Dec. 11--The Dodgers' top executives slipped out of the Opryland Hotel on Thursday morning without saying a word about what they did this week at baseball's winter meetings.
In their defense, there was little to talk about.
Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, had already spoken the previous night about their failed attempt to retain Zack Greinke and explained why they re-signed Chase Utley to a one-year, $7-million contract. They still couldn't address the addition of Hisashi Iwakuma, whose three-year, $45-million contract was not yet final.
The other moves they made were minor.
They made two waiver-wire acquisitions, claiming right-hander Danny Reynolds from the Angels and outfielder Daniel Fields from the Milwaukee Brewers.
They also picked up five players in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, which cost them a combined $60,000. Among the selections was 27-year-old right-hander Logan Bawcom, whom the Dodgers drafted but traded to the Seattle Mariners three years ago as part of a two-player package for Brandon League.
Exciting stuff, huh?
But as Friedman pointed out Wednesday night, more than four months remain until opening day.
Until then, Friedman will try to rebuild the advantage the Dodgers had last year over their division rivals. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants look as if they have made up ground, with the Diamondbacks adding Greinke and Shelby Miller and the Giants picking up Jeff Samardzija.
In the meantime, here are some minor story lines that emerged this week:
Yasiel Puig is tentatively scheduled to travel next week to his homeland of Cuba as part of goodwill trip organized by Major League Baseball. Clayton Kershaw is also scheduled to go.
"That's encouraging for me," Manager Dave Roberts said.
The players were linked in controversy this off-season when outfielder Scott Van Slyke's father implied on a St. Louis radio station that Kershaw told Dodgers management that Puig should be traded.
Asked whether Kershaw and Puig would be roommates, Roberts joked, "Fortunately, the game where it's at right now, I don't think that they have to be roommates. The state of baseball's in good shape, so they won't be sharing a room together."
Utley a hit?
Friedman thinks Utley can still be a contributor on offense despite his stats.
"Just feel like he's a really good hitter who works a very professional at-bat," Friedman said.
Utley, who turns 37 next week, batted a career-low .212 this year. But he played with an injured ankle for most of the season and Friedman pointed to how his performance improved after returning to the Philadelphia Phillies from the disabled list in August. As for why Utley batted only .202 after his trade to the Dodgers later that month, Friedman attributed it to misfortune.
