Editor's Note: Halladay In

Roy Halladay looks like the only real superstar on the trade market, and the Blue Jays will want a minor-league roster of prospects in exchange. You can stop daydreaming of trades involving McDonald, DeWitt, Elbert and Hu. It will not happen. Toronto won't even talk with the Dodgers unless they will part with Broxton, Kershaw, Billingsley, or Kemp, and as of now the Dodgers refuse to tamper with the current 25-man roster. A trade for Kershaw may seem like a temporary solution, and if the World Series can return to Los Angeles, why not do it? Only, trading for an ace is nowhere near a lock to even make it through the first round of the playoffs (see: Milwaukee and CC Sabathia). Sure, Halladay improves the chances, but Kershaw's raw potential rivals any pitcher in the majors. The Dodgers have held on to these guys, not because they were waiting for the right opportunity to trade them as if it were a high-stakes poker game, but because they want to build a team around them. Ned Colletti has other concerns than acquiring an ace, like repairing the overworked bullpen and finding a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher to solidify the fifth-starter role. While Halladay would be a nice addition, the cost is unneccesary and even harmful.

DeWitt Replaces Mientkiewicz

Doug Mientkiewicz was placed on the 15-day disabled list today after he dislocated his right shoulder sliding into second-base in the Dodgers' win over the Giants. Blake DeWitt will take his place in the roster after being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque. DeWitt beat out Xavier Paul for the spot, despite the fact that Paul is batting .571. Mientkiewicz will undergo surgery after an MRI revealed his shoulder was completely dislocated, with part of the labrum pulled off, according to Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News. The team trainer estimates it will be at least three months before Doug can return, while Joe Torre and Ned Colletti believe September is more likely.

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.

Editor's Note: This Changes Everything

We just found out that the major fork in the road for Manny Ramirez was the deferring of every contract offer. This revelation changes the entire opinion for what was going on between the two sides. The Dodgers have been toying with Ramirez, disrespecting him with salaries spread out over years. Many people, including myself, feel duped by what Frank McCourt and Ned Colletti did, especially for never saying the previous contracts were deferred. Greed seemed to be the only thing preventing an agreement between the two sides, but that ended up being false. The true offer would actually get the job done, according to Scott Boras. Boras has made an incredible concession. The Dodgers won. But they keep pushing their luck, forcing Manny to take $10 million this season and still call it a fair deal. If Colletti and McCourt have any sensibility, they must make the offer they were believed to have made and bring Manny back.

New Light Comes to Dodgers' Offer

The LA Times has reported that the Dodgers' offer to Manny Ramirez of $45 million over two years was to be deferred over the next five years. The contract would have paid Ramirez $10 million this season, with $15 million the next season, and the rest scattered over the following 3 years. Dodgers.com reports that Ramirez would have accepted the initially believed contract, but the deferred payment was a deal-breaker. Ned Colletti revealed every other offer previously made also involved deferred money. The two sides apparently agree on the money and years, but the payment details are holding back any official signing.

Dodgers Only Have Manny

Manny Ramirez becomes the Dodgers' only option for the outfield as both Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu have reached individual contracts. Dunn signed a two-year contract with the Washington Nationals, while Abreu has agreed to a 1-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Both Dunn and Abreu were seen as the Dodgers' back-ups in case Manny Ramirez could not be signed. Now that both sluggers are off the market, both the Dodgers and Manny appear to have no options left. There is no word regarding contract negotiations between GM Ned Colletti and agent Scott Boras after the two signings.

Manny's Agent Restarts Talks, LA Signs Vargas

Agent Scott Boras has decided to resume talks with the Dodgers and GM Ned Colletti, according to the Los Angeles Times, after three weeks of no contact. They will discuss a contract for Manny Ramirez, the slugger who carried the Dodgers through September and the Postseason. No market has materialized for Ramirez, with his lone offer coming from the Dodgers at the beginning of free-agency. Boras's decision comes a day after the Dodgers expressed interest in Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu if Manny is not signed, with Ramirez still Colletti's #1 choice. The Dodgers made a move for pitcher Claudio Vargas (above), signing him to a contract. Vargas has pitched two double-figure win seasons, while last season he bounced from Milwaukee to New York to free-agency, all before the season ended.

Editor's Note: Manny Market Crumbles

The New York Yankees signed 1B Mark Teixeira to an 8-year, $180 million contract, effectively destroying any market that was available for Manny Ramirez. Both Angels GM Tony Reagins and Yankee GM Brian Cashman have said that Manny is not an option for their respective clubs. And while NY head-honchos Hal and Hank Steinbrenner have said Manny would be a great fit for the Bronx Bombers, signing him would create a huge breach of trust between them and Cashman, without having the benefit of the team as an excuse. With no suitors for the left-fielder, Manny's only option may very well be the Boys in Blue, just the kind of thing GM Ned Colletti planned out. He preached patience on this issue, and now it's almost as if Manny has fallen into his lap. Other teams considering Man-Ram have folded: Toronto is playing it safe due to the weak Canadian Dollar, while Boston has a better chance of signing Lou Gehrig than the guy who was "dogging it" every day. Everything has fallen into place for Colletti. All he has to do is wait for agent Scott Boras to come crawling back for that $45 million contract Boras scoffed at earlier.

AP: Furcal Returns to LA

The Associated Press is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers and SS Rafael Furcal have agreed on a three-year contract with a 4th-year option. Furcal had come to an agreement with his former team, the Atlanta Braves, however his agent explains nothing was official, not even a verbal agreement. Now that the infield is solved, GM Ned Colletti will look to add pitching and possibly Manny Ramirez.

Hold the Phone: Furcal Still Up in Air

Reports are swirling that the "agreement" between Rafael Furcal and the Atlanta Braves is premature, and Furcal is still negotiating with the Dodgers. Calls were sent to Dodger GM Ned Colletti about the issue, and he responded saying negotiations were still in progress between the two sides.

Winter Meetings - Day 2

The Dodgers had a quiet Day Two at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, though they did finalize deals with Casey Blake and Mark Loretta. GM Ned Colletti has made inquiries about numerous players, including Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia, and trade options for Andruw Jones, according to MLB.com. Talks are limited on the option on Jones, however, as LA will be stuck with paying the majority of his salary. A new spot has opened on the Dodgers radar, as closer Takashi Saito's condition is shaky and uncertain. Trevor Hoffman's name has come up as a possible replacement if Jonathan Broxton is kept in the setup role.

Dodgers Already Make Things Interesting

Yahoo Sports is reporting that 3B Casey Blake has accepted the Dodgers' tentative 3-year offer. Blake, a mid-season trade acquisition from Cleveland, filled third-base for LA in the second half, a position that has created much chaos for the Dodgers since Adrian Beltre's departure in 2004. This report comes on the heels of news that CC Sabathia told Dodger GM Ned Colletti that he would like to play for Los Angeles come next season. CC's interest has created an opportunity for the Dodgers to make an open offer to the lefty, rather than just remaining in the "interested" category. News also came that Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe and Blake have all rejected the Dodgers' offer of arbitration. Arbitration is usually seen as a formality, in which the main goal is to get draft pick compensation if the free-agents sign with other teams.

Colletti Has His Hands Full in Vegas

The MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas are approaching, meaning all 30 GMs and too many agents to count will be talking in the Bellagio Hotel, negotiating and settling on deals for various players. This is where Dodgers GM Ned Colletti will make many key decisions, having to fill 14 empty roster spots created by free agency. Derek Lowe and Brad Penny are both essentially lost, meaning there could be as many as 3 empty spots in the rotation, coupling with Greg Maddux's retirement. Talks continue with Manny Ramirez and 3B Casey Blake, both of which look optimistic considering no offers have been made to Manny, and the Twins and Indians are both reported to have dropped out of talks with Blake. The situation with Rafael Furcal is the most confusing, as both he and LA have shown little interest in one another, but shortstop holes are being filled up quickly, not to mention his rejection of Oakland's initial offer. The Dodgers have shown a varying degree of interest in free-agent pitchers CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Randy Johnson, and Trevor Hoffman, as well as trades with the Pirates concerning SS Jack Wilson. Colletti himself has made just two offers all postseason: the 2-year contract to Manny Ramirez, and the 3 offers of arbitration to Manny, Blake, and Lowe. The arbitration, however, was done solely to get draft picks from teams who would sign the three if they all reject the Dodgers' offers. Trade talks with the Padres concerning Jake Peavy have ceased apparently, not just with Los Angeles, but nearly every other team that has shown interest in him, other than the Cubs.

Dodgers Pull Offer From Manny, Look at Big Unit

MLB.com reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled their offer to OF Manny Ramirez of $45 million over two years with a third year option. GM Ned Colletti will still pursue Ramirez during the offseason, but any offer will be based on offers from other clubs. The Dodgers are also interested in lefty Randy Johnson, who left the Arizona Diamondbacks after an 11 win season. The Dodgers need a veteran presence in the rotation with the departures of Brad Penny and Derek Lowe.