I suppose there have been worse overall news days for the Dodgers, but December 16 has to rank up there. Morning brought the report that outfielder Milton Bradley began serving a three-day jail sentence in Ohio. Then the ace starter the Dodgers wanted so dearly, Tim Hudson, was traded by the A's to the Braves. The capper came when Adrian Beltre spurned L.A.'s offer and signed with Seattle, costing the Dodgers the best player the franchise has groomed in a long while. That deal apparently put the brakes on another in which Shawn Green, Brad Penny and Yhency Brazoban would be traded for the Yankees pitcher Javier Vasquez and prospects, though cancelling that one may not be such bad news. MSNBC analyst Michael Ventre says the Dodgers—having lost Beltre, Steve Finley, Jose Lima and Jose Hernandez from last year's exciting team, and still lacking a usable catcher—are sinking:

They don’t seem to have any idea what they want to do. They’re acting like bargain-hunters at a flea market: They’re willing to check out the merchandise, but unless they come across a deal that is too incredible to pass up, they’ll withdraw into their meager existence and maintain the status quo, however depressing it may be....None of this makes sense. The Dodgers are flailing, grabbing pieces here and there, seemingly content with slapping together a jalopy made of spare parts.

Then there's owner Frank McCourt. T.J. Simers noted Tuesday that McCourt just defaulted on a $22 million loan back in Boston, soon after his wife bought a $6.5 million home near their $25 million mansion here in Holmby Hills.