Dodgers GM Ned Colletti better charge his cell phone and work it overtime on the last day of baseball’s winter meetings Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

But despite all of the rumors and chatter the Dodgers have added exactly no one to their roster, unless you count Matt Magill and Stephen Ames being added to the Major League Roster. Obviously the biggest prize Dodgers fans want signed is Zack Greinke, the former Cy Young Award winner and the unquestioned top free agent pitcher. Multiple sources have the Dodgers and Rangers as the 2 teams left in the Greinke sweepstakes, and all indications are the Dodgers are the clear front runner, with the possibility of Greinke receiving the richest contract of any pitcher in baseball history. Colletti met with Greinke’s agent on Wednesday but according to Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

Didn’t have “any idea” when a Greinke deal might occur.

Same goes for Korean lefty Ryu Hyun-jin, who the Dodgers spent $25.7 million dollars to have the exclusive rights to negotiate with. The Dodgers are in a position of strength as they are the only MLB club who can sign the 25 year old. However, the Dodgers haven’t had the best history working out deals with Hyun-jin’s agent Scott Boras. Boras has stated that:

“We have standards that all of us agree the guy is a No. 3 starter in the Major Leagues, Boras said Wednesday. And past practices, negotiations that we’ve done for [Daisuke] Matsuzaka, at that time Matsuzaka got paid [$52 million, six years] like he was a No. 3 pitcher in the big leagues. We think very highly of Ryu.”

The Dodgers have until Sunday to complete a deal with Ryu and worst case scenario is they can’t agree to terms and their $25.7 million is returned to them, which they could then use to sign another starting pitcher. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times reported that the Dodgers made Ryu a long-term offer on Tuesday that was “promptly rejected.” Boras said he made a counter offer to the Dodgers and that “negotiations continue.” Colletti said the Dodger’s offer “predictably fell a tad short.” So let me wrap my head around this, you just spent $25.7 million for the exclusive opportunity to sign the talented young lefty. Your offer is simply “a tad short,” I don’t know how many millions equal a “tad” but they’ve come this far in the process just get the deal done already. With the huge Korean community in L.A. Ryu could take on a “Fernando Mania” type role with the Dodgers if he is indeed a #3 caliber starter, to me that’s worth the “tad” that the two sides are apart.

Management has made it clear that the Dodgers plan on adding at least one, but more likely two starting pitchers, even though they have 6 starters under contract for 2013. But with Ted Lilly coming off of shoulder surgery, not to mention being 37 in January, with Chad Billingsley having a partially torn ligament in his elbow, and with Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang both being closer to 40 than 30 by the time the pennant race is in full swing, the need to bolster the starting pitching is more prevalent than ever.

Yet while other teams are throwing around silly amounts of money the Dodgers are kicking back in their suite in Nashville hopefully planning on closing the Winter Meetings with a bang. They already missed out on Japanese reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, who reportedly signed a 2 year $9.5 million dollar deal with the Cubs. That contract looks like a bargain when you consider ex-Dodger Shane Victorino somehow got $39.5 million from the Red Sox for 3 years. I’m still shaking my head over that amount of money for a player who hit .255 last year and was very average as a Dodger.  St. Louis gave Randy Choate, a one trick pony a.k.a lefty specialist, a 3 year deal worth a reported $7.5 million. To top it all off Joe Blanton just got $15 million for 2 years from the Angels, the same Joe Blanton who put up an ERA of 4.71 in 2012. Those are shocking numbers in my opinion and I am thrilled the Dodgers didn’t agree to any of them, with the exception of Fujikawa.

So while Dodger fans await the signing of Greinke, Ryu, or Anibal Sanchez, they can at least breath a sigh of relief that they haven’t overpaid for an under-performer, in that respect the Winter Meetings have been a success for the Dodgers. Now if they can finish it off by locking up Greinke and Ryu or perhaps making a trade for James Shields, R.A. Dickey, David Price or another #2 starter to compliment Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers fans can have something to be excited about.

One other piece of interesting news is the Diamondbacks efforts to deal Justin Upton. This is the 3rd straight off-season that Upton trade rumors are out there and why the D’Backs would want to deal Upton I have no idea. But I certainly would not be sad to see him leave the N.L. West. So as we enter the final day of the Winter Meetings one big question remains, what will the Dodgers do and when will they pull something off? Stay tuned to Lasorda’s Lair for any breaking news and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on facebook

Should the Dodgers sign James Shields?-Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Kenny has been harping on me for the Dodgers to sign James Shields When I say harping, I mean literally he’s been almost harassing me on the subject. It’s a great suggestion. Not the harassment, I mean signing James Shields. Kenny says it to me almost every time we speak. The more I think about it , the more I love the idea. I’m kidding about the harassment of course. Shields would be a great fit for the Dodgers.

Right hander James Shields is 30 years old, and was originally drafted in the 16 round of the 2000 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. Shields is 6’4, 215 pounds, and has pitched for Tampa Bay his entire career. Shields is finishing up a five year 17.75 million dollar contract. Here’s the thing though, Tampa Bay does have two team options in his contract for 2013, and 2014. So in order for Shields to be available, Tampa Bay would have to decline his options year, which they could considering he could become too expensive for them. Shields  a nine million dollar option for 2013, and a 12 million dollar option for 2014, with a 1.5 million dollar buy-out. If the Rays decide they need to clear up some financial flexibility, and choose to not pick up his option, then he would become a free agent, and the Dodgers would be able to pursue him.

Shields is a local boy, hailing from Newhall, CA-Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Shields originally hails from Santa Clarita, CA, and went to school at Hart High School in Newhall, Ca. The fact that he hails from my hood gives him more points in my book. IN his junior year of 1999, Shields was named the Los Angeles Time’s high school player of the year. That season after leading Hart High to the division II championship, he posted a 11-0 record, with a 2.35 ERA, and he also batted .478 with a school record 11 home runs. He was given a full scholarship to Louisiana State University. Baseball America ranked him as the 16 best high school prospect in 2000. Shields made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2002, but wasn’t able to pitch his first full season until 2003, because of season ending shoulder surgery. Shields has always been a good pitcher, and most known for his control, and being a work horse. Shields is primarily a fastball, change-up pitcher. He has a four-seamer, two-seamer, a very good change-up, a cutter, and a curve.Shields had his best season in 2011. That year, Shields finished with a 16-12 record, a 2.82 ERA, 225 whiffs, and pitched 249.1 innings of work. That year, Shields led the league with 11 complete games, earning him the nickname of “Complete Games James”. That season he was selected to his first all-star game, and finished third in the AL cy young voting.  Shields had another solid year in 2012 for the Rays. In 2012, Shields posted a 15-10 record, a 3.52 ERA, and 223 whiffs in 223 innings pitched. Shields has excellent control. In 2011, he walked only 65 batters, and this season he walked 58. His season low is 36. His career walk per nine rate is 2.1. Potential problems are his high home run rate. The last two years, he has allowed 25 and 26 homers, and has a career 1.1 home run rate per nine innings. In Shield’s seven big league seasons he has a 87-73 record, a 3.89 ERA, and 19 complete games. Shields has over 1250 career whiffs. In Shields final start this year for the Rays, he pitched a complete game two-hitter, and whiffed 15, but lost to Baltimore because the Rays didn’t score any runs. The only run was a home run allowed by Shields to Chris Davis.

Shields is also the first cousin of former MLB outfielder Aaron Rowand. You can file that under more obscure facts about James Shields you may not have known. The Dodgers should sign James Shields. I think he would be a perfect fit, so does Kenny. He would look great in Blue. Don’t you think?