No Fielder, No Pujols, No Surprise

From "Dodgers not likely to add big bat in off-season" by Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times:

The notion that the Dodgers had entered a new big-money era was dispelled Tuesday when General Manager Ned Colletti acknowledged the team was unlikely to make a run at top-line free agents such as Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.

Asked of the possibility of adding a big bat, Colletti said, "As of today, it looks less realistic."

The concession was made only a day after the Dodgers finalized an eight-year, $160-million contract with Matt Kemp and departing owner Frank McCourt said Colletti was free to pursue the likes of Fielder and Pujols.

The Dodgers went into the winter with Fielder atop their wish list, but Colletti said he wasn't scheduled to meet the power-hitting first baseman's agent at the general managers meetings in Milwaukee this week.

The Dodgers are expecting to reduce payroll next season because of their bankruptcy and impending sale, according to a person familiar with the team's off-season plans. The Dodgers' payroll was at around $110 million last season, including deferred payments to players who were no longer on the team.

Not that this news comes as anything of a shock, but I wonder if the front office timed it to emerge after leaking news of Kemp's contract. Because it worked — I'm so relieved that Kemp is (unofficially) locked up that not pursuing an overpriced first baseman right now is no disappointment.