Furcal
 

"Rafael Furcal has finally made up his mind. He's going back to Hollywood.

Furcal, the top free-agent shortstop on the open market this year, has decided to sign with the Dodgers, major-league sources say. Furcal had been debating for the last two days between the Dodgers and the Braves.

The Dodgers and Furcal were still hammering out an agreement Wednesday afternoon, sources said, but the Braves had been informed that Furcal would not accept their deal."
-KEN ROSENTHAL(FOX SPORTS)...Same guy who said he had a deal with the Braves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081218/...dgers_furcal_1

Getting closer. Ain't done until dat lil s-h-i-t signs something. Worst case scenario is 3 years/33 mil. Best case is he stays healthy, and is able to guarantee a 4th year (4 years/43 mil.) We needed a playoff series win so bad that the bunt to the 2nd baseman in playoffs was worth a mil. Plays like that destroy an opponent's morale.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/me...00810033585439

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810143618247

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810043592171

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810123614315

De Rosa had 3 seconds from the time the ball hit the bat on that bunt. Furcal always gets a hit off bunting to the shortstop or 2nd baseman. He sees where they are playing. He knows they can't do it in 3 seconds. That's the closest I've seen anybody come to doing it.

I'll give you a post so this isnt a solo thread

Good deal by LA if the numbers are correct. Of course unless he gets hurt again....

Is this like Academy Awards where the run out a bunch of stuff at Christmas time in hopes that is get nominated for Dodger thread of the year? Cause so far it's winning.

He's gunna get hurt again. He looked hurt against the PHILS. He has a much better arm than what he was using in that series. All three years he got hurt. He only hit .270 or whatever in 2007, because he played hurt all year long. He was healthy for the 1st month or 2 this year, and the last half of 2006. When he is healthy, this team is pretty tough. We might win 92-95 games if he was healthy a full season. I think they're figuring they will get about the same situation that they've had from him the last 3 years. That's worth 33 mil/3 years, or 43 mil/4 years. It might even be a lil less. I've read differing amounts, but it's in that area. As far as the thread goes, I have a bunch of dogs, so, I am used to individuals taking in information without commenting. I have 1 btch that responds enough to make up for all of you. I'll stop there.

Furcal is a mediocre SS now and he can demand that kind of price.

Looks like baseball players salaries are recession proof.

He isn't mediocre when he is healthy. There are a lot of reasons we beat the Cubs, and he was a huge one. A mediocre SS can't do this:

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/me...00810033585439

Look how fast that guy is streaking to 1st. They had no shot to stop him from getting that run in. He was gunna either walk, or get a bunt single to a middle infielder. Late in a game, this is how he starts innings off. Can't be defensed. The Dodgers have weaknesses. They showed up in full view against the PHILS. I believe he was injured, and it started to show up in his throws. He has one of the strongest arms in the game. Those aren't difficult throws for a healthy Furcal. The one deep in the hole between 2nd n' 3rd was the throw where it really showed up. Believe it or not, he can easily make that throw(if he is healthy.) The other 2 problems are the 2 B headcases(Broxton and Billingsley.) Now, everyone knows how f'n Jekyl n' Hyde those two are. Those two really hurt the cohesiveness of this team. When they were longshots, those 2 performed like they should. When something was expected of them, they couldn't handle it at all. I think people blamed the Cub players a lil too much for the sweep. The Dodgers can be very tough when playing their best. Obviously they took 3 in a row from the Cubs in October, and 4 in a row from the Phils in August. They are potentially very tough, but they aren't consistent, because they have a couple headcases, and Furcal does have injury issues........ It's a fair deal. He is taking a pay cut, because he is an injury risk. If he can play, he will play. He will play with 70 or 80 % of his health(I am 100% sure of that.) When he is limited by a serious injury, yes, he is mediocre(2007.) You should take note that the 2 finalists were his 2 previous employers. They know an awesome team player is not as common as it may seem to people on the outside looking in. Most athletes do settle for less than their full potential. This is one that is always 100% out there, and it does make other players play harder.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/ne...t=.jsp&c_id=la

He never wanted to leave. Said he was always gunna give the Dodgers a chance to match an offer. This is my favorite player. I was really dreading him leaving. I'm relieved it's done. We got the :L: on the treasure for (hopefully) 4 years. I don't think Atlanta had a clue what Furcal really wanted. Said he was always gunna give the Dodgers a chance to match their offer. Sounds like the agent used at Atlanta a lil unethically. Told them to send an offer sheet, and then Furcal says (later) that he was always gunna let the Dodgers try to match it. It would appear his agents wanted to bait a 3-year-guaranteed offer from us. It's obvious he wanted to stay here. It wasn't that obvious during the last 4 or 5 weeks. Dodgers and Furcal pretty much used the A's and the Braves like their own personal ragdolls. Pretty interesting to see how both sides were playing games like a couple using other people to make the other jealous. Maybe this should be a lesson to teams that are both cheap, and not making the post. Most likely, a competitor with this much heart isn't gunna give a damn about playing for you. When he signed with us, it was like a horizontal move(neither his old, or his new team was any good.) Now you're expecting him to go to 2 tightwad teams that aren't making the post much? What would have been interesting is if the Braves had countered with a guaranteed 4 year/ 40 mil contract. Seems like as soon as Furcal's agent got a decent offer(at all) from the Dodgers, then he acted like he didn't know the Braves anymore. These 2(Furcal n' Kinzler) had a definite plan. When they hooked the Dodgers in, they weren't looking anywhere else. Maybe, Ralfy should stay away from Atlanta in 2009..LOL..NOT GUNNA BE PRETTY! This whole damn thing got ugly because this idiot signed Andruw last Winter. Now the owners are pssd off about it, and getting cheap, and it caused this whole p.r. flap for one of our best players. That's the big difference between a team like Boston and some others(they've got a lot better management.)

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/me...00812213724777

Brought out the "ANSO EGGSIDED"phrase for all the fans. Looks like he may have bulked up some. He's starting winter ball. Not thrilled about that.

Furcal went 4-for-12 with three walks against the Cubs in the National League Division Series but 4-for-19 with three walks against the Phillies in the League Championship Series that ended with a three-error disaster while playing with a stiff neck when the Dodgers were eliminated in Game 5.