PHOENIX -- Joe Torre promised earlier this week the Dodgers wouldn't make any roster moves while the team was in Arizona. But the manager didn't say how long he'd wait once they had returned to Southern California.
Turns out the wait wasn't long, with the team announcing it had released reliever Rudy Seanez shortly after touching down in Los Angeles.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday, March 27, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 23 words Type of Material: Correction
Dodgers: A photo caption with the Dodgers spring training report in Wednesday's Sports section said pitcher Clayton Kershaw is right-handed. He is left-handed.
A 16-year veteran who had spent parts of three seasons with the Dodgers, Seanez gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's final exhibition game in Arizona, but not all of that was his doing because the inning unraveled after outfielder Jason Repko lost a fly ball in the sun. The right-hander, who appeared a good bet to make the team after pitching in a career-high 73 games last season, gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings this spring.
Seanez, 39, who could have earned as much as $1.3 million in salary and bonuses this summer, will get $135,000 in separation pay. He would have made another $150,000 in bonuses if he had remained on the roster until opening day.
Neither Torre nor Seanez were available for comment Tuesday night.
Waiting game
Torre, who still has 15 players to pare from his roster before Monday's season opener, will discuss his options with coaches and front-office personnel before Thursday's exhibition in Anaheim, the first of the team's final four spring training games.
"For the young players, this is when the game speeds up. And we're at a spot when the veteran players, they get a little bored waiting for Monday," he said. "It will be interesting for all of us to see what it's going to look like when you add that extra deck on the ballpark and you have these young kids up there in [different] situations.
"I think we're going to find that out."
Also on the agenda for that meeting is the immediate future of second baseman Jeff Kent and third baseman Nomar Garciaparra, both of whom could start the season on the disabled list.
Kent, who hasn't played since March 4 because of a sore hamstring, took batting practice and ran at half speed for a third consecutive day Tuesday and felt good enough afterward to joke with reporters. Garciaparra, out nearly three weeks because of a fracture in his right hand, was wearing a compression wrap to prevent further swelling Tuesday and almost certainly won't be ready for the opener. Moreover, the Dodgers have privately expressed concern that Garciaparra's injury could take more time to heal than previously thought.
