Kuzul

Following in the footsteps of his father, Tom Gordon, 22-year-old Dee Gordon is currently on the fast track to play in the major leagues for one of baseball’s highest profile teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gordon is currently ranked first on Baseball America as the Dodger’s top prospect.

Widely considered as a tremendous hitter and fielder, Gordon may also be the best all-around athlete in the highly talented farm system.

With the hype surrounding Gordon, there is a great chance that he will be starting at shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers by the end of the season.

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With Spring Training rapidly approaching, the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers‘ roster is nearly finalized. First-year manager, Don Mattingly, hopes to improve the team from the 2010 edition that was two games under .500.

Expectations were high going into last season after the 2009 club won a National League-high 95 games in 2009. A combination of bullpen injuries, a fading Manny Ramirez, and the messy owner situation resulted in a fourth-place finish in the NL West and frustrated fans.

“The question I have this year, that I didn’t have last year ago, is really rebounding from last season—’08 and ’09 were two really good years,” said GM Ned Colletti.

“We gained a lot, players matured a lot, got more understanding of the dynamics of competing at this level and playing in October.

Heading into the 2010 season, many thought that the Dodgers biggest issue would be their starting pitching. This was simply not the case as the Dodgers received productive seasons from starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla, as well as a bounce-back second half from Chad Billingsley.

The Dodgers’ biggest problem in 2010 was their lack of offensive fire power, with the Dodgers hitting just 120 home runs, second fewest in the NL, and consistently struggled to score from months June through September.

Despite having the second highest attendance of any NL team in 2010, and the highest in 2009, the Dodgers will likely head into 2011 with just the fifth highest payroll at $95 million.

However, this total does not include the near $35 million that the Dodgers still have to pay to several ex-Dodgers, in particular Manny Ramirez, Juan Pierre, Andrew Jones, and Jason Schmidt.

We have seen teams go deep into the playoffs without top payrolls before, most recently the 2010 AL Champion Texas Rangers, who had the 26th lowest payroll out of the 30 MLB teams.

Here is a comparison of the 2010 Dodgers starting lineup with the projected 2011 edition:

2010:

Rafael Furcal, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Manny Ramirez, LF
Casey Blake, 3B
James Loney, 1B
Ronnie Belliard, 2B
Russell Martin, C

2011:

Rafael Furcal, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Casey Blake, 3B
Juan Uribe, 2B
James Loney, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Xavier Paul, OF

Offense

At first glance, the 2010 Dodgers lineup looks better on paper than the 2011 version, after the departures of Manny Ramirez, Russell Martin, and Ronnie Belliard. However, Ramirez, Martin and Belliard all had disappointing seasons, so Juan Uribe, Rod Barajas, and Xavier Paul should not be any worse than those three.

Above all else, among the 2010 starting Dodger position players that will return in 2011, it seemed like every one of them had a slightly worse season than expected, leading to a collective struggle on offense for much of the season.

With guys like Ethier, Kemp, and Loney hitting their prime years, as well as Blake and Furcal attempting to recover from disappointing 2010 seasons, the Dodgers might very well get more out of their 2010 starters in 2011.

Bench

Whereas Los Angeles should get solid production out of their veteran starters, the Dodgers do not quite know what to expect from their bench.

Newly-acquired outfielder, former Yankee Marcus Thames, should provide much needed power off of the bench. Thames, 33, had an OPS of .841 in 237 plate appearances last season, and hit at least 25 home runs in two of the last four seasons.

The starting lineup is not set in stone so, for example, impressive spring training results from Dioner Navarro, Jamey Carrol, or Marcus Thames could very well result in a 2011 starting lineup without second baseman Juan Uribe, catcher Rod Barajas, or outfielder Xavier Paul.

Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. will be one of the team’s primary pinch runners and can also play centerfield.

Starting Rotation

The 2011 Dodgers’ starting rotation consist of five proven guys, each of whom had an ERA of less than 4.00 in 2010. Not many teams can say that.

The opening day starter figures to be 22-year-old southpaw Clayton Kershaw, fresh off his first All-Star game appearance, as well as his second straight season with an ERA under 3.00 and one of the best BAA (batting average against) in the league.

Next in the rotation will be 26-year-old Chad Billingsley, who has had a very good career in five seasons with the Dodgers, aside from a slump that lasted from mid-2009 until the All-Star break of 2010.

The Dodgers’ third starter is Hiroki Kuroda, who was now pitched three full season in the MLB, keeping his ERA under 4.00 all three seasons.

Old, but reliable veteran Ted Lilly will be the No. 4 starter. Lilly, 35, has had double-digit win totals in eight consecutive seasons and was a 2009 All-Star.

Always-consistent Jon Garland will be the fifth starter, carrying an even more impressive streak of nine straight 10-win seasons.

Vicente Padilla, 33, figures to be the Dodgers’ No. 1 option in a long-relief situation, as well as someone that can start if one of the starting five fails to stay healthy. Overall, the rotation is certainly stronger than it was last season, when the Dodgers struggled to find their fifth starter all year long.

Bullpen

One of the biggest concerns for the Dodgers going into 2011 is their bullpen, which did a nice job in 2010, but currently has many unproven guys aside from Hong-Chih-Kuo, Jonathan Broxton, and Vicente Padilla.

Relief pitchers Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, and Blake Hawksworth each had sub-par 2010 seasons after great 2009 campaigns, so it is tough to know what to expect from them. Aside from those six relievers, the Dodgers will most likely use the inexperienced Kenley Jansen and Scott Elbert, as well as second-year Dodgers John Ely and Carlos Monasterios.

The biggest concern might be the lack of left-handed throwers out of the pen, considering that Kuo and Elbert are the only two on their projected 25-man roster.

Fielding

On the defensive side, the Dodgers should be solid. Their starting infield has the experience of Juan Uribe, Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal to go along with above-average defenders James Loney and Rod Barajas.

With Manny out of left field, and Xavier Paul expected to take his spot, the Dodgers should be better defensively in the outfield as well.

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The Dodgers appear to have truly found their core guys, most of whom came out of the Dodger farm system in 2006. This includes starters James Loney, Andre Ethier, and Matt Kemp, as well as pitchers Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton.

Every one of them has already been to the postseason with the Dodgers three times, and they are all hungry to finally make it past the second round. The one exception is Kershaw, who came up in 2008.

Presumably, the Dodgers success will hinge on whether they can produce sufficient power and timely hitting—two aspects of the game that the Dodgers never got right in 2010.

The Dodgers could really use big years out of outfielders Matt Kemp, 26, and 28 year-old Andre Ethier, each of whom declined in 2010 after career years in 2009. When at their best, we have seen both guys play as well as any outfielders in the National League.

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Some might say it’s baseball blasphemy for a die-hard San Francisco Giants fanatic to give opinions about our hated enemies to the south, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In fact, I know quite a few who will say that.

But bear with me for a second.

The blood rivalry—that is unfortunately a literal term when it comes to this particular pairing—between the Gents and Bums is an example of major-league contempt in its purest form.

Granted, the saying goes familiarity breeds contempt, but you could argue the converse is just as true.

That is, contempt breeds familiarity.

Add the fact that the unbalanced schedule in Major League Baseball tosses these two in a cage 18 or 19 times a year, and I’d wager that both fan bases have a pretty good handle on the other side.

The trick, of course, is removing the obvious bias from the assessment.

That’s difficult, but not impossible.

Especially in the case of the topic at hand—the whispers from baseball’s offseason that los Doyers are considering several of their young studs as bargaining chips to bring in fresh, equally talented faces.

Rumor has it that LA is floating such names as James Loney, Matt Kemp and Jonathan Broxton on the open-market waters to see what the franchise might get in return.

It’s also true (as you can see in the links) that Ned Colletti and company have said they will NOT move those same names at any point during the winter.

What’s the bottom line?

Well, you don’t hear anything about Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley on the trade winds these days.

By comparison, I’d say that means the Bums are at least considering the use of Loney, Kemp and/or Broxton as bait.

Consideration is fine; pulling the actual trigger on a deal would be monumentally stupid.

(So let’s hope it happens…)

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With their most recent acquisition of outfielder Marcus Thames, the Los Angeles Dodgers not only achieved an addition of power to the roster, but they also balanced the bats in the process. Thames will join a solid corps of outfielders who individually feature power, speed, and reliable defense.

Some fans across Dodgertown have very high hopes for 2011, yet many factors will come into play that determine the level of success during the upcoming campaign. Team chemistry, attitude, and coaching are just several aspects of the game which need polished in order for the Dodgers to be contenders.

Other fans are focusing their attention on the long haul, and based on the high level of talent on the farm, envision a bright future for the Boys in Blue during the years to come.

The outfield is just one of several areas that’s packed full of potential—both from the veterans and the future stars. Spring training will play a large role in determining who plays where and which players see the bulk of action this season. Depending on injuries and the level of production from certain players, a number of new faces may be making their Dodger debuts.

In no particular order, the following slides showcase the top 10 outfielders in the entire Los Angeles Dodgers organization and offer a bit of commentary on each player. Also included is a special bonus slide which features an additional 10 players in the system who range from Single-A farmhands up to several outfielders who have numerous years of MLB experience.

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With spring training quickly approaching, several questions continue to linger in terms of how the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 25-man roster will shape up once the players arrive at Camelback Ranch to prepare themselves for the long journey ahead.

Although general manager Ned Colletti has been very active this winter with numerous new additions to the club, there are still players on the free agent market available who may have the skills or abilities to complete a roster with a few holes.

Right now, the buzz around Dodgertown suggests that the team’s biggest needs are an outfielder with power, a number-two hitter in the lineup, and a left-handed arm in the bullpen. While Colletti may indeed explore free agent possibilities or entertain trade options, the organization is rich with talent and there are plenty of components to assemble a formidable 25-man roster.

Several roster spots may be determined by individual performances during Cactus League play, most specifically the fifth outfielding spot and the sixth arm in the bullpen. While there will be tight competition to finalize these several spots, the new coaching staff will also look to establish chemistry and generate positive momentum heading into Opening Day.

Assuming that the roster stays relatively the same as the season approaches, the following slides project all 25 players who may find themselves on the 25-man roster, show a handful of players who will be in heated battles to earn a place on the big league squad, as well as recommend a starting lineup for Opening Day on April 1.

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After exploding in 2009 with 31 HR and 106 RBI, fantasy owners were clamoring about what Andre Ethier could be in 2010.  Could he emerge as one of the elite outfielders in the game?  Forget about just outfielders, could he emerge as one of the elite hitters in the game?  The fact is that the question owners should have been asking was if he could even repeat that success.  The answer would have been no (though there’s an asterisk), as Ethier posted the following line:

585 At Bats
.292 Batting Average (151 Hits)
23 Home Runs
82 RBI
71 Runs
2 Stolen Bases
.363 On Base Percentage
.493 Slugging Percentage
.318 Batting Average on Balls in Play

When looking at the numbers, you have to remember that Ethier missed time with a finger injury which certainly played a role in his overall performance.  He was unbelievable over the first two months of the season, going 49-129 with 11 HR, 38 RBI and 25 R.  Granted, included in those numbers was a .452 BABIP in May, as well as HR/FB of 27.3% and 26.2% in April and May, respectively, so there are reasons to be skeptical about that success.

After he returned to the lineup in June, he hit just 12 HR over 378 AB.  That alone shows you just how night and day his season was.

The question we need to be asking ourselves is which Ethier is the real one?  Is it the one that appeared to be among the elite over the first month and a half or is it the player who appeared average in the second half?

There’s no way we can reasonably expect him to be able to maintain the lofty numbers he showed early on.  Overall his HR/FB for the season was 13.8%, right around where he had been the previous two seasons:

• 2008 – 14.1%
• 2009 – 15.4%

While we can expect him to grow a little bit, taking the type of jump he showed in the first part of the season is just unrealistic.  He’ll turn 29-years old in April and is very much in his prime, but just keep expectations in check.  No player posted a HR/FB over 25.0% in 2010 (Joey Votto was at 25.0%) and only seven players were above 20.0%.  He may add power, but he’s not likely to be in this range, even if the finger injury was part of the reason he lost some power later in the season.

When healthy he spent the majority of his time hitting third in 2010, which is where you would expect him to hit again in 2011.  The Dodgers lineup is still taking shape, but with a healthy Rafael Furcal hitting in front of him and Matt Kemp, Juan Uribe and others behind him, you have to like Ethier’s potential to pick up both runs and RBI.  He already has two seasons with at least 90 runs scored and a 100 RBI campaign under his belt, both marks that you have to think a healthy Ethier can reach in 2011.

Throw in a solid average, given his solid eye at the plate (19.7% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate in 2010) and a realistic BABIP of .322, and Ethier really does bring the total package to the table.

Let’s take a look at what I would expect from him in 2011:

.295 (162-550), 30 HR, 100 RBI, 90 R, 5 SB, .322 BABIP, .368 OBP, .535 SLG

I know there are concerns given his performance over the final few months of the season, but an injury to his hand certainly goes a long way in helping to explain that.  While what he showed in the first two months is excessive, it still gives reason to believe that Ethier has what it takes to be among the elite outfielders in the game. 

What are your thoughts of Ethier?  How do you see him performing in 2011?  Are you concerned at all?

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

• Butler, Billy
• Freese, David
• Jaso, John
• Morrow, Brandon
• Reyes, Jose
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After exploding in 2009 with 31 home runs and 106 RBI, fantasy owners were clamoring about what Andre Ethier could be in 2010.  Could he emerge as one of the elite outfielders in the game?  Forget about just outfielders, could he emerge as one of the elite hitters in the game?  The fact is that the question owners should have been asking was if he could even repeat that success.  The answer would have been no (though there’s an asterisk), as Ethier posted the following line:

585 At Bats
.292 Batting Average (151 Hits)
23 Home Runs
82 RBI
71 Runs
2 Stolen Bases
.363 On-Base Percentage
.493 Slugging Percentage
.318 Batting Average on Balls in Play

When looking at the numbers, you have to remember that Ethier missed time with a finger injury which certainly played a role in his overall performance.  He was unbelievable over the first two months of the season, going 49-129 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 25 runs.  Granted, included in those numbers was a .452 BABIP in May, as well as HR/FB of 27.3 percent and 26.2 percent in April and May, respectively, so there are reasons to be skeptical about that success.

After he returned to the lineup in June, he hit just 12 homers over 378 at-bats.  That alone shows you just how night and day his season was.

The question we need to be asking ourselves is which Ethier is the real one?  Is it the one that appeared to be among the elite over the first month-and-a-half or is it the player who appeared average in the second half?

There’s no way we can reasonably expect him to be able to maintain the lofty numbers he showed early on.  Overall his HR-to-FB for the season was 13.8 percent, right around where he had been the previous two seasons:

• 2008 – 14.1%
• 2009 – 15.4%

While we can expect him to grow a little bit, taking the type of jump he showed in the first part of the season is just unrealistic.  He’ll turn 29-years old in April and is very much in his prime, but just keep expectations in check.  No player posted a HR-to-FB over 25 percent in 2010 (Joey Votto was at 25 percent) and only seven players were above 20 percent.  He may add power, but he’s not likely to be in this range, even if the finger injury was part of the reason he lost some power later in the season.

When healthy, he spent the majority of his time hitting third in 2010, which is where you would expect him to hit again in 2011.  The Dodgers lineup is still taking shape, but with a healthy Rafael Furcal hitting in front of him and Matt Kemp, Juan Uribe and others behind him, you have to like Ethier’s potential to pick up both runs and RBI.  He already has two seasons with at least 90 runs scored and a 100 RBI campaign under his belt, both marks that you have to think a healthy Ethier can reach in 2011.

Throw in a solid average, given his solid eye at the plate (19.7-percent strikeout rate, 10.1-percent walk rate in 2010) and a realistic BABIP of .322, and Ethier really does bring the total package to the table.

Let’s take a look at what I would expect from him in 2011:

.295 (162-550), 30 HR, 100 RBI, 90 R, 5 SB, .322 BABIP, .368 OBP, .535 SLG

I know there are concerns given his performance over the final few months of the season, but an injury to his hand certainly goes a long way in helping to explain that.  While what he showed in the first two months is excessive, it still gives reason to believe that Ethier has what it takes to be among the elite outfielders in the game. 

What are your thoughts of Ethier?  How do you see him performing in 2011?  Are you concerned at all?

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

• Butler, Billy
• Freese, David
• Jaso, John
• Morrow, Brandon
• Reyes, Jose
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Recently, The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo entertained the idea that Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka could generate some serious trade interest if the Sox chose to put him on the block.

He cited an informal poll of baseball execs as the basis of his claims that moving Daisuke could generate a lot of interest among the baseball community

This is certainly not a new idea, as his inconsistency on the mound and unwillingness to adapt to a more aggressive style of pitching has frustrated many Red Sox fans.

Yet the talent is definitely there, and a change of scenery could be all it takes for Daisuke to finally figure it out on the major league level.

If the Red Sox really were going to seriously consider trading the Dice-Man, which teams would be lining up for him, and what could the Red Sox expect to get in return?

One thing’s for certain: The Red Sox would likely have to eat a portion of his remaining two years and $20 million to move him. 

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As we start another offseason of Dodger baseball, this one seems to have a much bigger impact on the landscape of the franchise than most.

With the McCourt’s fighting over the control of the team, free agency questions looming, and deciding on weather to hold on to or cut ties with some of the young faces that have helped mold the franchise. And all this while the Dodgers are breaking in a new manager, Don Mattingly.

The McCourt ownership in Los Angeles seems to have been built on a very unstable foundation to begin with. In 2004, Frank McCourt’s purchase of the Los Angeles Dodgers was financed mainly by debt.

So maybe this all shouldn’t come to us as such a shock. Questions have always loomed regarding the allocation of the teams profits. So are the McCourts just interested in living the lavish billionaire lifestyle?

Their many multimillion dollar homes located around Southern California and the dwindling Dodger payroll sure paint that picture.

Since taking over the Dodgers in 2004, under the McCourt ownership, the team has a 601-541 record. Now that’s nothing to look down on, but with the divorce running the organization through the mud; how much longer can it last.

Last year was a tough season for Dodger fans to sit through and the frustration is really starting to built (news of higher ticket prices in 2011 isn‘t helping matters).

This is not the type of selling point you would like to go into free agency with. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti will have his work cut out for him this offseason, as he tries to lure top free-agent talent with mid-level dollar contracts. With payroll mostly likely not to claim for the 2011 season, the Dodgers most avoid contract disasters such as the recent Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre, and Andruw Jones.

The Dodgers need arms and they don’t come cheap these days. And what do the Dodgers do about free agents to be Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla? With the exception of Padilla’s bulging disk, all were viable starters. With Kershaw and Billingsley under contract (Billingsley is eligible for arbitration) spots three through five are open for the taking.

Other than Hong-Chih Kuo and the surprising Kenley Jansen, the bullpen is in need of a major makeover. And with another season in the books and yet another Broxton second half meltdown has caused the Dodgers to scramble for closer; a role they thought they had locked up for years to come. Maybe the young catcher turned hurler, Jensen, can fill that spot for the blue crew.

It wasn’t only the pitchers having trouble getting and staying on track, but Ethier, Kemp and Loney all failed to produce the type of numbers in the second that they showed prior to the all-star break. Colletti has shown his support for his young core in LA since seasons end, being quoted saying, “As of right now, I still have a lot of faith in them. But they all need to be better next year for us to be successful.”

The biggest position question this year is behind the plate. With Russell Martin still recovering from a hip injury suffered during the season and Brad Ausmus announcing his retirement; that leaves A.J. Ellis and free agent to be Rod Barajas as their options before free agency starts. Colletti is expected to make a run at Barajas.

Don Mattingly kicked off his managerial duties on Tuesday in Phoenix, Arizona. Mattingly managed the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the AFL to a 8-3 loss against the Mesa Solar Sox. Mattingly does have one change that he plans to inject into this Dodger farm system: “discipline.” He’s off and running.

For just a minute, let’s remember what drove us to the ballpark in truck loads for the late evening night games under the lights and those beautiful warm summer day games under the sun. Here’s to hoping for bright blue skies and the starry nights under the LA nights once again…And hoping they can field a contender with the turmoil surrounding the organization.

Because this really is the dark days of Dodger Blue.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Major League Baseball season is coming to an end, with only two weeks left. With that, it’s time to take a look at who the best players in the game have been in 2010.

This slideshow will focus on the top players at each position in the National League for this season. Stay updated for other slideshows concerning the American League, including the top pitchers of the year.

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