DODGERS ANNUAL COMMUNITY CARAVAN PRESENTED BY USC UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SET FOR FEBRUARY 14-15

                   

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers will embark on their eighth annual Community Caravan on Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15. This year’s Dodgers Community Caravan presented by USC University Hospital is themed “Two Days of Community Service” where current and former Dodger players will join Dodger fans in giving back to Los Angeles Community.  

 

Monday, February 14

 

Day one of the Dodgers Community Caravan will feature Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly and Dodgers Andre Ethier and James Loney. Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda alongside former Dodgers Steve Garvey, Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, Kenny Landreaux and Rudy Law and Dodger broadcaster Steve Lyons will also participate.

 

10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.        Los Angeles River Cleanup (Public must pre-register for a chance to participate)

 

The Dodgers in partnership with Los Angeles City Council District 1, Councilmember Ed P. Reyes and Los Angeles Conservation Corps/Los Angeles River Keepers will clean up the banks of the L.A. River.

 

Dodger fans must pre-register online to participate. The event is open to the first 250 registrants that sign up at www.dodgers.com/caravan.

 

5:00 p.m.                                Lopez Tonight Taping in Burbank

 

The Dodgers will make an appearance on George Lopez’s national show to share their community service experiences.

 

Tuesday, February 15

 

Dodgers Rafael Furcal, Matt Kemp, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jay Gibbons and Gabe Kapler will join former Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela, Ron Cey, Derrel Thomas, “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Special Advisor to the Chairman Don Newcombe in the Los Angeles community for day two of the Dodgers Community Caravan. Dodger broadcasters Charley Steiner and Pepe Yñiguez will also partake.

 

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.        Heal the Bay, Santa Monica (Public must pre-register for a chance to participate)

                                               

Dodger fans will join the Dodgers on a Heal the Bay cleanup at Santa Monica beach. The event is open to the first 750 fans that register online at www.healthebay.org/events. Participants will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win autographed baseballs, Dodger tickets and raffle items at the day’s event.

 

4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.       Dodgers Dreamfield Dedication Ceremony at Northridge Recreation Center

 

                                                The Dodgers Dream Foundation will dedicate its 10^th Dodgers Dreamfield at the Northridge Recreation Center. Councilman Greig Smith will join and youngsters from the community will participate in the field’s first clinic with the Dodgers who will instruct them on the fundamentals of baseball.

 

More information on the Dodgers Dream Foundation and the club’s charitable endeavors can be found at dodgers.com/community.

Furcal Agrees To Three More Years With Dodgers

I think this is a great move by the Dodgers, providing of course, Rafael Furcal stays healthy. As great as Manny Ramirez down the stretch last season, it was obvious how much Furcal meant to the top of Joe Torre's lineup as well.

LOS ANGELES -- Rafael Furcal is staying with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reaching a preliminary agreement Wednesday on a $33 million, three-year contract.

Furcal finalized his decision late in the afternoon, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was still not yet official.

A day earlier, Furcal had been close to accepting a $30 million, three-year offer from the Atlanta Braves, his original major league team.

Furcal gets $7.5 million next season, $9.5 million in 2010 and $13 million in 2011. The deal includes a $13 million team option for 2012 with a $3 million buyout, and the option could become guaranteed depending on his performance.

The 31-year-old Furcal, coming off a $39 million, three-year deal with the Dodgers, played for the Braves from 2000-05.

He hit .357 with five homers and 16 RBIs last season but was limited to 36 games and 143 at-bats by back problems. He had back surgery July 3 and was sidelined until the season's final week, but started each of the Dodgers' eight postseason games, hitting .258 with one homer, three RBIs and nine runs scored.

Furcal was hitting .366 through May 5 before injuring his back. He reached base in his first 30 games of the season, becoming the first Dodger to accomplish that feat since Duke Snider in his first 34 games of the 1955 season.

Earlier Wednesday, agent Paul Kinzer said Furcal had never accepted the Braves' offer.

"They know we didn't have a signed contract, that we didn't have even a verbal agreement. We had, 'Things look very good and Raffy's going to sleep on it,'" Kinzer said after a news conference for another client, Francisco Rodriguez.

Furcal still owns a home in the Atlanta area, but owns another in nearby La Canada Flintridge as well.

Los Angeles hesitated to make an offer of more than two years because of Furcal's medical history, but general manager Ned Colletti has been saying for weeks that signing the shortstop was his immediate top priority.

Colletti can turn his attention to pitching and free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez. A pair of Los Angeles starters, Derek Lowe and Brad Penny, became free agents.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Reports: Dodgers To Sign Loretta

How do you think this signing will affect the return of Rafael Furcal?

ESPN.com: The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement with infielder Mark Loretta, pending a physical, according to multiple media outlets.

Loretta hit .280 in 261 at-bats for the Houston Astros last season with four homers and 38 RBIs. He appeared at four infield positions and hit .330 against left-handers.

A 13-year veteran and two-time All-Star, Loretta will be paid about $1.4 million in 2009, according to MLB.com.

Loretta was not offered arbitration by the Astros, so the Dodgers won't have to surrender any draft picks to sign him.