers have a terrific 2011 club based on a pitching rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda and recently signed Jon Garland and will likely contend in the NL West.

Dodgers Close To Resigning Kuroda

Hiroki Kuroda is back with
the boys in blue

• One of the top free-agent hurlers might not be moving at all.  ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers are close to finishing off a contract extension with Hiroki Kuroda.  The deal is thought to be a 1-year pact worth $12M, and would bring one of the Dodgers' best arms back to the organization.  The 35-year old Kuroda went 11-13 with a 3.39 ERA last year, and its beyond me why the Dodgers would only sign this guy to a one-year deal.  They had to pay more to get a shorter deal, and a two-year deal worth $20M total seems like it would have been a better business decision.  It's nice to see the Dodgers open up their wallet books though, especially with the chaos that is ownership.