Kuzul

For most teams coming off a disappointing season, it’s relatively simple to evaluate the current roster, take a look at the payroll budget, have the coaching staff gather and brainstorm, then come up with a new, enthusiastic game plan for the upcoming year.

But for the Los Angeles Dodgers, about the only thing certain is that new manager Don Mattingly will be running the show on the field for the Boys in Blue.

With the McCourt divorce seemingly an infinite monkey on their backs, the Dodgers are unsure of the payroll parameters for next year, and with more than a handful of gaps to fill in terms of player personnel, it’s difficult to guess the complexion of next season’s roster. 

Still, even before Los Angeles considers adding new players to the roster, Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti must agree upon a coaching staff who will help guide the squad in 2011.

The Dodgers still have a formidable core of players in which to build around, but Colletti had already stated that no job is safe and that Los Angeles could be in for a large roster shake-up heading into next season.

Several trades are possible, but with the decision in the divorce trial looming, Los Angeles may be forced to remain inactive at the winter meetings, unless some type of budget guidelines are established before a verdict is rendered.

As for the free agent market, the number of high quality starting pitchers is limited, but there are quite a few power bats available—one area the Dodgers must certainly address. With Manny Ramirez out of the picture, and Jason Schmidt, Orlando Hudson and Nomar Garciaparra finally off the deferred money list, there may be enough cash to go after a few big names.

The following slides show eight players who the Dodgers may take a look at in the offseason, and explain why each player may be a good fit for Los Angeles.

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For Los Angeles Dodgers fans, the realization that their club hasn’t played a meaningful game in the last month of the season remains tough to swallow.

Los Angeles is headed for a sub-.500 record and an offseason of turnover, a 500-foot home run from the last two seasons that saw the Dodgers advance to the National League Championship Series. 

For a club as tradition-rich as the Dodgers operating in the second-largest market in the country—a market that provides a wealth of knowledgeable and passionate baseball people—such unnecessary turmoil that has savaged the organization in the last year has left the team with a county of exasperated fans.

But what the mangled ownership fails to realize is that this is a fan base that lives for the Dodgers, dies for the Dodgers and, above all else, supports the Dodgers.

In 2009, Dodger Stadium packed in more fans than any other ballpark in America. The team thrived, Manny Ramirez drew, and the people cheered.

What about this year, a year that has seen the corpse of Ramirez come and go along with one of the most successful managers in baseball history in Joe Torre because the losing became too much and the absence of a front-office leader became too crippling?

Without much reason to, the fans still showed up.

Los Angeles trails only the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees in attendance this year.

Yeah, I know, population of a city has a ton to do with it, but it doesn’t have everything to do with it. Hell, Milwaukee currently ranks in the top 10 in attendance this year right behind the Boston Red Sox.

So, no, this isn’t St. Petersburg, where great baseball is going unwatched.

This is the feeble state of the Dodgers, where putrid baseball is undeservingly consumed.

Which is exactly why things need to change in Chavez Ravine this winter so that an organization worthy of October returns there, so that fans deserving of a World Series get there.

Here we present five potential changes that could help the Los Angeles Dodgers return to prominence in 2011.

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Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has already announced that his club intends on making a number of personnel changes in the offseason, but many folks around Dodgertown are curious to see if the current coaching staff will remain intact to compliment newly hired manager Don Mattingly.

Until some type of direction is established in regards to the verdict in the McCourt divorce trial, it’s difficult to even guess the payroll parameters for next year. Once the team budget is established, the early formations should begin in terms of player personnel.

However, the coaching staff is a small part of the payroll, and could be one of the first areas solidified as the team prepares for next season.

Tim Wallach, who was the fan favorite to succeed Joe Torre as manager, has already expressed interest in coaching as part of Mattingly’s staff. Wallach indicated to the media last week that he would rather assume a position in the Major Leagues instead of returning to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Whether Colletti and Mattingly decide to offer Wallach a spot with the Dodgers remains to be seen. Based on his managerial success in Triple-A, it’s speculated that Wallach will be snatched up quickly by another organization if he doesn’t land some type of job in Los Angeles.

It’s already been rumored that Mattingly asked current third base coach Larry Bowa to become bench coach. There’s been no indication yet from Bowa to confirm the offer, but the common thinking is that the bench coach position will be filled by someone with a reasonable amount of managing experience to help guide Mattingly during his first season.

Bowa is known for personality issues in his past, and has been involved in conflicts with several Dodgers’ players this season. For the Dodgers to move forward and have any chance at a productive season, any such conflicts between the players and the coaches will need to be resolved immediately.

If Bowa does indeed vacate his current position, Wallach could be a very suitable candidate. It’s also been speculated that Wallach could possibly fill Mattingly’s previous job as hitting coach. Before becoming manager of Albuquerque, Wallach was the Dodgers’ hitting coach in 2004 and 2005. He was the recipient of two Silver Slugger awards in his playing days, and certainly has the ability to help rescue Los Angeles from its 2010 power drought.

It’s tough to guess the direction the Dodgers will take in terms of the pitching coaches. Current pitching coach Rick Honeycutt has been with Los Angeles since 2006, and although the starting rotation has been phenomenal especially in the second half of the season, the bullpen was nothing short of dreadful for almost the entire year.

As a player, Honeycutt was always known as a control pitcher and a “nibbler,” and it was evident, at least early in the year, that he was trying to instill some of those philosophies into hard-throwing starters Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. Both Billingsley and Kershaw have improved tremendously this season, most likely as a result of mixing location skills with their above-average velocity and their abilities to challenge opposing hitters.

Nevertheless, the bullpen will need to improve. Current bullpen coach Ken Howell may be in a position to be replaced, as Los Angeles will definitely need a fresh look to guide the relievers. One name being tossed around for pitching coach or bullpen coach is Charlie Hough, the current pitching coach for Single-A Inland Empire, and former pitching coach for Los Angeles in 1998 and 1999.

Current Dodgers’ catcher Brad Ausmus, who will retire at the end of this season, also has expressed interest in continuing with the organization in a coaching capacity, There’s been no indication by the Dodgers or Ausmus if his coaching career would begin in the Major or Minor Leagues.

Regardless, whether there’s an entirely new look or if most of the coaches return, the working relationships with the players are paramount. If Mattingly and company are able to create positive chemistry no matter what the roster looks like, there may be a chance for success.

But if any of the negative tendencies that were present in 2010 carry over to next year, it will be a very, very long season indeed.

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have gone through a season in which could best be described as abysmal. Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006, they will be embarking on a sport in October that has been unfamiliar to them: golf.

The Angels will be celebrating their 50th birthday next season, and owner Arte Moreno and general manager Tony Reagins will undoubtedly be looking to put together a team in 2011 that will showcase their year-long celebration.

The 2011 MLB free agent class is certainly an option in which Moreno and Reagins will explore and invest in. Although the class itself may not be one of the better free agent classes in recent history, there are names on that list that will generate much interest among many teams, including the Halos.

As mentioned in a previous article, the Angels will have money to spend in the upcoming offseason. Between trades and expiring contracts of players who most likely will not be returning, the Halos will have approximately $25.5 million with which to play with.

Two of the biggest names in free agency that will generate a great amount of interest are Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cliff Lee and Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth.

While both players clearly have their upsides and have contributed mightily to the success of their current teams, there are other options available in which Reagins and the Angels could, and should, explore.

Here are ten reasons why the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim should pass on the temptation of signing either Cliff Lee or Jayson Werth, and utilize the money for options that will best serve their needs in 2011.

Looking for more great Angels coverage? Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

You can also follow Doug’s featured articles at Green Celebrity Network.

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Just before packing it in at the end of the season, the final task for most players and coaches in Major League Baseball is to take a trip to the general manager’s office—for, at the very least, the purpose of reviewing the performances of the previous year.

But rather than discussing the 2010 season, former batting coach Don Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti will be discussing the future.

For the newly named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mattingly’s own personal coaching production in 2010 never really seemed to matter. Mattingly knew even before the season began that his future was bright in Los Angeles—regardless of the team’s offensive output.

Just last week, when asked about the cause of the Dodgers offensive struggles by LA Times reporter Dylan Hernandez, Mattingly replied, “It’s really kind of confusing and frustrating.”

And when faced with the question of where the responsibility falls between the player and the coach, Mattingly stated, “In the end, as a player, I always took responsibility for what happened.”

Heading into 2011, if the Los Angeles Dodgers players will be required to take the blame for the performance on the field, this year’s results will look glorious compared to what lies ahead.

Hopefully for the sake of Dodgertown, Mattingly isn’t revisited by those feelings of “confusion and frustration” that he felt as hitting coach in 2010.

Most teams around the league that expect success will make proper decisions in regards to management. However with the Dodgers, the problems start at the top, and the viruses have already spread deep into the roots of the entire organization.

An excellent example of a club being proactive and tackling a similar offensive drought this year is the Philadelphia Phillies. Just one week removed from the All-Star break, the Phils found themselves struggling offensively, and as a team posted a disappointing 49-46 record.

Philadelphia management decided to make a controversial move and replace hitting coach Milt Thompson, who was key in helping the Phillies offense to two consecutive World Series appearances in 2008 and 2009—not to mention that he also played three years for the Phils in the late eighties.

Despite Thompson’s service record with the franchise, Philadelphia replaced him with Greg Gross, and the Phillies offense soared once again. Only two months after the move, the Phillies find themselves with a 90-61 record and are primed for yet another strong run in the 2010 playoffs.

Sure, the Dodgers and the Phillies are two completely different clubs with an entirely different set of circumstances, but the Dodgers, who were 10 games over .500 at the All-Star break, took a different avenue by trying to add a few speedy veterans and selling part of the farm.

As Ned Colletti’s decisions could be evaluated with a multitude of failing grades, Ned’s performance must be correlated to team owner and chairman, Frank McCourt.

McCourt calls the shots and dictates the budget, while Colletti obeys Frank’s every single wish and desire.

Joe Torre recognized the cancer and ended up skipping town. The Dodgers players felt the disease and eventually collapsed.

Mattingly could very well be a victim of circumstance, as he finds himself in a bad spot at a horribly bad time. Yet McCourt and Colletti made a horrible decision in predetermining the club’s future by making a managerial decision almost a year in advance.

The future of a manager who struggles to put together a lineup card or who is incapable of following etiquette when visiting the pitcher’s mound looks bleak.

Under current ownership, Los Angeles needed to make a clean sweep and retool the entire coaching staff if there were to be even a glimmer of hope moving into 2011.

Perhaps a manager from the farm system who was familiar with the future stars or a seasoned veteran who would put his foot down at any signs of clubhouse drama may have been better choices for a skipper.

It’s already rumored that Mattingly has asked third base coach Larry Bowa to become the club’s bench coach next year, and based on Bowa’s past personality issues and his ongoing conflicts with several players on the team, this move could very well be adding fuel to the fire.

While the folks around Dodgertown are hoping Don Mattingly can lead the Dodgers back into contention next year, perhaps they should redirect their hope to Frank McCourt and pray that he doesn’t systematically destroy the core of the squad and put the organization in a hole that will take many years in which to dig out.

And in terms of a career choice for Donnie Baseball, maybe, just maybe, accepting the Cleveland Indians or the Washington Nationals job offer may have been the smart move.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Many words may be used to characterize the ups and downs of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2010 season, but from the standpoint of the fans, the best fitting description would be nothing short of “disappointing.”

Normally, most teams who don’t achieve the goals and ambitions that were set in spring training have the entire offseason to rebuild and regain focus, but in the case of the Dodgers, there are numerous off-field situations that seemingly need resolving before the team can move forward.

The decision regarding current manager Joe Torre’s future in Dodger Blue may be coming in the next week or two once Los Angeles is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs; however, all signs are pointing to the fact that the organization is still undecided on Joe’s replacement if he does indeed decide to pack his bags.

Unless Frank and Jamie McCourt reach a settlement before their divorce trial resumes on September 20, the court’s ruling regarding future ownership of the club may not be arriving until sometime in December.

Also, with the uncertainty as to whom will be controlling the team in 2011 comes the question marks of the payroll parameters heading into next season.

More than a handful of current Los Angeles players are facing possible arbitration with the team, yet with next year’s budget still unpredictable, the Dodgers may even decide not to negotiate with these players at all.

Regardless what happens in the winter, the Boys in Blue hope to develop a new, sharper focus, and build on the positives that were displayed in 2010.

The following slides illustrate 10 of those bright spots and offer a few words of commentary as to how the Dodgers’ organization will benefit from them moving forward.

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It’s that time of year when it becomes apparent certain teams have players remaining on their rosters that don’t really belong.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are no exception, and they have several pitchers that should be on their own, or at the very least in the minor league system. 

Here are five pitchers the Dodgers could do without, and why.

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What a difference a year makes.

After two consecutive trips to the NLCS in 2008 and 2009, Dodgers fans had even higher hopes for the 2010 season.

Folks in Dodgertown knew that the divorce between Frank and Jamie McCourt would have some type of effect on the organization, but nobody guessed the 2010 campaign would turn into a struggle on the field.

For the first two months of the season, the experts were concluding the Dodgers easily had the best offense in the NL West, and they presumed starting pitching would be the downfall for the Boys in Blue. However, those experts were way off the mark with their analysis—the starting pitchers were steady, and the offense was scarce.

Some critics say it was the overwhelming number of injuries that prevented a successful year, while others insist it was the lack of funds to sign a big market player to put the team over the top. Some even blame the coaches and managers for ineffective guidance and poor decision-making.

After Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers found themselves under the .500 mark for the first time since May 11. Trailing the division-leading Padres and the Wild Card leaders by 10 games in both categories with only 23 contests remaining, the Dodgers are hoping to close out the year on a high note and build momentum heading into 2011.

Still, with future management and ownership uncertain, many questions remain to be answered in the off-season, and depending on the outcome of the divorce trial, it may be difficult for the Dodgers to get a fresh start heading into next year.

The following slides show eight primary reasons why the Los Angeles Dodgers fell from contention 2010. Everyone in Dodgertown hopes to put these horrors and nightmares in the past and start with a new sense of enthusiasm, and a fresh appetite in 2011.

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Although September 1 marks the day that all MLB teams may expand their rosters up to 40 players, the Los Angeles Dodgers are passing on the opportunity—at least temporarily.

According to the team’s website, Los Angeles isn’t expected to call up any top prospects for the remainder of the season, however they will recall catcher A.J. Ellis and one unnamed infielder on Friday. The Dodgers may also opt to call in one arm for the bullpen at some juncture, but they plan to leave the normal starting rotation intact down the final stretch of the season.

“At this point it doesn’t look like we’re going to bring up a starter,” manager Joe Torre said on Wednesday.

If not offered arbitration by the Dodgers this winter, Vicente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda, and Ted Lilly, all members of the current rotation, may be lost to free agency.

With ownership of the team in question, it’s difficult to speculate the budget parameters for 2011. And with the possibility of this year’s rotation being dismantled, now would be the perfect time to see if John Ely really has what it takes to pitch in the bigs, or if Charlie Haeger has finally rediscovered his knuckle ball.

The Dodgers infield could also use a taste of youth for the sake of looking toward the future. The current infield of James Loney (26-years-old), Ryan Theriot (31), Jamey Carroll (36), Casey Blake (37), and Rod Barajas (35) isn’t getting any younger, yet there are several players on the Dodgers’ farm who seem to be ready to make an immediate impact. 

Russ Mitchell, who was the Albuquerque Isotopes’ (Triple-A) 2010 Player of the Year, is having the most productive campaign of his career. In 122 games this season, Mitchell has a .322 average, 23 home runs, 86 RBI, 37 doubles, and 95 runs scored. At only 25 years of age Mitchell’s primary spot is third base, but he also has the ability to cover at second base and first base if needed.

Shortstop Chin-lung Hu, second baseman Ivan De Jesus, and first baseman John Lindsey round out the list of infielders on the Isotopes’ squad who may be key contributors to the Dodgers in the future.

Shortstop Dee Gordon and first baseman Jerry Sands, both members of the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, could possibly benefit from a few games of Major League service as well.

In the outfield, Albuquerque’s Xavier Paul and Jamie Hoffmann are very much Major League ready, and Chattanooga center fielder Trayvon Robinson is easily the most gifted pure athlete in the Dodgers’ entire farm system.

Seemingly the most troubling dilemma for Los Angeles in calling up any of these players is meeting the salary requirements. Depending on when the player is activated, each player’s salary is calculated at the League minimum, but it’s also prorated based on the number of games while actually on the Dodgers’ roster.

With the budget cuts in regards to payroll, a very expensive 2010 draft, and the questionable money managing of owner Frank McCourt, it’s difficult to imagine there’s much left to spend on player development for the remainder of the season. 

Most of the players named above will play for the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League in October, yet there’s no comparable or more beneficial experience parallel to Major League service.

Coincidentally, the Desert Dogs will be managed by current Dodgers batting coach Don Mattingly.

Nevertheless, considering the number of players that seem able to perform at the big league level, the Dodgers may be shooting themselves in the foot by not providing these future stars the opportunities to develop their skills.

Depending on what transpires in the courtroom over the next month between owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, the top names in the farm system may be a large part of the roster in 2011.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

On Monday, the Halos agreed to terms on a $2.3 million deal with Kaleb Cowart. Cowart was named the 2010 Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year. The high school pitcher and switch-hitting third baseman hit .654 with 11 home runs, 55 runs scored, 59 RBI, and 36 stolen bases (in 36 attempts) at Cook County.

In this edition of LA Angel Insider Podcast, Cowart talks with Jeff Biggs about his decision to sign and start his professional baseball career. Cowart is expected to join the Angels’ Arizona Rookie League team.

Click here to listen to Kaleb Cowart – LA Angels Insider Podcast

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