Happy birthday to Dodgers manager Don Mattingly (51) and Giants prospect Brandon Belt (24). Here's the latest from the NL West…
- Bud Selig says the league is still trying to learn some specifics about the sale of the Dodgers to Magic Johnson's ownership group, reports Mike James and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
- Dodgers minor leaguer Angel Guzman has been issued a 50-game suspension following a positive test for a drug of abuse, according to an MLB press release. This is Guzman's second violation of the league's drug policy. Guzman last pitched in the majors in 2009 as a member of the Cubs, and he signed a minor league deal with L.A. in December.
- Despite Guzman's suspension, Don Mattingly still sounded positive about the right-hander's future with the club, reports MLB.com's Gene Duffy.
- The Giants have no plans to make AT&T Park more hitter-friendly, reports Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's an asymmetrical park with interesting dimensions, adding to the strategy and enjoyment of the game, and the overall opinion from fans has been positive," said Giants team president Larry Baer. "It's kind of our signature. It's who we are."
- Padres right-hander Dustin Moseley is getting a second opinion on his shoulder injury but told reporters (including Dan Hayes of the North County Times) that he expects to undergo season-ending surgery.
- Cole Hamels criticized the Padres, his favorite team growing up, to local media (including Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune) for not doing more to field a consistent winner. "It’s not the fans. They alienate their own fans by not keeping guys around, especially the guys they develop," Hamels said. "They won’t keep an Adrian Gonzalez or go get that big-name guy. That’s just hard on a fan.”
- Hamels further expounded on the subject with Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres, praising Petco Park. "To see the Padres with such an unbelievable stadium, and to have it downtown, and to see what it's done to the city, and for them to not really want to put out a team that has to compete against the Dodgers, and the Giants, and Arizona — that's tough," Hamels told Krasovic. "I think if the organization wanted to compete, people would be here in a heartbeat — fans and players."