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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been held out of the lineup for Friday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants after leaving last night’s 3-2 win with an injured hamstring.

Ramirez was pulled out of the game in the top of the seventh inning by manager Don Mattingly with “mild left hamstring tightness,” according to the team.

Hanley Ramirez left the game for precautionary reasons with mild left hamstring tightness. #Dodgers

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 13, 2013

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As the season winds down and rumors start to float about what kind of moves might be made heading into next season, it’s time to take a look at what the Dodgers might do prior to the 2014 season.

While we’re not overlooking the end of this year—the team has a legitimate chance to win the World Series for the first time in 25 years—front offices are always prepared to act the moment the season ends, so a quick primer on what might happen is useful.

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It’s safe to say the first two years after Juan Uribe signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers were a complete disaster.

After hitting 24 home runs with 85 RBI in 2010 for the San Francisco Giants in their championship season, Uribe headed a bit farther south. But he would end up totaling just six home runs in his first two seasons, hitting just .199 in the process.

Now, in his third and final season, Uribe is finally living up to his contract, hitting a more robust .271 with seven home runs and 40 RBI entering Monday’s game with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Uribe added greatly to his offensive output within his first three at-bats against Arizona. He belted three solo shots, the first two off of starter Randall Delgado and the third off of reliever Eury De La Rosa.

Uribe’s epic night leaves him with 10 home runs and 44 RBI, almost matching the production he provided in his first two years with the Dodgers.

In fact, Uribe’s huge offensive output was not lost on Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times.

His big night prompted this factoid from ESPN as well. 

Fans on Twitter weren’t just shocked by Uribe’s power display, they were blown away.

Ironically, Uribe’s night ended with an infield single, something also not normally seen from the not-so-svelte third baseman.

Production at third base had been seriously lacking for the Dodgers for much of the season, especially with Luis Cruz starting the season hitting just .145 with zero home runs while manning the hot corner. 

Uribe’s production has certainly been a bright spot for a position that’s seen nothing but disappointment. And to think Uribe started the season on the bench behind Cruz.

All videos courtesy of MLB Advanced Media via MLB.com.

Doug Mead’s work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

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Two years removed from being dominant and durable for the Los Angeles Dodgers, outfielder Matt Kemp no longer exemplifies either adjective.

The latest reminder of this comes from Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times, who tweets that Kemp’s season is in doubt:

Matt Kemp has suffered rehab setback, this time with a hamstring, reports Kevin Baxter. Said Mattingly: “At some point we run out of time.”

— Steve Dilbeck (@stevedilbeck) September 6, 2013

Hold back your tears, Dodgers fans. This juggernaut of a team is capable of clinching a World Series without any more at-bats from one of its most prominent players.

Kemp has battled lower-body injuries since Memorial Day, specifically those affecting his hamstring and ankle. Even if active, it’s unlikely that he’d influence games with his baserunning and extra-base power like he did from 2011-2012.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have exploded into the odds-on favorite in the National League. After many weeks of inconsistency, they now meet most of the criteria in Zachary Rymer’s thorough championship blueprint.

The postseason demands that contenders trust their top four starting pitchers. No quartet rivals Clayton Kershaw (1.89 ERA in 209.0 IP), Zack Greinke (2.78 ERA in 148.2 IP), Ricky Nolasco (3.26 ERA in 179.2 IP) and Hyun-jin Ryu (3.02 ERA in 167.0 IP). Greinke and Nolasco, in particular, have pitched their best in the season’s second half and proven that success can be sustained with a pedestrian strikeout rate.

L.A. doesn’t have the luxury of a powerful lineup, but they’re arguably better off with players who work the count and put balls in play. The starting infield is very sound defensively, and with reserves like Nick Punto and Michael Young, the Dodgers wouldn’t be undone by a sudden injury.

Kenley Jansen and Paco Rodriguez are perhaps the most underrated late-inning relief duo in baseball. Per FanGraphs, here’s how they compare to other notable eighth-ninth combinations:

If you didn’t know, now you know.

Kemp’s fielding in center field fools the public. Although he’s a smooth glider who occasionally makes eye-popping catches, he ultimately hurts the Dodgers with his wild throws and unimpressive instincts.

Andre Ethier is a better fit for the position if we go by Defensive Runs Saved or Ultimate Zone Rating (or anything else besides a basic eye test). Although his .791 OPS isn’t quite vintage Kemp, it trumps replacement-level production.

Of course, media darling—No, what’s the opposite of media darling? Media nemesis?—Yasiel Puig makes or breaks this club.

His first few games of September have looked a whole lot like his historic June, so his bat shouldn’t be portrayed as anything less than dynamic. For all the nitpicking about Puig missing cutoff men, his reputation seems to intimidate the opposition. You’ll seldom find another right fielder with hold percentages this high, per Baseball-Reference.com.

While it’s true that his own baserunning can be counterproductive, it doesn’t come close to negating his other immense contributions.

Entering Friday night, the Dodgers have posted a 52-25 record during games in which Kemp doesn’t participate. It’s been nearly three months since they last suffered more than two consecutive losses.

The Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox—among others—possess sufficient talent, depth and discipline to upset L.A. in a playoff series. That’s how competitive balance works.

However, all things considered, the Dodgers wholly deserve their top ranking and our trust, regardless of Kemp’s availability.

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On Friday, embattled Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig collected a double, three singles and two stolen bases on his way to a four-hit night. His performance certainly helped lead the way in the Dodgers’ 9-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Considering he had been benched after four innings by manager Don Mattingly on Wednesday versus Chicago, it’s certainly fair to ask the question: Does his four-hit night show that he learned something from the discipline?

It’s likely a question to be debated, considering the massive attention that Puig has generated since making his much-ballyhooed debut in early June. 

Mattingly originally played down the sit-down of Puig on Wednesday, telling the media after the game that he felt like Skip Schumaker was a better option in the hopes of winning the game.

Yeah, right. 

It should also be noted that Puig had a tete-a-tete with both Mattingly and his boss, Ned Colletti, before the game.

Generally, players aren’t called into meetings with their boss and their boss’ boss because they want to talk about warm, fuzzy things.

Puig’s antics both on and off the field were clearly becoming a concern, and the higher-ups were absolutely right in taking the action of sitting Puig.

Puig took the disciplinary action quite well, saying after the game that Mattingly made the right call. With a full day off, many fans were wondering just how Puig would respond.

They got the message loud and clear on Friday.

But does it mean that Puig learned his lesson? 

In a word, no.

Puig simply had a good game against a subpar team. The Padres are playing out the string right now, and while Puig’s performance certainly lends credence to the “lesson learned” school of thought, one game simply won’t answer that question.

At 22 years of age, armed with seven-year, $42 million contract and being exposed to a way of life he never would have dreamed possible on his native island of Cuba, Puig is absolutely going through growing pains.

Collecting four hits doesn’t mean he’s turned a corner in his maturity level.

Can he start carrying out simple fundamentals like hitting the cutoff man? Will he stop running through hold signs at third base? Will he stop recklessly trying to take an extra base when the prudent thing to do is stay where he is? 

The Dodgers can’t control what Puig does off the field, but they can darn sure try to control what he does between the lines. Mattingly took a step in the right direction with his actions on Wednesday. 

Puig responded with a fabulous night on Friday.

A one-game sample size is nowhere near enough to say that Puig has turned a corner. Still, four hits and two stolen bases in one game has a way of healing wounds quickly. 

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

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Yasiel Puig had a rough start to the day, but he knows how to finish in style.

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was late to the ballpark for pregame drills prior to the team’s meeting with the Miami Marlins and was fined for his tardiness.

Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett was first to break the news.

So Yasiel Puig hustled into locker room at 4:50. 35 minutes before stretch. Well after most players here. Now in mgr office with Mattingly

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

Puig is out of mgr office after 10 minutes. #Dodgers

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

Puig was fined for late arrival today. Mattingly: “More than a dollar. Less than 10,000”. Told Mattingly he got caught in traffic. #Dodgers

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

If that wasn’t enough, Puig was also benched to start the game (though the official reasoning by manager Don Mattingly was the rookie’s recent slump). It was as though the stage was setting itself for Puig on Tuesday for a dramatic turnaround.

Puig stepped in to play right field in a double-switch in the bottom of the sixth inning. He then came up to bat in the top of the eighth as he led things off.

The young Cuban phenom needed just one pitch to make his appearance count, as he took a low Dan Jennings offering to deep center field for his 12th home run of the season. The blast also broke a 4-4 tie to put the Dodgers ahead in their eventual 6-4 victory.

Talk about a finish.

This home run couldn’t have come at a better time for Puig. His emotions have been getting the best of him recently, and we’ve seen that coincide with a decline in his play. Undergoing the worst slump of his young career, Puig was just 6-for-35 with 10 strikeouts and just one RBI in his previous nine games. He posted a .171 batting average and .257 slugging during that time.

Yasiel Puig came back and showed us why we are so enthralled with him with this clutch solo shot Tuesday night. Don Mattingly has to be hoping that his prized rookie’s slump and off-field troubles are finally over.

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Yasiel Puig is an MVP candidate and then some…unfortunately, by “and then some” I mean that he’s also a diva.

Puig has taken Major League Baseball by storm since being called up to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, turning the team from a basement-dwelling team to a World Series favorite. He has had arguably the best first month in baseball history by a rookie and become a national star seemingly overnight, but he’s still not perfect.

Everyone has their vices, and Puig is no different. He’s had quite a few incidents since defecting from Cuba to play the game he loves in America, and Tuesday brought a new fiasco.

Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett reported that Puig was very late to the ballpark, and was fined by manager Don Mattingly because of it.

So Yasiel Puig hustled into locker room at 4:50. 35 minutes before stretch. Well after most players here. Now in mgr office with Mattingly

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

Puig is out of mgr office after 10 minutes. #Dodgers

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

Puig was fined for late arrival today. Mattingly: “More than a dollar. Less than 10,000”. Told Mattingly he got caught in traffic. #Dodgers

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 20, 2013

Puig being late and fined comes just one day after he reportedly cursed out media members in the visitor’s clubhouse in Miami.

Yasiel Puig was in the visitors clubhouse here at #Marlins Park & looked at us gathered there and yelled, “F**K the media” and left the room

— Josh Friedman (@Friedo790) August 19, 2013

It’s worth noting that Puig‘s words may have been taken out of context.

For the record, I was in the clubhouse when Puig said what he said. It was in jest and not addressed to anyone specifically.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 19, 2013

Puig was basically venting to a couple teammates about some of the reports about him hanging with LeBron last night.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 19, 2013

@LBSports he said something nasty, an equally offensive phrase, but I didn’t think it was directed at anyone particular

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 19, 2013

No matter what happened in the clubhouse on Monday, it caused another distraction for Puig and the Dodgers, and coincided with an 0-for-5 performance with two strikeouts.

Puig‘s antics in the last two days have not been isolated incidents. He’s ignored MLB legends like Luis Gonzalez, argued with teammates in front of reporters, had heated exchanges with Adrian Gonzalez because he held at third when Puig wanted to extend a double into a triple and played a major role in a benches-clearing brawl.

What’s worse, we may finally be seeing his off-field issues interfere with his performance on the field.

Puig has struggled over his last nine games, going 6-for-35 with 10 strikeouts and just one RBI. He’s posted a .171 batting average and .257 slugging. This is the worst slump of his short career, and he was benched on Tuesday night (although that was not related to his being late).

Puig may simply have become too bright a star for his own good. He’s been living it up, going clubbing with celebrities like LeBron James even after losses (per TMZ).

The Dodgers remain the hottest team in baseball and are among the top contenders to make it to the World Series. However, Puig‘s new celebrity status appears to be going to his head—and it’s affecting his play.

Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi argued that Puig is a liability in the postseason, and is just as likely to cost the Dodgers a game as he is to win one for them.

ESPN’s Mark Saxon documented Puig‘s recent troubles with umpires, and how manager Don Mattingly has had to do some damage control multiple times over the last week.

During Monday night’s 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins, Mattingly had to walk out and make peace with an umpire after Puig inexplicably erupted at John Hirschbeck after a three-pitch strikeout in the fifth inning. Only one of those pitches was a called strike, the last was Puig swinging wildly at 97 mph fastballs.

Mattingly said he had to assuage an umpire in Philadelphia just a day or two earlier. Monday’s dispute started with Puig glaring at Hirschbeck and ended with his teammates having to hustle him out of the dugout before he was ejected. Puig has already alienated opponents with his flamboyant style. Of course, you could argue, who cares? It’s a little bit riskier to get on the wrong side of umpires.

We know that Puig is a star, but we also know that he has his issues. He’s an immature 22-year-old, and the argument can be made that we can’t fault him for acting like one.

However, when that interferes with his play, it’s a problem. Very few 22-year-olds have as much freedom as Puig, and very few would keep their jobs if they acted like Puig has.

I’m not saying that Puig needs to be benched long-term—he’s the reason the team is where it is now. However, he does need to get back to focusing on baseball. Otherwise, the Dodgers could be in trouble in October.

Follow @JoshSchoch

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brian Wilson appears to be close to returning to the big league diamond. According to multiple sources, the former San Francisco Giant is expected to be activated Sunday after successfully throwing the equivalent of 1.1 innings in a simulated game on Friday. Wilson threw to Dee Gordon, Nick Punto and Matt Kemp (twice). He wore number 00.

Wilson has been solid in his recent minor league appearances, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings.  

The Dodgers are hoping Wilson can add to a bullpen that has been very dominant recently. In July, Dodgers relievers led the National League with a 2.52 ERA and have become even more dangerous in August with a 1.97 ERA, according to ESPN stats.

Wilson was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract last month. He has not pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery. 

Manager Don Mattingly and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt watched Wilson’s simulated game. Mattingly compared what he saw Friday to Wilson’s time with San Francisco and said, “He looks pretty much the same (as he did with the Giants),” according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.  

Wilson is a former All-Star closer with a career that includes 171 saves and an ERA of 3.21. His best season was 2010 where he posted a 1.81 ERA, recorded 48 saves and won a World Series ring.  

His experience in pressure moments in big games will be extremely valuable to the Dodgers down the stretch. And if you are unfamiliar with Wilson’s personality…

…he certainly is a character. 

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On June 21, the Los Angeles Dodgers were at the lowest of lows.

They had just lost to the San Diego Padres (5-2), had lost nine of their last 12 and were in last place, 9.5 games back in the NL West.

Then, something happened.

Since then, they’ve gone 38-8, have an overall record of 68-50 and sit 7.5 games up in the NL West.

For a team that has dealt with injuries to Josh Beckett, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley (among others), the Dodgers have been amazing.

But what caused the sudden turnaround?

Yasiel Puig

Puig made his official debut on June 3 and took the league by storm.

We saw what he could do in spring training when he batted .517 with three home runs and 11 RBI. Then when he got called up, he hit .500 with four home runs and 10 RBI in his first week. It was a week-long debut unlike any other many of us had ever seen.

While there have been various incidents (the brawl in Arizona, the overaggressiveness and shunning Luis Gonzalez), there’s no doubt Puig-Mania is alive in Los Angeles.

Puig has cooled down (just a little), batting .371 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI for the year.

All in all, he’s brought a ton of energy into the Dodgers lineup, which was something that was needed.

The Plan

With the new ownership group, there was a plan to mimic the New York Yankees and spend, spend, spend.

The Dodgers traded for Beckett, Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Nick Punto last year, taking on $58.25 million in salary just in 2013. There was the trade for Hanley Ramirez last year as well, adding another $15.5 million in salary for this year.

They also brought in Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu for the rotation. At the beginning of the season, the team payroll sat at $220 million.

All of those players have been able to contribute in some form or fashion.

Gonzalez has contributed 16 home runs and 75 RBI while Crawford has done well, batting .295. Greinke and Ryu have contributed 21 wins and 211 strikeouts as well.

Although he started the season on the disabled list, Ramirez has been tearing it up, batting .359 and showing shades of the old Han-Ram. 

Ironically, Ramirez started hitting the ball well on June 19, having batted .379 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI since then.

Josh Beckett on the DL

How has Beckett contributed? He’s stayed on the disabled list.

Beckett has long been considered a clubhouse cancer. He was at the center of the beer and chicken fiasco in Boston, and (according to Aaron Gleeman of NBC Sports) then-Marlins manager Jack McKeon had to lock the clubhouse door in 2003 to keep Beckett out of it during the game.

The pitcher seems to have never had an interest in the game when he’s not playing.

I find it ironic that the Dodgers have had a lot of success without Beckett. Coincidence?

Conclusion

So many things have gone right for the Dodgers, but the biggest charge into the team came from Puig.

Without his energy and passion, there’s no way the Dodgers would be in first place right now.

He is a major reason why the Dodgers didn’t fold in early June and a big reason why manager Don Mattingly still has a job.

There’s no doubt the other players contributed a lot as well, but if I could point to the biggest factor, there are none bigger than Puig.

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On a day when MLB announced its PED suspensions, one of the biggest names to admit steroid use sat down to talk.

Mark McGwire had a great career, but in an interview with ESPN Los Angeles’ Arash Markazi, the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ hitting coach said he wishes he was never part of the steroids era.

“I wish I was never a part of it,” McGwire said. “Just get rid of it. If it’s better to have bigger suspensions, then they’re going to have to change it.”

“I wish there were things in place earlier,” McGwire said. “They were put in in 2003 I think. I just really hope and pray that this is the end of it. Everybody, especially the players, don’t want any more part of it, and I hope this is the end of it. … I wish I was never part of it.”

McGwire admitted to steroid use in 2010 before becoming the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Now with the Dodgers, McGwire has another chance to reflect on how performance-enhancing drugs are ruining the game.

But is McGwire being sincere or is he just trying to save his dreams of making it into Cooperstown?

The Steroids Era

There are some that argue that you vote players into the Hall of Fame based on if they were one of the best players of their era.

When guys like McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro played, it was the steroid era.

Despite the fact that it was cheating, it was still a part of the game and something that gave baseball fans a lot to be excited about.

Was McGwire one of the best players of his era? Absolutely.

He batted .263 with 583 home runs and 1,414 RBI. I’d say those numbers, under normal circumstances, would be Hall-worthy.

He and Sosa gave fans an exciting home-run chase in 1998, helping bring baseball back to relevancy in American households.

So, the numbers are there, but the prevailing attitude that cheaters must be kept out of the Hall, no matter what era, remains. Just look at Pete Rose, who was banned from the game for gambling on baseball.

McGwire Doesn’t Think He Should Go In

The biggest tell here is that McGwire has already said he doesn’t think he would vote himself for induction into the Hall of Fame.

During an interview on The Dan Patrick Show in 2012, McGwire said, “No, not by the guidelines they have now,” McGwire told Patrick. “I’ll never fight it. I totally respect the Hall of Fame. I have never fought. They have rules and restrictions, I totally abide by them.”

So if McGwire is saying he wouldn’t vote himself in because of his past, then there’s no reason why voters should.

McGwire understands the need to respect the integrity of Cooperstown.

Voters Are Speaking

When you look at the 2013 Hall of Fame voting results, a lot of voters are showing they aren’t tolerating steroid users.

McGwire was 15th in the voting, receiving 16.9 percent of the vote. That was down from 19.5 percent the previous year.

In fact, of the players on the ballot involved in steroid speculation, only Roger Clemens had half of the 427 votes needed for election. And he only beat that by one vote (214). Bonds had 206 votes, while Sosa had 71 and Palmeiro had 50.

Regardless of what players linked to steroids say now that their careers are over, the voters will continue to speak with their votes.

And if 2013’s vote says anything, that doesn’t look good for the likes of McGwire, Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro and Clemens.

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