2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season review: Outfielders

The Dodgers' outfield was quite solid despite a rash of injuries in 2013. It got a boost from a hot-hitting rookie, a quitely consistent center fielder and a fast-starting left fielder. They also didn't get much from their former MVP candidate.

Dodgers outfield by the numbers

Left field

.260/.321/.377

719 PA, 80 R, 170 H, 37 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 17 SB, 57 BB, 100 K

Center field

.286/.360/.419

695 PA, 74 R, 176 H, 38 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 73 RBI, 12 SB, 65 BB, 140 K

Right field

.290/.361/.475

711 PA, 85 R, 183 H, 36 2B, 3 3B, 25 HR, 67 RBI, 12 SB, 61 BB, 149 K

Individual performers (all Wins Above Replacement numbers taken from FanGraphs)

Carl Crawford

.283/.329/.407, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 15 SB, 6.0 BB%, 2.9 WAR

- Crawford got off to a hot start, leading the Dodgers in April and early May. He cooled off, (predictably) got hurt, struggled before somewhat surging before the playoffs. He then proceeded to hit four home runs in 10 playoff games. He's a streaky hitter who was solid defensively in left field.

Grade: B

Matt Kemp

.270/.328/.395, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 15 2B, 7.6 BB%, -0.4 WAR

- Kemp wasn't healthy to start the season, and it showed. Once he got healthy, he got hurt, again. Once he got healthy, again, he got hurt, again. The ankle injury he suffered the Sunday after the All-Star break in Washington bothered him the rest of the season. He showed signs of the MVP-caliber player he is, but his health wouldn't allow him to sustain it. It was surprising that he didn't play in the playoffs because of the severity of his ankle injury. Hopefully he doesn't play in 2014 until he's 100 percent. Two off-season surgries mean he might not be ready for the start of the season, which is OK.

Grade: D+

Andre Ethier

.272/.360/.423, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 33 2B, 11.0 BB%, 2.9 WAR

- Ethier's season was good, if unspectacular. His on-base percentage was respectable, his walk rate was above-average and his play in center field was surprisingly good. He'll likely be traded this off-season, but his 2013 performance was much better than it seemed.

Grade: B

Yasiel Puig

.319/.391/.534, 19 HR, 42 RBI, 21 2B, 8.3 BB%, 4.0 WAR

- Puig was the Dodgers' most valuable and best outfielder after being recalled on June 3. His debut was great as he took the baseball world by storm. His power is undeniable, as is his arm. I don't think he's a .319 hitter going forward, but he's definitely a player you can build your team around. He's only going to get better with age (he'll be 23 next season).

Grade: A

Skip Schumaker

.263/.332/.332, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 16 2B, 7.9 BB%, -1.0 WAR

- Schumaker's numbers don't look that bad, but they still amounted to a minus-1-win player. He was a win worse than anyone the Dodgers could have acquired off the waiver wire or in Triple-A. At least he threw a scoreless inning of relief and topped out at 91 MPH on the radar gun. He gets a half-a-grade point for that alone.

Grade: D

Scott Van Slyke

.240/.342/.465, 7 HR, 19 RBI, 8 2B, 13.2 BB%, 0.9 WAR

- Van Slyke proved himself to be a capable bench player with power for the Dodgers -- something they haven't had in seemingly forever. Yet, he was absent in the playoffs despite being on the roster. Van Slyke should be the fourth outfielder this team absolutely needs (after someone is traded, of course).

Grade: B

The rest

Nick Buss, Grade: INC

Alex Castellanos, Grade: INC

Elian Herrera, Grade: INC

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers add Nick Chili Buss and Alex Castellanos to active roster

With Andre Ethier nursing a sore ankle and Hanley Ramirez nursing a sore hamstring (caused by an irritated nerve in his back), the Dodgers added a couple bats to the active roster today in the form of Nick Buss (who goes by Chili, his middle name) and Alex Castellanos.

Castellanos was already on the 40-man roster and played in four games earlier this season. What's interesting is Buss was not on the 40-man roster. Since there's no disabled list in September and the Dodgers' 40-man roster is already full-up. So, there needs to be a corresponding roster move. Here's what I see as the possibilities:

• Jose Dominguez to the 60-day disabled list
• Elian Herrera outrighted/designated for assignment
• Justin Sellers outrighted/designated for assignment

Nothing else really makes sense. My prediction (on Twitter) was a Herrera DFA, but perhaps Dominguez could be the guy. He hasn't fully recovered from his quad injury and probably won't be called upon to do anything this month or next anyway. If not, I'd put my money on Herrera being outrighted.

Dominguez went on the 15-day DL on July 22, so he'd be eligible to come off in the next week or so.

But back to Buss. We already know what Castellanos is (for the most part), but what's the deal with Buss? Well, he's not a top prospect, but he's been a solid minor-leaguer for the last three seasons.

As the Albuquerque Isotopes' best and most consistent player, he was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team and postseason All-Star team by hitting .303/.363/.525 with 17 home runs, 100 RBI, 29 doubles, 11 triples, 84 runs scored and 21 stolen bases (in 23 attempts).

His home/road splits have something to do with the overall good numbers Buss posted in 2013:

Home
.362/.434/.642
Road
.249/.295/.419

But he hits pretty well against lefties (probably aided by the home/road splits):

vs. RHP
.311/.373/.546
vs. LHP
.282/.338/.473

Buss, 26, has experience in all three outfield spots. He's played 449 games in center in his minor-league career, so he can obviously handle it. He has a little pop and has increased his walk rate four years in a row. He'll be a minor-league free agent after this year if the Dodgers don't to retain him.

Buss doesn't have any standout tools, but his baserunning and defense are probably the best. For this team, he could spell one of the regular outfielders (or even the backups) late in a game or be the second pinch-runner off the bench after Dee Gordon.

If nothing else, Buss will have a cool story to tell his children. It'd be a shock if he did anything of significance for the Dodgers this season.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 37 - Dodgers' injuries, Ellis, prospects

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I record discuss the myriad of injury issues with the Dodgers and how the club is handling them.

It took the team 10 days to place Mark Ellis on the disabled list, which makes no sense. Jerry Hairston was swapped out for Elian Herrera and Chris Capuano was mishandled, as was Josh Wall.

I recap my trip to see the Quakes play in Stockton. Some good things from the three-game series, and a few not-so-good things. Such is baseball, though.

Ross Stripling was promoted to Double-A, which I wrote about last night. Jarret Martin impressed me and there's more talent offensively than first suspected.

To close, we answer listener questions. A lot of good ones again this week. Please, please, please keep them coming. It's my favorite part of the show.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Dodgers promote RHP Ross Stripling to Double-A, plus other MiLB news

The Dodgers on Tuesday promoted right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling to Double-A Chattanooga from High-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 2012 fifth-round draft pick has been on a nearly meteoric rise since the Dodgers popped him last season.

Stripling, 23, posted some impressive numbers in the California League early this season. He struck out 34 batters in 33 2/3 innings, walked 11 batters and allowed just one home run. Those are numbers for anyone to hang his hat on, let alone a guy in his first full season in a hitter's haven.

I saw him in person on Tuesday against the Stockton Ports and, while he wasn't his sharpest (4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB), he showed me some good things.

Stripling's velocity sat in the low-90s and he touched 94 a few times. He used his curveball and changeup pretty liberally. Both flashed good potential at times.

This move was presumably made for a couple reasons:

1. He's 23 and the most advanced starting pitcher the Dodgers have in the low minors
2. Onelki Garcia was placed on the disabled list

Dodgers' assistant general manager, player development, DeJon Watson was in attendance for Stripling's start. Despite not pitching that well, Watson was apparently impressed enough to recommend the promotion. Stripling bounced back on Sunday against the San Jose Giants by throwing eight innings of one-run ball -- that probably factored into the decision as well.

It'll be interesting to see how he handles Double-A pitching. As of now, he should be skyrocketing up Dodger prospect lists. He was No. 11 for me when the season started. He's easily in the top eight now, and probably even higher than that.

Thomas also promoted to Double-A

Quakes' closer and left-hander Michael Thomas was promoted along with Stripling on Tuesday to Double-A. The 24-year-old, a 35th-round pick in 2011, had a 1.46 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 5.8 H/9, 2.2 BB/9, 12.4 K/9 and a 2.23 FIP in 12 1/3 innings.

He won't close for the Lookouts, but he should get a lot of work against some advanced hitting.

Pedro Baez will take over as the Quakes' closer.

Left-handed pitcher Eric Eadington (11.42 ERA, 9.3 BB/9) and right-handed pitcher Ryan Acosta (13.11 ERA, 16.2 H/9) both struggled mightily in Double-A and were demoted to Rancho Cucamonga to make room for Stripling and Thomas.

Outfielder Bobby Coyle was also demoted to Rancho Cucamonga.

Herrera back in the bigs

Elian Herrera was recalled to the Dodgers to replace Jerry Hairston, who hit the disabled list Tuesday with a strained groin.

Don Mattingly had said he wanted someone who could play both corner outfield spots, so naturally, the Yasiel Puig speculation began. Alas, it was Herrera who got the call.

Herrera wasn't doing much with the bat at Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting just .250. His versatility is nice, but I wouldn't expect much out of Herrera this time around.

Lee good, again

Zach Lee posted another "ho-hum" performance on Tuesday night in Chattanooga:

6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 91 pitches, 59 strikes

Like I said, ho-hum for Lee these days. The kid is having a fantastic season thus far (2.15 ERA) and is proving his worth with every passing start.

Puig is exciting

This is not breaking news, but Puig is an exciting player. In fact, he's the most exciting prospect the Dodgers have ever had.

From my most recent article on Yahoo! Sports:

"Much is made about prospects. As Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus says, they'll break your heart. But they'll also - one day - be the cornerstone of a franchise.

Enter Los Angeles Dodgers' uber outfield prospect Yasiel Puig. Puig, 22, is the most exciting prospect the Dodgers have ever had. But he could still break the collective heart of Dodger fans.

 With his immense power potential and great, but not quite Bo Jackson-like athleticism (because there's only one "Bo"), he has scouts and fans alike drooling just thinking about the potential."

His time is coming, folks. It probably won't be until 2014, but we can wait 11 months. It'll be worth it.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Albuquerque Isotopes announce 2013 roster, led by Alex Castellanos, Matt Magill and some flamethrowers

The final Dodger full-season minor-league affiliate to announce its roster is the Albuquerque Isotopes of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Generally an offensive powerhouse, the 'Topes are lacking in hitting talent this season. That, coupled with the humidor, could lead to fewer runs scored than expected.

• Great Lakes Loons opening day roster
• Rancho Cucamonga Quakes opening day roster
• Chattanooga Lookouts opening day roster

Castellanos

The offense is led by returning 'Topes Alex Castellanos and Scott Van Slyke. After that, it gets pretty thin.

Dee Gordon will be the team's starting shortstop, while Elian Herrera should start at second base. Either spring-training-sensation-not-named Yasiel Puig Brian Barden or Rusty Ryal should start at third base. The outfield will boast a couple rangy players in Matt Angle and Nick Buss.

I hit on just 13 of 25 players from my February prediction -- the worst of any minor-league level.

Roster

Catchers
Steve Cilladi (DL)
Jesus Flores
Matt Wallach

Gordon

Infielders
Alfredo Amezaga
Brian Barden
Dee Gordon
Elian Herrera
Osvaldo Martinez (DL)
Rusty Ryal
Scott Van Slyke

Outfielders
Matt Angle
Nick Buss
Alex Castellanos
Tony Gwynn

Fife

Starting pitchers
Stephen Fife
Javy Guerra
Blake Johnson
Matt Magill
Sean White

Relief pitchers
Geison Aguasviva
Steve Ames
Angel Castro
Peter Moylan
Red Patterson
Shawn Tolleson
Josh Wall
Chris Withrow

For the first time in a long time, there is actually some pitching talent on this squad.

Magill is the best pitcher in town, while Fife has actually proven to be a potentially serviceable pitcher. Guerra is in the rotation to get stretch into a long-reliever.

The bullpen has some hard-throwing youngsters and a cagey Aussie veteran in Moylan. Ames, Tolleson, Wall and Withrow could be a potent and lethal 'pen, provided the starters pitch well enough so the quartet isn't burned out. Either Tolleson or Wall should close with Ames and Withrow setting up. And Feelin' Kinda Blue favorite Patterson should be the team's other long reliever.

There are some players missing. Jeremy Moore, who was expected to be on the roster, is back in Arizona at extended spring training. Nick Evans, Dallas McPherson and Michael Antonini were are released prior to the season. And Kevin Gregg, who didn't have an out clause in his contract, was released on Wednesday after Paco Rodriguez was chosen to begin the season with the Dodgers instead of him, something I wrote about over at Yahoo! Sports.

My best guess at a lineup

Gordon SS
Gwynn CF
Castellanos RF/LF
Van Slyke 1B/DH
Barden 3B
Herrera 2B
Flores C
Ryal DH/1B
Angle/Buss LF/RF

Wall

Really, not a whole lot to be excited about. Guys like Blake Smith or, gulp, Puig could get the call to Triple-A, but that wouldn't come until midseason. They could get some reinforcements in the form of Moore and Brian Cavazos-Galvez, if there are enough injuries.

Here's hoping Magill doesn't get shelled, Castellanos continues to hit and the power relievers post a lot of strikeouts. It's the PCL, so anything can happen. The 'Topes could challenge for a playoff spot, but there are a lot of good prospects in the league, making other teams stronger.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers' full-season minor league team preview: Albuquerque Isotopes

This is the final post in a four-part series projecting the Dodgers' full-season minor league teams. To close out the series, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

• Part 1: Great Lakes Loons
• Part 2: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
• Part 3: Chattanooga Lookouts

The Isotopes finished as the Pacific Coast League American Southern division with an 80-64 record. The 'Topes faced off against the Oklahoma Storm Chasers (Royals' affiliate).

One of the better teams in the minors, the Storm Chasers and Isotopes traded the first three games of the series. In Game 4, the 'Topes were down 10-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. At the time, it looked like their season was done. However, a nine-run seventh, including a game-deciding three-run home run from Tony Gwynn, propelled the Isotopes to a deciding Game 5, which Oklahoma won handily.

Van Slyke

The 2012 Isotopes were led on offense by young players Alex Castellanos, Jerry Sands and Scott Van Slyke. Josh Fields, a veteran, had a late-season hot streak that led to a .322/.392/.488 line in 133 games. There is usually no shortage of offensive firepower for the 'Topes.

Castellanos, despite playing just 94 games, posted a great .328/.420/.590 triple slash with 17 home runs. The Dodgers don't seem to keen on letting him be the team's right-handed hitting platoon outfielder, so expect him back at Triple-A. Sands was traded to Boston in the Adrian Gonzalez trade. He was traded to Pittsburgh this winter and may or may not get real playing time with the Bucs. Van Slyke seems like the prototypical Four-A player and should be the team's left fielder.

The pitching staff was led by John Ely, who had one of the best seasons for a PCL pitcher, going 14-7 with a 3.20 ERA and a league-leading 165 strikeouts (in 168 2/3 innings). He also had a sparkling WHIP (1.10) and a great walks per nine innings rate (1.9). For his efforts, he was traded to Houston. Stephen Fife was decent, but unspectacular, for Albuquerque. He provided 135 1/3 innings of adequate innings. Other than those two, the Isotopes' rotation left a lot to be desired.

Projected roster

Catchers (2)
Tim Federowicz
Matt Wallach

Infielders (5)
Nick Evans
Elian Herrera
Osvaldo Martinez
Dallas McPherson
Rafael Ynoa

Smith

Outfielders (5)
Nick Buss
Alex Castellanos
Jeremy Moore
Blake Smith
Scott Van Slyke

Starting pitchers (5)
Michael Antonini
Stephen Fife
Matt Magill
Matt Palmer
Jon Michael Redding

Relievers (8)
Geison Aguasviva
Steve Ames
Cole St. Clair
Kevin Gregg
Mark Lowe
Shawn Tolleson
Josh Wall
Chris Withrow

A name missing from my projection is Gwynn. I suspect he'll be traded or released prior to the season. If he isn't, Buss should be that fall guy. Also missing is Dee Gordon. I'm betting (hoping?) he breaks camp with the Dodgers, or he's moved toward the end of Spring Training.

The starting pitching, as usual, will be a little weak. Magill should head the rotation and is a legitimate prospect. The bullpen should have some intriguing characters, including Ames, Tolleson Wall and Withrow (if he can throw strikes). This also means I'm projecting Paco Rodriguez to break camp with the big league club.

My lineup
Buss/Moore CF
Herrera 2B
Castellanos LF/DH
McPherson 3B
Van Slyke DH/LF
Smith RF
Evans 1B
Federowicz C
Ynoa SS

This lineup could score a ton of runs. Castellanos, McPherson and Van Slyke are PCL veterans and should be a formidable 3-4-5. The last time McPherson was in the PCL, he hit 22 home runs with the Sacramento River Cats. The last time he was with Albuquerque (as a member of the Marlins' organization), he blasted 42 home runs.

Smith and Ynoa should make their Triple-A debuts and could benefit from the extreme hitter-friendly environments.

Much like any year, the offense will determine the Isotopes' success. But I'm interested to see how Magill handles the rarefied air and if those fireballers out of the 'pen can keep the PCL hitters at bay.

Photo credits

Van Slyke: EephusBlue, Twitter

Smith: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers lack a quality bench, which is something that needs to be addressed

The Dodgers have a pretty thin bench. When guys like Skip Schumaker and Jerry Hairston are the best the team has to offer, something needs to be done.

For all the corner outfielder/first basemen the Dodgers had in recent years, that's where they're lacking right now. Despite acquiring Schumaker, the Dodgers might still need a legitimate center fielder. Tony Gwynn might be that guy, as he's under contract for 2013. However, the Dodgers don't appear to have much faith in him because of his bat -- or lack thereof.

The premiere bench player available on the free agent market is Scott Hairston. He hit .263/.299/.504 with 20 home runs in 398 plate appearances. While the batting average and on-base percentage leave a lot to be desired, that .504 slugging mark is fantastic. Unfortunately, the Dodgers don't appear to have any interest in him.

As far as an infielder, Jeff Baker might be worth a look. He owns a .296/.344/.498 triple slash against southpaws in his career. Baker can play first, second and third base and has dabbled a bit in the corner outfield spots. He'd likely be come cheaply. He's far more intriguing than an OF/1B like Carlos Lee or Juan Rivera, mostly because he isn't Carlos Lee or Juan Rivera.

If the Dodgers want a true center fielder, the Mariners would probably like to rid themselves of Franklin Gutierrez and his contract. He plays elite defense in center field and has a career .293/.351/.479 triple slash against left-handed pitchers in his career. He's actually a perfect bench candidate in my eyes. I'd like to see him as part of a larger deal involving the Dodgers and Mariners, and if you've listened to "Dugout Blues," you'd have an idea of what that trade might be.

Dee Gordon, who is still a Dodger, could be the team's true backup shortstop, but it would probably rather have him playing every day in Triple-A. Nick Punto looks like the team's backup shortstop -- for now. Elian Herrera also has a lot of versatility, which could keep him on the roster when the team breaks camp.

The Dodgers already have a bench player who is likely to start at third base (Luis Cruz), which weakens the "real" bench. And the Dodgers must cut ties with Juan Uribe. He doesn't deserve a roster spot after his last two seasons. The Dodgers can do so much better for so much less.

Photo credit: slgckgc, Flickr

2012 Los Angeles Dodgers Season Review: Outfield

The Dodgers had one of the best-looking outfields in the National League heading into the 2012 season. Despite not having a left fielder, the combination of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier were tough to beat. After acquiring Carl Crawford, the outfield should be that much better in 2013 and beyond.

Dodger outfielders by the numbers

Left Field
.254/.325/.349
76 R, 34 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 52 RBI, 21 SB, 63 BB

Center Field
.275/.340/.449
98 R, 30 2B, 5 3B, 23 HR, 84 RBI, 21 SB, 58 BB

Right Field
.265/.328/.439
86 R, 38 2B, 1 3B, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 3 SB, 52 BB

Individual performers

Bobby Abreu
.246/.361/.344, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 28 R, 15.2 BB%
- Abreu was picked up off waivers in May and got off to a nice start as a Dodger. In his first 33 games, Abreu hit .326/.444/.461 while playing a lot of left field. His next 37 games, however, were forgettable: .178/.267/.222. His poor performance got him designated for assignment. After a brief minor-league stint, he was exclusively a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers in September. Considering what he is at this point in his career, Abreu gave the Dodgers more than people expected.
Grade: C-

Andre Ethier
.284/.351/.460, 20 HR, 89 RBI, 36 2B, 8.1 BB%
- Ethier's season was no surprise. He, as usual, was streaky and his overall numbers reflected that. He started his 2012 on a hot streak, as he hit .327/.384/.566 in his first 52 games. In his next 61 games, he hit .234/.315/.329. He finished the season strong at .304/.364/.522, including eight of his 20 home runs. A couple things to note: Ethier's walk and strikeout rates went in the wrong direction. His walk rate dropped nearly 2.5 percent and his strikeout rate increased nearly 1.5 percent. For a guy heading into his age-31 season, that isn't a good sign. However, his performance earned him a contract extension, which I liked at the time. But unless he figures out left-handed pitching (.222/.276/.330), he's going to be the most expensive platoon man this side of Alex Rodriguez.
Grade: B-

Tony Gwynn
.232/.276/.293, 4 3B, 17 RBI, 13 SB, 5.8 BB%
- Gwynn was signed to a 2-year deal in the winter, and I was a big fan of it. Gwynn also earned praise early in the season for his pinch-hitting. However, after he was asked to step in full-time for Kemp, his offensive ineptitude was exposed. From May 29 through Aug. 5 (his last game in the majors in 2012), he hit just .188/.235/.243. No matter how good his glove is in center field (and it is that good), a triple slash like that won't cut it. He was relegated to Albuquerque for the rest of the season. He's signed for 2013 at $1.15 million, so it'll be interesting to see what the Dodgers do with him.
Grade: D

Elian Herrera
.251/.340/.332, 10 2B, 17 RBI, 26 R, 10.8 BB%
- The man who seemed to come out of nowhere, Herrera, like a lot of other Dodgers, got off to a fast start. He made his Major League debut on May 15. Through June 12, he was hitting .300/.400/.378 while playing primarily second and third base for the team. Again, like a lot of other Dodgers, he struggled after his hot streak: .206/.280/.289. He'll be in the mix for the utility player spot for the team in 2013.
Grade: C-

Matt Kemp
.303/.367.538, 23 HR, 69 RBI, 22 2B, 8.9 BB%
- Kemp, coming off an MVP-caliber season in 2011, struggled with injury. The sad thing is, he got off to an incredible start. Before suffering his first hamstring injury in May, he was hitting .359/.446/.726. Kemp tried to come back too soon, aggravated the same injury and was out for a month. He came back and hit well before he cooled off a bit.  After running into the center field wall in Colorado, he struggled mightily. Kemp had a 20-game stretch where he was downright atrocious (.159/.216/.256). He finished the season strong, though (.367/.406/.867). He had shoulder surgery earlier this month and should be back for Spring Training. Let's just hope the injury doesn't sap his power.
Grade: B

Juan Rivera
.244/.286/.375, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 14 2B, 5.3 BB%
- Rivera was, as expected, pretty awful this season. In fact, he was worse this season for the Dodgers than he was in the 62 games he played for them in 2011. I mean, the man had a negative bWAR (-0.9) and fWAR (-0.8). He wasn't even replacement-level good, yet he played 109 games. That's usually a recipe for disaster. Rivera has a club option for 2013 which, if the Dodgers are smart, they'll decline it
Grade: D- (and that's being generous)

Shane Victorino
.245/.316/.351, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 15 SB, 7.7 BB%
- An ill-advised trade deadline acquisition, Victorino was pretty bad for the Dodgers -- especially since he cost the team Josh Lindblom, Ethan Martin and, to a lesser extent, Stefan Jarrin. Victorino had a career-year in 2011, but came crashing back to earth in 2012. Thank goodness the Dodgers traded for Crawford, or it'd be almost a sure thing Victorino would be back in Blue in 2013.
Grade: D-

The rest

Alex Castellanos, Grade: INC
Jerry Sands, Grade: INC
Scott Van Slyke, Grade: INC

Next up: Infielders

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers need to rid themselves of Juan Uribe as soon as possible

It's no secret I've been against the Juan Uribe deal since he signed with the team two winters ago. I'm not usually in the business of saying "I told you so," but, well, it's quite fitting at this time.

Uribe is mired in a miserable slump (yes, even more miserable than his Dodger career totals). Since rejoining the team from injury on June 11, he's 5-for-49 with three doubles, two runs scored three walks and 15 strikeouts. Even worse, he's on an 0-for-25 streak right now.

When the Dodgers signed him, Uribe was coming off a big postseason with the Giants. Well, that's what Ned Colletti would tell you. In reality, he went 7-for-47 with two home runs and eight RBI. Unfortunately, those two home runs came at "clutch" times, thus leading people to believe Uribe was some kind of postseason hero.

He's actually one of the worst players in baseball and the Dodgers just need to cut their losses short with him.

There are two things keeping him around right now: his defensive ability (which isn't exactly Adrian Beltre-esque no matter what his 21.2 UZR says) and the fact the Dodgers have zero third base depth in the minors. Why do you think guys like Elian Herrera and Luis Cruz have even seen time in the majors this season?

The Dodgers drafted Corey Seager to be the eventual long-term third baseman, but he won't be ready for at least three years -- and that's being extremely optimistic. Other than that, guys like Josh Fields (not a prospect), Jake Lemmerman (more of a utility/middle infielder) and Pedro Baez (can't hit) are the next guys in line and they're not exactly realistic options.

But as for right now, the Dodgers are better off playing Jerry Hairston at third base the majority of the time. But since he's not an every day player, playing career minor-leaguers like Herrera and Cruz (and maybe even Adam Kennedy) are better options than Uribe. He's a black hole at the plate and has no business being on a Major League roster right now.

The Dodgers -- mainly Colletti -- have a really hard time known when to cut bait. If there was ever a time he was going to own up to his mistake, this would be the time. The fact that guys like Mike Petriello, Eric Stephen and Jon Weisman are saying there's a chance Uribe could be designated for assignment means there's some hope.

If the Dodgers sack up and actually DFA Uribe, they won't stick with the trio Herrera, Cruz and Kennedy for long. My expectation is they would step up trade efforts for a third baseman, particularly guys like Chase Headley or Jed Lowrie (who plays short but could slide over to third).

First thing's first, though: time to trim the excess fat (pun intended).

Minor league moves

The Dodgers made a number of minor league moves this week. Here are some of the more notable ones:

• Seager was assigned to Ogden and has already played in a couple games
• Steven Rodriguez was signed and went straight to Great Lakes
• Angelo Songco was promoted from Great Lakes to Rancho Cucamonga
• Darnell Sweeney was promoted to Great Lakes from Ogden to take Songco's spot

Seager beginning in Ogden is no surprise. He'll finish his first professional season there.

Rodriguez, the Dodgers' second-round pick, going to Great Lakes doesn't surprise me, but him signing for slot ($610,800) surprises me. That means the Dodgers will have to pay a luxury tax which comes in a little less than $75,000. The expectation was the Dodgers could get Rodriguez signed cheaper than slot to offer Seager a little more to forgo his commitment to South Carolina and because Rodriguez was overdrafted a bit.

Songco was rehabbing at Great Lakes and actually struggled a bit: .175/.281/.367 with six home runs. The home runs and walks were nice, but the .175 batting average was not -- especially since he played in the league a couple years ago. No clue how long he'll be in Rancho, but I'd like to see him in Chattanooga before the season ends.

Sweeney, the Dodgers' 13th-round draft pick, had a solid triple slash in 16 games: .303/.380/.379 for a glove-first shortstop. Drawing nine walks (against eight strikeouts) and stealing 10 bases were both positives for a 21-year-old fresh out of college.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Report: Alex Castellanos recalled Dodgers, to make ML debut soon

With Matt Kemp likely heading to the disabled list after reaggravating his hamstring injury on Wednesday night, the Dodgers are set to recall Alex Castellanos from Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Castellanos fan Twitter account first brought us the news:

"You heard it here first!! Alex Castellanos is officially a member of the LOS ANGELES @Dodgers !! ‪#DodgerNation‬ he flies out TODAY!!!"

The owner of the account later revealed he is Castellanos' best friend and received a phone call earlier today.

If you needed more confirmation, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweeted this:

"Sources have confirmed: The ‪#Dodgers‬ have called up 2B Alex Castellanos. I'm a believer in his bat."

The 25-year-old is just destroying Pacific Coast League pitching this season. He has a .379/.476/.759 line in 22 games. He missed about a month with a hamstring injury.

Still, the Dodgers recalled him primarily to play second base, reportedly.

While Tony Gwynn will be the biggest beneficiary of Kemp's absence, as he will be his primary replacement in center field, a couple infielders could feel the effects of this move even more.

With Mark Ellis out, Elian Herrera and Ivan De Jesus have been getting the playing time at second base. With Castellanos coming up, it appears Herrera will return to his "normal" utility role, backing up at third base, center field and second base. De Jesus should be the primary backup second baseman.

As I said with Scott Van Slyke -- whose time with the Dodgers will likely be extended due to the Kemp injury -- prospects should not be recalled just to ride the pine. If Castellanos is coming up, he needs to be playing nearly every day.

Yet, Van Slyke hasn't played since May 27. Hopefully Don Mattingly doesn't let these prospects just wallow on the bench. If they're not going to play consistently, send them to or keep them in Triple-A. It doesn't help a young guy's development to eat sunflower seeds and chew Bazooka Joe on the bench.

But back to Castellanos. He's a work in progress defensively. He's not going to be better than any of the other four guys who have played second base this season (Ellis, De Jesus, Herrera, Jerry Hairston), but his bat could be better -- and worth whatever the Dodgers lose defensively.

If he doesn't work out at second, he has experience at all four corners -- first base, third base, left field and right field.

I'm excited to see him get a chance. I've grown fond of Castellanos since he was acquired for Rafael Furcal in July. I ranked him as the Dodgers' 21st-best prospect heading into the season -- and he's far surpassed my expectations.

The Isotopes are about to get stronger, courtesy of the Dodgers

The Albuquerque Isotopes are about to get a lot stronger, and it's not necessarily a bad thing for the Dodgers.

Obviously getting the potential league MVP back is always a plus, but it also allows the Dodgers to give the young-ins the appropriate playing time -- in Triple-A.

Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera at set to make rehab appearances there Sunday and Monday, it means a flurry of roster moves are set to take place.

Kemp can come off the disabled list on May 29; Rivera can be activated at any time.

Jerry Hairston is playing his last rehab game there tonight and will likely take the place of Justin Sellers, who's leg will probably cause him to take his obligatory turn on the 15-day DL. At this rate, it seems as if every Dodger position player will spend some time on the DL this season.

Have fun in New Mexico, Scott.

With Kemp and Rivera coming back, the two most likely candidates to pack their bags are Scott Van Slyke and Jerry Sands.

Van Slyke, despite Sunday night's heroics, is 3-for-18 (.167) in his first 11 big league games. Sands is sitting at 4-for-16 (.250) in six games.

It's been nice to see the funky lineups Don Mattingly has to come up with in the wake of these injuries, but guys like Van Slyke and Sands should be playing every day -- no matter what level of professional baseball. Sitting on the bench isn't going to do either of them any good.

Yes, it sucks that Rivera is going to take the spot of a potentially more talented player, but that's what happens when a guy like that is signed to a $4.5 million deal.

The 'Topes have played .500 ball since losing Van Slyke to the Dodgers on May 9. The offense is filled with a bunch of Four-A players (Josh Fields, Jeff Baisley, Luis Cruz) and older, not-so-good prospects (Brian Cavazos-Galvez, Matt Angle, Tyler Henson). Albuquerque should welcome back these two thumpers with open arms.

But it's nice for them -- especially Van Slyke -- to get a taste of the majors in preparation for another assignment or a September call-up.

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My latest piece at Chad Moriyama is on another former Isotope who should be safe from a demotion, for now.

"When Elian Herrera was recalled to the Dodgers more than a week ago, I’m sure almost no one, besides maybe Christopher Jackson of the Albuquerque Examiner, knew who he was.

Now, after eight games, he’s making his mark on an injury-riddled team and he might not be the one taking the first flight back to Albuquerque when the rest of the infield gets healthy (starting potentially with Jerry Hairston, Jr. this weekend). He has a .346/.393/.462 line in those eight games, and while there’s absolutely no way he keeps that kind of production up, he’s off to a nice start in the majors."

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From Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com: Matt Guerrier has been shut down, which means we get to see more of Todd Coffey. However, it might not be too long as Blake Hawksworth (remember him?) is getting closer to a return.Well, at least he'll pitch against real competition for the first time since last season.

Guerrier is experiencing pain in his elbow, which originally landed him on the DL. Hawksworth is still in Arizona at Camelback Ranch and recovering from two elbow surgeries.

Mark Ellis, poor guy, had another emergency surgery on his leg after it became swollen. The initial prognosis was six weeks, but I'd be shocked if Ellis is back any time before September. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic, but he's gone through a lot for a seemingly innocuous play.

Photo credit: EephusBlue

Mark Ellis a huge loss for Dodgers, plus other news and notes

I was definitely in the minority when the Dodgers signed Mark Ellis in November. Perhaps it's because living in Northern California, I get to watch a lot of Oakland Athletics' games, so I saw him play a lot. Perhaps it's because I have no idea what I'm talking about.

This is what I wrote the day he signed:

"Ellis will likely be the team's starting second baseman and could play shortstop in a pinch, ala the recently departed Jamey Carroll. Carroll got $7 million for two years in Minnesota.


By comparison, it's not that bad a deal. Ellis plays good defense at second and has a little pop -- well, at least more than Carroll does."

And we have to realize it could have been a lot worse.

"I'm OK with this signing. It's not great, but it's not as bad as people are making it out to be.


Perhaps I'm just a Mark Ellis apologist (if there is such a thing). But at least the Dodgers didn't bring in Clint Barmes at this price."

But when Ellis went down with a serious knee injury -- so serious that he literally almost lost his leg -- it hurt the Dodgers much more than people would have thought following his signing.

The "other" Ellis has been a pleasant surprise for the Dodgers this season, posting a .273/.373/.364 line through 37 games this season. He's also drawn 18 walks against 18 strikeouts. To put that in perspective, Ellis drew 22 walks in 519 plate appearances in 2011.

Ellis has also been the best defensive second baseman the Dodgers have put out there since Alex Cora in 2004.



With an infield already starting guys like Adam Kennedy, Justin Sellers and Elian Herrera and with guys like Juan Uribe on the disabled list, losing Ellis was a big blow.

Ivan De Jesus was recalled to take his spot. He's starting at second base tonight for the Dodgers against Arizona. The Dodgers also re-signed Aaron Miles to a minor-league deal earlier this month, so he'll probably be in the mix if De Jesus and/or Herrera don't play well enough (unfortunately).

This injury likely saved Dee Gordon from a demotion to Triple-A. While he's getting a few days off, there was scuttlebutt around that he might be on his way to Albuquerque. The fact is, the Dodgers don't have enough healthy middle infielders in the majors for that to happen.

Ellis will be out about six weeks (best-case scenario), so the Dodgers will just have to make due without him until that time.

Here's to a full recovery for Ellis. He's been really good this season and I'm looking forward to seeing him back at second base and in the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

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Alex Castellanos is still on the DL in Triple-A and there is no timetable for his return, tweets Chris Jackson of the Albuquerque Examiner.

Clayton Kershaw was named the National League Player of the Week after winning both his starts, recording 16 scoreless innings (including a shutout of the Cardinals on Saturday) and 13 baserunners allowed.

Blake Smith was named the Southern League Player of the Week after a .444 average, two doubles, a triple, two home runs and 11 RBI performance.

Mike Petriello has a look at James Loney and his being the only constant remaining in the Dodgers' infield.

Chad Moryiama has the GIF of Scott Van Slyke's first Major League home run from Sunday's game. It couldn't have come at a better time.

Photo credit: EephusBlue