Who is apparently, as we speak, re-signing with the Dodgers.  Although give it another 10 minutes and he could end up on the Lakers (a 15th roster spot is still available).

It's being reported that Furcal is back for another three years and $30 million, guaranteed.  As I expressed just recently, Furcal's back still makes me nervous (it's often a body part that never really heals), thus concerning me that retaining the shortstop for anything along the lines of big dollars or long years is mighty dicey.  While three years isn't exactly a life sentence, the money involved isn't quite cat food, either.  If Furcal's string of injuries while donning blue continue, the Dodgers are staring down both the grim prospects of metaphorical cash spending its time on a trainer's table, but a very sizable hole in need of filling. 

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports writes that Furcal is re-signing with the Dodgers.

Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that Rafael Furcal is nearing a return to the Dodgers after a confusing early part of the week.  How this shakes out I have no idea.  Just passing along the news.

More on Furcal from Buster Olney, who notes that the price on Raffy keeps creeping down. He explores some of the reasons this whole signing thing might be getting complicated: 

Now, there might be a very good explanation for all this. Here are three possibilities, not all of them good.

1. Because of Furcal's extensive injury history -- he's missed about 150 games over the past two seasons -- his representatives are assuming nothing about whether he will pass a physical examination and are working diligently to create a landing place in the event Furcal's deal with the Braves dissolves because doctors in Atlanta don't like what they see.

2. The Dodgers were under the impression Monday afternoon that the offer they had to beat was four years and $40 million from the Athletics -- which turned out to be $2 million more than what Oakland had proposed -- and they retreated from the field. L.A. might have been surprised, then, to learn Tuesday that the deal Furcal seemed to be settling on was three years and $30 million, with a vesting offer for a fourth year contingent on whether Furcal plays in 132 games the third year. This is much closer to the two years and vesting option the Dodgers had discussed and back within range of what they are willing to pay. The Dodgers might have re-engaged at that point, and indeed, Dylan Hernandez reports that they increased their offer Tuesday.

3. Furcal might be sincerely conflicted about what he wants to do. He could go back to Atlanta, where he broke into the big leagues, but as Peter Gammons reported Tuesday night, he might have to shift to second base, with Yunel Escobar remaining at shortstop. It might be that he has wanted to remain with the Dodgers all along, and now that their offer might be comparable to what the Braves have proposed, he's having second thoughts.

BK

Dude may even be back in L.A.  Apparently, another shot is being offered to the Dodgers before pen and ink hit paper. 

As the Raffy turns.

More info as it emerges.

AK

Unfortunately for Dodger fans, the new contract isn't rumored to include a clause demanding that Andruw Jones also return to the team where his career began (not that Curacao's Finest isn't already thinking about his next move).  It is, however, rumored to be three years with a fourth year vesting option.  Depending on what cash is changing hands, I can understand if the Dodgers didn't feel comfortable matching -- much less topping -- this offer. 

As mentioned on many occasions, I really admire Furcal as a player, leader and person.  And while his health wouldn't change a thing about the latter characteristic, after the last two seasons spent largely hobbled and seemingly uncomfortable as a rah-rah guy at 65%, it's hard not to worry about his health affecting everything else.  There may not be loads of truly "better" options than Furcal, but there are likely safer ones.  And as much as it would suck to watch the 31-year-old Furcal suddenly rip it up in Hotlanta like a dude in his mid-20s, you can't blame the Dodgers for being gun-shy over pulling a possible "Schmidt, Part Deux."   

Of course, that means finding an alternative option either at short or enough additional options that a hole at short (Chin-lung Hu? Angel Berroa? Ivan DeJesus? Derek Lowe, if he's willing to learn a new role and stay in L.A., neither of which appears likely?) doesn't matter as much.  Work them phones, Ned!

AK

According to his agent Paul Kinzer and Yahoo!'s Tim Brown, that would indeed be the case.  The four suitors in question would be the Oakland A's (who apparently upped the ante on a four-year deal previously declined by Raffy), the Kansas City Royals (dare to dream!), your Los Angeles Dodgers, and an unnamed team that is not the Toronto Blue Jays, now out of the sweepstakes due to financial issues. 

As you were.

BK

As Friday came and went, the Dodgers didn't offer contracts to five players, most notably relievers Takashi Saito and Scott Proctor, and also righty Yhency Brazoban, shortstop Angel Berroa and minor league hurler Mario Alvarez, meaning all five are free to re-sign with the Dodgers or join another squad.  Had the Blue tendered contracts to any of the five, the lucky recipient of the offer would have become arbitration-eligible, something the Dodgers clearly didn't want to risk. 

Don't be shocked to see any of the five return.  GM Ned Colletti made it clear the Dodgers weren't necessarily cutting the cord, particularly with Saito:

"Takashi Saito's story of reaching the Major Leagues has been inspiring and he's accomplished a tremendous amount in his time as a Dodger. The door remains open to bring him back in 2009, but right now there's just a difference of opinion on his contract. We have a great deal of respect for him as a player and a person, and we know how difficult the last two or three months of the season were for him from a health perspective. Hopefully, we'll be able to come to an agreement with him down the road."

Saito says he's healthy, but the Blue (wisely) didn't want to risk being saddled with a large arbitration award without knowing for sure that Saito will be able to pitch effectively.  I'm a huge fan of Saito, but business is business.  Hopefully they can come to an agreement that works for everyone.

BK

He did fine work in our Blake's beard/Manny's hair photoshop contest, and he's still doing fine work today. 

Well played, sir. 

Which works out fantastic, since he's now a Yankee.  Five years, $82.5 mil.  To say the least, something of a potential powder keg contract.  But as the saying goes (a phrase I believe was actually coined by George Steinbrenner), it's only money, right?

AK

Times being lean, baseball brass is eschewing aeroplane travel to ride home on the ... wait for it ... blue line.  But a voyage in the tube on wheels allows for longer, more detailed conversations about the madness wrapped up in Las Vegas.  There's the decision whether or not to tender an offer to Takashi Saito.  From there, discussions may revolve around shortstop Rafael Furcal, a player-team relationship with mutual interest in another go-around.  Unfortunately, the interest in commitment of contract is anything but mutual, meaning outside-the-box thinking could be required to discover common ground.