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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: slgckgc, Flickr

2012 Los Angeles Dodgers Season Review: Outfield

The Dodgers had one of the best-looking outfields in the National League heading into the 2012 season. Despite not having a left fielder, the combination of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier were tough to beat. After acquiring Carl Crawford, the outfield should be that much better in 2013 and beyond.

Dodger outfielders by the numbers

Left Field
.254/.325/.349
76 R, 34 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 52 RBI, 21 SB, 63 BB

Center Field
.275/.340/.449
98 R, 30 2B, 5 3B, 23 HR, 84 RBI, 21 SB, 58 BB

Right Field
.265/.328/.439
86 R, 38 2B, 1 3B, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 3 SB, 52 BB

Individual performers

Bobby Abreu
.246/.361/.344, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 28 R, 15.2 BB%
- Abreu was picked up off waivers in May and got off to a nice start as a Dodger. In his first 33 games, Abreu hit .326/.444/.461 while playing a lot of left field. His next 37 games, however, were forgettable: .178/.267/.222. His poor performance got him designated for assignment. After a brief minor-league stint, he was exclusively a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers in September. Considering what he is at this point in his career, Abreu gave the Dodgers more than people expected.
Grade: C-

Andre Ethier
.284/.351/.460, 20 HR, 89 RBI, 36 2B, 8.1 BB%
- Ethier's season was no surprise. He, as usual, was streaky and his overall numbers reflected that. He started his 2012 on a hot streak, as he hit .327/.384/.566 in his first 52 games. In his next 61 games, he hit .234/.315/.329. He finished the season strong at .304/.364/.522, including eight of his 20 home runs. A couple things to note: Ethier's walk and strikeout rates went in the wrong direction. His walk rate dropped nearly 2.5 percent and his strikeout rate increased nearly 1.5 percent. For a guy heading into his age-31 season, that isn't a good sign. However, his performance earned him a contract extension, which I liked at the time. But unless he figures out left-handed pitching (.222/.276/.330), he's going to be the most expensive platoon man this side of Alex Rodriguez.
Grade: B-

Tony Gwynn
.232/.276/.293, 4 3B, 17 RBI, 13 SB, 5.8 BB%
- Gwynn was signed to a 2-year deal in the winter, and I was a big fan of it. Gwynn also earned praise early in the season for his pinch-hitting. However, after he was asked to step in full-time for Kemp, his offensive ineptitude was exposed. From May 29 through Aug. 5 (his last game in the majors in 2012), he hit just .188/.235/.243. No matter how good his glove is in center field (and it is that good), a triple slash like that won't cut it. He was relegated to Albuquerque for the rest of the season. He's signed for 2013 at $1.15 million, so it'll be interesting to see what the Dodgers do with him.
Grade: D

Elian Herrera
.251/.340/.332, 10 2B, 17 RBI, 26 R, 10.8 BB%
- The man who seemed to come out of nowhere, Herrera, like a lot of other Dodgers, got off to a fast start. He made his Major League debut on May 15. Through June 12, he was hitting .300/.400/.378 while playing primarily second and third base for the team. Again, like a lot of other Dodgers, he struggled after his hot streak: .206/.280/.289. He'll be in the mix for the utility player spot for the team in 2013.
Grade: C-

Matt Kemp
.303/.367.538, 23 HR, 69 RBI, 22 2B, 8.9 BB%
- Kemp, coming off an MVP-caliber season in 2011, struggled with injury. The sad thing is, he got off to an incredible start. Before suffering his first hamstring injury in May, he was hitting .359/.446/.726. Kemp tried to come back too soon, aggravated the same injury and was out for a month. He came back and hit well before he cooled off a bit.  After running into the center field wall in Colorado, he struggled mightily. Kemp had a 20-game stretch where he was downright atrocious (.159/.216/.256). He finished the season strong, though (.367/.406/.867). He had shoulder surgery earlier this month and should be back for Spring Training. Let's just hope the injury doesn't sap his power.
Grade: B

Juan Rivera
.244/.286/.375, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 14 2B, 5.3 BB%
- Rivera was, as expected, pretty awful this season. In fact, he was worse this season for the Dodgers than he was in the 62 games he played for them in 2011. I mean, the man had a negative bWAR (-0.9) and fWAR (-0.8). He wasn't even replacement-level good, yet he played 109 games. That's usually a recipe for disaster. Rivera has a club option for 2013 which, if the Dodgers are smart, they'll decline it
Grade: D- (and that's being generous)

Shane Victorino
.245/.316/.351, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 15 SB, 7.7 BB%
- An ill-advised trade deadline acquisition, Victorino was pretty bad for the Dodgers -- especially since he cost the team Josh Lindblom, Ethan Martin and, to a lesser extent, Stefan Jarrin. Victorino had a career-year in 2011, but came crashing back to earth in 2012. Thank goodness the Dodgers traded for Crawford, or it'd be almost a sure thing Victorino would be back in Blue in 2013.
Grade: D-

The rest

Alex Castellanos, Grade: INC
Jerry Sands, Grade: INC
Scott Van Slyke, Grade: INC

Next up: Infielders

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Hanley Ramirez should bat leadoff for the Dodgers in 2013 and beyond

Something was painfully obvious this season: the Dodgers lacked a legitimate leadoff man.

Dee Gordon, coming off a strong rookie campaign, faltered as the leadoff man and struggled with a wrist injury. The other players used in his place -- mainly Mark Ellis, Tony Gwynn and Shane Victorino -- didn't fare much better.

The Dodgers got below-average production out of the leadoff spot in 2012 (.226/.281/.302). That isn't going to cut it with a team that has Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez hitting in the middle of it.

So, it would seem the Dodgers are in need of a leadoff hitter. But they might have the perfect guy to plug into the leadoff spot right now. His name: Hanley Ramirez.

Ramirez was acquired to be a middle-of-the-order bat, but his talents might better utilized hitting atop the Dodgers' order.

Ramirez's best days came as a leadoff man, as he's hit .309/.385/.536 in his career (403 games). Conversely, he's hit .301/.372/.478 in the No. 3 spot in his career (416 games). With Kemp around, however, that isn't going to happen.

There are more numbers that backup the notion of Ramirez leading off.

In his career, he owns a .322/.381/.649 triple slash when leading off a game. The high slugging percentage is due to the 25 leadoff home runs Ramirez has hit in his career. Not Rickey Henderson, but not bad, either. He also owns a .320/.384/.561 triple slash when he's the first batter of an inning.

The man obviously knows what to do in the leadoff spot despite hitting there just 28 times since the start of the 2010 season.

And something else that's overlooked: Ramirez can still run. He's not going to steal 51 bases as he did in 2006 and 2007, but he could easily swipe 25 as the Dodger leadoff man (maybe more). While Gordon has the ability to steal 60 bases, he can't do it if he isn't getting on base.

There's no way of knowing whether Ramirez could replicate his production from his early days, but using guys like Gordon and Ellis in the leadoff spot isn't good enough for the Dodgers' lineup.

A 1-2-3-4 of Ramirez, Carl Crawford, Kemp, Gonzalez could be quite a sight. That doesn't even include Andre Ethier or any potential offseason additions (Chase Headley, please!).

And before you think Crawford could be a legitimate leadoff man, check out his numbers in the No. 1 spot and his numbers leading off the game or an inning. Not good, and nowhere near Ramirez's numbers.

We'll see if the Dodgers have the stones to hit Ramirez leadoff. To me, it's a no-brainer.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Dodgers troll Jerry Sands by recalling him for one start

My fondness of Tony Gwynn is no secret. When the Dodgers signed him to a 2-year deal this winter, I was all in favor of it.

But when the Dodgers acquired Shane Victorino from the Phillies, Gwynn's designation was inevitable.

Gwynn still has value to a team. His defense in center field is elite, his speed off the bench is something that's coveted late in games and he's adept at pinch-hitting, as he boasts a career .305/.372/.405 triple slash in the role.

I'm a little surprised he wasn't picked up off waivers by a team in need of a pinch-hitter and defensive stud in center with speed, but he'll play with Albuquerque for the time being.

So, the Dodgers recalled Jerry Sands to take Gwynn's place on the roster. Sands was on fire before being recalled: .476/.500/.952 with six home runs and 21 RBI. Almost everyone thought Sands was being recalled to take the place of James Loney and Juan Rivera at first base -- at least, that's what would have made since.

Instead, Sands started one game and was demoted when Adam Kennedy was activated from the disabled list.

I'm not sure what exactly Sands has done to the Dodgers or the front office, but they aren't giving him a fair shake. He had an eight-game stint earlier this season in which he didn't do much, but he closed last season hitting the ball well. I can accept the fact the roster was too full for him at the start of the season, but what do the Dodgers have to lose in playing Sands in first base everyday?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He's an adequate defender at first (Loney is better in that department), but Sands can be as effective -- if not more effective -- than Rivera.

Sands is still just 24 and the Dodgers are unfairly jerking him around. I know I tend to gravitate toward prospects and young players, but to not give a guy who won the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2010 is just dumb.

I'm not saying Sands is sure to be the answer at first base, but how are the Dodgers ever going to know if they don't give him a chance to succeed?

If I'm this frustrated, I can only imagine how Sands feels. He goes from top prospect to afterthought in less than two years.

When the alternatives are Loney and Rivera, something like this just doesn't make sense.

Ned Colletti to Sands:


Abreu to Albuquerque

Bobby Abreu, who was designated for assignment after the Victorino trade, accepted an assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Suddenly, the Isotopes' lineup looks like it could be even more stacked with the additions of Abreu, Gwynn and Sands to go with Alex Castellanos, Tim Federowicz and Scott Van Slyke.

Both Abreu and Gwynn will be eligible for the postseason roster, if they're needed.

Photo credit: LWY, Flickr

Report: Alex Castellanos recalled Dodgers, to make ML debut soon

With Matt Kemp likely heading to the disabled list after reaggravating his hamstring injury on Wednesday night, the Dodgers are set to recall Alex Castellanos from Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Castellanos fan Twitter account first brought us the news:

"You heard it here first!! Alex Castellanos is officially a member of the LOS ANGELES @Dodgers !! ‪#DodgerNation‬ he flies out TODAY!!!"

The owner of the account later revealed he is Castellanos' best friend and received a phone call earlier today.

If you needed more confirmation, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweeted this:

"Sources have confirmed: The ‪#Dodgers‬ have called up 2B Alex Castellanos. I'm a believer in his bat."

The 25-year-old is just destroying Pacific Coast League pitching this season. He has a .379/.476/.759 line in 22 games. He missed about a month with a hamstring injury.

Still, the Dodgers recalled him primarily to play second base, reportedly.

While Tony Gwynn will be the biggest beneficiary of Kemp's absence, as he will be his primary replacement in center field, a couple infielders could feel the effects of this move even more.

With Mark Ellis out, Elian Herrera and Ivan De Jesus have been getting the playing time at second base. With Castellanos coming up, it appears Herrera will return to his "normal" utility role, backing up at third base, center field and second base. De Jesus should be the primary backup second baseman.

As I said with Scott Van Slyke -- whose time with the Dodgers will likely be extended due to the Kemp injury -- prospects should not be recalled just to ride the pine. If Castellanos is coming up, he needs to be playing nearly every day.

Yet, Van Slyke hasn't played since May 27. Hopefully Don Mattingly doesn't let these prospects just wallow on the bench. If they're not going to play consistently, send them to or keep them in Triple-A. It doesn't help a young guy's development to eat sunflower seeds and chew Bazooka Joe on the bench.

But back to Castellanos. He's a work in progress defensively. He's not going to be better than any of the other four guys who have played second base this season (Ellis, De Jesus, Herrera, Jerry Hairston), but his bat could be better -- and worth whatever the Dodgers lose defensively.

If he doesn't work out at second, he has experience at all four corners -- first base, third base, left field and right field.

I'm excited to see him get a chance. I've grown fond of Castellanos since he was acquired for Rafael Furcal in July. I ranked him as the Dodgers' 21st-best prospect heading into the season -- and he's far surpassed my expectations.

The effects of Matt Kemp's DL stint for the Dodgers

The results of Matt Kemp's MRI today weren't exactly conclusive, other than he has a strained hamstring. Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. speculates Kemp might be headed for the disabled list after tonight's game.

"My guess (and it's only a guess) is that Matt Kemp will go on the DL, but after the game..."

And what a guess it was, as Kemp did indeed go on the DL after the game. Jerry Sands, who has stepped up big-time since I "called him out" a few days ago (6-for-7, three home runs, four RBI, six runs scored), was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.

Kemp going to the DL certainly suck for the Dodgers, as the National League's best team (record-wise) will be without its most important and best player for at least two weeks.

The hamstring has bothered Kemp since May 6 in Chicago, when he was scratched from the starting lineup that day. He's played in every game since before tonight, but I tweeted last night it'd be smart to give him some time off if he wasn't DL-bound:

"Kemp should probably get a couple days off. #Dodgers"

Steve Dilbeck of the L.A. Times wrote today the Dodgers should place Kemp on the DL "to save (Kemp) from himself."

They did, and Kemp will be better for it.

But the impact for the Dodgers is big. An entire lineup overhaul could be in order, if manager Don Mattingly has the guts to do so.

The lineup is already struggling at the top with Dee Gordon, whose .250 on-base percentage leaves a lot to be desired. Mark Ellis has been better than expected in the No. 2 spot.

Andre Ethier has hit mostly cleanup behind Kemp this season and appears to be the Ethier of old: .308/.368/.592. Despite being back on track, Ethier is going to need to fill in big for Kemp, as he's the only other truly legitimate hitter in the Dodgers' lineup.

After that, things get dicey.

Juan Uribe has been better than last season (.250/.294/.338), but that's not saying much. Plus, he was just placed on the DL. James Loney has been a tad better (.245/.328/.349), but still bad. A.J. Ellis has been the team's third-best hitter, but he's hit eighth for a vast majority of the season.

The man who would likely get most of the playing time in Kemp's absence, Tony Gwynn, is nothing more than fourth outfielder. However, his defense is superb and would be a step up from Kemp's.

Recently acquired Bobby Abreu and rookie Scott Van Slyke, despite playing the same position, appear to be in line for some increased playing time.

With Kemp out, what could the Dodgers' lineup look like? Here's my best guess:

vs. RHP
Gordon SS
Ellis 2B
Abreu LF
Ethier RF
Ellis C
Loney 1B
Kennedy 3B
Gwynn CF

Versus lefties, on the other hand, is going to be challenging. Would Mattingly dare bat Ellis or Van Slyke any higher than fifth? This is assuming Ethier hits third, but what about Abreu? I don't see it; but at least they should be playing, along with newcomer Sands. Either Justin Sellers or Elian Herrera should see time at third base, because we certainly don't want Adam Kennedy playing... at all, but especially not against lefties.

vs. LHP
Gordon SS
Ellis 2B
Ethier CF (yes, center field -- I don't like it anymore than you do)
Ellis C
Abreu LF
Van Slyke RF
Sands 1B
Sellers/Herrera 3B

Not sure this lineup is going to happen, but the Dodgers probably want to limit the number of left-handed hitters and will have to trust some unproven (Ellis) and younger (Van Slyke/Sands) players against southpaws while Kemp is out of the lineup.

The Dodgers have a six-game lead over the Giants. They have room to absorb this blow. Kemp shouldn't be gone much longer than the 15 days (barring any setbacks), so they just need to hold down the proverbial fort until then.

Photo credits: SD Dirk, Flickr

Dodgers in 'serious talks' with Bobby Abreu, which makes little sense

Bobby Abreu about to be a Dodger?

The Dodgers are seriously considering signing a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner and a guy with a career .877 OPS.

What's so bad about that?

It's Bobby Abreu.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweeted the Dodgers are in "serious talks" to sign Abreu after he was released by the Anaheim Angels last week.

Update (6:12 p.m.): Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports also confirms the interest with a little more information.

"Source confirms that #Dodgers have had talks with Abreu about being bat off bench and playing some outfield. First reported, @JonHeymanCBS"

Abreu, 38, is 5-for-24 this season with three doubles. He was unhappy about his playing time being cut, which begs the question: Why do the Dodgers want to sign him?

Granted, he'd be a much better option off the bench than say, Adam Kennedy, but so would my grandmother. If Abreu couldn't even get playing time in the American League, what makes him think he'll get playing time in the National League?

He's no longer an even halfway decent defender, so he'd be a Manny Ramirez-esque liability in left field. And he's played exactly zero games at first base in his career.

Abreu had a miserable 2011 with Anaheim, posting a .253/.353/.365 line. He has almost no power left, which is something the Dodgers sorely need. He also hasn't fared well at Dodger Stadium in his career: .227/.346/.367.

The dude can draw a walk -- ranks No. 24 in the history of baseball (1,421), but that's about all he's good for.

This reeks of Juan Rivera last season, and Ned Colletti ended up giving Rivera a $4.5 million contract after half a season with the Dodgers.

If he's content with being a pinch-hitter and maybe playing once or twice a week in left field, a minimum-salary deal might not be the worst thing in the world. However, it remains to be seen if that's the case.

This is not the big bat the Dodgers need.

Photo credit: farmerbuzz, Flickr

The Dodgers' bench is going to be an issue this season

The most underrated part of a Major League Baseball team is the bench. Contending teams tend to have strong benches while mediocre teams tend to have, well, mediocre benches.

This applies to the Dodgers, a team with a mediocre bench for years. This season, though, could possibly be the worst in recent years.

This post was inspired by this tweet from Dodger fan Andrew Grant of Minor League Central:

"There's a non zero chance Matt Treanor will be the best hitter on the Dodgers bench."

That really makes one think. If Treanor is the Dodgers' best bat off the bench, this is going to be a long season.

The following players are locks for the Dodgers' five-man bench, assuming they carry seven pitchers:

Tony Gwynn
Jerry Hairston
Adam Kennedy
Matt Treanor

That leaves one spot and a few possibilities.

Josh Fields is hitting well this spring and would provide the only power potential off the bench -- and that's nowhere near a sure thing as he's struggled to stay in the majors since his debut.

Justin Sellers possesses decent on-base skills, but not much power. The fact he can play shortstop at least adequately has to be a plus in his column. Hairston is penciled in right now as Dee Gordon's backup.

Jerry Sands is the best young hitter closest to the majors the Dodgers have, but he'd be better off playing everyday in Triple-A.

Other guys in the mix include Ivan De Jesus, Trent Oeltjen and Cory Sullivan, but they are longshots to make the 25-man out of Spring Training.

Even in the best-case scenario, the Dodgers' bench is going to be bad. A way to remedy that is to not sign mediocre (at best) Major Leaguers to fill these roles. Another way is to sign superstar players, forcing borderline everyday players to the bench (I'm looking at you, James Loney). Alas, that won't happen until next winter.

Don't expect any heroics from this group. It has to rate as one of the worst in the majors. It just puts extra pressure on the starters to play well and not get hurt (like they can avoid that) so the Dodgers don't have to rely on the bench.

Notes from today's game against the Indians

Clayton Kershaw had a nice outing, and I got to see it on MLB Network. His line for the day is as follows: 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K. He seems ready to start the season right now.

Kenley Jansen pitched an inning and struck out two. Business as usual for him.

Andre Ethier hit a triple, but it was a generous one. He hit a flyball to left field that should have been caught. Instead, the left fielder slid and kicked the ball away, allowing Ethier to get to third. Regardless, it was Ethier's ninth extra-base hit in 10 Spring Training games. If numbers mean anything in March (which they don't), Ethier could be primed for a big season.

The aforementioned Sellers had three hits, including an RBI double, in his quest to be the Dodgers' fifth man off the bench.

Photo credits: SD Dirk on Flickr

Young bullpen guns make spring debuts

Despite Ned Colletti's infatuation with over-the-hill middle relievers, the Dodgers are relying on quite a few youngsters in the bullpen -- namely Kenley Jansen, Javy Guerra and Scott Elbert.

The trio made their season debuts today and it went pretty well.

Jansen threw fifth inning, striking out only one. I say only because he averaged 16.1 K/9 last season -- an MLB record for a pitcher with at least 50 IP. He isn't going to match that number by striking out just one hitter. /sarcasm

Elbert followed him in the sixth and gave up a hit, a walk and struck out one. Guerra pitched the seventh and also threw a scoreless inning, but he walked two in the process and struck out one.

We know the Achilles' Heel for the youngsters is going to be control, and while Elbert and Guerra didn't give up any runs, they had to pitch out of trouble.

I know, they aren't going to be perfect every game. It's just something to keep in the back of one's mind this season.

Of the trio, Guerra is most likely to regress the most because of his Minor League track record. Still, it's nice to see the young guys getting a chance.

With Jansen anchoring the bullpen (even if he's not the closer), it could be a strength for the team this season.

Other notes from today's game:

- Prospect Chris Withrow made his debut and pitching two innings. He gave up one hit, allowed one run, walked one and struck out one. He also hit a batter and threw two wild pitches. For his first appearance with the big league club, it wasn't terrible.

- Tony Gwynn drew two walks against Atheltics' pitching. He also stole his second base of the spring.

- Cory Sullivan, famed Dodger killer, picked up three of the Dodgers' four hits today. He collected a double and the game-tying RBI.

Coming up

The Dodgers face the A's again on Thursday and Jarrod Parker, former Diamondback top prospect whom they acquired for Trevor Cahill, will take the hill. Chris Capuano will make his Dodger debut. The only prospect (using this loosely) of note for the Dodgers scheduled to pitch tomorrow is Stephen Fife, who was acquired from Boston in the Trayvon Robinson deal on July 31.

Photo credit: SD Dirk (Flickr)

Grading the 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers off-season

Now that pitchers and catchers are reporting soon and any major transactions will likely wait until the trade deadline, I'll take a brief look at the Dodgers' off-season moves.

Trades

To Baltimore: LHP Dana Eveland
To Los Angeles: LHP Jarret Martin, OF/IF Tyler Henson

- This was a surprising move, as Eveland was arbitration-eligible and the Dodgers had other plans for the starting rotation. Eveland was nothing more than roster fodder, so for the Dodgers to get anything for him -- especially young players -- was rather amazing.
Grade: B

Re-signings/extensions

Andre Ethier - 1 year, $10.95M (avoided arbitration)
- Ethier signed a contract to avoid arbitration -- a contract some thought was a little cheaper than expected. I thought he'd get $12-plus million contract, but coming off knee surgery, he got a little less than that. It's a good number (a tradeable number if necessary) who seems poised to have a comeback season.
Grade: B+

Tony Gwynn - 2 years, $2 million (avoided arbitration)
- I actually really like this deal, as Gwynn is a defensive specialist and good base-stealer. He's the perfect guy for the Dodgers to have coming off the bench. To get him for a million bucks a year, despite the limited resources, is a great deal.
Grade: A

Matt Kemp - 8 years, $160 million
- Yes.
Grade: A+

Clayton Kershaw - 2 years, $19 million (avoided arbitration)
- Yes, part deux.
Grade: A+

James Loney - 1 year, $6.375 million (avoided arbitration)
- This deal is in line with what a lot of people thought he'd get, but it's a bit much for a guy who didn't do much until the last two months of the season. The Dodgers took too long to get into the Prince Fielder bidding that they had to tender Loney a contract. Unless he breaks out in a big way, this could be his last season as a Dodger.
Grade: C-

Mike MacDougal - 1 year, $650,000 ($350,000 buyout)
- I understood MacDougal on minor-league deal last year, but to give a guy with a shiny ERA a million bucks guaranteed is suspect. I don't think there's any way he matches last season's performance.
Grade: D+

Juan Rivera - 1 year, $4.5 million
- When I was drafting my off-season plan, I actually had the Dodgers re-signing Rivera on a 1-year, $4 million deal. At the time, it didn't look so bad. Now, it's terrible, especially since he'll be taking valuable playing time away from Jerry Sands. He was solid for the Dodgers after they acquired him in July, but the re-signing wasn't necessary. At least it's just a 1-year contract.
Grade: C-

Free agent signings

Chris Capuano - 2 years, $10 million
- For the price, this is actually not a horrible signing. The fact that it prevented the Dodgers from re-signing Hiroki Kuroda, however, makes this a poor signing.
Grade: C-

Todd Coffey - 1 year, $1.3 million
- Coffey is a solid reliever and isn't making a lot, but it was a totally unnecessary signing. If there's any one position the Dodgers have quality and surplus at, it's right-handed relief pitchers. This also came after re-signing MacDougal. If I had to choose between the two, I'd choose Coffey easily.
Grade: D

Mark Ellis - 2 years, $8.75 million
- I'm actually not opposed to this deal, as middle infielders -- for whatever reason -- got paid this off-season. Ellis is a great defender at second base -- something the Dodgers haven't had since Alex Cora in 2004. His bat has taken a dive, though. Despite that, he could be the team's No. 2 hitter. Hitting in front of Kemp could benefit him greatly.
Grade: C+

Jerry Hairston - 2 years, $6 million
- The Dodgers needed a utility player, but did they really need to $2.25 million on one this off-season? This was a luxury signing for a team that doesn't have a lot of money to blow on utility players (at least, not right now).
Grade: C

Aaron Harang - 2 years, $12 million
- Like the Capuano deal, this isn't a bad deal. The fact that the Dodgers chose these two instead of Kuroda doesn't sit well with me. If Harang can pitch like he did last season or like he did for a few years with the Reds, this could actually be a decent deal.
Grade: C

Adam Kennedy - 1 year, $800,000
- This is the Dodgers' worst signing of the off-season. There are a hundred different players who could do what Kennedy will do -- and probably do it for cheaper (and possibly better).
Grade: F

Matt Treanor - 1 year, $1 million
- We know Ned Colletti likes his veteran catchers and giving a guy $1 million to be the team's backup catcher is questionable. Treanor has no stick whatsoever, so don't expect anything from him at the plate.
Grade: D

Overall

The Dodgers' off-season started off great, inking Kemp to a long-term deal was priority No. 1. The off-season could have been bookend by nabbing Fielder, but Victor Martinez and his torn ACL prevented that. The Dodgers made a bunch of mediocre signings that could have been made later in the off-season for cheaper. Hopefully off-seasons for the foreseeable future will be a lot more interesting and productive than this.
Grade: C-

Dodgers retain Tony Gwynn with 2-year deal

The seemingly never-ending string of Dodger 2-year deals continued today when the team inked Tony Gwynn to a contract worth $2 million.

Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports Gwynn will earn $850,000 in 2012 and $1.15 million in 2013.

I wrote about Gwynn's chances of staying with the Dodgers late last night. I thought the team would be foolish to let him go. Thankfully, they didn't. He's the team's best defensive outfielder and no worse than third-best baserunner/stealer. Oh, and he's Matt Kemp's primary backup in center field.

The contract is quite affordable and tradeable, if the Dodgers absolutely need to move him sometime in the next two years.

One negative to this signing could be Jerry Sands beginning the season in Triple-A. Sands being a part-time player in the Majors isn't going to do him any good, so he'll get regular at-bats with Albuquerque.

I was in favor of the Juan Rivera signing when it happened -- well, I wasn't as outraged as the rest of the Internet -- but now it looks absolutely foolish.

The only ways Sands could break camp with the team is if there are injuries, a trade (Andre Ethier) or the Dodgers decide to non-tender James Loney. Sands would have the inside track to the first base job if that were to happen. That decision is less than four hours away, so stay tuned.

Dodgers have interest in Daniel Murphy, plus arbitration news

The Dodgers are apparently enamored with the Mets' Daniel Murphy, as the club tried to acquire him during the Winter Meetings, reported by Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com.

Gurnick also wrote the Dodgers still might make a run at him.

Murphy, 26, put up a nice triple slash line last season -- .320/.362/.448 -- before suffering a season-ending left MCL tear in August. Murphy's short career has produced some solid numbers so far and at 26 (27 in April), he could be looking to bust out -- if he's recovered from his knee injury.

Fortunately for Murphy, the MCL is less vital than the ACL, so, in theory, he should recover from it. The proof lies with him tearing the MCL in his right knee, causing him to miss the entire 2010 season. He made it back from that just fine, so there's no reason to think he won't make it back from this tear.

There's no inkling as to what it'd take to acquire Murphy's services, but the Dodgers' plethora of right-handed pitchers could be in play. I'm not saying guys like Zach Lee or Allen Webster, but maybe guys like Chris Withrow, Shawn Tolleson and Steve Ames could interest the Mets.

Versatility seems to be the name of the game for the Dodgers, an Murphy is no exception. While he isn't known for his glove, he can play three different infield position and a little bit of left field. Third base appears to be his weakest position (where the Dodgers could use him most) and he could be passable at second base (where his bat would play best).

However, he's played mostly first base in his career and if the Dodgers were to acquire him, that's probably where he'd play.

Of course, that depends on whether the Dodgers offer incumbent first baseman James Loney a contract. In July, it seemed like a no-brainer that Loney would be gone. In October, it seemed all but certain he'd be tendered a contract. Now in December, question surround his November arrest and the fact he'll be due somewhere in the area of $6 to 7 million in arbitration.

All indications are the Dodgers will tender Loney a contract. The deadline is 9 p.m. Monday night.

Other players who need to be tendered before tomorrow night are Tony Gwynn and Hong-Chih Kuo.

Kuo is nearly certain to not be tendered a contract. He's undergone his fifth elbow operation and has contemplated retirement. It's so sad because in 2010, he was one of baseball's best relievers (not just lefties). In 2011, he was one of baseball's worst.

Gwynn is another story. The defensive specialist base-stealer could be looking for another team in less than 24 hours. However, it'd be a mistake for the Dodgers to not retain Gwynn's services.

Other than Matt Kemp, there isn't another outfielder who has a shot of breaking camp with the Dodgers who can legitimately play center field:

Andre Ethier
Juan Rivera
Jerry Sands

None of these guys could play even a passable center field. Newly signed Jerry Hairston could, but is that enough?

I wrote in March that Gwynn had a chance to fill a couple voids on the Dodgers'. While he failed to do that, there is still value in his glove and speed. He also shouldn't make too terribly much in the arbitration process (around $1 million or so at best), so it makes sense to try and retain his services.

If the Dodgers have their eyes on Murphy, Chase Headley or Hideki Matsui, Gwynn can start submitting his résumé to other teams.

It'd also mean Sands would likely begin the season in Triple-A, as not getting every day at-bats isn't going to help him any. I was for the Juan Rivera signing, but that was when I thought the Dodgers might trade Ethier. Now, the signing looks like a colossal waste of $4.5 million (I realize $4.5 million isn't a lot of money in baseball, but it is when a team is pinching its pennies as hard as the Dodgers are).