"Sure, Hiro; That's What Twitter Is For"

The LAT's Dylan Hernandez reports that trade bait Hiroki Kuroda will be informed promptly by Dodgers GM Ned Colletti if he's in play to be traded. Well kiss my grits! I hate to say it, Hiro, because I love you on the Dodgers--but I think it's more likely than not that you won't be a Dodger by August 2011:

Nearly every day for the last couple of weeks, Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda has been asked the same question: Have you heard anything?

Each time, he said he hadn't.

That changed Monday, when Kuroda said he had met with General Manager Ned Colletti in the team hotel earlier in the day.

The subject of trade speculation, Kuroda said Colletti told him he would promptly inform him if or when another team inquires about him.

Kuroda's one-year, $12-million contract with the Dodgers includes a provision that allows him to block a trade to any team. Kuroda said Colletti told him he doesn't want to deal him and wants him to return next year, but that he wants to offer Kuroda the chance to win.

Colletti said Kuroda's account of their meeting was accurate.

"I'm grateful that he took the time to talk to me," Kuroda said. "It was very thoughtful of him to speak to me directly instead of speaking to me through my agent."

In all seriousness, I don't doubt Colletti on this last point. I don't recall the details but I do remember Colletti mentioning the difficulties of working through agents when trying to get to players and sort out how they're really feeling or what they're really thinking.

But back to the main point: it's probably best if Kuroda keeps his ringer off of "silent" mode, for a while.

photo: AP