Dodgers bring back former prospect Josh Bell, and I'm excited about it?

I shouldn't be this excited for a non-roster invitee, but I find myself really liking the Josh Bell signing the Dodgers made on Monday.

Bell, 27, was drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2005 MLB Draft. He made the usual stops in his development, culminating in 2009 with Double-A Chattanooga. Bell hit .296/.386/.497 with 11 home runs and 30 doubles. At age-22, that was rather impressive.

But he didn't remain with the Dodgers. He was shipped off to Baltimore with Steve Johnson for George Sherrill. In fact, it was one of my first handful of posts on this blog. Here's what a younger, dumber me had to say about it.

"On the surface, this looks like a good, even trade. However, the Blue Jays were said to be interested in Bell in a potential Halladay package. Unless the Dodgers also acquire Halladay by 1 p.m. tomorrow, this trade will look a lot worse. I don't believe Dodger GM Ned Colletti would blow a chance to get Halladay by trading Bell for a reliever, so there's still hope, I suppose."

That was the gist of the post. Even I forgot it was that short. If this kind of trade were made today, I'd have a completely different opinion about it. Good thing the Dodgers just re-signed J.P. Howell.

Turns out, it wasn't a good trade for the Dodgers. While Bell didn't go onto exactly tear up the league, they sold short on a power-hitting third base prospect for a lefty reliever who was terrible in his time in LA.

But back to Bell. I have this strange, irrational feeling he's going to make some noise in spring training -- more noise than the likes of Nick Evans and Dallas McPherson (hat tip to Chris Jackson). I guess I'm putting a lot of misplaced faith in Mark McGwire. Not because McGwire isn't good at his job, but because Bell has never lived up to his potential.

Bell looked like he might be a GUY in 2010 when he debut with the Orioles. The overall numbers didn't look great -- .214/.224/.302 -- but one game stood out to me.

It was Aug. 21, 2010, in Baltimore on FOX Saturday Baseball. The Orioles were facing Cliff Lee and the Rangers. Bell was in the starting lineup. He came up with a man on in the third inning. Batting right-handed -- his worse of the two sides -- against Lee, he crushed a home run to center field. It was a no-doubter. I was excited to see it sail over the wall. Then, Bell came up in the fourth inning and clubbed a 2-run home run to right-center field -- again off Lee. It was mighty impressive.

Yes, it's the smallest of sample sizes, but Bell flashed the potential that made him a Top-5 prospect in the system at one time.

Bell made stops with the Diamondbacks, White Sox and Yankees following his stint with the Orioles. The only big league appearances he had were with Arizona in 2012.

I'm sure you've stopped reading by now, as who wants to read much about a career .195/.223/.265 hitter? But I have some kind of feeling about him. The Dodgers need backup infielders in the worst way, and they definitely need someone to prevent the recently re-signed Juan Uribe from playing in more than 140 games. Odds are extremely against Bell from doing something he hasn't been able to do in his career to this point -- be a quality major leaguer.

This is just another case of me gloming onto a former Dodger prospect because he was a former Dodger prospect (Hi, Franklin Gutierriez!). But if Bell somehow breaks camp with the team, I'll definitely refer back to this post. But he's even more likely to be among the first cuts in March.

Stranger things have happened, and the Dodgers have employed some questionable third basemen in the past. But if Bell could somehow be the power-hitting third baseman the Dodgers need (as a backup), that would be awesome. Odds of that happening: 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 percent.

Having said all that, I'm sure he'll be released in a couple weeks, making this post all for naught.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers' Winter Meetings shopping list: Bench pieces - Baker, Chavez, Davis, Gutierrez, Nelson, Turner

In the third of a four-part series, I look at what the Dodgers could do to strengthen the bench during the Winter Meetings, which begin Monday.

The Dodgers have already lost Nick Punto (Oakland) and Skip Schumaker (Cincinnati) to free agency, and they're not expecting to bring back Jerry Hairston and I hope they steer clear of Michael Young.

• Third base
• Starting pitcher
• Bench pieces
• Left-handed RP/power right-handed RP

Jeff Baker

Baker mashes against left-handed pitching -- perhaps better than any other free agent available. He can play multiple positions and a guy Mike Petirello looked at in early November.

In 800 career plate appearances against lefties, he owns a .298/.353/.522 triple slash. He's probably limited to the corner outfield or first base. However, he's played a little second- and third base in his career.

He'd be a nice addition so the Dodgers could sit Carl Crawford or Andre Ethier against tough lefties.

Eric Chavez

I had the Dodgers signing Chavez in my offseason plan, and he'd be a great left-handed power bat off the bench. While he's been a third baseman most of his career, Chavez is more of a 1B/3B baseman at this point. He can handle third base, but he'd need a right-handed platoon partner.

Chavez has hit .281./.341/.488 over the last two seasons as a part-time player, and he figures to be a hot commodity this winter.

Rajai Davis

Davis should be able to land a starting position on the open market, but at 33 years old, he might be ready to go into a part-time role on a championship-caliber team.

A speedster, Davis can play center field, but he's better suited to play left. He's a career .268/.316/.377 hitter, but he's a career .294/.354/.425 hitter against left-handed pitchers. Davis also has 268 stolen bases at nearly an 80 percent clip.

Franklin Gutierrez

This will be short, as I wrote an extensive post about Gutierrez last month. The Dodgers need a true backup center fielder, and Gutierrez is the best one available.

Health issues continues for ex-Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez; sidelined by virus infection in winter ball in Venezuela.
— Bob Dutton (@TNT_Mariners) December 2, 2013

That really shouldn't hamper him come the 2014 season.

Chris Nelson

Nelson had a wild 2013 season, spending time with the Rockies, Yankees and Angels. At 28, he's the youngest guy on this list and would be worth a flyer.

The former No. 9 overall pick in 2004 is more of a 3B/2B, but he played 532 games at shortstop in the minor leagues.

Nelson went to Pasadena City College, so he has some local ties. He also owns a .268/.312/.399 career triple slash. In 2012, he hit .301/.352/.458 in 377 plate appearances, but was aided massively by Coors Field (.347/.411/.500 at home).

Justin Turner

Turner is probably the most realistic option on this list, as the Dodgers have reportedly checked in on him. I heard to the same thing, and at first glance, there are worse players the Dodgers could acquire.

He's not spectacular, but he's solid for hat he is. From Petriello:

"Turner was expected to be tendered by the Mets, but it didn’t happen after an injury-plagued year, and so he’s free after parts of five years and just under 1,000 major league plate appearances. Over that time he’s got a 93 wRC+ and a .684 OPS, making him somewhat below league-average, but he’s made starts at second (88), third (50), short (21), and first (17), which is pretty nice versatility. That said, DRS (-21) and UZR/150 (-21.5) both hate him at second, which is where he’s seen the most action, so it’s hard to call him a plus glove."

That's pretty much him in a nutshell. I'd bet on him being a Dodger before the end of next week.

Next up: Relief pitchers (please come back, J.P. Howell)

Photo credit: mikelachance816, Flickr

Dodgers must trade one of their high-priced outfielders this offseason

Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig -- all are starting outfielders in Major League Baseball. Except, all four play on the same team -- for now.

Mike Petriello broke down the conundrum last week at FanGraphs. He nails it, as all six options are viable. However, it's time for the Dodgers to make a decision.

They just can't do this anymore. They simply cannot have four starting outfielders on their team when there are only three playing spots.

It isn't fair to the outfielders and it isn't fair to the rest of the team. The Dodgers must trade one of the four outfielders this winter.

Yes, the quartet was only together for four whole games last season, thus delaying any potential playing time issues. But what if the Dodgers' outfielders are relatively healthy in 2014? Will Crawford or Ethier be content playing 80-90 games each? Unlikely.

The best bet is to trade one of those two (or both, if you can find a taker), and, as the Tigers showed last week by sending Prince Fielder to the Rangers for Ian Kinsler, no contract is untradeable.

Who to trade?

Obviously, the Dodgers wouldn't trade Puig unless they were completely blown away (like, Mike Trout for Puig). So, cross him off the list.

Kemp is the best outfielder the Dodgers have, but he's also the most uncertain. His trade value is at an all-time low and he's owed almost $130 million for the next six years. If he was 2009 or 2011 Matt Kemp, that'd be a steal. The fact is, he isn't and he'll likely not be the '11 version again. The Dodgers wouldn't get anything close to fair value in return (rightfully so). That leaves Crawford and Ethier.

Crawford is owed $82.5 million over the next four years. He had a solid 2013 season, but he also missed time with a hamstring injury. He hit 10 home runs (six in the regular season, four in the postseason), which was surprising. He can still get hits, but he doesn't walk much (and never really has). He still has above-average speed, but he didn't use it enough to be a menace on the basepaths as he was so many years ago.

He's only going to slow down going forward, but there's still value there. He has an average center fielder's range in left field, giving him the ability to be a plus -defender in left. His arm is his worst tool.

An outfield-desperate team that doesn't want to give up a draft pick for guys like Carlos Beltran, Shin-Soo Choo and Curtis Granderson might take a shot on Crawford, if the price is right.

Ethier is due $71.5 million over the next four years. His platoon splits are bad (.235/.294/.351) against left-handed pitching. Ideally, he's a platoon outfielder. However, he's paid like a starter and is good enough against righties that his playing against lefties occasionally is palatable.

Ethier's power has decreased in recent years. He still hit 12 home runs and 33 doubles this season, but he's not the player he was a few years ago. He's never been a threat with his legs, but he's an average runner who won't clog the basepaths.

His ability to play center field at least somewhat passably increases his value. He can fill in as a center fielder, but his best position is still in a corner (likely left field).

I'd see Ethier is more likely to be traded than Crawford, but one of them must be traded. Not just for the Dodgers, but for the player. They deserve a chance to start somewhere without having to worry about a guy on the bench taking significant playing time away from them.

Depth

Some say the Dodgers need to keep all four in case of injuries. I understand that notion, but the Dodgers already have viable backup options.

Scott Van Slyke showed last season he doesn't just have "slider bat speed" anymore. He lost some weight and it clearly helped him. He's the best power threat off the Dodgers' bench. He's capable defensively in a corner and can play a little first base.

Joc Pederson is just about MLB-ready, but it doesn't make sense to put him on the bench. Instead, he'll go to Triple-A and wait his turn. If any of the outfielders suffer a long-term injury, Pederson could get the call. Keeping Van Slyke in a part-time role would be best.

Also, the Dodgers should sign a true center fielder this winter. My original pick was Chris Young. Now, I'm pining for Franklin Gutierrez.

The Dodgers have Mike Baxter and Nick Buss on the 40-man roster, both of whom are capable of playing center field. They're not typical 25-man roster guys, but they could be on the active roster for a week or two without really hurting the team.

Trade return

The Dodgers have a chance to add some kind of valuable piece by trading Crawford and/or Ethier. They could either land second-tier prospects who have a chance to be a little more, or they can reallocate their money by taking on another big contract in return for the big contract of Crawford or Ethier. An Ethier-for-Kinsler swap made some sense, but that won't happen now.

Some have suggested Kemp-for-Elvis Andrus. While Andrus is a plus-plus defender at shortstop -- something that can't be overlooked -- he's owed almost as much as Kemp is over the next six years. Andrus is a singles hitter who can take a walk every once in awhile and steal some bases. He isn't the worst player the Dodgers could acquire, but I wouldn't move Kemp for him. Kemp's potential outweighs Andrus' limited offensive ceiling.

Now, if you're talking an Ethier-for-Andrus deal, that might be a bit more doable. Some money and other pieces would probably have to be involved, though.

The Rangers, despite trading Kinsler, still have middle infield depth to trade and an outfield spot or two to fill. There could be something there, but I wouldn't call it a sure thing.

-----

For everyone worried about injuries, don't worry. Yes, they're part of the game, but the Dodgers have more than enough outfield depth to make up for injuries -- minor or major.

This situation needs to come to head. The Dodgers cannot continue this dance next season. The time to trade at least one of the outfielders is now. It will make the team better and more functional while allowing a guy to get consistent playing time without having to look over his shoulder.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers should go all-in on Franklin Gutierrez to be their fourth outfielder

I have an affinity for former Dodger prospects. Guys like Edwin Jackson, James McDonald and Carlos Santana have been quality major leaguers whom I wish were still Dodgers.

Jackson is a quality starter with the Cubs, McDonald is a free agent who had a solid run in Pittsburgh and Santana is one of the best offensive catchers in the game.

Enter Franklin Gutierrez. The Dodgers sent him to Cleveland just before the 2004 season with Andrew Brown for Milton Bradley. I wasn't upset he got traded because Bradley was productive with the Dodgers, when he was on the field. It ended up as a good deal for the Dodgers, as they landed Andre Ethier for Bradley and Antonio Perez a couple years later.

I've been trying to "acquire" Gutierrez since last winter, when Ethier was close to being traded to the Mariners. Alas, no deal was struck. Now a free agent, there's no need to make a trade to acquire him.

Gutierrez, 31 in February, has played in 173 games in the last three years -- total. So, why would I want the Dodgers to sign a guy like this? Well, my affinity is part of it, but I also think Gutierrez is the perfect fourth outfielder for the Dodgers.

"But Dustin, the Dodgers already have four outfielders, plus Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson."

Yes, I'm aware of the situation. I also believe the Dodgers need to trade one of the four outfielders (more on that in my next post).

The Dodgers lacked a true center fielder when Matt Kemp wasn't on the field in 2013 (and Kemp has never been good defensively in center). Skip Schumaker was the backup in center -- so much so that he actually started a playoff game in center field this year.

Ethier filled in admirably for Kemp in center field in 2013, but I have concerns about his long-term defensive effectiveness out there (and his long-term stay-with-the-Dodgersness).

It's clear the Dodgers don't think Yasiel Puig can handle the position, and Carl Crawford isn't a viable option for the position. Pederson looks like he might stick in center field in the majors, but he isn't going to displace Kemp in the lineup (if Kemp is healthy) -- at least, not yet.

That brings us back to Gutierrez.

Gutierrez is a plus-defender in center field. In 2009, Gutierrez was a 6-win player due primarily to his elite defense. He also can hit a little bit (really, just a little).

I had the Dodgers signing Chris Young in my offseason plan, but he signed a 1-year, $7.25 million contract with the Mets this week. That's starter's money, and Young certainly wouldn't have been a starter in LA. Gutierrez is probably no better than a fourth outfielder at this rate, and seeing the inordinate number of injuries the Dodger outfield suffered in 2013, there should be ample playing time for the former Dodger prospect.

Gutierrez hasn't been great in center the last two seasons, according to defensive metrics. He posted a -31.7 and -23.9 UZR/150 and -4 defensive runs saved in 2012 and 2013. He only played 81 games total, so it's a smaller sample size. He played 92 games in 2011, posting a  28.8 UZR/150 and +10 DRS. So, the ability to roam center field at an above-average clip is still there.

His best defensive season came in 2009 (153 games), when he posted a great 29.0 UZR/150 and 32 DRS in 1,353 1/3 innings in center field. He won't play enough to match the games, innings and DRS, but he could be effective enough to post a high UZR/150.

Surprisingly, he isn't totally inept with the bat. He only has a .238/.276/.363 triple slash in the last three injury-riddled years, but he also popped 10 home runs in 145 at-bats in 2013. From 2007 through 2010, he triple slashed .261/.317/.403 and averaged 13 home runs in that time. As a fourth outfielder with the Dodgers, that's more than an acceptable offensive output.

And he's nails against left-handed pitching. For his career, he owns a .287/.344/.474 triple slash with a 25.3 AB/HR rate. Against righties, he has a .242/.290/.356 triple slash and almost double the AB/HR rate (48.6). Safe to say, he'd see most of his action against left-handed pitching. If Crawford or Ethier are still around, he could be a nice spot-starter for whoever is playing left field. He could be somewhat effective against right-handed pitchers, provided he plays sparingly against them.

The fact is, the Dodgers absolutely need a true center fielder on the roster. Gutierrez is the best one available. I'm not sure if he cares one way or another the Dodgers traded him all those years ago. I'm guessing he'd be happy to have a job with a championship-caliber baseball team.

If I'm Ned Colletti, I picked up the phone to call Gutierrez's agent the second Young signed.

As the self-proclaimed president of the Franklin Gutierrez Fan Club, this team cannot go into the 2014 season without a security blanket in center field. Gutierrez would be just that.

Photo credit: kdirk, Flickr