Are Dodgers saying goodbye to Angel Berroa?

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Backup shortstop Angel Berroa had his $5.5-million option for 2009 declined by the Dodgers. The Kansas City Royals, who traded Berroa to the Dodgers in June, are on the hook for the $500,000 needed to buy out the option.

Berroa hasn’t accrued enough Major League service time to become a free agent, so he remains under the Dodgers’ control. But he’ll probably be let go, as the collective bargaining agreement forbids clubs to re-sign or tender contracts to players that would cut their salaries from the previous season by more than 20%. Berroa earned $4.75 million in 2008, meaning the Dodgers would be forced to pay him at least $3.8 million if they tender him a contract.

-- Dylan Hernandez