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Jeff Weaver Back On The Open Market


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Dodgers, Weaver fail to agree to terms

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Free-agent pitcher Jeff Weaver is almost certainly leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Weaver led the Dodgers with a career-high 14 wins last year, but he and the team failed to reach an agreement on a new contract by Sunday night's 9 p.m. PST deadline. Now, the Dodgers are prohibited from signing him until May 1, and it's just about certain the 29-year-old right-hander will hook on with somebody else long before then.

"I wish Jeff Weaver would be pitching for the Dodgers in 2006," general manager Ned Colletti said shortly after the deadline passed. "It's not going to happen. I wish there would have been a way we could have figured something out, but it turned out there was a difference in philosophy and a difference of opinion."

Colletti has said for several weeks that it was a long shot that Weaver would return to the Dodgers. He earned $9.35 million with Los Angeles last season.

Colletti wouldn't comment on contract negotiations with Weaver's agent, Scott Boras.

"Jeff is a very competitive guy who pitched very well for the Dodgers," Colletti said.

Weaver, who grew up a Dodgers fan in nearby Simi Valley, was 14-11 with a 4.22 ERA last year, striking out a career-high 157 batters in 224 innings. He averaged nearly 6 2-3 innings in 34 starts.

The Dodgers acquired Weaver and reliever Yhency Brazoban from the New York Yankees for right-hander Kevin Brown on Dec. 13, 2003. Weaver was 13-13 with a 4.01 ERA in his first season with Los Angeles.

Weaver began his big league career with the Detroit Tigers in 1999, going 9-12 with a 5.55 ERA. He has a lifetime record of 78-87 with a 4.44 ERA.

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He should AVOID Baltimore. He will get lit up in that park. He might give up 40 Home Runs there.

If I was his agent I would had him a list of teams. On that list would be every National League team. Nothing more.

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He should AVOID Baltimore. He will get lit up in that park. He might give up 40 Home Runs there.

If I was his agent I would had him a list of teams. On that list would be every National League team. Nothing more.

Baltimore, Cincy, Coors Field. Not Weaver parks. He should get himself signed by San Diego (they don't need him though) or Washington (they won't pay him, but he would be a nice replacement for Loiza).

But avoid the AL at all costs.

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Baltimore, Cincy, Coors Field. Not Weaver parks. He should get himself signed by San Diego (they don't need him though) or Washington (they won't pay him, but he would be a nice replacement for Loiza).

But avoid the AL at all costs.

Interesting you should say SD mbn becasue after I said Baltimore I thought to myself "San Diego or any other team in the NL West for that matter" and I'm not just talking about Weaver.

That division is so weak that it's just sitting there for the taking. If a team in that division would take the initiative and add a few good players, the division could be theirs. When the division winner is a .500 team, why would't you upgrade with some solid players and damn near guarentee a pennant? It's the only division where a few upgrades give you a marked advantage over the other teams which would in turn give you an immediate increase in attendace/income making it worth it.

The Dodgers have cokme the closest to doing what I'm talking aobut here this off-season and for that reason I think they have a good shot to win it. The only question is their starting rotation which would not be great with Weaver, but it would be more stable. The guy eats up innings and saves your 'pen. If the right pitching coach can get the guys head on straight, there's no denying how good his stuff is.

Only problem with the Dodgers is that they have some of the worst fans in MLB so getting a jump in attendance will be tough, and even when fans in LA do come out, they get there late and leave early which obviously hurts their concession income significantly.

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AirForceJetFan;

Good point.

I think any team in that division has a shot, except maybe the Rockies, with a few upgrades. The Giants helped themselves with the addition of Matt Morris. That gives them 2 top-of the rotation starters in Schmidt and Morris. And Latroy Hawkins will be able to replace Eyre, IMO. If Alou and Bonds stay healthy, they will be right there at the end.

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