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Just about every single fan across Dodgertown is elated the 2010 campaign is now in the past, yet Matt Kemp, although his season was not a total bust, holds both higher hopes and expectations for the journey ahead.

Although he led the Dodgers in RBI, extra-base hits, runs scored and home runs (setting a career high in the process), it was a tough year in many other ways—his batting average dropped dramatically over last season, he was caught stealing 15 times on the basepaths, he set a club record for strikeouts and at times his defense was much less than stellar.

Considering his 2010 salary was $4 million, most teams around Major League Baseball would sacrifice that expenditure in a heartbeat for a player who will produce 28 home runs, 89 RBI, 25 doubles, six triples, 19 stolen bases and 82 runs scored—despite a .249 average.

Yet the media, his own general manager, his coaching staff and the fans came down especially hard on Kemp for one reason only: They all know he has the talent to be a better player.

After the season was over, Matt Kemp himself admitted he could have been better. But what the typical misinformed fan doesn’t realize is that last year was a crazy roller-coaster ride for all of the Boys in Blue, especially for Kemp.

The following slides illustrate several of the obstacles Kemp had to deal with in 2010, show several of the changes made moving forward and explain why Matt Kemp will rebound in 2011. 

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With the hot stove season already past its boiling point and the beginning of spring training less than eight weeks away, many teams across Major League Baseball continue to dot their I’s and cross their T’s while preparing for the long season ahead.

Buried deep within the trade rumors and the free-agent market are the teams’ farm systems, and for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the next generation of future stars is both extremely talented and very exciting.

Although the number of players on the Dodgers farm who are actually Major League ready is very slim, there are at least a dozen stars who may be prepared to burst onto the scene as early as the fall of 2011 or the spring of 2012.

The minor league teams themselves within the Dodger organization continue to shine. The Great Lakes Loons, the Dodgers low Single-A affiliate, boasted the best record in all of the minor leagues in 2010. Led by Manager Juan Bustabad, the Loons eventually fell to the Lake County Captains in the second round of the Midwest Playoffs.

Under the guidance of first year manager Damon Berryhill, the Dodgers’ Rookie League affiliate, the Ogden Raptors, advanced to the Championship Series in the Pioneer League and eventually fell to the Helena Brewers in a tightly contested series of games.

Focusing on the players specifically, the talent level of pitching is tremendous—both in terms of starters and the bullpen. The number of infield prospects who set themselves apart may be a bit on the thin side, but the stars in the outfield are plentiful, and they showcase a blend of speed, power and exceptional glove work. The catching department is rebuilding, but within a full season it should be at its peak once again and have several rookies who are ready for the show.

The following slides show the Top 10 most valuable prospects heading into next season and offer a bit of commentary for each player. In addition to the Top 10, there’s a bonus slide included which features more than 15 players broken down by position who have also soared to the top of the farm and caught the eyes of both Dodgers managers and coaches.

For classification purposes, the list shown doesn’t include any players who have already made their Major League debuts. Also, the rankings are completely subjective and original, and they aren’t sanctioned or endorsed by any group or entity affiliated with Major League Baseball.

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When the Los Angeles Dodgers signed outfielder Tony Gwynn, Jr. to a one-year Major League deal on Tuesday, it became almost apparent that Xavier Paul is not part of the club’s future plan. And with General Manager Ned Colletti still pursuing outfielders Jeff Francoeur, Bill Hall, and Scott Podsednik, one wonders if the X-Man is being considered as a possible bartering chip to fill in a few remaining gaps on the roster.

As of Tuesday evening, MLB analysts such as Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports have already reported that similar rumors about Paul may become reality.

Stop for a moment and think back to June 9, 2010—a time when everything was just glorious at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals that evening, improving their record to 36-24—the best in the entire National League.

Clayton Kershaw struck out 10 batters while outduelling Adam Wainwright and earned himself his sixth victory on the season. Manny Ramirez, who was completely healthy, belted his fifth home run into the stands in the bottom of the first inning which put the Dodgers ahead to stay. In the bottom of the third, Blake DeWitt ripped a two-run single into right that provided the necessary insurance runs. Jonathan Broxton sealed the game with his 16th save—and it was only the beginning of June.

Things were just dandy in Dodgertown.

At that point in time, Dodger fans knew that Ramirez wouldn’t be back in 2011, and there was no doubt that Xavier Paul, the Dodgers’ fourth-round draft pick in 2003, was the heir apparent to Manny’s starting outfield spot. Some folks argued that Paul should have been on the big league roster to prepare himself for everyday action in 2011, while others thought he needed the daily repetitions in the minors where he could continue to hone his skills.

Regardless, Paul would get the call a total of three times during the 2010 campaign. It could be fair to say that skipper Joe Torre misused Paul during that time, as Paul found himself in a three-way platoon with veterans Garret Anderson and Reed Johnson. And to add insult to injury, Torre, being a huge fan of the hitter’s match-up, started Jamey Carroll in left field five times in July.

Nevertheless, although he did consistently hit the ball hard, Paul didn’t capitalize on the opportunities he had in the 44 games he appeared over the course of 2010. His average before his third call-up was a productive .281, but just before being sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque in August, he drifted down to a 231 average and a .314 slugging percentage. Still, there weren’t many players on the squad who were hitting much better, as the entire team was amidst a tremendous drought for most of July and August.

It’s difficult to say if 44 games is enough time to give a 25-year-old outfielder the opportunity to prove his value, but there’s no doubt that the X-Man has the tools. He has a rifle of an arm, which can easily be ranked second-best in the organization next to the cannon of Matt Kemp. And his minor league statistics prior to being injured in 2009 are excellent.

In 2008 with the Las Vegas 51s, Paul appeared in 115 games while batting an impressive .316/.378/.463. He also added 28 doubles, nine home runs, 68 RBI and 17 stolen bases. His OPS calculated to .841, which is exceptional for someone hitting out of the one or two holes.

Heading into 2011, the Dodgers have a need for speed, and if Rafael Furcal happens to suffer an injury as he typically has in years past, there’s few on the roster who could fill that spot as well as Paul. And outside of Furcal and Kemp, there’s not a single player on the squad who is even a threat to steal a base. Newly acquired first base coach Davey Lopes is a professor of the art of stealing, but there may be little for him to work with in that area next season.

The Dodgers aren’t getting any younger, and there are very few players on the Dodger’s farm who have seen any action at the big league level. Considering a starting lineup of Rod Barajas, Casey Blake, Furcal, Juan Uribe, James Loney, Jay Gibbons, Kemp, and Andre Ethier, only three of those players are under the age of thirty. The “young core” of players, as they are so often referred to, aren’t very young anymore, and it may be a good time to experiment with a few of the farmhands such as Paul, Russ Mitchell, or Ivan DeJesus.

Additionally, while in the minor leagues, Paul has always played well under Tim Wallach, who will be responsible for the Dodgers’ third base coaching duties next season. Now is a good time as any to give the X-Man a proper opportunity to show what he can contribute to the club.

The first half of the season is seemingly the best time for such types of experimentation, as the team can make any necessary adjustments before the All-Star break or trade deadline. Instead, Los Angeles has worked backwards from that angle over the last few years, having rounded out the Opening Day roster with veterans, then calling upon a few minor leaguers in awkward or very high pressure type situations.

Regardless of what the future holds for Xavier Paul, he will have the opportunity to prove himself, whether it be for another team or for the Dodgers in Spring training next year. Many who have seen him play recognize his overwhelming potential, and hope that Los Angeles provides him with the chance to prove his value. And if Los Angeles does indeed decide to retain him, the decision must be concise, as he no longer has any options remaining, and cannot be jockeyed between the Dodgers’ minor and major league rosters.

After a brutal 2010 campaign and with ownership still in question, folks across Dodgertown are mentally fatigued as it is, and really don’t need additional nightmares of dealing away very young, untested future stars such as Paul Konerko, Cody Ross, Carlos Santana, Sid Fernandez, John Franco or Pedro Martinez.

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With the Major League Baseball Hot Stove season almost at its boiling point, many fans across Dodgertown can’t help but recollect the most notable trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.

Since officially moving to Los Angeles in 1958, many player trades occurred that were instrumental in winning nine National League pennants and five World Series championships. However, along with the deals that were beneficial came the deals that were dreadful, and people wonder what may have transpired if a number of these trades could have been undone.

The following slides rank the 50 worst trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as well as offer a bit of commentary for each transaction. Please note that the rankings don’t include any free-agent signings, nor do they contain any deals made prior to the Dodgers moving to Los Angeles. The list is not syndicated in any fashion and it is purely opinionated and subjective.

Although some of the transactions listed may seem more prominent than others, the logic used in the rankings is based on the players ability at that time and into the future, weighted against what the Dodgers actually received in return.

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride through 52 years of Dodgers history.

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After the Los Angeles Dodgers recently signed both Ted Lilly and Hiroki Kuroda to lucrative contracts, lefty ace Clayton Kershaw can’t help but sit scratching his head with concern.

In 2009, at only 21 years of age, Kershaw’s salary was $404,000—just $4,000 over the league minimum.

And after proving to the team that he is indeed one of the brightest future stars of the Dodgers franchise, Los Angeles awarded him a $40,000 raise in 2010.

That’s right, while Lilly and Kuroda each earned over $10 million last year, Kershaw was shining among the best in the business while collecting his meager $440,000 salary.

Even George Sherrill ($4.5 million) and Vicente Padilla ($5.025 million) both banked at least 10 times more cash than Kershaw last season.

It is, however, fair to say that Kershaw’s situation isn’t completely out of the norm; and after only two full years of MLB service, his salary fits well within the guidelines set by Major League Baseball.

General Manager Ned Colletti and team owner Frank McCourt probably find it difficult to forget that they paid Kershaw a $2.3 million signing bonus back in 2006, which at the time was the highest in Dodgers history.

With the signing bonus still in mind, perhaps Colletti and McCourt believed that Kershaw’s 2010 salary was somewhat justified; yet when first-round draft choice Zach Lee was awarded a $5.25 million signing bonus this year, Kershaw took a backseat once again.

Kershaw is pre-arbitration eligible this winter, which basically means he will get paid whatever the Dodgers want to pay him. The only stipulations are that he makes at least the league minimum, which is $400,000, and the salary must be at least 80 percent of last year’s compensation.

While pre-arbitration is still considered a two-sided negotiation, and the player involved has the option to refuse a deal, the club still has the choice to pay whatever salary it wishes during this stage of the player’s career.

After the 2011 season, Kershaw will become arbitration eligible, which means each side will submit a prospective salary, and if an agreement can’t be reached, both the team and the player will take part in a hearing in front of a panel of three arbitrators.

Still, with all of those guidelines in mind, there’s nothing that prevents Ned Colletti from offering Kershaw something like a three-year, $20 million contract today. And he would certainly deserve every dime of it.

Whether or not Clayton Kershaw is actually ace material isn’t the question at hand, but what is important to remember is that he is far and away the most talented pitcher in the starting rotation.

Last year, Kershaw led all Dodgers starters with 13 wins, 212 strikeouts, over 204 innings pitched and a stellar 2.91 ERA. On September 14 against the San Francisco Giants, he threw the first shutout of his young career, and perhaps his most impressive win of the season occurred on May 9, when he outdueled Ubaldo Jimenez of the Colorado Rockies by throwing eight innings of two-hit shutout ball while earning the win.

Immediately after the Lilly and Kuroda signings, some fans across Dodgertown were almost bitter with the amount of money offered in the deals, being that Los Angeles needs to upgrade in quite a few areas in order to make a push for the playoffs in 2011. And the problem is that while having obvious limits, the overall payroll can be distorted and constrained very quickly, putting several of the younger players in a position to earn less than their actual value.

The underlying point is after the 2011 campaign, more than a handful of the Los Angeles players will be eligible for free agency; and after 2013, Kershaw himself may be eligible, depending what type of contract he is offered in the future.

The players remember times like these—and more often than not, the way a player is rewarded determines whether they walk or stay come free agency time.

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The deal is finally complete, and for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it turned out to be quite a mess.

On Monday, the Dodgers acquired outfielder Anthony Jackson from the Colorado Rockies in return for Octavio Dotel, which finalized the trade made last September.

Not only did Jackson cost the Dodgers Dotel, but Los Angeles also sacrificed starting pitcher James McDonald and prospect Andrew Lambo to the Pittsburgh Pirates in order to land Dotel last July.

According to Baseball America, Jackson isn’t listed as one of the Rockies’ top 30 prospects, and hasn’t elevated past the Double-A level in five minor league seasons.

Jackson, 26, is primarily known for his quickness and speed. In his five years with the Rockies organization, he played all three outfield positions as well as seeing limited time at second base and shortstop.

In 2010, Jackson appeared in 122 games for the Tulsa Drillers, hitting .251 with 67 runs scored, 109 hits, two home runs, 40 RBI and 33 stolen bases.

It’s speculated that Jackson will report to either the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes or the Great Lakes Loons—both Single-A affiliates in the Dodgers’ farm system—in early spring.

The Dodgers made the deal for Dotel just before the 2010 trade deadline in an effort to strengthen the bullpen with hopes of a possible run at the playoffs.

Needless to say, in terms of improvement, the trade was far from beneficial, as the Dodgers quickly found themselves falling from contention not long after the trade deadline passed.

During his brief stint with Los Angeles, Dotel appeared in 19 games and posted a 1-1 record with a 3.38 ERA. He logged just over 18 innings, and surrendered 11 hits, 11 walks, three home runs and was responsible for one blown save.

With the Rockies, Dotel was 0-1 with a 5.06 earned-run average in eight games and five innings of work.

On November 3, the Rockies declined Dotel’s team option for 2011, and as a result were forced to buyout his contract for $250,000. Dotel is currently a free agent and will turn 37 on November 25.

On the other side of the country in Pittsburgh, Pirates managers and coaches are pleased with the progress of James McDonald and are looking forward to him maintaining a second or third slot in the starting pitching rotation next season.

While with the Pirates in 2010, McDonald started 11 games and compiled a 4-5 record with a 3.52 ERA. He struck out 61 batters while logging just over 64 innings of work.

In 26 games for the Altoona Curve, the Pirates Double-A affiliate, outfielder Andrew Lambo hit .275 with two home runs and 10 RBI, but once acclimated, hopes to play a more prominent role in 2011.

Fans across Dodgertown can’t help but have sour tastes in their mouths. Only a few weeks ago, they learned that Scott Podsednik, also acquired just before the 2010 trade deadline, won’t be returning to the team, as he declined his 2011 player option.

In order to obtain Podsednik, the Dodgers dealt the best catcher in their farm system, Lucas May, along with pitching prospect Elisaul Pimintel, to the Kansas City Royals.

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Among his dozens of cluttered notepads and hundreds of files containing scouting reports of players across Major League Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti has the beginnings of an Opening Day roster plan stirring in the back of his mind.

Since the moment Colletti and team owner Frank McCourt announced a potential increased payroll budget for 2011, fans throughout Dodgertown have been imagining both the best and worst possible scenarios for the upcoming season.

Names such as Cliff Lee, Adam Dunn, Carl Crawford, Victor Martinez and Jayson Werth have been the talk of Tinseltown, yet with several minor tweaks and a few key additions, the Dodgers may not need to break the bank or sell the farm to once again emerge as contenders in the NL West.

On paper, the Boys in Blue weren’t as bad as their 2010 record suggested. However, problems with ownership, hostility within the coaching staff, and turmoil in the clubhouse created a negative chemistry which led to one of the more disappointing seasons in recent Dodgers history.

Colletti and new Los Angeles skipper Don Mattingly have been carefully assembling a coaching staff with all of the team’s best interests in mind, and with the proper bonding and a bit of luck, the Dodgers may create the exact type of locker room atmosphere which the squad desperately needs.

Of course, there are literally thousands of roster possibilities for next year, and a number of MLB experts and analysts are already tossing around names of players who may be taking the field at Chavez Ravine on Opening Day.

The following slides highlight seven bold predictions for the Dodgers’ Opening Day squad, offer a brief commentary for each and suggest a starting lineup against the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants on April 1.

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When considering the quality of players on both the trading block and free agent market, starting pitcher Zack Greinke undoubtedly would be a perfect fit for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As the MLB Hot Stove is just beginning to heat up, there’s really not much movement expected from the Dodgers, at least until Judge Scott Gordon reveals his decision in the McCourt divorce case.

Still, it’s very important that Los Angeles remain active in preparing their roster for 2011, as there are several key dates approaching within the next four weeks.

The annual General Managers Meetings will be held in Orlando on November 16 and 17 followed by the Owners Meetings a day later. Among other things, these meetings act as an icebreaker of sorts to test the waters of the upcoming trade market.

The highlight of the Major League Baseball offseason is the Winter Meetings, which this year will be held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida from December 6-9. The Winter Meetings normally produce a handful of blockbuster player deals that set the stage for the remainder of the trade season.

Los Angeles general manager Ned Colletti has already stated that he will be seeking out both a power bat and a quality starting pitcher to improve the Dodgers’ roster heading into 2011, and for such moves to be productive, it’s critical that Colletti be aggressive during these upcoming meetings in Florida.

In terms of upgrading the offense, there are quite a few potential moves that could be made. However, in the starting pitching department, one name seems like it would be an excellent match—Kansas City Royals righty Zack Greinke.

The Royals have already stated that they are prepared to move Greinke if the deal is right, and if the Dodgers are able to put together a proposal that is beneficial for both teams, Los Angeles would immediately boast a pitching staff that would be considered among the best in the National League.

With Greinke, the Dodgers would be acquiring a former All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, and at only 27 years of age, he shows that he can still light up the radar by touching 96 mph with his heater. When his slider is working properly, it almost makes opposing batters dizzy, and his 70 mph curveball comes out of his hand looking like a fastball.

His best assets are that he commands all his pitches extremely well to both sides of the plate and does not show a recognizable pitch pattern.

Outside of a few problems in 2006 and early in 2007, Greinke has been very durable. Over the course of the past three years Greinke has proved his endurance by recording at least 200 innings pitched per season

Greinke’s salary for 2011 will be just over $13.5 million, which is almost identical to what the Dodgers paid Hiroki Kuroda in 2010. It is still unknown whether or not the Dodgers will offer Kuroda, 35, a contract to return next year.

Kansas City will likely need to be swept off their feet when talking a potential deal, yet when preparing a package, the Dodgers may find it very difficult to present an offer to the Royals’ liking.

Sure, there’s Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, but with Colletti already identifying the power department as a weakness, there’s little chance that he will sacrifice what little deep threat the Dodgers already have.

Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw aren’t going anywhere either, and Ted Lilly’s new contract suggests that he’s part of the Dodgers’ long-term plan.

Then there’s first baseman James Loney, who is still being criticized for a lack of power. Many still speculate, however, that with the right hitting coach, Loney will flourish in a hurry. With his glove already being among the best in the Majors, Loney could quickly become a star player if his long ball skills finally blossom.

Loney may not be attractive to the Royals, however. Kansas City boasts much pride in Billy Butler, their 24-year-old first baseman who is almost a clone of Loney—sans the defense. Butler hit .318 with 15 home runs, 45 doubles, 78 RBI and an .857 OPS in 2010.

The Royals seem set with the closer role as well with Joakim Soria. Soria recorded 43 saves for the Royals this year while posting a 1.78 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Unless Kansas City wanted to use him as a setup man, Jonathan Broxton may not even be a valuable bargaining chip.

Rafael Furcal falls under the criteria for the 5/10 rule and probably wouldn’t approve a trade to Kansas City anyway.

Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll are both past their prime playing days and seem like unlikely choices for a team wanting to build with youth.

Having acquired catcher Lucas May from the Dodgers just before the 2010 trade deadline, the Royals seem content with their positioning behind the dish.

So what’s left?

The already sparse and very young Los Angeles Dodgers farm system.

Although very thin and unproven, the Dodgers’ system boasts about a dozen gems that any team around baseball would be willing to snatch in a hurry.

In the pitching department, Chris Withrow, Aaron Miller, Ethan Martin and Allen Webster are very highly regarded by many scouts around the Majors. In terms of position players, Xavier Paul, Devaris “Dee” Gordon, Ivan DeJesus, Jerry Sands, Kyle Russell, Leon Landry and Trayvon Robinson headline an elite group of future stars.

So the question looms: Is Ned Colletti willing to potentially sacrifice the future of the Dodgers in an attempt to make Los Angeles contenders in 2011?

All that being said, before any possible deal begins to take shape, Zack Greinke’s no-trade clause may prevent any type of deal with the Dodgers from occurring. As early as the weekend, Greinke is expected to let the Royals know the eight to 10 teams that he has decided with whom to block a trade.

Nevertheless, it shouldn’t prevent Colletti from getting busy. Ned needs to be at his absolute best this offseason if the Dodgers have any hope whatsoever of improving on a very dismal 2010.

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Colby Lewis was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Texas Rangers.

After the San Francisco Giants jumped out to a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2010 World Series, Lewis held the Giants to two runs in seven-plus innings of work as the Rangers drew within one game by defeating the Giants on Saturday, 4-2.

In doing so, Lewis became the winning pitcher in all three home playoff victories in the history of the Texas Rangers franchise.

Before this year’s Fall Classic began, many believed that starting pitching would be a huge factor in the outcome, but up until Saturday night, it was the offense of the Giants that stole the show.

With momentum now on the side of the Rangers, and the matchup in favor of Tommy Hunter in Game 4, Texas has a legitimate chance of squaring up the Series on Sunday.

When looking at the dynamics of the Giants lineup, it’s not difficult to see why San Francisco was successful against Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson.

The Giants feature predominantly right-handed hitting in their batting order and have had much success against left-handed pitching throughout the entire 2010 postseason.

As Lewis was the right man for the job on Saturday, Hunter, also a righty, will be in a similar scenario Sunday night. Hunter brings in a 7-0 record in the regular season at Rangers Ballpark and will face Giants rookie left-hander Madison Bumgarner in Game 4.

As Game 5 nears, the aces of each staff will be called upon once again, and if the Series is stretched into six or seven games, starting pitching could very well be a deciding factor as to which team will come away with the championship rings.

The following slides show each starter who has pitched thus far in the Series, rate and analyze each pitcher’s performance, as well as speculate how they will fare if utilized in the latter part of the Series.

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Piece by piece, the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers coaching staff is slowly coming together, and within the next few weeks, general manager Ned Colletti is expected to confirm all reports and make an official announcement about who will be working under new skipper Don Mattingly next season.

Ken Davidoff, a national baseball writer for Newsday, reported on Tuesday that pitching coach Rick Honeycutt has agreed to return to Los Angeles for a fifth season.

Honeycutt will presumably be joined by new third base coach Tim Wallach, who was recently eliminated as a candidate for the Milwaukee Brewers‘ managing vacancy.

Several weeks ago, Wallach agreed to a contract to become the Dodgers‘ bench coach or third base coach, as long as he didn’t land a managerial position with another Major League club. Outside of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Brewers were the only team to contact the Dodgers and ask permission to interview Wallach. Toronto wasn’t on the list of teams that Wallach was permitted to talk with, as specified in the contract.

According to Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com, former Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman has emerged as the favorite to become Don Mattingly’s first bench coach. Mattingly had been campaigning for Larry Bowa to stay on with the Dodgers in the role of bench coach, but it is assumed Colletti wasn’t comfortable with Mattingly’s decision.

Bowa, along with last year’s bench coach Bob Schaefer, have recently confirmed that they will not be returning to Los Angeles next season.

Hillman was fired on May 13 of this year after managing the Royals for just over two seasons. Prior to managing in Kansas City, he was the manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. In 2006, Hillman guided the Ham Fighters to their first Pacific League championship title in over 25 years.

Jeff Pentland, who last year was the Dodgers’ secondary hitting instructor at Camelback Ranch, will be named as the new Los Angeles batting coach. Before being hired by the Dodgers, Pentland worked as the batting coach for the Chicago Cubs (1997-2002), the Kansas City Royals (2003-2005) and the Seattle Mariners (2005-2008).

Former Major League slugger Chili Davis will assume Pentland’s previous position while Dodger great Manny Mota will continue his role as a hitting instructor.

According to a number of sources, Ken Howell is expected to return as bullpen coach despite more than several implosions by Dodger relievers over the course of the 2010 season.

Additional sources are reporting that current first base coach Mariano Duncan has been told to pursue other interests, although there may be a spot available for him coaching in the Dodgers’ farm system if he decides to pursue that route.

Most new managers are permitted to assemble a coaching staff on their own after being hired by a Major League club, but since 2011 is Mattingly’s first year managing and due to the tumultuous state of the franchise, Colletti has decided to intervene to ensure that all the proper moves are made.

If Mattingly doesn’t fare particularly well in his initial season as manager of the Dodgers, it’s already been suggested that he can utilize the excuse of not being able to put together the staff underneath him by himself.

Right now, however, the first task at hand must be to focus on assembling a competitive roster and building positive momentum heading into spring workouts.

In other management news, Dodger fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Assistant General Manager and Scouting Director Logan White will be returning to Los Angeles next season. White was being considered as the new general manager for the New York Mets, but was eliminated as a candidate for the position late last week.

White is described as the “heart and soul” of the Los Angeles scouting system by many who are familiar with the Dodgers organization.

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