The Return Of Hiroki Kuroda

TITS GT

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The plan to send Tony Abreu to the D-Backs in exchange for Jon Garland has run into some problems.

When the Diamondbacks sent starter Jon Garland to the Dodgers late last month, they expected to receive infielder Tony Abreu in return. In addition to his gaudy minor league stats, Abreu appealed to Arizona because he still had two more pre-arbitration years ahead of him and five years total before he became a free agent.

However, as Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports, the team had no way of knowing that Abreu and the Dodgers were close to reaching an agreement to settle a grievance filed in 2007. As a result of the settlement, Abreu would be awarded additional service time that may make him arbitration eligible in 2011 instead of 2012. The D-Backs believe LA did not act in good faith during negotiations.

The grievance came after Abreu was optioned to the minors in July 2007, and he claimed he should have instead been placed on the disabled list with an abdominal injury. As you know from our service time primer, a player can accrue service time while on the DL but not while in the minors. Abreu would pick up 47 additional days of service time thanks to the grievance, which would likely make him a "Super Two."

Depending on how Abreu pans out, this could potentially be a huge deal. If he breaks out, the D-Backs could be losing a ton of money by missing a year of team control.

I understand why the D-Backs would be upset if the Dodgers didn't inform them of Abreu's dispute beforehand.

My current fear? That Abreu won't be sent to the D-Backs, and the Dodgers will send somebody better to Arizona instead.

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Jesus Castillo is back with the Dodgers after being designated for assignment, but Jamie Hoffmann has been released.

I don't get the Hoffmann release at all. He's already more useful than a few guys on the major league roster as it is.

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Brad Penny is still a worthless dick.

A reporter started to ask Brad Penny about pitching in front of 42,000 crazed, Dodger-hating fans when the Giants' new No. 5 starter interrupted him.

"42,001," said Penny, grinning.

Penny and the Dodgers did not have an amicable divorce when the club turned down his $9.5 million option after last season, so he should be one motivated man when he's lined up to face them Sept. 13 and 19.

"Yeah, I'll look forward to that," he said.

Yeah, the Dodgers really should have picked up that option. Look how great he did in Boston! Oh wait.

It's bad when even Jim Tracy knows you're a dick.

According to Gammons, Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who "dealt with" Brad Penny when both were with the Dodgers, did not want the veteran starter on his staff although GM Dan O'Dowd had interest. So, O'Dowd turned to the White Sox for the starter he needed.

Shocking stuff.