The Dodgers just traded pitcher Claudio Vargas to the Brewers.
In return, the Dodgers got minor league catcher Vinny Rottino.
As soon as I track down some information on Rottino, I’ll pass it along.
UPDATE 10:55 a.m.
Rottino is a 29-year old catcher currently playing in Double-A and hitting .249 with four home runs and 48 RBIs.
The Dodgers beat the Cardinals 5-3 tonight to end their season-high four-game losing streak. For a full recap and boxscore click here.
THE BARE ESSENTIALS:
Oh, was this one big. The Dodgers eeked out a victory to salvage a game out this four-game set with the Cardinals. Neither the pitching nor the offense was great, but the Blue found a way to win.
Matt Kemp came up with the game-winning single in the top of the 10th, knocking in two runs with two outs against Todd Wellemeyer.
The 1-4 hitters in the Dodgers lineup went 1-for-17, including a woeful 0-for-5 day for Manny Ramirez on the day his name came up in a New York Times report that said he tested positive for PEDs in 2003.
Hiroki Kuroda turned in a quality start, going six innings and giving up two runs. Cardinal starter Kyle Lohse did him better, allowing only one run in his six frames.
ETC…ETC:
The Dodgers revamped their bullpen today, trading for George Sherrill and replacing Brent Leach on the active roster with Scott Elbert. The ‘pen did a solid job, allowing only one run in four innings — a solo shot by Rick Ankiel off Guillermo Mota. It broke Mota’s 20+ scoreless innings streak.
Casey Blake went 4-for-5 and scored two runs. Matt Kemp had two other hits besides the game-winner and had an incredible stolen base in which he took off before Kyle Lohse even started his delivery.
Jonathan Broxton got the save but didn’t look all that impressive a day after he blew a crucial save attempt. His fastball didn’t appear to have the same velocity as usual and he walked the leadoff batter, Joe Thurston.
ON DECK:
Jason Schmidt (1-1, 7.88) and Tommy Hanson (5-1, 2.95) at 4:30 P.M. PST in Atlanta tomorrow.
Tonight’s lineups:
Tonight’s lineups:
DODGERS
Furcal SS
Hudson 2B
Ramirez LF
Ethier RF
Blake 3B
Loney 1B
Kemp CF
Ausmus C
Kuroda P
CARDINALS
Schumaker 2B
Rasmus CF
Pujols 1B
Holliday LF
Ankiel RF
DeRosa 3B
Molina C
Ryan SS
Lohse P
UPDATE, 1:52 p.m.
Prior to the game tonight, the Dodgers recalled LHP Scott Elbert from Triple-A Albuquerque and optioned LHP Brent Leach to Triple-A. Elbert will wear No. 57
Ed Price of FanHouse just twittered that the Dodgers have traded for Balimore reliever George Sherrill.
We’ll get you updates as quickly as possible.
UPDATE, 12:45 p.m.
Yahoo! sports’ Gordon Edes reports that the Baltimore Orioles are on the verge of trading George Sherrill to the Los Angeles Dodgers on for prospects Scott Elbert and Josh Bell, according to two baseball sources.
UPDATE, 12:57 p.m.
Ken Gurnick of mlb.com now reports the Dodgers are acquiring George Sherrill for third baseman Josh Bell and pitcher Steve Johnson, according to baseball sources.
Our good friend Tim Brown at yahoo! sports is reporting the Dodgers and Red Sox have grabbed the lead in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes.
According to Brown, the Dodgers’ offer is believed to be all minor league prospects except right-handed pitcher James McDonald, who has pitched 38 major league innings.
Starters Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw have not been offered, and neither have any of the team’s starting position players.
Additionally, the Red Sox’s offer includes top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz. The Blue Jays also have been given the choice of reliever Justin Masterson, Triple-A pitcher Michael Bowden or Double-A first baseman Lars Anderson, with lesser prospects from the farm system filling out the Boston offer. The Red Sox from the beginning have included Buchholz because the Blue Jays made it clear he would have to be the starting point of any deal.
This is getting crazy. I mean, if the Dodgers can somehow pry Halladay loose without giving up anyone of note on the big club, it would be a huge, huge get.