Mike Scioscia's tragic illness

It’s Time to Jump Ship, Right?

I… am…  almost literally without words. We were already horrified at the idea that Orlando Hudson wouldn’t be offered arbitration, but it just got worse (via Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times):

The Dodgers aren’t offering arbitration to any of their free agents, according to team spokesman Josh Rawitch.

I’m sitting here trying to think of a way to accurately describe just how floored I am at the decision not to offer Randy Wolf arbitration – in addition to Hudson, of course – and I just can’t find the words, at least in a fashion that’s not a never-ending string of expletives.

Randy Wolf is almost universally regarded as the second-best starting pitcher in the free agent market behind John Lackey. So what if he accepted? He’d get what, $8m or so in arbitration? There’s not a team in baseball that wouldn’t fall all over themselves to give him that for one year, knowing that there’s no doubt that some team is going to sign him to a multi-year deal once he’s free. Like Hudson, there was no chance that Wolf was accepting anyway.

But no. The razor-thin chance of having to spend any money at all means that the Dodgers are now out four draft picks (two firsts, most likely) that they could have picked up for nothing. Nothing. You wonder why people complain that the farm system isn’t what it once was? This is exactly why; it’s because the smart baseball people are having their hands tied by the utter jokes that are the absolutely worthless McCourts.

So while you could have offered arbitration and had a 5% chance that your second base hole is filled and a 1% chance that you get a quality starting pitcher back at rates FAR below market value, and a 98% chance you walk away with four top picks, you get nothing at all.

I know it seems odd to say this in December after two crushing NLCS losses in a row, but this is one of the darkest days I can remember as a Dodger fan. I have absolutely zero faith in the jackasses running this team going forward (and for once, I’m not talking about Ned Colletti, because I think we all realize that his hands have been tied on this), and that’s just not how you should feel with a great young core who’ve been steps away from the World Series twice in a row.

I envy Royals fans right now. At least they never had hope.