Hector Olivera signs with the Dodgers
In a move that doesn't surprise anyone, Cuban infielder Hector Olivera agreed to a six-year, $62.5 million contract with the Dodgers. Multiple teams, including the Braves, had shown interest in Olivera, but only the Dodgers were willing to give him six years. An area of concern has been his health: he previously had a blood clot in his left arm, and Tommy John surgery is a potential risk. Therefore, the team added an option year for $1 million should Olivera require a TJ operation.
Pablo Sandoval takes more shots at Giants
Pablo certainly has no qualms about putting a torch to the bridge between him and the Giants. The latest episode has him citing his ex-employer asking him to stay on a weight regimen as yet another reason for him leaving the team. He's been the subject of fat jokes for some time, but has been a reliable hitter and defender in his career. That being said, he's 28 years old and not getting any younger; his new teammate David Ortiz made it a point of telling him as such, because how dare a team take interest in the well-being of one of its most important (and expensive) assets!
I've been getting after Pablo about that because Pablo is very agile, but he's 28 now. If he doesn't take care of himself, in a couple of years he could lose that agility overnight. So I'm talking to him about eating better, because if you want to stay in this game, you have to take care of yourself.
Heath Bell retires
Jarred Cosart involved in gambling controversy
MLB takes gambling very seriously (just ask Pete Rose), so when an image is leaked of correspondence between Jarred Cosart and a gambling expert via Twitter, the league decides to launch an investigation as to whether this could implicate Cosart in any way. Cosart later claimed his account was hacked and deleted it. On Thursday, Cosart said he would cooperate with MLB in its investigation.