Chad Billingsley out for season, Dodgers recall Steven Rodriguez

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

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

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

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

So, there's that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credits

Billingsley: SD Dirk, Flickr

Rodriguez: Courtesy of Eric Stephen, True Blue LA

Pederson, Puig, Rodriguez among Dodgers' prospects to play in AFL

The Dodgers are sending four position players and four pitchers to this year's Arizona Fall League following the season.

Teams tend to have legitimate prospects participate in the AFL, and the Dodgers are no exception this year.

Position players
Gorman Erickson
Joc Pederson
Yasiel Puig
Rafael Ynoa

Pitchers
Eric Eadington
Red Patterson
Steven Rodriguez
To be determined

Baseball America has the full rosters on its site. It lists the Dodgers' final pitcher as "TBD," so we'll see who it might be. I'd be shocked if it was a guy like Zach Lee or Chris Reed. It'll likely be another reliever.

Steve Ames went last season and because he's been dominant in 2012, I don't think he needs the extra work. I could see it being Juan Rodriguez. He was suspended earlier this season in Rancho Cucamonga for "conduct detrimental to the team," so he doesn't have a lot of mileage on his arm this season. However, his 9.6 walks per nine innings rate (no, that isn't a typo) is quite alarming. He could probably use the extra work.

There's also the possibility of the Dodgers not filling that spot. We'll see what happens.

I'm really excited to see how Pederson and Puig handle the league. Since a lot of good prospects play in the AFL, it's a solid determiner of potential success. It isn't the be all, end all, but it helps when evaluating players.

Pederson has been fantastic this season and is opening up eyes. Puig, as we all know, got a late start to the season after signing his record-breaking contract. He can definitely use the extra baseball.

Erickson was in the AFL last season and has been massively disappointing in 2012. We'll see if it helps him at all going forward.

Ynoa, who's finishing up his age-24 season (turned 25 one day after my birthday), has virtually zero pop, but he has decent on-base skills. My guess is the Dodgers want to see how he handles advanced competition. He's been decent in Chattanooga.

The same could be said about Eadington and Patterson. Both are a little old for their level, but both could be serviceable bullpen arms down the road. Patterson is a bit underrated and has handled Double-A well. Eadington was able to strike hitters out in his 11 Double-A innings, but he gave up too many hits (13). The Dodgers probably want to see if he's a viable option sometime next season or in 2014.

Rodriguez could be the first player from the 2012 draft class to get the call to the majors after Marcus Stroman's suspension. He'll get a little more work in Arizona and could conceivably make the Dodgers' bullpen out of 2013 Spring Training -- but I wouldn't put money on it.

So, if you live in Arizona and want to see some Dodger prospects, this might be your best chance to do so. Some of them will probably get Spring Training invites, but they won't play a whole lot.

Lee rolling in Chattanooga

Remember when people were freaking out over Zach Lee's poor Double-A performance? Well, he's done quite a bit to shut those people up.

Lee's last eight starts: 4-1, 1.97 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 7.3 H/9, 0.6 HR/9 (three home runs allowed), 2.0 BB/9, 6.9 K/9 and a 3.5 K/BB.

That's damn good for a 20-year-old in the Southern League. His strikeout numbers are down from Rancho, but that's to be expected going forward. He's more of a control/location pitcher than a strikeout guy. However, he has shown the ability to get the strikeout when needed.

Perhaps that worry should be focused on Chris Reed, who's had a lackluster year while adjusting to the rotation.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Chattanooga Lookouts boast a nasty bullpen, future Los Angeles Dodgers

The Chattanooga Lookouts are contending for a playoff spot in the Southern League and if they make it, they might be able to thank a filthy bullpen.

Some Major League teams would kill to have the Lookout bullpen. (*cough* Philadephia *cough*)

But this Chattanooga bullpen could be one of the best in recent Dodger minor league memory. includes Steve Ames, Eric Eadington, Red Patterson, Steven Rodriguez and Javier Solano. All five of these guys have solid numbers in Double-A, with Ames and Solano repeating the level.

Any of these five guys could close out a game if necessary, but Ames is the team's closer right now. It isn't far-fetched to say all these guys could eventually see time in a major league bullpen before they hang up their spikes.

Ames, a 17th-round pick in 2009, has a 1.75 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and a 9.7 K/9. His stuff isn't overpowering, but those numbers are absolutely nothing to scoff at. He's stepped into the closer's role after Logan Bawcom was traded to the Mariners on July 31. The 24-year-old could be in Los Angeles before too long.

Eadington, a pitcher Baseball America ranked just outside its Dodger top 30 prospect list, has played at three different levels this season and the 24-year-old is having no problem adjusting to advanced hitting. He only has 9 1/3 Double-A innings, but his workload should increase in the coming weeks.

Patterson, 25, is turning into a personal favorite of mine. He's not the most talented or physically gifted guy around, but he gets the job done. He has a 3.22 ERA, 1.41 WHIP (not great) and a nice 9.1 K/9 out of the Lookout 'pen. After posting a 2.08 ERA in the first half, he's struggled in the second half (5.57), but he's still a viable option as a long reliever/sixth- or seventh-inning guy. One thing he does do well is keep the ball in the yard. He's allowed just two home runs in 64 1/3 innings this season.

Rodriguez, the Dodgers' 2012 second-round pick, began his professional career with Great Lakes. He dominated in six innings there (four hits allowed, 10 strikeouts), so the Dodgers promoted him to Chattanooga. He's been nearly as dominant as a Lookout: 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 10 K. When he was drafted, many said he could be the player from the entire 2012 draft class to reach the majors first. He's effectively one step away from that.

And finally a guy who I don't think gets enough credit. Solano, a 22-year-old whose career arc has been somewhat puzzling. In 2008 and 2009, he pitched in Ogden as most teenagers do. In 2010, he pitched at Indland Empire (High-A) and Double-A. So, logic would dictate he'd begin 2011 in Double-A. Well, that didn't happen. He began 2011 with Rancho Cucamonga before earning a promotion to Chattanooga. The funny thing is, his Double-A numbers are the best of any level he's pitched -- and definitely the most challenging level of any level he's pitched. This season, he has a 2.73 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9 and an 8.6 K/9. He's allowing fewer baserunners than last season and is throwing more strikes. That's always a nice combination.

The aforementioned Logan Bawcom once resided in the Lookout bullpen, but so did Shawn Tolleson, who was promoted to Triple-A then the majors earlier this season. Oh, and I didn't even mention Chris Withrow, who has been relegated to relief duty after struggling with his command -- again -- and battling through injuries. If he ever figures it out, that's just one more feather in the proverbial cap of manager Carlos Subero.

The Lookouts have a three-game lead over the Jackson Generals. If guys like Zach Lee, Matt Magill, Aaron Miller, Andres Santiago, Allen Webster and, to a lesser extent, Chris Reed, can get through five or six innings, it will make it a lot easier on the team and keep the starters fresh for a playoff run.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers need to rid themselves of Juan Uribe as soon as possible

It's no secret I've been against the Juan Uribe deal since he signed with the team two winters ago. I'm not usually in the business of saying "I told you so," but, well, it's quite fitting at this time.

Uribe is mired in a miserable slump (yes, even more miserable than his Dodger career totals). Since rejoining the team from injury on June 11, he's 5-for-49 with three doubles, two runs scored three walks and 15 strikeouts. Even worse, he's on an 0-for-25 streak right now.

When the Dodgers signed him, Uribe was coming off a big postseason with the Giants. Well, that's what Ned Colletti would tell you. In reality, he went 7-for-47 with two home runs and eight RBI. Unfortunately, those two home runs came at "clutch" times, thus leading people to believe Uribe was some kind of postseason hero.

He's actually one of the worst players in baseball and the Dodgers just need to cut their losses short with him.

There are two things keeping him around right now: his defensive ability (which isn't exactly Adrian Beltre-esque no matter what his 21.2 UZR says) and the fact the Dodgers have zero third base depth in the minors. Why do you think guys like Elian Herrera and Luis Cruz have even seen time in the majors this season?

The Dodgers drafted Corey Seager to be the eventual long-term third baseman, but he won't be ready for at least three years -- and that's being extremely optimistic. Other than that, guys like Josh Fields (not a prospect), Jake Lemmerman (more of a utility/middle infielder) and Pedro Baez (can't hit) are the next guys in line and they're not exactly realistic options.

But as for right now, the Dodgers are better off playing Jerry Hairston at third base the majority of the time. But since he's not an every day player, playing career minor-leaguers like Herrera and Cruz (and maybe even Adam Kennedy) are better options than Uribe. He's a black hole at the plate and has no business being on a Major League roster right now.

The Dodgers -- mainly Colletti -- have a really hard time known when to cut bait. If there was ever a time he was going to own up to his mistake, this would be the time. The fact that guys like Mike Petriello, Eric Stephen and Jon Weisman are saying there's a chance Uribe could be designated for assignment means there's some hope.

If the Dodgers sack up and actually DFA Uribe, they won't stick with the trio Herrera, Cruz and Kennedy for long. My expectation is they would step up trade efforts for a third baseman, particularly guys like Chase Headley or Jed Lowrie (who plays short but could slide over to third).

First thing's first, though: time to trim the excess fat (pun intended).

Minor league moves

The Dodgers made a number of minor league moves this week. Here are some of the more notable ones:

• Seager was assigned to Ogden and has already played in a couple games
• Steven Rodriguez was signed and went straight to Great Lakes
• Angelo Songco was promoted from Great Lakes to Rancho Cucamonga
• Darnell Sweeney was promoted to Great Lakes from Ogden to take Songco's spot

Seager beginning in Ogden is no surprise. He'll finish his first professional season there.

Rodriguez, the Dodgers' second-round pick, going to Great Lakes doesn't surprise me, but him signing for slot ($610,800) surprises me. That means the Dodgers will have to pay a luxury tax which comes in a little less than $75,000. The expectation was the Dodgers could get Rodriguez signed cheaper than slot to offer Seager a little more to forgo his commitment to South Carolina and because Rodriguez was overdrafted a bit.

Songco was rehabbing at Great Lakes and actually struggled a bit: .175/.281/.367 with six home runs. The home runs and walks were nice, but the .175 batting average was not -- especially since he played in the league a couple years ago. No clue how long he'll be in Rancho, but I'd like to see him in Chattanooga before the season ends.

Sweeney, the Dodgers' 13th-round draft pick, had a solid triple slash in 16 games: .303/.380/.379 for a glove-first shortstop. Drawing nine walks (against eight strikeouts) and stealing 10 bases were both positives for a 21-year-old fresh out of college.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Dodgers after Carlos Lee, Corey Seager signs, Puig contract official

Look, I understand the Dodgers are struggling right now. They've lost six games in a row, Matt Kemp is still on the disabled list, Andre Ethier could end up there and the they've scored a grand total of 15 runs in their last 11 games.

Still, that's no reason to panic. That's no reason to trade valuable assets for Carlos Lee.

As I'm sure you've heard, rumors popped up last night of the Dodgers' interest in Lee. But, as often happens on Twitter, the first reports weren't accurate.

It went from Zach Lee and Garrett Gould for Jed Lowrie to Zach Lee and Gould for Carlos Lee to Gould for Lee in the span of 20 minutes.

Lowrie would be a nice acquisition, as the 28-year-old has an .839 OPS and 14 home runs while playing shortstop. That's premium production, but Lowrie's problem has always been staying healthy. His career-high in games played is 88, established last season.

But as it stands, Houston isn't including Lowrie in this deal. And I wouldn't give up Zach Lee to get Lowrie either.

As it stands right now, the offer appears to be Gould for Lee. It's up to Lee to waive his no-trade rights. That's the hold up.

"Carlos Lee says Dodgers have made an offer and he's mulling whether to accept it."

I don't like this deal one bit. Chad Moriyama, per usual, nails it.

"As I was expressing on Twitter, I’m not thrilled with the idea of trading prospects for Carlos Lee. A solid segment of fans disagreed though, as they were generally enamored with acquiring an upgrade over James Loney. I’m just not sure Carlos Lee is the guy they’re looking for.

Carlos Lee’s current slash line is .290/.342/.412/.754, which is in line with his recent production, and he projects to hit .276/.328/.434/.762 the rest of the way. Additionally, consider that he’s a terrible defender in the outfield and a fringe to poor defender at first base.

James Loney’s current line is .236/.303/.323/.626, which is partially the result of lower than normal BABIP. He projects to hit .266/.327/.387/.714 the rest of the way. Plus, he plays above-average to plus defense at first.

Now 50 points difference in OPS is nothing to scoff at, but factor in the defense and then consider that Loney has a .802 OPS career against righties (.669 against lefties) and Juan Rivera has a .821 career OPS against lefties (.747 against righties). Now the gap is basically non-existent.

You know how to tell that this trade is an iffy upgrade? When it’s even arguable as to whether a potential acquisition is an improvement over James Loney and Juan Rivera."

Someone needs to forward this to Ned, Stan and Co. Yes, Loney sucks with the bat and Rivera isn't much better. But when combining the two, you basically get Lee with better defense.

This doesn't even qualify as an upgrade. And if the Dodgers are so hell-bent on acquiring Lee (seems like just a matter of time now), they shouldn't be giving up quality, tradeable assets to get him.

I wrote a scouting report on Gould over at Moriyama's blog and I know he's not a lock to be a No. 3 or No. 4 starter in the majors, but that's his potential. Potential has tradeable value. Using this value to acquire a player who is of little value makes no sense.

If this was the Lee of three years ago, OK. But he's basically a singles hitter right now and has some extreme reverse platoon splits:

• .335/.383/.456 vs. RHP
• .143/.213/.268 vs. LHP

Maybe the Dodgers trade for Lee and he goes all Bobby Abreu on us. But Abreu (like the entire team) is slumping and the shine is wearing off.

I'm all for trading prospects to get quality players in return. And I know fans tend to overvalue their own team's prospects, but this proposed deal doesn't make a lot of sense.

Seager signs

The Dodgers are set to sign first-round draft pick Corey Seager. The deal should be announced today. He'll receive a $2.35 million bonus.

That's a spot of good news. Seager, 18, was drafted at No. 18 in the 2012 MLB Drat by the Dodgers earlier this month. There was little question that he'd sign with the team, it was just a matter of how much he was going to get.

The slot recommendation for the pick is $1.95 million. The Dodgers were a little more than $300,000 under budget, so this signing leaves them $98,500 over budget with second-rounder Steven Rodriguez still to sign. In all likelihood, he'll sign for at least $98,500 less than slot to avoid the Dodgers having to pay a luxury tax.

The signing leaves 12 unsigned draftees, with just one (Korey Dunbar, 39th round) saying he won't sign.

Martin to the DL

Jarret Martin was placed on the 7-day disabled list and has returned to Arizona -- presumably Camelback Ranch -- to rehab.

This isn't particularly newsworthy, but I'm going to do a little speculating.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to send Martin from Michigan (where the Loons play) to Arizona for a one-week rehab stint. There are two possibilities here:

1. He'll be on the DL for more than seven days
2. He'll be on his way to Rancho when he's healthy

I'd like to think it's the latter, despite his struggles in the last month. The main thing is he gets healthy and back to pitching.

The man who replaced him on the roster was 15th-round pick (Duke) Dalton Von Schamann. He made his Low-A debut last night and fared pretty well: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. Not bad for a guy who was pitching in college a month ago.

Dodgers finalize Puig deal

The Dodgers finalized the Yasiel Puig's 7-year, $42 million Major Leauge contract on Friday. He was assigned to the Arizona League and placed on the temporary inactive list. He'll need a stint there before being moved up.

Also, since the contract was a Major League deal, a 40-man roster move needed to be made. Justin Sellers was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Puig. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Sellers is healthy and another spot is needed (or when the Dodgers inevitably acquire Lee). Guys on the short list include Matt Angle, Michael Antonini and Stephen Fife. I'm betting Angle and Fife are the ones to go.

Photo credits

Lee: SBoyd, Flickr

Seager: Courtesy of Perfect Game

Los Angeles Dodgers' 2012 MLB Draft recap -- Seager, Valentin, Garcia

With the 2012 MLB Draft done and the Dodgers signing players seemingly daily, here's a recap of what they did this year.

Positional breakdown (round number in parenthesis)
24 position players, 17 pitchers

• C: Eric Smith (18), John Cannon (29), C.J. Saylor (33), Austin Cowen (35), Korey Dunbar (39)
• 1B: Justin Chigbogu (4), Paul Hoenecke (24), John Sgromolo (37)
• 2B: Zach Babbitt (10)
• 3B: Corey Seager (1)
• SS: Jesmuel Valentin (1s), Darrell Sweeney (13), Jordan Parr (26), Justin Gonzalez (27), Trent Giambrone (30), Jose Vizcaino (36)
• OF: Joey Curletta (6), Theo Alexander (7), Jeremy Rathjen (11), Josh Henderson (16), Kevin Maxey (17), Jacob Scavuzzo (21), Corey Embree (38), Pat Stover (40)
• RHP: Ross Stripling (5), Scott Griggs (8), Zachary Bird (9), James Campbell (12), Matthew Reckling (14), Duke von Schamann (15), Owen Jones (19), Jharel Cotton (20), Alan Garcia (22), Lindsey Caughel (23), David Graybill (31), Jordan Hershiser (34)
• LHP: Steven Rodriguez (2), Onelki Garcia (3), Danny Coulombe (25), Jake Hermensen (28), Alfredo Unzue (32)

Bloodlines
Seager: Kyle Seager (brother)
Valentin: Jose Valentin (father)
Babbit: Shooty Babbit (father)
Cotton: Jamaine Cotton (brother)
A. Garcia: Cornelio Garcia (father)
Parr: Josh Parr (brother)
Hershiser: Orel Hershiser (father)
Vizcaino: Jose Vizcaino (father)

Signings
Valentin - $984,700
Stripling - $130,000 ($98,900 less than slot)
Alexander - Unknown, $144,600 (recommended) 

All bonus amounts after the 10th round are for $100,000 or less unless otherwise reported: Rathjen, Sweeney, Reckling, Hermsen, Cannon, Hershiser, Cowen, Embree

(These categories are from the Baseball America Prospect Handbook)

Best pure hitter
Seager. He has a nice opposite-field approach, which is advanced for a high schooler.

Best power hitter
Curletta. At 6'4, 230, he has the most power potential of anyone the Dodgers drafted. Check out this video (sorry for all the other crap associated with it). Chigbogu and Seager are next in line.

Fastest baserunner
Sweeney or Embree. Sweeney has good range at shortstop and Embree could stick in center field.

Best defensive player
Valentin. He played second base in Puerto Rico, but only because the No. 1 overall selection -- Carlos Correa -- was playing shortstop. Valentin profiles as a much better defender than his father. Actually, he profiles as a much better player than his father.

Best fastball
Garcia. While Griggs may top out in the mid-90s, a fastball that ranges from 90-95 MPH is more valuable than a right-handed fastball at 93-95 MPH.

Best secondary pitch
Griggs. His curveball is reminiscent of Ethan Martin's, as it sits at 79-82 MPH and has a lot of bite.

Best athlete
Gonzalez. At 6'2, 200 pounds, he can legitimately stick at shortstop due to his athleticism.

Most intriguing background
Valentin. Playing second fiddle to Correa, Valentin has the bloodlines and the ability to be a quality Major Leaguer. He reminds me a lot of Ivan De Jesus, but Valentin has a much better chance of staying at shortstop.

Closest to the Majors
Rodriguez. Jim Callis said aside from Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays, No. 22 overall), Rodriguez could be the fastest mover in this draft. I wouldn't expect to see him this season, but sometime in 2013 might not be out of the question.

Best late-round selection (20th round an on)
Gonzalez. The toolsy shortstop is just that -- a project who could pay off as a late-round selection (27th round). This is what Baseball America had to say about him:

"Athletic and rangy, Gonzalez had a chance to go in the first 10 rounds with a big year. He has the tools to play shortstop, with good footwork, infield actions, arm strength and quickness. He adds solid-average raw power, if not a tick above, and he has good projection in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound body. But Gonzalez has all kinds of issues making consistent contact at the plate, with a grooved swing and pitch-recognition problems. He was leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in strikeouts for the second consecutive year."

Don't care for the strikeouts (27.5 percent at Florida State), but the tools are there and the walk rate is nice (12.4 percent). He also has power potential and was only caught stealing four times in college. In this video, it seems Gonzalez has some opposite-field power potential, which is never a bad thing.



If he remains at shortstop, he could be a nice late-round pick.

The one who could get away
Garcia. Jim Callis of Baseball America said Garcia would have been the Dodgers' first-round selection if he was draft-eligible last season. He was not and the Dodgers took a shot on him in the third round. Slot recommendation for this selection is $420,300. If the Dodgers hope to land the big Cuban, they're going to have to go significantly over slot. If Alexander signed for slot, the Dodgers are $98,900 in the black in their bonus pool. His reported bonus demands were in the $7 million range. He's not going to get that much, but there's still a chance he could go unsigned.

Assessment
I actually like this draft, aside from using the second-round pick on a college reliever. Seager, Valentin, Garcia and Curletta could pay dividends.

Dodgers select a pair of lefties early in Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft

The Dodgers finally selected a pitcher, and considering Logan White's draft history, it's not surprising (but a tad disappointing). Steven Rodriguez, a left-hander from the University of Florida, was the team's second-round selection (No. 82 overall) on Tuesday.

Rodriguez (6'2, 235 pounds) was a 48th-round selection of the Houston Astros in 2009, so he obviously made the correct decision in choosing school instead of 48th-round money.

From OnlyGators.com:

"A dominant reliever for the Gators throughout his career, Rodriguez seems to keep getting better and better. Originally a 48th round pick in 2009, he made a mark his freshman season with Florida by earning a Super Regional win over Miami to send UF to the College World Series and followed up that effort with a terrific outing against Vanderbilt during the 2011 CWS to help send his team to the championship series. Now in his third season, Rodriguez boasts a 2.08 ERA (second lowest on the team despite throwing the most innings of any reliever) with a 79/13 K/BB ratio in 60.2 innings. Despite the fact that at least two of his teammates will be drafted ahead of him, Rodriguez may have the quickest path to the majors as a lefty reliever with his power and control is highly desired by all clubs."

On the MLB.com draft coverage, Jim Callis of Baseball America said aside from Marcus Stroman (No. 22 overall pick), Rodriguez "could be the  fastest to the majors" from this draft class.

Rodriguez sports a low-90s fastball and what has been described as a "nasty" cutter. Baseball America had him as the 114th-best player available in the draft.

I have to be honest: I'm not a fan of this pick. There really isn't a reason for the Dodgers to be drafting college relievers (silver lining: at least it was a lefty). The Dodgers are absolutely stacked in the minors with arms and relievers are probably the easiest thing to find in baseball.

Logan White has previously used early-round selections on college relievers with mixed results. Josh Lindblom has turned out well so far, but Zach Hammes pitched just eight innings at a level higher than Double-A.

I know it's hard to judge a draft selection this early, but the 82nd pick still has value and to use it on a college reliever is puzzling.

The Dodgers' third-round pick is a lot more interesting.

With the 113th pick, the Dodgers chose Cuban left-hander Onelki Garcia. He's a "local" guy from Calbasas, Calif.

Callis said if Garcia, 22, had been available in last year's draft, he would have been their selection.

Here are some tweets about the selection:

Kevin Goldstein

"The Dodgers take Onelki Garcia, last year's weird Cuba story. He said he wants $7 million, he's not going to get $7 million."

Ben Badler

"Dodgers top 2011 international sign (by far) was Cuban RHP Raydel Sanchez ($250K), who defected in '08. Same agent who reps Onelkis Garcia."

Matt Bandy

"Onelki Garcia was the guy who showed up like the day of the draft in 2011 and nobody really knew anything about him. Was deemed ineligible."

And then the most interesting tweet, via Keith Law (courtesy of Roberto Baly):

"Law wrote this last week RT @keithlaw Onelki Garcia is demanding a $7 million bonus, and won't sign if he's not taken in the 1st round"

He obviously wasn't drafted in the first, but if the Dodgers him something close to first-round money ($2-3M), I wonder if that will change his mind. The Dodgers have just a little more than $5.2 million to sign their first 11 picks, so it'll be interesting to see what they do with Garcia.

Perhaps the Dodgers went a little "cheap" with Jesmuel Valentin and Rodriguez so they could offer Garcia a little more money. Who knows? We'll have to see what happens.

Callis said Garcia has a 90-92 MPH (reported at 92-95 last year) with a good curveball. According to Baseball America, he "reported" as a 6-foot-3, 220-pound 21-year-old prior to last year's draft.

If the Dodgers can sign him, I like this pick a lot more than the Rodriguez pick. Then again, the Dodgers might not be able to get Garcia without drafting Rodriguez.

All-Star balloting update

Matt Kemp is leading the National League in All-Star voting with nearly 2 million votes. Despite his injury, he might get voted in by the fans (and subsequently replaced, as I'm sure he won't be playing in an exhibition game).

Andre Ethier is fourth in the National League, but he's well behind Ryan Braun (less than 300,000 votes). If he keeps hitting, he'll probably be named a reserve.

Sadly, A.J. Ellis isn't even in the Top 5 in the balloting.

"A.J. Ellis does not rank among NL All-Star voting leaders at C: 1. Molina; 2. Posey; 3. McCann; 4. Ruiz; 5. Lucroy #Dodgers"

We knew he wasn't going to beat Yadier Molina, but I was hoping to see him at least get some recognition. He's going to have a tough time beating out Carlos Ruiz for the backup catcher spot in the NL.

The Dodgers have no other players in the Top 5 of fan balloting.