Category: Dailies
Elbert Scratched From Albuquerque Start
Left-hander Scott Elbert, scheduled to start for Albuquerque Wednesday night, was scratched. Indications are that he will be recalled on Thursda, after spending the required 10 days in the Minor Leagues following his optioning on July 20. — Ken Gurnick
Schmidt Announced as Friday Starter
Jason Schmidt was named to start Friday night’s game in Atlanta by Dodgers manager Joe Torre Wednesday. Schmidt is coming off a three-inning start against Florida, his second start in two years. — Ken Gurnick
Scully: One More Year
Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully will work through the 2010 season, then retire, he told the Los Angeles Times. Scully, 81, is in his 60th season at the mike for the club. — Ken Gurnick
Report Has Dodgers After Sherrill
If the Dodgers acquire a left-handed reliever before Friday’s trade deadline, it most likely will be Baltimore’s George Sherrill. They’ve been scouting him the past two weeks and the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that the Dodgers have backed away from talks for Indians starter Cliff Lee and are focusing on Sherrill. — Ken Gurnick
Colletti on Halladay
The price in players for Toronto ace Roy Halladay is “two or three players off our current club, including a young pitcher, or five or six prospects,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told KABC Radio Friday morning. Colletti wouldn’t mention names, but presumably the young pitcher is either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley or Jonathan Broxton. Trading any of them would hardly improve the Dodgers’ chances this year, not to mention the other player off the Major League club, not to mention the long term impact. However, a larger deal (or separate deal) could be made with Toronto that would return reliever and former Dodgers farmhand Jason Frasor, according to the Toronto Globe. Frasor would address the Dodgers’ other need, a veteran reliever. — Ken Gurnick
No Day Off for Manny
Dodgers employees, still stunned over Manny Ramirez’s jaw-dropping pinch grand-slam homer Wednesday night, arrived at Dodger Stadium Thursday morning to find Ramirez taking batting practice. Although the club has a rare day off in the middle of a homestand, Ramirez had arranged for first-base coach Mariano Duncan to pitch to him, apparently not wanting to go two days without taking live batting practice. Ramirez skipped batting practice Wednesday because of a sore hand that also kept him out of the starting lineup. Then pinch-hitting in the sixth inning, he rocketed Nick Masset’s first pitch into the Mannywood section of seats for a grand slam. — Ken Gurnick
Belisario Painfree
Disputing media speculation that he’s out for the year, disabled reliever Ronald Belisario played catch for the second conecutive day and said his elbow was painfree. Belisario will increase the intensity of his throwing and won’t likely return until next month. — Ken Gurnick
Jason Schmidt Returns Monday
Jason Schmidt, out more than two years with shoulder problems, will start for the Dodgers Monday night against Cincinnati, manager Joe Torre announced Saturday. — Ken Gurnick
Milton Hurting
The Dodgers were already searching for a new fifth starter, but the way pitcher Eric Milton was painfully moving through the Dodgers clubhouse after Thursday night’s game, don’t expect his return any time soon. Milton was placed on the disabled list last week, necessitating moving Jeff Weaver from the bullpen into Saturday’s start. — Ken Gurnick
Dodgers Rumored Interested in Halladay
The Dodgers are already in the mix of teams rumored to be interested in Toronto ace Roy Halliday, whose club announced it is willing to listen to offers. Other clubs also expected to be interested are the usual suspects — Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Brewers and Angels. Halladay’s contract status makes him an unlikely Dodgers pickup. He’s due to receive the remainder of his $14.25 million salary this year and he’s owed $15.75 million next year. And he has a no-trade clause. All of that means any acquiring club not only would pick up the remaining $22 million plus, but would need to tack on an extension to get him to waive the no-trade clause. Then there are the prospects it would take to pry him from Toronto. — Ken Gurnick