Santo Domingo.– As a Dodgers contingent continued its visit to the Dominican Republic, two notable natives of this country did not make the trip, as they found themselves with the big league club facing the Florida Marlins.

But rest assured, while Rafael Furcal and Manny Mota are currently gone, they have not been not forgotten.

Furcal, whose community service in his hometown of Loma de Cabrera has helped thousands of youngsters, made headlines Wednesday morning when general manager Ned Colletti announced at a news conference on Tuesday his sincere hope of re-signing the Dodgers shortstop before he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

"He's been our best player the first month of the season and we want him to remain a Dodger," Colletti told a crowd of nearly 50 reporters at Hotel V Centenario. "I hope to sit down with his agent, Paul Kinzer, very soon and work towards getting an agreement done."

Meanwhile, the shortstop's boyhood idol, Mota, is never far from the minds of the Dominican people, as the international foundation in his name continues to do invaluable charitable work, year after year. The current project is the largest undertaking yet –Campo de Suenos, a multi-functional complex that includes multiple baseball fields, a community center, a medical complex and eventually, an elementary school.

"Helping the disadvantaged improve their lives is an extremely rewarding experience," said Mota. "It's all about the children, and ensuring that families enjoy a better quality of life and a brighter future."