Some Dodger minor-leaguers off to hot starts

We're nearly a month into the season and there are many Dodger minor-leaguers off to fast starts in their respective leagues. I'll break it down by level.

Triple-A
OF/1B Jerry Sands: .400/.422/.875, 5 HR, 17 RBI (Triple-A stats)
- Sands played so well in his 10 games in Triple-A that he earned a call-up to the Majors earlier this month. He hasn't fared as well with the Dodgers, but he does have five doubles.

OF Trayvon Robinson: .357/.423/.600, 4 HR, 19 RBI
- Robinson got off to a bit of a slow start but has really picked it up since Sands was called up. While his K-rate is higher than it should be (31.4 percent), he's still OPS'ing 1.023 in the hitter-friendly confines of the Pacific Coast League. He could be the next Dodger prospect to get the call, especially with James Loney's struggles.

RHP Jon Link: 1-0, 2.51 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 12 K
- Link has started one game for the Isotopes, but he's been working mostly as a long reliever. The Dodgers have a lot of relievers and Link is buried a little bit on the depth chart.

Double-A
INF Jaime Pedroza: .305/.388/.492, 6 2B, 4 SB
- Pedroza is off to a fast start despite repeating Double-A (partly due to a glut of middle infielders at Triple-A). Pedroza has a solid glove and a little pop, but it still remains to be seen if it translates to the majors.

OF Scott Van Slyke: .371/.444/.774, 9 2B, 4 HR, 20 RBI
- Van Slyke is putting up outstanding numbers, but he's 24 and repeating Double-A. I'm not expecting much from him as a prospect.

LHP Cole St. Clair: 1-0, 0.73 ERA, 12 1/3 IP, 10 K
- St. Clair, a left-handed reliever out of Rice, has been pretty dominant thus far. As the old adage goes: he's left-handed and can throw strikes -- he's bound to make it to the majors some day.

RHP Rubby De La Rosa: 2-0, 2.35 ERA, 15 1/3 IP, 19 K
- De La Rosa impressed in Spring Training and has been really good for the Lookouts thus far. He could stand to cut down the walks, but he's on the fast track to the bigs.

High-A
SS Jake Lemmerman: .318/.372/.459, 2 HR, 11 RBI
- The Dodgers have been aggressive with Lemmerman, starting him a level higher than most thought. He started slow, but has really picked it up of late. I have him sliding over to third base in the future, but more because the Dodgers don't have a legitimate third base prospect right now.

1B Austin Gallagher: .375/.438/.542, 2 HR, 11 RBI
- Gallagher got on everyone's radar after an impressive showing in the California League in 2008, but he's gone back to the Gulf Coast League and repeated High-A before repeating it so far this season. I'm not too optimistic about his long-term chances.

RHP Matt Magill: 3-0, 1.64 ERA, 22 IP, 13 K
- Despite having a fringe-average fastball, Magill has asserted himself well in High-A thus far after having a great showing in Low-A last year. He isn't getting as many strikeouts, but his other peripherals are good so far.

RHP Steven Ames: 0-0, 0.90 ERA, 10 IP, 16 K
- Ames, a reliever, has been dominant, but he's a little old for the Cal League (23). Still, he has a 16/2 K/BB ratio, which is only a positive.

Low-A
OF Jonathan Garcia: .286/.333/.662, 8 2B, 7 HR, 16 RBI
- Garcia has been and extra-base-hitting machine so far (15-of-22), giving him a high slugging percentage. His K/BB ratio is alarming (5/20), but he's still really young and has a lot of promise.

RHP Garrett Gould: 3-0, 2.05 ERA, 22 IP, 18 K
- Gould has been impressive thus far in the Midwest League. Just seeing him pitch effectively is a good sign for the Dodgers and he could still reach his No. 2/3 potential as a starting pitcher.

RHP Zach Lee: 3-0, 1.37 ERA, 19 2/3 IP, 25 K
- Lee has been quite impressive in his debut season. While his control isn't where it needs to be (nine walks), he's been getting plenty of strikeouts and limiting damage by the other team.

RHP Shawn Tolleson: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 2/3 IP, 21 K
- That isn't a typo: Tolleson owns an unheard of 21.81 K/9 ratio. It's quite obvious he's having no trouble with the hitters in Low-A and he'll be pushed up to High-A before too long.

So far, so good for the youngsters.

Thoughts on the Dodgers, Kemp, Sands, etc.

Been a while since I posted, so this is going to be quick.

- Major League Baseball taking over day-to-day operations of the Dodgers needed to happen and it's a step closer to the McCourts going the way of the dinosaurs.

- Matt Kemp is still hitting .403, despite "slumping" of late. A "slump" that has included two walk-off home runs. He has more strikeouts than walks, but no one thought he was going to keep up his Albert Pujols-esque BB/K ratio.

- Andre Ethier might have the quietest 19-game hitting streak ever. It's nice to see the extra base hits pick up.

- Jerry Sands got the call. While I still think he needed more time in Triple-A, it's nice to see the Dodgers being aggressive in this department. I wouldn't be surprised to see him sent back to Triple-A sometime this season as he's not off to the best start. But it's nice to see the energy he brought to the fans at Dodger Stadium.

- James Loney is struggling horribly. It's sad to see as he was always one of my favorite Dodgers.

- Juan Uribe still sucks, but he's sucked a lot less of late.

- That's all I have. Go Blue.

Series Preview: Cardinals at Dodgers April 14-17

St. Louis Cardinals (5-7) at Los Angeles Dodgers (6-6)
April 14-17

Games: 13-16
Location: Dodger Stadium
2011 record vs. Giants: N/A
2010 record vs. Giants: 3-4

2010: The Dodgers started off well with the Cardinals, sweeping a three-game series in Los Angeles in June. This was following the first-round sweep of the Cardinals in the 2009 National League Divisional Series. When the Dodgers traveled to St. Louis following the All-Star Break, though, the tides turned. The Cards swept a four-game series, which included the Cards scoring two runs in the ninth of the concluding game of the series off Jonathan Broxton to secure the sweep.

2011: This is the first team the Dodgers will face outside the National League West. The Dodgers are coming off a series loss in San Francisco while the Cardinal s are coming off a series win in Arizona.

Game 1: Jaime Garcia (1-0) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (2-0)
Garcia career vs. Dodgers: 1-0, 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 4.15 ERA, 2.31 WHIP, .381 BAA
Garcia career at Dodger Stadium: Never appeared

Kuroda career vs. Cardinals: 0-1, 19 IP, 1.42 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 9.00 K/9, .179 BAA
Kuroda career at Dodger Stadium: 259 2/3 IP, 15-12, 3.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 6.76 K/9, .243 BAA

Dodgers' hitters vs. Garcia
Jamey Carroll - 2-for-2, 1 3B
Andre Ethier - 1-for-2
Matt Kemp - 1-for-2
James Loney - 1-for-2
Casey Blake - 1-for-3
Juan Uribe - 0-for-6
Rod Barajas - 0-for-2
Xavier Paul - 0-for-1

Cardinals' hitters vs. Kuroda
Matt Holliday - 8-for-20, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Skip Schumaker - 2-for-8, 1 2B
Yadier Molina - 1-for-8, 2 K
Albert Pujols - 1-for-9, 1 2B
Lance Berkman - 0-for-7, 2 BB
Colby Rasmus - 0-for-6, 4 K
Ryan Theriot - 0-for-5

Game 2: Kyle Lohse (1-1) vs. Jon Garland (0-0)
Lohse career vs. Dodgers: 1-2, 26 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 6.23 K/9, .298 BAA
Lohse career at Dodger Stadium: 2 G, 1-1, 10 IP, 5.40 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 8.10 K/9, .350 BAA

Garland career vs. Cardinals: 1-4, 28 2/3 IP, 5.02 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 6.28 K/9, .292 BAA
Garland career at Dodger Stadium: 5 G, 4-1, 32 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 6.19 K/9, .263 BAA

Dodgers' hitters vs. Lohse
Marcus Thames - 4-for-8, 1 HR
Aaron Miles - 5-for-12, 1 2B
Ethier - 2-for-7
Blake - 11-for-41 (.268), 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 11 K
Loney - 2-for-9 (.222), 1 2B
Uribe - 2-for-15 (.133), 3 K
Kemp - 1-for-9, 4 K

Cardinals' hitters vs. Garland
Molina - 5-for-7, 2 RBI
Pujols - 5-for-13, 2 HR
Holliday - 2-for-7, 2 BB
Rasmus - 3-for-11, 1 HR
Berkman - 3-for-19, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 K
Schumaker - 2-for-13, 1 2B

Game 3: Kyle McClellan (1-0) vs. Clayton Kershaw (2-1)
McClellan career vs. Dodgers: 10 G, 2-0, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 5.91 K/9, .250 BAA
McClellan career at Dodger Stadium: 4 G, 1-0, 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K

Kershaw career vs. Cardinals: 6 G, 2-1, 36 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.25 K/9, .225 BAA
Kershaw career at Dodger Stadium: 264 IP, 14-11, 2.76 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 9.89 K/9, .212 BAA

Dodgers' hitters vs. McClellan
Loney - 1-for-2, 1 2B
Kemp - 0-for-4
Blake - o-for-3, 1 BB
Ethier - 0-for-2
Tony Gwynn - 0-for-1

Cardinals' hitters vs. Kershaw
Pujols - 6-for-12, 3 2B, 5 BB
Holliday - 5-for-14 (.357), 6 BB, 4 K
Molina - 2-for-9, 1 2B
Berkman - 1-for-5, 2 K
Theriot - 1-for-7, 2 K
Schumaker - 0-for-7, 6 K

Game 4: vs. Chris Carpenter (0-2) vs. Chad Billingsley (1-1)
Carpenter career vs. Dodgers: 8 G, 6-0, 56 IP, 1.77 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 7.07 K/9, .225 BAA
Carpenter career at Dodger Stadium: 3 G, 2-0, 20 IP, 3.15 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 8.55 K/9, .257 BAA

Billingsley career vs. Cardinals: 7 G, 1-3, 32 2/3 IP, 5.79 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 5.51 K/9, .278 BAA
Billingsley career at Dodger Stadium: 394 IP, 33-19, 3.86 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 8.63 K/9, .253 BAA

Dodgers' hitters vs. Carpenter
Barajas - 3-for-8, 1 2B
Carroll - 6-for-16, 1 2B, 2 BB
Ethier - 6-for-17, 3 2B
Uribe - 1-for-6, 1 3B, 3 K
Kemp - 2-for-12, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 K
Loney - 2-for-14, 2 K
Blake 1-for-13, 5 K

Cardinals' hitters vs. Billingsley
Theriot - 7-for-15, 2 K
Molina - 4-for-11, 2 K
Holliday - 6-for-21, 3 HR, 8 BB, 4 K
Pujols - 3-for-15, 1 2B, 3 BB
Schumacker - 2-for-10, 2 K
Rasmus - 1-for-6
Berkman - 2-for-15, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 K

Analysis: The Dodgers have fared better in recent years against the Cardinals, but the Red Birds continue to be a thorn in their side. This series features four-fifths of each team's rotation, including the best pitchers each team has to offer. The Dodgers (and the rest of baseball) are lucky Adam Wainwright is out for the season.

Prediction: The Dodgers win Games 1 and 3 behind masterful pitching performances by Kuroda and Kershaw.

Next meeting: Aug. 22-24 at Busch Stadium

After Matt Kemp, the Dodgers' lineup is an abyss

The Dodgers are off to a 6-5 start this season, which isn't terrible. Matt Kemp is off to a fantastic start this season, which is great.

Kemp is firmly entrenched in the cleanup spot and has taken to it quite well. He leads the National League in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS-plus.

Kemp's numbers through 11 games: .472/.578/.694, 9 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 7-for-8 SB, 9 BB, 4 K, 246 OPS+

It's surprising to see him doing so well considering he has zero protection in the lineup. With Andre Ethier hitting third, James Loney and Juan Uribe have been tasked with protecting him. As of today, they're doing a terrible job.

The high walk total is surprising, but at the same time it isn't because of who's hitting after Kemp in the Dodger lineup.

Here is how the lineup breaks down after Kemp through the first 11 games of the season:

No. 5: Loney (6 times), Uribe (4 times), Marcus Thames (1 time)
No. 6: Uribe (5 times), Loney (5 times), Gimenez (1 time)
No. 7: Rod Barajas (6 times), Xavier Paul (2 times), Thames (2 times), Ellis (1 time)
No. 8: Jamey Carroll (5 times), Barajas (3 times), Aaron Miles (2 times), Thames (1 time)

*Pinch-hitters/runners and defensive replacements NOT included*

Among all those players, here's how the numbers break down:

No. 5: 8-for-46, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 6 K, 4 GIDP, .174/.174/.283
No. 6: 6-for-39, 1 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB (both IBB), 10 K, 3 HBP, 1 GIDP, .154/.244/.179
No. 7: 8-for-40, 1 R, 3 BB, 11 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, .200/.273/.200
No. 8: 11-for-42, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB (both IBB), 10 K, .262/.295/.429

Totals: .198/.246/.275/.521, 4 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 7 BB (4 IBB), 37 K

*Pinch-hitters/runners and defensive replacements included*

As you can see, the numbers are quite putrid. We all knew the offense was going to struggle, but this is an understatement. It's amazing Kemp hasn't been given the Barry Bonds treatment, seeing as there are no players behind him capable of even adequately protecting him.

At this rate, Kemp is going to easily shatter his career-high in walks (53), which he set last season.

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Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness has a bit on Jerry Sands, who is absolutely lighting up Triple-A. Some Dodger fans are trying to temper their excitement over this power-hitting prospect, but to see what he's doing makes it awfully tough.

Sands has homered in four consecutive games and his last two were absolute bombs. This one is from last night's a game, a 440-foot blast (at least) to dead center.



Even more impressive than the power is the lack of strikeouts. Sands has whiffed just one time in his first five games after striking out 123 times last season. That is quite encouraging as his high K-rate was a bit of a concern.

Now, Sands is bound to slump sometime in Triple-A (all baseball players slump). When that time comes, however, it doesn't look like it will be prolonged. Sands looks like a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter and Dodger fans should be excited. But the Dodgers aren't going to rush him -- he won't be up next week. If Loney, Uribe and Co. continue to struggle as much as they are protecting Kemp, though, Sands could get the call sooner than most expected.

Trayvon Robinson also homered for Albuquerque while Dee Gordon chipped in four hits. The Isotopes routed the Iowa Cubs 18-3 Tuesday night.

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Garrett Gould and Matt Magill both made their season debuts last night -- Gould for Great Lakes (LoA) and Magill for Rancho Cucamonga (HiA) -- and both were rather impressive.

Gould's line: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K

Magill's line: 6 IP*, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
*- Four no-hit innings

Gould is coming off a decent season, but there were concerns about his velocity. Magill is coming off an impressive showing in the Midwest League and is just 21 years old in the California League.

Today, Zach Lee, Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa (making his season debut) pitch for the Loons, Quakes and Chattanooga Lookouts. These are my top three Dodger pitching prospects.

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From the Quakes' game last night: OF Blake Smith hit his first home run of the season. He was the Dodgers' second-round pick from Cal in 2009 and he has good power potential. He's a little older than his competition, which isn't ideal. If he gets off to a quick start, though, he could be promoted to Double-A to see if he's a legitimate prospect.