Dodgers 6, Giants 2: Kemp and Hanley mash, Zack Greinke excels

Welcome back, Beast Mode.

Matt Kemp hit his first two homers of 2014 and continued to look excellent at the dish. The Bison drove in three and has looked like The Bison of old through three games while displaying good command of the strike zone.

Hanley Ramirez also homered twice in his breakout game of the young season, driving in a pair and adding a double in the process.

Zack Greinke whiffed eight without allowing a walk over six frames of two-run, six baserunner ball. The two runs allowed were dingers off the bats of Brandon Belt and Hunter Pence. Greinke threw 69 of his 94 pitches for strikes.

The bullpen was excellent following Greinke, as four relievers combined to fan eight Giants over three innings of work. Kenley Jansen wrapped things up by striking out three around a broken-bat bloop single.

Yasiel Puig missed the game due to an injured thumb suffered from sliding head-first into first base yesterday. It's a dumb thing to do when it's Nick Punto doing it, and it's equally dumb for Puig or any player to slide head-first into first.

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

Dee Gordon could get one final shot to be a valuable player with the Dodgers

Dee Gordon shows the volatility that are prospects. He was once the Dodgers' top prospect, drawing comparisons to guys like Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins. Now, he's struggling to hang on as a utility player in the majors.

With Alexander Guerrero's injury concerns in the Dominican Winter League, perhaps Gordon gets one more shot as a starter in the majors -- at second base with the Dodgers.

Gordon began the offseason by going to the Dominican to play the outfield with Licey. He played primarily center field, but also dabbled in the corners. He handled himself well enough, reportedly, as he surely has the athleticism to handle the outfield. The bad thing is, his bat doesn't play especially well out there. He's a career .256/.301/.312 hitter in 669 plate appearances, which leaves a lot to be desired.

He's now playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League in hopes of him acclimating himself at second base. He played 20 games at second in Triple-A last year and three with the Dodgers (totaling 3 2/3 innings).

The question isn't particularly with his bat, but with his glove. He was a below-average shortstop. Second base isn't terribly different than shortstop, but a player still needs to be sure-handed at the position. That, and inaccurate throws, were Gordon's bugaboos at the position. A shift to second base should, in theory, cut down on the throwing errors. His arm is plenty strong, but sometimes he doesn't know where it's going.

With Guerrero's hamstring injury preventing him from playing a full winter ball season, second base could be wide open for Gordon's taking.

There is no other viable second base option beyond Gordon and Guerrero on the Dodgers' roster -- even in the minors. Sure, General Manager Ned Colletti mentioned Miguel Rojas by name in a radio interview, there's no earthly way Rojas breaks camp as the Dodgers' opening day second baseman. The Dodgers don't need an offensive powerhouse at second, but thinking Rojas -- a career .234/.302/.287 hitter in the minors -- could be the team's opening day second baseman is borderline clinical.

As of now, it's Gordon's job for the taking. It's entirely possible the Dodgers acquire someone to play a couple months as the starting second baseman while Guerrero gets more seasoning in the minors (preferably Triple-A). But Gordon being able to handle the position would make things a lot easier, and increase his utility.

Of course, the Dodgers not picking up Mark Ellis' option (would have cost them an additional $4.75 million) and them not retaining Nick Punto looks like a mistake right now. What do they say about hindsight and 20/20...?

If Gordon is ever going to amount to anything other than a mediocre utility player (which is isn't, at the moment), this could be his last shot at doing so. He could bat eighth, not make mind-numbing errors at second and be a player who provides positive value (or at the very least, replacement level value), then the Dodgers would be more than thrilled. But I'm not holding my breath.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers might need a 2B if Alexander Guerrero isn't ready by opening day

Alexander Guerrero was signed to be the Dodgers' everyday second baseman, but he hasn't looked like that so far this winter. Not because of poor performance -- he's hitting .289/.325/.447 -- but because he hasn't played that much (40 plate appearances).

Guerrero, 27,  suffered a hamstring injury in early November, sat out nearly three weeks, came back and seemed to reaggravate the injury last week. He totaled just five at-bats in the last three games. With him being such an unknown, the Dodgers can't go into the season with Guerrero expected to play 140-plus games at second base, can they?

The Dodgers lost their insurance policies in Mark Ellis after he signed a 1-year deal with the Cardinals on Sunday, and Nick Punto, who has long since signed with Oakland. The Dodgers probably won't acquire a big-name second baseman (i.e. Howie Kendrick), but a guy who's capable of playing 80-100 quality games at the position could be in order. The only problem is, there aren't a ton of those guys available -- either on the free agent market or via trade.

Here's my best guess as to who the Dodgers could land to help out at second base.

Free agent

Alexi Casilla

Jamey Carroll

Chris Getz

Cesar Izturis

Paul Janish

Jayson Nix

Placido Polanco

Omar Quintanilla

Brian Roberts

Ramon Santiago

Justin Turner

Trade

Mike Aviles

Emilio Bonifacio

Alberto Callaspo

Nick Franklin

Maicer Izturis

Of the free agents, Turner has already been mentioned. Other guys I like from that list include Carroll, Getz, Izturis, Roberts and Santiago.

Carroll is a former Dodger and a little long in the tooth. He's been pretty poor since leaving the Dodgers after the 2011 season. He plays multiple positions, but he might not be a 100-games-played guy anymore.

Getz has a light bat and is exclusively a second baseman, but he does a couple things well. He doesn't strike out a lot (9.1 percent) and he's a really good basestealer (82.8 percent success rate).

Cesar Izturis is a personal favorite of mine. He's always been a plus defender and is adept at all three infield positions that aren't first base. His bat isn't much, but if the Dodgers are looking for a quality defensive backup, he might fit.

Roberts is the most interesting guy here. He was a budding star for the Orioles before injuries got the best of him. He's also deal with concussions in recent years, so that's always going to be an issue. He's 36 and has the best offensive upside of anyone on this list. He's strictly a second baseman, but also owns a .279/.349/.412 career slash line, which would be a nice complement to Guerrero's uncertainty.

Santiago is another multi-position infielder with a light bat. He's basically interchangeable with Carroll, Gets and Izturis.

Of the trade targets, it's obvious Franklin is the best. The Mariners signed Robinson Cano, so they're looking to move Franklin for some kind of upgrade elsewhere. Perhaps some kind of Andre Ethier-for-Franklin swap could be had. Acquiring him would likely mean Guerrero starts the season in the minors. When he's ready, the Dodgers can figure out what to do with Franklin after that. He'd be a nice trade chip come July.

Bonifacio and Callaspo are similar players. Both can play multiple infield positions, with Bonifacio being able to handle center field. Callaspo is the better offensive player, while Bonifacio is the better runner. The Royals don't have a great second base option, so Bonifacio might not be available right now. Callaspo figures to get a lot of playing time with the A's, but he's a little redundant with Punto on board. Acquiring either of these guys might not be likely (Callaspo more likely than Bonifacio), but either of them would fit nicely into a bench role for the Dodgers.

Maicer Izturis is similar to Callaspo, but there's no indication the Blue Jays are looking to move him.

-----

There are options out there. They're not terribly appealing, but they're out there for the Dodgers' taking. None of these guys -- outside of Franklin -- would cost a lot to acquire. I'd really like to see the Dodgers sign a guy like Roberts, despite his injury concerns. He's a solid defender who might have a little bit of offensive ability left in his bat.

If they don't acquire a second baseman -- with the way the roster is currently constructed -- Dee Gordon could be the team's starting second baseman in Australia on opening day. Yikes.

I'm still on board with the Guerrero signing, but with the injury concerns in winter ball and the lack of playing time over the last 18-24 months, it'd be a surprise if he were to open the season as the Dodgers' starting second baseman. Being an older signee actually works in his favor. A good spring training could change that, but a stopgap is probably more realistic at this point.

Photo credit: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons

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

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

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

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

Jeff Baker

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

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

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

Eric Chavez

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

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

Rajai Davis

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

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

Franklin Gutierrez

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

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

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

Chris Nelson

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

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

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

Justin Turner

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: mikelachance816, Flickr

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 62 - Offseason rumors, awards, Rule 5/AFL

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I somehow record one of the longest episodes in the show's history, despite not having a whole lot to talk about.

We wrap up awards season and I divulge my Internet Baseball Writers Association of America ballot.

Tim Wallach was officially announced as Don Mattingly's bench coach. Bully.

Offseason rumors abound, and the Dodgers are mentioned with some good players and some not-so-good players. We also say goodbye to Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker.

The 40-man roster deadline is tonight and we discuss who we would add to protect from December's Rule 5 Draft.

The Arizona Fall League is over and Corey Seager had a "meh" showing. Not surprising for a 19-year-old in his first full season of ball.

The Dodgers hired an executive away from Washington to be a national crosschecker in the form of Roy Clark. Great hire.

Episode dedications
Jared and Dustin: Jose Nunez

As usual, we close with Q&A. Here's hoping for some more good ones next week!

We'll probably continue to record every other week, or as news warrants, during the winter.

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

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

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw wins 2013 National League Cy Young award

For the second time in three years, Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday was voted as the best pitcher in the National League by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Kershaw received 29 of the 30 first-place votes. The Cardinals' finished second Adam Wainwright finished second and the Marlins' Jose Fernandez -- who was named NL Rookie of the Year on Monday -- finished third.

Kershaw had his best season to date, posting a 1.83 ERA. It was the first time a starter has done that since 2000 (Pedro Martinez), and the first time it's been done in the NL since 1995 (Greg Maddux).

To go along with his ML-leading ERA (for the third straight year), he posted a ML-best 0.91 WHIP, a 6.3 hits per nine innings, a 2.0 BB/9 and an 8.8 K/9. Coincidentally, it was the first time in Kershaw's career he didn't strike out at least a batter an inning.

He also had a 6.5 WAR, 2.39 FIP and 2.88 xFIP. And he's about to get paid.

Kershaw is going into the last year of arbitration and is set to make roughly $18.25 million. The Dodgers have been trying to get him signed long-term, and I think it'll happen sooner rather than later. The Dodgers -- despite their seemingly infinite money -- can't afford to let Kershaw reach free agency. He's the best pitcher on this planet and should be paid as such.

Kershaw beat out Roy Halladay for the Cy Young award in 2011 and finished second to R.A. Dickey last year (a race he probably should have won).

Congrats, Clayton. Now how about some World Series hardware?

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Nick Punto signed with the A's today. He's guaranteed $3 million for the 2014 season and has a vesting option for the 2015 season.

Punto was surprisingly not terrible this season, but I think I summed up his season with a tweet earlier.

No more head-first slides at 1B or getting picked off 2B in the playoffs. You won't be missed, Punto (but you were better than expected).
— Dustin Nosler (@FeelinKindaBlue) November 13, 2013

Happy trails, Lil' Pony (never liked that nickname anyway).

Photo credit: 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

2013 NLCS by the numbers: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

2013 National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Oct. 11-19

Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis (Games 1-2, 6-7 if necessary); Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles (Games 3-5 if necessary)

2013 record vs. Cardinals: 4-3

Last postseason meeting: 2009, Dodgers won 3-0

*- Denotes not on NLCS roster

Game 1: Zack Greinke vs. Joe Kelly

Greinke career vs. Cardinals: 8-3, 3.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.5 K/9

Kelly career vs. Dodgers: 1-1, 3.72 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 4.7 K/9

NLDS numbers

Greinke: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Kelly: 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

Cardinals hitters vs. Greinke

Matt Holliday: 9-for-26 (.346), 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
Yadier Molina: 7-for-22 (.318), 2 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
Jon Jay: 6-for-22 (.273), 1 BB, 2 K
David Freese: 6-for-18 (.333), 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
Daniel Descalso: 2-for-11 (.182), 1 2B, 2 K
Matt Carpenter: 3-for-7 (.429), 1 2B, 1 K
Carlos Beltran: 1-for-7 (.143), 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
Tony Cruz: 1-for-3
Adam Wainwright: 0-for-3, 1 SH, 2 K
Adron Chambers: 1-for-2, 1 BB, 1 K

- Holliday is always a dangerous hitter while it's probably best to throw out regular season numbers when talking about Beltran and his Babe Ruthian performance in October.

Dodgers hitters vs. Kelly

Andre Ethier: 2-for-8 (.250), 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 K
A.J. Ellis: 1-for-8 (.125), 4 K
Adrian Gonzalez: 4-for-7 (.571), 1 HR, 1 2B
Hanley Ramirez: 2-for-7 (.286), 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Mark Ellis: 0-for-7
Nick Punto: 4-for-5 (.800), 1 2B, 1 BB
Carl Crawford: 2-for-3, 1 2B
Yasiel Puig: 1-for-2, 1 BB
Dee Gordon: 1-for-2, 1 K
Clayton Kershaw: 0-for-2, 1 K
Juan Uribe: 0-for-2
Chris Capuano*: 0-for-1
Scott Van Slyke: 0-for-1

- Gonzalez is the butter and egg man here, with Ethier chipping in a home run. Kelly has struck out 10 Dodgers in his career -- four times it's been A.J. Ellis taking the fall.

Game 2: Clayton Kershaw vs. Michael Wacha

Kershaw career vs. Cardinals: 4-5, 3.75 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8.2 K/9

Wacha career vs. Dodgers: Never faced

NLDS numbers

Kershaw: 13 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 13 K
Wacha: 7 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 9 K

Cardinals hitters vs. Kershaw

Holliday: 9-for-30 (.300), 1 2B, 10 BB, 7 K
Beltran: 5-for-22 (.227), 2 2B, 2 BB, 8 K
Molina: 5-for-19 (.263), 2 2B, 3 BB, 4 K
Freese: 3-for-15 (.200), 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
Carpenter: 2-for-12 (.167), 2 K
Jay: 1-for-6 (.167), 1 2B, 1 BB, 3 K
Pete Kozma: 4-for-5 (.800), 3 2B
Wainwright: 2-for-4 (.500), 1 2B, 1 SH 2 BB, 1 K
Descalso: 2-for-4 (.500), 2 BB
Cruz: 1-for-3
Shane Robinson: 1-for-3
Kelly: 0-for-2
Shelby Miller: 0-for-2, 1 K

- Holliday has a positive K:BB rate and, of course, Kozma has hit him the best because baseball.

Dodgers hitters vs. Wacha

Never faced

- All you need to know is Wacha has almost thrown two no-hitters in the last month. He's damn good.

Game 3: Adam Wainwright vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Wainwright career vs. Dodgers: 4-4, 3.10 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 6.2 K/9

Ryu career vs. Cardinals: 1-0, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

NLDS numbers

Wainwright: 16 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 15 K
Ryu: 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Dodgers hitters vs. Wainwright

Ethier: 9-for-30 (.300), 2 HR, 3 2B, 3 BB, 7 K
Ramirez: 5-for-24 (.208), 3 BB, 5 K
Gonzalez: 4-for-16 (.250), 1 2B, 2 BB, 6 K
Mark Ellis: 1-for-12 (.083), 2 K
Uribe: 3-for-11 (.273), 2 K
Crawford: 2-for-7 (.286), 1 K
Kershaw: 0-for-5, 1 SH, 1 K
A.J. Ellis: 0-for-5, 1 K
Greinke: 1-for-4, 1 SH, 2 K
Puig: 1-for-3, 2 K
Michael Young: 0-for-3
Punto: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB
Ricky Nolasco: 0-for-1

- If Ethier is good to go, it'll be an nice boost. Not a whole lot of success otherwise.

Cardinals hitters vs. Ryu

Freese: 2-for-3, 1 K
Holliday: 2-for-3
Carpenter: 1-for-3, 1 K
Beltran: 0-for-3
Jay: 0-for-3
Kozma: 0-for-2, 1 K
Seth Maness: 0-for-1, 1 K
Carlos Martinez: 0-for-1, 1 K

- Ryu gave up one unearned run in seven innings, so it's easy to see why there hasn't been a lot of success by the Cardinals against the southpaw.

Game 3: Lance Lynn vs. Ricky Nolasco

Lynn career vs. Dodgers: 2-0, 2.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 10.5 K/9

Nolasco career vs. Cardinals: 3-4, 3.84 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 6.3 K/9

NLDS numbers

Lynn: 4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 6 K
Nolasco: Did not pitch

Dodgers hitters vs. Lynn

Mark Ellis: 2-for-9 (.222), 3 K
A.J. Ellis: 1-for-7 (.143), 4 K
Ethier: 1-for-6 (.167), 2 BB
Young: 0-for-5, 1 BB, 4 K
Gordon: 0-for-5, 1 K
Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Ramirez: 0-for-3, 2 K
Uribe: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB
Punto: 0-for-2, 1 K

- Lynn has been downright dominant against the Dodgers in his two career appearances.

Cardinals hitters vs. Ryu

Beltran: 16-for-47 (.340), 1 HR, 6 BB, 11 K
Holliday: 12-for-26 (.462), 2 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB, 2 K
Jay: 7-for-13 (.538), 1 2B, 1 K
Desclaso: 4-for-13 (.308), 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
Freese: 6-for-12 (.500), 1 2B, 3 K
Molina: 3-for-11, 1 K
Cruz: 0-for-10, 2 K
Carpenter: 1-for-5, 1 K
Matt Adams: 0-for-5, 3 K
Wainwright: 0-for-2, 1 SH, 1 K

- Yikes, the Cards absolutely destroy Nolasco, though, his career numbers against them aren't that terrible.

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This is going to be a long series, and the pitching options could change as the series progresses. These teams are evenly matched, with the Dodgers having the advantage of setting up their pitchers the way they want.

The offense is going to have to continue what it has done in the postseason thus far.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

With Dodgers' offense hurting, Carl Crawford could be key in playoffs

With Matt Kemp out for the season and Andre Ethier’s bum ankle likely limiting him to pinch-hitting duties in the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are going to need someone to pick up the offensive slack in the playoffs.

It’s easy to call on Hanley Ramirez, who’s been the best he’s ever been this season. But even greatness has its limit.

Adrian Gonzalez was once elite, but those days are behind him. It’d be nice for him to get that hot for a few weeks, but it’s also something that can’t be counted on.

Yasiel Puig is great, but he struggled in September to the tune of a .214 batting average. However, as Chad Moriyama rightly points out, it might not be such a bad thing. And as Mike Petriello pointed out, Puig is prone to bounce back from slumps.

Those are the Dodgers’ three best hitters in October (not named Zack Greinke, I suppose), but the key for the Dodgers is Carl Crawford.

Crawford was once a dynamic player, posting a 7.4-win season while in Tampa Bay. He’s not that good anymore, but the ability is there.

Crawford got off to a blazing start in Blue, hitting .308/.388/.516 in 25 games in the season’s first month. He followed it up with a not-so-great May (.278/313/.389), and then he got (predictably) hurt. He returned in July and was miserable (.225/.257/.268), but picked it up in August (.302/.353/.387) before falling back a little in September (.267/.286/.413).

But there’s a little hope, as Crawford had eight of his 39 extra-base hits in September. He had nine in August (all doubles) and eight in August. Perhaps Crawford is finally healthy again and ready to be the player he’s capable of being.

There’s nothing wrong with Crawford’s legs. If you watched any games in September, you’ll see a rejuvenated Crawford running around the bases. It would behoove Don Mattingly and the Dodgers to take advantage of that in the postseason.

Crawford once stole 60 bases in a season. He stole 15-of-18 this season, and that could be a huge weapon in the playoffs, especially for a team lacking great speed.

Sure, Puig is fast, but he’s not a smart baserunner. Ramirez doesn’t run a whole lot anymore, and frankly, I don’t want him running in October. Dee Gordon, the fastest Dodger, probably won’t make the playoff roster. So, it comes down to Crawford. He’ll need to get on base to utilize his best tool. If he’s getting on base (hitting first or second), then I expect big things for the Dodger offense.

Believe it or not, Carl Crawford’s 21 postseason games are the third-most of any Dodger regular. Juan Uribe (30 games, .208/.264/.347, 3 HR) and Skip Schumaker (22 games, .278/.316/.361) are the only players with more. Schumaker wasn’t a regular this season, but he’ll be a regular until Ethier is ready to return -- a return which is still in doubt. Crawford has a .253/.287/.422 triple slash with eight stolen bases in the playoffs. Not great (especially the on-base percentage), but about the best the Dodgers have to offer. I’ll do a post about current Dodger postseason performances before first-pitch on Thursday.

Puig is an unknown. No one knows how he’ll handle the big stage of the playoffs. If his rookie season is any indicator, it could go either way. Ramirez is also making his postseason debut, but he seems more likely to thrive than any other Dodger.

Still, Crawford’s experience and skill set could prove to be big in the playoffs with a depleted lineup.

The Dodgers have been playing shorthanded since spring training; why should the postseason be any different?

If Crawford can be great for a few weeks, the Dodgers are going to be just fine. If not, someone else is going to have to step up. But I have a hunch it will be Crawford.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers clinch NL West title with 7-6 victory, plus 'Zona reaction to 'Poolgate'

It wasn't pretty, but the Dodgers clinched their first National League West title for the first time since 2009 with a 7-6 win in Arizona on Thursday.

The Dodgers didn't start Adrian Gonzalez because of a lingering quad problem. No worries because Hanley Ramirez picked up the slack by going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI. A.J. Ellis put the Dodgers ahead with a first-pitch home run in the top of the eighth. He finished with three hits.

Ricky Nolasco, coming off his worst start as a Dodger, was bad on Thursday, allowing six runs (all in the third inning) in five innings pitched.

The Dodgers were able to overcome a 6-3 deficit in the middle- and late-innings.

Now that the Dodgers have officially clinched a playoff berth, expect a lot of Jim Tracy Sunday Special lineups for the remainder of the season. Guys like Ramirez, Gonzalez and Carl Crawford should get ample rest in preparation for October.

The Dodgers will also be able to line up their rotation whatever way they see fit. It'll be Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 on Oct. 3 and Zack Greinke Oct. 4. Before Nolasco's last two starts, he looked to have the inside track on the No. 3 spot. Now, it looks like it could be Hyun-Jin Ryu's spot to lose.

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Now onto the "fun" stuff.

The Diamondbacks had asked the Dodgers not to celebrate on the field until after the fans left the stadium. Well, the Dodgers adhered to that request. Instead, Skip Schumaker and Nick Punto led a group of Dodgers to the (ridiculous) swimming pool in right-center field.

This pissed off almost any and everyone associated with the Diamondbacks (fans, media, players, executives, etc.).

Bloomquist on #Dodgers pool celebration: "They have a lot of veteran players on their team. I thought they had more class than that."
— Tyler Emerick (@TylerEmerick) September 19, 2013

This game knows no names. What goes around comes around. #FinishStrong
— Adam Eaton (@AdamSpankyEaton) September 20, 2013

And this from the Arizona Republic.

"Congratulations are in order. Even to a bunch as classless as the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first players not wearing Diamondbacks uniforms to celebrate a championship by diving into the Chase Field pool."

A nice 5-graf editorial. Keep up the hard-hitting opinion and analysis.

And you want to talk about class? What about this classless act from earlier this year. Check and mate.

You know what prevents other teams from celebrating in your pool, Arizona?

1. Don't let the other team clinch in your park
2. Don't have a SWIMMING POOL at a baseball stadium

That's it.

But thank goodness for Brandon McCarthy. If the Dodgers need a No. 5 starter in 2015, I'd be more than happy if the Dodgers signed him (provided he were still effective).

Celebrating is fun. I don't care how and where you do it. Only thing to care about is what we need to do to celebrate in our pool next year.
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) September 19, 2013

I'm sure this will spill over into next season, even if guys like Schumaker and Punto aren't with the Dodgers anymore.

Enjoy, Dodger fans. In two weeks, the real fun begins. Eleven wins to go.

Graphic credit: Courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers' OF Carl Crawford proves he's healthy by dominating NL thus far

Full disclosure: I didn't think Carl Crawford would begin the 2013 season on the active roster. Not because I didn't want it to happen, but because I thought it couldn't happen.

Crawford, coming off Tommy John surgery in August, suffered a setback in spring training that caused him to miss roughly a week of action. He made his first in-game appearance while I was in Arizona for spring training (March 17) and was, understandably, rusty. I just didn't think he had enough time to get in baseball shape and have his elbow ready for opening day.

Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Crawford is playing like he's back in Tampa Bay, and the Dodgers are reaping the benefits. Heading into Thursday night's game, Crawford was leading the National League batting average (.464), on-base percentage (.531) and was second in OPS (1.246), thanks to Justin Upton's six home runs.

Editor's note: Thank you, Kevin Towers, for trading Upton for "grit."

Myself and others said Crawford was a wild card in the Nick Punto trade, and so far, he's been just that. He's picked up for Matt Kemp's deficiency thus far and has served as the team's leadoff hitter. I had hoped Hanley Ramirez would be atop the Dodgers' order, but the way Crawford has taken the reins, it's clear Don Mattingly made the right decision (even if he didn't have to choose between the two because of Ramirez's injury).

Crawford has gotten in trouble on the basepaths a little bit (caught stealing twice), but he's been the team's best offensive player so far, just edging out Clayton Kershaw (and Adrian Gonzalez, I suppose).

Now, Crawford won't post a .500-plus on-base percentage the entire season, but I wouldn't be surprised if he posted a career-best OBP in 2013 (.364 in 2009 is his best). If he does that as the team's leadoff hitter, the Dodgers are going to be a dangerous team.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue