LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers added a chemistry test to the equation Thursday, trading beloved backup catcher A.J. Ellis to the Philadelphia Phillies in order to improve the teams fortunes against left-handed pitching.The Dodgers landed right-handed hitting catcher Carlos Ruiz in the transaction, as well as cash considerations, while minor league pitcher Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named later also went to the Phillies along with Ellis.Ellis was not only the longest tenured Dodgers player, having spent 13 years in the organization and the last seven in the major leagues, he was also extremely close with staff ace Clayton Kershaw. Ellis said a number of emotional goodbyes with players and staff Thursday, but the most emotional was with Kershaw.Baseball is funny, anything can happen in the future, but to know that in almost all likelihood I will never get to catch him again is without a doubt the most devastating thing I am feeling right now, Ellis said. To feel that and for both of us to hang out here and try to process what was happening, it was very difficult.Ellis has said that catching Kershaw is like having an up-close-and-personal look at somebody on the road to the Hall of Fame. The duo sat on the dugout bench together Thursday afternoon without much to say.I think the shock kind of it hit us both simultaneously and we both cried, Ellis said.Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that team leadership and chemistry were all taken into account, suggesting that the front office chewed on the deal for multiple days. In the end, though, the Dodgers were intent on improving a lineup that was 13th in the National League in OPS against lefties at .663.Ruiz has just 44 at-bats against lefties this year, but he has two of his three home runs in those at-bats. He has 121 at-bats against right-handers. Over his 11-year career, Ruiz has a .275 batting average and an .814 OPS against lefties, compared to .265 and .722 against righties.I think that is a big part of it is him against left-handed pitching, just the quality of at-bat, Friedman said of the 37-year-old Ruiz. It was something, as a whole that [we] were focused on in July and then into August was just ways to lengthen our lineup against left-handed pitching. ... With Carlos, we felt that we could get more offensive production out of that position.Ellis said he was at a neighborhood park with his son Thursday morning when he received a text to come for a meeting in manager Dave Roberts office. Although he guessed what the meeting was likely about, the confirmation of the trade hit him hard.Its a really, really sad day for me; its a really sad day for my family, Ellis said. The one thing I am most proud of is being a Dodger for my entire career. I was drafted by these guys in 03 and to have been the longest tenured Dodger was something I was extremely proud of. To have that gone now in a blink of an eye, without much time to feel finality to it, it rips your heart out.Ellis was getting only sporadic playing time of late as catcher Yasmani Grandal had been flourishing both behind the plate and with the bat. Ellis was batting just .194 with a .252 OPS in just 139 at-bats. But his departure is sure to be felt.Friedman was asked how much of the chemistry equation was considered to make the potential offensive return from Ruiz worth making the deal.All of our interests are perfectly aligned in terms of doing everything we can to bring a world championship back to Los Angeles, Friedman said. 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While Tsolekile has been banned for 12 years, Jean Symes has been given a seven-year ban, and Ethy Mbhalati and Pumelela Matshikwe have each been given ten-year bans in relation to the 2015 Ram Slam T20 fixing case.All four players have accepted the bans given by CSA. The bans imposed on the players, effective from August 1, 2016, prevent them from participating or being involved in cricket in any capacity.Symes, Matshikwe and Tsolekile were all previously contracted with Lions, while Mbhalati was contracted to Titans.Tsolekile, who captained Lions previously and has played three Tests for South Africa, was sanctioned for contriving to fix a match or matches in the 2015 Ram Slam; failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption Officer the full details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct. He was also banned for failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; and obstructing or delaying the investigation by destroying evidence that was relevant to the investigation.Symes, an allrounder, was banned for failing to disclose to the anti-corruption unit a payment which he knew or ought to have known was given to him to procure a breach of the Code, according to a CSA release. He has also been charged with failing to disclose details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code; failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; and failing to co-operate with the investigators by knowingly providing false information to them.Mbhalati and Matshikwe have been banned for: Receiving a payment or incentive to fix or contrive to influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM; making a payment which in the circumstances would bring the sport of cricket into disrepute; failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption officer a payment which they knew or ought to have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code; failing to disclose details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct and failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant.The CSA release stated that Matshikwe had three years of his ban suspended.CSA made its investigation into the allegations of fixing in the Ram Slam competition public last December. In January former cricketer Gulam Bodi was banned for 20 years after he admitted to contriving or attempting to fix matches during the 2015 Ram Slam T20 series.The boards investigation was headed by independent attorney and former ICC Head of legal, David Becker, and former police Colonel and current head of CSAs Anti-Corruption Unit, Louis Cole.CSAs chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that while there was no evidence to suggest that an actual fix in a match had been carried out, the players had participated in material discussions about match-fixing.Corruption is a very serious matter and for this reason we have devoted extensive time and resourcess to fully investigate every shred of evidence, Lorgat said in the statement.dddddddddddd We are still finalising certain aspects of the investigation.Whilst there has been no evidence to suggest that an actual fix in any match was carried out, these players all participated in material discussions about match-fixing. In fact, they all went further and accepted, or agreed to accept in the future, sums of money which they knew or ought to have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code, or bring the game into disrepute.ICC chief executive David Richardson said it was a plus if the actual fixing was thwarted, and the ICC supports the strong sanctions. What is particularly satisfying to note is that it appears that any intended wrongdoing was disrupted before it happened, meaning the domestic games in question went ahead without any act of corruption being committed.The sanctions are rightly strong and, I hope, will act as a deterrent to anyone thinking about getting involved in criminal activity of this nature whether at international or domestic level.Symes, Matshikwe and Mbhalati expressed their regret over their actions and issued apologies in CSAs press release. The release, however, did not include a statement from Tsolekile.I would like to apologise to my family, friends, the public who are fans of the game of cricket, my team mates, Gauteng cricket, Lions cricket and especially to Cricket South Africa for my actions, Matshikwe said in the press release. I feel ashamed and I deeply regret being involved. I understand that I have to take responsibility and I accept the punishment that CSA has imposed on me. I am truly sorry.Mbhalati admitted to a bad mistake: I made a bad mistake which I will regret for a very long time. I would like to do all I can to prevent other players finding themselves in the difficult situation I now find myself in.I deeply regret that at the end of my career, a career that I have devoted to the sport of cricket, my clubs, teams and fellow players, I have conducted myself in a manner that amounts to a contravention of the ethical code of conduct of Cricket South Africa, Symes said. In hindsight, I would have conducted myself differently. I regret any hurt or inconvenience that I have caused my team, my fellow players, my family and friends and specifically Cricket South Africa.The Federation of International Cricketers Associations chief Tony Irish said FICA might assist the players in their recovery process. If it hadnt been for education programme, I dont think the players would have come forward and revealed what was going on, Irish said. This investigation would never have happened.These are human beings, these are players who have gone astray. They are still individuals. They are guys who perhaps need support and assistance in other ways. We will probably look to assist them in that way. This is the best education a player can get - to see what happens when it does go wrong. 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