Dodgers lose Shawn Tolleson to Rangers, plus 40-man & Rule 5 Draft

This was surprising: the Dodgers lost reliever Shawn Tolleson via waivers on Tuesday to the Texas Rangers.

Tolleson, 25, appeared in one game for the Dodgers this season and 40 in 2012. The reliever with great minor-league numbers struggled with injuries in 2013 (a back and hip, primarily). He's also a Tommy John surgery survivor (senior year of college).

In 127 2/3 career minor-league innings, Tolleson has an eye-popping 1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 13.0 K/9. In his limited time with the Dodgers, he didn't show quite the same potential.

Affordable relievers with great swing-and-miss potential don't usually hit waivers, so it was surprising he was available. The Dodgers were probably trying to sneak him through on this day of many roster moves, as teams must choose to add players to their 40-man rosters by 9 p.m. tonight. If some minor-leaguers aren't added, they'll be eligible for the Dec. 12 Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings.

The only way this move makes sense is if the Dodgers think Tolleson's injury history is too much for him to overcome. Otherwise, I can't make sense of the move. The Dodgers already had eight open spots on the 40-man roster and have expendable players like Mike Baxter, Javy Guerra and Justin Sellers who could easily be outrighted before losing a reliever of Tolleson's potential.

-----

In seemingly unrelated news, the Dodgers should be adding reliever Yimi Garcia to the 40-man roster sometime in the next few hours. He's the only Dodger minor-leaguer eligible for the Rule 5 Draft I'd add to the roster.

Garica, 23, had a 2.54 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 12.7 K/9 with in Double-A this season. He posts great numbers thanks to a low-90s fastball with some movement and a legitimate wipeout slider. He doesn't throw exceptionally hard, but he has better-than-average control and command, but he got bit by the home run bug a bit in 2013 -- (1.3 HR/9, nine home runs in 60 1/3 IP. That appears to be an anomaly, as he gave up just five home runs in his first 189 1/3 innings minor-league innings.

Some other notable prospects who are Rule 5-eligible this year are as follows:

Pedro Baez

Brian Cavazos-Galvez

Jon Garcia

Garrett Gould

Jarret Martin

Aaron Miller

Red Patterson

Scott Schebler

Blake Smith

Of all the players listed, I'd give Patterson the best chance of being nabbed. The 26-year-old is a versatile reliever who doesn't light up the radar gun, but gets outs. I could see a team taking a flyer on Baez, but I'm not confident in that. The only other guy who could get popped is Martin, who has a mid-90s fastball and sometimes-wipeout breaking ball from the left side. Other than them, none of these guys will get chosen.

If a player is chosen, he has to remain on the active roster (25-man) for the entire season, or the drafting team would have to offer the player back to the original team at half the $50,000 price tag.

I'll do a post previewing players the Dodgers could choose in the Rule 5 Draft when it gets closer.

Photo credits
Tolleson: Epic Memories by Ron, Flickr
Patterson: 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

Dodgers place Shawn Tolleson on DL, recall Josh Wall, Zach Lee is awesome

Remember that time Shawn Tolleson was put in a 1-0 game in Arizona and attempted not to pour gasoline all over the mound? Well, perhaps he shat the bed for a reason.

Tolleson was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday and Josh Wall was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.

Tolleson came in and promptly walked two batters, both of which allowed runs to score -- and both charged to Clayton Kershaw.

It's not an easy situation to be thrown into, that's for sure. But as a reliever, walking the runs in is about the worst that can be done.

At least the Dodgers replaced him with a guy who brings it. Wall has a nasty fastball-slider combination that, unfortunately, he has trouble controlling at times.

With the Dodgers' deep bullpen, Wall shouldn't be thrust into too many high-leverage situations. If he is, then something has gone terrible wrong.

Hopefully Tolleson can show why he was once a Top 10 prospect in the system (by most accounts). Tolleson has exhibited pretty good control in the minors (2.1 BB/9 in 125 2/3 innings), but hasn't done been able to match it in the majors (5.3 BB/9 in 37 2/3 innings).

Lee impresses early on

A little self back-patting here: Zach Lee is off to a fantastic start this season. My No. 1 Dodger prospect heading into the season, Lee has a 1.06 ERA, given up just two earned runs and 24 baserunners in 23 innings.

Lee is using a nice four-pitch mix, including a newly incorporated two-seam fastball. Lee has a 2.18 groundout-to-flyout rate this season, easily the best of his young career. That's important for him because one criticism of Lee is he lacks a true out pitch.

Lee is never going to be a strikeout-per-inning guy, but he can find a way to get a strikeout when he needs it (7.7 K/9 in his career).

So much was made of his $5.25 million signing bonus and the expectations that came along with it. The fact is, Lee is not the next Clayton Kershaw or Zack Greinke. He might not even be the next Chad Billingsley. But if he's anything close, he'll have a long and prosperous Major League career.

Photo credits

Tolleson (illustration): Epic Memories by Ron, Flickr

Lee: 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 

Albuquerque Isotopes announce 2013 roster, led by Alex Castellanos, Matt Magill and some flamethrowers

The final Dodger full-season minor-league affiliate to announce its roster is the Albuquerque Isotopes of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Generally an offensive powerhouse, the 'Topes are lacking in hitting talent this season. That, coupled with the humidor, could lead to fewer runs scored than expected.

• Great Lakes Loons opening day roster
• Rancho Cucamonga Quakes opening day roster
• Chattanooga Lookouts opening day roster

Castellanos

The offense is led by returning 'Topes Alex Castellanos and Scott Van Slyke. After that, it gets pretty thin.

Dee Gordon will be the team's starting shortstop, while Elian Herrera should start at second base. Either spring-training-sensation-not-named Yasiel Puig Brian Barden or Rusty Ryal should start at third base. The outfield will boast a couple rangy players in Matt Angle and Nick Buss.

I hit on just 13 of 25 players from my February prediction -- the worst of any minor-league level.

Roster

Catchers
Steve Cilladi (DL)
Jesus Flores
Matt Wallach

Gordon

Infielders
Alfredo Amezaga
Brian Barden
Dee Gordon
Elian Herrera
Osvaldo Martinez (DL)
Rusty Ryal
Scott Van Slyke

Outfielders
Matt Angle
Nick Buss
Alex Castellanos
Tony Gwynn

Fife

Starting pitchers
Stephen Fife
Javy Guerra
Blake Johnson
Matt Magill
Sean White

Relief pitchers
Geison Aguasviva
Steve Ames
Angel Castro
Peter Moylan
Red Patterson
Shawn Tolleson
Josh Wall
Chris Withrow

For the first time in a long time, there is actually some pitching talent on this squad.

Magill is the best pitcher in town, while Fife has actually proven to be a potentially serviceable pitcher. Guerra is in the rotation to get stretch into a long-reliever.

The bullpen has some hard-throwing youngsters and a cagey Aussie veteran in Moylan. Ames, Tolleson, Wall and Withrow could be a potent and lethal 'pen, provided the starters pitch well enough so the quartet isn't burned out. Either Tolleson or Wall should close with Ames and Withrow setting up. And Feelin' Kinda Blue favorite Patterson should be the team's other long reliever.

There are some players missing. Jeremy Moore, who was expected to be on the roster, is back in Arizona at extended spring training. Nick Evans, Dallas McPherson and Michael Antonini were are released prior to the season. And Kevin Gregg, who didn't have an out clause in his contract, was released on Wednesday after Paco Rodriguez was chosen to begin the season with the Dodgers instead of him, something I wrote about over at Yahoo! Sports.

My best guess at a lineup

Gordon SS
Gwynn CF
Castellanos RF/LF
Van Slyke 1B/DH
Barden 3B
Herrera 2B
Flores C
Ryal DH/1B
Angle/Buss LF/RF

Wall

Really, not a whole lot to be excited about. Guys like Blake Smith or, gulp, Puig could get the call to Triple-A, but that wouldn't come until midseason. They could get some reinforcements in the form of Moore and Brian Cavazos-Galvez, if there are enough injuries.

Here's hoping Magill doesn't get shelled, Castellanos continues to hit and the power relievers post a lot of strikeouts. It's the PCL, so anything can happen. The 'Topes could challenge for a playoff spot, but there are a lot of good prospects in the league, making other teams stronger.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers' full-season minor league team preview: Albuquerque Isotopes

This is the final post in a four-part series projecting the Dodgers' full-season minor league teams. To close out the series, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

• Part 1: Great Lakes Loons
• Part 2: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
• Part 3: Chattanooga Lookouts

The Isotopes finished as the Pacific Coast League American Southern division with an 80-64 record. The 'Topes faced off against the Oklahoma Storm Chasers (Royals' affiliate).

One of the better teams in the minors, the Storm Chasers and Isotopes traded the first three games of the series. In Game 4, the 'Topes were down 10-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. At the time, it looked like their season was done. However, a nine-run seventh, including a game-deciding three-run home run from Tony Gwynn, propelled the Isotopes to a deciding Game 5, which Oklahoma won handily.

Van Slyke

The 2012 Isotopes were led on offense by young players Alex Castellanos, Jerry Sands and Scott Van Slyke. Josh Fields, a veteran, had a late-season hot streak that led to a .322/.392/.488 line in 133 games. There is usually no shortage of offensive firepower for the 'Topes.

Castellanos, despite playing just 94 games, posted a great .328/.420/.590 triple slash with 17 home runs. The Dodgers don't seem to keen on letting him be the team's right-handed hitting platoon outfielder, so expect him back at Triple-A. Sands was traded to Boston in the Adrian Gonzalez trade. He was traded to Pittsburgh this winter and may or may not get real playing time with the Bucs. Van Slyke seems like the prototypical Four-A player and should be the team's left fielder.

The pitching staff was led by John Ely, who had one of the best seasons for a PCL pitcher, going 14-7 with a 3.20 ERA and a league-leading 165 strikeouts (in 168 2/3 innings). He also had a sparkling WHIP (1.10) and a great walks per nine innings rate (1.9). For his efforts, he was traded to Houston. Stephen Fife was decent, but unspectacular, for Albuquerque. He provided 135 1/3 innings of adequate innings. Other than those two, the Isotopes' rotation left a lot to be desired.

Projected roster

Catchers (2)
Tim Federowicz
Matt Wallach

Infielders (5)
Nick Evans
Elian Herrera
Osvaldo Martinez
Dallas McPherson
Rafael Ynoa

Smith

Outfielders (5)
Nick Buss
Alex Castellanos
Jeremy Moore
Blake Smith
Scott Van Slyke

Starting pitchers (5)
Michael Antonini
Stephen Fife
Matt Magill
Matt Palmer
Jon Michael Redding

Relievers (8)
Geison Aguasviva
Steve Ames
Cole St. Clair
Kevin Gregg
Mark Lowe
Shawn Tolleson
Josh Wall
Chris Withrow

A name missing from my projection is Gwynn. I suspect he'll be traded or released prior to the season. If he isn't, Buss should be that fall guy. Also missing is Dee Gordon. I'm betting (hoping?) he breaks camp with the Dodgers, or he's moved toward the end of Spring Training.

The starting pitching, as usual, will be a little weak. Magill should head the rotation and is a legitimate prospect. The bullpen should have some intriguing characters, including Ames, Tolleson Wall and Withrow (if he can throw strikes). This also means I'm projecting Paco Rodriguez to break camp with the big league club.

My lineup
Buss/Moore CF
Herrera 2B
Castellanos LF/DH
McPherson 3B
Van Slyke DH/LF
Smith RF
Evans 1B
Federowicz C
Ynoa SS

This lineup could score a ton of runs. Castellanos, McPherson and Van Slyke are PCL veterans and should be a formidable 3-4-5. The last time McPherson was in the PCL, he hit 22 home runs with the Sacramento River Cats. The last time he was with Albuquerque (as a member of the Marlins' organization), he blasted 42 home runs.

Smith and Ynoa should make their Triple-A debuts and could benefit from the extreme hitter-friendly environments.

Much like any year, the offense will determine the Isotopes' success. But I'm interested to see how Magill handles the rarefied air and if those fireballers out of the 'pen can keep the PCL hitters at bay.

Photo credits

Van Slyke: EephusBlue, Twitter

Smith: 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

My 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers' all-prospect team

There are lots of familiar names on this list, but also a lot of new names on this year's all-prospect team.

To be eligible for this team, the player must have been a prospect at the beginning of the season and is still with the organization. So, guys like Allen Webster, Nathan Eovaldi and Leon Landry will not be included on this list.

Without further adieu, here's my 2012 Dodgers' all-prospect team:

Catcher: Tim Federowicz, 24, Triple-A
.294/.371/.461, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 34 2B, 10.9% BB rate
- Federowicz established himself as the clear-cut best catching prospect in the Dodgers' system with a solid season for Triple-A Albuquerque. Federowicz was definitely helped by the Isotopes' home environment (.350/.415/.569 at home, .245/.331/.370 on the road), but he did show an improved walk rate from 2011 to 2012. He was selected to the Triple-A All-Star team and should be A.J. Ellis' backup starting next season.
Second team: Eric Smith, 21, Rookie-Ogden

First Base: O'Koyea Dickson, 22, Low-A
.272/.366/.479, 17 HR, 63 RBI, 27 2B, 10.2% BB rate
- Dickson is a favorite of mine and it looked like he was going to establish himself as truly a legitimate prospect in the system after a torrid first half. However, a poor second half brought his numbers down to a pedestrian level. Still, he had a .207 ISO and .845 OPS in a pitcher's league. He should begin next season with in Rancho Cucamonga with the Quakes.
Second team: Jesus Valdez, 20, Rookie-Ogden

Second Base: Rafael Ynoa, 25, Double-A
.278/.364/.352, 37 RBI, 23 2B, 23 SB, 11.8% BB rate
- Ynoa, while having no power potential, showed some nice on-base skills in Double-A. While I nearly gave this to Scott Wingo, I gave Ynoa the edge for playing against advanced competition, despite being 25 years old. Ynoa doesn't have much more than utility player upside (at best), so I wouldn't get too excited over him.
Second team: Scott Wingo, 23, High-A

Third base: Alex Castellanos, 26, Triple-A/Majors
.328/.420/.590, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 25 2B, 11.3% BB rate
- Castellanos played more games at second base (50) than he did third base (34) for the Isotopes this season, but he finished as the team's third baseman and might have a shot there going forward. He probably still ends up as an outfielder, but it's just nice to see production from a semi-prospect at a position of great need for the Dodgers. Most impressive was Castellanos' improved walk rate from 2011 (7.3 percent).
Second team: C.J. Retherford, 27, High-A/Double-A

Shortstop: Darnell Sweeney, 21, Rookie-Ogden/Low-A
.294/.374/.430, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 27 SB, 10.7% BB rate
- Sweeney, the Dodgers' 13th-round pick, wasn't expected to hit this well, but he was quite the surprise in his limited playing time. He showed a little pop, some speed and, most impressive, a good eye at the plate. He could surprise some folks and be a legitimate prospect this time next season.
Second team: Corey Seager, 18, Rookie-Ogden

Left Field: Scott Schebler, 21, Low-A
.260/.312/.388, 6 HR, 67 RBI, 32 2B, 5.4% BB rate
- Schebler led the Loons in hits, runs batted in, doubles and runs scored. Yet, he didn't play all that well this season. His inability to draw walks at a high rate could eventually be his undoing. At 21, he still has a chance to realize his potential. However, the former 25th-round pick is going to have to get it going quickly in Rancho next season.
Second team: Austin Gallagher, 23, High-A

Center Field: Joc Pederson, 20, High-A
.313/.396/.516, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 96 R, 10.2% BB rate
- This one should come as no surprise as Pederson was my Dodgers' minor league Player of the Year. He had a fantastic season in High-A as a 20-year-old and it'll be interesting to see how he handles himself next season in Double-A.
Second team: Jeremy Rathjen, 22, Rookie-Ogden

Right Field: Scott Van Slyke, 26, Triple-A/Majors
.327/.404/.578, 18 HR, 67 RBI, 34 2B, 11.2% BB rate
- Van Slyke performed well for the Isotopes this season. He even got a cup of coffee in the majors and hit a game-winning three-run home run against the Cardinals -- a game that was more important than anyone thought. Van Slyke benefited from the friendly hitter's environment in the Pacific Coast League, but he didn't slump when the team took to the road.
Second team: Blake Smith, 24, Double-A

Starting Pitcher 1: Matt Magill, 22, Double-A
11-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9, 10.5 K/9
- Like Pederson, this one should come as no surprise as Magill was my Dodgers' minor league Pitcher of the Year. He did well against older competition and led the Southern League in strikeouts. That's saying something. He still profiles as a No. 4 or No. 5 starter, but there's always a need for those guys.

Starting Pitcher 2: Zach Lee, 21, High-A/Double-A
6-6, 4.39 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9, 7.7 K/9
- Lee had good peripherals in Rancho Cucamonga, so he was promoted to Double-A. Despite a rough start, Lee finished his season on fire and established himself as the clear-cut No. 1 prospect in the organization. He'll get a full season at Chattanooga in 2013.

Starting Pitcher 3: Andres Santiago, 22, High-A/Double-A
6-5, 3.69 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 9.8 K/9
- Santiago is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and at 22, he has some upside. He repeated High-A to start the season before getting promoted to Double-A. Santiago was able to handle both levels and could be a sleeper in the organization. His 9.8 K/9 trailed only Magill among Dodger starting pitchers.

Starting Pitcher 4: Aaron Miller, 24, Double-A
6-6, 4.45 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 5.3 BB/8, 8.7 K/9
- Miller gets this spot due to trades and a nice strikeout rate. As you can tell, the walks are an issue for him. He had a decent 2012 season and, more importantly, he stayed healthy for it. If he can, somehow, harness his stuff and have better control, he could still be something. However, I see him ending up in the bullpen.

Starting Pitcher 5: Duke von Schamann, 21, Rookie-Ogden/Low-A/Double-A
6-4, 3.00 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9, 5.3 K/9
- Duke is the second 2012 Dodger draftee to make the first team and he made it through three levels of the minors in his debut season. He isn't a big strikeout guy and obviously relies on his control. His WHIP and walk rate are mighty impressive. Double-A might have a stacked rotation in 2013, so he could begin the season in Rancho Cucamonga.

Second five: Stephen Fife, Chris Reed, Jon Michael Redding, Arismendy Ozoria, Jarret Martin

Relief Pitcher 1:  Steve Ames, 24, Double-A
3-3, 18 SV, 1.56 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9, 10.2 K/9
- Ames really had a great season for the Lookouts. Ames took over for Shawn Tolleson after he was promoted to Triple-A and eventually the majors. He doesn't get the acclaim guys like Tolleson and Kenley Jansen got, but he could be every bit as good as them (well, maybe not Jansen). He throws strikes, keeps the ball in the yard and misses bats -- hard to ask for much more than that from a reliever.

Relief Pitcher 2: Shawn Tolleson, 24, Double-A/Triple-A/Majors
0-1, 5 SV, 2.82 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 13.7 K/9
- Tolleson's accumulated numbers are low because he's thrown 33 games in Los Angeles. That doesn't take away from his performance in the minors before being recalled. He should be a fixture in the Dodgers' bullpen for many years, hopefully dissuading Ned Colletti to acquire a reliever next July.

Relief Pitcher 3: Yimi Garcia, 22, Low-A/High-A
6-5, 16 SV, 2.92 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9, 14.1 K/9
- Garcia established himself as one of the system's best fireballing relievers this season, as evidenced by his ridiculous strikeout rate. He threw nearly 11 innings with Rancho Cucamonga and I wouldn't be surprised to see him begin next season there with a midseason call-up to Chattanooga.

Relief Pitcher 4: Javier Solano, 22, Double-A
3-0, 0 SV, 2,73 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9, 8.6 K/9
- Solano is one of the more underrated relievers in the system and he just keep plugging away. He doesn't overpower hitters, but he does enough to get the job done. I could see him starting next season in Triple-A just as easily as I could see him repeating Double-A.

Relief Pitcher 5: Eric Eadington, 24, Low-A/High-A/Double-A
4-3, 26 SV, 3.63 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 10.3 K/9
- Eadington was a quick riser this season after dominating the Midwest League (13.8 K/9, 27.0 K/BB). He was less successful going up the ladder, but not to the point that hurt his prospect status too much. He misses bats, throws in the low-90s (touches 95 MPH) and is left-handed -- pretty much all one needs to be a Major League relief pitcher.

Second five: Steven Rodriguez, Red Patterson, Josh Wall, Jordan Roberts, Michael Thomas

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.

Dodgers should pursue Hanley Ramirez instead of Chase Headley

While the hottest Dodger rumor of the day is a Matt Garza trade involving Zach Lee and others, there is a potential trade not many are talking about.

The Dodgers have needed to add quality bats to the team for years. That's no secret and this year is no exception. But in this wafer-thin market, there aren't a lot of options.

The Padres appear to be asking a lot for Chase Headley, who is the best third baseman reportedly on the market.to get him, the Dodgers would likely have to deal Lee and at least another B-/C+ prospect to get him. While he's under control through 2014 and should perform much better outside the unfriendly confines of Petco Park, I'm still not sure I'd be rushing to give up Lee to get him.

At this rate, I might not even give up Allen Webster to get Headley. Webster's resurgence has been fantastic to see.

But should the Dodgers be looking elsewhere for offensive help?

The Marlins have reportedly been gauging trade interest in their shortsop-turned-third baseman Hanley Ramirez.

From Scott Miller of CBS Sports:

"Rival executives who have spoken with Marlins people believe they've never been more open to the idea. Halfway through a bitterly disappointing season, the Marlins aren't so much trying to blow things up (as they have in the past) as they are simply trying to change the ingredients.

It's not that they think they're that far from winning so much as the Marlins simply do not like their team. They've decided that the mix is bad, the pieces don't fit, the personalities have not coalesced.

In other words, they've come to terms with the obvious."

With the Marlins' big trade today, moving Ramirez indeed seems more likely than ever.

Ramirez, a former batting champion, 30-30 man and MVP runner-up, has not been the same player he was as recently as 2010.

Ramirez is hitting just .245/.328/.405 in the last two seasons. His 2011 was shortened by injury and his 2012 is marginally better.

Despite the lack of production, the price to get him -- prospects- and money-wise -- will be greater than that of Headley. Still, if Ramirez is available, the Dodgers need to get in on the sweepstakes.

Let's face it: they're not going to get Justin Upton (as much as I'd love that). If it comes down to Ramirez and Headley, I'm taking Ramirez (if not both, which would gut the system).

Pros/Cons

Hanley Ramirez
Pros: Age, power, past performance, speed, SS or 3B
Cons: Attitude, declining production, owed roughly $39 million through 2014, poor defense

Chase Headley
Pros: Age, defense, friendly contract, no attitude, on-base ability
Cons: Lack of power, limited ceiling, no superstar potential

The Marlins signed Jose Reyes to a big contract in the offseason and moving Ramirez to third base hasn't exactly worked out offensively or defensively.

What would it take to get him?

Editor's note: After some feedback, it's been determined I'm giving up too much in this deal. So, I've amended it by removing Joc Pederson.

To Florida: Lee, Scott Van Slyke, Chris Reed, Shawn Tolleson
To Los Angeles: Ramirez, Ricky Nolasco

I'm not saying it's a good possibility the Dodgers get Ramirez, but considering the Padres want a lot for an affordable Headley and the Dodgers would have to pay a premium with an interdivision trade, Ramirez might make more sense.

The Marlins get salary relief (to use on free agents in the winter), a Top 50 prospect in Lee and a budding Top 100 prospect in Pederson. Reed has lots of talent but is still an unknown. Van Slyke is a guy who can player right now for the Marlins and Tolleson is a quality bullpen arm who can go right into their bullpen. The Fish always seem to acquire MLB-ready relievers in trades.

The Dodgers get a legitimate stick in Ramirez and a starting pitcher in Nolasco who is owed about $16 million through next year. Ramirez is due about $39 million through 2014.

The best asset the Dodgers' favor right now is the ability to take on money (and not just in lieu of including quality prospects). Ownership has not been quiet about that fact. This could be a golden opportunity to put that benefit into effect.

Ramirez is a risky acquisition, but it's a risk well worth taking. He has superstar potential, even if he hasn't shown it for the last few seasons. The Dodgers cannot go forward with Luis Cruz at shortstop. Until Dee Gordon returns, I'd play Ramirez at shortstop and bat him leadoff. He's enjoyed a lot of success out of the leadoff spot in his career.

Ramirez, like another Ramirez the Dodgers acquired a few years ago, needs a change of scenery. This move would also allow the team go acquire a guy like Justin Morneau (another risky proposition) which would immediately improve the lineup.

Photo credits: SD Dirk, Flickr