Kuzul

The MLB winter meetings will take place this week in Florida, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have a lot of work to do. Despite a flurry of moves that brought Juan Uribe, Jon Garland and Rod Barajas to LA, the Dodgers have holes to fill in left field and in the bullpen. They also need to address the somewhat unsteady production they got from first baseman James Loney and center fielder Matt Kemp in 2010.

General manager Ned Colletti has plenty to do, as the Dodgers are still not ready to usurp the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants yet. The team’s ability to challenge San Francisco and Colorado for NL West supremacy may hinge on how well Colletti does this week. Read on for five moves the Dodgers need to make, or at least explore, in order to become favorites in the West in 2011.

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With the Major League Baseball Hot Stove season almost at its boiling point, many fans across Dodgertown can’t help but recollect the most notable trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.

Since officially moving to Los Angeles in 1958, many player trades occurred that were instrumental in winning nine National League pennants and five World Series championships. However, along with the deals that were beneficial came the deals that were dreadful, and people wonder what may have transpired if a number of these trades could have been undone.

The following slides rank the 50 worst trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as well as offer a bit of commentary for each transaction. Please note that the rankings don’t include any free-agent signings, nor do they contain any deals made prior to the Dodgers moving to Los Angeles. The list is not syndicated in any fashion and it is purely opinionated and subjective.

Although some of the transactions listed may seem more prominent than others, the logic used in the rankings is based on the players ability at that time and into the future, weighted against what the Dodgers actually received in return.

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride through 52 years of Dodgers history.

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MLB Free Agency 2011 continues with most of the big names still on the market.

Aside from making a big splash by landing Carl Crawford or Cliff Lee, most Major League clubs will be looking to bolster their depth by adding veteran hitting and pitching.

As usual, there are plenty reliable role players available.

There are also a few players who you might want your favorite teams to ignore for one reason or another.

Here’s a look at 10 clubhouse cancers who could stir up trouble with their new clubs.

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MLB rumors are starting to heat up about some of the league’s biggest stars.

And with the winter meetings just a week away, there is sure to be a lot of wheeling and dealing.

Between the 2011 free agency class, the one to follow a year later, and the changes to a few managers/front offices (Mets, Cubs, Toronto, Atlanta) the makeup of several teams is likely to change over the next few weeks.

Inside we’ll take a look at the top 50 players who could be on their way to be in a new locker room next spring.

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Free agency is a fickle beast in that money doesn’t always constitute the quality level of any given player. More often than not, teams fork over hefty coin simply based on a player’s prior experience and what the agent “sells” the buying team into thinking.

Take, for example, starting pitcher Cliff Lee. His track record over the past two years arguably suggests he is worth over $100 million—arguably! But what about all those players who are better buys than Lee. Isn’t that where the true value rests?

It may be a trite question to ask but I thought it a great topic to discuss, so let’s take a look at who I have come up with. I will take a look at pitchers as well as some position players to widen the gamut.

So sit back and enjoy and please be sure to leave your nominee below in the comment section.

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Cliff Lee is undoubtedly the biggest free agent name on the market this offseason, and with good reason. The 32-year old hits almost every key point on the checklist for a must-have pitcher: He’s a dominant, left-handed starting pitcher, who’s capable of striking guys out or getting players to ground out and is in the midst of his prime.

Reports are coming in that Lee has been offered a six-year, $140 million contract by the New York Yankees, who covet his services to an almost obsessive degree.

Lee’s a great pitcher, to be sure; but is he, or any pitcher for that matter, worth a contract of that magnitude? We’re taking a look at both sides of the argument, giving you five reasons why no one is worth that kind of money, and five reasons why Lee is the exception to the rule.

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If you’re a baseball fan, you know your team could land key acquisitions and great role players.

Free agency is underway, and there are stars available like Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee and Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford. No one denies their talent and they would be a huge prize for any team.

But what about the busts?

Players who looked like they could be great additions have signed huge contracts and turned out to do absolutely nothing. One of the greatest examples of this came when Texas Rangers’ Tom Hicks, then-team owner, signed pitcher Chan Ho Park to a $65 million contract.

It may not be at that level, but the pattern of poor decisions has kept repeating itself.

Here’s a look at 10 free agents who could wind up being major busts this off-season:

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One of the main concerns for GM Ned Colletti and the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason is finding a permanent solution for second base. For Dodgers fans, the last few seasons have been confusing in the middle infield, as several journeyman veterans and utility players have stepped in, taking turns manning the right side of the infield.

The upcoming season appears to be heading in the same direction. However, it is also possible with major names on the free agent market, the Dodgers will be able to sign a solid fielder with a productive bat to a multi-year deal.

With the future beyond the 2011 season in mind, let’s examine the possibilities of a second baseman with stability-type qualities for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Also check out: One Spot Left: Should the LA Dodgers Sign Vicente Padilla or Brandon Webb?

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‘Tis the season for MLB trade rumors, and every team out there has needs to fill.

The idea, as always, is not so much to go out and get just any player, but to go out and get the right player. And as always, that’s easier said than done.

But we’re going to go ahead and speculate on the behalf of each general manager in baseball and try to pinpoint one specific player they should go after in a trade.

Naturally, some scenarios are more likely than others. As such, this list progresses from the most outlandish trades to the most likely ones.

Start the slideshow for some made baseball knowledge.

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As the Hot Stove heats up and the weather cools down, names are flying around like bugs on Joba Chamberlain. 

Among the more notable ideas is the Dodgers’ interest in Brandon Webb. Los Angeles has already re-signed Ted Lilly and Hiroki Kuroda to new contracts, leaving just one spot left in what could be a very solid starting rotation.

So far, early returns suggest the rotation will look something like this: Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda and either Vicente Padilla or Brandon Webb.

The Dodgers appear close to signing Webb, as there is a significant difference between the dollar figure and years Padilla is looking for and what LA is willing to offer.

Looking at the two pitchers side-by-side, there are small pros, and major cons for both.

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