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Ringolsby: Dodgers face mountain of decisions

Submitted by SHNS on Fri, 10/17/2008 - 16:25

In the aftermath of the Dodgers' failure against Philadelphia in the National League Championship Series, Los Angeles owner Frank McCourt finally gave general manager Ned Colletti a pat on the back. He confirmed that Colletti will return for the final year of his four-year contract but sidestepped questions about whether Colletti will be given an extension.Disappointment comes with defeat, but there was a recognition that the Dodgers, who advanced to the postseason for the second time in Colletti's three years on the job, did knock off the Cubs in the NL Division Series. It's the first postseason series the Dodgers had won since winning the 1988 World Series.Now, however, comes the real challenge for Colletti. Find a way to patch together this team so that it can take another step forward next year."At some point in time, organizations need to stop talking about winning and go win," McCourt told writers after Wednesday's elimination. "That's what we've accomplished this year. Now we have to move forward. . . . We've tasted winning. We're not going to let that slip away."There are challenges this offseason, but Colletti will have some financial wiggle room to fill holes, as opposed to during the season when he had to beg, borrow and steal to fill needs.He got Boston to pick up the remaining $7 million of salary when he acquired outfielder Manny Ramirez and Cleveland to cover the earnings that remained for third baseman Casey Blake.With nine potential free agents, the Dodgers will free up $64.25 million of their 2008 payroll, which is more than the entire payroll of seven teams this season. But the Dodgers also face the possibility of not retaining Ramirez, Blake, shortstop Rafael Furcal, second baseman Jeff Kent, infielder Nomar Garciaparra, and pitchers Greg Maddux, Derek Lowe Joe Beimel and Brad Penny (who has a $2 million buyout on an $8.75 million contract).They also will be in search of at least two starting pitchers, a shortstop, a second baseman and a center fielder, as well as role players. And they still will carry a $39.1 million payroll albatross with 2009 payments to Andruw Jones ($17.1 million), Jason Schmidt ($12 million) and Juan Pierre ($10 million).INFIELD CHATTER-- Three incumbent general managers who were able to get their names linked to the Seattle GM opening made out pretty good. Brian Cashman has received a three-year extension from the Yankees. Doug Melvin is finalizing details on his new three-year deal in Milwaukee. And the Cubs are ready to put together a three-year extension for Jim Hendry.-- The feeling at Yankee Stadium is that the firing of third base coach Bobby Meacham, who lived with manager Joe Girardi during the season, is an indication there were concerns about a strong division that existed between the coaches who came out of the organization and the ones Girardi hired. There were similar problems when Girardi managed Florida.-- The Phillies, Mets, Yankees and Blue Jays are being mentioned as possible suitors, in addition to the Dodgers, for potential free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.THE ROTATIONFour managers were fired during the season, and two have been given extensions. A look at the jobs that changed during the season, including what figures to be the only two managerial jobs open this offseason:-- Toronto fired John Gibbons with a 35-39 record on June 20 and replaced him with Cito Gaston, who managed the Blue Jays to world championships in 1992 and 1993. The Blue Jays finished 51-37, and Gaston was given a new contract.-- The Mets fired Willie Randolph with a 34-35 record on June 17 and promoted coach Jerry Manuel, who was given an extension after the Mets finished up 55-38.-- The Brewers fired Ned Yost on Sept. 15 with an 83-68 record and hired Dale Sveum, who is likely to be rehired. The Brewers finished 7-5, then lost to Philadelphia in the NL Division Series.-- The Mariners fired John McLaren with a 25-47 record and promoted coach Jim Riggleman. The Mariners finished up 36-54. The managerial situation won't be addressed until a general manager is hired.OUT IN LEFT FIELDPaul Beeston has come out from behind the scenes. The former Blue Jays president is back on the job, having accepted it on an "interim" basis with the thought that he will stay on the job long term. Since Beeston returned to Toronto, where his office is in the Rogers Centre, his influence on the team was apparent, even though he wasn't working for the Jays. He has long been a big backer of Gaston.Beeston also was one of the few supporters of former pitching coach Mel Queen, who was hired to evaluate the Jays' minor league system during the summer and is now returning to the organization as a roving pitching coach.GM J.P. Ricciardi figures to feel the heat because Beeston prides himself on his baseball knowledge and the role he played along with original general manager Pat Gillick in building the world championships the Jays claimed as opposed to predecessor Paul Godfrey, who took a hands-off approach to the baseball aspects of running the team.CLOSING STATEMENTDodgers manager Joe Torre juggled the rotation and brought right-hander Derek Lowe back on three days' rest to pitch Game 4 of the NLCS against Philadelphia. That allowed him to go with a three-man rotation and avoid using left-hander Clayton Kershaw and right-hander Greg Maddux in the rotation.After Lowe left with a 3-2 lead through five innings, Torre brought in Kershaw -- whom he didn't have the confidence to start -- to pitch the sixth. Kershaw got only one out and was charged with the tying run.NUMBERS GAME-- 3: Intentional walks received by Philadelphia center fielder Shane Victorino this postseason -- one against Milwaukee in the National League Division Series and two in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series on Wednesday. Victorino has been intentionally walked only three times in 487 regular-season games during his career -- twice in 2008 and once in 2007.READY TO GOWhite Sox outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., who is expected to get the $4 million buyout on a $16.5 million option for 2009, isn't ready to retire.Griffey, 38, who ranks fifth on the all-time home run list with 611, has had surgery on his left knee so he can begin rehabilitation. Griffey admitted he had the knee drained three times during the season to allow him to play through the injury.HE SAID IT"Honestly, they'd be crazy to do something now. Because it's not optimal for them, and it's not optimal for the buyer. So there's not really a rush."-- Mark Cuban, prospective Cubs owner, on the impact of the current world financial situation on the team's sale.(Tracy Ringolsby writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colo. E-mail ringolsbyt(at)RockyMountainNews.com.)