Kings Win Wild Game

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3, and remain 5 points out of a playoff spot. Anze Kopitar had his 23rd goal of the season, and Kyle Quincey had a goal and assist. Jonathan Quick made 21 saves, and Teddy Purcell scored the winning goal for LA. Owen Nolan, Stephane Veilleux, and Eric Belanger each had a goal for the Wild. The Kings swept the season-series with Minnesota 4-0.

World Baseball Classic: The Dodgers' View

USA 6 - CANADA 5: Team USA defeated Team Canada in the first official WBC game for both teams. Russell Martin had a solo homer, a double, and scored three runs for the Canadians. While Jake Peavy lasted only three innings, Jonathan Broxton did not pitch for the US. Kevin Youkilis, Adam Dunn, and Brian McCann each hit home runs for America, and Joey Votto from the Cincinatti Reds hit a solo shot for Canada. Justin Morneau was the only player who had an RBI but not a home run.

NETHERLANDS 3 - DOM. REP. 2: Team Netherlands upset the Dominican Republic 3-2. Kenley Jansen had a walk and two strikeouts, but caught Willy Taveras stealing. The Dutch scored all three runs in the first inning, all being scored off of errors. The Dominican pitchers did not allow any earned runs but still lost, leaving 11 men on base. Pedro Martinez pitched three effective innings, and remains a possibility to sign with LA.

VENEZUELA 7 - ITALY 0: Team Venezuela defeated Team Italy, and will play against USA in the second game of pool-play. Valentino Pascucci had a hit, walk, and strikeout for the Italians, and Luis Maza did not play for Venezuela. Carlos Guillen and Melvin Mora both hit home runs, and Bobby Abreu had a double and 2 RBI's.

All Dodger players are in black

Dodgers News: Late-Game Collapse, Schmidt is Close to Debut, and Blake Returns

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Seattle Mariners 8-7, their fifth loss of the season. The Dodgers had a 7-2 lead going into the eighth inning, but surrendered 6 runs in the 8th and 9th that lost the game. Juan Pierre had two hits, two runs, and two RBI's, and Casey Blake had two hits to go with an RBI. Both Xavier Paul and Orlando Hudson had a hit, scored a run, and knocked in a run, with Paul getting a triple. A.J. Ellis caught two runners stealing in addition to getting a hit and RBI. Chad Billingsley threw three scoreless innings, and Shawn Estes gave up a run in two innings.

Orlando Hudson and Rafael Furcal turned their first double-play of the spring. Hudson and Furcal give the Dodgers one of the best middle infields in the league.

Jason Schmidt is close to making his Spring Training debut, and first actual game with the Dodgers since 2007. He can throw in either Monday's or Tuesday's game. Schmidt has pitched in intra-squad games, "B" games, live batting practice, and bullpen sessions.

Hong-Chih Kuo and Corey Wade are recovering from elbow and shoulder injuries, respectively. Kuo has thrown bullpen sessions and is scheduled to pitch in a B-game on Monday. Wade will pitch live batting-practice and can make his exhibition debut by next week.

Casey Blake made his return to the lineup after pulling a hamstring. He was in the DH position, and can return to third-base in a matter of days.

College Basketball Roundup - Last Game

UCLA - The Bruins blew out Oregon 94-68, but finished the season in the second seed after Washington defeated Washington State to win the Pac-10 title. The Bruins forced 16 turnovers, and scored 47 points in each half. The Ducks were out-rebounded 43-22, and shot .388 from the field. Josh Shipp had a career-high 28 points, and Darren Collison scored 19 as UCLA finished the game shooting .569. Drew Wiley led Oregon with 18 points. The Bruins will compete against the winner of the play-in game to open the Pac-10 tournament.

USC - The Trojans defeated Oregon State 68-52, and finish the season with an 18-12 overall record. USC used a 21-4 run to take the lead for good, and will play California in the Pac-10 tournament. The Trojans shot .521 from the field, while the Beavers finished shooting .385. Daniel Hackett led USC with 17 points, DeMar DeRozan had 16, and Taj Gibson finished with 14. Seth Tarver led OSU with 16 points.

Lakers Reach Nifty 50

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-90, becoming the first team in the NBA to reach 50 wins. Every Laker who suited up got to play, including Shannon Brown and Adam Morrison. The T-Wolves shot just %33 from the field, and LA committed just 4 turnovers and had 14 blocked shots. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 23 points, and Pau Gasol had 21 points with 9 rebounds. Josh Powell had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots off the bench. DJ Mbenga had a stellar night, scoring a career-high 10 points to go with 4 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Ryan Gomes led Minnesota with 20 points, and former UCLA-star Kevin Love had 18 points and 14 rebounds.

College Basketball Roundup - Oregon Pt. 3

UCLA - The Bruins stayed alive in the Pac-10 title race after defeating Oregon State 79-54, but can only share the title with Washington, and that can only happen if UCLA wins against Oregon and the Huskies lose to Washington State. The Bruins shot 58.5 from the field. Josh Shipp had a career-high 27 points, 22 coming in the first half, and Darren Collison finished with 6 points, 8 assists, and a career-high 11 rebounds.

USC - The Trojans kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive by defeating Oregon 80-66, as well as avoiding the Pac-10 play-in game. USC outscored the Ducks 16-4 to close out the game after holding on to a 2 point lead with four minutes left. DeMar DeRozan had 19 points, Taj Gibson finished with 18 and 7 rebounds, and Daniel Hackett had 17 points. Tajuan Porter led Oregon with 20 points.

Dodgers News: Cubs, Cuts, and No Manny Yet

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-4, improving their Spring record to 5-4. Randy Wolf threw three scoreless innings, and Jeff Weaver gave up two hits and a walk but no runs in two innings. Doug Mientkiewicz had his second home run in as many days, and Brad Ausmus had an RBI. Delwyn Young hit a two-run double. Juan Castro, Matt Kemp, and James Loney each had a hit and a run.

The Dodgers cut several players from the Spring Training roster. Greg Miller, Justin Orenduff, Ronald Belisario, Yhency Brazoban, and Jacobo Meque were all sent to minor-league camp.

Blake DeWitt played another game at shortstop, with Mientkiewicz starting the game at third-base.

Mark Sweeney retired from baseball, and joined the Dodgers as an assistant coach. Sweeney will work with players during pre-game workouts in the regular season, serve as a Spring Training instructor, and act as a liaison between the advance scout and the Dodgers, including for series preparations. Sweeney joined the club in 2007 in a trade with the Giants, and hit .154 last season. He is the second all-time pinch-hitter with 175 pinch-hits. Sweeney joins all-time pinch-hitting leader Lenny Harris and third-place Manny Mota to give the Dodgers a coaching staff with the three greatest pinch-hitters of all-time.

Manny Ramirez is expected to play his first game on Thursday in an exhibition against a World Baseball Classic team to be determined.

Kings Stay Alive with Win

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Dallas Stars in overtime 5-4, and remain 5 points out of a playoff spot. The Kings rallied from a 3-0 deficit, with Anze Kopitar scoring the game-tying goal with 14 seconds left in the third period. Michal Handzus had a hat-trick, scoring his third goal in overtime to give LA the win. Alexander Frolov also scored a goal, and Erik Ersberg made 15 saves on 19 shots. Dallas scored all 4 of its goals in the second period.

Dodgers News: Walk-off Win, Manny Comes to Camelback, and Pierre Wants a Trade

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-4, their first win at Camelback Ranch. Jason Repko hit a game-winning RBI single in the ninth, just after Xavier Paul had a game-tying RBI. Paul hit a home run earlier in the game, and Doug Mientkiewicz hit a 2-run homer. Hiroki Kuroda pitched three scoreless innings, only giving up one hit, and Ramon Troncoso had a perfect inning. Eric Milton and Claudio Vargas hit setbacks, combining to give up all of the White Sox runs of the day.

Orlando Hudson returned to the lineup after experiencing soreness in his left wrist. Andre Ethier played in right field after spending the last two days in the DH position.

Manny Ramirez arrived in Glendale, Arizona to join the Dodgers' Spring Training. He held a press conference in which he estimates it will take a week for him to play in Spring Training games. Manny stated he was happy to be with LA, that he was unhappy in Boston, and will fully commit to the team, despite not receiving the 4-year, $100 million contract he wanted at the beginning of free-agency.

Juan Pierre has requested a trade from the Dodgers after the signing of Manny Ramirez. Pierre's speed makes him a good fourth-outfielder and pinch-hitter. However, Pierre wishes to play full-time, and would like to go to another team where he can play everyday.

More WBC Exhibitions: Jonathan Broxton got the save in Team USA's 9-6 win over Philadelphia. He pitched a perfect 9th inning with one strikeout. Russell Martin had a hit and a run in Team Canada's 6-0 win over the New York Yankees. Valentino Pascucci had a hit and three strikeouts in Team Italy's loss to the New York Mets. Luis Maza walked in his only plate appearance in Team Venezuela's 8-4 loss to Atlanta. Kenley Jansen went hitless in two at-bats in Team Netherlands' 4-2 loss to Minnesota.

Clippers Fall in Third

The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Memphis Grizzlies 118-95, their 47th loss of the season. LA was without Zach Randolph and Eric Gordon again, and were out-scored 66-42 in the second half. Memphis shot .561 from the field, and 7-for-13 from beyond the arc. The Gizzlies scored 33 points off turnovers. Al Thornton scored 25 points to lead the Clips, and Baron Davis had 16 points and 7 assists. Mike Taylor had 15 points off the bench. For Memphis, Rudy Gay had 35 points and 8 rebounds, and Marc Gasol had a near-triple-double with 20 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. USC-alumni O.J. Mayo finished with 18 points.

Editor's Note: Let's Get Down to Business

Now that the Manny Ramirez situation is over, and the slugging left-fielder is back in Hollywood, it's time for the Dodgers to start to seriously look at the team. No more waffling on the team's potential. It's time to study the Dodgers' players and their potential. And the best place to look is the pitching staff. While the staff has the most potential it's had in years, it also has the most risk. When a 25-year old Chad Billingsley is your ace, those are the kind of problems you can find. Billingsley can still most likely have another standout year, but if he becomes the ace of the rotation, the pressure can get tough. Hiroki Kuroda is a roller-coaster pitcher, who can take a perfect-game into the eighth inning one game and surrender 6 runs in his next. But with two playoff wins under his belt, Kuroda quickly becomes a key component. Clayton Kershaw is the wild-card in the rotation. A first-round pick who made his first big-league start at the tender age of 20, Kershaw embodies the 2009 staff: incredible potential to either astound or crash and burn. Randy Wolf can be a terrific influence, but only if he can stay off the DL. Then the fifth slot. After Chan Ho Park's success last season, the Dodgers look to past-their-prime pitchers to make a difference this season. Players like Jason Schmidt, Eric Milton, Claudio Vargas, and Shawn Estes all have had troubles in the last several years. If Schmidt can stay healthy, he becomes the favorite for the fifth spot. If not, it becomes Vargas's to lose. Other options still remain that the Dodgers really need to consider, including another past-his-prime pitcher: Pedro Martinez (above). With the Manny-drama over, pitching is once again a priority, one nobody can overlook.

Dodgers News: High Scores, Sore Wrist, and Return to Lineup

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants 10-8, their 4th loss of Spring Training. Clayton Kershaw gave up 4 hits and two runs in just two innings of work, and James McDonald surrendered two runs as well. Andre Ethier was back in the lineup as a DH and had a home run, 2 RBI's and a run. Xavier Paul also knocked in two runs, and Chin-lung Hu had two hits. Delwyn Young had a double, an RBI, and a run.

Orlando Hudson could not play in today's game due to a sore left-wrist, the same wrist that underwent surgery several months ago. Chin-lung Hu took over for him at second-base. The soreness is not considered serious and Hudson can return to the lineup by tomorrow.

Andre Ethier played his second game at DH, getting his second hit and second run at the position. Ethier stayed on the bench for a few days after suffering from a sore heel. It is unclear when he will return to the outfield. Casey Blake is still recovering from a pulled muscle.

WBC teams played more exhibitions today. Russell Martin did not play in Team Canada's 9-2 loss to Philadelphia. Valentino Pascucci had a hit and an RBI in Team Italy's 5-1 win over Florida. Jonathan Broxton did not pitch for Team USA in its 6-5 loss to Toronto. Luis Maza went hitless in two at-bats in Team Venezuala's 4-4 tie with Houston. Kenley Jansen went hitless in two at-bats in Team Netherlands' 4-3 10-inning loss to Cincinnati.

Lakers End Grizzly Streak

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 99-89, snapping their two-game losing streak. LA blocked 13 of Memphis's shots, and only turned the ball over 10 times. The Grizzlies had only 3 steals and committed 19 turnovers, but were 7-for-14 from three-point range. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, and Pay Gasol had 13 points and 8 rebounds. Lamar Odom made up for his 2 points with 13 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 blocked shots. All five of Memphis's starters scored in double-figures, with O.J. Mayo to lead the way with 17. Pau's brother Marc Gasol also had 17 points to go with 14 rebounds.

It's Official: Manny's Back

Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a 2-year, $45 million contract with an escape clause after the first year and a no-trade clause, according to MLB.com. The salary will be deferred, and if Manny does not exercise his escape-clause, he can receive payments for the next eight years. The deal culminated a long and tenuous process that saw the Dodgers make 4 different offers to Manny, as well as three counter-offers from agent Scott Boras in the last week. Manny will undergo a physical and report to Spring Training. Manager Joe Torre estimates it will take a week for Manny to play in games.

Manny Returns

Get the champagne ready, Dodger fans. Your favorite left-fielder is ready to come back to LA. ESPN Deportes's Enrique Rojas has reported that, according to sources close to the negotiations, Manny Ramirez has agreed with the Dodgers on a 2 year, $45 million contract. Manny will come to Los Angeles to finalize the contract, and then will go to Glendale, Arizona to join the Dodgers' Spring Training camp.

UPDATE: Manny is going to meet with the team in Los Angeles tomorrow to discuss the deal and resolve any issues, according to MLB.com. Nothing is official yet, and Ramirez will still need to undergo a physical. The deal can be finalized by anytime tomorrow.

Dodgers News: No-Hit Innings, DeWitt Stays at Short, and USA Today

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 5-4, evening their Spring Training record to 3-3. Mitch Jones had his third home run of the spring, and Blake DeWitt went deep as well. Mark Loretta had an RBI. Chad Billingsley pitched 2 no-hit innings, and Shawn Estes had two scoreless innings as well.

After Ivan De Jesus, Jr.'s injury, Blake DeWitt will see more time at shortstop. DeWitt played his second game at short today, and is capable of playing both second-base and third.

Team USA played an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, and Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk. Team USA won 6-5.

In other World Baseball Classic news, Kenley Jansen, Valentino Pascucci, Luis Maza, and Russell Martin all played in exhibitions. Martin had a double and scored a run in Team Canada's 6-4 win against Toronto. Pascucci had a two-run home run in Team Italy's 9-6 loss to Washington. Maza had a pinch-hit opportunity, but could not get on base in Venezuela's 7-5 loss to Detroit. Jansen went hitless in two at-bats and committed an error in the Netherlands 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh.

Clippers Fall to Spurs

The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the San Antonio Spurs 106-78, their 46th loss of the season. LA was without Zach Randolph and Eric Gordon, and shot only .368 from the field. San Antonio committed only 8 turnovers, and out-rebounded the Clips 52-37. Tony Parker scored 26 points, and Tim Duncan had 18 points and 12 rebounds. All 5 Clippers starters scored in double-figures, but the highest was only 14 points. Al Thornton and Fred Jones both scored 14 points for LA.

Dodgers News: Broken Leg, 7-Inning Game, and Manny Negotiations

The Los Angeles Dodgers were defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers in a "B" game. B games are not reflected in the Spring Training standings. Randy Wolf threw two innings and surrendered two runs, including a home run.

Ivan De Jesus, Jr. broke his left leg while sliding into home during the Dodgers' B game. De Jesus will most likely miss the rest of the season after he undergoes surgery. He is one of the Dodgers' top prospects, but was unlikely to make the club in April.

Owner Frank McCourt is not considering Manny Ramirez's request for a 2-year deal with a salary valued at $43.5 million. The salary was meant to be deferred over several years. The Dodgers made a previous offer of $45 million deferred, with the deferred compensation valued at $42 million. McCourt has said he wants to take a break from negotiations, but will resume at some point with the negotiations starting from scratch.

Kings Get Black Eye

The Los Angeles Kings fell to the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2, their fifth loss in six games. Chicago scored 3 goals in the first period while the Kings scored 2. Goalie Jonathan Quick could only make 34 saves on 38 shots, and the Kings took just 24 shots, 22 of which were stopped. Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Dustin Byfuglien each scored in the first period. Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson both scored goals for LA.

Lakers Get Sun-Burned

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Phoenix Suns, only the third time this season the Lakers have lost consecutive games. Phoenix finished the game shooting .558, while LA shot .447. The Lakers had a 75-70 lead over the Steve Nash-less Suns with less than 6 minutes left in the third quarter, but coughed it up, allowing a 21-6 Phoenix run. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 49 points and 11 rebounds, and Pau Gasol had 30 points and 7 rebounds. No other Laker scored in double-figures, and Lamar Odom fouled out in the fourth quarter. Shaquille O'Neal led the Suns with 33 points, and Matt Barnes had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Manny Asks for $43.5 Million

Manny Ramirez has requested a 2 year contract with a deferred salary valued at $43.5 million from the Dodgers, according to SI.com, who received the news from a statement sent by his agent Scott Boras. The Dodgers' original offer was for $45 million, but with a bulk of the salary being deferred over 5 years, its actual value would have been $42 million once the entire salary had been paid. Boras stated deferred compensation was never an issue, but the amount paid out was. Owner Frank McCourt said earlier that negotiations would "start from scratch." Boras previously requested a contract worth $55 million, then a $45 million contract with the money paid upfront.

Dodgers News: Home Opener, No News Still, and Pitchers Make Progress

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell in their first game at their new Spring Training home, Camelback Ranch, to the stadium's co-occupants, the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers held a 2-run lead going into the ninth inning before surrendering 3 runs to the Sox. Mark Loretta and Blake DeWitt each had an RBI, and Matt Kemp scored a run and hit a double. Hiroki Kuroda pitched two scoreless innings, only giving up a hit, and Claudio Vargas and Eric Milton both made their cases to be the fifth starter, both pitching two scoreless innings and allowing two baserunners.

Frank McCourt has said negotiations with Manny Ramirez have paused for now, but will likely resume in some time. Scott Boras and GM Ned Colletti have still spoken over the phone, but no real progress has been made. News came that McCourt pulled the Dodgers' offer of 2 years, $45 million deferred.

Eric Milton pitched for the first time since 2007 after suffering an elbow injury, and retired 6 of the 8 batters he faced, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two. Claudio Vargas also threw two scoreless innings, but allowed two hits. Guillermo Mota had a perfect inning. All three pitchers and Hiroki Kuroda are capable of making the club in April.

Ramon Troncoso left the game after pitching 2/3rds of an inning for reasons unknown.

Tomorrow will be an off-day, with the club playing a 7-inning "B" game against Milwaukee.

Clips Fall to Bobcats

The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Charlotte Bobcats 100-95, their 45th loss of the season. The Clips lost despite shooting .507 and 7-for-17 from three-point range. Charlotte only turned the ball over 11 times, and shot 10-for-19 from beyond the arc. Zach Randolph finished with 33 points and 9 rebounds for the Clips, and Al Thornton returned to score 16 points. Emeka Okafor led the Bobcats with 28 points and 9 rebounds, and Raja Bell added 21 points and 7 rebounds.

College Basketball Roundup - No. California Pt. 4

UCLA - The Bruins defeated California 72-68, keeping them in the race for the Pac-10 title. However, if they do win, they will have to share the title with Washington, who can clinch the title next week by defeating Washington State. UCLA had only 6 turnovers. Darren Collison hit the game-winning shot, and led all scorers with 22 points. Jerome Randle led the Bears with 20 points.

USC - The Trojans fell to Stanford 75-63, their sixth loss in seven games. USC took a serious hit in its bid for an NCAA tournament berth. The Trojans blew a 10 point lead with just 13 minutes left. Taj Gibson had 19 points and 9 rebounds to lead USC, and DeMar DeRozan scored 14 points. Anthony Goods led the Cardinal with 20 points.