[jaa36]

It was a busy offseason for Gullible Bill. During arbitration proceedings, outfielder Joc Pederson requested and received an eight-year extension worth $122 million. Everyone else just wanted a one-year deal.

Bill got right to work on trying to improve the team's stolen bases, and to find some locally popular player. Billy Hamilton fulfilled both objectives, and signed a minor league deal worth $2.6 million if promoted. Trevor Rosenthal, also locally popular, wanted $15.2 million over four years. Jonathan Villar was brought in as a reserve infielder to provide more speed on the bench, and Jarrod Dyson and Delino DeShields Jr. will give some minor league depth should any of the speed demons go down. Essentially the Kansas City Royals strategy.

And then the trade requests came pouring in. Bill accepted the following offers:
-reliever Justin Wilson and minor league pitcher Bryce Montes De Oca from the Mets for A.J. Pollock (with the Dodgers retaining 40% of Pollack's salary)
-Robinson Cano and minor league outfielder Carlos Andres Cortes from the Mets for Corey Seager (with the Mets retaining 35% of Cano's contract)
-second baseman Cesar Hernandez and minor league outfielder Cornelius Randolph from the Phillies for pitcher Kenta Maeda (with the Phillies retaining 15% of Hernandez's contract)

That left the Dodgers with a wide array of second basemen. Always good to be prepared.

No major injuries in spring training, but Walker Buehler isn't expected back until the second half. The Dodgers enter the regular season favored to win the NL West. Magic Johnson expects them to win it all!