Joc Pederson to represent Dodgers at 2013 Futures Game in July

Joc Pederson will represent the Dodgers at the 2013 Futures Game on the Sunday before the All-Star game. The 21-year-old is doing some good things in the Southern League.

He's not hitting as well as he was earlier this season, but he's still posting respectable numbers: .296/.383/.500, 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 53 runs scored and 21 stolen bases (in 24 attempts).

Every year, the top prospects are selected to play in what is essentially a prospect all-star game. There is a United States team and a World team. Last year, Chris Reed represented the Dodgers for the World team as he was born in London. Teams can only send two players -- one on each squad -- for this exhibition game.

Here's a list of Dodger prospects to participate in the Futures Game since its inception in 1999:

1999 - Chin-Feng Chen, Luke Prokopec
2000 - Chen, Randey Dorame
2001 - Ricardo Rodriguez,
2002 - Victor Diaz, Rodriguez
2003 - Franklin Gutierrez, Edwin Jackson
2004 - Joel Guzman, Koyie Hill
2005 - Andy LaRoche, Russell Martin
2006 - Guzman, Chin-Lung Hu
2007 - Clayton Kershaw, Hu (MVP)
2008 - Ivan De Jesus
2009 - Pedro Baez
2010 - Baez, Dee Gordon
2011 - Alfredo Silverio
2012 - Chris Reed
2013 - Joc Pederson

The best player the Dodgers have ever sent is obviously Kershaw. Gutierrez is about the only position player to make an impact in the majors and Jackson has been a serviceable starter.

I was hoping one of the hard-throwing relievers would get the nod on the World side (i.e. Jose Dominguez), but it didn't happen. Yasiel Puig would have been a lock for the squad if he weren't promoted to the majors. At this rate, he could be a Los Angeles Dodger representative in New York.

The Futures Game is Sunday, July 14 at 11 a.m. Pacific time.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Looking at who the Red Sox acquired in the big trade with the Dodgers

I've been accused of being a prospect hoarder. It's a fair accusation. But when I heard about this deal, my first thought was, "The Dodgers are giving up too much." I still believe that.

But at least the Dodgers acquired a hitter who paid immediate dividends in Adrian Gonzalez. He blasted a 3-run home run on his first swing as a Dodger Saturday night. It was a thing of beauty.

But considering the circumstances, the Red Sox made out quite well in Saturday's nine-player deal with the Dodgers. Boston acquired major salary relief (in the neighborhood of $260 million), James Loney, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Jerry Sands and Ivan De Jesus.

I gave my thoughts on the Dodgers' return yesterday, so now I'll look at who the Dodgers gave up and what it means for the Red Sox.

James Loney

Loney, a once top prospect, is going to be fighting for a job come the winter. His offensive production is just offensive and not even his Gold Glove defense can land him a starting gig.

And Loney did what he does best in his first at-bat as a member of the Red Sox: he grounded into a double play.

He'll likely be Boston's starting first baseman the rest of the season, but I'd be shocked if he was there beyond this season.

Rubby De La Rosa

Because he was on the 40-man roster, De La Rosa is a player to be named later in this trade. He was reportedly claimed by the Blue Jays, which means the entire National League and a few American League teams passed on claiming him. That doesn't make sense, but I'm not a baseball executive.

De La Rosa was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga and I'm admittedly unsure what the plan is with him. I assume he'll pitch because for the Lookouts until the season ends. Chattanooga is three games up for the second-half division title with eight games to play. So, there's at least eight games remaining plus any potential playoff games.

Or, the Dodgers could be under strict orders from Boston to not pitch De La Rosa in game action and just continue to have him work on the side, potentially avoiding injury. We'll see what happens.

But Boston acquired a potential No. 2 starter in De La Rosa. His fastball, clocked as high as 101 MPH, is his best pitch. He throws it in the mid-90s with movement. It's a filthy pitch. He also owns a devastating changeup, when he's consistent with it.

The only thing holding De La Rosa back from achieving his potential in the rotation is a third pitch. He has a slider that's loose and loopy more than it's tight and sharp. His makeup is that of a top-of-the-rotation starter or a dominant closer, so no concern there.

He has a much better shot of ending up in the bullpen, but I could definitely see De La Rosa figuring it out and him being a pitcher in the mold of Pedro Martinez.

Now, some have said the Dodgers just traded "the next Pedro Martinez," but I think that's a bit far-fetched. Yes, they have similar repertoires and are both from the Dominican Republic. But that's where the similarities end.

De La Rosa isn't the most physically imposing figure, but he also isn't 5'10, 175 pounds like Martinez was. It's far more likely De La Rosa is an average MLB pitcher than a Hall of Famer.

Boston did quite well to get De La Rosa from the Dodgers in this deal, as they did with the only true "prospect" they received in the deal.

Allen Webster

Webster, the Dodgers' consensus No. 2 or No. 3 prospect heading into the season, started off the season about as poorly as one could. On May 9, he owned a 7.49 ERA in the Southern League, a league in which he struggled during the second half of last season.

Things weren't looking good for him until a demotion to the bullpen changed his season. He had a five-game bullpen stint, starting May 15, and he gave up just one run in that time. His work out of the 'pen allowed him to get his control and command figured out because his stuff has never been a question.

Since returning to the rotation on May 31, he hadn't allowed more than three earned runs in any start and reduced his ERA down to a manageable 3.83.

Webster boasts a low-to-mid-90s fastball with movement, an advanced changeup, a solid curveball and a decent slider. He has a classic starter's arsenal. Aside from his changeup, he's also known for having good control. His 3.7 BB/9 is solid, but he has the potential to be a sub-3 BB/9 guy when he's at his peak.

He has a ceiling of a No. 2 starter, but it's more likely he'll be a No. 3 or No. 4 guy, which is nothing to scoff at. Webster should challenge for a rotation slot in Boston come 2013.

Jerry Sands

Like De La Rosa, Sands is officially a PTBNL in this deal because he did not clear waivers. And that's just fine with Isotope fans as Sands smacked a 2-run home run Saturday night to continue his torrid second half.

Yes, his numbers are somewhat inflated because he plays in one of the best hitting environments in professional baseball, but there is potential in this kid. I mean, he had a 1.078 OPS in the Midwest League as a 22-year-old (69 games). That's hard to do.

I ranked him as my No. 1 prospect heading into last season and he's gotten limited opportunity with the Dodgers thus far. In fact, I'm not sure he was ever going to get a fair shot. I mean, when a team will play the likes of Juan Rivera and Loney instead of giving a 24-year-old power-hitting prospect a shot, it says something about the player or the organization. It's probably a little of both.

But Sands has ability. If he reaches his potential, he could be a 20-plus home run a season corner outfielder who hits in around .270 to .300 with an on-base percentage .350 or better. He isn't afraid to talk a walk, as his minor-league walk rate is an impressive 11.6 percent. He's done nothing but hit in the minors (.290/.377/.566), yet the Dodgers never gave him a legitimate chance at being a regular.

Sands profiles better as a corner outfielder than a first baseman. He has a strong arm and has a little more range than folks give him credit for. With the Red Sox trading their left fielder and first baseman, Sands could get a shot at either position come 2013.

Sands might be Boston's wild card in this deal, as the Dodgers clearly (and unfairly) lost faith in him too soon.

Ivan De Jesus

De Jesus is kind of in the same boat as Sands, but he got there first: a once highly rated prospect who fell out of favor in the organization.

Now, De Jesus is never going to be Dustin Pedroia at second base, but he has on-base ability and a solid glove.

He's more of a utility player at this point in his career, which has value to a team. He has a little doubles pop and a good eye at the plate, posting a 9.7 percent walk rate in the minors.

He hasn't done much in the majors, but he hasn't been given much of a chance either. We'll always have that pinch-hit double in Arizona earlier this season that won the game for the Dodgers.

Conclusion

The Dodgers still gave up a bit too much in this deal for my liking. If they had given up De La Rosa or Webster, along with the other two, and a lesser prospect, I'd feel a little better about this. I just don't like giving up two potential frontline starting pitchers while taking on more than a quarter of a billion dollars in salary. But at least the Dodgers got the big bat they needed.

I'll look at what impact this trade, and all the trades Ned Colletti and Co. have made in the last couple months, has on the Dodgers' farm system tomorrow.

Photo credits

Loney and Sands: LWY, Flickr

De Jesus:  wisely, Flickr

Looking at the Dodgers' return in the potential trade with the Red Sox

With the blockbuster Dodger-Red Sox trade expected to be announced today, I'm going to look at just what the Dodgers are getting themselves into with this deal.

The Dodgers and Red Sox are about to complete one of the biggest deals in baseball history, but the Dodgers are the team taking almost all the risk.

Here are the details:

To Boston: Rubby De La Rosa (as PTBNL), Allen Webster, James Loney, Jerry Sands and Ivan DeJesus
To Los Angeles: Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and roughly $12 million

Adrian Gonzalez

The Dodgers finally get a legitimate slugger to slot in behind Matt Kemp. Gonzalez, 30, is one of the best first basemen in baseball, but he's admittedly having a down season -- down being .300/.343/.469. The Dodgers haven't received that production from first base since the days of Eric Karros... or when Loney was just a young pup in 2007, when he played in 96 games.

Gonzalez, like Loney, plays Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base, so there will be virtually no drop-off there. Coupled with the enormous offensive boost, this is a no-brainer.

Gonzalez, a former No. 1 overall pick by the Florida Marlins (2000), is somewhat local. He's from the San Diego area and spent the vast majority of his professional career with the Padres.

But something that is greatly needed is the fact he can hit against left-handed pitching. This season, he owns a .302/.335/.488 triple slash. His average and slugging percentage are better against lefties than righties this season. He hit .321 against lefties last season, a season in which he led the American League in hits while hitting 27 home runs and 45 doubles. In 2010, he hit a whopping .337/.424/.513 against lefties. It shows marked improvement as his career numbers against lefties are not as good (.276/.345/.443), meaning he struggled earlier in his career against southpaws.

But the best part about acquiring Gonzalez is the fact he has elite-level talent (and he has the contract to prove it). He's a top-five first baseman (Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Joey Votto, Paul Konerko) and one of the best with the glove.

Gonzalez signed a 7-year, $154 million deal with Boston in April 2011. Here's the breakdown:

• 2013 through 2016: $21 million annually
• 2017 and 2018: $21.5 million annually

Pretty straight forward.

Now, some of Gonzalez's numbers have been trending downward, such as his walk rate and isolated power.

Year	BB%	ISO
2009	17.5	.274
2010	13.4	.231
2011	10.3	.210
2012	5.9	.169

Gonzalez was walked like crazy in the Padres' lineup, as he was about the only hitter to fear during his time. That accounts for the 17.5 percent walk rate. But his rate dropping all the way to 5.9 this season is a bit concerning. He's never walked fewer than 52 times in a full season, which he did in 2006.

He started off the 2012 season poorly, hitting just .283/.329/.416 in the first half. But he's really turned it on in the second half: .338/.378/.593. It's nice to see the power is still there, but I'd also love to see that walk rate get back in the neighborhood of 10 percent. With Ramirez and Andre Ethier hitting behind him, I could see that happening.

It's always a good idea to take a risk on elite talent. Gonzalez is elite. The other two Red Sox coming over, well, aren't in that class anymore.

Josh Beckett

Many remember Beckett for his 2003 World Series performance -- an MVP performance -- but Beckett has never been that good over the long haul.

However, Beckett, 32, is coming off one of the better seasons of his career in 2011, a season in which he went 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 3.57 FIP, 6.8 H/9, 2.4 BB/9, 8.2 K/9 and a 3.37 K/BB.

This season, Beckett has struggled: 5-11, 5.23 ERA, 4.27 FIP. He hasn't endeared himself to the Boston media after golfing on his day off after missing a start earlier this season -- something that was blown out of proportion by the Boston media, but is worth noting.

His contract status pales in comparison to Gonzalez's and Crawford's, but here are the details anyway: 

• 2013-14: $15.75M

That's it. His contract is the least of the Dodgers' concern in this deal.

If Beckett can regain his 2011 form, this could be huge for the Dodgers. Chad Billingsley left Friday night's game with elbow inflammation -- the same injury that shelved him for 15 days earlier this season. I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up there again.

But there's more to Beckett than hoping he can regain his form. His velocity has dropped -- dramatically. He averaged 93.1 MPH on his fastball just last season. This season, it's down to 91.6 MPH. That's a significant drop. He's also throwing his fastball less frequently this season: 47.6 percent (a career-low). Why? Only he knows, but looking at the numbers, it could be because it's just not an effective pitch for him this season.

FanGraphs rates its value at -1.6, compared to 15.6 last season (but strangely, -16.5 the year before). In fact, only one of his four pitches rates out positively -- his curveball at 0.9.

He's been infected by the cutter disease in recent years, going from 5.1 percent in 2009 to 15.3 percent in 2010, 18.1 percent in 2011 and 21.1 percent in 2012.

This data doesn't bode well for his future. He's going to need to find that lost velocity (if it's even possible) for him to be more than a No. 4 or No. 5 starter.

But, with Joe Blanton not pitching well since being acquired, Chris Capuano regressing a tad and Billingsley's injury, Beckett has an opportunity to grab this situation by the proverbial horns (he's from Texas).

Fun fact: Beckett was traded to Boston in a deal that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida in November 2005.

Beckett is somewhat of a wild card in this trade, but not as wild as the $100 million outfielder the Dodgers are also acquiring.

Carl Crawford

Crawford signed a mega deal last winter (7 years, $142 million) with Boston and has yet to sniff the level of production he had in Tampa Bay for the first nine years of his career.

His contract details:

• 2013: $20M, 2014: $20.25M, 2015: $20.5M, 2016: $20.75M, 2017: $21M

Look, Crawford is not and was not ever a $20 million/year player. The Red Sox overpaid for him, which is an understatement. But this is the risk the Dodgers are willing to take on him just to acquire Gonzalez.

Crawford just had Tommy John surgery and will be out for the foreseeable future. Some reports said he could be ready for Opening Day, some said by May. I'd be surprised if either were the case. Recovering from Tommy John is a big deal for pitchers, but it's also a significant deal for position players. Crawford's arm strength doesn't have to be great in left field, but I'm more concerned with how the injury impacts his ability at the plate.

He hit .306/.360/.473 in his last two seasons with Tampa but has hit just .260/.292/.419 with Boston in 161 games. That kind of production isn't going to fly anywhere, let alone Boston.

Oh, and it'd be nice to see him be the threat on the basepaths he was back in Tampa. He played 130 games in 2011 and stole just 18 base (only 24 attempts). This man once led the American League in stolen bases four out of five years (2003-07). I know speed diminishes with age, but it isn't his leg he hurt. If I'm the Dodgers, I'd expect at least 40 stolen bases out of Crawford. 

If Crawford can come back sometime in 2013 and perform anywhere close to the way he performed in Tampa, he could make this trade a clear win for the Dodgers, despite the massive amount of money involved.

Nick Punto and the money

Punto is such a throw-away in this deal, it's laughable. But if it means Juan Uribe isn't long for Los Angeles, then I'm all for it. There's no indication that's the case, it's more just wishful thinking on my part.

But this is where I think the Dodgers fell a little short in this deal.

These four players are making roughly $270 million for the life of their respective contracts. The Dodgers have agreed to pay more than 95 percent of the remaining money, helping Boston to get out of luxury tax territory. This means the Red Sox are sending about $12 million to the Dodgers in this deal.

For who the Dodgers are giving up -- De La Rosa and Webster -- I'd have thought they wouldn't have to pay as much. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

And, this means the Dodgers will be less financially flexible in the future... unless the team wants to have a $200 million payroll and have to pay luxury taxes. For the Guggenheim group, that may not be a concern.

But for kicks, take a look at what Chad Moriyama wrote about the new television deal and why the Dodgers can't just throw money around carelessly.

I don't think that's the case. I think Stan Kasten and Co. know what they're doing.

The fact that this trade Xbox-esque trade is nearing completion shows the Dodgers' new ownership isn't messing around. It wants to win this season. It'd help if the team didn't get swept at home by the Giants, but here we are. The Dodgers are three games behind the Giants with just a little more than a month remaining in the season.

I'll look at the impact on the Dodgers' farm system and who the Red Sox are getting in return tomorrow. I like the aggressive nature of this deal, but the risk lies all in Los Angeles and depends greatly on Crawford's ability to return to prominence.

Photo credits

Gonzalez: Keith Allison, Flickr

Beckett: eviltomthai, Flickr

Crawford: Red3biggs, Wikimedia Commons

Dodgers about to do something crazy to get Adrian Gonzalez

The Dodgers are on the verge of acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto from the Red Sox.

Holy. Balls.

I'm on the road, but I'm going to give a quick analysis:

The Dodgers need a guy like Gonzalez. They could do without Beckett and Crawford and no one in their right mind "needs" Punto.

Some rumored players heading to Boston include Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Jerry Sands, Ivan DeJesus and James Loney.

I'm somewhat OK with them sending one really good young player, but not two. I'll go more in depth later tonight.

Oh, and this doesn't even include the massive amounts of money involved. That has yet to be determined.

Stay tuned because this thing is getting all kinds of crazy.

Chris Reed the only prospect to represent Dodgers in Futures Game

The 2012 Futures Game rosters were announced today and London-born (say wha?) Chris Reed will represent the Dodgers in Kansas City this year.

It's no surprise to see Reed headed to KC, as he's had a really good season so far: 2.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 9.2 K/9 between High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga.

Reed, 22, has a good fastball that sits in the low-90s, a mid-80s slider and a showme changeup. He was the Dodgers' first-round draft pick in 2011 -- a pick I wasn't particularly thrilled with. It remains to be seen if he's going to pan out, but he has the stuff. His stamina and durability are the concerns.

While it's not a surprise to see him pitching well, it is a little surprising to see he's the only Dodger prospect selected to play in the game.

Guys like Zach Lee, Joc Pederson, Blake Smith and Alex Castellanos all deserved consideration. Lee is widely regarded as the Dodgers' best prospect, Pederson as the Dodgers' best hitting prospect and Smith and Castellanos as guys who have a lot of ability. I could see guys like Lee and Pederson getting the nod in the next year or two.

The Futures Game has been in existence since 1999 and is played the Sunday before the MLB All-Star Game at that year's venue.

Here are the Dodgers' Futures Game participants from the past:

• 1999: Chin-Feng Chen, Luke Prokopec
• 2000: Chen, Randey Dorame
• 2001: Ricardo Rodriguez
• 2002: Victor Diaz, Rodriguez
• 2003: Franklin Gutierrez, Edwin Jackson
• 2004: Joel Guzman, Koyie Hill
• 2005: Andy LaRoche, Russell Martin
• 2006: Guzman, Chin-lung Hu
• 2007: Clayton Kershaw, Hu (MVP)
• 2008: Ivan De Jesus
• 2009: Pedro Baez
• 2010: Baez, Dee Gordon
• 2011: Alfredo Silverio

The only players on this list to not make it to the Major Leagues in some capacity are Dorame, Baez and Silverio. Dormae has since retired, Baez is 24 and in Double-A and Silverio was probably going to get a call-up in September if he wasn't in a car accident in January and had subsequent Tommy John Surgery in May.

So, the Futures Game is the minor-league All-Star game to watch. The best of the best participate in this game and usually guys who are destined to be MLB players at some point.

The game is on July 8 at 2 p.m. Pacific time.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Brandon Lennox, True Blue L.A.

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.

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

Spring Training battles emerging, plus roster cuts and ownership news

The Dodgers made their second round of Spring Training cuts today, reassigning Jeff Baisley, Gorman Erickson, Matt Wallach and Lance Zawadzki to minor league camp. The Dodgers also gave Alberto Castillo his outright release.

Absolutely no surprises here. The only two of note in the group are Erickson and Wallach. Erickson will likely begin the season in Chattanooga with the Lookouts after getting a taste of Double-A late last season. Wallach, who spent 76 of his 79 games with the Lookouts last season, should back up Tim Federowicz in Albuquerque with the Isotopes.

The roster sits at 49 players. It obviously has to be down to 25 before Opening Day. There are a few interesting battles developing.

Jerry Sands vs. Josh Fields
- This isn't exactly a position battle, but both players are right-handed and aiming for bench spots. Sands, my No. 1 prospect a year ago, hasn't exactly lit up Spring Training while Fields has. However, this could (and should) come down to playing time. The Dodgers aren't going to platoon Andre Ethier and James Loney and Juan Rivera (with his $4.5 million contract) is certainly not going to sit. So, it seems Sands will begin the season in Triple-A.

Fields played part of last season in Japan and is making a str0ng case to be on the Dodgers' bench to start the season. I could see it happening because the bench, as constructed, looks to lack power -- not just right-handed power.

Justin Sellers vs. Ivan De Jesus
- Sellers has the edge in this matchup due to his ability to play shortstop. Without Sellers, there is no viable backup option to Dee Gordon (and no, Jerry Hairston is not viable). Sellers is also hitting well in Spring Training and had a couple moments with the team last year.

De Jesus has long since been in the team's doghouse (at least it seems that way) and just suffered an injury to his left oblique. It's not known how serious it is, but that, coupled with the fact he hasn't hit well and can't play shortstop more than in a pinch, should really about seal it for Sellers.

John Grabow vs. Josh Lindblom
- Grabow was signed earlier in December and I predicted he'd make the club out of Spring Training. So far, Grabow has thrown 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball and has six strikeouts. He's making quite the case to be the Dodgers' second lefty out of the bullpen.

Lindblom has been fine so far, but he has options remaining and the fact that Scott Elbert is the only left-hander could lead the team to sending him to Triple-A. Matt Guerrier has back issues right now and could open a door for Lindblom to make the team if he starts the season on the disabled list.

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Bill Shaikin brings us news of something huge going on in the Dodgers' ownership race.

"Patrick Soon-Shiong, the richest man in Los Angeles, has joined the Dodgers bid group led by hedge-fund billionaire Steven Cohen.

The alliance is the strongest indication yet of Cohen's intention to present outgoing owner Frank McCourt with a final bid that reflects prominent local support rather than just overwhelming East Coast money.

If McCourt were to accept the Cohen bid, he would be rejecting one led by local icon Magic Johnson. Soon-Shiong has held several meetings with McCourt since the Dodgers were put up for sale in November, according to people familiar with the process."

Well, that about settles that. With Soon-Shiong joining Cohen's group, a group that reportedly has the most up-front money included in its bid (roughly $500 million), it's hard to see how the richest man in Los Angeles joining the group is anything but good Cohen.

Speculation was Soon-Shiong was to join the Johnson-Stan Kasten group, but that obviously never materialized.

Cohen also reportedly has interest in bringing in former Cardinals' and Athletics' manager Tony LaRussa, recently retired, to oversee baseball operations for the club. While the prospect isn 't exciting, despite LaRussa winning two World Series titles in St. Louis and one in Oakland, it's about time we start to accept it and get used to it.

Mike Petriello has a good post on it while trying to look on the bright side of today's breaking news.

"Now, I’ve been pretty clear how against Cohen I’ve been since the beginning of this process. Now that it seems he’s the clear frontrunner, I’m trying to look on the bright side here, and there’s one massive bright side: Cohen and Soon-Shiong are estimated to be worth over $15 billion between the two of them. That means we may not have to worry so much about whether a record-setting purchase price would impact the ability to invest in the team and stadium; it also means that we may not have to worry about a large amount of debt being a part of the purchase price."

There should be a lot of news in the last two weeks of the saga. April 1 is the day all Dodger fans are anxious and eager to see.

Photo credit: wisely on Flickr

Report: Dodgers close to signing Adam Kennedy

Well, that didn't take long.

A whole 37 minutes after my previous post, Tony Jackson of ESPN L.A. dropped this:

"Dodgers close to signing Adam Kennedy to be their utility IF. http://tinyurl.com/ceztj6e"

Terms of the deal aren't immediately available.

Like I said 40 minutes ago, anything more than a minor-league deal is too much.

Jackson writes Kennedy would be the team's super utility player, which leads me to believe this is some sort of guaranteed contract.

Not only that, but it pretty much assures Ivan De Jesus will start the season in Triple-A. Justin Sellers could still be in the mix on the big league club.

Kennedy had a nice season for the Athletics in 2009, but he's a subpar player about to be acquired by a subpar general manager.

2011 Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Prospect Team

The Dodgers' minor league system enjoyed the most success it has in a long time with three teams advancing to their respective postseasons.

With good team performances comes good prospect performances. So, here is my 2011 All-Prospect team for the Dodgers.

To be eligible for this team, the player must have been a prospect to start the 2011 season.

Catcher: Gorman Erickson, 23, High-A/Double-A
.293/.379/.486, 13 HR, 66 RBI, 14.1% BB rate
- I wrote a piece on Erickson a few days after Federowicz was acquired. Even with Federowicz good month of August in the Pacific Coast League, I still like what Erickson brings to the table. His 14.1 percent walk rate is impressive and he is clearly No. 1 on the catching depth chart for me. He finished 2011 in Double-A and I bet he returns there to start 2012 with a midseason call-up a possibility.
Second team: Tim Federowicz, 23, Triple-A

First Base: Scott Van Slyke, 25, Double-A
.348/.427/.595, 20 HR, 92 RBI, 45 2B
- Van Slyke is the odds-on favorite to win the Southern League MVP award, according to an unbiased source -- me. He led the league in batting and doubles and was second in total bases. While his prospect star has never shone too bright, he's making some noise in the Dodgers' organization and could get a look on the 2012 Opening Day roster. This slot could have gone to Sands or Songco, but they'll be mentioned later on.
Second team: O'Koyea Dickson, 19, Rookie-Ogden

Second Base: Ivan DeJesus, 24, Majors/Triple-A
Majors: .188/.235/.188, 6 RBI, 2 BB
Minors: .310/.389/.432, 8 HR, 59 RBI, 11.6% BB rate
- DeJesus actually made the Dodgers' Opening Day roster in 2011, but he could never get on track with the big club. However, a hot second half in the PCL made him the clear choice for this team. He should get a September call-up any day now, seeing as the Isotopes are no playoff-bound.
Second team: Justin Sellers, 25, Triple-A/Majors

Third Base: Tony Delmonico, 24, High-A
.268/.387/.424, 12 HR, 63 RBI, 14.4% BB rate
- Delmonico has always been a favorite of mine, but I liked him a lot more when he was a catching prospect. At 24 and in High-A, his prospect status is dwindling. His walk rate is impressive, which leads to an impressive on-base percentage (compared to his batting average). He could be a late bloomer, ala Van Slyke, but I wouldn't expect him to be much more than a 24th/25th man on a Major League roster. The fact that he's the Dodgers' best third base prospect says something about the lack of talent at the position in the minors.
Second team: Russ Mitchell, 26, Triple-A/Majors

Shortstop: Dee Gordon, 22, Triple-A/Majors
Minors: .333/.373/.410, 6 3B, 24 RBI, 30 SB
Majors: .277/.288/.336, 6 2B, 7 RBI, 16 SB
- Gordon might be one of the most-liked players in the organization. His happy-go-lucky attitude plays well, and he can play a little himself. Despite striking out more than half the times he did in Triple-A, he's still the Dodgers' future shortstop. He's 16-for-19 in stolen bases in the Majors, so Davey Lopes' impact is apparent.
Second team: Jake Lemmerman, 22, High-A/Double-A

Left Field: Angelo Songco, 22, High-A
.313/.367/.581, 29 HR, 114 RBI, 48 2B
- Songco could very well be my Dodger Minor League Hitter of the Year. After a late-season slump in 2010, Songco did the exact opposite this season. He hit a respectable .301/.360/.504, with 10 HR, 49 RBI and 21 2B in the first half, but took his game to another level in the second: .324/.375/.660, with 19 HR, 65 RBI and 27 2B. He led the California League in doubles and total bases. He should be the starting first baseman or left fielder for Chattanooga in 2012.
Second team: Joc Pederson, 19, Low-A/Rookie-Ogden

Center Field: Alfredo Silverio, 24, Double-A
.306/.340/.542, 16 HR, 85 RBI, 18 3B
- Silverio made my 2010 second team as a left fielder, but he three-quarters of his games in center field this season -- and he had a career-year. His 18 triples and 289 total bases led the Southern League. He's a free-swinger, so his prospect star isn't as bright as it could be, but he could be a serviceable fourth outfielder in the Majors. He'll probably start 2012 in Albuquerque.
Second team: Trayvon Robinson, 23, Triple-A

Right Field: Jerry Sands 24, Triple-A/Majors
Minors: .278/.344/.586, 29 HR, 88 RBI, 10.3% BB rate
Majors: .200/.294/.328, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 13.6% BB rate
- Sands started off the Triple-A season on fire, earning a call-up to the Dodgers. He started slow for Los Angeles but seemed to be heading in the right direction, even hitting a monsterous grand slam in Houston. At that time, he was hitting .239/.343/.413 and looked like he was ready to take the league by the horns. However, he struggled and was sent back to Triple-A. The team tinkered with his swing, leading to a poor performance for most of the second half (.246/.306/.536). A late-season surge boosted his overall numbers. If the Dodgers move Andre Ethier this off-season, Sands would be the odds-on favorite to start in right field in 2012.
Second team: Blake Smith, 23, High-A

Starting Pitcher 1: Rubby De La Rosa, 22, Double-A/Majors
Minors: 2-2, 2.92 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 11.7 K/9
Majors: 4-5, 3.74 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 8.9 K/9
- De La Rosa was electric in the minors and the majors. Tommy John Surgery ended his 2011 and likely most of his 2012 season. Still, he showed he has the stuff to be a quality Major League starting pitcher. His fastball is the highest in terms of average velocity of any starting pitcher in the Majors -- including Justin Verlander. He'll be a fixture in the Dodgers' 2013 rotation.

Starting Pitcher 2: Nathan Eovaldi, 21, Double-A/Majors
Minors: 6-5, 2.62 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 8.7 K/9
Majors: 1-2, 3.09 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 6.5 K/9
- Eovaldi has been the biggest surprise prospect this season. He was ranked No. 28 in my preseason rankings and did nothing but show he's a legitimate arm. Now, his future might lie in the bullpen, but for 2012, he should be a starter on this team. Like most young pitchers, he needs to improve his control and miss a few more bats.

Starting Pitcher 3: Garrett Gould, 19, Low-A
11-6, 2.40 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 7.6 K/9
- Gould has long since been a favorite of mine and he came into his own this season. He led the Loons' starters with 2.40 ERA and 123 2/3 innings pitched. There was some concern with his velocity coming into the season, as he worked in the mid-to-upper-80s last season. He got back to the low-90s this season, and the numbers speak for themselves. He should start at Rancho next season with a potential mid-season promotion to Chattanooga (ala Allen Webster).

Starting Pitcher 4: Angel Sanchez, 21, Low-A
8-4, 2.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 7.6 K/9
- Sanchez seemingly came from out of nowhere to put up some impressive numbers in his first year of professional ball. His ERA and WHIP are identical to Gould's and he put himself on the prospect radar. It'll be interesting to see how he does in the hitter-friendly California League in 2012.

Starting Pitcher 5: Zach Lee, 19, Low-A
9-6, 3.47 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.5 K/9
- This one was between Lee and Webster, but I gave the nod to Lee because of Webster's poor second half with the Lookouts. Lee was the Dodgers' prized possession from the 2010 draft and had a solid debut season. Lee is quite polished for his age and should get a taste of the Cal League in 2012. The Dodgers have been known to push their young, first-round high schoolers, so it wouldn't be shocking for Lee and his four-pitch repertoire to make it to Tennessee.

Second five: Webster, Chris Withrow, Aaron Miller, Red Patterson, Jon Michael Redding

Relief Pitcher 1: Kenley Jansen, 23, Majors/Double-A/High-A
Majors: 2-1, 3.30 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 15.0 K/9
Minors: 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 14.6 K/9
- Jansen burst onto the scene in 2010, posting a 0.67 ERA and 13.7 K/9 rate. He was set to be the closer if Jonathan Broxton and/or Hong-Chih Kuo failed -- which they ultimately did. Jansen got off to a bit of a tough start, but has been lights-out since giving up five runs to the Braves on April 19. In 35 innings (32 games), he has a 1.28 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 15.4 K/9 and a .104 BAA. He could be in line to close games in 2012 for the Dodgers.

Relief Pitcher 2: Javy Guerra, 25, Double-A/Majors
Minors: 1-0, 1.06 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 3 SV
Majors: 2-0, 2.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 15 SV
- Guerra was not considered a prospect by most, yet somehow found himself in the Dodgers' bullpen in May. He's been one of the most consistent performers of the Dodgers' relief corp. Guerra has magically found control after not being able to do so in eight minor-league seasons (2.7 BB/9 in MLB, 5.2 BB/9 in MiLB). He probably won't be this good, but he could be serviceable bullpen arm for years to come.

Relief Pitcher 3: Shawn Tolleson, 23, Low-A/High-A/Double-A
7-2, 1.17 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 13.7 K/9, 25 SV
- Tolleson was a 30th-round steal for the Dodgers in 2010, and his 2011 performance is something to be quite excited about. Tolleson started with the Loons where he had a 19.8 K/9 ratio. That's unheard of. He moved up to the Quakes for 9 2/3 innings, striking out 15.8 batters per nine before spending the bulk of his season with the Lookouts. For Chattanooga, he pitched 44 1/3 innings and struck out 55 batters -- good for only a 11.2 K/9 rate. He could challenge for a bullpen spot with the Dodgers in Spring Training.

Relief Pitcher 4: Logan Bawcom, 22, Low-A/High-A
5-3, 3.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 11.3 K/9, 27 SV
- Bawcom enjoyed most of his success in the Midwest League, but made it to the Cal League for 21 2/3 innings. His overall 11.3 K/9 rate and 3.00 K/BB ratio are nice. He needs to have a little better control, though (3.8 BB/9, which isn't terrible). He should start 2012 in Tennessee.

Relief Pitcher 5: Steven Ames, 23, High-A/Double-A
2-2, 2.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 12.9 K/9, 14 SV
- Ames is a lot like Bawcom and enjoyed a nice season between Rancho and Chattanooga. For the Quakes, he had a better-than-Cliff-Lee-like 14.00 K/BB ratio and a 16.4 K/9 rate. Ames, like Tolleson, could challenge for a bullpen spot with the Dodgers. If he doesn't make it, he could start in Double- or Triple-A in 2012 and be one of the first relievers in line for a call-up.

Second five: Josh Lindblom, Cole St. Clair, Javier Solano, Scott McGough, Josh Wall

Nerves seemingly get the best of DeJesus in debut

Ivan DeJesus made his Major League debut last night against the Giants, going 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts. He was replaced by Jamey Carroll after his final at-bat.

DeJesus had a few plays in the field and turned a nice double play in the first inning to get starter Chad Billingsley out of a spot of bother.

DeJesus just looked over-matched at the plate. Giants' starter Jonathan Sanchez had some real good stuff early on, which didn't help DeJesus' chances. However, in his second at-bat, he fouled off some really tough pitches and coaxed a walk out of the southpaw.

His nerves seemed to get the best of him at the dish, as he was over-anxious for three of his four plate appearances. It's to be expected, so I'm not too worried.

We'll see what he does, as Casey Blake probably won't be activated for at least another week. With Juan Uribe having elbow soreness after being hit by a Tim Lincecum fastball on Thursday, DeJesus is going to get a few games to show what he can do.

It's still likely he ends up in Albuquerque by the end of the month, but it'd be nice to see him seize the opportunity and put up some nice offensive numbers and play solid defense at second base.

He's hitting second today against Matt Cain, as he did against Sanchez last night. The Dodgers' lineup is one of horror and goes as follows:

Miles 3B
DeJesus 2B
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Loney 1B
Gimenez C
Paul LF
Carroll SS
Lilly P

Aside from 3-4-5, it could be a long day for the Dodgers. At least Cain has a propensity for losing games against the Dodgers. And we all know of Andre Ethier's dominance of the Giant right-hander (20-for-41 lifetime). It'd be nice to start the season on a three-game winning streak. We'll see what happens.

DeJesus and Elbert slated to make Dodgers' roster

News came down yesterday that Ivan DeJesus is not only a lock to make the team (barring injury), but he'd get the nod over Jamey Carroll at second base for the Dodgers.

This is not only surprising but quite refreshing. For far too long, the Dodgers have gone with the "proven" veteran over the fresh-faced rookie. Players such as Luis Gonzalez (over Andre Ethier) and Nomar Garciaparra (over James Loney) come to mind. It appears manager Don Mattingly is willing to change that notion.

DeJesus didn't get off to the best start this spring, as I didn't even include him in my most recent "25th man" post. But he has really picked it up as of late and caught Mattingly's attention.

If you needed more proof that the Dodgers are employing a new philosophy, Ron Mahay was granted his release today. This move paves the way for Scott Elbert to be the second lefty out of the bullpen.

In my 25-man roster prediction, I had Mahay over Elbert because of, say it with me, "veteran goodness." Well, Mahay had an out clause in his contract, meaning if the Dodgers didn't put him on the Opening Day roster by Friday, he was to be released.

The Dodgers are putting their faith in a guy who has walked nine in 5 2/3 innings this spring. On the flip side, he has struck out seven and has been much better of late. Elbert has always had the ability to be a dominant reliever -- it was just a matter of him throwing strikes on a consistent basis.

The fact that Mattingly seems to be open to playing young guys over veterans is exciting. That doesn't mean he should be rushing Dee Gordon, Jerry Sands or Trayvon Robinson to the big leagues, but it does show he's not opposed to doing the right thing -- baseball wise.

Three players vying to be Dodgers' 25th man

The 25th roster spot on a team is usually reserved for a fringe reliever or specialty position player. This spring, three guys are battling it out for the spot: Juan Castro, Aaron Miles and Justin Sellers.

You might be asking yourself, "What about Ivan DeJesus?" As much as I like the kid, I don't think he has any chance of breaking camp with the team. He's hitting .263, but only has one extra base hit (a double). Plus, he's limited to playing just second base. He could play shortstop or third in a pinch, but he's best suited to play second.

So, we're left with Castro, Miles and Sellers.

Castro jumped out to an early lead, smacking a 3-run home run early in Spring Training. The ageless one, we know what Castro has to offer -- a decent glove and not much else. It'd be ridiculous if he makes the team.

Sellers is only 3-for-14 this spring, but he does have four walks, which gives him a .389 on-base percentage. Baseball America said he has the best plate discipline of any prospect in the Dodgers' system, which is no surprise, as he was drafted by the Oakland A's in 2005. I made my case for him back in January on a gut feeling. He is a solid defender and can play all three skill infield positions.

Miles started off slow but (somehow) hit two home runs this week. He can play second and third base effectively, and he can also play shortstop in a pinch. He is hitting the best of the trio (.364/.364/.773) and could very well be the guy. My first choice is Sellers, if for nothing else in that it'd be nice to see a young guy make such an impression in Spring Training to make the team. But if I have to choose between Castro and Miles, I'll take Miles every time.

This isn't a decision that will make-or-break the Dodgers' season, but it's a little more important than some may think.

*All statistics prior to today's action*