Guerra, Rosin, Buss on short list to be axed if Dodgers need 40-man spot

After adding three prospects in November, signing Dan Haren, Chris Perez and Jamey Wright and re-signing the likes of J.P. Howell, Juan Uribe and Brian Wilson, the Dodgers' 40-man roster is full-up.

Yet, there's still work to be done to the Major League roster.  The Dodgers' bench isn't fully settled yet and there's the looming potential signing of Masahiro Tanaka. That means there are going to be some players on the proverbial chopping block.

After the Dodgers place Chad Billingsley and Scott Elbert on the 60-day disabled list, there will be two vacant spots. But if the Dodgers need to add more players (and they might), there would need to be additional moves. Just because it's the new year doesn't mean teams stop making moves. The 2014 Dodgers aren't yet a finished product, and probably won't be until March.

The Dodgers' bench is the weakest part of the club right now. Andre Ethier is the most established guy, but he might be better than Carl Crawford. Either of them could also be moved before opening day, or one of them could replace an injured, say, Matt Kemp, on opening day. Scott Van Slyke is about the only other legitimate threat off the bench. Tim Federowicz's spot is secure, as it would seem is Dee Gordon's. That's four spots, with another spot needed for (preferably) a shortstop. That could be Brendan Harris, it could be a player yet to be signed. That remains to be seen.

Here are the candidates who could be designated for assignment, traded or released to make room for others:

Mike Baxter

Chili Buss

Drew Butera

Javy Guerra

Seth Rosin

Justin Sellers

The Dodgers could cut any of those guys today and not think twice about it. But there is potential for some of those guys to be contributors at the Major League level.

Buss

Baxter and Buss are essentially the same player. Both have the ability to play center field and provide a little speed. It seems redundant, especially with a guy like Joc Pederson nearing his Major League debut. Either of them could go.

DFA chances: 25 percent

Butera can't hit a lick, but he's solid defensively. The fact he plays catcher helps his cause. The Dodgers could designate him for assignment, and I'd be surprised if anyone took a flyer on the 30-year-old.

DFA chances: 10 percent

Guerra, once the Dodgers' closer, is an afterthought after the emergence of Kenley Jansen and the signing of about 47 relief pitchers this offseason. If a guy like Harris needs a roster spot, I'm betting Guerra is the guy most likely cut. Plus, he's out of options, so if he doesn't make the 25-man roster, he'd go through waivers, where he'd surely be claimed.

DFA chances: 90 percent

Rosin would first have to be placed on waivers, giving other teams the chance to take a Rule 5-type flyer on him. If he were to clear waivers, he'd then have to be offered back to the Phillies for $25,000. With a live-enough arm, I'm betting the Phillies would take a worthwhile gamble on him. If, for some reason, they don't, he'd be nice to stash in Triple-A as a reliever.

Waive chances: 70 percent

As for Sellers, I'm thinking the only reason he's on the 40-man is his ability to play a competent shortstop (better than anyone in the organization, probably). He can't hit and was arrested last offseason, but his defense is solid. The Dodgers could just go with Sellers over Harris, but Harris offers that "veteran goodness."

DFA chances: 20 percent

-----

None of these guys are long-term Dodgers (would give Rosin the best chance of that). But each could help a team (maybe not the Dodgers) in some capacity.

The interesting part isn't who the Dodgers remove from the 40-man, it's who they're replacing said player with. I'm hoping Tanaka, but I'm not as sure of that as I was a month or so ago.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons

2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season review: Relief pitchers

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

Dodger bullpen by the numbers

30-24 W-L

3.49 ERA

1.29 WHIP

8.0 H/9

0.8 HR/9

3.5 BB/9

8.6 K/9

2.42 K/BB

46 saves

Individual performers

Kenley Jansen

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

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

Grade: A

Ronald Belisario

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

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

Grade: C-

J.P. Howell

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

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

Grade: B+

Paco Rodriguez

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

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

Grade: B+

Brandon League

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

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

Grade: F

Chris Withrow

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

ERA+, 1 save

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

Grade: A-

Matt Guerrier

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

ERA+

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

Grade: F

Carlos Marmol

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

ERA+

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

Grade: C

Brian Wilson

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

ERA+

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

Grade: A

The rest

Jose Dominguez, Grade: B

Onelki Garcia, Grade: INC

Javy Guerra, Grade: D

Peter Moylan, Grade: D-

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

Shawn Tolleson, Grade: INC

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

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Reports: Dodgers and Pirates talking Capuano-for-Hanrahan swap

Word broke earlier today from Mark Saxon and Buster Olney of ESPN and Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness that the Dodgers and Pirates have talked about a deal that would send left-hander Chris Capuano to Pittsburgh for right-hander Joel Hanrahan.

This potential deal makes a ton of sense for both sides, but particularly for the Dodgers.

As solid as Capuano was for the Dodgers last season, at least one starting pitcher is going to have to be dealt this offseason to make room for a guy like Zack Greinke or Anibal Sanchez. This would be a step in the right direction.

The term "full circle" comes to mind, as Hanrahan was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2000 MLB Draft. He was once considered a top prospect as a starting pitcher. He even threw two no-hitters in the minors. However, he never made an appearance with the Dodgers before he was granted free agency in 2006.

Hanrahan, despite an odd 2012 campaign in which he gave up eight home runs (he gave up seven in the previous two seasons combined), had a 5.4 walks per nine innings and an ugly 4.45 FIP, he was able to compile a 2.72 ERA, 10.1 strikeouts per nine and 6.0 hits per nine.

Before 2012, he was on he was to elite status. I'm of the belief his 2012 was more of an aberration and his 2010 and 2011 seasons are more the norm.

The 31-year-old will likely earn about $6-$7 million in his final year of arbitration, which is a drop in the bucket to the Dodgers. Capuano is due $7 million guaranteed this season, so the salaries are almost a wash.

The Pirates need help in the rotation while the Dodgers need to free up space in the rotation -- it seems like a good match. If the Dodgers can land an arm such as Harahan for a guy like Capuano, it seems like a no-brainer for me.

While Capuano is a better pitcher than Aaron Harang and more of a sure thing than Ted Lilly, he also holds more trade value on the open market. There's no way a team like the Pirates would want Harang or Lilly for Harahan.

If the Dodgers land him, they'll have an absolutely nasty bullpen. He wouldn't close like he did in Pittsburgh, but it'd be tough to name a better seventh-inning guy than Hanrahan.

Potential bullpen

Ronald Belisario
Scott Elbert (provided his elbow is OK)
Hanrahan
Kenley Jansen
Brandon League
Paco Rodriguez

That's not even including guys like Javy Guerra, Shawn Tolleson or whoever else the Dodgers might acquire.

The Dodgers probably won't make this deal until they're sure his spot is upgraded. But it almost seems like a formality at this point. I'm all for it, if and when it happens.

Photo credit: UC International, Wikimedia Commons

2012 Los Angeles Dodgers Season Review: Bullpen

The Dodgers had a pretty good bullpen this season. Aside from a higher-than-desired walks per nine rate, the group was better than last season.

Dodgers' bullpen by the numbers
30-20 W-L
3.23 ERA
1.26 WHIP
7.2 H/9
0.7 HR/9
4.1 BB/9
8.8 K/9
2.14 K/BB
40 saves

Individual Performers

Ronald Belisario
8-1, 2.54 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 6.0 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 3.7 BB/9, 8.7 K/9, 3.09 FIP, 1 save
- Belisario, who didn't pitch at all in 2012, started this season by being suspended for 25 games. Obviously, that had no negative impact on his performance as he was the Dodgers' second-most reliable reliever. Despite an ERA half a run higher than his 2009 performance, he actually pitched better in 2012. And to think, I actually questioned the Dodgers giving Belisario another shot.
Grade: A

Randy Choate
0-0, 4.05 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 8.8 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 6.1 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
- Choate was acquired in the Hanley Ramirez deal and filled a need for the Dodgers. His performance as a Dodger was just "meh." He was the true definition of a LOOGY, as he appeared in 36 games for the Dodgers but threw just 13 1/3 innings. He walked too many hitters (nine, included three intentionally) and gave up too many hits. However, I wouldn't be opposed to the team bringing him back.
Grade: C

Todd Coffey
1-0, 4.66 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 4.2 BB/9, 8.4 K/9, 3.61 FIP
- Coffey was a late signing and I didn't really understand it at the time. He got off to a rough start, but he really turned it on in June, allowing just two hits and no runs in 8 2/3 innings. In Coffey's first July outing, he gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning. It would also be his last outing of the season as he would suffer a torn ulnar collateral ligament and need Tommy John surgery.
Grade: C

Scott Elbert
1-1, 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.4 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 3.6 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 3.80 FIP
- Elbert was a solid performer out of the Dodgers' bullpen for the second year in a row. He was the only left-hander until the team acquired Choate in July. Elbert's 2.20 ERA was better than 2011 (2.43), but a few of his peripherals weren't as good. His FIP was up more than a point and his K/9 dropped by 1.2. He injured his elbow late in the season and had surgery. Thankfully, it wasn't Tommy John.
Grade: B

Javy Guerra
2-3, 2.60 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 8.8 H/9, 0.2 HR/9, 4.6 BB/9, 7.4 K/9, 3.34 FIP, 8 saves
- Guerra started the season as the team's closer and got off to a quick start. However, he struggled and was ousted from the role. He also spent time on the disabled list this season. Despite all that, he was somewhat effective for the Dodgers this season. His WHIP was 30 points higher than last season due to a higher hits per nine and walks per nine. He'll need to get a handle on that going forward.
Grade: C+

Matt Guerrier
0-2, 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 5.1 H/9, 1.9 HR/9, 4.5 BB/9, 5.8 K/9, 6.31 FIP
- Guerrier hit the disabled list for the first time in his career in 2012. Fitting, considering the Dodgers foolishly signed him to a 3-year contract prior to the 2011 season. When he did pitch, however, he was relatively ineffective, as he walked seven and gave up three home runs in 14 innings. He's set to make $3.75 million this season, so he isn't going anywhere.
Grade: D+

Kenley Jansen
5-3, 2.35 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 4.6 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 13.7 K/9, 2.40 FIP,  25 saves
- Jansen, as he did last season, dominated out of the bullpen. Unfortunately, like last season, missed time with a heart issue. That's pretty much the only blemish on his record. Aside from a late-August blemish against Colorado, Jansen was nails in the second half. Early on, I wondered if Jansen's decreased velocity was something to be concerned about. Judging by the results, I'd say no. But it is interesting to note his velocity was down 1.4 MPH from 2011.
Grade: A

Brandon League
2-1, 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 5.6 H/9, 0.0 HR/9, 4.6 BB/9, 8.9 K/9, 6 saves
- League was quite valuable for the Dodgers down the stretch, filling in for the injured Jansen as the Dodger closer. The only area where he struggled was the walks. He'll need to bring that down no matter where he ends up. While I wasn't a fan of the trade at the time, I recently penned a post saying the Dodgers should re-sign the hard-throwing righty.
Grade: A-

Josh Lindblom
2-2, 3.02 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 1.7 HR/9, 3.4 BB/9, 8.1 K/9
- Before he was traded to Philadelphia, Lindblom was sharing setup man duties with Belisario. Aside from the inordinate number of home runs allowed, Lindblom pitched well in the role. If there's one position the Dodgers can afford to trade, it's right-handed relievers.
Grade: B-

Shawn Tolleson
3-1, 4.30 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 7.2 H/9, 1.0 HR/9, 4.8 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 4.08 FIP
- Tolleson made an inauspicious debut, walking the first two batters he would ever face (on 10 pitches). But he still managed to be a serviceable middle reliever for the Dodgers. He was able to strike out more than a batter per inning, but he has to refine his control and command. The Dodgers will need him to take the next step. He profiles as a better reliever than Lindblom, so that shouldn't be too hard for him.
Grade: C+

Jamey Wright
5-3, 3.72 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 9.6 H/9, 0.3 HR/9, 4.0 BB/9, 7.2 K/9, 3.39 FIP
- Wright was a non-roster invitee and, as he had the seven previous seasons, made a big league roster. For who he is and what he brings, he pitched a hell of a lot better than anyone could have expected. Still, he wasn't exactly getting the ball in the ninth inning of a close game. At least he kept the ball in the yard, though. The Dodgers have said they want to bring back their free agent relievers, but I'm hoping that doesn't include Wright.
Grade: C

The rest

Rubby De La Rosa, Grade: INC
John Ely, Grade: INC
Mike MacDougal, Grade: F
Paco Rodriguez, Grade: B+
Josh Wall, Grade: INC

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

The Dodgers should seriously entertain re-signing Brandon League

When the Dodgers traded for Brandon League, I wasn't impressed. League came from Seattle as about as mediocre as one could be. Yet, his performance as a Dodger was surprising and actually, good.

League pitched so well with the Dodgers that I wouldn't mind him being re-signed.

The Dodgers traded Leon Landry and Logan Bawcom to get League, which I wasn't happy about at the time. In hindsight, it wasn't as bad as expected, but I'm still not a fan of trading for veteran relievers midsesason.

League's Dodger career started off shaky as he allowed six runs in his first five innings. But after bullpen coach Ken Howell corrected a mechanical flaw, League was filthy. In 22 1/3 innings, League had a 0.40 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, .114 BAA and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning.

League made $5 million this season and he should easily be able to get that on the open market. The question is: will the Dodgers -- more specifically, Ned Colletti -- give it to him?

All signs point to "yes." From the L.A. Times:

"Colletti wants to re-sign the Dodgers relievers who will be free agents: closer Brandon League, right-hander Jamey Wright and left-hander Randy Choate."

League and Choate, yes. Wright, no. But we'll get to that in another post.

So, it seems the Dodgers have interest in bringing him back. And League has interest in returning.

"'This is definitely somewhere I'd like to play, but it's not up to me. We'll see what happens.'"

With Kenley Jansen set to undergo heart surgery soon, there's no iron-clad guarantee he'll be back for 2013. I mean, it is heart surgery after all (but most expect him to be just fine). Having a guy like League could be beneficial.

Make no mistake: Jansen is the Dodgers' closer if he's healthy. But League could be an important cog as a setup man. His mid-90s fastball and the ability to get groundballs (59.5 percent for his career) is a good combination.

Knowing Colletti, he'll give League a 3-year deal (if Matt Guerrier got it, why not League?). I'd be more OK with League getting the deal, but I wouldn't be signing Colletti's praises, either.

With Josh Lindblom in Philadelphia and Javy Guerra an inconsistent option in the late innings, re-signing League might be near the top of the winter "To Do" list.

Like League said above: We'll see what happens.

Photo credit: swswigart, Flickr

Chad Billingsley out for season, Dodgers recall Steven Rodriguez

Chad Billingsley's season was cut short on Wednesday as the Dodgers placed the right-hander on the 60-day disabled list. He was placed on the 15-day DL on Aug. 25 after suffering a right elbow injury.

Billingsley, who had been amazing since the All-Star break, had two platelet-rich plasma injections to try to save his season. It didn't work.

Now, he and the Dodgers are hoping the injections save him from Tommy John surgery.

"(Billingsley) has been officially shut down for the season with a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament ... If the injection doesn't heal the 'slight tearing,' then there is a chance he would need offseason surgery, likely Tommy John, which would keep him out for 2013. Having not picked up a baseball in two weeks, Billingsley had no idea what percent of a chance there is for surgery and he didn't want to speculate."

So, there's that.

Tommy John or not, I expect the Dodgers to do basically whatever it takes to land Zack Greinke in the offseason. I'll go deeper into that in the coming months, suffice it to say the Dodgers need a clear-cut No. 2 behind Clayton Kershaw. While Billingsley has shown flashes of it, Greinke is that guy.

He was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room for Dodgers' 2012 second-round draft pick Steven Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, the 82nd player chosen in June's MLB Draft, will be the first player from the draft class to make his Major League debut.

The 21-year-old has a low-90s fastball and a cutter. He's been as adept at getting right-handed hitters out as he is left-handers in his debut season.

vs. RHH
6-for-42 (.143), 5 BB, 19 K
vs. LHH
5-for-27 (.185), 1 BB, 13 K

Overall, he posted a 0.92 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 0.86 FIP and an amazing 14.6 K/9 in 19 2/3 innings. Despite being three months out of college, the Dodgers think he's ready to help the team now. He's not eligible for the postseason roster and manager Don Mattingly said he'd be used primarily as a left-handed specialist. With Scott Elbert down, it'd be nice to see him get some significant innings.

The Dodgers' bullpen is losing quality pitchers -- fast. Kenley Jansen's status for the rest of the season is unknown with the same irregular heartbeat he experienced last season, Javy Guerra strained his oblique after his first game since returning and the aforementioned Elbert is likely done for the season.

That leaves Brandon League, who's been on absolute fire of late (great breakdown, Chad), Ronald Belisario and Jamey Wright as the most reliable pitchers left. That last part is frightening.

It's too bad the Dodgers just can't throw Kershaw all the time.

There are a few weeks left and the Dodgers are middling. Let's hope they can figure things out. But even if they do, their chances of making a legitimate run at the pennant are diminished.

Photo credits

Billingsley: SD Dirk, Flickr

Rodriguez: Courtesy of Eric Stephen, True Blue LA

Dodgers activate Rubby De La Rosa, option Javy Guerra

The Dodgers, in a surprise move, activated Rubby De La Rosa from the 60-day disabled list today.

It's surprising because there had been zero chatter of the Dodgers activating him this soon. But I couldn't be happier to see him back.

Javy Guerra, who has been pretty good in his last nine outings (11 1/3 IP, 13 K, 0 runs allowed), was optioned to Triple-A. That part is also a bit of a surprise as Shawn Tolleson is staying on the active roster instead. Hopefully he pitches a little more now.

Guerra will be back on Sept. 1 (if not sooner) when the rosters expand.

The Dodgers need to be careful with De La Rosa. The temptation will be there to use him frequently, but he's coming off Tommy John surgery and will need to be in the rotation come the start of 2013.

I'm looking forward to seeing De La Rosa on the hill again, but it should be strictly as a reliever. There's no reason for him to be in the rotation (or room, for that matter).

By activating him before Sept. 1, De La Rosa is eligible for the postseason roster, should the Dodgers make it.

Welcome back, Rubby. You were definitely missed.

2012 Los Angeles Dodgers' midseason analysis and grades

This has been one of the stranger Dodger seasons I have ever witnessed. They've gone from baseball's best team to possibly baseball's worst lineup. Despite that, they still hold a half-game lead over the Giants in the National League West.

The Dodgers are 47-40 and will get healthy following the All-Star Break. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier should both be back in the lineup, giving it some much needed punch. Mark Ellis is already back and the starting rotation, save Ted Lilly, has been healthy and good the entire season. The bullpen, despite some perception, has been strong once again.

Dodgers' first-half grade: B
- This would have been higher if the team had been better while Kemp was out. It's hard to lose baseball's best player and still be a good team, but the offense was historically bad for a stretch last month. Still, the pitching has kept them in most every game and the bullpen, despite injuries, has been solid again. The Dodgers once had a 7 1/2 game lead on the Giants, so it's a little disappointing to see it only at a half-game right now. But at this time last year, they were 11 games behind the Giants, so they're definitely in a better position this year. The patchwork lineup (outside of Kemp and Ethier) has been good enough thus far. It'll be interesting to see what's in store for the second half.

Here's my grade breakdown of all the players who have played on the team this season.

Catcher
A.J. Ellis
.285/.404/.425, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 43 BB, 3.0 fWAR
- Ellis has been nothing short of amazing this season. I penned a post about him in May when he was on fire. He's fallen off a bit since then, but his .404 on-base percentage leads the team (Kemp excluded). He was once thought to be a part of the worst catching unit in the majors. Now, he's a top 10 catcher in baseball. Grade: A

Infield
James Loney
.247/.309/.333, 2 HR, 24 RBI, -0.2 fWAR
- This is pretty much typical Loney at this point in his career. His glove is outstanding, but nothing else about his game is. He's struggled the entire first half after finishing 2011 on such a strong note. The Dodgers nearly acquired Carlos Lee (thank you for invoking your no-trade clause) to replace Loney, so it's clear the Dodgers are at their wit's end with Loney. I wouldn't expect him to be the Dodgers' first baseman post-July 31. Grade: F

Mark Ellis
.271/.371/.361, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1.5 fWAR
- Ellis was among the leaders in runs scored when the Dodgers were hot in April. He was a stabilizing presence in the lineup until he suffered a leg injury in May. It was so serious that he was close to having his leg amputated. Thankfully (and obviously), that didn't happen. He's been back for a week and should help the lineup improve in the second half. Oh, and that 100-point difference in batting average and on-base percentage is a welcoming, wonderful sight. Grade: B+

Dee Gordon
.229/.280/.282, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 30 SB, -0.8 fWAR
- Gordon has been up and down this season, and when he's been up, it hasn't been that high up. He does lead the majors in stolen bases at 30, but he's not even pulling a .300 on-base percentage. Could you imagine? He was even removed from the leadoff spot (to eighth) for a time and seemed to get back on track. But that didn't last. Gordon just suffered a dislocated thumb and will be out until sometime in August or even early September. His defense has been less-than stellar, which was expected. Being the leadoff man for a playoff-contending team is a lot of pressure for a guy in his first full season, but the ability is there. However, I expected Gordon to be better than he's been so far. Grade: D+

Juan Uribe
.194/.250/.271, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 0.0 fWAR
- Laugh. Out. Loud. Grade: ... Is there anything worse than an "F"?

Outfield
Bobby Abreu
.272/.371/.377, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 0.7 fWAR
- When Abreu was signed, I didn't think much of it. He, like a lot of Dodgers this season, got off to a fast start before tailing off significantly in June. But he was a cheap pickup and has produced more than I expected. Going forward, his playing time needs to be reduced so his effectiveness doesn't suffer. Grade: B-

Matt Kemp
.355/.444/.719, 12 HR, 28 RBI, 2.3 fWAR
- Kemp was on a torrid pace before injuring his hamstring in May. He came back two weeks later and promptly injured it again. That flat-out sucked. The Dodgers have suffered mightily without him. He still leads the team in home runs despite playing just two games since May 13. He just finished a four-game rehab stint in the minors and participated in the Home Run Derby on Monday (still bested Mike Piazza's mark of zero home runs). He's ready to go. Grade: A- (because of injury)

Andre Ethier
.291/.357/.491, 10 HR, 55 RBI, 2.6 fWAR, $85 million
- Ethier got off to a hot start and was promptly rewarded with a 5-year, $85 million contract extension with the Dodgers. He was once the NL leader in RBI and leads the team. He's the team's second-best hitter and finished his first half on the disabled list for a strained oblique. Like Kemp, though, he should be good to go on Friday for the start of the second half. Grade: B

Rotation

Clayton Kershaw
6-5, 2.91 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 0.2 fWAR
- Kershaw has "struggled" a little this season. Hell, 95 percent of pitchers would love to "struggle" like he has. However, he hasn't been as sharp as he was last season. His slider isn't doing the things it did last year. It's gone from his best pitch his worst pitch. Despite that, his peripherals are still great and I'm expecting a strong second half from the reigning Cy Young Award winner. Grade: B+

Chad Billingsley
4-9, 4.30 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 0.3 fWAR
- I think I'm going to start calling him the enigma. Billingsley has the tools to be a No. 2 starter, but consistency is his issue. Some are calling for him to be traded, some are calling for him to be demoted to the bullpen. Whatever the reason for his struggles, Billingsley still has a world of ability and the Dodgers need him to pitch better in the second half. Grade: C+

Ted Lilly
5-1, 3.14 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 5.7 K/9, 0.0 fWAR
- Lilly got off to a great start before injuring his shoulder. The injury is reportedly so severe the Dodgers are looking for a starting pitcher prior to the trade deadline. Lilly wasn't striking a lot of guys out, but he was still effective. I don't know if his numbers would look this good had he not been hurt. A low K/9 and poor K/BB (the latter is an abnormality for him) is playing with fire. Still, he was effective while healthy. Grade: B

Chris Capuano
9-4, 2.91 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, 0.1 fWAR
- Capuano has done a good job replacing Hiroki Kuroda this season and has been the Dodgers' most consistent pitcher in my eyes. He's pitching over his head a bit, but he's been effective and I'm hoping it continues. I don't expect him to finish the season with a sub-3 ERA, but, as of now, he's the Dodgers' No. 2 starter (not that it means much). Grade: A-

Aaron Harang
6-5, 3.51 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, -0.1 fWAR
- Harang hasn't been as good as Capuano, but he's been solid. That 1.42 WHIP doesn't translate to a mid-3 ERA (neither does his 4.0 BB/9 and 1.77 K/BB), so something will have to give in the second half. But for a No. 5 starter, the Dodgers can't really expect or ask much more. Grade: B-

Nathan Eovaldi
1-5, 4.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 4.6 K/9, 0.0 fWAR
- Eovaldi was stellar until his last two starts in June (10 1/3 IP, 17 H, 13 ER, 1 K). He stepped in admirably for the injured Lilly and should remain in the rotation until Lilly is healthy or another starter is inevitably acquired. Eovaldi has made strides with his breaking stuff (particularly his curveball) and has been getting beat on his fastball a bit this season. He'll need to develop more consistency and miss a few more bats going forward. Grade: C

Bullpen
Ronald Belisario
3-0, 1.53 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, 0.2 fWAR
- I was not in favor of Belisario getting a spot in the bullpen despite not pitching in 2011. But I was clearly wrong on this one. Belisario had a great first half and stepped for the injured Matt Guerrier. His sub-2 ERA and sub-1 WHIP isn't exactly sustainable, but the Dodgers might as well ride him until he crashes. Grade: A-

Scott Elbert
1-1, 2.73 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, 0.1 fWAR
- Like Coffey, Elbert got off to a rocky start but has been lights-out since early May. Id like to see another lefty acquired so Elbert can be utilized better. Grade: B+

Javy Guerra
2-3, 3.12 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 8 saves, 0.6 fWAR
- Guerra began as the team's closer and was great in the first couple weeks. Ineffectiveness and an injury ultimately led to him losing the closer's role.He just returned from injury and should be a cog in the bullpen for the rest of the season. Grade: B-

Kenley Jansen
4-2, 2.06 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 14.4 K/9, 15 saves, 1.1 fWAR
- Jansen's 2012 is eerily similar to his 2011 season. He started off slow and has been dominant ever since. He's given up more home runs this season (four) than he did last season (three), so that's a concern. Other than that, his H/9, BB/9 and K/BB are all lower than last season, which is great to see. He probably should have been an All-Star selection. Grade: A

Josh Lindblom
2-2, 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, -0.7 fWAR
- Lindblom has worked the most innings out of the Dodger bullpen in the first half (41) and is tied with Jansen for the most appearances (39). Aside from a couple hiccups last month, he's been great. Overuse is a concern, but he has the frame to handle a heavy workload. Grade: B+

Jamey Wright
3-2, 3.79 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 0.2 fWAR
- It's a wonder how Wright does it, but he's been somewhat effective as the long-man out of the Dodgers' bullpen this season. Let's face it: anything good Wright does is a positive. He was a non-roster invitee and had to earn his way onto the team. He's been better than expected, especially when expectations are extremely low. Grade: B-

Todd Coffey, Grade: C+
Matt Guerrier, Grade: C-
Shawn Tolleson, Grade: D
Mike MacDougal, Grade: F

Bench
Jerry Hairston, Grade: B
Ivan DeJesus, Grade: B-
Tony Gwynn, Grade: C
Elian Herrera, Grade: C
Matt Treanor, Grade: C-
Adam Kennedy, Grade: D+
Juan Rivera, Grade: D+
Justin Sellers, Grade: D+
Scott Van Slyke, Grade: D
Alex Castellanos, Grade: INC
Luis Cruz, Grade: INC
Jerry Sands, Grade: INC

Photo credits

Kemp: EephusBlue, Paint the Corners

Kershaw: SD Dirk, Flickr

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 5 – Dodgers, Van Slyke, Lemmerman, Capuano, Lilly and bunting

The newest episode of "Dugout Blues" is up, but it's on a new hosting website now. This time around, Jared Massey (LA Dugout) and I talk about a number of things, ranging from the great starts by Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly, my boy, Jake Lemmerman, Ethan Martin's resurgence, Scott Van Slyke's promotion, the Dodgers' closer situation with Kenley Jansen and Javy Guerra and some bad managerial decisions by Don Mattingly.

Libsyn link

We should resume regular Sunday recordings with regular Monday postings to follow. Jared is working on getting the podcast back on iTunes.

As always, comment here or hit us up on Twitter (@FeelinKindaBlue or @LADugout) if there's anything in particular you'd like to hear or just some tips/suggestions on how to make it better.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy.

Elbert, Guerra among Dodgers' bullpen worries

Coming into the season, I thought the Dodgers' bullpen was going to be a strength for the team. I even made fun of the Cleveland Indian broadcast team during Spring Training when it said the bullpen would be a "huge question mark."

"Indian broadcasters said Dodger bullpen will be "a huge question mark." It's one of the strongest parts of the team, if not the strongest."

Boy, was I wrong.

There have been some strong parts of the bullpen (Josh Lindblom and Kenley Jansen), but the rest of it has been, what the broadcasters said, a huge question mark.

The bullpen blew another game today when it lost to the Cubs 4-3 in 11 innings. The Dodgers had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, but for the third time this season, Javy Guerra blew a save. Jamey Wright went on to get the "L" in extra innings.

The Dodgers actually made a somewhat positive move this week, designating Mike MacDougal for assignment (replacing him with Ronald Belisario), but that can't fix all the problems.

While Guerra is the easiest target because he's the closer, I've been even more disappointed in Scott Elbert.

Elbert really came into his own last season, posting a 2.43 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 9.2 K/9. He was a guy Don Mattingly could rely on out of the bullpen. This season, however, Elbert's been flat-out bad: 6.75 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 16.2 H/9 and has given up two home runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Elbert was supposed to be one of the young guns out of the 'pen, but instead, he's been a liability. This is concerning because Elbert has thrown in mostly low-leverage situations, meaning he's been unsuccessful when the pressure hasn't been that great.

And being the only lefty out of the 'pen, Elbert needs to find his mojo quickly, as he's far too talented to be pitching as poorly as he has this season.

Matt Guerrier

Guerra is not without fault. Basically everyone was worried about regression with Guerra, but he came out and was damn good in his first six appearances: 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, .125 BAA and 5-for-5 in save opportunities. Since that time, he's been awful (there's no other way to put it).

It's not known if he's dealing with an injury, but his velocity would suggest he isn't. Guerra is averaging 93.4 MPH on his fastball, compared to 94 MPH last year. His slider is being thrown at the same velocity as 2011 (88.7 MPH). But he is throwing his fastball nearly 11 percent more than last season (61.5 percent to 72.1 percent). Chad Moriyama thinks that might be a problem.

No matter what the issue is, Guerra just hasn't been getting the job done. While he pitches mostly in high-leverage situations, he's been just fine when he's in low-leverage situations. Hence, a move to middle relief with Jansen and Lindblom taking over the eighth- and ninth innings might be in order.

This doesn't mean Todd Coffey and Jamey Wright are immune to the criticism -- they've been equally bad in their own right. Matt Guerrier, despite being on the disabled list, hasn't been that bad (despite a 0.8 K/BB ratio). Would Ned Colletti venture into the trade market to "fix" the bullpen?

Joel Hanrahan

We know Colletti has gotten himself in trouble trading for relievers before (Danys Baez, George Sherrill and Octavio Dotel come to mind). But if the Dodgers do explore the trade route, Joel Hanrahan might be a guy to go after.

Hanrahan, a former Dodger top prospect, has been great with Pittsburgh the last two seasons. He's a free agent after the 2013 season, so the Dodgers would have to give up something of value for him. Plus, despite the bullpen struggles, the Dodgers would still need to acquire a bat before July 31 if they're still in contention. The Dodgers might want to hold onto prospects to land a bat. That's where Shawn Tolleson comes into play.

Tolleson is dominating minor-league hitting and has been since becoming a professional. It's about time for the Dodgers to give him a chance. The bullpen is jammed up, but losing Belisario, Wright or Coffey wouldn't exactly be big losses.

In an ideal world, Jansen, who's pitched almost exclusively in the eighth inning, would be available to throw when the Dodgers need their best reliever in the game (not necessarily in the ninth inning). But relegating him to closer duties would eliminate using him in the seventh- or eighth inning when a tying run might be on the third base with less than two outs.

It's a double-edged sword. One thing's for sure -- Guerra needs to stop getting the ball in high-leverage situations. He needs to get his mechanics figured out or whatever it is that's preventing him from being successful. He's a major cog in the Dodgers' bullpen and needs to start pitching as such.

Photo credits

Guerrier: Cbl62 (Wikimedia Commons)

Hanrahan: Picasa Web Albums, UC International (Wikimedia Commons)

Some fun with Dodgers' early-season projections

We all know guys aren't going to hit 96 home runs and drive in 215 runs, but it's always a little fun to look at what guys are on pace to do through the first week of the season.

Here's a look at what some Dodgers are on pace to do:

Hitting

A.J. Ellis
115 walks, 119 strikeouts

Mark Ellis
162 runs, 139 hits

Andre Ethier
69 runs, 23 triples, 46 HR, 231 RBI, 115 extra base hits
- Would be the best XBH since Barry Bonds in 2001 (107) and an MLB record

Dee Gordon
116 stolen bases, 162 strikeouts
- Would be the most stolen bases since Vince Coleman in 1987 (109)

Matt Kemp
185 runs, 278 hits, 69 doubles, 46 HR, 208 RBI, zero walks, 139 strikeouts
- The hits (Ichiro Suzuki, 262) and doubles (Tris Speaker, 59) would be MLB records

James Loney
23 hits, 463 at-bats (.050 average)

Pitching (based on 33 starts for SPs)

Chad Billingsley
33-0, 236 innings, 132 hits, 16 walks 246 strikeouts

Javy Guerra
116 games, 116 innings, 116 saves, 23 hits allowed, 116 strikeouts
- The saves would crush Francisco Rodriguez's MLB record from 2008 (62)

Aaron Harang
143 innings, 230 hits, 165 walks, 199 strikeouts

Kenley Jansen
116 games, 116 innings, 23 HR allowed, zero walks, 186 strikeouts

Clayton Kershaw
165 innings, 33 walks, 16 walks, 165 strikeouts

Jamey Wright
59 innings, 88 walks

Dodger links from around the Web

Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports writes Kemp's 50-50 prediction might not be that far-fetched.

"Here's the thing about all this 50-50 talk, something that Mattingly would probably agree with even if he'd never say it:

Kemp might just do it.

I mean, really. He could do it. He's 27 years old, which means he's just now entering his prime. His best years? They should be ahead of him, not behind him. And the years behind him have been pretty damn good. Since becoming an everyday player in the big leagues at age 23 in 2008, Kemp's home-run total has gone from 18 to 26 to 28 to 39. Last year he increased his career high by 11 home runs. If he does it again this season, he's at 50. Unlikely? Sure. But not impossible. "

Jayson Stark of ESPN writes the Dodgers and Stan Kasten aren't likely to go crazy by throwing money at every big free agent.

"Don't be so quick to assume the new, improved Dodgers of Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson can't wait to start handing out the largest contracts in the history of the solar system. We're cautioning you now. That just might be a dangerous assumption.

To predict the future, you should always study the past. That's what our history teachers always told us in the seventh grade, anyway. And some of us in that class were actually awake at the time, amazingly enough.

Well, what do you find if you study Kasten's past, back in the day when he was the president of the Atlanta Braves (1986-2003) and Washington Nationals (2006-10)? You don't find a single contract that will remind you of, say, the Prince Fielder deal. We'll tell you that.

In all that time, Kasten's teams never handed out a contract longer than five years to any free agent from outside their organization. And the only six-year deal, even to one of their own players, went to Andruw Jones in 2001 -- at a time when he was 24 years old."

Meanwhile, Nomar Garciaparra and Mark Mulder, despite saying positive things about the Dodgers, have no idea what they're talking about.


Mike Petriello looks at Guerra's hot start and whether he can keep it up.

Vin Scully could return as soon as tomorrow, writes Tony Jackson of ESPN LA.

Photo credits: SD Dirk, Flickr