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5 Dream Free-Agent Pickups for the Dodgers

With the World Series now over, MLB free agency can officially begin. The Los Angeles Dodgers are sure to be players in the market as they search for ways to improve their roster after a second consecutive disappointing playoff exit.

When looking around the diamond, positions of concern for the Dodgers include shortstop, catcher, the back end of the starting rotation and the bullpen.

New president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has a prime opportunity to make a good first impression after Los Angeles reportedly paid him $35 million over five years, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

The Dodgers extended a qualifying offer to Hanley Ramirez worth $15.3 million, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, but the shortstop is expected to turn it down and sign elsewhere. Without many other free-agent options at shortstop, Los Angeles may roll with Miguel Rojas, Alex Guerrero or Erisbel Arruebarrena while waiting for the eventual promotion of top infield prospect Corey Seager.

Rather than focusing on a potential replacement for Ramirez, Friedman and the Dodgers may have their eyes on other marquee free agents this winter.

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Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses of Dodgers’ Top 10 Prospects

The Los Angeles Dodgers added several players to their farm system over the past few days through the MLB draft.

Most of those selected are still years away from becoming impact prospects, and only the team’s first-round selection cracked last week’s Top-10 list.

The following slides will further examine the Dodgers’ young talent on the farm, specifically focusing on each player’s strengths and weaknesses.

Notes: All statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted. All statistics updated through June 9 unless otherwise noted. Tom Windle replaces Scott Schebler as No. 9 prospect.

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Latest Expert Predictions on Who Los Angeles Dodgers Will Draft

While most Los Angeles sports fans are still frustrated at the Lakers’ fortunes in last week’s NBA draft lottery, the hometown baseball team has its own draft coming up in less than two weeks.

The 2014 MLB draft is set to begin on June 5, with the Los Angeles Dodgers slated to make a selection at No. 22.

Last year, the team chose right-handed pitcher Chris Anderson out of Jacksonville University with the 18th pick. 

Los Angeles has always been a team that prides itself on pitching. Fifteen of the Dodgers’ last 20 first-round picks have been pitchers, so it would not be surprising to see the trend continue.

Still, that doesn’t mean the Dodgers will have a problem drafting a position player if the right opportunity presents itself.

Based on expert projections and various mock drafts, the following slides take a look at some players the Dodgers are likely to target come next week.

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Los Angeles Dodgers: Potential Deals LA Should Propose at the Deadline

A quarter of the season is in the books, and most Dodgers fans would agree that their team has played to about a quarter of its potential. 

One of the most popular picks to represent the National League in the World Series this season, Los Angeles began the week just one game over .500.

The Boys in Blue have not won a series since sweeping the Minnesota Twins almost two weeks ago and own a disappointing 8-12 record at home.

The trade deadline is less than three months away. While a lot can change between now and the end of the July, general manager Ned Colletti may want to start thinking about potential deals in case his team can’t find a way to right the ship.

 

Trade an Outfielder for Bullpen Help

When the Dodgers promoted Yasiel Puig last season, it meant there would be four highly paid outfielders for only three outfield spots. Skeptics wondered how manager Don Mattingly would handle the situation which, due to injuries, didn’t actually come to fruition until this season.

So far, Mattingly has settled an outfield rotation that favors certain matchups while giving all four outfielders multiple opportunities to start each week.

Having Puig, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford available off the bench any given day is certainly a luxury. But those four are all good enough—and paid well enough—to warrant full-time action.

That’s why it might make sense to ship one of them off in exchange for some bullpen help.

It’s no secret that Los Angeles relievers have struggled this season. The Dodgers’ bullpen has compiled a 3.94 ERA with 11 losses and five blown saves in 17 chances following Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Here are two possible trades that may help ease the bullpen concerns:

 

 Andre Ethier for Luke Gregerson

This trade would send Ethier back to the team that originally drafted him 11 years ago, while giving him the opportunity to start every day in Oakland. The A’s have a hole in right field as Josh Reddick has underwhelmed this season to the tune of a .214 batting average with just one home run.

The Dodgers would receive a quality right-handed relief pitcher in Gregerson, who is currently a key contributor to a top-five bullpen in terms of opponent batting average. His personal 2.37 ERA so far this season is even lower than his fine career ERA of 2.88.

The former San Diego Padre has experience in the National League West and could help spell a Los Angeles bullpen that has already pitched the second-most innings in all of baseball.

The potential snag lies in the financials of the deal. Ethier is owed about $10 million more than Gregerson this year. It doesn’t help that the A’s have been a notoriously frugal franchise.

However, Oakland’s ownership has shown a recent willingness to reach deeper into its pockets, as the team’s 2014 payroll is the highest it’s been in 14 years.

 

Carl Crawford for Will Smith

Carl Crawford is another outfielder that the Dodgers may need to use as a trade chip. In exchange, Colletti would reel Will Smith into Hollywood. No, not that Will Smith. The Milwaukee Brewers‘ young reliever currently leads the majors in holds. His 25 strikeouts in just 17 innings pitched have led to a miniscule 0.52 ERA. 

Unlike Kemp and Puig, Crawford did not originally sign with Los Angeles. It wasn’t Colletti who offered Crawford his current contract that will pay him over $20 million this season.

The Dodgers acquired Crawford in the 2012 mega deal with the Boston Red Sox and thus might be more inclined to part ways with him come July.

Crawford’s .255 average this season is nothing to write home about, especially considering his career average is .291. He’s no longer the speed demon of years past and hasn’t really gotten the opportunity to play the role of table-setter for the Dodgers this year due to the re-emergence of Dee Gordon.

Although Crawford’s contract will be unattractive to suitors, Milwaukee’s 2014 payroll is also the highest it’s been in the 21st century. The Brewers have been a surprising team this year and surely believe they are contenders. Crawford’s veteran presence may help fill an important void on the team.

If anything, he’ll be an upgrade from the current right-field combo of Logan Schafer and Caleb Gindl. In 66 combined at-bats, the two youngsters are hitting .196 with zero home runs and five runs batted in.

 

Trade an Outfielder for Infield Depth

The depth of the Dodgers’ infield is the polar opposite of the outfield. Beyond established veterans Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez and Juan Uribe, there’s not much to speak of.

Colletti always likes having a super utility infielder that isn’t known for power but rather versatility. Last season, it was Nick Punto. This year, it’s Justin Turner.

The only problem is that Turner hasn’t been turning in much production when he gets a chance to play. He began the week hitting just .180 in 65 at bats.

Here are some potential deals that might solve issues surrounding the Dodgers’ infield depth:

 

Andre Ethier and Chone Figgins for Adam Lind

The Blue Jays‘ Adam Lind might be a good fit in Los Angeles. What the Dodgers have been lacking in recent years is a powerful left-handed bat off the bench. Lind has been relegated to designated hitting duties with occasional starts at first base behind Edwin Encarnacion in Toronto. He hit 23 home runs last season, far more than the combined total of Dodgers’ bench players in 2013.

Lind is off to a slower start this year, with just two home runs. Still, his .306 average is a bright spot along with his 118 home runs over the past five seasons.

While Toronto has a fully loaded outfield with Melky Cabrera, Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista, Ethier could still make the occasional start like he is doing now with the Dodgers.

But with the designated hitter in the American League, he’d be guaranteed even more at-bats than he’s receiving in Los Angeles.

Lind could be a fine backup to Adrian Gonzalez at first base, and he has outfield experience. Lind would essentially play Chone Figgins’ current role, but with the added power from the left side—something that’s been missing from Mattingly’s bench. Figgins would simply be a throw-in.

 

Carl Crawford and Justin Turner for Conor Gillaspie and Matt Lindstrom

This trade with the Chicago White Sox would bring in both a left-handed bat off the bench along with a veteran relief pitcher. Conor Gillaspie, who hit 13 home runs last season, can play both corner infield positions. Juan Uribe’s recent hamstring injury has raised even more questions about the Dodgers’ lack of infield depth.

The Jerry Reinsdorf-owned White Sox would be able to handle Crawford’s contract. This is assuming that Chicago is not one of the teams to which the outfielder can block a deal, per a stipulation in his contract.

The White Sox should be able to easily plug Crawford into their outfield shuffle. The team doesn’t have any proven outfielders outside of Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo, although they will look to develop Adam Eaton when he returns from the disabled list.

Matt Lindstrom is currently closing out games for Chicago and has turned in a solid 2.81 ERA. Although he has blown three of eight save chances, the hard-throwing right-hander wouldn’t be called upon to finish games in Los Angeles. Rather, he could be used in place of the struggling Brian Wilson.

It’s no secret that the Dodgers have underwhelmed so far in 2014. Still, they are above .500 and not in last place like they were at this point a year ago. If there’s a team that knows about flipping a switch, it’s the one that went on a 42-8 run last season.

The Dodgers remain one of the most talented squads in the league and should be able to gather momentum sooner rather than later. It’s not time for Colletti to pull the trigger on these panic trades just yet, but they should be considered if things don’t turn around over the next few months.

 

All stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.

 

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3 Biggest Takeaways from the First Month of Dodgers Baseball

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to conclude a grueling nine-game road trip this week, one that has featured almost every challenge the team could imagine.

It began with a rainout in Minnesota, which led to a day-night doubleheader later in the week. The second game of the twin-bill against the Twins lasted over five hours. After jetting down to Miami for the weekend, the team flew back up north to Washington, D.C. and was greeted with a mid-game rain delay that lasted over three hours.

Despite the unwelcoming conditions of the past week, the Dodgers are guaranteed to return home to sunny Los Angeles with a winning record overall.

As the Boys in Blue prepare for a big four-game series with the San Francisco Giants later this week, let’s take a look at the three biggest takeaways from the past month of Dodgers baseball.

 

The Dodgers Aren’t Making Home Fans Happy

The Dodgers have been sending home fans to the parking lot with their heads down for most of the season so far.

The team is a very underwhelming 6-9 at Dodger Stadium this year. The home slate started out on the wrong foot when the Giants blitzed Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu with six runs in the first inning of Los Angeles’ home opener, quickly subduing the pomp and circumstance of the pregame festivities.

Fans at Chavez Ravine haven’t had much to cheer about since then, as the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies have been the most recent teams to take series from the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The only team the Dodgers have been able to handle at home was the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks.

All told, the Dodgers are the only National League squad currently among the top three teams in their division to have a losing record at home.

But Don Mattingly’s bunch has made up for it on the road, where they continue to frustrate opposing fans.

Entering the final two games of their series against the Washington Nationals, the Dodgers own a ripe 12-6 record on the road. That’s good for second in the National League behind the surprising Milwaukee Brewers.

The Dodgers have already swept the Diamondbacks and Minnesota Twins at their places this year, and are in position to complete a winning road trip by taking one of their two remaining games at Washington this week.

 

Outfield Dilemma Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Ever since the Dodgers called up Yasiel Puig from the minors last season, skeptics immediately questioned how Mattingly was going to manage the playing time of four high-paid outfielders with only three outfield spots available.

Well, the the potential problem didn’t really come into play until the beginning of this season, and so far it hasn’t been that big of an issue.

Mattingly has been employing an outfield rotation that favors certain matchups and situations while giving his four elite outfielders multiple opportunities to start each week.

Veteran left-handed outfielders Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford typically sit against southpaw pitchers. This is a wise move considering Ethier has posted a meager .233 batting average against lefties over the course of his career. Crawford is slightly better at .258.

But when Mattingly looks down his bench and sees a right-handed batter like Scott Van Slyke, a guy who’s hitting .375 with three home runs this season against lefties, it makes sense to start him over Ethier or Crawford.

Other times, Mattingly will give certain outfielders the day off if they have been slumping or—in the case of Puig—taken a fly ball off the head while crashing full speed into a wall, as was the case Sunday afternoon in Miami.

The bottom line is that the Dodgers have the rare luxury of mixing and matching above-average outfielders on any given day. Although Puig, Ethier, Crawford and Matt Kemp are getting paid enough to warrant a spot in the starting lineup every day, it simply can’t work when all four of them are healthy.

So far, the Dodgers have not had to deal with any public gripes about playing time, as Mattingly has continued to give each of them a fair chance every week.

 

The Bullpen Has Been Overused

Dodgers relievers lead the majors in innings pitched at 119 and have issued the second-most walks entering Tuesday’s game at Washington.

It also hasn’t helped that Los Angeles has played in more extra-inning contests than any other team in the league. Part of the reason for these long games is due to unpredictable situations, but other factors include relievers failing to do their jobs by closing out wins.

Closer Kenley Jansen’s 18 appearances are more than the Dodgers would have liked to see, especially considering the team has only played 33 games so far. Jansen’s two blown saves and 3.52 ERA are also numbers that the team expected to be lower at this point in the season.

Just this past weekend, Dodgers relievers were unable to preserve a 7-3 lead in the seventh inning at Miami. Los Angeles eventually won in the 11th inning, but not before the bullpen hurled 102 pitches—the same number that starter Paul Maholm threw in six innings of work.

Luckily for the Dodgers, their starting rotation gained some much-needed stability this week with the return of Clayton Kershaw. The defending Cy Young Award winner should be able to give the bullpen a rest, and it will be up to the other starters to follow his lead by going deep into games.

 

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3 Predictions for Clayton Kershaw’s New Record-Setting Dodgers Deal

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Dodgers have made the cash-strapped days of the Frank McCourt era a distant memory. As if the baseball world needed another reminder, the team recently made its superstar pitcher, Clayton Kershaw, the highest-paid player in the history of the sport.

His seven-year, $250 million contract extension, first reported by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, even includes an opt-out clause after five years. This means that Kershaw could potentially be in line for an even richer deal if he decides to opt out as a 30-year-old in 2018.

Of course, a deal this lengthy and this expensive does not come without risk. The Dodgers are taking a big gamble, but for a soon-to-be 26-year-old pitcher who has won two out of the last three Cy Young Awards and has never landed on the disabled list, it’s a move they had to make.

As the dust settles and the 2014 season approaches, here are three bold predictions for Kershaw’s record-setting deal:

 

1. Clayton Kershaw will win at least two more Cy Young Awards

Baseball teams only hand out seven-year, $250 million extensions to the best pitchers on the planet, and Kershaw happens to be the best pitcher on the planet. 

The 2011 and 2013 Cy Young Award winner should have also received the honor in 2012, but the baseball world decided to champion the R.A. Dickey feel-good story, despite Kershaw compiling a lower ERA and WHIP than Dickey. Perhaps Dickey received the award because his knuckleball was able to strike out 230 batters, while Kershaw only fanned 229.

In any event, Kershaw responded to his snub by posting a 1.83 ERA in 2013, the league’s lowest since Pedro Martinez’s 1.74 in 2000.

Besides a nonexistent injury history, the scary part is that Kershaw won’t turn 26 until March.

Most pitchers are only entering their prime at this age. Kershaw is already there.

And with so much money invested in their prized southpaw, the Dodgers will be sure to continue their responsible usage of Kershaw. He has just five career starts of 120 or more pitches.

If Kershaw progresses at this rate, it won’t be a question of whether or not he wins multiple Cy Young Awards during the next few seasons. It will be a question of how many.

 

2. Clayton Kershaw will help the Dodgers win the World Series

Every Dodgers fan remembers how last season ended.

Kershaw, the team’s most reliable pitcher, shockingly imploded in the biggest game of his life. If Dodgers fans thought it was rough, imagine how Kershaw has felt these past few months.

His last memory of the 2013 season was walking off the field as the St. Louis Cardinals were piling onto what would end up being a 9-0 shellacking to end the Dodgers’ playoff run.

Albeit $250 million probably washed some of the bad taste from his mouth, but a competitor like Kershaw doesn’t forget the bad. (See: Dickey 2012)

He knows the deep-pocketed Guggenheim ownership group has gone all in to put a legitimate contender on the field. And with most of the key pieces locked in for the next few seasons, a championship is well within reach. The team proved its potential last season, coming within two wins of its first World Series appearance in 25 years.

If the Dodgers find themselves in another win-or-go-home game come October, you can bet Kershaw will be on the mound, eager to live up to the hefty expectations placed upon his shoulders with the new extension.

And you can bet he won’t let the season end prematurely on his watch again. Instead of sitting in the dugout watching another team celebrate at his expense, it will be Kershaw doing the dancing with his teammates sooner rather than later.

 

3. Kershaw will opt out in 2018

Assuming the first two predictions come true, Kershaw will enter the 2018 season with at least four Cy Young Awards and at least one World Series ring by the age of 30.

That’s the kind of resume that launches pitchers into the Hall of Fame at the end of their careers.

For Kershaw, it’ll be the kind of resume that he can use to to test the free-agent market, which would almost certainly assure him an even richer contract—if that’s even possible.

The opt-out clause after five years was an essential part of the deal for Kershaw, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers, fresh off finalizing a multi-billion-dollar television deal, should have no problem outbidding other suitors for the Texas native’s prized left arm in the event that he opts out in 2018.

For Kershaw, it’s a win-win situation.

For the Dodgers, it’s a win-win intuition. 

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