CLIPS FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2012

L.A. Times

Dodgers finally score, but not quite enough

L.A. loses fifth in a row, 3-2 to the Mets, and ninth of 10 to fall to second in West behind Giants

By Dylan Hernandez June 28, 2012, 11:05 p.m.

Santa Claus doesn't exist. The purported Bigfoot who was captured on film in 1967 was actually a man in an ape suit. And if Friedrich Nietzsche is to believed, God is dead.

Something else: The Dodgers aren't a first-place team.

Not anymore. Not after their 3-2 defeat by the on Thursday night at , their ninth loss in 10 games.

But before the Dodgers were replaced by the atop the West, the so-called "wonder team" had one final miracle to perform.

It scored.

Its pair of fourth- runs ended its scoreless streak at 33 , the fifth-longest in franchise history.

"It felt good to score a couple of runs, to be honest with you," said.

If that doesn't seem like a miracle, consider who was and wasn't in the lineup.

Though it appears a rib cage injury won't force onto the disabled list, the All-Star wasn't ready to play. was also in the , recovering from a strained left hamstring. Mark Ellis was still two days away from starting a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

"That's what really hurts," Mattingly said.

James Loney, who entered the game in an 0-for-18 drought and couldn't break into the lineup in the three previous games, was cleanup. , called up from A earlier in the day to replace demoted utilitymanIvan De Jesus Jr., was hitting fifth.

Mattingly insisted he didn't assemble his lineup by picking names out of a hat.

Loney and Van Slyke both were 0 for 4.

The Dodgers failed to get a man on base against Mets starter Chris Young in the first three innings, but Dee Gordon led off the fourth inning with a to center field. Gordon scored on a triple by Elian Herrera, who was hitless in his previous 20 at-bats.

The moment was celebrated with a standing ovation by the home crowd. The players were also excited.

"We were pumped up," Chris Capuano said. "We were jumping around."

One at-bat later, singled to center to drive in Herrera, tying the score, 2-2.

But Capuano (9-3) couldn't hold the stalemate.

Facing the team he pitched for last season, Capuano served up a fifth-inning double to Andres Torres that drove in Mike Nickeas to put the Mets back ahead, 3-2. The Dodgers never threatened again.

Meanwhile, the Giants were on their way to beating the , 5-0, to move a game in front of the Dodgers.

The Dodgers, who led the Giants by 41/2 games as recently as June 20, have lost their last five games. The last time the Dodgers weren't in first place, the season was only five days old.

Mattingly downplayed the change in the standings.

"We can't really be concerned about anybody else when we're in a rut," he said.

For the manager of a free-falling team, Mattingly sounded upbeat before the game. The results of Ethier's MRI exam, coupled with the Kemp and Ellis' improvements in health, were the primary sources of his optimism.

On what the medical staff told him about Ethier, Mattingly said, "It's really good news."

Ethier left the Dodgers' loss in San Francisco the previous day when he injured his left rib cage muscle checking his swing and recoiling his bat. Tests showed the muscle was strained, but not to the point where he had to be placed on the 15- day disabled list. Ethier is listed as day to day.

Ethier was visibly relieved.

"I've been on the DL the last couple of years and it's not a good feeling," Ethier said. "There's nothing more I would want to have than a full, healthy season."

Ethier received treatment and stretched with his teammates but didn't participate in hitting or fielding drills. He said he probably would follow the same routine for another day.

Hitters who strain rib cage muscles often strain the muscles facing the pitcher when they . Such players often take about a month to return from the disabled list.

What makes Ethier's case unique is that he strained a muscle on the opposite side.

Still, if Ethier's condition doesn't improve soon, he could land on the disabled list.

"Obviously, we're in a league where you can't just sit here for 10 days," Mattingly said. "If it got to something like that, I'm sure we'd talk about something different."

Dodgers make statement with deal for Cuban

The Dodgers reintroduced themselves as players in the international market when they agreed to a seven-year, $42- million deal with the 21-year-old who has not played organized baseball in over a year.

By Dylan Hernandez June 28, 2012, 9:44 p.m.

Less than two months removed from bankruptcy and the clutches of Frank McCourt, the Dodgers displayed their increased financial flexibility under the new ownership, committing $42 million to a 21-year-old Cuban defector who hasn't played organized baseball in more than a year.

The agreement with outfielder Yasiel Puig on a seven-year contract was perhaps the most significant statement made to date by Guggenheim Baseball Management, even more than the signing of Andre Ethier to a five-year, $85-million extension this month.

Puig isn't expected to play in the major leagues this season. He might not be ready to do so next season. But the Dodgers offered him the most lucrative contract ever awarded to a Cuban amateur, reintroducing themselves as players in an international market that was neglected under McCourt's ownership.

If team President Stan Kasten is to be believed, this is only the start.

Kasten wouldn't speak Thursday about the deal with Puig, which is pending on the results of a physical examination and the approval of .

But Kasten made clear the Dodgers would continue to be big spenders. The Dodgers expect to spend money when the new international signing period opens Monday. They will spend money at the trade deadline, if necessary. And they will spend money next winter in free agency.

Of the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline in particular, Kasten said, "I promise you we'll explore everything. Look, as candid as we can be, we're the Dodgers. We're supposed to be big. We intend to be big. Will we look at big things? You bet."

The shortage of top-tier prospects in the Dodgers farm system could be an obstacle, as they are what teams will be asking for in return for established players.

"I wish we were deeper in that regard," Kasten said. "But if the resources involve money, we'll be very flexible."

In fact, Kasten said he would prefer to take on a greater percentage of an incoming player's salary if it means they can acquire him in exchange for a low-caliber of prospects.

That being said, Kasten doesn't think the Dodgers necessarily have to add players to remain in contention. And with the upcoming free-agent class thin on top-class position players — these are players that are generally made available for trades — there is also the question of whether there are any high-impact deals to be made.

The Dodgers think that Puig can one day turn into such a player.

Not everyone is so sure, which is why there was surprise in some sectors of the industry when Puig received more money than two other recent Cuban defectors, Yoenis Cespedes of the (four years, $36 million) and of the (nine years, $30 million).

Puig is 6 feet 3 and plays at about 215 pounds, according to his agent, Jaime Torres. But Puig was suspended from 's top league for the 2011-12 season for attempting to leave the Communist country. Because he was unable to practice while suspended, his weight increased to almost 230 pounds. Until Puig worked out for major league teams in Mexico City last weekend, he hadn't held a bat in five months.

But the Dodgers scouted Puig before his banishment from Cuban baseball when not every team was scouting him. What they saw in the few times Puig played internationally was a five-tool player with power and speed.

Puig had a breakout season in Cuba in 2010-11, batting .330 with 17 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

The Dodgers plan to take a measured approach with Puig, who will probably start his American baseball experience at the team's year-round training complex in . If he progresses well, he could play in the , a finishing school for baseball's top prospects.

R.A. Dickey hopes for return to his 2012 dominance versus Dodgers

The knuckleballer, 11-1 on the season, will start for the Mets tonight at Dodger Stadium. He struggled in his last start after throwing consecutive one-hitters.

By Jim Peltz June 29, 2012

One way to sum up the intriguingR.A. Dickeyis to use the description on his profile:

"Father, husband, Christian, pitcher, author, adventurer, Star Wars nerd, reader, ninja in training & cyclist."

There's much more that makes the New York Mets right-hander a unique personality, but it's the pitching — specifically Dickey's exceptional success throwing the — that has captivated baseball.

At 37, Dickey seemingly came from nowhere to become one of the game's dominant starting so far this year. As of Thursday, he led the National League in wins with an 11-1 record, including consecutive one-hitters this month in which he struck out 12 and then 13.

Dickey has a 2.31 earned- average and, until Sunday, had pitched 442/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. The streak ended Sunday when he was tagged for five runs by the .

Dickey will try to bounce back when he starts Friday against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

"I feel like I'll be ready," Dickey said before the Thursday. "I'll approach it no differently than I did in preparation for the Yankee game. I just try to be in the moment with every ."

Dickey is expected to be selected for theAll-Star game, and there's speculation that retired manager Tony LaRussa, who's managing the NL team, might tap Dickey to start the game.

"I would have no problem starting him," said former pitching star , now a TBS baseball analyst. Dickey has "dominated a stretch of baseball we haven't seen in a long time."

It's also been a long and arduous trek for Dickey, whose initials stand for Robert Allen, to reach the big leagues.

Growing up in Nashville, Tenn., his parents separated and his mother struggled with alcoholism (now recovering). He was sexually abused by a baby sitter and later by a teenage boy, abuse he kept to himself for more than 20 years.

He began his pro career as a promising conventional pitcher, a first-round draft pick of the in 1996. But during a physical exam the team and Dickey discovered he was missing a ligament in his throwing elbow, prompting Texas to slash his signing bonus from $810,000 to $75,000.

He spent nearly a decade as a journeyman pitcher, until 2005, when then-Texas manager Buck Showalter and pitching Orel Hershiser, the former Dodgers , persuaded him to throw the knuckleball full time.

Dickey had toyed with the dancing, capricious pitch, but consistently throwing a knuckler for strikes would require more years of practice. "To be able to get [the pitch] game ready and to hold runners, and to throw it up there in tight situations, that takes a while," said Tom Candiotti, a former knuckleball pitcher for the Dodgers and other clubs who is now an broadcaster.

Dickey persevered and signed with the Mets in 2010, finishing that season with an 11-9 record and a 2.84 ERA. He struggled at times last year (8-13, 3.28 ERA) before it all came together this season.

Before this season started, Dickey climbed 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for charity, and then his memoir was published.

"Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball," which Dickey — who studied English literature in college — co-wrote with sportswriter Wayne Coffey, drew raves as a frank and insightful look at his troubled life, the abuse he suffered and his journey to the big leagues.

With the retirement of Tim Wakefield last year, Dickey is the only major league starter throwing the knuckleball, and it's an unusual knuckler at that.

Although he constantly changes speeds to keep batters off balance, Dickey generally throws his knuckleball harder than most, about 69 to 81 mph.

"He's blessed with really good arm speed, which a lot of the other knuckleballers didn't have," Candiotti said. "This guy's throwing it 80 mph. That's ridiculous."

Asked how he approached an at-bat against Dickey, Dodgers infielderJerry Hairston Jr.said, "Like I'm playing Wiffle Ball, like a kid. I just try to see the ball as long as I can and square it up."

If Dickey remains successful, his career could have years left because the knuckleball doesn't punish arms like conventional pitches. Knuckleballer Phil Niekro, with 318 career wins, retired at 48. Charlie Hough, another former Dodgers knuckleballer and one of Dickey's mentors, was 46 in his final season.

But Dickey said, "The only goal that I set at the start of the season was to throw my very first pitch as well as I can throw it."

"My next goal was to throw the second pitch as well as I can throw it," he said. The final result, Dickey added, "will be an overflow of the commitment to the moment."

It's a whole new world for the Dodgers

By Steve Dilbeck June 29, 2012, 8:20 a.m.

The Dodgers awake today in a strange new place. A place they haven’t known for 83 days.

Second in the .

They now trail the Giants by one game. The last time they did not lead the NL West was April 10.

It just underlines their recent disastrous play, puts an unwanted exclamation point on their free-fall. Lose five consecutive games and nine of your last 10, and things like that happen.

And now it would seem there is the additional psychological letdown of falling out of first. Anyway, so it would seem. “Not really,” said left-hander Chris Capuano. “As bad as this stretch has been – and it’s been pretty horrific – our record is still very respectable and we’re still right there.

“The race has just kind of begun for us. On the contrary, I feel like we did a great job early kind of buying ourselves some time to work through a period like this. I look at the standings and I’m pretty happy where we’re at right now.”

In this race, though, they are chasing, not being chased. Over half the season remains, but it seems clear now there will be no running away from the Giants, a team they once led by 7½ games.

“We really can’t be concerned with anybody else,” said Manager Don Mattingly. “We’re kind of going through a rut. We’ve got to take care of ourselves, get ready to play.”

The Dodgers have a new rallying cry: Get to the All-Star break.

By then they hope to have second baseman Mark Ellis back, and possibly Andre Ethier, with Matt Kemp soon to follow.

“The All-Star break is looming and I think we want to kind of run through that finish line,” Capuano said.

“If we can kind of turn it around here and play good going into that break, I think we’ll be very close to getting Matty and Mark and Dre back, and at that point it will feel like it did at the beginning of the year.”

Despite losing nine of their last 10, Mattingly is trying his best to avoid a sense impending doom. He’ll touch on reality, but then give it his best positive spin.

“We think we are in an optimistic situation,” he said. “We’ll push through the break and see where we’re at.”

Not even scoring can keep Dodgers from falling out of first

The Mets take a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers, who break their scoreless skid at 33 consecutive innings but fall a game behind the Giants in the NL West standings.

By Steve Dilbeck June 28, 2012, 10:10 p.m.

Even on a night when the Dodgers received encouraging reports on Andre Ethier and snapped that dreadful scoreless skid, the news still managed to be bad.

They are no longer the first-place Dodgers.

The Dodgers managed a couple of runs but still suffered their fifth consecutive loss and ninth in their last 10 games, falling 3-2 to the Mets on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium before an announced crowd of 49,006.

With the Giants defeating the Reds, 5-0, on Thursday, the Dodgers were knocked out of first place in the National League West for the first time since the fifth game of the season.

The Dodgers, who once led the West by 7 1/2 games, now trail the Giants by one game. The five-game losing streak matches their longest of the year.

Considering their spiral, the day started well enough when an MRI exam of the oblique that Ethier strained on Wednesday showed minimal swelling and he was not placed on the disabled list. The Dodgers will give him a couple of days to see how he responds, and he might yet go on the DL, but considered the report a best-case scenario for his injury.

The end of the Dodgers’ embarrassing streak happened Thursday at 8:06 p.m., when they placed a pair of hits around Andres Torres.

Dee Gordon led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double off right-hander Chris Young that fell in front of Torres, who was playing fairly deep. Elian Herrera followed with a drive over the head of a shallow-playing Torres and legged it out for a triple.

Which brought home Gordon in the form of that long, lost friend –- a run.

That ended the Dodgers’ scoreless streak at 33 consecutive innings, fifth longest in franchise history. Their all-time scoreless streak of 41 consecutive innings, set in 1908, remained for another day.

Juan Rivera followed Herrera with a run-scoring to center, and the Dodgers had a profusion of runs to tie the score at 2-2.

Which was pretty much the end of the Dodgers’ offense. Of course, this was a lineup that featured a () who had been benched the previous three games and a fifth hitter (Scott Van Slyke) just called up from triple-A Albuquerque in the morning.

Together they combined to go 0 for 8, leaving Loney without a hit in his last 22 at-bats. When he bounced out in his final at-bat, he was greeted with boos.

The Mets opened the scoring against Chris Capuano, who spent last season as their teammate, with a run in the first inning. Ruben Tejada singled to left field and scored on a David Wright double past Herrera at third.

Wright made it a 2-0 New York lead in the top of the fourth inning when he hit a solo half way up the left-field pavilion. It was his ninth homer of the season.

After the Dodgers shocked the Mets with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, New York quickly regained the lead in the sixth. Mike Nickeas singled, was sacrificed to second by Young and scored when Torres doubled down the right-field line.

Capuano (9-3) went seven innings, giving up the three runs on five hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.

Dodgers get best-case news on Andre Ethier oblique injury

By Steve Dilbeck June 28, 2012, 6:00 p.m.

Starved for good news, the Dodgers received a morsel Thursday and devoured it. When you’ve lost eight of nine, been shut out by your rival the last three games and are playing without your No. 2, 3 and 4 hitters, a crumb can feel like a feast.

The good news arrived via the medical review of the MRI taken on Andre Ethier’s strained left oblique muscle.

Ethier’s injury was not deemed serious enough to place him on the disabled list, at least for now, and the Dodgers called him that favorite medical standby – day-to-day.

“It’s really good news,” said Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly. “We’re still calling it a strain, but it’s on the better side for a left-handed hitter, the left side. At this point we’re calling him day-to-day. “I kind of assumed we were going to be in a DL situation, but really the docs looked at it and didn’t see any swelling. It really couldn’t be any better as far as this injury goes.”

Ethier underwent therapy and later stretched with the team, as he is expected to do again Friday. Mostly, he was just thrilled to learn the strain was not serious.

“I was really hoping,” Ethier said. “I've been on the DL the last couple of years and it's not a good feeling. There's nothing more I would want to have than a full, healthy season.”

Still needing an outfielder to replace him at least in the short term, the Dodgers called back Scott Van Slyke from triple-A Albuquerque and sent Ivan De Jesus back down. Van Slyke was in the lineup against the Mets Thursday and batting fifth.

The Dodgers will approach Ethier’s injury with caution, and if he doesn’t show steady progress, he could yet be headed for the DL. Position players who strain an oblique typically spend a month on the disabled list.

“Obviously we’re in a league where you can’t just sit here for 10 days,” Mattingly said. “If it got to something like that, I’m sure we’d talk about something different. But at this point, we’re talking day-to-day, not DL.”

Mattingly said the day after Wednesday’s frustrating third consecutive scoreless loss to the Giants that he was trying to look at things optimistically. Mark Ellis is expected back within a week, and Matt Kemp could follow shortly afterward.

“We have to get ourselves to the [All-Star] break and get our guys back,” Mattingly said.

“We have to regroup and think about this thing. If you tell me walking out of , that with 11 games before the break and having played half of them without Matt, that during that period you’re going to lose a in , you’re going to lose Matt Guerrier, Javy Guerra, and you’re going to be tied for first – we would have walked out of spring training and said, `Sign me up for the rest of the year, let’s go.’

“And no matter where we’ve been, this is where we’re at.”

Stan Kasten: Dodgers looking to make big moves at trade deadline

By Dylan Hernandez June 28, 2012, 5:55 p.m. Dodgers President Stan Kasten said he welcomes expectations that the team’s new ownership group will finance significant moves at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

“I promise you we’ll explore everything,” Kasten said. “Look, as candid as we can be, we’re the Dodgers. We’re supposed to be big. We intend to be big. Will we look at big things? You bet.”

Kasten maintained the Dodgers have the financial flexibility to add to their payroll. He lamented that the organization doesn’t have more top-tier prospects who would be attractive trade pieces.

“I wish we were deeper in that regard,” Kasten said. “But if the resources involve money, we’ll be very flexible.”

In fact, Kasten said he would prefer to take on a greater percentage of an incoming player’s salary if it means they can acquire him for lesser prospects.

Can the Dodgers remain competitive even without adding players?

“That I don’t know,” Kasten said. “My guess is yes because if you look at how we were doing until two weeks ago, it was really extraordinary given what this group had done, given the injuries that we’ve had. Assuming that those guys are still here, plus we’re getting some people back in the near future, absolutely, we can contend with the group that we have now.”

Kasten, who described the Dodgers early in the season as a .500 team, said his team is better than he initially thought.

“Clearly it was,” he said. “I’ve been really impressed with the pitching. I did not see that coming. Given the history of injuries, I’m really impressed with the consistency I’ve seen from the pitching staff.”

Asked if the Dodgers would take on a bloated multi-year deal, Kasten replied, “Don’t ask me hypotheticals like that. We have to evaluate every deal independently, so I can't answer things like that. I’ll say this: I can’t think of anything I’d rule out."

The shrink is in: Here to help with all those Dodgers blues

By Steve Dilbeck June 28, 2012, 1:19 p.m.

I know, there is only so much Prozac in the world, only so many yoga classes out there, so many therapists with open couches.

And here I am to help. All free and everything; I mean, pay walls excepted.

Sure, it feels like doom and gloom in Dodgers Land right now. They’ve lost eight of nine, couldn’t hit a punching bag, are losing star players by the game and – embarrassment of embarrassment – were swept by the Giants.

So here is some good news to lift the spirits:

 Hey, it can’t get anymore mortifying than being shut out three consecutive times by the evil, dreaded, orange- and-black, garlic-fry-eating Giants. Really, that has to be as low as a just baseball god will allow any team to fall.  They are still in first place. OK, they’re tied for first with the evil Giants. But still, they’re in first. Better than anywhere else.  The season is not even half over. That’s right, not even half. Play 162 games and you’re going to have some ups and downs. This one just happens to feel like down into a bottomless black well.  The Dodgers just spent $42 million to sign a Cuban outfielder you’ve never heard of. No, Yasiel Puig won’t be called up to hit now. And who the hell knows really knows how good a 21-year-old is who hasn’t played in over a year and was little seen when he was? Won’t help now, but think of the idea that the new owners really are willing to spend as a psychological relief.  Mark Ellis could be back in a week, Matt Kemp possibly in two, and to this point it’s uncertain how long Andre Ethier will be out. Maybe Ethier’s strained oblique is fairly minor and he won’t be out a month.  The Dodgers still have one of the best rotations in baseball and it should continue to keep them in games.

Feel any better? Come on, not even a little?

Try this: If the Dodgers can hang on and even play .500 baseball the next three or four weeks, then their injured players should return and there’s still plenty of time to make a charge.

There is also the likelihood some offensive help will arrive before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, although the Dodgers cannot afford to be counting on it. They need to scrap together, make the most of what they have now and try to grind out this next month and then see where they’re at.

Anything else would be just too depressing.

Dodgers make statement with Yasiel Puig's 7-year, $42-million deal

By Dylan Hernandez June 28, 2012, 1:02 p.m.

Yasiel Puig isn’t expected to play in the major leagues this season. He might not even be ready next season.

But the Dodgers’ agreement to sign the 21-year-old Cuban outfielder might be the most significant statement by the team’s new ownership group to date -- and that includes the recent contract extension they signed with Andre Ethier.

If Puig passes a physical exam in Mexico City on Thursday and his deal is approved by Major League Baseball, the Dodgers will pay him $42 million over the next seven seasons.

That would be the largest contract ever signed by a Cuban amateur. That is about five times as much money as the once- bankrupt Dodgers have spent on all of their international signings over the last decade.

Re-establishing the Dodgers in the international market was a stated priority of Guggenheim Baseball, which bought the team this spring. The Dodgers made a strong run at another Cuban defector earlier this month, 20-year-old Jorge Soler, who signed a nine-year, $30-million contract with the Chicago Cubs

The agreement was confirmed by Puig’s agent, Jaime Torres, who described Puig as a five-tool player.

“He looks like a football player,” Torres said. “He looks like a linebacker with a defensive back’s speed.”

Puig hasn’t played in a game in more than a year. Until he worked out for teams in Mexico City last week, he hadn’t held a bat in more than five months.

That’s because he was suspended from the Cuba’s top-flight league for attempting to defect from the communist island. In his last season, in 2010-11, Puig hit .330 with 17 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

Puig was a member of Cuba’s national team.

Puig figures to begin his American baseball experience in Arizona, where the Dodgers have their spring training complex as well as a rookie league club. Because Puig has been inactive for so long, the Dodgers aren’t expected to rush him. If he transitions well, he could play in the Arizona Fall League, a finishing school for baseball’s top prospects.

Puig’s contract includes a provision that would allow him to void the deal and opt into salary arbitration with the Dodgers after he has accumulated three years of major league service time.

ESPN.com

Dodgers break scoreless drought, but fall to Mets for 5th straight loss

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Chris Young and Chris Capuano are a couple of kindred spirits. They were teammates with the New York Mets last season and shared one common trait above all -- resiliency.

Both spent significant time away from the game because of injuries that required surgery and resulted in grueling comebacks. And in their first head-to-head matchup since Capuano left for free agency, Young and the Mets came away with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. "It was fun when I saw the matchup, knowing that I was going up against him," Young said. "Cappy's a great guy and I'm happy for him. I know it's been a hard road for him. I've been through it, so I know what it's like."

"And to see his success this year, I'm very thrilled for him. But I wanted to beat him and I wanted us to win the game. That's the most important thing. And the guys managed to get one more than they did," he said.

David Wright hit a solo homer and RBI double as the Mets sent the Dodgers to their fifth straight loss.

The Dodgers ended their 33-inning scoreless drought in the fourth, with Dee Gordon getting congratulated up and down the dugout after crossing the plate. But they couldn't break through against the Mets' and dropped from the top of the NL West standings.

"I did see some jumping and hooting and hollering there, but we tried to stay focused because we still had a game to play," Dodgers catcher Matt Treanor said.

Young (2-1) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking none.

Relievers Tim Byrdak and Jon Rauch followed and then , getting his first opportunity since Frank Francisco went on the disabled list, pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the year.

Capuano (9-3) gave up three runs, five hits and no walks over seven innings.

The Mets are the only NL club the 33-year-old left-hander has never beaten -- including five starts with Milwaukee in which he was 0-4 with a 6.35 ERA. Capuano came in 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his seven previous home starts this season. Capuano has followed Young's efforts.

"He's just such a competitor," Capuano said. "When he was healthy starting out last year, he did some amazing things and pitched some great games for us. Then he suddenly went down with that shoulder injury."

"He was really down at that point, and I just tried to talk to him and give some encouragement," he said. "I told him: 'Hey, I missed two years (after Tommy John surgery) and didn't know if I was going to make it back. So just keep at it. You know how to pitch. Just take your time and just focus on the rehab.' Now he's back and throwing great."

Coming off a three-game sweep at San Francisco in which they were outscored 15-0, the Dodgers ended their shutout string when Gordon doubled and Elian Herrera tripled over the head of center fielder Andres Torres. Juan Rivera followed with a sharp single through the box -- all with none out.

The drought was the Dodgers' longest since the 1966 World Series against Baltimore, when they were blanked over the final 33 innings by Moe Drabowsky, Jim Palmer, Wally Bunker and Dave McNally. The franchise mark is 41 scoreless innings, set in August 1908 when they were known as the Brooklyn Superbas.

The Mets, who came in with the second-best average in the majors with runners in and two outs, regained the lead in the fifth with a two-out double by Torres after Mike Nickeas singled, advanced on Young's sacrifice and stole third. New York leads the majors with 167 two-out runs.

Wright, who had a season-high five RBIs in Wednesday's 17-1 rout of the Cubs at , doubled home a run in the first. In the fourth, he golfed a drive into the left-field pavilion.

It was his ninth homer and 192nd of his career, tying Howard Johnson for third place on the Mets' career list behind (252) and Mike Piazza (220).

Game notes

The Dodgers are 3-10 since the NHL champion Kings stopped by Chavez Ravine to show off the Stanley Cup they won two nights earlier. At the time, they led the Giants by 4 1/2 games. ... Dodgers RF Andre Ethier, who strained the oblique muscle on his left side while checking his swing in Wednesday's game, did not play. He is 12 for 29 with six homers against Young. "At this point, we're kind of day to day," manager Don Mattingly said. "Yesterday I kind of assumed we were going to be in a DL situation. But the docs looked at it and didn't see any swelling, so the news couldn't be any better as far as Andre is concerned." ... Wright drew his 581st walk, breaking Strawberry's club record. ... The Dodgers optioned OF Ivan DeJesus Jr. to Triple-A and recalled RF Scott Van Slyke, who batted fifth and was 0 for 4. ... The Dodgers have reached an agreement on a seven-year, $42 million contract with Cuban defector Yasiel Puig. The deal for the 21- year-old outfielder is expected to be completed on Friday, pending a physical.

Andre Ethier (oblique) day to day

By Brian Kamenetzky | ESPNLosAngeles.com

LOS ANGELES -- Right fielder Andre Ethier will not be placed on the disabled list and is officially listed as day to day with a strained oblique, the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers announced Thursday.

Ethier left Wednesday's game in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants after checking his swing against Tim Lincecum. He wasn't in the lineup for Thursday night's series opener against the Mets at Dodger Stadium.

"Andre had pretty good news. Really good news," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "(Wednesday) I kind of assumed that we were going to be in a DL situation, but really the docs looked at him and didn't see any swelling. Couldn't be any better, as far as the news for Andre is concerned."

Eithier is hitting .291 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs, good for third in the National League, though he was struggling in June with a .218 average.

Short an outfielder, the Dodgers recalled Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque and optioned infielder Ivan De Jesus. In 17 games earlier this season with the Dodgers, Van Slyke batted .194 (6 of 31) with a home run and six RBIs. In 16 games after being sent down, Van Slyke hit .306 for the Isotopes.

He will start Thursday against the Mets in right field.

Already thin on bats with Matt Kemp out until at least the All-Star break with a strained left hamstring, Mattingly acknowledged the predicament the club is in without Ethier.

"We had to regroup a little bit," he said. "Yesterday was really a pretty rough day in the sense of being frustrated with what was going on, with what happened with Andre and that whole situation. You feel bad. But at the end of the day, I think you have to regroup, and you do what we've been doing. We've got to get ready to play."

The Dodgers have lost eight of their last nine games and haven't scored a run since the sixth inning of Sunday's loss to the Angels in Anaheim.

In the span of a month, they have seen a 7.5-game lead over San Francisco in the National League West evaporate, and they even saw their team plane delayed leaving the Bay Area after Wednesday's loss in San Francisco.

Mattingly pointed to the All-Star break as a target date. If the Dodgers can stay afloat, things could turn around. "We look like we have a chance to get (second baseman) Mark Ellis back before the break, and possibly getting Matt back really quickly after the break," Mattingly said. "It doesn't sound like Andre is going to be an extended period of time. Within a short period of time, we're going to see our lineup being back together, if everything would kind of go that direction."

On the pitching staff, Mattingly hopes reliever Javy Guerra (right knee inflammation), set to throw a simulated game Friday, will return around the All-Star break.

The Dodgers need all the help they can get. Their lineup Thursday night against the Mets lacked a single player hitting better than .265, and the eight position players had nine home runs between them.

Mattingly said he remains optimistic, but knows it won't be easy. There certainly will be no premium put on style points.

"Like I've kind of said before when Matt was hurt and guys were hurt, you've got to find a way to win a game today. That's really where we're at. We've got to band together, play some baseball, find a way to win a game, get ourselves to the break, and get our guys back," he said.

"I think we're OK. I think our guys will be all right."

Dodgers have deal with Yasiel Puig

By Enrique Rojas | ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com

Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig has reached agreement on a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources told ESPNdeportesLosAngeles.com.

The agreement is pending a physical exam, and would be the largest dollar figure accorded a Cuban defector, surpassing the four-year, $36 million deal Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Céspedes received in February.

"Puig's contract with the Dodgers should be completed by Friday. The young man could play in the major leagues this year, maybe in time to help with the race for the playoffs or the World Series," said the source, who added that the agreement includes some clauses that could permit Puig to become a free agent after his fourth year.

Under the new rules that regulate the hiring of Cuban ballplayers, upon receiving permanent residency -- known as FM2 in Mexico -- Puig will not need to be unblocked by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that enforces the sanctions of the United States' embargo against Cuba. The 21-year-old Puig batted .330 with 17 home runs, 47 RBIs and 78 runs scored in 327 at-bats with the Elefantes in the 2010-11 . He averaged .370 in 46 at-bats in the playoffs. Puig, who also was considered the fastest player in Cuban baseball, was left off the Cienfuegos team for the 2011-12 season after having been caught on several occasions trying to escape the country. He finally succeeded in defecting last month and established residency in Mexico.

Dodgers go overboard for Yasiel Puig

By Keith Law

The most surprising news in the baseball world today is that the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig to a seven-year deal worth $42 million.

This would be the most money ever given to a Cuban defector, surpassing the four-year, $36 million deal Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes received in February. It's also much more -- both in terms of overall dollars and average annual value -- than the nine-year, $30 million contract the Chicago Cubs gave to outfielder Jorge Soler earlier this month.

The impetus for these enormous deals seems to be the impending international spending cap, which will kick in this summer and will allow teams to spend just $2.9 million on international free agents from July 2 to July 1, 2013. This cap stands to affect Cuban players more than those from other countries, as we've seen, with three eight-figure deals given to Cuban players in the past eight months. The cap also will make it much harder for a big-money team to swoop in and blow away the competition with an outrageous offer, which is what the Dodgers are doing here.

Based on what I've heard about Puig, this is a bizarre overreaction to the upcoming international spending cap, and a huge bet that, despite a stiff swing and less athletic body than Soler, Puig's bat is good enough to justify an investment of this size. I've also heard that Puig was badly out of shape in his recent workouts in Mexico, and that his throwing arm is not as strong since it was last seen in games. And unlike Soler or Cespedes, Puig barely has played in games outside of Cuba, so major league scouts have not had much of an opportunity to evaluate him properly.

I'm not sure what other team was willing to offer Puig anything close to what L.A. did. The Dodgers' peace dividend won't matter if they squander it on deals like this and the Andre Ethier extension.

Kasten says Dodgers thinking big

By Brian Kamenetzky | ESPNLosAngeles.com

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers President Stan Kasten said Thursday the team hoped to be active ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and that finances won't be an impediment to improving.

As an organization, Kasten said, the Dodgers are thinking big and welcome expectations for aggressive action.

"As candid as I can be, we're the Dodgers. We're supposed to be big. We intend to be big. So will we look at big things? You bet. That's as straight as I can be," Kasten said. "We are The Dodgers. That's all caps, alright? You should write that. All caps. We are 'THE DODGERS' all caps. And we should act that way."

Short on high-end position players in their minor league system, Kasten acknowledged translating the desire for significant maneuvers into tangible results may not be easy, but while avoiding conversation about specific players or contract-related hypotheticals, indicated a willingness to explore any option available.

"I can't think of anything I would rule out," he said. "I don't know that there's ever a time you don't want to improve your team. If you're in a hunt, and we're definitely in the hunt, you want to improve your chances as you go down the stretch. We know our competitors are going to be improving themselves, and so we expect to be doing the same thing."

Before Thursday, the Dodgers had lost eight of their last nine games, and hadn't scored a run over their last 30 innings. Center fielder Matt Kemp, who finished second in last year's National League MVP race, remains on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring, and fellow All-Star Andre Ethier is day-to-day because of an oblique strain suffered in the first inning of Wednesday's loss to the Giants in San Francisco.

Additionally, second baseman Mark Ellis and reliever Javy Guerra are out. All four are expected to return before or shortly after the All-Star break.

With that in mind, Kasten expressed optimism the Dodgers as constructed can remain competitive, particularly given the performance of the pitching staff, which has to this point, like the team as a whole, exceeded his expectations. "If you look at how we were doing up until two weeks ago, it was really extraordinary what this group of players has done given the injuries that we've had," Kasten said. "So assuming that those guys are still here, plus we're getting some people back in the near future, absolutely we can contend with the group that we have now. Having said that, I want to repeat ... we will do all we can (to improve)."

3 up, 3 down: Mets 3, Dodgers 2

By Brian Kamenetzky | ESPNLosAngeles.com

LOS ANGELES -- The best thing happening to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday came long before the game, when an examination of Andre Ethier's strained oblique revealed nothing significant. He's being called day-to-day, and isn't expected to land on the disabled list.

From there? Well, you can't fault the Dodgers' effort in their 3-2 loss to the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Unfortunately, effort doesn't mean run support.

The Good:

The Dodgers scored. Twice! I'm not trying to be flippant. After being shut out in all three games against the San Francisco Giants this week, running their scoreless streak to 30 innings, putting a run on the board -- somehow, some way, a run -- was a huge focus. The Blue added three more donuts to the streak before exploding for a pair in the fourth. Dee Gordon laced a line drive to right center, followed by a shot from Elian Herrera over the head of Andres Torres in center for a triple. He was knocked home on a single by Juan Rivera. Given that no Dodger started the night with an average higher than .265, and as a group the position players combined had eight homers, I'm willing to bet had most fans been given an over/under of 1.5 runs for the Blue, they'd have seriously considered the under.

Chris Capuano. The feature of my shiny pregame column, Capuano wasn't at his most dominant but still pitched a very solid game. The Mets struck quickly, scoring a run in the top of the first. From there, short of a couple of bad pitches -- a two-strike mistake to David Wright for a leadoff homer in the fourth, then another on a run scoring triple to Torres -- Capuano was solid. Four times over seven innings he put the Mets down in order, and retired three straight after the Wright home run. Of his 82 pitches, 61 were for strikes, and he didn't walk anyone. Criticizing Capuano for falling short of perfection simply because the lineup behind him demanded something very close isn't fair.

Things Stan Kasten said. The Dodgers' President spoke to the media before the game, and said a lot of things fans will enjoy hearing. As far as trade-deadline rhetoric is concerned, this is basically William Wallace-level stuff: "As candid as I can be, we're the Dodgers. We're supposed to be big. We intend to be big. So will we look at big things? You bet. That's as straight as I can be," Kasten said. "We are the Dodgers. That's all caps, all right? You should write that. All caps. We are 'THE DODGERS,' all caps. And we should act that way."

The Bad:

Production. This is still a Major League Baseball game, and as a rule teams won't win with two runs and six hits. And while that might have exceeded expectations, the Giants won again Thursday night, meaning the Dodgers no longer have even a share of the NL West lead. With Ethier likely out for another game or two (at least) and Matt Kemp gone until after the All-Star break, the Dodgers are in a tough spot. Heck, given his poor June and the nature of his injury -- oblique muscles are tricky things -- the Blue can't on much of a lift from Ethier when he returns. They simply have to figure out a way to tread water, scratching out enough runs to avoid ceding too much ground to the Giants or the second half could start with the Dodgers in a decent-sized hole. How, I'm not sure, and I don't think Don Mattingly knows, either. There may not be a formula, honestly.

James Loney. Over the past couple weeks, Mattingly has played Loney with less consistency but a few factors working in combination (Loney's .308 average at home, his .353 mark against Mets starter Chris Young, the Dodgers running low on dudes) put him back in the lineup. Mattingly's faith was not rewarded. Loney went 0-for-4, was booed after his fourth at-bat, and flat out dropped a routine throw from in the eighth, very nearly adding to L.A.'s deficit.

The schedule. The Dodgers draw knuckleballer/surefire All-Star R.A. Dickey on Friday, then on Saturday. Next week, the NL Central leading Cincinnati Reds and Johnny Cueto visit L.A.. No rest for the weary.

How long will Capuano’s success last?

By Brian Kamenetzky | ESPNLosAngeles.com

The smoke machine is sputtering, the mirrors are cracking, and a Dodgers team that for much of the season was sporting baseball’s best record now finds itself struggling to hold off the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

The other shoe may not have dropped, but it’s probably worth keeping an eye up just to be safe. Matt Kemp is likely gone through the All-Star break. Andre Ethier is hitting .217 in June following Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Giants. The one- time promise of James Loney has now evaporated. is … Juan Uribe. And so on. Even when Kemp and Mark Ellis return, it’s hard to picture the Dodgers ever pounding teams into submission offensively. Meaning the pitching staff can’t bend, let alone break.

Along those lines, ’s struggles with plantar fasciitis and ’s struggles with basically everything garner most of the headlines in the starting staff, but another equally important question revolves around the guy who hasn’t caused an ounce of worry all year, and is very likely heading to Kansas City for the All-Star Game:

Can Chris Capuano be this good for the rest of the season?

Signed to a two-year, $10 million contract last offseason, Capuano hasn’t just been good, but great. Heading into Thursday’s start against the Mets at the Ravine, the 33-year-old lefty is the staff’s runaway leader in wins (nine) and has the lowest ERA among starters (2.60). He has been particularly good at Dodger Stadium, allowing only eight earned runs in 46 innings over seven starts.

In 12 of his 15 starts, Capuano has allowed three earned runs or fewer. In eight, he’s surrendered one or blanked the opposition entirely.

“Cappy has been amazing. The way he’s thrown the ball, from start to finish all season long,” catcher A.J. Ellis said after Capuano’s strong seven innings of work Saturday in Anaheim. “Starting in spring training, you could tell he had a little more velocity on his , and when he has that it just makes all his offspeed [pitches] better.”

But is it sustainable?

His eight-year career has produced moments of success -- Capuano made a midsummer classic while a member of the Brewers in 2006 -- but nothing, including that All-Star season, has matched this year’s dominance. Pick a stat, conventional or advanced, and there’s a good chance Capuano is setting a career high. Then there’s his health. Capuano has undergone not one, but two Tommy John surgeries on his left elbow. Rebounding from the first is practically routine these days, but the track record for players undergoing a second isn’t nearly as kind.

Still, while continuing to work his way back from the most recent elbow procedure, there were signs of life for Capuano buried in an 11-12 record and the 4.55 ERA with the Mets. He threw 186 innings, his highest total since ’06, and the 3.17 /walk ratio was the second best of his career, to name a couple.

It was enough to get manager Don Mattingly’s attention.

“Honestly, (pitching coach) Rick (Honeycutt) and myself both liked this guy. I hated scouting him because he gives you a lot of different looks,” he said after Saturday’s win. “We felt like at the end of the year last year, he was throwing the ball well. We’ve always liked him, and felt like this was there. So I’m not quite sure we thought it was going to be like this, but I will tell you I know it’s a guy we both liked in the past.”

Capuano says adding more to his repertoire has helped.

“I’ve experimented a lot over the last couple years with grips. A different kind of a two-seam fastball, a different , a cutter which I learned last year,” he says. “So those were all things I didn’t have before. I really was fastball, , before. Now I kind of have a couple different . A little more of a slow breaking ball, and also a cutter. So there are some differences (between now and earlier in his career).”

The biggest adjustment might have come in his mental game. Ellis -- only half joking, it seems -- says getting Capuano, a Duke product and Phi Beta Kappa who while still in the minors was recruited by Morgan Stanley, to think a little less on the mound has been key.

“In the past, he might get into his own way,” Ellis said. “He’s a very cerebral guy. Everyone knows his education background and how smart he is off the field. When he’s out there on the mound and pitches with a clear head, and executes pitches as opposed to trying to game plan and worry about sequences and how to get guys out, just executes the pitches that I put down, or Matt Treanor puts down, he seems to be a lot more effective,” Ellis said.

In other words, get a little dumber.

“Sometimes we all need to do that when we’re playing this game,” Ellis said, smiling.

Capuano, a meticulous game planner, says he has made a concerted effort to relax, trust and execute the pregame work once taking the mound. Having Ellis, considered an excellent game manager despite relatively thin major league experience, helps. So does an outlook embracing the intellectual side of his craft without allowing it to be an impediment.

It’s one reason this year’s All-Star season could have a better ending than in ’06, when Capuano collapsed after the break.

“My perspective is just different now. I think I want to do well, I want to get wins -- but it really isn’t the end result (I’m after),” he says. “So much has changed in my life (since 2006). I missed two years of baseball, I got married. Just the way I look at baseball has changed. I really just enjoy being here every day. I enjoy executing pitches. I enjoy executing pitches, I enjoy seeing how many of my pitches I can execute that I’m given in a game. That’s where the joy is.”

Every long professional career has outliers, seasons above or below a player’s established norms. It’s why, before the term was ruined even for non-PED users, someone invented the idea of the career year. Maybe Capuano has discovered a formula helping to harness potential derailed earlier by inconsistency and injury. Maybe this is the year he manages to put everything together before regressing to the mean. The Dodgers would love it to be the former, and would certainly take the latter.

What the first 15 starts of Capuano’s career in L.A. can’t be is a mirage. Not if the Blue have any hope of parlaying that fast start into a playoff berth in the fall.

Dodgers.com

Dodgers fall out of first with fifth straight loss

By Alex Angert / MLB.com | 6/29/2012 2:15 AM ET

LOS ANGELES -- The scoreless streak is over, but the outcome remained the same. The Dodgers finally scored in the bottom of the fourth after 33 innings without a run, but they fell to the Mets, 3-2, Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. It's the Dodgers' fifth consecutive loss and ninth in their past 10 games. Coupled with a San Francisco victory against Cincinnati, the Dodgers are out of first place in the National League West for the first time since April 11, which was five games into Los Angeles' season.

Despite his team being shut out in its previous three games heading into Thursday's series opener, manager Don Mattingly was feeling optimistic before the game. And after his team lost, squandering a sharp performance by Chris Capuano, he insisted he still felt the same way.

"I think we know where we're at," Mattingly said. "We've been able to step back from that road trip and take in a little bit of a breath and kind of look into what really has happened to us and what has gone on through the course of the first half of the season. We are in an optimistic situation."

Although the bats woke up a little bit, the lack of power in the Dodgers' lineup -- especially from the corner positions -- continued to be problematic. The last Dodgers home run came on Friday, when went yard in the first inning against the Angels.

That lack of pop was even more evident Thursday night as David Wright, whose name had been thrown around in trade rumors surrounding the Dodgers earlier this season, hit a solo home run in the fourth and an RBI double in the first.

But despite the offensive woes and recent struggles, the team remains upbeat. With the All-Star break looming, signifying the upcoming returns of Mark Ellis, Matt Kemp, Javy Guerra and Andre Ethier -- whose left oblique strain shouldn't send him to the disabled list -- the Dodgers have yet to hit the panic button despite falling out of first place.

"The race has just begun for us," Capuano said. "I look at the standings and I'm pretty happy where we are at right now."

The lefty said Thursday's game had a better feel than the ones on the road trip and that he thought the team was going to pull out another comeback win in the eighth or ninth. That was largely thanks to a two-run fourth inning that got the players in the dugout finally smiling again while earning the Dodgers a standing ovation from the 49,006 in attendance.

The speedy Dee Gordon led things off with a double that dropped between center fielder Torres and right fielder Lucas Duda. The scoreless drought ended on a triple by Elian Herrera roped over the head of Torres, who was playing in shallow center. Herrera scored one batter later on a Juan Rivera single up the middle that tied the game.

"When we did finally score a run, you could feel the tension lighten in the dugout," said Capuano, who gave up three runs on five hits in seven innings. "It was a good feeling. We were pumped up. We were jumping around. We were pretty jacked up."

"It felt good to score a couple runs to be honest," said Mattingly, who told his pitchers before the game to keep doing what they've been doing despite the offensive problems.

"We got back in the game right there and then they got one right back. At that point, it still felt like we were going to get back and score a run there and get back in it. We weren't able to cross that barrier tonight, so we keep going."

An RBI double by Torres in the fifth proved to be the last run of the game as the Dodgers failed to back up Capuano, who absorbed only his third loss this year. The lefty, who is having a career year after going 11-12 with a 4.55 ERA for the Mets last season, came into the game 0-4 with a 6.35 ERA in five previous starts against his old team.

"To see his success this year, I'm very thrilled for him," said Capuano's former teammate Chris Young, who got the win for the Mets. "But I wanted to beat him. I wanted us to win the game tonight."

After striking out five and walking none on just 82 pitches -- only 21 balls -- Capuano left the game in the bottom of the seventh as Mattingly opted to pinch-hit Jerry Hairston with the Dodgers in need of some offense. Hairston was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second, but Gordon struck out to end the inning.

Source: Dodgers agree to sign Cuban Puig

By Jesse Sanchez/MLB.com

The Dodgers have been open about their willingness to spend money to make the team better and candid about their desire to strengthen their presence on an international market that they once dominated.

It appears the club has made progress on both fronts in one fell swoop.

According to an industry source, the Dodgers have agreed to a seven-year deal worth $42 million with 21-year-old international prospect Yasiel Puig, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound outfielder from Cuba.

The Dodgers have not confirmed the signing, but comments made by manager Don Mattingly suggested the deal will be announced soon.

"I just talked to Ned [Colletti, general manager] a little bit and I don't think they expect him to be here tomorrow or anything like that," Mattingly said before the Dodgers' series opener against the Mets. "He's a guy that is supposed to be really talented, can fly, can play the ."

Puig (pronounced Pweeg) was declared a free agent Wednesday, not long after establishing temporary residency in Mexico, and was eventually cleared by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

In order to avoid being subject to new CBA guidelines that will limit spending on international prospects to $2.9 million per team without penalty, Puig must sign the record-setting deal, have the contract approved by Major League Baseball and pass a physical before Monday.

The Cubs and White Sox also expressed interest in Puig.

A top prospect in the island's premier league, the Cuban National Series (Serie Nacional), Puig hit .276 with five home runs during his first campaign with Cienfuegos in 2008-09 and had a breakout year the next season, hitting .330 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs. He did not play for Cienfuegos during the 2011-12 seasons because he was being disciplined for attempting to defect.

Puig, a member of the country's national team, is the latest high-profile Cuban player to sign with a Major League club. Yoenis Cespedes signed a four-year $36 million deal with the A's in mid-February, and Jorge Soler signed a nine-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs earlier this month. Left-handed pitcher Omar Luis Rodriguez signed a Minor League deal worth $4 million with the Yankees last week, and fellow lefty Gerardo Concepcion signed a five-year, $6 million deal with the Cubs in early February. Back in January 2010, signed a six-year $30.25 million deal with the Reds, and infielder Adeiny Hechavarria signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Blue Jays three months later. Pitcher signed a four-year, $8 million deal with the Nationals that July.

Before the start of the 2009 season, Dayan Viciedo signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the White Sox, and shortstop Jose Iglesias signed a four-year, $8.25 million contract with the Red Sox near the end of the season.

In May 2011, the Rangers signed outfielder Leonys Martin to a five-year, $15.5 million deal, which included a $5 million signing bonus.

More Cuban prospects could be on the way. Pitcher Armando Rivero, along with outfielder , were also declared free agents this month and are seeking deals.

Dickey's dozen? Knuckler goes for 12th win in LA

By Quinn Roberts / MLB.com | 6/29/2012 1:38 AM ET

In the midst of a season-high five-game losing streak, the Dodgers will have another tough hurdle to cross on Friday against the Mets at Dodger Stadium.

That's because knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (11-1, 2.31 ERA) will be on the hill for New York trying for his first career win against Los Angeles and looking to become the first in the Majors to 12 wins, which would also be his career high.

The right-hander fell into some trouble in his previous start against the Yankees, allowing five runs on five hits in six innings for the no-decision.

"I've been throwing a good knuckleball," Dickey said after the start. "I gave up five hits. I don't feel like I got beat around the park. I gave up one great swing. I didn't have a great knuckleball tonight, but I fought my butt off as hard as I could."

The outing snapped his streak of five consecutive starts without allowing an earned run. He hadn't allowed an earned run since May 22, a span of 44 2/3 innings.

Even with such staggering numbers, Dodgers right-hander Aaron Harang should be up for the challenge.

Harang has tossed nine quality starts on the year, including four just in the month of June. He took a no-decision on Sunday against the Angels, surrendering three runs on eight hits.

It was a nice turnaround for Harang, who tossed just 3 2/3 innings against Oakland, in which he walked eight and took the loss.

"There were still times I felt a little off," Harang said, "but I was able to keep the ball down in the zone and execute pitches."

Mets: Bay making progress • Outfielder Jason Bay has been riding a stationary bike in New York and is on track to begin baseball activities this coming weekend.

Bay has been on the disabled list since June 16 with a concussion. • Mets top prospect Zack Wheeler, who will participate in the Futures Game in Kansas City next month, was named to the Eastern League All-Star Game. Wheeler is 7-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 13 starts for Double-A Binghamton this season.

Dodgers: Cuban Puig reportedly signs • According to an industry source, the Dodgers have agreed to a seven-year deal worth $42 million with 21-year-old international prospect Yasiel Puig, an outfielder from Cuba.

Puig was declared a free agent on Wednesday after establishing temporary residency in Mexico and being cleared by the U..S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

A top prospect in Cuba's premier league, the Cuban National Series (Serie Nacional), Puig hit .276 with five home runs during his first season with Cienfuegos in 2008-09 and had a breakout year the next season, hitting .330 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs. He did not play for Cienfuegos during the 2011-12 seasons because he was being disciplined for attempting to defect.

Worth noting • Aaron Harang is 3-3 with 6.05 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets. He went 1-0 with a 5.91 ERA in two starts against the club last season.

• Los Angeles reliever has tossed scoreless relief in 13 of his last 15 appearances.

• Mets third baseman David Wright is one of six National League players with 45 or more runs scored and 45 or more RBIs this year. The other five are: Carlos Beltran, , , Joey Votto and Carlos Gonzalez.

Mattingly remembers Carew's gift from '84 ASG

By Ken Gurnick/MLB.com

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games for the from 1984-89. However, his personal All-Star highlight didn't happen on the field.

It was in 1984, the former Yankee's first full season in the Major Leagues. He would go on to win a batting title that season, while leading the league in hits and doubles at age 23, and finish fifth in AL MVP Award voting.

But what Mattingly remembers best about that first All-Star Game appearance happened in the AL clubhouse.

"I know my favorite memory was in 1984 and I was selected to my first game 1984 in San Francisco at old Candlestick Park," Mattingly recalled.

"Rod Carew was on the team, and he was my favorite player as a kid growing up. I don't know if he knew that or he read an article saying that or what, but he signed a bat and gave it to me, and I still have it to this day. That's my favorite All- Star Game memory."

Eventual Hall of Famer Carew started that All-Star Game at first base for the AL. Mattingly was one of three first-base reserves, along with and Alvin Davis. Mattingly flied out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of a 3-1 loss.

The 2012 All-Star Game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Tuesday, July 10. Come to MLB.com for extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities. The 83rd All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and Sirius XM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com or royals.com/asg.

No swelling in oblique as Ethier avoids trip to DL

By Alex Angert and Ken Gurnick/MLB.com

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers got some much-needed good news on Thursday, when an MRI on Andre Ethier's strained left oblique showed no swelling.

The right fielder is listed as day to day and likely will avoid a trip to the disabled list.

"Yesterday I assumed we were going to be in a DL situation," an optimistic manager Don Mattingly said. "But really the docs looked at it and didn't see any swelling, so it really couldn't be any better."

Mattingly, who originally prepared for Ethier to be out about 20 games, added the team can't afford day to day to mean sitting around waiting for 10 days, and if it got to that point then the team would re-evaluate.

Ethier strained his oblique muscle on a in the first inning of Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Giants in San Francisco. Ethier, who signed an $85 million extension earlier this month, is hitting .291 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs.

Ethier, who was hopeful he could be back in a couple days Wednesday night, didn't hit on Thursday. Test results showed no reason for a platelet-rich plasma injection, and Mattingly said he's not sure what the approach is going to be in the next few days. However, he remained upbeat and said the news was as good as it could be.

Coaches help Dodgers prepare for Mets' Dickey

LOS ANGELES -- How will the Dodgers prepare to beat Mets knuckleball specialist R.A. Dickey for their Friday night game?

Coaches and Trey Hillman are offering to throw to any hitter requesting during batting practice.

Hillman said that's what he did for the entire lineup when he managed in Japan against the occasional knuckleballer.

"I don't think you ever want to see that thing," manager Don Mattingly said. "Honestly, guys don't really like hitting off it. At the end of the day, we're going to have to [Friday].

"We saw him last year, and he's really good. He's different because he throws it hard. He gives you a different feel up there. It's not the Charlie Hough, Phil Niekro kind of slow dancer. He's more of hard knuckleballer. [Tim] Wakefield threw a harder one than those other guys and I thought he was tougher to face of those three."

Wallach, who messes around with knuckleballs while playing , actually took them into games with success when, as a starting third baseman for the Expos, he was pressed into blowout relief duties twice.

"I got good hitters out with my knuckleball, like and Will Clark," Wallach said. "If they request it, it's always good to see a variation of it." Mattingly optimistic as injured Dodgers on mend

LOS ANGELES -- There are a lot of reasons for Don Mattingly to be down these days. The manager has witnessed his team's lead in the National League West disappear, and heading into Thursday's game, the Dodgers hadn't scored in 30 innings, their longest stretch since 1996.

Regardless, Mattingly was optimistic and in a good mood hours before first pitch on Thursday, largely thanks to a number of players on the mend.

He said there is a good chance the Dodgers get Mark Ellis back before the All-Star break and he is hopeful Matt Kemp will return quickly afterward. The good news about Andre Ethier's strained left oblique and reliever Javy Guerra's expected return soon from injury -- he was fielding grounders from the mound Thursday -- has Mattingly confident the Dodgers' recent struggles won't last.

"Within a short period of time, we're going to see our lineup back together if everything goes in that direction," Mattingly said.

Without Ellis, Kemp and Ethier, the Dodgers are missing their 2-3-4 hitters in the lineup. On Thursday, callup Elian Herrera, veteran Juan Rivera and struggling James Loney were penciled in those spots.

However, Mattingly is hopeful with a number of injured guys healing. Kemp and Ellis have been working out together, and Mattingly said Ellis is close while Kemp is not far behind. Guerra is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Friday and Ethier isn't expected to hit the disabled list.

"We're getting ready to get some pretty big pieces of our club back in the mix," Mattingly said. "And I think at the end of the day, we've got to be optimistic."

Truck breakdown 'icing' on Dodgers' tough trip

LOS ANGELES -- It appeared things couldn't get much worse for the Dodgers after a 1-8 road trip that was capped with three straight shutouts from the Giants and news that Andre Ethier strained his left oblique. That was until the team's equipment truck broke down, temporarily grounding the team at the airport Wednesday night.

"It was perfect," manager Don Mattingly said with a laugh. "It was the icing for our trip."

The truck breaking down, coupled with weight and computer issues, delayed the team from leaving San Francisco at its scheduled departure time.

Now at home, Mattingly is excited to be off the road and back in familiar territory.

"That trip didn't do real good for us," he said. "It's always nice to get home and change the scenery. We'll see what happens."

Dodgers bring Van Slyke back, option De Jesus

LOS ANGELES -- In need of an extra outfielder with Andre Ethier day to day with a strained left oblique, the Dodgers recalled Scott Van Slyke and optioned infielder Ivan De Jesus to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Van Slyke got the call Wednesday night and on Thursday he was in the Dodgers' lineup, slated to bat fifth and play right field. He batted .194 with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs in 17 games when he was called up earlier this season. "I was only here for two weeks last time, but it feels like home here with all the guys," the laid-back Van Slyke said. "I'm glad to be back."

Van Slyke said he learned the importance of making adjustments during his first stint with the Dodgers after realizing big league pitchers don't pitch the same way an entire at-bat like they do in Triple-A. After being sent back down, he worked on his two-strike approach and being more aggressive early in counts.

De Jesus, an infielder, was batting .273 with three doubles and four RBIs in 23 games with the Dodgers.

L.A. Daily News

BASEBALL: Dodgers get on scoreboard, still can't win

By J.P. Hoornstra Staff Writer Posted: 06/28/2012 11:55:08 PM PDT Updated: 06/28/2012 11:55:08 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES - Time has made a strange habit of standing still at Dodger Stadium this season.

Like when Andre Ethier belted a walk-off home run on his birthday, when Scott Van Slyke belted his first major-league home run to complete a comeback, or when Dee Gordon ended a game with a 10th-inning single.

It happened again Thursday, when the Dodgers erupted for two runs in one inning.

That's what amounts to heart-stopping moments these days, and the Dodgers' fourth-inning outburst against the New York Mets elicited a partial standing ovation from the announced crowd of 49,006. It also ended an unsightly streak of scoreless innings at 33 and prevented the Dodgers from being shut out in a fourth straight game.

It did not, however, prevent the Dodgers from losing their fifth straight game, and for the eighth time in their last nine games. The Mets' 3-2 victory, combined with the San Francisco Giants' 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds, dropped the Dodgers to second place in the National League West for the first time since April 10.

Time is grinding to a halt for all the wrong reasons.

The reason for the Dodgers' woes: Injuries to starting center fielder Matt Kemp, right fielder Andre Ethier and second baseman Mark Ellis - plus the continued inefficiency of third baseman Juan Uribe and James Loney - has simply depleted the lineup.

A two-run inning hardly counts as a regrouping; the Mets found a few of those between their couch cushions Wednesday in their 17-1 drubbing of the Chicago Cubs.

Unlikely Dodgers ace Chris Capuano (9-3) kept his former team within striking distance. The Mets never led by more than two runs, and Dodger relievers Josh Lindblom and Scott Elbert worked out of their lone jam in the eighth inning.

But by that time, whatever spell the hitting gods placed upon the Dodgers seemed to spill over to the field. Normally reliable first baseman Loney dropped a routine throw from third baseman Adam Kennedy that allowed the Mets' Ruben Tejada to reach on what should have been a simple groundout.

Those kinds of lazy errors were rarely present during the Dodgers' ascent to the best record in baseball, a throne they vacated June 20. Capuano put the Dodgers in position to win with seven strong innings. He allowed three runs, five hits, walked none and struck out five.

David Wright did most of the damage. The Mets' third baseman drove in Tejada with a first-inning double down the left- field line. His solo home run in the fourth inning temporarily gave the Mets a 2-0 lead.

New York starter Chris Young (2-1) did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Gordon led off with a double. The next batter, Herrera, lined a triple over the head of center fielder Andres Torres. Juan Rivera kept the rally going with a single that scored Herrera from third with the tying run.

But New York quickly regained the lead in the fifth, when Torres doubled to score Mike Nickeas.

DODGERS NOTEBOOK: Ethier plans to rest oblique injury

By J.P. Hoornstra, Staff Writer Posted: 06/28/2012 10:44:39 PM PDT Updated: 06/28/2012 10:58:55 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES - Andre Ethier was at Dodger Stadium and in good spirits Thursday. If he could be happy, maybe the rest of the downtrodden Dodgers had a reason to smile, too.

Ethier, who strained his left oblique muscle Wednesday in San Francisco, will avoid the disabled list for now. The team leader in RBIs, games played and doubles is listed as day-to-day.

"Day-to-day can't mean 10 days," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "If it got to that, I'm sure we'd talk something different."

The right fielder was optimistic that he wouldn't go on the disabled list and could return before the All-Star break, which is 10 days away. That would be an ideal timetable for an injury that often requires four weeks of recovery time.

"I wasn't surprised. I was optimistic the whole time," Ethier said. "I've been on the DL the last couple years. I want to have a full healthy season. Sometimes that's wishful thinking."

Ethier suffered the strain in the first inning of the Dodgers' 3-0 loss to the Giants, their third shutout in as many days in San Francisco. He received an MRI exam and will not have a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection, which is sometimes used to stimulate tissue recovery following injuries.

Ethier described his oblique as feeling "sore" and "tender." He has never been sidelined by a similar injury in the past.

Scott Van Slyke was recalled from Triple-A Albquerque and took Ethier's spot in right field Thursday. To make room for Van Slyke on the active roster, utilityman Ivan De Jesus was optioned to Albuquerque.

Van Slyke batted .194 during a 17-game stint spanning May and June, following the first major-league call-up of his career. The highlight came May 20 against the St. Louis Cardinals: A three-run, pinch-hit home run that capped a 6-5 comeback win for the Dodgers.

In 35 games since, the team has gone 15-20, hit a collective 12 home runs, and surrendered sole possession of first place in the National League West. "They've been struggling a little bit but every team goes through that," Van Slyke said. "Guys are going to start hitting. - It's a matter of time."

Puig close to signing

The Dodgers agreed to terms with 21-year-old Cuban outfield prospect Yasiel Puig on a seven-year contract worth $42 million.

Puig is in Mexico City awaiting a visa to enter the United States. He will not join the major-league club immediately, but Puig's agent, Jaime Torres, said he "would not be surprised" if Puig is promoted to the big leagues by the end of the season.

"He's a young impact player that is probably the best to come out of Cuba in a very long time," Torres said. "He can hit for power, drive in a lot of runs, he's got a great arm, and steals bases."

The Dodgers' successful pursuit of Puig represents a shift for a team whose international budget was slashed under former owner Frank McCourt.

The team recently announced it had signed or was in the process of signing 20 players from the Domincan Republic or Venezuela. Earlier this month the Dodgers drafted a pair of Cubans, pitchers Onelki Garcia and Alfredo Unzue, and signed free-agent Cuban catcher Selme Angulo.

The Dodgers were also rumored to have interest in Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, who ultimately signed a nine-year, $30 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Per baseball's collective bargaining agreement, teams that spend more than $2.9 million on international prospects after Tuesday will incur a penalty.

Also ...

Right-hander Javy Guerra (knee) threw another bullpen session Thursday and is scheduled to throw a simulated game today. "We'll re-evaluate from there," Mattingly said. "He'll be rolling out (on a rehabilitation assignment) if everything goes good." - Somewhere behind Guerra are second baseman Mark Ellis (fasciotomy) and Matt Kemp (hamstring). Mattingly said Ellis could return just before the All-Star break, while Kemp is still expected to return just after. - Four were selected to the Triple-A All-Star Game, which will be played July 11 in Buffalo: outfielder Luis Cruz, pitchers John Ely and Josh Wall, and catcher Tim Federowicz. - Tommy Lasorda was the keynote speaker at the Johnny Bench Award ceremony in Wichita, Kan. The award recognizes the best college catcher in the U.S.

Examiner

Dodgers sign Cuban defector Yasiel Puig for $42 million

By Jim Smiley

In a move that is both bold and puzzling, the Dodgers signed 21-year-old Cuban defector Yasiel Puig to a six-year $42 million dollar contract. Puig, who hit .330 with 17 homers in 2010-11 in Cuba, has not played in nearly a year. He was kept from playing due to disciplinary action that some have said was in response to his repeated attempts to defect.

Scouts say Puig, a 6’3” 210 pound outfielder was the fastest player in Cuba. However, Puig might start his American baseball career in the low minors. It’s possible his talents would not have warranted a first round selection were he available in the draft.

Puig’s numbers are no doubt solid, though many players have put up gaudy statistics in the . Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes put up better numbers in the league and is generally considered more polished than Puig who is five years his junior.

The A’s signed Cespedes to a four-year, $36 million contract and immediately plugged him into the Oakland outfield. He has responded by hitting .267 with nine homers and 32 runs batted in through his first 44 Major League games.

It may take Puig two to three seasons to be big-league ready, yielding little value in terms of production at the Major League level for the $42 million investment.

None of this should matter for Dodger fans. Puig’s signing is a message that new Dodger ownership will aggressively spend the money necessary to bring a winning club to Los Angeles.

Puig may be the beneficiary of good timing. With a new agreement going into effect on July 2nd, each team will each have a $2.9 million pool from which to draw upon to sign players. With the deadline looming, the Dodgers had to act quickly.

Whether the signing of Puig is a triumphant move to sign a future star, or an organization throwing big money to a middle-of-the-road prospect remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcome, fans in Los Angeles now have reason to believe that the Dodgers will act like a big-market franchise.

FOX Sports West

Mattingly upbeat as Ethier's injury looks minor

By Jon Rosen

The Los Angeles Dodgers received an optimistic evaluation on Andre Ethier, with manager Don Mattingly announcing that the star outfielder's oblique injury should not keep him sidelined for an extended period of time and will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

"Still calling it a strain in here, but it's in the better side for us, for a lefthanded hitter," Mattingly said to reporters prior to the Dodgers' 3-2 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday, their ninth loss in 10 games. "It's on the left side. At this point, we're kind of day to day. Yesterday, I kind of assumed that we were be in a DL situation, but, really, the docs looked at it, didn't see any swelling, so really it couldn't really be any better as far as the news as the doctors are concerned."

Ethier was injured trying to break up a in Los Angeles' 3-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants Wednesday, their third consecutive shutout defeat and one that punctuated a 1-8 roadtrip through Oakland, Anaheim and San Francisco. He had been batting .291 with 10 HR and leads the team with 55 RBI.

To bring in an outfield bat, the Dodgers recalled Scott Van Slyke from Albuquerque and demoted infielder Ivan DeJesus. The right-handed batter was hitting .306 with two home runs since his assignment to Triple-A on June 4 and is batting .326 with 10 home runs overall in the . After an 0-4 performance in Thursday's loss, his major league average fell to .171, though he spoke of feeling more comfortable in a Dodger uniform before the game.

"I felt good," Van Slyke said about his earlier major league stint from May 9 to June 4. "I didn't get to play every day, but I thought the last week, 10 days up here kind of got off the adrenaline rush of being up here and kind of settled in and had some better ABs."

Thoughts of Matt Kemp potentially re-joining his teammates prior to the All-Star Break appeared unlikely when Mattingly alluded to the outfielder's progress in attempting to return from a hamstring injury that has limited him to 36 games thus far. Los Angeles dropped below .500 in games played without Kemp (20-21) after Thursday's loss, a still- impressive stat considering Mattingly's constant efforts to find complementary puzzle pieces in the absence of several star players, their No. 2 hitter and several valuable arms.

"We look like we're going to we're going to have a chance to get Mark Ellis back possibly before the break, possibly get Matt back really quickly after the break," Mattingly said. "It doesn't sound like Andre's going to be (out) an extended period of time. Within a short period of time, we're going to see our lineup being back together. If everything would kind of go in that direction, we're going to see probably Javy Guerra back within that same time frame, too. We're getting ready to get some pretty big pieces for our club back into the mix, and I think at the end of the day we've got to be optimistic."

"Again, I have to re-group and think about this thing, and if you tell me we were going to walk out of spring training, and with 11 games before the break, you're going to have played more than half of it without Matt, and during that period you're going to lose a starting pitcher in Ted Lilly, you're going to lose Matt Guerrier, Javy Guerra, and you're going to be tied for first? We would have walked out of spring training and said, ‘Sign me up. We'll play the rest of the year. Let's go.'"

A team homerless in its last six games and having scored 15 times in its last 10 will need that type of spunk when they face a potential National League All-Star starter Friday night in Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.

"Any big league team on any given night can beat you, and they are a very good big league baseball team who leads their division," Dickey said prior to the Dodgers' loss on Thursday that dropped them one game behind the San Francisco Giants, who moved into first place in the NL West with a 5-0 win over Cincinnati. It was the Giants' fourth consecutive shutout.

With Ethier likely avoiding a long-term injury and reinforcements due to arrive around the turn of the All-Star Break, much of Mattingly's message carried positive undertones despite a nightmarish roadtrip that concluded with the team's equipment truck breaking down en route to the airport and weight issues temporarily grounding their charter flight back to Los Angeles.

"Yesterday was a frustrating day," Mattingly said. "But you know what? At the end of the day – we've played this game a long time – and if we're just going to fold up and go home now, why would we even want to come today? Why would we even play the rest of the season if we don't think we're going to come here and play baseball and have an opportunity to win? That's not in guys DNA that are in professional sports that are basically in a position right now – we're in a pennant race. I don't think anybody thought we weren't going to be in one, [that] it was going to be easy through the course of the season, that we were just going to walk away with this thing and run away, and there was going to be no important games, and we weren't going to have any pressure. So I think we're OK. I think our guys will be all right."

Despite the depleted lineup suffering through five consecutive losses, don't expect the team's approach to change or for their conviction to weaken.

"At the end of the day, I think you've got to regroup, and you do what you've been doing. We've got to get ready to play. We've got to battle our way to the break. So that's where we're at. No matter where we've been, that's where we're at. To me, we've just got to look at it optimistically. Get ready to play, win every game we can possibly win, get our guys back and say ‘Let's go. Let's fight. Let's play.'"

FOX Sports

Puig deal signals bright Dodger future

LOS ANGELES So, a reporter asked Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, what do you hear about the team’s new $42 million man, Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig? “He can fly,” Mattingly said. “But I don’t think they expect him to be here tomorrow or anything like that.”

Seeing as how the Dodgers had just been shut out three straight games in San Francisco, falling into a first-place tie with the Giants, the assembled media couldn’t resist a few jabs.

“Can he be here Saturday?” one reporter asked.

“Will you be sending a limo?” another said.

“You sure you don’t want to bat him cleanup?” a third joked.

Puig, 21, needs to pass a physical for the deal to become official, so he can’t yet help a team that has averaged 2.3 runs over its previous 16 games, a team that on Thursday night fell out of first place for the first time since April 11, falling to the Mets, 3-2.

But as the Dodgers continue their series against the Mets, (MLB on Fox, Saturday, 7:15 ET), the agreement with Puig represents a watershed moment for a franchise with an increasingly bright future — not just long-term, but short-term, too.

Over the next several weeks, the Dodgers expect the returns of their 2-3-4 hitters — second baseman Mark Ellis, center fielder Matt Kemp and right fielder Andre Ethier — plus the return of their Opening Day closer, Javy Guerra. The news on Ethier’s strained left oblique isn’t as bad as the Dodgers feared when he suffered the injury on Sunday — he is considered day-to-day. Ellis could return from a sprained left knee shortly before the All-Star break, Kemp from a strained left hamstring shortly after.

And uh, in case you’re wondering, the Dodgers’ new ownership plans to be just as aggressive prior to the July 31 non- waiver deadline as it was in the international market on Thursday — a market that, under previous owner Frank McCourt, the team had all but ignored. “We’re the DODGERS — put that in all caps,” team president Stan Kasten said. “We’re supposed to be big. We intend to be big.”

The Dodgers, according to major-league sources, have talked multiple times to two likely sellers, the Cubs and Astros, and a third club that also could trade veterans, the Brewers. In addition, they’ve touched base with a number of other teams, including the Mariners, Royals, Twins, Blue Jays and Padres, sources said.

Movement is minimal with the deadline still more than a month away and few teams ready to concede. But the Dodgers, who want to add a hitter, a starting pitcher and a left-handed reliever, could swallow contracts the way the Yankees once did, giving trading partners financial relief rather than parting with their few cherished prospects.

Think they don’t mean business?

They are about to award Puig the largest contract ever given to a Cuban amateur, more than the Athletics guaranteed Yoenis Cespedes ($36 million over four years), more than the Cubs guaranteed outfielder Jorge Soler ($30 million over nine). And — get this — major-league scouts have not seen Puig play in game conditions since June 2011, according to .

Dodgers scout Mike Brito watched Puig on video and assistant general manager Logan White recently worked him out and met with him personally, sources said. But Puig clearly benefited from the pending restrictions on international spending. Starting Monday, teams can spend only $2.9 million on international amateurs over the next year. Puig was the last expensive toy on the shelf before shopping at the dollar store begins.

The word on Puig from rival clubs is similar to the initial word on Cespedes — immense talent, questionable makeup. Well, Cespedes to this point has demonstrated superior makeup, drawing raves for his mental toughness from Athletics GM Billy Beane. The criticism of Puig is either loser’s talk or the first sign of trouble.

The Dodgers — excuse me, the DODGERS — don’t care.

The way they see it, they can easily absorb a $42 million investment, spread over seven years. They now have a combined $287 million committed to three outfielders — Puig, Kemp and Ethier. But if you think they will rule out a short-term, high-dollar deal for Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton on the free-agent market next off-season, think again.

The one free agent the Dodgers might not pursue as aggressively as everyone anticipates is Phillies left-hander ; Kasten opposed long-term deals for pitchers in his previous stints with the Braves and Nationals. Then again, most in the industry never expected an executive as fiscally responsible as Kasten to give $42 million to an unknown Cuban. So really, who knows?

Ah, but back to the run-starved present.

The Dodgers, playing without Ethier as well as Kemp and Ellis on Thursday night, fielded a lineup that resembled a weak split-squad entry in spring training: Rookies, backups and a cleanup man, first baseman James Loney, who repeatedly has been benched in June.

Mattingly spoke honestly before the game about asking too much of role players, but Ellis said that one of the manager’s strengths is that he refuses to use injuries as an excuse, effectively telling his players, “whoever we’ve got, we expect to win.”

“At the end of the day, we have to be optimistic,” Mattingly said. “We have to regroup and think about this thing.

“If you told me (in) spring training that 11 games before the break, you’re going to play more than half our games without Matt, lose a starting pitcher like Ted Lilly, lose (relievers) Matt Guerrier, Javy Guerra — and you’re going to be tied for first, you (would have said), ‘Sign me up. Play the rest of the year. Let’s go.’

“That’s where we’re at. No matter where we’ve been, that’s where we’re at.”

Where they’re going, it’s even better. True Blue LA

Dodgers 6/28/12 Minor League Report - is Magnificent in Lookout Win by Brandon Lennox on Jun 29, 2012 8:33 AM PDT in Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Report

Minor League Player of the Day – Ethan Martin - 7 IP, 0 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Walks, 4 K's. For the first time this season Ethan Martin did not walk a batter, and is led to great success in what was probably his best start of the year. Martin's ERA is now below 3.00, and batters are hitting just .211 against him for the season.

AAA – The Isotopes used a big 7th inning to down the Redbirds (Cardinals) 10 to 8. Alex Castellanos upped his batting average to .374 with a 2 for 4 effort that included a homer and 3 RBI's, while Josh Fields had two more hits including a double. Trent Oeltjen went 3 for 6 and Matt Angle drove in 2. Derrick Loop was a bit wild in his first start of the season as he walked 4 over 3 frames which resulted in 4 earned runs. Five different relievers had varying degrees of success in the victory, culminating with Josh Wall's 18th save of the year.

AA – Ethan Martin was outstanding on Thursday and his offense got him just enough support as the Lookouts shutout the Braves 1 to 0. Martin fired 7 innings of shutout ball and allowed just 4 hits, striking out 4 in the process. The best part about his night, however, was that he didn't walk a batter and was relatively efficient as he made 97 pitches. Logan Bawcom got the final 3 outs for his 9th AA save of the year. Chattanooga's lone run came in the 4th via a leadoff triple by Blake Smith and a RBI ground out by J.T. Wise.

HiA – The Quakes matched the JetHawks (Astros) hit for hit on Thursday, but there was a big discrepancy in the number of runs as Rancho lost to Lancaster 10 to 3. Starter Andres Santiago took on most of the damage as he allowed 9 hits and 7 runs over 5.1 innings. He did strike out 8, but also saw his ERA increase to 5.96. The Quakes' 12 hits were spread among 8 different hitters so nobody really had a standout night. Bobby Coyle went 2 for 3 with a double while Chris Jacobs drove in 2 runs with a single, but that was about the extent of the offensive highlights.

LoA – Not much to see here as the Loons were crushed by the TinCaps (Padres) 10 to 0. Stater Ralston Cash couldn't match the success of his cousin on Thursday as the right hander got lit up for 8 runs (6 earned) over 4.1 innings thanks to 5 hits and 5 walks. Juan Rodriguez pitched pretty well in long relief as he gave up a run over 3.2 frames and struck out 3. Great Lakes only had 4 hits on the night, with Scott Schebler collecting 3 of them including a double. O'Koyea Dickson saw his average drop below .300 as he went 0 for 3, and he also made 2 errors in the field.

Rookie Ogden – Things looked bleak when starter Derek Cone was knocked out of the game in the 1st inning after allowing 5 runs, but the Raptors' offense battled back and their bullpen was outstanding as Ogden pulled out a 8 - 5 victory over the Rockies. After Cone left the game it was Jason West who stepped in and he was outstanding as he struck out 4 and was perfect over 3.1 innings. Ross Stripling also struck out 4 in just 2 innings of work, while Owen Jones K'ed two in a perfect 9th for his 2nd save. At the plate, Alex Santana continued his hot start with 3 more hits and 2 RBI's, while Justin Boudreaux went 2 for 4 with a double and 2 runs batted in. Eric Smith and Tae-Hyeok Nam drove in the final 2 runs.

Rookie Arizona – The Arizona Dodgers finally lost, and it wasn't pretty as they fell 14 - 8 to the Indians. Starter Victor Araujo got crushed in the early going as he allowed 8 hits and 7 runs in just 2.2 innings. Alan Garcia (22nd round) and Alfredo Unzue (32nd round) both made their professional debuts in relief but both struggled a bit (although Garcia did strike out 4 over 2 frames). Joey Curletta had a nice day at the plate as he collected his first two hits as a professional, a single and a double, and drove in 2. Tyler Ogle went 2 for 3 with a double and 2 walks, while Paul Hoenecke plated 2 runs with a double. Justin Chigbogu had a night to forget as he went 0 for 5 with 4 K's.

DSL – The Dominican Dodgers defeated the A's 11 to 5 thanks to a 7 run 9th inning that included two big triples. Jorkey Infante got his team back in the game with a bases loaded 3-bagger, then with his on the line Josmar Cordero broke through with a 2-run triple of his own. Jose Luis Javier also had a good game as he hit the game's only homer. After starting the season on fire, Jhosue Bermudez finally struggled as he allowed 9 hits and 5 runs over 4.2 frames. Nelson Sandoval was great in relief as he tossed 2.2 hitless innings, and Jose Moreno recorded the win with 1.2 scoreless innings.

Coming up – Garrett Gould and Matt Magill will highlight the pitching matchups on Friday as they throw for the Quakes and Lookouts, respectively. The recently promoted Duke von Schamann will get the start for the Loons, while and Matt Laney will take the mound for the Isotopes and Raptors.

Minor League Transactions – AAA: As we all know Scott Van Slyke was recalled by the Dodgers and Ivan De Jesus was returned to Albuquerque. Also, Bret Montgomery was activated from the DL. AA: was activated from the DL.

Corey Seager Reportedly Heading to Los Angeles to Take Physical by CraigMinami on Jun 29, 2012 1:15 AM PDT in Prospects

Stan Kasten may be talking big these days, the other day on Dodger Talk he said that the Dodgers would be looking to do something prior to the new CBA restrictions on the amount you can spend on international signings take effect next Monday. On Thursday, several stories reported that the Dodgers were about to sign Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig to a seven-year $42 million contract.

Kasten also mentioned that the Dodgers would be signing their first round pick sometime after that. Well according to the Salisbury Post, the local paper for Salisbury, North Carolina, may reach Dodger Stadium before Puig.

"We knew negotiations had really stepped up between Jeff (Corey's father) and the Dodgers and we sort of knew the Mooresville game Wednesday night would be Corey's last one," Kannapolis coach Joe Hubbard said.

Hubbard added, "[h]e flew out to L.A. early this morning to take his physicals. Maybe he hasn't officially signed yet, but you know now that it's going to get done."

For those who have not been following the draft closely, this year all teams had a draft bonus pool based on certain amounts assigned to each pick. The pool is for the first 10 rounds and teams can only go up to 4.9% above that limit without losing their first round pick for the following year. (You do get a 75% tax for any amount that goes over your pool amount but most draft followers think teams will pay that to get their players signed).

The Dodgers reportedly are $300,000 under their cap and have around another $300,000 to spend before the draft pick penalty would come into play. That would give them about $2.5 million to offer Seager. Even though Scott Boras is Seager's advisor, there are but few players that teams will give up a pick and Seager isn't likely to be one of those players. So it is likely that once Seager takes his physical, you would expect the contract to be signed, Seager will be introduced to the crowd at Dodger Stadium and he'll be joining Puig in Arizona next week.

Kasten next said the Dodgers will make some signings when the new period for international signings opens up next week. After that, I think the focus will be on the major league team.

Andre Ethier Avoids DL, Scott Van Slyke Recalled, Ivan De Jesus Optioned To Triple A by Eric Stephen on Jun 28, 2012 5:33 PM PDT in Dodgers Pregame Notes

The Dodgers got good news on Thursday as outfielder Andre Ethier will avoid the disabled list, for now. Ethier had an MRI on Thursday morning that showed a strain of his left oblique, but the outfielder is day-to-day.

"It's on the better side for a left-handed hitter, the left side," manager Don Mattingly said. "Yesterday we kind of assumed that we would have a DL situation. The docs looked at it and didn't see any swelling. It couldn't be any better."

Ethier, who suffered the injury on a check swing on Wednesday, will not play Thursday night against the Mets.

The Dodgers did make a roster move before Thursday's game, recalling Scott Van Slyke and optioning Ivan De Jesus to Triple Albuquerque.

Van Slyke hit .194/.219/.355 with two doubles and a home run in 17 games in his first stint in the big leagues earlier this season, including a pinch-hit, three-run home run to help beat the St. Louis Cardinals on May 20. But after the home run, Van Slyke was 3-for-22 with six and was optioned back to Triple A on June 4.

"He was okay the last time up, but it's more about what we think he can do than any certain thing that we saw. He went down and swung the bat well," Mattingly said. "The thing for me, and what a lot of of our coaches like about Scott is that he makes adjustments. That's what you have to do at this level."

Since rejoining Albuquerque, Van Slyke hit .310/.397/.448 with one home run and five doubles in 15 games. On the season in Triple A, Van Slyke hit .326/.404/.576 with 14 doubles and 10 home runs in 48 games. He didn't play in Wednesday night's game in Memphis.

De Jesus hit .273/.324/.364 in 23 games for the Dodgers, but started just four games since his recall from Albuquerque. De Jesus had become the team's primary , leading the team with 17 plate appearances as a pinch hitter since joining the team on May 19. As a pinch hitter, De Jesus was 3-for-14 with two walks and a .

Starting Lineups

Van Slyke starts in right field Thursday night for Ethier. James Loney, after being held out of the lineup for three straight games in San Francisco, is back tonight at first base, hitting cleanup. Mattingly cited Loney's numbers against Chris Young (6-for-17 with two doubles and two walks, .353/.421/.471) as a reason for hitting cleanup in his depleted lineup, though it should be noted that Loney last faced Young in 2009.

Mets Dodgers

CF Torres (S) SS Gordon (L)

SS Tejada 3B Herrera (S)

3B Wright LF Rivera

RF Duda (L) 1B Loney (L)

LF Hairston RF Van Slyke

1B Davis (L) 2B Kennedy (L)

2B Murphy (L) C Treanor

C Nickeas CF Gwynn (L)

P Young P Capuano

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

MLB Gameday

After Near Record Futility, Dodgers Look To Hold On Through All-Star Break by Eric Stephen on Jun 28, 2012 11:53 PM PDT in Dodgers Postgame Reaction

The Dodgers on Thursday finally scored, ending a horrific streak that saw them go 33 consecutive innings without a run. It was tied for the fifth longest streak of futility in franchise history.

Longest Dodgers Scoreless Streaks, Offense Year Location Innings Dates 1908 Brooklyn 41 August 21-24 1937 Brooklyn 36 June 29 - July 1 1962 Los Angeles 35 September 28 - October 2 1961 Los Angeles 34 August 15-18 2012 Los Angeles 33 June 24-28 2004 Los Angeles 33 June 5-9 Source: Elias Sports Bureau

Despite the offensive outburst of two whole runs on Thursday, the Dodgers were unable to get a win as the Mets won 3- 2 in the opener of a four-game weekend series, handing the Dodgers their fifth straight loss.

"It felt good to score a couple of runs to be honest with you," said manager Don Mattingly after the game. "We didn't do enough to win the game, but at least it was a game you felt like you were in all day until the end."

Chris Capuano, the only man to win for the Dodgers in the last 10 days, got hung with the loss on Thursday, but pitched another good game, allowing three runs in seven innings and not issuing a walk. He had an upbeat attitude after the game.

"As bad as this stretch has been, and it's been pretty horrific, our record is still very respectable and we're still right there. The race has just begun for us," Capuano said.

The race is the National League West, which finds the Dodgers no longer at the head of the pack. The Giants won their fourth straight game on Thursday and now own a one-game lead over the Dodgers. But Mattingly is less worried about San Francisco and more focused on his own club.

"We can't really be concerned about anybody else, when you're going through a rut," Mattingly said. "We have to take care of ourselves, get ready to play." The Dodgers have scored just 17 runs in their last 11 games, including eight games during that span with two runs or less. The team is scoring just 3.19 runs per game in June, hitting .219/.293/.295 in 26 games.

They have to somehow find a way to keep their head above water in the next 10 days, as they have three more games with the Mets (41-36), three more with the Cincinnati Reds (41-34), followed by four games in Arizona against the Diamondbacks (38-37) to head into the All-Star break.

By then, Matt Kemp will likely be back or very close to returning, Andre Ethier should be at full strength, and Mark Ellis will likely be back as well, putting the Dodgers at nearly full strength.

"We did a great job early buying ourselves some time to work through a period like this. I look at the standings and I'm pretty happy right now," said an optimistic Capuano. "The All-Star break is looming, and we want to run through that finish line."

Up Next

The Dodgers on Friday night have to face 11-game winner R.A. Dickey and his baffling knuckleball, a pitch he referred to as "a butterfly on steroids." Aaron Harang gets the call for the Dodgers in the second game of the four-game series.

Dodgers Snap One Streak, But Continue Another by Eric Stephen on Jun 28, 2012 9:57 PM PDT in Dodgers Game Recaps

After dropping three straight games without scoring a run in San Francisco, the Dodgers fell victim to a former Giant on Thursday night. Andres Torres doubled to short right field in the top of the fifth, scoring Mike Nickeas to break a tie and give the Mets a 3-2 win over the Dodgers, who have now lost five straight games.

With the loss, the Dodgers are now in second place in the National League West, relinquishing the top spot in the division that they held since April 11.

The fourth inning was one of firsts for both the Mets the Dodgers. In the top of the inning, David Wright hit his ninth home run of the season to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Wright went 2-for-3 with a walk and is now hitting .409 on the road this season, tops in the majors. But the Dodgers had an answer in the bottom of the fourth.

Dee Gordon doubled to the inning, giving the Dodgers literally their best scoring chance since Sunday in Anaheim. Elian Herrera followed with his first career triple, over the head of a shallow Torres in center field, snapping the Dodgers' consecutive scoreless inning streak at 33 innings. It was the first run for the Dodgers since the sixth inning on Sunday in Anaheim.

Juan Rivera's single to center was the third consecutive hit for the Dodgers and scored Herrera from third to tie the score at 2-2.

The Dodgers put at least one runner on base from the fifth through the eighth innings but couldn't push across the tying run.

Notes  James Loney went 0-for-4 on Thursday and is hitless in his last 22 at-bats.  Herrera moved to shortstop in the top of the eighth when Dee Gordon, who made the last out of the bottom of the seventh inning, was removed in a . It was the first major league game at shortstop for Herrera, who played four games at shortstop this year for Albuquerque and 34 games at the position last year. It is the sixth position Herrera has played this season, joining third base, second base, left field, center field, and right field. Tonight's Particulars

Home Runs: David Wright (9)

WP -Chris Young (2-1): 6 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts

LP - Chris Capuano (9-3): 7 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 5 strikeouts

Sv - Bobby Parnell (1): 3 up, 3 down

Andre Ethier Avoids DL, Scott Van Slyke Recalled, Ivan De Jesus Optioned To Triple A by Eric Stephen on Jun 28, 2012 5:33 PM PDT in Dodgers Pregame Notes

The Dodgers got good news on Thursday as outfielder Andre Ethier will avoid the disabled list, for now. Ethier had an MRI on Thursday morning that showed a strain of his left oblique, but the outfielder is day-to-day.

"It's on the better side for a left-handed hitter, the left side," manager Don Mattingly said. "Yesterday we kind of assumed that we would have a DL situation. The docs looked at it and didn't see any swelling. It couldn't be any better."

Ethier, who suffered the injury on a check swing on Wednesday, will not play Thursday night against the Mets.

The Dodgers did make a roster move before Thursday's game, recalling Scott Van Slyke and optioning Ivan De Jesus to Triple Albuquerque.

Van Slyke hit .194/.219/.355 with two doubles and a home run in 17 games in his first stint in the big leagues earlier this season, including a pinch-hit, three-run home run to help beat the St. Louis Cardinals on May 20. But after the home run, Van Slyke was 3-for-22 with six strikeouts and was optioned back to Triple A on June 4.

"He was okay the last time up, but it's more about what we think he can do than any certain thing that we saw. He went down and swung the bat well," Mattingly said. "The thing for me, and what a lot of of our coaches like about Scott is that he makes adjustments. That's what you have to do at this level."

Since rejoining Albuquerque, Van Slyke hit .310/.397/.448 with one home run and five doubles in 15 games. On the season in Triple A, Van Slyke hit .326/.404/.576 with 14 doubles and 10 home runs in 48 games. He didn't play in Wednesday night's game in Memphis.

De Jesus hit .273/.324/.364 in 23 games for the Dodgers, but started just four games since his recall from Albuquerque. De Jesus had become the team's primary pinch hitter, leading the team with 17 plate appearances as a pinch hitter since joining the team on May 19. As a pinch hitter, De Jesus was 3-for-14 with two walks and a sacrifice fly.

Starting Lineups

Van Slyke starts in right field Thursday night for Ethier. James Loney, after being held out of the lineup for three straight games in San Francisco, is back tonight at first base, hitting cleanup. Mattingly cited Loney's numbers against Chris Young (6-for-17 with two doubles and two walks, .353/.421/.471) as a reason for hitting cleanup in his depleted lineup, though it should be noted that Loney last faced Young in 2009.

Mets Dodgers

CF Torres (S) SS Gordon (L)

SS Tejada 3B Herrera (S)

3B Wright LF Rivera

RF Duda (L) 1B Loney (L)

LF Hairston RF Van Slyke

1B Davis (L) 2B Kennedy (L)

2B Murphy (L) C Treanor

C Nickeas CF Gwynn (L)

P Young P Capuano

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

MLB Gameday

Dodgers Hope Chris Capuano Can Snap Another 4-Game Losing Streak by Eric Stephen on Jun 28, 2012 2:00 PM PDT in Dodgers Game Previews

For the second start in a row, Chris Capuano takes the mound looking to snap a four-game Dodgers losing streak. He has put together quite a first half for the Dodgers, and with the complete disappearance of the Dodgers offense of late they will need Capuano to twirl another gem Thursday night in their series opener against the New York Mets.

The Dodgers were shutout in their last three games and they haven't scored in their last 30 innings, but the scoring problem runs deeper than that. The Dodgers scored 13 runs on their nine-game road trip and have scored two or fewer runs nine times in their last 15 games.

In June, the Dodgers are hitting .219/.295/.295 and have averaged 3.24 runs per game during the month.

Capuano hit a rough patch earlier in June when he allowed 13 runs in 15 1/3 innings in three starts, failing to last longer than 5 1/3 innings in any of the outings, with nine walks and 10 strikeouts during that span. But Capuano has one walk and 16 strikeouts in his last two starts, allowing t two runs in 15 innings during that span.

Tall Chris Young gets the start for the Mets. After making four starts in 2010 and four starts in 2011, this will be Young's fifth start of 2012. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery and signed a minor league deal with the Mets in March. After opening the year on the disabled list, Young made four minor league starts before debuting with New York on June 5. The 6'10" right-hander has eight walks and 12 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings, and he has yet to give up more than three runs in a start.

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

MLB Gameday

AM 570 FOX Sports LA

Mets Down Dodgers; LA Falls Into Second Place

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Andres Torres drove in the winner in the fifth as the New York Mets edged the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2, in the opener of a four-game set. David Wright went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI while Ruben Tejada and Mike Nickeas each scored a run for the Mets, who have won two straight following a four-game losing streak. Chris Young (2-1) gave up two runs on six hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in the win.

"It was fun with the pitching matchup, but I wanted to win the game," said Young. "My slider is getting sharper, but it's still a work in progress. I want to be better and I'll keep working hard to give my team a chance to win."

Elian Herrera and Juan Rivera each had two hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who came into the contest having been blanked in all three games of a set against the Giants and have now lost five straight and nine of 10. Chris Capuano (9-3) lost for the first time in five starts as he gave up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts over seven innings.

"I felt good and that I had better stuff tonight," said Capuano. "I hung a few pitches up there, but other than that I thought I made some pretty good pitches."

The Dodgers dropped a game back of the Giants for first place in the NL West. It's the first time since April 10 that they've been out of first place.

The Mets struck in their first at-bat as Tejada hit a one-out single, moved to second on a and came home thanks to Wright's double.

New York made it a 2-0 game in the fourth as Wright led off the frame with a shot over the left-center wall on a 1-1 pitch, his ninth of the year.

Los Angeles finally broke its scoreless streak in the fourth inning. Dee Gordon led off the frame with a double and Herrera quickly brought him home with a triple over the head of center fielder Torres. Rivera followed with a single to tie the game.

The runs broke a scoreless streak of 33 innings, the longest string for the team since 1962.

The game didn't stay tied for long, though, as the Mets took the lead back in the fifth. With one out, Nickeas singled and Young sacrificed him over to second. Torres followed with a double to right for a 3-2 lead.

Los Angeles threatened in the seventh as the team put men on first and second with two outs, but Tim Byrdak struck out Gordon to end the frame.

In the eighth, Herrera singled to start the frame, but Rivera grounded into a 4-6-3 double play and James Loney grounded out to end the inning.

Bobby Parnell worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season.

Game Notes: The Mets took five of seven from the Dodgers in 2011...Young improved to 3-5 in 15 starts against the Dodgers...Capuano fell to 0-5 in six career starts against the Mets...The Dodgers' longest scoreless streak was 41 innings, set from Aug. 21-24, 1908.

Source: Dodgers Agree To Sign Cuban Puig The Dodgers have been open about their willingness to spend money to make the team better and candid about their desire to strengthen their presence on an international market that they once dominated.

It appears the club has made progress on both fronts in one fell swoop.

According to an industry source, the Dodgers have agreed to a seven-year deal worth $42 million with 21-year-old international prospect Yasiel Puig, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound outfielder from Cuba.

The Dodgers haven't commented on or confirmed the signing.

Puig (pronounced Pweeg) was declared a free agent Wednesday, not long after establishing temporary residency in Mexico, and was eventually cleared by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

In order to avoid being subject to new CBA guidelines that will limit spending on international prospects to $2.9 million per team without penalty, Puig must sign the record-setting deal, have the contract approved by Major League Baseball and pass a physical before Monday.

The Cubs and White Sox also expressed interest in Puig.

A top prospect in the island's premier league, the Cuban National Series (Serie Nacional), Puig hit .276 with five home runs during his first campaign with Cienfuegos in 2008-09 and had a breakout year the next season, hitting .330 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs. He did not play for Cienfuegos during the 2011-12 seasons because he was being disciplined for attempting to defect.

LAist

The Dodgers Are Optimistic

By Jimmy Bramlett

The magic word for the Dodgers was "optimistic" on Thursday. After the disastrous roadtrip, that's all the Dodgers really had.

They were shutout in three consecutive games by the San Francisco Giants and hit a paltry .177 on the nine-game road trip. The Dodgers had not scored in 30 innings, and to make matters worse, Andre Ethier left the game in the first inning on Wednesday with a strained left oblique. To say that the Dodgers were scuffling offensively was an understatement.

"Yesterday was really a pretty rough day in the sense of being frustrated, what was going on the field and really what happened with Andre and that whole situation made things really feel bad," Dodger manager Don Mattingly said before the game.

The Dodgers did get some relief with Ethier listed as day-to-day and not needing a DL-stint. Even Ethier was in good spirits joking how the good weather in San Francisco contributed to the Dodgers demise. The clubhouse on Thursday seemed as light as it had been throughout the season, the guys chatting with one another like any other day and bongo drums used as a soundtrack.

"But at the end of the day, you've got regroup and do what we've doing," Mattingly said. "We've got to get ready to play. We've got to battle our way to the break."

Mattingly detailed how Mark Ellis and Matt Kemp are due to come back soon, how Ethier doesn't need a DL stint for now and Javy Guerra's imminent return to the bullpen. "We're getting ready to get some pretty big pieces of our club back into the mix," Mattingly explained. "At the end of the day, we've got to be optimistic."

There's that magic word. Even Vin Scully consoled the Dodger fans on the television and radio by running down a list of the great Dodger teams in the past and their penchant for being shutout.

Of course this brings up the Radiohead song "Optimistic" which despite it's chorus ("You can try the best you can / The best you can is good enough.") is pretty gloomy.

It didn't take long for reality to hit the Dodgers on the head.

David Wright grounded a double just over the third base bag in the first inning scoring Ruben Tejada at 7:18 p.m, the game seemed over. The New York Mets took a 1-0 lead in that first inning, and the Dodgers penchant for not scoring seemed to have writers throughout the pressbox scurrying to come up with ways to fill space.

Wright seemed to add insult to injury when he hit a solo homer in the fourth inning putting the Mets up 2-0 while the Dodgers upped their scoreless inning streak to 33, the fifth most in franchise history.

Then something started brewing in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dee Gordon led off with a fly ball that landed in between centerfielder Andres Torres and right fielder Lucas Duda for a double. We've seen this before with Chad Billingsley on third base in Wednesday's game.

When Elian Herrera's fly ball went over the head of Torres who was playing shallow, a moment of disbelief occurred. Had the Dodgers actually scored a run? Yes they had, and Herrera slid into third base with a triple with no outs.

THE DODGERS HAD SCORED A RUN!

Just as that had time to settle in, Juan Rivera hit a single scoring Herrera.

Not only had the Dodgers scored two runs, but they tied the game against a team that had scored 17 runs the day before in Chicago.

"It felt good to score a couple of runs to be honest with you," Mattingly said.

"We were pumped up," Dodger starter Chris Capuano said. "We were jumping around. We were pretty jacked up. Hopefully a lot more of that in this series."

Natually the Dodgers promptly gave a run back in the fifth inning on an Andres Torres double and didn't score thereafter. So as hard as people wanted to be optimistic, don't tell that to the 49,006 who booed James Loney as he grounded out to end the eighth inning as the Dodgers lost 3-2.

On April 8 to 10, the Dodgers were 1/2 game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was the only time the Dodgers had trailed the division until after this game when they fell a game behind the San Francisco Giants. In a matter of 32 days, what had been a 7 1/2 game lead for the Dodgers has turned into a one-game deficit.

If you try the best you can, the best you can is good enough.

CBS Sports

Dodgers are one of many teams showing interest in Padres 3B Headley

By Jon Heyman | Baseball Insider The division rival Dodgers are one of many teams to inquire about acquiring Padres third baseman in a trade.

"The Dodgers like Headley a lot,'' one baseball executive on another team said.

The Padres are willing to listen to offers for Headley, but are saying they would need to be ovwhelemed to deal the switch-hitting standout who's hitting .273 with eight home runs and 38 RBI.

Several teams have checked in on Headley since it began being known the Padres are willing to consider offers. Many of the teams that considered Kevin Youkilis should be interested. The Indians, Pirates, Orioles and Diamondbacks are among teams who are logical here.

The Padres are believed to be willing to consider making in-division trades, so the Dodgers and Diamondbacks can't be ruled out.

The Dodgers, losers of five straight to fall out of first place, are expected to be big players at the deadline. They've gone into an offensive funk lately and have fallen to 22nd in scoring runs as superstar Matt Kemp's absence is catching up to them. The Dodgers could use an offensive upgrade at a few places, but third base and frst base are among the spots where they could use help.

Headley, 28, is well-regarded, as his career OPS on the road is .812 compared to .666 at home. Another big plus: he makes only $3.475 million.

Dodgers sign Cuban prospect Puig for $42M

By Danny Knobler | Baseball Inside

The new Dodgers have money, and they're more than willing to spend it.

Thursday, they stunned the baseball world with a monster deal for 21-year-old Cuban prospect Yasiel Puig. Puig agreed to terms on a $42 million, seven-year deal, sources told CBSSports.com, beating a July 2 deadline for big-money international signings.

Puig's big power attracted interest from at least half a dozen teams, but baseball people familiar with the international market were still shocked by the size of his contract. Puig got more guaranteed money than either Yoenis Cespedes or Jorge Soler, two Cubans who got much more publicity when they signed within the last year.

Puig was declared a free agent just this week after establishing residence in Mexico. He wasn't as well known as Cespedes and Soler, in part because Cuban authorities allowed him to play outside the country just twice.

The Cubans feared that Puig would defect, and it turned out those fears were justified.

Scouts who have seen Puig have come away impressed, although there are some concerns about his conditioning. He didn't hit a single home run on the first day of his Mexico workout, and tired quickly, blaming the high altitude in Mexico City.

There is also a belief among some scouts that Puig's adjustment to American baseball could take longer than that of Cespedes. According to the Mexican website solobeisbol.com.mx, Puig worked out in Mexico for scouts from the Yankees, Phillies and White Sox, among others, in addition to the Dodgers. The Chicago Tribune reported this week that the Cubs were also bidding for Puig.

"You see him on the right day, he could be ," said one scout who is familiar with Puig. "He doesn't have the power of [Giancarlo] Stanton or [Bryce] Harper, but he's close."

Puig had played in the Serie Nacional, the highest Cuban league. In the 2010-11 season, he hit .330 with 18 home runs in 327 at-bats. He has played outside of Cuba only twice, because the Cuban authorities were so concerned that he would defect (as he eventually did).

The Dodgers have been aggressive on the international market this year, with money available after the change in ownership. They signed Puig despite never having seen him play in an actual game.

Between Puig, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers have committed $287 million in long-term money going to outfielders over the last eight months.

As of next week, teams will be severely limited in handing out bonuses to most international players. Each team will have just a $2.9 million signing pool each year, with severe penalties for going over the limit.

Not all Cuban players will be covered by the new rules, which apply only to anyone who hasn't yet played three years in the top Cuban league (or in top leagues in Japan or Korea). A few Cubans with more than three years' experience are currently trying to establish residency in the Dominican Republic.

Puig, however, did not have three years in the Cuban league. He would have been covered by the new guidelines, so agent Jaime Torres faced a tight deadline in getting Puig signed.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com first reported that Puig had agreed to sign with the Dodgers.

Yahoo! Sports

Deal with Cuban Yasiel Puig shows Dodgers are operating like a big-market franchise again

By Tim Brown 23 hours ago

Hamstrung for years by the financial whims and excesses of the McCourt family, the under-new-ownership Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday edged again toward conducting themselves like a large-market franchise.

Days before new collective bargaining guidelines would bring an international spending cap, the Dodgers were close to signing Cuban Yasiel Puig, a 21-year-old outfielder, to a seven-year, $42 million contract, the player's agent said Thursday. Puig, who defected from Cuba three weeks ago, must pass a physical, which will be conducted in Mexico City in the next day or two.

The contract would be the largest ever for a Cuban defector and represents the Dodgers' return to the higher-end free- agent marketplace under Guggenheim Sports Management. Two weeks ago, the organization signed right fielder Andre Ethier to a five-year, $85 million extension.

Declared a free agent this week, the right-handed-hitting Puig is 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. His agent, Jaime Torres, described Puig as "built like a linebacker, with defensive back speed" and predicted Puig could be big-league ready within weeks. Puig worked out for several teams last weekend in Mexico, according to Torres, who said Puig had not held a bat for five months. The Cuban government had suspended Puig because of suspicions he intended to defect. Puig batted .330 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs last season with Cienfuegos of the Cuban National Series, the country's top league, and was a member of the Cuban national team. As Puig emerged as one of Cuba's top players, he was mentored by Luis Casanova, an iconic figure in Cuban baseball.

Should Puig pass his physical, the Dodgers likely would begin his indoctrination into U.S. baseball and customs with their Rookie League team in Arizona. Puig presumably would require at-bats and daily competition to reacquire his baseball legs. Torres said his client prefers center field, but can play all three outfield positions. Due to the presence of Matt Kemp in center and Andre Ethier in right, Puig likely would be groomed in left field.

After years of marginal involvement in the Latin American market, the Dodgers were aggressive in their pursuit of Puig. Assistant general manager Logan White spent several days in Mexico City, where he not only scouted Puig, but took him to dinner. In reviewing videos of Puig and watching his recent batting practice, the Dodgers see him as a player with five tools, all of which could translate in the major leagues.

The agent, Torres, said of Puig, "He's a very nice kid. Very friendly. Very smart. Great smile. He told me, 'I don't care about the money. I want to play.' "

To that end, Torres said, Puig chose the Dodgers in spite of at least one better offer.

"He was very confident with the Dodgers," he said. "More important, the Dodgers had everything lined up."

The Chicago Cubs and were believed to have pursued Puig as well.

The agreement with the Dodgers was first reported by MLB.com.

Yasiel Puig is $42 million richer today, thanks to a Dodgers franchise with something to prove

By Kevin Kaduk | Big League Stew – 19 hours ago

Of all the analyses offered in the wake of the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig to an enormous contract, I thought Lone Star Ball offered the most astute observation:

I didn't even know there was a Yasiel Puig.

Indeed, while I may have been aware of Puig's existence at one point I had forgotten about him until waking up on Thursday morning. That was when we learned that Puig got paid to the tune of seven years and $42 million. It's the richest deal ever signed by a Cuban defector, besting the six-year, $36 million contract that Yoenis Cespedes signed with the A's after a lot more hype and attention last winter.

From ESPN LA:

The 21-year-old Puig batted .330 with 17 home runs, 47 RBIs and 78 runs scored in 327 at-bats with the Cienfuegos Elefantes in the 2010-11 Cuban National Series. He averaged .370 in 46 at-bats in the playoffs.

Puig, who also was considered the fastest player in Cuban baseball, was left off the Cienfuegos team for the 2011-12 season after having been caught on several occasions trying to escape the country. He finally succeeded in defecting last month and established residency in Mexico. Like the Cubs' signing of fellow Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler earlier this month, the Dodgers' reason for showing Puig the money seem obvious. With a cap for international spending nearing its implementation, the new Dodgers ownership group had one last chance to flex its financial muscle in that arena. For better or worse, they took it.

With more than $200 million committed to Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier over the next decade, it's a little curious that they'd dump even more money into the outfield pool. But I'd say this is a great sign for Dodgers fans as long as the signing doesn't affect any offseason free-agent additions to the team's rotation (*cough*Cole Hamels*cough*) or an infield that could use a big bat. This Dodgers ownership group has a lot of money and they're not afraid to spend it. As our own Tim Brown writes, it's a clear signal the Dodgers want to return to the days of acting like a large-market franchise.

USA Today Dodgers sign Cuban OF Yasiel Puig for $42 million

By Jorge L. Ortiz

The latest Cuban import into the major leagues comes with an even bigger price tag than his predecessors.

Outfielder Yasiel Puig (yah-CL PWEEG) has reached a contract agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to his agent, Jaime Torres.

Torres would not confirm or deny news media reports that the deal is for seven years and $42 million, but said its value sets a record for Cuban players. Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes established the previous mark with a four- year, $36 million contract in February. Earlier this month, outfielder Jorge Soler signed for nine years and $30 million with the Chicago Cubs.

Puig, 21, fled Cuba last month after several failed attempts and established residency in Mexico. He still needs to obtain a work visa, a process that has been accelerated in recent years.

"I hope and believe that by the end of July he might be able to, if not join the big club, at least be taking some at-bats to get ready,'' Torres said. "I think he could contribute at the big-league level this year.''

Torres described Puig, who usually plays center field, as a five-tool athlete comparable with Cespedes but faster. The 6-3 Puig ideally would play at around 215 pounds, although Torres conceded he's heavier than that now.

Puig held workouts in Mexico City before representatives for several major league teams from Friday to Monday before reaching a deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday night, Torres said.

Time was of the essence because the new collective bargaining agreement sets a spending limit on international free agents at $2.9 million per team, beginning Monday.

In the 2010-11 season, Puig batted .330 with 17 homers, 47 RBI and a 1.011 on-base-plus- in 327 at- bats for Cienfuegos in the hitting-dominated Cuban league. He was banned from the past season for disciplinary reasons that some believe were related to his attempts to defect.

However, noted Cuban baseball expert and author Peter Bjarkman said the suspension stemmed from Puig being arrested on a shoplifting charge while in a tournament in Rotterdam, Holland, last summer. The banishment was what prompted Puig's attempts to defect, Bjarkman said. "Puig is a definite prospect, but to me he possesses little of the overall polish or even the superior talents of young Cuban outfielders like (Alfredo) Despaigne, (Rusney) Castillo or (Guillermo) Heredia,'' Bjarkman said via e-mail.

"But let's see how he develops. He is not a second coming of either Despaigne or Céspedes but he could eventually be a big leaguer. But there still needs to be a considerable amount of development and maturity – especially after sitting out a full year since last summer in Rotterdam.''

The Dodgers, who have lost eight of their last nine games as their offense has averaged 1.44 runs a game, have not confirmed the signing.

SI.com

Report: Dodgers agree to record deal with Cuban prospect Yasel Puig

According to an MLB.com report, the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to sign the latest young Cuban prospect in a record-setting deal.

Yasel Puig, a 21-year-old outfielder, agreed to a multi-year contract worth more than $40 million, writes MLB.com national reporter Jesse Sanchez.

In order for the deal to go through as-is, Puig must sign the deal, have the contract approved by MLB and pass a physical by Monday, which is the deadline for teams to spend more than $2.9 million on international prospects without penalty.

Puig, who was courted by both the Chicago White Sox and Cubs, is one of several Cuban prospects who have been signed by MLB teams in recent years. In February, Yoenis Cespedes signed with the Oakland A’s for four years, $36 million. Flamethrower Aroldis Chapman signed with the Reds for six years and $30.25 million in 2010.

A Cuban national team player, Puig did not play for his Cuban national series team last season as disciplinary punishment for attempting to defect.

Sporting News

Cuban defector Yasiel Puig agrees to deal with Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached a seven-year, $42 million deal with Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig, according to MLB.com.

It is a record contract for a Cuban-born player, eclipsing the four-year, $36 million deal outfielder Yoenis Cespedes signed with the Oakland A’s this past offseason.

Puig, 21, is listed at 6-3 and 210 pounds, though he is somewhat of a mystery because of the challenges that go along with scouting Cuban players. The last time scouts saw him play was when he was a member of the Cuban national team last summer. MLB.com reports Puig hit .330 with 17 homers and 78 RBIs in 2010 in Cuba. He wasn’t allowed to play in the 2011 and 2012 seasons after failed attempts to defect from the country.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox were among the teams that also expressed interest in Puig.

There was a sense of urgency for teams to agree to terms with Puig because the new rules that limit a team’s spending on international prospects — a provision in the new collective-bargaining agreement between players and owners — go into effect Monday.

Baseball America

Dodgers Sign Yasiel Puig To Puzzling Deal

By Ben Badler June 28, 2012

The Dodgers appear to have made a statement with an expensive Cuban signing, but the message they sent across baseball has mostly elicited the same response:

What are the Dodgers thinking?

A source confirmed that the Dodgers have signed Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig, and according to multiple stories, first reported by ESPN Deportes, they gave him a seven-year, $42 million major league contract.

The question around baseball is how the Dodgers could justify awarding such a lavish contract to a player who scouts considered more of a solid than a spectacular prospect. Puig hasn't played in a year, and aside from a light series of workouts last weekend that were more notable for a circus atmosphere than anything else, he hasn't been seen (legally) by American scouts since June 2011.

The 21-year-old Puig is a corner outfielder with a thick frame around 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds when he's been in game shape, but more recent reports from scouts in Mexico—where his agent, Jaime Torres, said last week that he has obtained permanent residency—are that he looked heavier and was out of baseball condition.

That's understandable given Puig's history. The righthanded hitter had been one of the better performers in Cuba's top league Serie Nacional during his brief time on the field, but due to disciplinary action (some say it was due to Cuba's assertion that he was attempting to defect; others say it was for different reasons), it has been nearly a year since he's seen high-level competitive action.

One executive called the deal "crazy." Several others were floored by the reported contract terms.

"I don't know," said one international director, echoing several of his colleagues. "I don't know what's going on in Dodger land. They must have seen something."

Those who have seen Puig seem lukewarm on his talent. He has good bat speed and generates plus raw power, but scouts have expressed concerns about his hitting approach. Some scouts say they have gotten some good running times on him before and he's shown more athleticism in the past, but others haven't seen him run well. He projects as a corner outfielder and has drawn question marks from scouts about his defensive instincts. He is an interesting prospect with raw talent, but for several teams, he wouldn't have even been a first-round pick if he were in the draft.

Due to disciplinary action, Puig did not play in Serie Nacional this past season. However, in his final season in Cuba playing for Cienfuegos in 2010-11, he hit .330/.430/.581 with 17 home runs, six triples and 19 doubles in 327 at-bats in a league with a supercharged offensive environment. He drew more walks (49) than strikeouts (39) and stole five bases in nine attempts. He ranked 31st in on-base percentage and 22nd in slugging in the league.

"'s numbers were good in Cuba—where's he at?" said one Latin American director. "It means nothing. You don't want their numbers to be bad, but just because they're good doesn't mean anything."

Unlike Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes or even younger Cubans like Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin or Reds lefthander Aroldis Chapman, Puig never played for the top Cuban national team. However, Puig did play for the Cuban national B team at the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam in June 2011, when he hit .333/.419/.481 with a homer, a double, three walks and five strikeouts in 31 trips to the plate as Cuba's . Several teams couldn't believe Puig could command a bigger contract than Cespedes, a well-known star in Cuba.

"You had many chances to see Cespedes play," said a second Latin American director. "This guy's kind of an unknown. I don't know. That's their flavor."

When Cespedes left Cuba, the reaction was fairly widespread excitement from teams who viewed him as a potential all- star with immediate major league impact. Given Puig's age and experience level, he could report to one of the levels.

"Cespedes is a much better athlete, more of a complete package," said a third Latin American director. "He's a center fielder, good arm. (Puig has) got power and he runs OK, the bat stays through the zone quite a bit. He's strong, not quite as strong as (Dayan) Viciedo, but he's currently got plus power. I don't know if they even had anyone close to beating them."

Puig did play at the World Junior Championship in 2008 in Edmonton, where he was teammates with Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias and Royals lefthander Noel Arguelles before they defected at the tournament. Puig made the tournament all-star team, as did Toronto's Brett Lawrie at catcher for Canada and Nationals lefthander Matt Purke for Team USA.

However, since June 2011, major league scouts have not had the ability to evaluate Puig in person or even on video since he missed the most recent season in Serie Nacional. And unlike even Jorge Soler, who signed a huge major league contract with almost zero experience in Cuba's top league, Puig hasn't had the time to work out for for teams outside of Cuba.

"For me, you have to have history in order to make that kind of investment," said the third Latin American director, "and we certainly didn't have that kind of history."

When Dodgers president Stan Kasten held the same title in Washington, the Nationals proudly trumpeted their presence on the international market in 2006 by signing a 16-year-old Dominican shortstop named Esmailyn Gonzalez for $1.4 million. That deal embarrassed the Nationals and sent them back for years internationally when it was later revealed that Gonzalez was really 20-year-old Carlos Alvarez.

Puig is a much better prospect than Gonzalez/Alvarez, and there aren't questions about his identity, but there is plenty of skepticism in the baseball world about the deal. Only this time, the money is exponentially higher.

UP Magazine

Slip away to a Dodgers' game from Disneyland

By Jeff MacKinnon

As much as kids bound for Disneyland in Anaheim are wondering what Space Mountain is going to be like, their fathers are wondering if there’s any chance they will be able to sneak away and see a Major League Baseball game. There are two options: the obvious being nearby the of Anaheim (yes, that’s their full title); and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For the real baseball fans, a trip to storied Dodger Stadium is the obvious No. 1 choice. They are one of the game’s premier attractions and the familiar confines at Chavez Ravine are one of baseball’s must-see venues; Fenway Park (check, 1988), Wrigley Field (check, 1994) and Yankee Stadium (check, 2007) being the other members of the Fab Four.

Getting there

Getting to Dodger Stadium isn’t as hard as it seems, if you aren’t afraid of racing down one of America’s most frantic stretches of roadways, Interstate 5. An Alamo car rental outlet at Downtown Disney just a few hundred metres from Disneyland Hotel can provide the vehicle – in our case a Dodge Charger that had plenty of giddy-up for the 70 mph joy ride – and easy directions if you don’t have your own GPS (I still kick it old school with a map).

For a 7:10 p.m. game, you’ll want to leave at about 2:30 p.m. Go north on I-5 (Santa Ana Freeway) towards Los Angeles, merge left onto the 101 at the Santa Monica Freeway. Then exit onto ‘The 101’, which leads to you Stadium Way. It’s not that hard, actually. Well, it’s a bit scary, but it’s doable.

About 15 minutes into your trip on the right side of the road – slow down to about 60 – you’ll see noted fast-food emporium In-N-Out Burger in the city of La Marida. It’s worth the stop and will hold you until you get your hands on a "world famous" Dodger Dog, which to be honest is quite unremarkable and quite possibly not really cooked. Mine wasn’t anyway.

If you leave early enough, you’ll arrive with time to take a drive down nearby Sunset Boulevard for a side trip to Griffith Observatory, the location for one of Hollywood’s most famous scenes – the James Dean knife fight from Rebel Without A Cause. There is a bronze bust of Dean there to honour the Hollywood legend. The observatory will offer you glorious views of the ‘Hollywood’ sign and Los Angeles itself, albeit it through a haze that is quite unsettling for those of us who enjoy Canada’s clearer skies.

At the ballpark

Dodger Stadium first opened in 1962, celebrating its silver anniversary this year. It opened a couple of years after the franchise was relocated from Brooklyn, New York. It is instantly recognizable for committed baseball fans. After parking and buying your ticket (never buy before you go unless the Yankees are in town for an interleague game) you walk up to the top of the hill to discover the park laid out below you, palm trees decorating the backdrop and a gentle California breeze brushing up against your face.

Gates always open two hours before game time. Getting there at 5 p.m. for a 7:10 p.m. first pitch will give you a chance to see the visiting team take batting practice. Tonight the Angels, led by , were the opposition.

Employees at Dodger Stadium accommodated us for a peek at Dodger batting practice at 4 p.m. though the gates were still closed. Just had to ask.

Beer me? You can buy a monstrous $13 draft or ask to be directed to a kiosk that offers a $6.50 Miller Lite, which will suffice for anyone who just wants a casual sip during the game. Dodger Stadium also serves a Korean beer called Hite. Post-game

After the game, attendants will direct traffic back out to Stadium Way. Get in the left lane as quickly as you can and look for the 110 South signs, leading you back to 101, which joins the I-5 to Anaheim. Disneyland Drive signs will be very visible when you arrive back "home."

If at any point you feel guilty about leaving your family for a few hours, just remember that they are in the happiest place on Earth--Disneyland. Nerdist

A Brief Visit With Dodgers Sci-Fi Fan Todd Coffey by Perry Michael Simon on June 28, 2012

As we near the big night when our own Chris Hardwick throws out the first pitch for Star Wars Night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles before the Dodgers-Reds game Monday night, July 2nd — and if you haven’t gotten your tickets, buy them right this second — it got us wondering if any of the players are into Star Wars like we at Nerdist are into it. Turns out that, yes, there’s one guy who’s a fan of science fiction, a huge Star Trek guy as well as a Star Wars partisan, Dodger reliever Todd Coffey.

Todd, who joined the team this season after stints with the Cincinnati Reds, , and , is known for sprinting from the bullpen at breakneck speed when coming into a game and for his nerd tendencies, not necessarily common in pro sports. We asked him a few questions about those things while preparing for Star Wars Night, and he was gracious enough to answer:

Nerdist: You’re a science fiction fan, especially of Star Trek but also Star Wars. What appeals to you about the genre?

Coffey: For me, about the genre, it’s just the fantasy of going to space, seeing the world, the travel. Star Wars and Star Trek are two different entities altogether. Star Trek is about traveling in a different time, different era, and Star Wars is, you know, a little more fantasy than reality.

Nerdist: Your interest in sci-fi is sometimes portrayed as unusual for a baseball player. Is it? Have any of your teammates, either now with the Dodgers or in Milwaukee, Cincinnati, or Washington, shared your interests?

Coffey: Randy Wolf of the Brewers shared my interest in Star Wars. That’s about it. Everybody else calls me a nerd for actually loving Star Trek. I welcome it openly.

Nerdist: Which science-fiction characters would make your All-Star team? Who’d be in your dream crew, and what would they bring to the table?

Coffey: Jean-Luc Picard would definitely be on there, and Kirk, always. Luke, Darth Vader… Data and Worf. Those guys would all be contributing in their own ways, but, mainly… awesome crew.

Nerdist: How much of a tech nerd are you? What gear, if any, do you take with you on the road to get on the Net or watch movies or play games? And do you pay a lot of attention to what people are tweeting at or about you?

Coffey: I take all the normal gadgets on the phone on the road: iPad, iPhone, anything I can get at Brookstone. Any new gadget out there, I love to have it. I take my computer on the road, too, and I’m always looking to see what the next best thing is for gadgets. I do pay attention to Twitter to see what people are talking about.

Nerdist: Finally, what’s the deal with running from the bullpen to the mound at your top speed when you get called into the game? It’s your signature move — the Brewers used to time it on the scoreboard, and it’s definitely a unique sight — but how and why did that get started?

Coffey: It got started because in Double A, I was closing, and we scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth, I was pumped up, and I sprinted out there. I liked the way it felt, the fans got into it, I got into even more, and… I enjoy it.

And he, and you, will enjoy the Star Wars-themed festivities on Monday night. (How’s that for a segue?) Chris will, as mentioned above, throw out the first pitch, there will be Star Wars characters around the park, and the right field all- you-can-eat pavilion will have a special section for you, with a special ticket package that includes not just all that food — unlimited Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, and soft drinks — but a limited-edition Star Wars/Dodgers t-shirt and visits from characters, all for $39.95 per ticket including fees. Buy your tickets now by clicking here. And if you’re elsewhere in the stadium, you’ll find Course of the Force booths with your chance to sign up to win a signed limited edition Star Wars poster. It’s going to be a great night, so join us, and if Todd comes in to pitch, make sure you cheer extra loud. And fast, because he doesn’t give you a lot of time before he starts to work.

Los Dodgers.com

Wright clave en triunfo de Mets vs. Dodgers

Associated Press 06/29/12 2:20 AM ET LOS ANGELES -- David Wright conectó un jonrón en solitario e impulsó carrera con un doble el jueves por la noche para que los Mets de Nueva York venciera 3-2 a los Dodgers de Los Angeles. Los Dodgers quebraron una racha de 33 entradas sin anotaciones en la cuarta entrada después que Dee Gordon llegó al plato, siendo felicitado por todos sus compañeros en el dugout. Pero no pudieron doblegar al bullpen de los Mets y descendieron de la primera posición de la División Oeste de Liga Nacional. Chris Young (2-1) toleró dos carreras y seis hits en seis entradas y un tercio, ponchó a seis y no concedió boleto gratis. Bobby Parnell, en su primera oportunidad para rescate desde que el taponero dominicano Frank Francisco fue registrado en lista de lesionados, lanzó un noveno episodio perfecto en su primera salvada del año. Chris Capuano (9-3) permitió tres carreras y cinco hits en siete entradas. Por los Mets, el puertorriqueño Andrés Torres, de 3-1, con una carrera remolcada; el panameño Rubén Tejada, de 4-1, con una carrera anotada. Por los Dodgers, el dominicano Elián Herrera, de 4-2, con una anotada y una impulsada; el venezolano Juan Rivera, de 4- 2, una remolcada.

Dodgers pactan trato con el cubano Puig

Por Jesse Sánchez / MLB.com 06/28/12 1:17 PM ET Los Dodgers de Los Angeles han llegado a un histórico acuerdo por siete años y $42 millones con el aclamado prospecto cubano Yasiel Puig, según confirmaron fuentes cercanas a las negociaciones. Los Dodgers no han comentado o confirmado la contratación del cienfueguero de 21 años de edad. La decisión se precipitó luego de que Puig recibiera el miércoles los documentos correspondientes del Departamento del Tesoro estadounidense para poder negociar un contrato con equipos de Grandes Ligas. El jugador había recibido estatus de residente en México la semana pasada, luego de escapar de la isla a comienzos de junio. El contrato de Puig, considerado uno de los mayores prospectos de la pelota cubana de la última década, supera los $36 millones que recibió el granmense Yoenis Céspedes para sumarse a la nómina de los Atléticos de Oakland por cuatro temporadas. ESPN Deportes

El clima enamoró a Juan Rivera

Por Will González Especial para ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com

El guardabosque de Dodgers de Los Angeles Juan Rivera dijo estar encantado con el área de Los Ángeles y se considera dichoso de jugar para los Dodgers.

"Me encantó la ciudad de Anaheim. Me encantó el trato de los fanáticos. Los Ángeles también", manifestó el pelotero quien reside en el sur de California.

"Para mi es el clima", dijo Rivera sobre su parte favorita de Los Ángeles. "Nunca está frío; nunca está caliente; buen clima para jugar. No solamente a mi, a todos los peloteros les gusta jugar en Los Ángeles por el clima". En cuanto a los Dodgers, lo que mas le deleita a Rivera es el animo del equipo.

"El año pasado, en la segunda mitad, cuando yo llegue aquí, no pensaba que el animo iba a ser así. Aunque estábamos fuera de la clasificación, el equipo siempre jugaba 100 por ciento", atestó el jugador quien debutó en las Mayores el 4 de septiembre del 2011 con los New York Yankees.

"Tenemos buen espíritu", dijo Rivera, quien promedia .274 en sus primeros 73 turnos al bate con corredores en posición de anotar este año.

Para el guardabosque, la rivalidad entre los Dodgers y los Angelinos no es tan caliente como la enemistad entre los Leones de Caracas y los Navegantes de Magallanes en la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional.

"Es la única rivalidad en que yo he sentido como una ansiedad", dijo el pelotero de 33 años sobre las batallas entre los eternos rivales del béisbol invernal.

"La rivalidad con los Angelinos no la siento como si fuera en el país de uno", explicó el jugador de los Dodgers sobre la pasión desenfrenada por el béisbol de sus paisanos.

"En Venezuela, me sacan un poco de concentración y estoy más pendiente de los fanáticos porque es demasiado", dijo el nativo de Guarenas, Miranda.

"El primer juego que jugué, estaba nervioso. Nunca había sentido esa adrenalina que uno a veces siente. No se me ha desarrollado como ese día, como en ese juego de Caracas-Magallanes", comentó Rivera quien jugó con los Navegantes.

"Se siente más el fanático y se siente más la pelota", declaró el veterano de 12 temporadas en la Gran Carpa quien no menosprecia a los fanáticos estadounidenses ni la devoción de los jugadores de Grandes Ligas.

El corpulento bateador derecho reconoce que el nivel de juego en las Mayores es tal que no se puede tener éxito si no se doman las emociones. Las serie Angelinos vs. Dodgers no sólo es una gresca entre vecinos del área de Los Ángeles pero es una travesía de regreso para Rivera quien jugó seis temporadas (2005-2010) para los serafines.

Los Angelinos canjearon a Rivera, junto a , a los Azulejos de Toronto por en enero del 2011. No obstante el canje, Rivera nunca se sintió rechazado por los Angelinos.

"Es normal, el béisbol es un negocio y uno no puede permanecer en un equipo toda su vida", comentó el jugador cuyo contrato con Toronto fue adquirido por los Dodgers en julio del 2011.

"No siento ningún desespero jugar contra ellos", dijo Rivera sobre como la madurez lo ha ayudado a manejar las confrontaciones contra los Angelinos.

"No trato de hacer más porque no se va a ver los resultados bien. Si no, se va a ver desesperación", explicó el bateador derecho quien ayudó a los Dodgers a ganar un encuentro contra los Angelinos con un jonrón de tres carreras en el segundo juego de la primera serie entre los dos equipos a principios de junio en Chávez Ravine. Los Angelinos ganaron la serie Interligas entre ambos equipos 4-2.

A Rivera le encanta el área de Los Ángeles y se considera dichoso de jugar para los Dodgers.

"Me encantó la ciudad de Anaheim. Me encantó el trato de los fanáticos. Los Ángeles también", manifestó el pelotero quien reside en el sur de California.

"Para mi es el clima", dijo Rivera sobre su parte favorita de Los Ángeles. "Nunca está frío; nunca está caliente; buen clima para jugar. No solamente a mi, a todos los peloteros les gusta jugar en Los Ángeles por el clima".

En cuanto a los Dodgers, lo que mas le deleita a Rivera es el animo del equipo.

"El año pasado, en la segunda mitad, cuando yo llegue aquí, no pensaba que el animo iba a ser así. Aunque estábamos fuera de la clasificación, el equipo siempre jugaba 100 por ciento", atestó el jugador quien debutó en las Mayores el 4 de septiembre del 2011 con los Yankees de Nueva York.

"Tenemos buen espíritu", concluyó Rivera quien promedia .274 en sus primeros 73 turnos al bate con corredores en posición de anotar este año.

Pierden el partido y el liderato por Rigo Cervantez

LOS ÁNGELES -- En la noche en que los Dodgers recibían la buena noticia de que su jardinero estelar Andre Ethier, no sufre inflamación en uno de los músculos abdominales, el oblicuo izquierdo, cuya dolencia le obligó a salir del ultimo juego en San Francisco de acuerdo a los resultados de una resonancia magnética, perdían por primera vez en la temporada la punta de la División Oeste de la Liga Nacional, al caer frente a los Mets de Nueva York por 3-2, frente a 49,006 espectadores que se dieron cita en Chávez Ravine.

Ethier no vió acción en el primer juego de la serie ante los neoyorquinos, y está bajo observación día a día. A pesar de ello, la tropilla azul de Don Mattingly se las ingenió para cortar un racha de 33 entradas sin lograr anotar carrera, al conseguir dos en el cuarto episodio, cortesía de Elian Herrera, pero que no resultaron suficientes frente al ganador Chris Young (2-1), qien lanzó durante 6 episodios y un tercio.

La derrota quedaba en manos del zurdo Chris Capuano (9-3), quien trabajó durante 7 capítulos, espaciando 5 imparables, que se tradujeron en 3 carreras y aunque ponchó a 5 rivales, los extrabases, principalmente un cuadrangular y un doble de David Wright, le hicieron estragos.

LA HISTORIA

Los Mets madrugaron y subieron en el mismo acto inicial la primera rayita al tablero con batazo de dos esquinas, una rola por la tercera base, de David Wright, que mandó al panameño Ruben Tejada, con la carrera de la quiniela, desde la intermedia.

En la cuarta entrada, Wright suma su noveno batazo de cuatro esquinas de la temporada, desapareciéndola por el pabllón del jardín izquierdo, con las bases limpias y pone la segunda anotación para los neoyorquinos.

Sin embargo, en el cierre del mismo episodio, los Dodgers terminaron con su sequía anotadora y empataron, momentáneamente, la contienda.

Herrera, con un triple, permite que Dee Gordon, quien había iniciado la tanda con un imparable de dos esquinas, anotara sin complicaciones,

Luego vino Juan Rivera, que impulsa a Herrera, con sencillo al jardín central corto,

Pero la visita volvió a tomar la delantera en el quinto acto, con doble a la pradera derecha del boricua Andrés Torres, que manda hasta la registradora a Mike Nickeas, con la notación que significó la diferencia.

SEGUNDO DUELO

Para el segundo encuentro de la serie, este viernes a la noche, se anuncia el duelo monticular de los derechos Aaron Harang (5-4), por los Dodgers, y al nudillista R.A. Dickey (11-1), por la novena de Nueva York.

Dodgers firman al cubano Yasiel Puig por Enrique Rojas

El jardinero cubano Yasiel Puig, de 21 años de edad, acordó el jueves un contrato multianual de Grandes Ligas por siete años y $42 millones de dólares con los Dodgers de Los Angeles, dijo una fuente de entero crédito a ESPNdeportesLosAngeles.com.

El acuerdo, que está pendiente a que Puig se someta a la prueba física de rigor, será el más grande de todos los tiempos para un desertor cubano, superando el que firmó Yoénis Céspedes con Oakland en febrero por cuatro años y $36 millones de dólares.

"El contrato de Puig con los Dodgers deberá estar completado el viernes. El muchacho podría jugar en Grandes Ligas este mismo año, quizás a tiempo para ayudar en una carrera por llegar a los playoffs y a la Serie Mundial", dijo la fuente, que también informó que el acuerdo incluye algunas cláusulas que permitirían a Puig declararse agente libre después del cuarto año.

Puig escapó de Cuba hace un par de semanas y estableció residencia permanente en México, movimiento que aceleró el proceso para ser declarado agente libre en Grandes Ligas y ser desbloqueado por la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros (OFAC, por sus siglas en inglés), el organismo del Departamento del Tesoro que vela porque se cumplan las disposiciones del embargo de Estados Unidos contra Cuba.

Puig bateó .330 con 17 jonrones, 47 impulsadas y 78 anotadas en 327 turnos con los en la Serie Nacional 2010-11 de Cuba. Y luego promedió .370 en 46 oportunidades en los playoffs, con apenas 20 años de edad. Puig, quien también era considerado el juugador más veloz de la pelota cubana, fue sacado del equipo de Cienfuegos para la temporada 2011-12 después de ser atrapado en varias ocasiones intentando escapar, lo que consiguió finalmente el mes pasado. Cubano Puig recibe un contrato increíble por Jorge Morejón

Increíble, pero cierto. En las Grandes Ligas, "cubano" es una marca. Sino, ¿cómo se explica el contratazo que los Dodgers de Los Ángeles le acaban de dar al prospecto Yasiel Puig? ¡42 millones de dólares por siete temporadas!

Todos los reportes señalan a Puig, de 21 años, como un jugador completo, con las cinco herramientas, e incluso hay quienes afirman que el cubano estará listo para debutar en Grandes Ligas esta misma campaña, para ayudar a los Dodgers en los playoffs.

No es que no sea posible. Pero, ¿no hay acaso en República Dominicana, Puerto Rico o Venezuela jugadores de su mismo calibre, con características similares e igual edad?

Sin embargo, es hasta muy probable que a un joven quisqueyano ya ni lo firmen como profesional a los 21 años, con todo y el talento que pueda tener.

Son las cosas increíbles del béisbol. En los últimos años han llegado a las Mayores unos cuantos jugadores cubanos, favorecidos con grandes contratos, aunque no siempre demostraron merecer tanto dinero.

Uno que ha justificado cada dólar que le han pagado los Yankees de Nueva York a lo largo de toda su carrera es Derek Jeter.

El capitán de los Yankees disparó el jueves un hit en cinco turnos y con ese cañonazo igualó a Cal Ripken Jr. en el decimocuarto lugar de todos los tiempos en imparables, con 3,184.

Por su parte, su compañero Alex Rodríguez, sonó dos hits en cuatro oportunidades e igualó a Brooks Robinson en el escalón 44 de todos los tiempos, con 2,848.

Sin embargo, los festejos de Jeter y A-Rod por semejantes marcas se vieron empañados por una derrota de los Yankees 4-3 ante los Medias Blancas de Chicago.

Nueva York ganaba 3-1 cuando a la hora de recoger los bates, el cubano Dayán Viciedo le botó la pelota con dos hombres en bases al relevista David Robertson, para darle un vuelco total al marcador. Para Viciedo fue su decimocuarto jonrón de la temporada, la primera en que tiene la oportunidad de jugar como titular.

Otra de las cosas increíbles e inexplicables del béisbol es el peso psicológico que puede tener un uniforme.

A.J. Burnett fue un desastre en los tres años que pasó con los Yankees, entre el 2009 y el 2011, con balance de 34-35 y efectividad rondando las cinco carreras limpias por cada juego de nueve innings Burnett pasó en el 2012 a los Piratas de Pittsburgh y ha renacido de sus cenizas, como el Ave Fénix.

El derecho de 35 años venció el jueves a los Filis de Filadelfia y alcanzó su octavo triunfo seguido y su noveno en la campaña, frente a dos fracasos, mientras su efectividad es de 3.31.

De 13 aperturas en lo que va de temporada, diez han sido de calidad, con seis o más innings trabajados y tres o menos carreras permitidas, como si al salir de Nueva York, el temperamental lanzador se hubiera quitado de encima el peso de las rayas del uniforme de la Gran Manzana. Increíble también resultó la faena del venezolano Félix Hernández ante los Medias Rojas de Boston.

El derecho de los Marineros de Seattle trabajó nueve entradas en blanco, con cinco hits permitidos y 13 ponches, mientras que John Jaso, de emergente en el cierre del noveno episodio, impulsó la única y decisiva carrera del encuentro.

Y el zurdo estuvo a punto de lanzar el sexto juego sin hits ni carreras de la presente temporada.

El lanzador de los Gigantes de San Francisco permitió un solo imparable, con ocho abanicados, para vencer 5-0 a los Rojos de Cincinnati. La magia se rompió en el sexto, cuando Ryan Hanigan le abrió con sencillo al medio. Pero a partir de ese momento, Bumgarner retiró en orden a los siguientes 12 bateadores, para completar la blanqueada, la cuarta consecutiva para los lanzadores de San Francisco, récord para la franquicia.

Vivelohoy

Cubs al día: Epstein deja pasar al cubano Yasiel Puig

Por Carlos D. Corredor, Thursday at 3:19 pm

El cubano de 21 años, Yasiel Puig, finalmente firmó con los Dodgers de Los Ángeles por $42 millones y siete años. Los Cubs eran el otro equipo que estaba sonando más fuerte por firmarlo, pero aparentemente no estuvieron dispuestos a ofrecer una cifra que de hecho es mayor a la que recibieron los también cubanos Yoenis Céspedes ($36 M por seis años con Oakland) y Jorge Soler ($30 M por nueve con los Cubs). Considerando además que Puig no ha jugado fuera de Cuba y las oportunidades para scoutearlo han sido pocas, $42 millones es una cifra exagerada, escribe Keith Law.

A partir del lunes, los equipos de MLB sólo podrán gastar $2.9 millones cada uno durante el próximo año en firmas de jugadores internacionales, una nueva regla hecha para evitar que los equipos más poderosos ganen todas las subastas por prospectos que no son de Estados Unidos. Por tal razón, Puig estaba desesperado por salir de Cuba lo antes posible (tuvo varios intentos fallidos antes de poderse escapar), establecer residencia mexicana y firmar.

Además:

- Los Dodgers han estado scouteando a Brian LaHair, dice Buster Olney, y es posible que estén dispuestos a lidiar con que no sea el mejor jardinero defensivo, ante las lesiones de Matt Kemp y Andre Ethier.

- Epstein está dispuesto a asumir parte de los $14 millones del contrato de en caso de darlo en un cambio, ya que su prioridad es traerse prospectos, dice Jon Heyman.

- Dada la información anterior, en Bleacher Nation especulan que los Dodgers podrían dar un buen paquete de prospectos a cambio de LaHair y Dempster.

- En caso de que no hayan visto, los Cubs recibieron tremenda paliza en el último de la serie ante los Mets. El abridor Jeff Samardzija recibió nueve carreras, y el mánager Dale Sveum expresó su preocupación al respecto.