Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 83 - Dodgers, MLB Draft review, prospects

On these episodes of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodgers Nation) and I are joined by Chris Rodriguez of Baseball Prospectus to recap the 2014 MLB Draft and some Dodgers' prospects.

Chris Anderson has been generally disappointing, and the Dodgers might be changing his mechanics. Julio Urias is still great, as is Corey Seager. Tom Windle still might be a reliever, but he's been solid this season.

We get into the Dodgers' draft, which was underwhelming after nailing their first two picks in Grant Holmes and Alex Verdugo. They took just eight high schoolers -- the fewest number of prep players of any year in Logan White's tenure. There are a few guys who might be something, but on the whole, we were expecting more.

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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 (dugoutbluepodcast@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@JaredJMassey or @DustinNosler). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Seth Rosin's chances of remaining with Dodgers better than some expect

When the Dodgers acquired right-hander Seth Rosin from the Mets, following New York selecting him in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft, not much was made about it at the time.

Rosin, 25, has never pitched above Double-A, and was just mediocre at the level in 2013 (4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.8 K/9). But that was as a starting pitcher. He'll shift back to the bullpen, where he has spent a majority of his minor-league innings.

At 6'6, 250 pounds, it's hard to miss him on the field. With a low-90s fastball that touches 94 MPH, he has the velocity to succeed in the majors. He also seems to have the command to do so. His career walks per nine innings rate is 2.7. Sure, it'd probably tick up a bit in the majors, but he's adept at throwing strikes.

If Rosin were able to miss more bats consistently, he could find himself in a Major League bullpen. To make the Dodgers' bullpen, a lot of things are going to have to go in his favor.

Dodger relievers with MLB deals
J.P. Howell
Kenley Jansen
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Brian Wilson
Jamey Wright

Dodger relievers with MiLB options
Jose Dominguez
Paco Rodriguez
Chris Withrow

Barring anything unforeseen, all six of the pitchers from the first list are going to make the team in some fashion. The only conceivable way one doesn't is if League is designated for assignment.

Of the three on the second list, Rodriguez is a sure bet to be in the Dodgers' bullpen come opening day. If he weren't, that means Howell would be the team's only left-handed reliever.

Eric Stephen wrote a piece about Rosin earlier this week. He got an interesting quote from General Manager Ned Colletti.

"'I'm very interested in seeing what he can bring. Great arm, very competitive, very sharp,' (Colletti) said. 'He may be a power arm out of the pen, he may be somebody who could pitch multiple innings out of the pen, he could be a spot starter.'"

That versatility is an attractive feature to have, especially to the Dodgers, which lack a true long-reliever right now.

Colletti also had good things to say about him in Bill Plunkett's article on Baseball America on Sunday.

"'We had good reports on him,' (Colletti said). 'He's a big guy with a live arm and he's a smart kid. The day we traded for him, he finished his last final to get his degree from the University of Minnesota.

'That doesn’t speak to the baseball side but it says something about the kid.'"

This probably means absolutely nothing, but the Dodgers' 2013 first-round pick Chris Anderson is from the Minnesota area and second-rounder Tom Windle went to the University of Minnesota. Just interesting to note.

Rosin was invited to the Dodgers' Winter Development Program, the Dodgers' annual symposium-type even for prospects and young players close to the majors. If the Dodgers didn't really think Rosin had a chance to make the club, he would not have been invited.

As a Rule 5 draftee, Rosin would have to be on the active roster when the seasons start -- either on the 25-man roster or on the disabled list. If the Dodgers do not retain him, he'd be placed on waivers for any team to claim. If he goes unclaimed, he'd have to be offered back to the Phillies for $25,000. If they refuse, the Dodgers could then send him to the minor leagues. The Dodgers could also negotiate a trade with Philadelphia to keep him around. I don't see him making it that far. If he throws well in spring, the Dodgers could find a way to keep him. If he is waived, he'd surely be claimed.

As a flyball pitcher, his profile fits well in Dodger Stadium. I put a 70 percent chance he'd be cut to make room on the 40-man roster. After hearing the good things about him from the Dodgers, I'm not so certain.

A team can never have too much pitching. That adage usually holds true, unless one of those pitchers is a Rule 5 draftee.

It's a tough road ahead for Rosin, but he has a better chance of remaining in Los Angeles than it may seem. I'll say this: I'd take Rosin over league in a heartbeat.

Photo credit: woolenium, Flickr

Dodgers' minor-league coaching staffs have a lot of MLB experience

The Dodgers made a number of changes in the minor-league coaching ranks and announced said changes on Sunday.

There was a vacancy at the Triple-A level after former Albuquerque Isotopes' manager Lorenzo Bundy was promoted to third base coach. The Dodgers filled that hole with a former Major League catcher. There are new managers at every level of the Dodgers' minor-league system (save the Dominican Summer League).

Triple-A Albuquerque
Manager: Damon Berryhill
Hitting coach: Franklin Stubbs
Pitching coach: Glenn Dishman

Double-A Chattanooga
Manager: Razor Shines
Hitting coach: Shawn Wooten
Pitching coach: Scott Radinsky

High-A Rancho Cucamonga
Manager: P.J. Forbes
Hitting coach: Mike Eylward
Pitching coach: Matt Herges

Low-A Great Lakes
Manager: Bill Haselman
Hitting coach: Johnny Washington
Pitching coach: Bill Simas



Pioneer League Ogden
Manager: Lee Tinsley
Hitting coach: Leo Garcia
Pitching coach: Greg Sabat

Arizona League Dodgers
Manager: John Shoemaker
Hitting coach: Henry Cruz
Pitching coach: Hector Berrios

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The most interesting move is Berryhill jumping from the short-season ball to the highest level of the minors. Berryhill managed Ogden for the last five years. He guided the Raptors to four playoff appearances. He's a former catcher, so there's no doubt he has the smarts for the job He's a fine choice to replace Bundy.

Stubbs returns as Isotopes' hitting coach. Last season was his first with club and sixth with the organization. He should have a good opportunity to work with Joc Pederson. Dishman has the unenviable position as the Isotopes' pitching coach. But it's his fourth year in that position, so he must be doing something right. Maybe he can make Zach Lee's stay a little more enjoyable than is anticipated.

Shines earned a promotion from Low-A to Double-A, where he figures to manage some familiar faces. He managed the Loons last season to the playoffs. His son Devin Shines is an outfielder in the organization.

Wooten, a former major leaguer most notably with Anaheim, will have the task of making guys like Scott Schebler and Darnell Sweeney into better hitting prospects. Former Dodger Radinsky takes over as the team's pitching coach. He figures to work with some of the better Dodger pitching prospects in 2014, including guys like Onelki Garcia, Chris Reed and Ross Stripling.

Forbes takes over for Carlos Subero and could have the most talent of any Dodger minor-league manager. He should have Corey Seager and Julio Urias to start the season, as well as Chris Anderson and Tom Windle.

Eylward gets bumped up from Great Lakes, where he was the hitting coach, to Rancho Cucamonga, where he will be the hitting coach. Herges returns third season as the Quakes' pitching coach.

Haselman managed the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels' affiliate and former Dodgers' affiliate) the last two seasons. He went to UCLA.

Washington was the Quakes' hitting coach this past season and also was the Glendale Desert Dogs' (Arizona Fall League) hitting coach in 2013. Simas returns for his second campaign as the Loons' pitching coach.

Tinsley is coming over from the Cubs for his first year with the organization. He played 14 years in the big leagues. Shoemaker has been with the Dodgers' organization in some capacity since 1977.

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Overall, some really nice hires. If these guys can continue to develop and improve the prospects through their respective minor-league journeys, then their work will be done.

Dodgers' Low-A affiliate Great Lakes Loons playoff-bound after slow start

Coming into the 2013 season, the Great Lakes Loons looked like the fourth-best team of the four full-season Dodger minor-league affiliates. Well, they could be the only one to make the postseason.

The Loons clinched a playoff berth with a win on Thursday night behind the right arms of Chris Anderson (4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K) and Brandon Martinez (3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K). It’s the third playoff berth in the club’s history.

The team got off to a rough start, losing four of their first six games and went 11-13 in April. Things got even worse in May, as they went 7-23 and any hopes of the postseason looked bleak.

Loons’ record by month

April: 11-13

May: 7-23 (18-36)

June: 18-9 (36-45)

July: 14-14 (50-59)

August: 16-10 (66-69)

Luckily, playoff participants are broken down into first half and second half records. The Loons went 26-43 in the first half. They’ve gone 40-26 thus far in the second half, with three more games.

When the season started, the Loons had Corey Seager and a bunch of young guys or guys repeating the level. Tyle Ogle, Jharel Cotton and Carlos Frias were Midwest League All-Stars. Cotton and Frias were promoted before the game, so Ogle was the team’s only representative.

The team got a huge boost from the arrival of then-16-year-old Julio Urias. I did a double-take when I heard he was making his professional debut with the Loons. But Urias, despite (rightly) being on a strict innings limit (75), has pitched like a player well beyond his years.

Urias’ 2013 statistics

18 starts

2-0 W-L

2.48 ERA

1.10 WHIP

7.3 H/9

2.7 BB/9

11.1 K/9

4.19 K/BB

2.87 FIP

These numbers would be impressive for a 20-year-old, but this is a 16-year-old (turned 17 a few weeks ago) doing this against hitters about six years older than him on average. Amazing.

The Loons also got a boost from the 2013 MLB Draft class. The Dodgers’ top three picks began their pro careers with the club -- Anderson, Tom Windle and Brandon Dixon.

Anderson has a 1.96 ERA in 46 innings while Windle has a 2.77 ERA in 48 2/3 innings. Dixon, unfortunately, hasn’t found his stroke, hitting just .169/.215/.246 in his first 55 professional games.

Other 2013 draftees to play for the Loons include CraytonBare, Rob Rogers, Thomas Taylor and Brandon Trinkwon.

The pitching has been the story for the Loons, as the Midwest League isn’t particularly hitter-friendly.

Miguel Sulbaran was having a fantastic season before the Dodgers (foolishly) traded him to acquire Drew Butera earlier this month. Even with the loss, the Loons can roll out a rotation of Urias, Anderson and Windle as their 1-3. However, each pitcher is on an innings limit. Anderson and Windle were reportedly going to throw only 50 innings in their debut. Both are close to that limit. With the playoffs near, I wonder if the Dodger brass would let Anderson and Windle go a few more innings if it means giving the Loons the best chance to win.

Outside of that trio, the Loons can also throw guys like Zachary Bird (reigning MWL Pitcher of the Week), Ralston Cash, Brandon Martinez and Jonathan Martinez for a few innings. The bullpen has been solid this season, too. Scott Griggs won a Pitcher of the Week honor while Craig Stem was the team’s closer before being promoted to Rancho Cucamonga.

Pitching wins, but runs also have to be scored. There’s enough raw talent for the Loons to score, but it remains to be seen if they can put it all together. James Baldwin has improved as the season progressed. He may not reach his ultimate ceiling, but he’s a better player now than he was last year. Aaron Miller has been surprisingly productive making the conversion from the mound to the batter’s box. Jeremy Rathjen is a lot like Baldwin. He started out slow but has picked it up as the season moved along.

Outside of Seager’s .309/.389/.529 triple slash, there aren’t many pretty slash lines on the Loons’ team. And the team will be without the supremely talented 19-year-old. But guys like those mentioned above and Ogle need to step up if the Loons want to go far in the MWL playoffs.

The Loons went from a floundering team with not a lot of talent to the most exciting team with loads of talent in the Dodgers’ farm system. They nearly did a 180-degree turn, not unlike the parent club. We'll see how they do in the playoffs starting next week.

Photo credits

Urias: Courtesy of the Great Lakes Loons

Anderson: Ali Messick, courtesy of Great Lakes Loons

Dodgers' 1st-rounder Chris Anderson impressive in pro debut for the Loons

Chris Anderson made quite the statement with his professional debut on Tuesday night. It’s the smallest of sample sizes, but his debut should fill Dodger fans with optimism.

Anderson, the Dodgers’ first-round draft pick in 2013, struck out the side in his first inning of work. He did so on just 10 pitches, nine of which were strikes. That’s impressive in its own right. But the fact all nine of those strikes were swinging and on his fastball is almost unbelievable.

He only struck out two in his second -- and last -- inning of work. He finished with the following line:

• 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 27 pitches, 20 strikes

Probably couldn’t have drawn it up any better than that. He topped out at 98 MPH with his fastball and sat in the 90-96 MPH range while flashing a plus mid-80s slider. He didn’t throw his changeup, which is something I’d like to see him do consistently before season’s end. It was just his first start and, despite being on a 50-inning limit, he’ll have plenty of time to throw it.

Jared Massey said he counted 14 swings and misses. If accurate, just two of Anderson’s 20 strikes were put into play -- a fly out to left and a bloop single. That’s awfully impressive.

Anderson is a surefire Top 10 prospect in the system, and more likely a Top 5 guy. I’m doing my midseason Top 25 update in July, and Anderson will surely make an appearance.

Second-round draft pick Tom Windle also made his debut -- piggybacking with Anderson (as he will do for the foreseeable future). While he wasn’t as impressive, it was a good debut for Windle as well:

• 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

The only velocity reading I heard on his fastball was 91 MPH, which is true to scouting reports. His slider made an appearance (got a strikeout on the pitch) and hit 86 MPH on the radar gun.

His profile still screams reliever to me, but it’ll be nice to see him throw against Midwest League hitters the rest of the season.

Also, Jared Massey made an interesting observation while recording “Dugout Blues” Tuesday night. This is the first time he (and I) can remember the Dodgers first three draft picks have all been on the same roster in full-season ball immediately after being drafted (Anderson, Windle, Brandon Dixon). The Great Lakes Loons are benefiting from the draft and the infusion of talent to an already talented roster. The Dodgers have leaned so heavily on high schoolers early in the draft for so many years that it is surprising to see all their first three picks on the same team.

Cody Bellinger won’t make making an appearance in Midland anytime soon (Arizona Rookie League, 18 years old), but guys like J.D. Underwood and Jacob Rhame -- both at Ogden -- could be promoted if they perform well enough in the Pioneer League.

Photo credit (courtesy): Ali Messick, Great Lakes Loons

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 45 - Kemp, Puig, Anderson, Urias, Seager

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about the return of Matt Kemp to the Dodgers' lineup. Here's hoping he's healthy enough to start being a valuable contributor.

Then there's the obligatory Yasiel Puig update. He's still really good at this baseball thing.

I question why the Dodgers have Puig in left field and Andre Ethier playing right field. I understand why it's happening, I just don't agree with it.

Chris Anderson and Tom Windle made their professional debuts with the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday. Anderson was particularly impressive.

Julio Urias, who checked in at No. 41 on Jason Parks' (Baseball Prospectus) midseason Top 50 prospect list, has struggled a bit in his last two starts. I feel I say this a lot, but he is just 16 years old. Another teenager made Parks' list in Corey Seager (No. 35). He's starting to hit and hit with authority.

Zach Lee and Chris Reed (my boy) are having nice seasons with the Lookouts. Lee's strikeout rate is the highest of his career while Reed's is the lowest, yet Reed is still having success. We also talk about Justin Chigbogu, who's off to a fast start in the Arizona Rookie League.

The Dodgers won't lose a draft pick due to overspending, which is a good thing.

Finally, we answer listener questions. Please, keep them coming. Also, we're at 20 reviews on iTunes. I'm challenging the listeners to get that number to 23 by next week's episode. And, in case you were wondering, Jared did get to 1,000 followers.

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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 Dodgers' draft recap: Anderson, Windle, Bellinger, Underwood, Navin

The 2013 Dodgers' draft doesn't look nearly as impressive as the 2012 class, but there are few future contributors in this group.

The Dodgers seemingly changed their approach, opting for college players with nine of their first 10 picks -- a change from the norm. Logan White is known for drafting high schoolers and developing them.

Positional breakdown (round number in parenthesis)
21 pitchers, 19 position players, 31 college, 9 high school

• C: Kyle Farmer (8), Spencer Navin (11), Sam Finfer (29), Ryan Scott (30), Kaleb Holbrook (35), Jake Sidwell (39)
• 1B: Cody Bellinger (4)
• 2B: James McDonald (18), Tyger Pederson (31)
• 3B: Brandon Dixon (3), Adam Law (12), Andrew McWilliam (31)
• SS: Brandon Trinkwon (7), Blake Hennessey (19), Dillon Moyer (38)
• OF: Henry Yates (9), Michael Ahmed (20), James Lynch (36), Matthew Haggerty (40)
• RHP: Chris Anderson (1, pictured), J.D. Underwood (5), Jacob Rhame (6), Nick Kenner (10), Peter Miller (16), Greg Harris (17), James Baune (21), MJ Villegas (23), Jose De Leon (24), Kyle Hooper (25), Thomas Taylor (26), Tanner Kiest (27), Rob Rogers (32), Justin Dunn (35)
• LHP: Tom Windle (2), Ty Damron (13), Michael Johnson (14), Billy Flamion (15), Robert Fisher (22), Crayton Bare (28), Rob Cerfolio (34)

Bloodlines
Bellinger: Clay Bellinger (father)
Underwood: Tom Underwood (father)
Kenner: Stephen Keener (father, president of Little League Baseball)
Law: Vance Law and Vernon Law (father and grandfather)
Harris: Greg Harris (father)
Hennessey: Scott Hennessey (father, Dodgers' area scout)
Ahmed: Nick Ahmed (brother)
Scott: Darryl Scott (father, pitching coach in Rockies' organization)
Pederson: Joc Pederson and Stu Pederson (brother and father)
Moyer: Jamie Moyer (father)
Sidwell: Rob Sidwell (Dodgers' scout)

Signings
Anderson - $2,109,900 (slot recommended)
Windle - $986,500 (slot)
Dixon - $556,500 (slot)
Bellinger - $700,000 (+$291,000 slot)
Underwood - Unknown amount, but more than slot
Rhame - $300,000 (+$70,700 slot)
Trinkwon - $171,900 (slot)
Farmer - Unknown amount
Yates - $5,000 (-$138,500 slot)
Navin - $300,000 (+$200,000 slot)

All bonus amounts after the 10th round are for $100,000 or less unless otherwise reported: Law, Johnson, McDonald, Hennessey, Baune, Fisher, Hooper, Taylor, Moyer.

(These categories are from the Baseball America Prospect Handbook)

Best pure hitter
Dixon. He has an advanced approach, but he doesn't show much power. Bellinger could profile here, too.

Bellinger

Best power hitter
Bellinger. At 6'4, 180, he has some filling out to do. But he's drawn comparisons to Adam LaRoche, who has 207 home runs in 10 MLB seasons. McWilliam could also have big power down the road.

Fastest baserunner
Moyer or McDonald. The Dodgers didn't choose many speedsters in this draft.

Best defensive player
Trinkwon. He has soft hands and good instincts. He might be a second baseman, but he'll stay at shortstop for the time being.

Best fastball
Anderson. He touches 97 MPH in the rotation with some sink. Windle can also touch 94 MPH and should play up out of the bullpen, where he likely ends up. Rhame, like Anderson, can sink his low-to-mid-90s heater.

Best secondary pitch
Anderson. His slider and changeup flash plus potential, but his sliders is his best secondary pitch. Underwood boasts a solid upper-70s curveball.

Best athlete
Farmer. He's not a physically imposing player, but he's moving from the middle infield to behind the dish

Most intriguing background
Anderson. The Minnesota native went to school in Jacksonville and was basically run into the ground. It'll be interesting to see how he handles professional baseball. The Dodgers will limit him to 50 innings in his pro debut, ala Ross Stripling last season. Windle is also on an innings limit.

Closest to the Majors
Windle. He could make it to the majors first before Anderson strictly on the fact he'll likely be a reliever. Don't expect any guys from the 2013 class this season, though.

Best late-round selection (20th round an on)
Scott. The high school backstop could be a nice get for the Dodgers if they can sign him away from his college commitment.


The one who could get away
McWilliam. The prep third baseman could be the toughest sign of the draft for the Dodgers. It's unknown whether he's committed to a college, but with a 6'5, 170-pound frame, there's all kinds of room for projection and improvement on the college level.

Assessment
I don't like this draft as much as last year. There aren't many impact guys here (a theme throughout the entire draft), and the Dodgers went the college route more than I'd like. Anderson is a solid pick and should be a back-end rotation innings-eater at worst (a No. 2 bull at best). I don't like using a second-rounder on a probable reliever and the lack of higher-upside high school talent disappoints me.

Photo credits: Courtesy of Perfect Game

Dodgers could lose 2014 first-round draft pick due to heavy 2013 bonuses

With the new collective bargaining agreement, teams are much more creative in the MLB Draft than ever before. But since new CBA’s inception a couple years ago, no team has ever had to forfeit a draft pick due to overspending.

The Dodgers are dangerously close to doing so. The team inked seventh-rounder Brandon Trinkwon (pictured) this morning for slot, which prompted this post.

Here’s a breakdown of the signing bonuses the Dodgers have given out to the 2013 draft class thus far.

Round	Player	Slot	Bonus	Savings
1	Chris Anderson	$2,109,900	$2,109,900	$0
2	Tom Windle	$986,500	$986,500	$0
3	Brandon Dixon	$566,500	$566,500	$0
4	Cody Bellinger	$409,000	$700,000	($291,000)
5	J.D. Underwood	$306,200	$306,200	$0
6	Jacob Rhame	$229,300	$300,000	($70,700)
7	Brandon Trinkwon	$171,900	$171,900	$0
8	Kyle Farmer	$153,600	unsigned	$0
9	Henry Yates	$143,500	$5,000	$138,500
10	Nick Keener	$135,300	unsigned	$0
11	Spencer Navin	$0	$200,000	($200,000)
Total		$5,211,700	$5,634,900	($423,200)

Notes:

• Farmer has signed, but there’s been no announcement of his bonus just yet.
• Keneer should be a relatively easy sign. I’d be surprised if he got more than the $5,000 Yates received. Last year’s 10th-rounder Zach Babitt got a $2,500 bonus.
• Underwood has reportedly signed and will get more than the $306,200 recommended for his selection.

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Normally, the 11th-rounder’s bonus wouldn’t count toward the spending cap, but since the team spent $300,000 on Navin, $200,000 worth of it counts toward the cap as all picks from the 10th round and on can get up to a $100,000 without it counting toward the cap.

As you can see, the Dodgers went way over slot with Bellinger. As their only high school draftee on this list, that makes a little sense.

The Dodgers can spend 5 percent more than the $5,211,700 allotted to them -- which works out to $260,585 -- without losing a draft pick. The Dodgers need to save a combined $162,615 on Farmer and Keener for them to avoid the penalty.

I trust the front office will figure it out, but this is a bit too close for comfort. The 2014 draft is supposed to be much better than the 2013 draft, and it would be a shame if the Dodgers didn’t have their first-round selection for this reason.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Perfect Game

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 43 - Puig, Jansen, Urias, Seager, draft

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about everything Dodgers from the previous week, but not about the chicken-shit antics of the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Yasiel Puig is a God or something. He won National League Player of the Week and is just getting started.

Kenley Jansen has finally unseated Brandon League as the team's closer. I wonder if he'll have to do this every year?

Chris Withrow and Alex Castellanos were recalled, much to Jared's pleasure (especially Castellanos). Odds are, they won't help much.

The true phenom Julio Urias pitched again last night. He got roughed up a bit, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the statline looks (and it isn't horrible). Sticking in Great Lakes, we talk about Corey Seager and how he may or may not be hurt again. I also have an interview with Aaron Miller, who's transitioning from the mound to the field nicely so far.

We recap the 2013 MLB Draft. We're both good with the Chris Anderson pick, I rip the Tom Windle pick and we give a couple later-round picks we both like. Initial thoughts: this draft isn't as good as the Dodgers' 2012 draft.

Finally, we answer listener questions, which were plentiful this week. Please, keep them coming.

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

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

Image credit: Joe Martin

Dodgers sign Chris Anderson and Tom Windle for full slot, as well as others

The Dodgers inked first-round draft pick Chris Anderson to a $2,109,900 bonus, which was slot-recommended for the No. 18 selection.

Anderson signed less than a week after being drafted. The Dodgers inked 2012 first-rounder Corey Seager more than three weeks after drafting him last year and went over slot to do it.

Anderson, 20, boasts a 90-96 MPH fastball with sink, a potentially plus slider in the low-to-mid-80s and a changeup at the same velocity.

The Dodgers have officially signed just Anderson at this point. Word is second-rounder Tom Windle will sign for full slot. In fact, Baseball America's Jim Callis just confirmed it. Sixth-rounder Jacob Rhame tweeted and said he's officially signed. Eighth-rounder Kyle Farmer tweeted a photo of himself signing his contract and 12th-rounder Adam Law did the same.

It's unknown how much Rhame and Farmer received, but the Dodgers didn't save any money on their first two selections.

Expect a slew of signings in the coming days and weeks.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Perfect Game, via Jacksonville University athletics

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 42 - 2013 MLB Draft special

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about the Dodgers' first pick of the 2013 MLB Draft in Chris Anderson.

We began recording about the No. 12 pick and give you instant reaction, despite it not being live. I agonize about the possibility of J.P. Crawford reaching No. 18, only to have him go to the Phillies at No. 16. We also have a little discussion about Tim Anderson, who went to the White Sox at No. 17.

I attempt to ruin the pick for Jared, because that's my style. My initial reaction is that of disappointment, but after doing more work on Anderson, I'm coming around on the pick.

We don't talk about the Tom Windle pick because I didn't feel like recording another segment for a second-round reliever.

Because this was a draft special, we don't answer any questions. We'll have a Q&A segment on tomorrow's episode, provided we get enough of them.

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

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

Image credit: Joe Martin

Dodgers' selection of Tom Windle in 2013 MLB Draft is somewhat puzzling

I was a little disappointed last year when the Dodgers chose Paco Rodriguez in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft. I'm not a fan of wasting high-round picks on relievers. To my surprise, I've been happy with Rodriguez's performance as a pro. At this rate, he's the second-best reliever on the team.

So, why don't I feel the same way about the Dodgers' 2013 second-round selection Tom Windle?

Answer: I don't know.

While the organization is going to give him a chance to start, I don't see him ending up in the rotation, ala Chris Reed.

Maybe that's it. The Dodgers took a college player high in the draft who profiles as a reliever and they're going to make him a starter. Maybe.

Here's what some of the experts said about Windle.

• Baseball America: "He has the ceiling of a No. 2 starter, or of a closer if he winds up in the bullpen."
• Keith Law: "(Windle) profiles as either a back-end starter or good reliever, a command/finesse pitcher with average stuff but very good feel."
• Kiley McDaniel: "He has the size and repertoire to start, but may wind up as a power lefty in the pen."
• John Sickels: "Windle is a potential fifth starter or relief option who could advance quickly."

Not exactly favorable write-ups of the Dodgers' second-rounder.

The Dodgers have been hit-and-miss on their second-rounders in the Logan White era.

• 2012: Rodriguez
• 2011: Alex Santana
• 2010: Ralston Cash
• 2009: Blake Smith
• 2009: Garrett Gould
• 2008: Josh Lindblom
• 2007: Mike Watt
• 2005: Ivan De Jesus
• 2004: Blake Johnson
• 2003: Chuck Tiffany
• 2002: Zach Hammes

Rodriguez, Lindblom and DeJesus have all played in the majors. At this rate, Santana has a lot to prove and Cash hasn't been able to stay healthy. Smith and Gould are fringy major-leaguers while Watt, Johnson, Tiffany and Hammes never reached the majors. Johnson is still with the organization in Triple-A.

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I'm not impressed. With guys like left-hander Hunter Green (who went to the Angels three picks later) and catcher Jon Denney (who inexplicably fell to the early third round), popping Windle at No. 56 seems more like a quick fix rather than a developmental-type prospect.

I'd like nothing better for him to prove me wrong and be a No. 3ish starter in the majors, but I'm not holding my breath.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Perfect Game (via the University of Minnesota)