2010 Los Angeles Dodgers Preview

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2009 Record: 95-67, 1^st NL West

2009 Prediction: 87-75, 2^nd NL West

2010 Prediction: 1^st NL West

 

Impact Player: Matt Kemp

Impact Pitcher: Chad Billingsley

Top Prospect Player:
SS Dee Gordon

Top Prospect Pitcher:
RHP Chris Withrow

 

Manager: Joe Torre, 3^rd Season (179-145,
.552)

 

Significant
Acquisitions:  INF Jamey Carroll, OF Reed Johnson, OF Brian Giles,
INF Nick Green

Significant Losses: 2B Orlando Hudson, OF Juan
Pierre, INF Mark Loretta, INF Juan Castro, 1B Jim Thome, LHP Randy Wolf,
RHP Guillermo Mota, RHP Jon Garland

 

During the regular season, the Dodgers were easily the best
overall team, not just in wins, but in everything.  They were number one in team ERA, runs
allowed, and hits allowed, and also number one in hits, batting average and
on-base percentage.  The Dodgers went to
the NLCS for the second straight year against the Phillies, and for the second
straight year they were bounced by the bombers from Broad Street.  This offseason, the team’s owner are engaged
in a bitter divource settlement that has led to a very unstable ownership
status, and the team is unwilling to spend any money at the moment.  Very little was done in the way of
acquisitions while the team lost many key parts including Randy Wolf, Orlando Hudson,
Juan Pierre, and Jon Garland.  There is little doubt, however, that the
Dodgers still have the depth of talent to win again in the improving NL West.  Two young hurlers in Clayton Kershaw and Chad
Billingsley anchor the rotation while three bourgeoning young hitters are
about to become perennial MVP threats in Matt
Kemp, Andre Ethier and James Loney.  There’s little standing in the way of LA
making it back to the playoffs.

 

Pitching

There is a lack of depth in the rotation that could be the
Dodgers biggest hurdle this season, but the top of the rotation is overflowing
with promising talent.  Billingsley is
about to become a true ace, the likes of which have not been seen in LA since the
days of Orel Hershiser.  He’s a dominating pitcher with the composure
of a winner.  Last season he wore down on
the second half after a very strong first half. 
With another year under his belt, he should be able to put together a
full season.  He won 16 games with a 3.14
ERA in 2008.  Kershaw is a Cy Young Award
waiting to happen.  He’s only 22, and he’s already an
established Major League arm.  Last
season he was only 8-8 in 30 starts, but he often didn’t pitch very deep into
games party because of a high walk rate, but also because there was a conscious
effort on a part of the Dodgers to limit his innings; there will be no such
limit this season.  His ERA last year was
a terrific 2.79, if he continues to pitch like that, he’ll be winning 15-20
games without batting an eye.  Hiroki Kuroda struggled with injuries
last season, but still had a 3.76 ERA in 20 starts; if he’s healthy he’s a
solid number 3 pitcher.  Vicente Padilla was much better after
the Dodgers acquired him from Texas and was re-signed to be the fourth guy.  The fifth spot will be a Spring battle
between lefties Eric Stults and Scott Elbert as well as bullpen
standout James McDonald.  Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger will be in the mix as well.

 

Jonathan Broxton
certainly has the mound presence of an elite closer at 295 pounds and a
fastball that touches 100 mph, but he’ll need to be slightly more consistent to
be considered in a group that includes Rivera, Papelbon and Nathan.  There’s no doubt that the ability is there,
though.  The bridge to Broxton is as
solid as anyone with lefty specialist and setup man George Sherrill back for a full season.  McDonald has become a dependable late inning
option as well and will be there unless he’s starting.  Ramon
Troncoso and Ronald Belisario
were dominant last season with 2.72 and 2.04 ERAs respectively, while
dependable lefty Hong-Chih Kuo is
back from his shoulder injury and will look to remain healthy for the whole
year.  Cory Wade will be in the mix as well after shoulder problems kept
him from a repeat of his ’08 performance when he had a ridiculous 2.27
ERA.  Many other arms are also in the mix
and could step in if there are injuries, including Eric Gagne who’s back with the organization after a few years away.

 

ROTATION	Age	B/T
Chad Billingsley	25/6	R/R
Clayton Kershaw	22	L/L
Hiroki Kuroda	35	R/R
Vicente Padilla	32	R/R
Eric Stults	30	L/L
BULLPEN
Jonathan Broxton	25/6	R/R
George Sherrill	33	L/L
James McDonald	25	L/R
Roman Troncoso	27	R/R
Ronald Belisario	27	R/R
Hong-Chih Kuo	28/9	L/L
Cory Wade	26/7	R/R
POSSIBILITIES
Scott Elbert	24/5	L/L
Charlie Haeger	26	R/R
Carlos Monasterios	24	R/R
Armando Zerpa	23	L/L
Justin Miller*	32/3	R/R
Jeff Weaver	32/3	R/R

*=newly acquired

 

 

 

Lineup

Manny Ramirez‘s
suspension for steroid use last season derailed the image of the fun-loving,
uber-talented star outfielder and it now appears that his career is winding
down.  He’s still a terrific player and
is a force in the middle of this lineup, but even he acknowledges that this
could be his last season; it’ll definitely be his last in LA.  Along with Manny in left, the Dodgers have
one of the scariest outfields in baseball with young All-Stars Kemp and Ethier
in center and right respectively.  Kemp
is one of the best all-around players in baseball, doing everything very
well.  A 30/30 season seems
inevitable.  Ethier led the team in 2009
in both homeruns (31) and RBI (106), making the 50-game absence of Manny seem
like nothing at all.

 

First baseman James
Loney should eventually develop more power than he’s shown so far, but his
all-around game is impeccable; he should win a Gold Glove any year now.  Rafael
Furcal is back at shortstop and will look to bounce back from a
disappointing season a year ago.  He’s
still only 32 and is an elite defender.  Ronnie Belliard won’t play defense at
the level Orlando Hudson did last
year at second base, but he was basically the starter over Hudson down the
stretch and in the playoffs, while steady veteran Casey Blake is back at third base until the team finds a better
option there.  If ownership gets
steadier, they may make a run at Mike
Lowell if he’s healthy to provide some depth at the position.  Catching will be the responsibility of
Canadian Russell Martin who will
look to prove his accusers wrong after a powerless 2009.  He’s still one of the best defensive and
game-calling catchers in the NL.

 

The bench has some depth with veterans Jamey Carroll and Reed
Johnson and Blake DeWitt will
also be around.  DeWitt may still be
future at third.  41-year-old Brad Ausmus is back for yet another
year to backup Martin, while Jason Repko
and veterans Brian Giles and Alfredo Amezaga will fight for the last
roster spot.

 

Pos.		Age	B/T
SS	Rafael Furcal	32	S/R
1B	James Loney	25/6	L/L
CF	Matt Kemp	25	R/R
RF	Andre Ethier	28	L/L
LF	Manny Ramirez	37/8	R/R
C	Russell Martin	27	R/R
3B	Casey Blake	36/7	R/R
2B	Ron Belliard	35	R/R
	BENCH
C	Brad Ausmus	41	R/R
INF	Jamey Carroll*	36	R/R
INF	Blake DeWitt	24/5	L/R
OF	Reed Johnson*	33	R/R
OF	Jason Repko	29	R/R
	POSSIBILITIES
INF	Chin-Lung Hu	26	R/R
C	A.J. Ellis	29	R/R
INF	Angel Berroa*	32	R/R
INF	Nick Green*	31	R/R
1B	Doug Mientkiewicz*	35/6	L/R
INF	Argenis Reyes*	27	S/R
OF	Brian Giles*	39	L/L
UTIL	Alfredo Amezaga*	32	S/R

*=newly acquired

 

The Dodgers still have one of the best teams in the NL.  Kemp, Ethier and Loney will be stars for a
long time and Billingsley and Kershaw are the future and the present in the
rotation.  The division looks to be more
competitive than it has been in years so the goings might be tougher this
season, but that adversity may end up helping them come October.

Final Prediction:
92-70, 1^st NL West