Broadcast team, assemble: Dodgers, TWC announce launch date, personalities

After being the worst-kept secret in baseball TV deals, the Dodgers and SportsNet LA today officially announced a launch date of Feb. 25.

The channel will only be available to Time Warner Cable customers at launch, but that will change in the next month as discussions are underway with other distributors.

This coincided with the Dodgers also announcing their new broadcast team for the channel, which has resulted in some shuffling of the cards.

To make it easy, here is a breakdown by broadcast format:

Television

In-game

Vin Scully will return for his 65th season to call all Dodger home games and road games in California and Arizona.

The remaining road games will be called by Charley Steiner and Orel Hershiser. They will be joined by in-game reporter Alanna Rizzo.

Pre-game and post-game

The pre- and post-game coverage will be hosted by Rizzo. She will be joined by former Dodgers Nomar Garciaparra and Jerry Hairston, as well as Hershiser, when he is not calling games.

Studio

John Hartung will be the studio host for SportsNet LA's live studio shows.

Radio

Scully will be simulcast, as normal, for the first three innings of every game he calls.

For home- and road games called by Scully, the radio team will be Steiner and Rick Monday. For road games when Steiner is on TV, Monday and Garciaparra will be handling the radio duties.

An in-depth programming roster and additional on-air talent will be announced closer to SportNet LA's launch date. 

Overall, the Dodgers have already assembled a fantastic broadcast team for this season, which should have fans rejoicing when they watch SportsNet LA or tune in on radio.

Open letter to Ned Colletti and Cesar Izturis in hopes of Dodgers' reunion

Dear Ned Colletti and Cesar Izturis,

Hi, Dustin Nosler here -- world-famous* Dodger blogger. (*- not really)

Look, there's no sense in going through a song and dance. The Dodgers need a backup infielder capable of fielding balls in play up the middle. Ned, Cesar is one of the best glove men I've ever seen in my 25 years of watching baseball. He and Alex Cora formed one of the best double play combinations I've ever seen.

Yes, Mr. Izturis has aged and his skills have declined a bit, but he's still fully capable of being a plus-defender at second base and probably at shortstop. Before you traded him to Chicago for now-hall of famer Greg Maddux -- a move I was upset about, at the time (in hindsight, it was the correct decision), he was even a plus defender at third base.

I envision Izturis as this year's Nick Punto, minus the head-first slides into first base. He's never been known for his bat, but he can hit enough to justify a spot on the Dodgers' 25-man roster. Not only would bringing Izturis back take some pressure off Alexander Guerrero and Dee Gordon, it'd also be nostalgic for yours truly.

The options on the market, as I'm sure you know, are less-than stellar. Unless you have a grand move to acquire Nick Franklin, Izzy might be the best option.

Cesar, you are one of my favorite Dodger players I've ever seen. Your magical defense was enough for me to fall in love with your game. When you had that fantastic offensive season in 2004, I thought you'd be around for the next 10 years. Here we are, 10 years later, and there's an opportunity for you to come back.

If you need me to relay the message to Ned and Co., let me know. I'd be glad to do so.

Anyway, that's about it. The Dodgers could use a sure-handed infielder on the bench for 2014, and Izturis is one of the best out there.

With Carl Crawford switching to No. 3, Izzy would have to choose another number. I'm thinking he could take No. 6, most recently worn by Jerry Hairston and most famously worn by Steve Garvey.

Best regards and much love,

Dustin Nosler
xoxo

Photo credit: Howcheng, Wikimedia Commons

2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season review: Infielders and Catchers

The Dodgers' infield in 2013 started off slowly, but picked up once players got healthy. The team has two players who are going nowhere anytime soon (first base and shortstop), another who's going to be an older rookie (second base) and a huge question mark (third base) for the future.

The infield had a few surprises, but also some disappointments.

Dodgers infielders by the numbers

Catcher
.236/.306/.367
656 PA, 61 R, 137 H, 26 2B, 1 3B, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 1 SB, 59 BB, 135 K

First base
.285/.338/.447
703 PA, 75 R, 181 H, 32 2B, 1 3B, 23 HR, 104 RBI, 1 SB, 53 BB, 109 K

Second base
.277/.334/.350
708 PA, 70 R, 177 H, 24 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 6 SB, 44 BB, 105 K

Third base
.249/.307/.370
665 PA, 66 R, 149 H, 29 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 64 RBI, 5 SB, 49 BB, 111 K

Shortstop
.271/.335/.449
676 PA, 90 R, 165 H, 33 2B, 3 3B, 23 HR, 77 RBI, 19 SB, 53 BB, 121 K

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

A.J. Ellis
.238/.318/.364, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 17 2B, 10.0 BB%, 2.2 WAR
- Ellis didn't fare nearly as well in 2013 as he did in his breakout 2012 season. He got off to a hot start before going cold for a good portion of the season. He was good behind the plate as he threw out 44 percent of attempted base stealers. Despite poor offensive numbers, he was still a 2-win player.
Grade: C

Tim Federowicz
.231/.275/.356, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 12 R, 5.8 BB%, 0.0 WAR
- Federowicz proved himself to be a capable defensive backup catcher (29 percent caught stealing), but he did about what was expected from him with the bat. He has a little pop (.125 ISO), but he'll likely never hit enough to be a full-time player.
Grade: D+

Ramon Hernandez
.208/.291/.438, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 10.9 BB%, 0.4 WAR
- Remember when he was a thing? His Dodger tenure was short-lived and pretty unremarkable, despite being worth nearly half-a-win (thanks to those three home runs in 55 plate appearances).
Grade: D+

Adrian Gonzalez
.293/.342/.461, 22 HR, 100 RBI, 32 2B, 7.3 BB%, 2.8 WAR
- Gonzalez was one of the most consistent, if not unspectacular, hitters the Dodgers had this season. He posted better numbers than former first baseman James Loney and should be entrenched as the team's cleanup hitter for 2014.
Grade: B

Mark Ellis
.270/.323/.351, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 10 HBP, 5.4 BB%, 1.8 WAR
- Ellis spent most of his time hitting second in the lineup, because that's what second basemen do. He wasn't great, but he was nearly a 2-win player with minimal extra-base hit power. He was nails defensively, as usual.
Grade: C-

Hanley Ramirez
.345/.402/.638, 20 HR, 57 RBI, 25 2B, 8.0 BB%, 5.1 WAR
- Ramirez was one of the game's best hitters, but he just couldn't stay healthy. It started in the World Baseball Classic, then in 'Frisco, then late in the regular season and finally when Joe Kelly plunked him in Game 1 of the NLCS. Despite all that, he was the Dodgers' best hitter and was surprisingly adequate defensively at shortstop. It'd be nice to see him produce like this while playing 125-130 games. He had 47 extra base hits in 336 plate appearances.
Grade: A

Juan Uribe
.278/.331/.438, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 22 2B, 7.0 BB%, 5.1 WAR
- Uribe was pariah coming into the season and was displaced as the team's starting third baseman by popup king Luis Cruz. But Uribe was great with the glove this season and hit surprisingly well -- well enough that I'd like to see him return. He tied for the team lead in WAR with Ramirez, which is still somewhat unbelievable. Oh, and the whole "Uribear" thing is just fantastic.
Grade: A-

Nick Punto
.255/.328/.327, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 15 2B, 9.9 BB%, 1.9 WAR
- Punto was surprisingly good for the Dodgers this season -- so good that the A's already signed him to a contract for 2014. He was a solid backup shortstop in spurts and played a capable third base. Couldn't really ask for much more from a utility guy.
Grade: B

Luis Cruz
.127/.175/.169, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 12 R, 3.9 BB%, -0.4 WAR
- Cruz was given a chance to be the team's third baseman and, as predicted by most sane folks, failed miserably. He didn't walk, he didn't hit much of anything and certainly didn't hit with pop. At least he was good defensively.
Grade: F

Dee Gordon
.234/.314/.298, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 10 SB, 9.4 BB%, 0.0 WAR
- Gordon wasn't good in limited playing time. He's fast, but is terrible defensively at shortstop. He's playing the outfield in winter ball. He could be an 2B/SS/CF utility man next season, which would minimally increase his value.
Grade: D

Jerry Hairston
.211/.265/.275, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 7 2B, 6.2 BB%, -1.3 WAR
- Hairston was, by WAR, the worst Dodger player this season. He dealt with injuries and might be at the end of his career.
Grade: F

Justin Sellers
.188/.263/.246, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 6.5 BB%, -0.1 WAR
- Sellers played a lot of shortstop early on when Ramirez was hurt, but he spent the vast majority of his season in Triple-A.
Grade: F

Michael Young
.314/.321/.392, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 1.9 BB%, -0.2 WAR
- Young had 16 hits with the Dodgers -- 13 of which were singles. He had negative defensive value and had one of the worst playoff games of all-time -- in two plate appearances.
Grade: F

The rest
Drew Butera, Grade: INC

Photo credits

Ramirez: Keith Allison, Flickr

Others: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Solid group of Dodgers' free agents led by Howell, Uribe and Wilson

When the Dodgers' season ended, the thought was the team wouldn't need a bunch of changes or other acquisitions. While the managerial situation is still officially unresolved, Don Mattingly is said to be back as the Dodgers' manager for 2014 (and hopefully beyond).

But the Dodgers have 12 free agents and some decisions to make on those guys, other free agents, international players and potential trade acquisitions.

Dodger free agents
Chris Capuano (option declined)
Mark Ellis (option declined)
Jerry Hairston
J.P. Howell
Carlos Marmol
Ricky Nolasco
Nick Punto
Skip Schumaker
Juan Uribe
Edinson Volquez
Brian Wilson
Michael Young

Both Capuano and Ellis had their options declined, and they were subsequently bought out ($1 million each). There's no reason to bring back guys like Hairston, Marmol, Schumaker and Volquez. I'd throw Young in there, but we all know how the Dodgers like their veteran players. Personally, I don't want him back.

So, that leaves Howell, Nolasco, Punto, Uribe and Wilson.

Howell
The left-hander had an excellent season out of the Dodger bullpen. He posted career-bests in ERA (2.18), fielding independent pitching (2.89), ground ball percentage (57.2) and home runs per nine innings pitched (0.3). Better yet, he was dominant against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .164 batting average against and a .452 OPS, fifth-best lefty vs. lefty mark in baseball. Howell is also durable (62 IP, 67 appearances) and can get right-handers out (.222/.312/.296). With Scott Elbert out until midseason, the Dodgers will need Howell to take pressure off Paco Rodriguez, who was bad for the last six weeks of the season. In my eyes, he's a must-re-sign player (at a reasonable cost, of course).
Verdict: Re-sign -- 2 years, $7 million

Nolasco
I was originally against a Nolasco acquisition, but the Dodgers paid pennies to get him, and it was pretty good, until the last few starts of the season. Nolasco posted a solid 3.52 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) as a Dodger. But he faltered late and didn't fare well in Game 4 of the NLCS -- his only postseason appearance. The Twins are reportedly interested in his services and will probably get a healthy deal on the open market. The Dodgers can do better on the open market.
Verdict: Don't re-sign

Punto
At one time this season, Punto was third among Dodger position players in WAR. That isn't a typo. As the season wore on, his effectiveness wore down. He finished the season as nearly a 2-win player. I wouldn't expect that kind of production in 2014 (or beyond), but his ability to play a decent shortstop (as well as second- and third base) make him valuable, even if he gets picked off second base in huge postseason situations.
Verdict: Re-sign -- 1 year, $1.5 million

Uribe
If there was ever an example of a redemption story, it's Uribe, or "Uribear," as he was known for most of the 2013 season. While he was one of the worst Dodgers in his first two seasons in Blue, he was a 5-win player in 2013. His 5.1 WAR was seventh-best of any third baseman in baseball (right behind Adrian Beltre's 5.2 and well ahead of future Dodger Chase Headley's 3.6). He hit .278.331/.438 with 12 home runs, but his defense was Gold Glove-caliber (even if he was beaten out by Nolan Arenado) and among the league's best (and the best, in other categories). With the third base market (free agent and trade) wafer-thin, bringing back Uribe is a must. A 2-year deal wouldn't be bad, as long as he has a platoonmate.
Verdict: Re-sign -- 2 years, $10 million

Wilson
Some questioned whether the Dodgers did the right thing by signing Wilson at the end of July. Well, Wilson made everyone believers again with a great -- albeit abbreviate -- 2013 campaign and a solid postseason showing. He became the Dodgers' setup man and thrived. It's a no-brainer to want to bring him back, but it's another question as to whether he wants to stay. If he wants to be part of a great team, doesn't care about closing and wants to form one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, sure. If he wants to be "the guy" elsewhere, you couldn't blame him. No 3-year deals here, but I'd give him a couple years at a decent price.
Verdict: Re-sign -- 2 years, $11 million (if he wants to stay)

Photo credits

Howell: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons

Nolasco: Not that Bob James, Flickr

Uribe: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers facing some tough, significant postseason roster decisions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some Dodgers on the disabled list right now.

15-day DL

Josh Beckett

Jose Dominguez

Matt Kemp

Shawn Tolleson

60-day DL

Chad Billingsley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s my prediction for all postseason-eligible players

Pitchers (16)

Ronald Belisario

Chris Capuano

Jose Dominguez

Stephen Fife

Zack Greinke

J.P. Howell

Kenley Jansen

Clayton Kershaw

Brandon League

Carlos Marmol

Ricky Nolasco

Paco Rodriguez

Hyun-jin Ryu

Shawn Tolleson

Brian Wilson

Chris Withrow

Catchers (3)

Drew Butera

A.J. Ellis

Tim Federowicz

Infielders (7)

Mark Ellis

Adrian Gonzalez

Jerry Hairston

Nick Punto

Hanley Ramirez

Skip Schumaker

Juan Uribe

Outfielders (5)

Carl Crawford

Andre Ethier

Matt Kemp

Yasiel Puig

Scott Van Slyke

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

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

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

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

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

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

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

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

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

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

Image credit: Joe Martin

Dodgers hurting and their reluctance to recall Scott Van Slyke is curious

The Dodgers are hurting -- big time. Adrian Gonzalez has been scratched the last couple games, Jerry Hairston needed stitches after tripping over a bag in his hotel room and subsequently hitting his head on a desk. He also came out in the fifth inning of Saturday's game after he felt a "tweak" in his groin.

That, combined with Mark Ellis still having not been placed on the disabled list (hasn't played since April 26) and Hanley Ramirez injuring his hamstring on Friday night -- landing him on the DL -- and the Dodgers are quite the mess.

And that isn't even considering the pitching, which hasn't been that good of late. Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen were nails on Friday night, while Ronald Belisario wasn't. Matt Magill was roughed up to the tune of five runs in 1 1/3 innings -- a bit disappointing after his MLB debut April 27. The bullpen has a couple of guys who probably won't be available (J.P. Howell and Javy Guerra), so Hyun-jin Ryu needs to throw a hell of a game on Sunday.

So, my question is: Why won't the Dodgers recall Scott Van Slyke?

(Photo: Van Slyke is the batter on-deck)

Van Slyke is starting to make a believer out of me (again), as he's posted a .408/.488/.767 triple slash through his first 29 games of the Triple-A season. He's doing nothing but hitting, yet he can't get the call. Instead, the Dodgers need five utility infielders, only one of whom has any pop (Juan Uribe). This team doesn't need guys like Luis Cruz or Justin Sellers, especially after recalling Dee Gordon to take over for the injured Ramirez. And Gordon did as much offensively in one game than Cruz and Sellers have done the entire season -- combined (not exaggerating as much as one might think).

Sellers has options, and no team in its right mind would place a waiver claim on a guy hitting .095. Cruz could opt for free agency and, for whatever reason, the Dodgers appear afraid of losing him to that. I mean, in what world does a guy with a .095 batting average in 67 plate appearances get to remain on a Major League baseball team?

This team needs pop off the bench. While Van Slyke is strictly a first baseman these days, a spot start every once in a while in a corner outfield spot probably isn't out of the question.

I'd be calling out for Alex Castellanos to be added to the 25-man roster, but he's on the 7-day DL in Triple-A. Both he and Van Slyke deserve to be on the team. It isn't like their development would be stunted if they were members of a Major League bench -- both are in their age-26 seasons and likely aren't going to get any better at this point, though, Van Slyke is trying to prove otherwise.

Van Slyke's improved physique should also be taken into account. He's not the same player he was last year or in previous years. He's trimmed down and it appears to be helping him.

He isn't going to save the team, but there isn't much harm in having a guy like that available off the bench.

Either that or recall Yasiel Puig (I'm only half-kidding).

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Carlos Quentin suspended 8 games for breaking Zack Greinke's collarbone

That's fair, right? The Padres' second-best hitter (which isn't saying much) idiotically charges the mound and, because of that, the Dodgers lose their No. 2 starter in Zack Greinke for at least eight weeks.

The funny thing is, Quentin will appeal and likely get the suspension reduced to five games. Oh the joy of the Player's Union.

Greinke is having surgery on Saturday, which makes his recovery time longer than it would normally be.

Greinke will have his clavicle fixated. Increases time out. Eight weeks quoted by Dodgers is aggressive.
— Will Carroll (@injuryexpert) April 12, 2013

So, there's that.

The Dodgers are going to have to make due without their No. 2 starter (an ace on two-thirds of MLB teams) for at least eight weeks. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he didn't pitch until after the All-Star break.

The team recalled Shawn Tolleson to replace Greinke on the roster, but that should be short-lived. Ted Lilly will likely be the beneficiary of Greinke's injury.

Chris Capuano is the better pitcher, but he's not stretched out to start after beginning the season in the bullpen. Plus, his skill set is much better coming out of the 'pen than Lilly.

Lilly has been unimpressive in his first two minor-league rehab starts: 12 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 4 HR, 1 BB, 10 K. At least he hasn't walked a bunch of minor-leaguers.

This doesn't bode well for the Dodgers. The clear loss is downgrading from Greinke to Lilly. If Chad Billingsley can give close to Greinke-level production while Zack is out, that would be great. He wasn't bad in his first start of the season. It's just a matter of his elbow holding up.

Jerry Hairston was also suspended for a game, which is no big deal. I'm surprised Matt Kemp didn't get any suspension at all.

Hanley Ramirez's return should help to mitigate the Greinke loss, but he won't be back for another month-plus. Until then, Kemp needs to break out of his slump and hope the rest of the rotation steps it up in Greinke's absence.

Photo credit: wisley, Flickr 

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 30 - Puig, Billingsley, Ryu, bullpen, signings

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and talk about the questions and stories surrounding the Dodgers leading up to the season's start.

The Dodgers optioned Yasiel Puig to Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday. It was the right move, but also a possible temporary move. He'll be the one of the first players recalled if (when) the Dodgers need him.

We also talk about Dee Gordon getting optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. We prefer that Gordon get the starting shortstop gig, pushing Luis Cruz back to third base. Instead, the Dodgers are going with some sort of Juan Uribe/Jerry Hairston combination.

Chad Billingsley is going to miss his first start and likely begin the season on the disabled list. This paves the way for Hyun-Jin Ryu to start the team's second game of the season against the Giants.

Kyle Lohse signed with the Brewers on Monday. Because of the signing, they lose their first-round pick at No. 17. The Dodgers, originally slated to choose at No. 19, move up one spot. They landed Corey Seager at No. 18 last year.

Who's going to get the final spot in the bullpen? It's down to Kevin Gregg (likely), Peter Moylan (less likely) and Paco Rodriguez (least likely).

We touch on the Dodgers' two new international signings (Bernardo Reyes and Jesus Canivales). Jared also redid his Top 20 prospect list because he "hated" his first incarnation of it.

Finally, we close with listener questions. Some pretty good ones, including a gaming one that gets us off on a predictable tangent.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

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

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

Image credit: Joe Martin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: slgckgc, Flickr

2012 Los Angeles Dodgers Season Review: Infield and Catchers

The Dodgers should have a strong infield heading into 2013, and I'm basing that solely on the fact the Dodgers have two potentially elite offensive talents at shortstop and third base. This season, they acquired those guys later, so their impact wasn't felt as much.

The team also has found its starting catcher for the next couple of years (at least) and should be in the market to upgrade second- and third base this winter.

Dodgers' infield by the numbers

Catcher
.250/.354/.385
53 R, 22 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 79 BB

First base
.257/.303/.383
59 R, 35 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 79 RBI, 3 SB, 42 BB

Second base
.265/.341/.356
9 HR, 54 RBI, 91 R

Third base
.259/.310/.383
10 HR, 72 RBI, 38 2B

Shortstop
.248/.297/.366
13 HR, 69 RBI, 35 SB

Individual performers

A.J. Ellis
.270/.373/.414, 13 HR, 52 RBI, 65 BB, 12.9 BB%
- Ellis finally got his chance made the most of it -- it's too bad it took until his age-31 season to get said chance. Ellis was one of the most consistent Dodger hitters throughout the season. He led the team in walks (shocking, I know) and supplied surprising pop from behind the plate (34 extra base hits). He has clearly established himself as the Dodgers' primary catcher.
Grade: B

Matt Treanor
.175/.281/.282, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 14 BB, 11.5 BB%
- I know the catcher position is defense-based, but is it really unrealistic to hope for a backup catcher to at least hit above the Mendoza line? Treanor is at the end of his run in the majors and didn't provide much in the way of production for the Dodgers this season. But at least he feels the way about T.J. Simers most of us do. That kept him from having a D- grade.
Grade: D

Luis Cruz
.297/.322/.431, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 20 2B, 3.0 BB%
- The man who seemingly came out of nowhere, Cruz provided a spark for the Dodgers this season. He wasn't great, but he was far better than anyone could have expected. By the end of the season, he was the Dodgers' starting third baseman. However, the team cannot have that plan going into 2013.
Grade: B+

Ivan De Jesus
.273/.324/.364, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 8.1 BB%
- De Jesus  was traded to Boston in August. He didn't do much otherwise, but we'll always have that pinch-hit double in Arizona.
Grade: C-

Mark Ellis
.258/.333/.364, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 62 R, 8.6 BB%
- I was higher on the Ellis signing than most, but Ellis actually underperformed his career numbers a bit. However, he played stellar defense and avoided a leg amputation after a collision at second base. When he went out with the injury, the Dodgers were forced to play guys who were not as good offensively or defensively as Ellis. He wasn't a big part of the offense, but he was a bigger part than his numbers indicated.
Grade: C

Adrian Gonzalez
.297/.344/.441, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 10 2B, 7.0 BB%
- The Dodgers made the big move to get Gonzalez, but it was more a move for the future than it was for 2012. Gonzalez, despite homering in his first Dodger at-bat, didn't hit particularly well for them. But he'll be penciled in as the cleanup hitter for the foreseeable future.
Grade: C+

Dee Gordon
.228/.280/.281, 9 2B, 17 RBI, 32 SB, 6.1 BB%
- Gordon has gone from potential 10-year shortstop to roster fodder in less than a year. That'll happen when you can't hit a lick, which is what happened with Gordon in 2012. He still managed to steal 32 bases with a well below-average .280 on-base percentage. The Dodgers seem set on having Ramirez at shortstop, so Gordon could be a trade candidate this winter.
Grade: D-

Jerry Hairston
.273/.342/.387, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 13 2B, 8.6 BB%
- Hairston made a name for himself with his stellar third base defense early in the season. However, he suffered an injury and wasn't the same player after his fast start. Still, he's a quality utility player and should be so in 2013 for the Dodgers.
Grade: B-

Adam Kennedy
.262/.345/.357, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 23 BB, 11.4 BB%
- The Dodgers won thier first nine games when Kennedy as the No. 5 hitter. The thought of Kennedy as a No. 5 hitter is laughable, but it's even funnier seeing the Dodgers reel off nine consecutive wins when doing so. The only other thing Kennedy did well was walk, as his walk rate indicates.
Grade: D+

James Loney
.254/.302/.344, 4 HR, 33 RBI, 18 2B, 6.4 BB%
 -Loney's disappointing Dodger tenure came to an end when the team sent him to Boston in the Gonzalez deal. He can play defense with the best of 'em at first, but he hits like a '60s middle infielder. His defense is the only thing that kept him from earning an F.
Grade: D-

Nick Punto
.286/.390/.314, 1 2B, 6 R, 1 SB, 13.9 BB%
- Shredder! And I'm not talking about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles villain. When the Dodgers acquired Punto in the deal, I forgot he was signed through the 2013 season, so he wasn't just a six-week rental -- unfortunately.
Grade: C-

Hanley Ramirez
.271/.324/.450, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB, 6.7 BB%
- Ramirez's acquisition was great and his start with the Dodgers was equally great. He hit .330/.392/.549 with 11 extra base hits in his first 23 games as a Dodger. However, he hit just .238/.282/.394 in his last 41 games with an ugly 46 strikeouts in 170 plate appearances. The Dodgers (and fans) are hoping he's more like the 23-game Hanley than the 41-game Hanley. Odds are he's somewhere in the middle.
Grade: C

Justin Sellers
.205/.286/.386, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 2B, 6 R, 10.0 BB%
- This season would have been prime for Sellers to do something. With both Ellis and Gordon getting injured, he would have had ample playing time. However, he also suffered an injury and was out for the rest of the season. He's not even a sure bet to be on the 40-man roster in a month or so.
Grade: D

Juan Uribe
.191/.258/.284, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 9 2B, 7.3 BB%
- There aren't many worse ways to spend $21 million.
Grade: F-minus-minus

The rest

Tim Federowicz, Grade: INC

Photo credits

Cruz and Uribe: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Gordon: SD Dirk, Flickr

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