Here's the latest out of the West:
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Dodgers: Fox lawsuit 'underscores its desperation' - latimes.com
"The Dodgers vowed Friday they would not be 'intimidated or distracted' by a Fox Sports lawsuit that the team said only revealed Fox's 'desperation ... in the face of intense competition from Time Warner.'" -
Matt Kemp's new Dodgers contract starts smaller, then gets bigger - latimes.com
"Kemp's contract averages $20 million per season, but the Dodgers will pay him only half of that this season -- $10 million, of which $2 million is deferred." -
Padres Find Budget-Savvy Way To Address Offensive Woes - Baseball Nation
"Another problem? The Padres don't have much available money to fix what's broken. Last year's opening day payroll of just under $46 million was the team's highest since 2008, and right now the front office is in penny-pinching mode. The team is looking to trade either Orlando Hudson or Jason Bartlett to clear salary, and for all I know the Mark Kotsay contract ate up all remaining funds. The Padres are not presently in a position to spend." -
Moores and Moorad: Padres’ transfer on schedule - Jon Paul Morosi
"John Moores and Jeff Moorad said at this week’s owners’ meetings that Moorad is still on schedule to buy out Moores’ controlling interest in the Padres by the March 2014 deadline to transfer ownership."
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Community Projection Rejection: Freddy Sanchez - McCovey Chronicles
"But the Giants shouldn't expect too much. They shouldn't expect anything, really. They should put Sanchez down for a repeat of last year's 200+ at-bat season, figure out where the offense can really improve, and treat anything more from Sanchez as a welcome surprise. Because if they don't, you're going to wake up one day and read a Giants lineup featuring Yuni Betancourt at short and Manny Burriss at second." -
Rockies Microwave Oven Heating Up As Brandon Wood Signs Minor League Contract - Purple Row
"Before anybody flips out about Wood being a terrible excuse for the "big acquisition" the Rockies need to make this offseason, remember that Wood is on a Minor League contract and is really there for AAA depth. That said, he could be one of those absurdly late bloomers and suddenly find that MLB potential that had him and Stewart drafted in the 1st round." -
Wood signs deal with Rockies - Jenifer Langosch
"Infielder Brandon Wood, who declared for Minor League free agency after the Pirates removed him from their 40-man roster on Oct. 31, signed a Minor League contract with Colorado on Thursday. Wood spent most of the 2011 season with the Pirates, who claimed him off waivers from the Angels in April." -
With Lincecum, Giants face choice of two extremes - Ken Rosenthal
"Lincecum, coming off a two-year, $23 million contract, said he would be comfortable on a one- or two-year contract. The Giants might need to make him a monster offer – one of say, six to eight years – to persuade him to sign a longer deal. [...] The Giants also are trying to reach a new contract agreement with their other premier right-hander, Matt Cain, who is eligible for free agency at the end of next season."