The Dodgers Want All The Players And Other MLBullets

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• Not two days after it was revealed that they'd won the bidding for the rights to negotiate with Korean lefty Hyun-jin Ryu for $25.7 million, the Dodgers are reportedly hot on Torii Hunter, discussing a two-year deal for the outfielder who rebounded nicely in 2012. Why is the Dodgers' pursuit of Hunter notable? Well, for at least two reasons. For one thing, Hunter is expecting to get a starting job somewhere (and he could find one if he shopped around), so the Dodgers would have to pay handsomely to get him to join their crowded outfield. For another thing, if the outfield is to be un-crowded (they've already got Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Ethier as the presumed starters), the Dodgers will have to deal Andre Ethier ... just months after signing him to a five-year extension. Perhaps that's their plan, rather than simply putting together a $300 million payroll, but I can't say I endorse that approach either - sign a guy to a five-year extension, and then deal him in the immediately following offseason? That can't be a great way to endear yourself to players.
• Matthew Pouliot says the Rays should be dealing starter James Shields for a number of reasons - his future salary, his trade value, etc. - but offers this additional interesting reason: "And I just don't trust Shields to keep this up. He's been one of baseball's best starters the last two years, but he's also thrown 477 innings between those two seasons. He's reached 215 innings five of the last six years, missing only when he finished at 203 in 2010. That durability has given him a ton of value in Tampa Bay, but he's on the wrong side of 30 now. Dan Haren had a very similar streak to Shields from ages 25-30 before suddenly taking a dive last season. It was probably different back in the 1970s, but in the last 30 years, the list of the pitchers who have been most durable before age 30 doesn't match up very well with the list of pitchers durable after age 30."
• Oh my: according to Wall Street Journal/Yahoo Sports writer Michael Salfino, the Wilpons, who own the Mets, and the Mets, as an organization, are broke. That is, according to Salfino, why the Mets are suddenly shopping R.A. Dickey rather than extending him, and is also why we aren't going to see the Mets extend David Wright (so he says).
• The BBWAA Award season starts today with the Rookie of the Year awards in the AL and NL, which could be foregone conclusions in favor of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.
• Scott Boras essentially says Cleveland Indians' ownership doesn't care about winning, which is both a self-serving statement, and probably an accurate one.
• Speaking of those Indians, they are apparently shopping 26-year-old shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and the Cardinals have a great deal of interest. If the Indians are looking for young pitching, as they are believed to be, they might find a fit in the Cardinals, too.

Brett Taylor is the Lead Writer at Bleacher Nation, and a Contributor here at Bleed Cubbie Blue.