Dodgers 3, Padres 2: Yasiel Puig disrespects San Diego with a Monster homer

The Dodgers moved to 3-1 on the young season with a win over the Padres behind Puig's bat and Zack Greinke's solid season debut.

• Puig hit his first home run of the season, a 2-run bomb to left. It was so, so disrespectful. He also singled.
• Juan Uribe had his second 3-hit game of the season as he doubled once and singled twice.
• Greinke threw five innings of two-run ball, allowing four baserunners while fanning five and walking two. He also allowed a long-ball and threw a wild pitch.
• Kenley Jansen worked out of a tough bases-loaded ninth inning jam to close the door on the Friars, striking out a pair in the process.
• Chris Withrow, Paco Rodriguez, and J.P. Howell all threw scoreless innings in relief of Greinke.

------------------------

Brian Wilson is headed to the DL with elbow issues. Eric Stephen of True Blue LA has more on the injury and Wilson's attempt to pitch through it on Sunday.

Seth Rosin's chances of remaining with Dodgers better than some expect

When the Dodgers acquired right-hander Seth Rosin from the Mets, following New York selecting him in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft, not much was made about it at the time.

Rosin, 25, has never pitched above Double-A, and was just mediocre at the level in 2013 (4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.8 K/9). But that was as a starting pitcher. He'll shift back to the bullpen, where he has spent a majority of his minor-league innings.

At 6'6, 250 pounds, it's hard to miss him on the field. With a low-90s fastball that touches 94 MPH, he has the velocity to succeed in the majors. He also seems to have the command to do so. His career walks per nine innings rate is 2.7. Sure, it'd probably tick up a bit in the majors, but he's adept at throwing strikes.

If Rosin were able to miss more bats consistently, he could find himself in a Major League bullpen. To make the Dodgers' bullpen, a lot of things are going to have to go in his favor.

Dodger relievers with MLB deals
J.P. Howell
Kenley Jansen
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Brian Wilson
Jamey Wright

Dodger relievers with MiLB options
Jose Dominguez
Paco Rodriguez
Chris Withrow

Barring anything unforeseen, all six of the pitchers from the first list are going to make the team in some fashion. The only conceivable way one doesn't is if League is designated for assignment.

Of the three on the second list, Rodriguez is a sure bet to be in the Dodgers' bullpen come opening day. If he weren't, that means Howell would be the team's only left-handed reliever.

Eric Stephen wrote a piece about Rosin earlier this week. He got an interesting quote from General Manager Ned Colletti.

"'I'm very interested in seeing what he can bring. Great arm, very competitive, very sharp,' (Colletti) said. 'He may be a power arm out of the pen, he may be somebody who could pitch multiple innings out of the pen, he could be a spot starter.'"

That versatility is an attractive feature to have, especially to the Dodgers, which lack a true long-reliever right now.

Colletti also had good things to say about him in Bill Plunkett's article on Baseball America on Sunday.

"'We had good reports on him,' (Colletti said). 'He's a big guy with a live arm and he's a smart kid. The day we traded for him, he finished his last final to get his degree from the University of Minnesota.

'That doesn’t speak to the baseball side but it says something about the kid.'"

This probably means absolutely nothing, but the Dodgers' 2013 first-round pick Chris Anderson is from the Minnesota area and second-rounder Tom Windle went to the University of Minnesota. Just interesting to note.

Rosin was invited to the Dodgers' Winter Development Program, the Dodgers' annual symposium-type even for prospects and young players close to the majors. If the Dodgers didn't really think Rosin had a chance to make the club, he would not have been invited.

As a Rule 5 draftee, Rosin would have to be on the active roster when the seasons start -- either on the 25-man roster or on the disabled list. If the Dodgers do not retain him, he'd be placed on waivers for any team to claim. If he goes unclaimed, he'd have to be offered back to the Phillies for $25,000. If they refuse, the Dodgers could then send him to the minor leagues. The Dodgers could also negotiate a trade with Philadelphia to keep him around. I don't see him making it that far. If he throws well in spring, the Dodgers could find a way to keep him. If he is waived, he'd surely be claimed.

As a flyball pitcher, his profile fits well in Dodger Stadium. I put a 70 percent chance he'd be cut to make room on the 40-man roster. After hearing the good things about him from the Dodgers, I'm not so certain.

A team can never have too much pitching. That adage usually holds true, unless one of those pitchers is a Rule 5 draftee.

It's a tough road ahead for Rosin, but he has a better chance of remaining in Los Angeles than it may seem. I'll say this: I'd take Rosin over league in a heartbeat.

Photo credit: woolenium, Flickr

Dodgers' signing of Jamey Wright could signal something is brewing

After the Dodgers reportedly agreed to terms with Chris Perez late Sunday night, it was a safe assumption they were done adding pieces to the bullpen. But the Dodgers apparently agreed to a 1-year contract with former Dodger (and just about everyone else) Jamey Wright.

I wrote about Wright when the Dodgers reportedly had interest in him at the Winter Meetings.

"Something to note is the reduced ground ball percentage. The nearly 11 percent decline didn't result in an outrageous rise in his home run per fly ball rate, which was likely because he struck out more than a batter per nine innings more in 2013 than he did in 2012.

He'll be 39 later this month, so there's no guarantee the success will continue. But on a 1-year deal, Wright would be well worth a look.

Wright has made a Major League rosters in each of the last eight seasons as a non-roster invitee. This year, it seems he won't have to be an NRI, as NRIs don't usually get inked in December -- especially those who have been really solid the last couple of years."

He probably didn't agree to a minor-league deal, so this creates quite the full bullpen in Los Angeles.

Bullpen locks
J.P. Howell
Kenley Jansen
Chris Perez
Paco Rodriguez
Brian Wilson
Jamey Wright

Bullpen hopefuls
Jose Dominguez
Brandon League
Seth Rosin
Chris Withrow

Bullpen longshots
Stephen Fife
Onelki Garcia
Yimi Garcia
Matt Magill

Injured
Chad Billingsley
Scott Elbert

-----

That's 16 players for -- at most -- seven spots. Because guys like Dominguez and Withrow have options, they're likely the odd men out. Rosin was a Rule 5 draftee. If he's to remain with the Dodgers, he'll have to be on the 25-man roster (or the disabled list). I only put League here because he was atrocious in 2013 and I could see the Dodgers eating that money (though, it isn't likely).

Billingsley and Elbert will be placed on the 60-day disabled list. Billingsley is expected to pitch later this season, so he'll almost assuredly be back.

The Wright signing could signal a couple things:

1. Perez (or Howell, I suppose) failed his (their) physical(s)
2. There's a trade brewing

Of the two, I'd say No. 2 is more likely. Guess it could be David Price, but I wouldn't call it a lock. Maybe a minor(ish) trade involving Withrow or Dominguez, because having guys like Perez, League and Wright instead of Withrow makes zero sense.

We'll see what happens. Wright is a solid reliever, but the bullpen is now overflowing with available arms. Something has to give here.

Photo credit: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons

Dodgers, Chris Perez, close to 1-year contract, according to report

Ned Colletti appears to have finally settled on his "high-leverage" reliever with closing experience, as the Dodgers are reportedly close to signing former Indians' closer Chris Perez to a 1-year contract.

Terms aren't yet known, but it'd be a shock if Perez got more than a $4 million contract. He was set to go into his last year of arbitration after earning $7.3 million in 2013. The Indians (wisely) decided to non-tender the burly right-hander.

Perez, 28, is best known for his antics off the field. In August 2012, he confronted an Athletics' fan and had some choice words for said fan. He attempted to mail some marijuana to his home using his dog's name. Seriously.

Oh, and he's not a very good reliever. Well, he used to be, but he was pretty bad in 2013. Perez posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 9.3 H/9, 1.8 HR/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 9.0 K/9. And his ERA didn't exactly jive with his 5.08 FIP. He was worth nearly a negative win in 2013 (-0.9). That's pretty hard to do out of the bullpen.

Perez's biggest bugaboo is his propensity for giving home runs. He owns a 1.1 HR/9 for his career, and gave up 11 in 54 innings this past season. His home run-to-flyball rate was an astronomical 20 percent (meaning, for every 100 fly balls he were to give up, 20 of them would over the fence). Dodger Stadium should help him with that problem, but he'll need to keep the ball down to be an effective reliever.

Barring anything unforeseen, Perez is likely slated for seventh-inning duty for the Dodgers.

His repertoire consists of a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a low-80s slider. He threw a curveball sparingly in his first two seasons, but he's been a two-pitch pitcher ever since. FanGraphs rated Perez's fastball at -15.4 last season -- the worst among all MLB relievers with at least 50 innings pitched.

Perez was good in 2010, posting a 1.71 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 63 innings at the age of 24 (despite a 4.0 BB/9). So, there's a chance he could recapture some of what made him an effective reliever just a few years ago.

The move likely means Jose Dominguez will begin the 2014 season in the minors (likely in Albuquerque). Chris Withrow is also a candidate of beginning the season in the minors, if the Dodgers need the active roster space -- but it'd be a mistake. If Perez is replacing, say, Brandon League, I say it's an upgrade. If he's replacing Withrow, it's a big, big mistake.

The Dodgers' 40-man roster is officially at 37, but when the signings of J.P. Howell and Juan Uribe become official, that number will go to 39. The Dodgers still need a couple bench pieces and could be in on Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. The Dodgers will almost assuredly place Chad Billingsley on the 60-day disabled list at some point, so that could also open up another spot. Otherwwise, I wouldn't get too comfortable if I'm Mike Baxter, Justin Sellers and, to a lesser extent, Javy Guerra.

Photo credit: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons

Dodgers should look at the Padres' Yasmani Grandal to upgrade at catcher

I love A.J. Ellis. He's a good baseball player, a great interview and an even better person. There's no "but" here. Ellis is solid.

The fact of the matter is, he wore down pretty noticeably last season. I saw a game at the beginning of September in which he looked sluggish behind the dish. He allowed just six passed balls in 2013 (down from 11 in 2012), but was also "charged" with 45 wild pitches (up from 37 in '12).

Ellis, 33 in early April, has a lot of mileage on him. He's caught 2,691 1/3 innings in the majors. That isn't a lot, but he spent the better part of nine seasons in the minors and caught 515 games. It only makes sense that he'd wear down after a long season.

His 2012 campaign was fantastic. Ellis hit .270/.373/.414, hit 13 home runs and was worth nearly four wins. That's All-Star-level production. After a fast start in 2013 -- .304/.435/.446 in 17 games -- he hit just .228/.296/.350 in 98 games.

It might be time for the Dodgers to acquire a catcher to help take the load off -- a starting catcher, perhaps.

I was mulling this over in my head on Tuesday and had the perfect catcher: Jarrod Saltalamacchia. It was set up so beautifully. "Salty" absolutely crushes right-handed pitchers and is at least half-way...ish decent defensively. But then the Marlins went and signed him to an economical 3-year, $21 million deal. Saltalamacchia is from the Miami area, so that's the only way this signing makes sense.

So, in my quest to find another, I looked at Matt Wieters. It's been reported the Orioles would entertain moving the Gold Glove catcher with two years of team control remaining. Wieters is one of the best power-hitting catchers, but he doesn't walk a whole lot or hit for much average. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be upset if the Dodgers were to acquire him, but he isn't the guy for my liking.

Jared Massey suggested the Astros' Jason Castro as a possibility in episode 61 of 'Dugout Blues.' I really liked that idea, but he would require 130-plus games of playing time, which makes Ellis a true backup catcher. I'm not ready for Ellis to be solely a backup just yet.

The catcher I finally landed on is Yasmani Grandal.

Say wha?

Yes, the very same Grandal who was suspended for 50 games last winter after testing positive for testosterone. The very same Grandal who was acquired by the Padres in the Mat Latos deal.

Grandal, 25, has only played in 268 games between the minors and majors in his career. In 2012, he played in 60 games and was a 2.4-win player. In just 28 game last season, he was a 0.6-win player. He's been worth three wins in just more than a half-season. That's damn good. Steamer projects him to be a 1.8-win player in 65 games. With San Diego, he should be the team's starter, but it also has Nick Hundley, whom it signed to a 3-year deal before last season (with a fourth-year option).

In the last two seasons, Grandal is the 12th-best offensive catcher in baseball (according to weighted on-base average). He only has 224 plate appearances in those two years, so his long-term effectiveness is yet to be determined. In his only fullish minor-league season, he hit .307/.406/.502 against right-handed pitching (some of the aided by the hitter-friendly California League).

Grandal, a native of Cuba, has solid power potential with a .429 career slugging percentage and has performed better on the road (.859) than at the cavernous Petco Park (.759 OPS). But his most attractive offensive ability is his walk rate. Grandal has walked 14.7 percent of the time in his abbreviated career. In the minors, Grandal walked 13.6 percent of the time. That's elite walk-rate territory. That's better-than A.J. Ellis walk-rate territory.

This is from John Sickels (Minor Leagut Ball) on June 4, 2012, two days after his Major League debut.

"He's a very solid hitter, with good power and excellent strike zone judgment. He isn't likely to hit .300 at the major league level, but he should produce above-average numbers in the power and OBP departments. He's had few problems with professional pitching, maintaining his production at each level. His bat speed isn't superb, but his refined approach to hitting helps him adjust.

Owner of a solid defensive reputation in college, he had a few problems last year, giving up 19 passed balls and committing 13 errors in 90 games behind the plate. He has more than enough mobility and has strong leadership skills, and his reliability should improve with more experience. His arm is average but his release can be a little slow; he caught 34% of runners last year and 24% so far in 2012. Although not a spectacular defender at this point, he will certainly stick at catcher and basically just needs more experience ironing out his receiving."

If the Dodgers were to acquire Grandal, I could see a straight 81-81 split with Ellis, who has hit just slightly better against righties than lefties in his career (.729 to .721 OPS). The Dodgers have Tim Federowicz penciled in as Ellis' backup. If that's the case, the Dodgers will struggle offensively behind the plate again in 2014. More likely, Ellis would still get the lion's share of playing time, but I'd like to see his games-played cut to 100-110 games to make sure he's still effective in September and October. Grandal could take over that role as early as 2015, with Ellis battling Tim Wallach for the Dodger managerial job come 2017.

Yes, catcher isn't needed to be an offense-first position, but with third base still unresolved and the outfield (outside of Yasiel Puig) still in question, perhaps some offensive boost could come from a Grandal-Ellis combination.

There is something to be said for Ellis' rapport with the pitching staff -- something I'm sure Grandal could pick up on and develop going forward.

It'd take a little bit to get Grandal, as the Padres probably aren't actively looking to move him. They have the best catching prospect in baseball with Austin Hedges who should make his MLB debut sometime in 2014. The Padres are always looking for good, young arms, so perhaps a Chris Reed- or Onelki Garcia-for-Grandal swap could be in order (might take more than that... I'd stop short at Zach Lee). The package could expand to include Chase Headley and other Dodger players/prospects, but that doesn't seem to likely with the intradivisionness.

If the Dodgers don't find a suitable third baseman -- be it Headley, Juan Uribe or someone else -- the Dodgers might have to go with a really light bat/good glove guy and upgrade offensively elsewhere.

The Dodgers' minor-league catching depth is non-existent. Acquiring a potential future starter before his prime years would help to offset the lack of talent behind the plate on the farm.

Baseball America ranked the Top 15 talents 25 years old and younger with the Dodgers' Top 10 prospects on Monday. Of the 15, just four had regular or semi-regular playing time for the parent club last season: Puig, Chris Withrow, Paco Rodriguez and Dee Gordon. The Dodgers are a decidedly veteran team and will need to get younger. They've already talked about it with regard to the outfield, but it stands to reason they could use some youth infusion into the big league team. Acquiring a guy like Grandal would be a step in that direction.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Dodgers should look at Wesley Wright, John Axford to replenish bullpen

With the impeding re-signing of Brian Wilson, the Dodgers' bullpen looks a little bit stronger than it did on Monday. But there's still work to be done.

The Dodgers need another left-handed pitcher to complement Paco Rodriguez, who wore down late last season. At age-22, that'll happen. J.P. Howell coming back would be ideal, even if it's for three years. If not, then a guy I'd consider is Wesley Wright.

Wright was drafted by the Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB Draft. He was left unprotected for the 2007 Rule 5 Draft and was selected by the Astros. He was traded to the Rays last season and was non-tendered on Monday.

Wright had a 3.69 ERA and a 9.3 K/9 in 53 2/3 innings. The number of innings pitched shows he's not just a LOOGY, even if he should pitch a lot more against lefties. In 2012, he had a 3.27 ERA and 9.2 K/9 in 52 1/3 IP.

For his career, Wright holds lefties to a .231 batting average and has a 3.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Righties have hit .266/.356/.500 against Wright for his career. That's not great. Wright has also given up 35 home runs in his career -- 28 of them to right-handed hitters.

Home runs have been a bugaboo for Wright, as he's allowed 1.3 per nine innings pitched. He's also has a 4.0 BB/9, but he's improved dramatically from his first two seasons (5.5 and 5.0 in 2008-09 to 2.9 and 3.2 in 2012-13)

Wright isn't anywhere near as good as Howell against right-handed hitters, but he does know how to get lefties out.

Wright is the rare reliever who has four pitches he throws fairly regularly. He boasts a classic arsenal -- fastball, slider, curveball, changeup. In 2013, he threw his fastball 59.3 percent of the time, his slider 22.4 percent of the time, his changeup 9.5 percent of the time and his curveball 8.8 percent of the time.

He leans heavily on his fastball-slider combination. His fastball isn't a plus-offering by any means (90.6 MPH for his career), but it doesn't have to be. His slider is a low-80s offering that is his only positive-value pitch.

Somewhat surprisingly, his brekaing pitches are good -- not great -- against left-handed hitters. In 2013, lefties hit .256 with a .282 slugging percentage against his slider (163 pitches) and .267 with a .533 slugging percentage against his curveball (42 pitches). That slugging percentage against his curveball is cause for concern.

He absolutely needs to not throw anything with a wrinkle to right-handed hitters. Righties hit .308/.462 (BA/SLG) against his slider (44 pitches) and .417/.667(!) against his curveball (45 pitches). His fastball/sinker and changeup are much more effective against righties.

Like I said, I'd much rather have Howell on a 3-year deal than any other available lefty, but Wright would be a solid consolation prize on a 1-year pact at $1.5 million.

The Dodgers also, seemingly, need to replace Ronald Belisario. Chad Moriyama already suggested it, while I suggested it on Twitter Monday -- that pitcher could be John Axford.

Axford was an elite closer in 2011 before faltering big time in 2012. His 2013 season wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed.

From Moriyama:

"After two years of being a very effective reliever in 2010 and 2011, Axford had a down year in 2012 (4.67 ERA). He started 2013 by posting a 24.30 ERA in his first four appearances and subsequently lost his closing job with the Brewers. That seems to be all that most remember, but following that stretch, he posted a 2.92 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. That includes a 1.74 ERA and 2.08 FIP with the Cardinals down the stretch.

Axford’s still a bit of a risk since he’s only months removed from a disastrous stretch of pitching, but if there wasn’t any risk, he wouldn’t be available. And at a reasonable deal, Axford fits both the role and the makeup of the position the Dodgers are currently trying to fill. If the team can’t get Brian Wilson back, and it doesn’t seem like they can (or even if they do), then Axford may be the best remaining option to shore up the pen."

The biggest reason he was non-tendered by the Cardinals is because he was due $5-6 million in arbitration. Now, teams are free to sign him to any kind of contract they want/he'll agree to.

Axford has big strikeout stuff. His mid-90s fastball is a big weapon out of the 'pen. He also posts a sometimes-plus curveball (79-80 MPH) and slider (83-85 MPH). Of any non-Dodger free agent reliever, I'd like to see the Dodgers bring him aboard for a year and $3-4 million.

-----

Those are just two free agent options to fill the bullpen. Wright would be just in case Howell didn't come back and Axford would effectively replace Belisario and could be another legitimate late-inning option for the Dodgers along side Wilson, Kenley Jansen, Chris Withrow and Rodriguez.

Photo credit: Steve Paluch, Flickr

Report: Dodgers close to re-signing Brian Wilson, which is fantastic

The Dodgers are close to bringing Brian Wilson back. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday morning the sides are making progress on an agreement.

The Tigers were seen as the Dodgers' biggest competitor for Wilson's services, but they're close to inking Joe Nathan to a deal, thus ending their pursuit of Wilson.

Wilson is said to want a 2-year, $20 million deal. After the Dodgers were in the mix on Monday for former Orioles' closer now-Athletics' closer Jim Johnson, bringing back Wilson at a rate like that isn't the worst thing in the world. Surprisingly, I'm more comfortable with the Dodgers paying Wilson in the neighborhood of $10 million per season rather than a guy like Johnson.

The Dodgers were definitely in on Johnson, with money -- oddly enough -- being the sticking point. When Wilson is right, he's an elite reliever. Johnson, despite posting back-to-back 50-save seasons (SAVEZ, h/t Mike Petriello), doesn't have elite stuff and relies heavily on ground balls.

I obviously undershot the amount in my offseason plan (2 years, $11 million), but with the Dodgers non-tendering Ronald Belisario on Tuesday (something I wanted to happen) and J.P. Howell not certain to return, there is suddenly a lot of vacancies in the bullpen. Bringing back Wilson would go a long way to shoring it up. I'm guessing it'll be a 2-year deal in the $8-10 million range annually with an option for a third year (vesting or otherwise).

Update (Dec. 3, 9:40 a.m.): Literally seconds after I posted this, I saw this tweet from USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The #Dodgers and free-agent closer Brian Wilson are talking only about a one-year deal, enabling Wilson to hit the market again after 2014
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 3, 2013

If true, that's even better for the Dodgers. That could bump the AAV to $10 million (or maybe a little more), but it's still a worthwhile risk to take. Wilson likely wants a 1-year deal to re-establish himself over the course of a full season in hopes of landing a multiyear deal elsewhere to be a team's closer. It makes a lot of sense for him.

Wilson pitched great in limited time with the Dodgers last season. He posted a 0.66 ERA and was worth nearly half-a-win in 13 2/3 innings. Now, he won't post a sub-1 ERA going forward, but he should be the best setup man the Dodgers have employed since Jonathan Broxton (yes, I said it).

His velocity improved as his season went on (ended at 93.2 MPH), and he was hitting 94-96 MPH with his fastball in the postseason. His cut fastball velocity was actually better than his career mark (89.5 MPH compared to 89 MPH). It's safe to say his elbow is healthy and should be on his way back to being an elite reliever.

The Dodger bullpen looks much stronger with Wilson in it.

• Chris Withrow
• Paco Rodriguez
• Brian Wilson
• Kenley Jansen

That's a pretty nasty bullpen already. I'm still hoping Howell comes back to be the second lefty in the bullpen. It'd be nice to get him for two years, but I'm OK with a 3-year commitment, despite him not being an elite reliever with elite stuff.

Whoddathunk Dodger fans would be clamoring for a Wilson return? I was optimistic when the team signed him in July, and it appears to have paid off for him and the Dodgers.

Things are moving unusually quickly this offseason. Most of this action doesn't happen until the Winter Meetings. Here we are six days from the meetings and the news is flowing quite freely. Perhaps this will open up trade possibilities for the Dodgers next week.

Later, I'll have a post about the Dodgers and what the Belisario non-tender means. That post will not be as meaty (for lack of a better term) if Wilson indeed gets signed, but it will look at what the Dodgers could and should do to make the bullpen a true weapon in 2014.

Photo credit: Epic Memories by Ron, Flickr

Analyzing Baseball America's Dodgers' Top 10 prospects list for 2014

Baseball America is in full prospect-ranking season, and the Dodgers' Top 10 list officially drops online Monday.

However, the print publication (yes, print media still exist) came out on Tuesday to give us an early look at the list.

Big thanks to silverwidow99 for making the list public.

1. OF Joc Pederson

2. SS Corey Seager

3. LHP Julio Urias

4. RHP Zach Lee

5. RHP Chris Anderson

6. RHP Chris Withrow

7. 2B Alexander Guerrero

8. LHP Chris Reed

9. LHP Onelki Garcia

10. RHP Ross Stripling

I had originally planned to write a quick piece predicting the list, but I waited to long.

After a strong 2013 and winter ball season, Pederson lands at No. 1 -- and I like it. He's now established as a Top 50 prospect, and probably closer to Top 30.

Seager has the most potential of anyone on this list, especially if he's able to stick at shortstop (which he probably won't).

Yes, even more potential than Urias, but that's no knock on the 17-year-old. He was great in his professional debut.

Baseball America doesn't factor in service time into its prospect status, hence the inclusion of Withrow.

No. 8-10 are pretty interchangeable, although, I think Stripling deserves to be a bit higher.

The only ranking I question is Guerrero at No. 7. I get it, BA isn't particularly high on Guerrero. But one would think a potentially plus bat at a traditionally glove-first position has to be a Top 5 ranking in this system. Remember, they ranked Hyun-Jin Ryu at No. 1 heading into 2013, so they aren't averse to ranking older, international prospects high on their lists.

The ranking says a little about Guerrero and more about BA's intel, which is usually pretty good. I have a better feeling about Guerrero's future and am inclined to trust the Dodgers' scouting department (and yes, my opinion is obviously biased). After all, they've hit on their last three big international signings -- Hiroki Kuroda, Yasiel Puig and Ryu.

The Dodgers' system is pretty top-heavy, as evidenced by this list. I'm shooting for sometime in the next six weeks to unveil my Top 50 Dodger prospects. Admittedly, I'm waiting to see how the Masahiro Tanaka situation plays out. If he gets posted and the Dodgers sign him, he's the clear No. 1 prospect in the system.

We'll see what happens.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season review: Relief pitchers

The Dodgers’ bullpen was solid, despite some hiccups this season. It was led, finally, by its elite young closer, a rookie lefty, a crafty veteran lefty and another rookie who could be in line for a larger role in 2014.

Dodger bullpen by the numbers

30-24 W-L

3.49 ERA

1.29 WHIP

8.0 H/9

0.8 HR/9

3.5 BB/9

8.6 K/9

2.42 K/BB

46 saves

Individual performers

Kenley Jansen

4-3, 1.88 ERA, 76 2/3 IP, 0.86 WHIP, 5.6 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.1 BB/9, 13.0 K/9, 6.17 K/BB, 190 ERA+, 28 saves

- Jansen was, once again, dominant out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He also, once again, had to take the closer job from an inferior pitcher for the second year in a row. Jansen mixed in his slider a bit more this season, but he lived off his plus-plus cutter and is one of the best relievers in the game.

Grade: A

Ronald Belisario

5-7, 3.97 ERA, 68 IP, 1.47 WHIP, 9.5 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 3.7 BB/9, 6.5 K/9, 1.75 K/BB, 90 ERA+, 1 save

- Belisario might have the second-nastiest pitch in the Dodger bullpen. His mid-90s sinker is devastating -- when he can control it. There were stretches in 2013 when he controlled it well, but he also got hit around a bit. He was better in the middle of the season than he was at the beginning or end (either from overuse or general ineffectiveness). He was overtaken by a young pitcher who’s two spots down on this list.

Grade: C-

J.P. Howell

4-1, 2.03 ERA, 62 IP, 1.05 WHIP, 6.1 H/9, 0.3 HR/9, 3.3 BB/9, 7.8 K/9, 2.35 K/BB, 176 ERA+

- Howell was an under-the-radar signing, and it paid off greatly for the Dodgers. Howell was hell on lefties and pretty good against right-handed hitters, too. That versatility should help him land a 3-year deal on the free agent market -- hopefully from the Dodgers.

Grade: B+

Paco Rodriguez

3-4, 2.32 ERA, 54 1/3 IP, 0.90 WHIP, 5.0 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 3.1 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 3.32 K/BB, 154 ERA+, 2 saves

- Rodriguez was one of the Dodgers’ best relievers for a majority of the season, but overuse led to a poor September and October. Still, Rodriguez is a big part of the bullpen going forward and Don Mattingly’s willingness to trust a young guy was refreshing to see.

Grade: B+

Brandon League

6-4, 5.30 ERA, 54 1/3 IP, 1.55 WHIP, 11.4 H/9, 1.3 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 4.6 K/9, 1.87 K/BB, 68 ERA+, 14 saves

- League began the 2013 campaign as the Dodgers’ closer. He got off to a good start before imploding on an epic level. Initially, I like the deal to bring him back. Of course, I thought we were getting the good League, not the horrifically bad one. He’s still owed $15 million over the next two years. Barring a bold DFA, he’ll be back. Hopefully he’s no more than a mop-up guy.

Grade: F

Chris Withrow

3-0, 2.60 ERA, 34 2/3 IP, 0.95 WHIP, 5.2 H/9, 1.3 HR/9, 3.4 BB/9, 11.2 K/9, 3.31 K/BB, 138

ERA+, 1 save

- Withrow’s recall was somewhat surprising, but he took full advantage of his first big-league action. A failed starter in the minors, Withrow thrived out of the bullpen and laid claim to late-inning, high-leverage work for the Dodgers. The only issue I see is his home run rate. He gave up five homers in 34 2/3 innings. That needs to come down. Despite that, he could be Jansen’s setup man for many years to come with a mid-90s fastball and two breaking pitches that are -- at times -- plus-offerings.

Grade: A-

Matt Guerrier

2-3, 4.80 ERA, 30 IP, 1.47 WHIP, 9.6 H/9, 0.9 HR/9, 3.6 BB/9, 6.3 K/9, 1.75 K/BB, 75

ERA+

- Guerrier was, mercifully, in the last year of an inexplicable 3-year contract, and he performed about as expected -- poorly. He was so bad that he was actually traded to the Cubs for the next guy on this list and international spending money -- a net win for the Dodgers. At no time this season was he a reliable option and eventually needed surgery.

Grade: F

Carlos Marmol

0-0, 2.53 ERA, 21 1/3 IP, 1.55 WHIP, 5.9 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 8.0 BB/9, 11.4 K/9, 1.42 K/BB, 143

ERA+

- Marmol gonna Marmol. He struck out his fair share of batters, but he also walked his fair share. Not much was expected when he was acquired, but at least he wasn’t God-awful for the Dodgers. Rightfully, the team didn’t trust him in high-leverage situations.

Grade: C

Brian Wilson

2-1, 0.66 ERA, 13 2/3 IP, 0.88 WHIP, 5.3 H/9, 0.0 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 8.6 K/9, 3.25 K/BB, 556

ERA+

- Wilson’s signing was a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Dodgers (and himself) -- and it appeared to pay off for both. Wilson was great in limited time, continued that to the playoffs and it should result in a multiyear deal to close. If not, I’d love for the Dodgers to bring him back to set up Jansen.

Grade: A

The rest

Jose Dominguez, Grade: B

Onelki Garcia, Grade: INC

Javy Guerra, Grade: D

Peter Moylan, Grade: D-

Skip Schumaker, Grade: C (Because he touched 91 MPH on the gun)

Shawn Tolleson, Grade: INC

Josh Wall, Grade: D- (Because he was the fall guy for a couple games)

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

My 2013 Dodgers' postseason roster: No Andre Ethier because he can't run

Many folks have already predicted their Dodgers' postseason roster, so my being lazy -- I mean, waiting until this week -- may have played in my favor.

Matt Kemp is out for the playoffs, which sucks. Andre Ethier looks like he'll be limited to pinch-hitting duties in the National League Division Series, if he's even on the roster. At least the pitching appears to be healthy. However, Don Mattingly is playing coy with his potential No. 4 starter.

A few weeks ago, it would have been blasphemous to consider Edinson Volquez to start ahead of Ricky Nolasco in the playoffs, but it seems Mattingly is at least contemplating the headache-inducing idea.

Let's start with what we know, which is a lot.

Catchers (2)
A.J. Ellis
Tim Federowicz
- No surprises here.

Infielders (6)
Mark Ellis
Adrian Gonzalez
Nick Punto
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Michael Young
- Again, no surprises in this group.

Outfielders (4)
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Skip Schumaker
Scott Van Slyke
- The only surprises are Ethier and Kemp not making the roster due to injury.

Starters (5)
Zack Greinke
Clayton Kershaw
Ricky Nolasco
Hyun-jin Ryu
Edinson Volquez
- There's no way the Dodgers use five starters, but with the uncertainty surrounding Nolasco v. Volquez, they'll carry five of them.

Relievers (7)
Ronald Belisario
Chris Capuano
J.P. Howell
Kenley Jansen
Paco Rodriguez
Brian Wilson
Chris Withrow
- That's a healthy looking bullpen, especially with three lefties and three power righties. Also, Capuano can pitch multiple innings, if needed.

That's 24 players. It seems the Dodgers could use another outfielder -- preferably one who can play center field. With Ethier being limited to pinch-hitting duties, there's a real possibility he won't make the NLDS roster. If he were to pinch-hit late in a game, the Braves' manager Fredi Gonzalez would counter with a left-handed reliever in the form of Luis Avilan, Scott Downs or Alex Wood (assuming Wood won't be in the rotation). Much like Dee Gordon and his speed, Ethier shouldn't make the first-round roster for his bat -- a bat that's almost worthless against lefties. Don't get me wrong: I want Ethier to make it, but his bat would be virtually neutralized against lefties. He'd be better of getting healthy for the NLCS (and beyond) rather than risk aggravating his injury and the Dodgers being down yet another outfielder.

As unlikely as it seems, perhaps Jerry Hairston and his versatility wins the final spot on the initial playoff roster. If that's the case, the Dodgers would have Federowicz, Hariston, Punto, Van Slyke and Young on the bench against righties. Against lefties, it's safe to assume Van Slyke would start for Schumaker (with Puig moving to center field). Not exactly the '27 Yankees, but maybe not as bad as it looks.

Hairston, reluctantly, gets the final spot from me in the NLDS.

My ideal lineup vs. RHP
Crawford LF
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Uribe 3B
Ellis C
Schumaker CF
Ellis 2B

My ideal lineup vs. LHP
Crawford LF
Puig CF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Uribe 3B
Van Slyke RF
Ellis C
Ellis 2B

The bottom-third of each lineup looks less-than imposing, but if the Dodgers advance to the National League Championship Series, perhaps Ethier will be good to go, which will give the team a boost (and likely boot Hairston or Capuano from the roster).

Can it be Thursday already?

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers recall five players, Withrow next, Kemp struggling in Rancho

Today is the day Major League Baseball rosters expand from 25 players to 40. The Dodgers recalled five players today, and there aren't plans to recall many more players.

The Dodgers recalled Drew Butera, Stephen Fife, Dee Gordon, Peter Moylan and Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque, which ends its season on Tuesday. Chris Withrow will be recalled on Tuesday to basically fill out the bullpen.

All five figure not to play much, especially Fife, who might not make a start this month, especially after the Dodgers signed Edinson Volquez on Thursday.

Dodgers' Manager Don Mattingly said there are no plans to recall left-handed pitcher Onelki Garcia at this time. Garcia, 24, was the Dodgers' third-round draft selection in the 2012 MLB Draft.

I previously speculated the Dodgers promoted Garcia to Triple-A in plans of making him a September call-up. Barring anything unforeseen, that won't happen, but it isn't because of poor performance.

"Just listening to some of our guys who have seen him this year, they're really happy with the way he's going," Mattingly said. "As the season went on, he got better and better. He's kinda getting on the radar."

Other than Matt Kemp, who isn't exactly a September call-up, there aren't many other players who plan to be recalled.

And Kemp has struggled in Rancho Cucamonga, going 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in three games. He's slated to play at least one more game for the Quakes today. The Quakes are 1 1/2 games ahead for the wild card spot in the California League with two games to play. So, it stands to reason Kemp could get a little more action down there in the coming week before being recalled to Los Angeles. If he isn't ready, he could wind ump in the Instructional League in Arizona.

"We want to make sure he's feeling good," Mattingly said. "I want to make sure he's comfortable and ready to go out there.

"I know he doesn't feel good yet at the plate, so he's not pushing us to say, 'I want to be there tomorrow.' The thought is, he's going to continue to play -- we just don't know the logistics of all that."

Here's some video of Kemp's first two at-bats in last night's Quakes' game.



Kemp looked bad at the plate in all three of his at-bats (struck out in his third). He didn't stick around long after the game. He said he felt good, but he was obviously frustrated.

Still, when he comes back -- ready to go -- he'll be a big boost for the Dodgers.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers facing some tough, significant postseason roster decisions

With Sept. 1 quickly approaching, the Dodgers will have some difficult roster decisions to make, most of which pertain to the bullpen.

For players to be eligible for the postseason roster, they have to be on the active roster before 9 p.m. on Aug. 31. This also includes players on the disabled list.

Update (Aug. 17, 4 p.m.): I'm dumb sometimes. Thanks to Eric Stephen of True Blue LA for pointing it out. Anyone in the organization by Aug. 31 (let's say, Butera) can replace an injured player come postseason time. So, Butera wouldn't need to be recalled before the end of the month. However, the initial playoff roster has to come from those on the 25-man roster (and disabled list) before the Aug. 31 deadline. Sorry for the confusion.

Brian Wilson is likely going to be promoted to the Major League roster on Friday, meaning the Dodgers have a little roster shuffling in their future.

Chris Withrow is the pitcher likely to be impacted most. He has options remaining and could be sent back to Triple-A despite a 2.21 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, a surprising 3.1 BB/9 and a stellar 10.6 K/9. The 24-year-old flamethrower has been a pleasant surprise this season and should be a viable relief option come October. Perhaps a phantom DL stint for he or Carlos Marmol is in the Dodgers’ future plans.

Speaking of Marmol, he’s probably the “best” option to go in place of Wilson, but his effectiveness in recent outings has the Dodgers seeing the Marmol of old with tons of swing-and-miss potential.

Dee Gordon is currently eligible, but if Withrow or Marmol aren’t jettisoned for Wilson, Gordon could be, especially with Hanley Ramirez back in the fold.

Here are some Dodgers on the disabled list right now.

15-day DL

Josh Beckett

Jose Dominguez

Matt Kemp

Shawn Tolleson

60-day DL

Chad Billingsley

Beckett and Billingsley aren’t going to pitch again this season.

Dominguez, Kemp and Tolleson will remain on the DL -- regardless of their health -- until after Sept. 1, because it allows the Dodgers to use the injury loophole to make the most guys eligible for the postseason. This also allows Dominguez and Tolleson, who are in the same boat as Withrow in terms of options, to be postseason-eligible.

A guy not yet eligible is Stephen Fife, who has been fantastic this season. Unfortunately for him, the Dodgers don’t need a fifth (or in this case, sixth) starter in the playoffs. It’s unknown how he’d perform out of the bullpen, but he got roughed up in his most recent outing in Triple-A. Chris Capuano was roughed up last night and could use a late-season vacation, I’d say.

One would think the Dodgers should have a third catcher to be playoff-eligible, meaning Drew Butera would need to be promoted from Albuquerque. This could come in the form of a disabled list stint for either A.J. Ellis or Tim Federowicz.

Whatever happens, the Dodgers need to make sure Scott Van Slyke is eligible. His right-handed pop off the bench could be a valuable asset if the Braves throw Luis Avilan or Alex Wood; or the Pirates throw Tony Watson or Justin Wilson; or the Cardinals throw Randy Choate, Kevin Siegrist or Sam Freeman at the Dodgers in a late-inning situation.

There’s also Onelki Garcia, who I suspect has a good chance to be more than just a September call-up. So, General Manager Ned Colletti has a lot of work to do in the next couple of weeks. This doesn’t include any potential waiver-wire deals the Dodgers could make (but I’m not expecting any).

The position players are pretty much set, outside of Kemp and Van Slyke. Perhaps Jerry Hairston could use a couple weeks off starting rather soon. And this whole “four full-time outfielders” issue is going to be moot come the World Series when Andre Ethier is DH’ing for the Dodgers.

Here’s my prediction for all postseason-eligible players

Pitchers (16)

Ronald Belisario

Chris Capuano

Jose Dominguez

Stephen Fife

Zack Greinke

J.P. Howell

Kenley Jansen

Clayton Kershaw

Brandon League

Carlos Marmol

Ricky Nolasco

Paco Rodriguez

Hyun-jin Ryu

Shawn Tolleson

Brian Wilson

Chris Withrow

Catchers (3)

Drew Butera

A.J. Ellis

Tim Federowicz

Infielders (7)

Mark Ellis

Adrian Gonzalez

Jerry Hairston

Nick Punto

Hanley Ramirez

Skip Schumaker

Juan Uribe

Outfielders (5)

Carl Crawford

Andre Ethier

Matt Kemp

Yasiel Puig

Scott Van Slyke

For all these guys to be eligible, the following players who aren’t currently on the 25-man roster would have to be before the deadline: Butera, Fife, Van Slyke and Wilson. Here’s how it happens: 

• Ellis or Federowicz to the DL for Butera
• Capuano to the DL for Fife
• Hairston to the DL for Van Slyke
• Gordon to Triple-A for Wilson

The roster will be trimmed to 25 for the first round, but the additional players can at least be called upon to take the place of injured and/or ineffective players after each round.

Of all the players unsure to be postseason-eligible, Withrow is the one I want most. His control and command have been much better than expected and his mid-to-upper-90s fastball would be quite the weapon in the playoffs.

We’ll see what happens in the next couple weeks. Here’s hoping the Dodgers make some smart decisions.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue