Dodgers: Umpire Joe West Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Paul Lo Duca

It’s been a very long time since Paul Lo Duca was part of the Dodgers organization. He was traded to the Marlins back in the Summer of 2004 after 11 years with the organization. But for many fans in Los Angeles, he was a favorite growing up. 

This week, Paul finds himself in a little bit of trouble. The former Dodgers catcher has been in a lawsuit battle with MLB umpire Joe West. This came after Lo Duca said some things about West on a podcast back in 2019 that turned a few heads. 

Lo Duca said on The Favorites podcast that Joe West once agreed to give a former teammate of his a bigger strikezone in exchange for use of a car. The former Dodgers catcher told the story in detail about how Billy Wagner got away with it. 

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Records from Lo Duca’s time with the Mets indicate that West was never an umpire behind the plate when Wagner was pitching and Paul was behind the plate. 

Judge John Kelley of the Manhattan Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of West in the case. As a result, Lo Duca was forced to pay him $500,000 in the agreement. Hopefully, he’s not relying on his pay from his Dodgers days to cover that. 

Other Dodgers News

Another former Dodgers player is making news headlines, but this time for good reasons. Tim Locastro broke a major league record by stealing 28 bases to start his career without getting caught. His cleats from the 28th steal will be sent off to the Hall of Fame. 

Dodgers: Former Outfielder Tim Locastro Sets a Record and Gets Cleats Sent to Cooperstown