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Just how confident are the Los Angeles Dodgers and general manager Ned Colletti in their projected lineup for 2013?

If Colletti was happy with how his team’s batting order is shaping up, would rumors of the Dodgers trying to trade Andre Ethier in an attempt to clear space for Nick Swisher or Michael Bourn have any life to them? 

Perhaps so, since the Dodgers have become sort of the fantasy team for reporters, analysts and fans. With a seemingly unlimited payroll available, the Dodgers have been associated with virtually every top free-agent hitter during this offseason. Sign Josh Hamilton! They have the money!

Given how Colletti has stockpiled starting pitching, maybe the current belief in Chavez Ravine is that the Dodgers can’t have enough of anything. Pitching? Hitting? Bench players? More, please!

But in his attempt to hoard as much talent as possible, has Colletti—along with those who follow the Dodgers—actually underrated his lineup? 

Following the Dodgers’ offensive (which has a double meaning here) performance in 2012, it’s understandable that Colletti would prefer to add as many bats as possible. 

Only four teams in MLB scored fewer than the 637 runs the Dodgers put on the board last season. Even after acquiring Adrian Gonzalez at the waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers scored 91 runs in September, averaging 3.5 runs per game. 

Gonzalez put up decent numbers for the Dodgers, but wasn’t the impact power bat the team was hoping for following its blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox. He hit .297 with a .785 OPS, 10 doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI in 157 plate appearances. 

However, Gonzalez wasn’t lighting it up in Boston either. He compiled 15 home runs and 86 RBI for a Red Sox team that performed far below expectations. With Gonzalez not looking like an MVP-caliber player, the assumption seems to be forming that he may not be that sort of hitter anymore. 

Yet we’re talking about a player one season removed from hitting .338 with a .957 OPS. Gonzalez also slugged 27 homers with 117 RBI and tied for the MLB lead with 213 hits. The Red Sox wanted an impact hitter and appeared to have one.

Could it really have gone downhill so fast for Gonzalez? Getting out of Boston looked like the change of scenery he needed. Following a full offseason away from the drama at Fenway Park and beginning the 2013 season with the Dodgers would seem to be recuperative for him. 

Gonzalez’s dip in power is a concern, but as The Boston Globe‘s Peter Abraham explained in an article last season, the first baseman was still trying to work out his swing after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Having a healthy shoulder actually got him into bad habits as he tried to lift the ball with his swing, rather than take a line-drive approach. Perhaps the Dodgers’ new hitting coach, Mark McGwire, will help him iron out those tendencies. 

Another player who came over from Boston and is battling diminished expectations is Carl Crawford. Wrist and elbow injuries limited Crawford to 161 games in two seasons with the Red Sox, during which he hit .260 with a .711 OPS. 

Crawford eventually had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow last August, but could miss the beginning of the 2013 season and might be out until May.

Once he’s able to join the Dodgers’ lineup, however, the batting order will have a top-of-the-order hitter (though probably not a leadoff batter) who can get on base, hit for some power and provide some speed on the basepaths. 

But as with Gonzalez, there might be some question as to whether or not Crawford can be the same five-tool player he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. Until he shows he can be that sort of hitter again—and is able to prove his defensive abilities in Dodger Stadium’s more conventional and spacious outfield—doubts will shadow him. 

Third baseman Luis Cruz is likely one more reason that observers are underrating the Dodgers’ lineup.

Cruz isn’t the prototypical slugging third baseman. He hit six home runs in 78 games last season. But he did hit .297 with a .753 OPS, providing a boost for a Dodgers infield that didn’t supply much run production until Hanley Ramirez was acquired from the Miami Marlins. 

Ideally, Cruz would be the Dodgers shortstop this season, with Ramirez playing third base. But as we saw last year when Ramirez had to move to accommodate Jose Reyes in Miami, Ramirez doesn’t like playing the hot corner. 

The Dodgers are giving Ramirez the opportunity to improve his defense and win the shortstop job. In all likelihood, he’ll be the starting shortstop come Opening Day. 

That leaves Cruz to play third base again. While he did surprise with his batting average and played strong defense at third, can Cruz repeat that performance in 2013?

Cruz spent all of 2011 in the minor leagues, between the Texas Rangers and Dodgers organizations. In his prior three major league seasons, he was a part-time player at best, hitting under .250 with an OPS below .600.

Was 2012 a breakout season for the 28-year-old infielder or a one-year fluke? 

Until Cruz proves he can hit well enough to be the Dodgers’ third baseman over a full season, there will surely be plenty of rumblings that the team either needs to acquire an upgrade at the position or move Ramirez to third. With the risk of making Ramirez unhappy, however, Colletti will probably seek outside help if it comes to that. 

Since the Guggenheim Baseball Management group took over ownership of the team, the Dodgers have proven that they’re not afraid to constantly tweak their roster. That likely won’t change during the 2013 season. Because of that, there will frequently be the sentiment that the lineup can be even better.

However, the Dodgers batting order may already be plenty good enough.

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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney and the Los Angeles Times‘ Dylan Hernandez, the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to sign left-handed free-agent pitcher J.P. Howell to a reported one-year deal.

Howell, who turns 30 in April, had 3.04 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays last season.  

Howell missed the entire 2010 season and part of 2011 due to shoulder surgery, but had two solid seasons with the Rays in 2008 (2.22 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 89.1 innings pitched) and 2009 (2.84 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched).

The former 2004 first-round pick (31st overall) is also a native Californian and a former USC Trojan.  

He will join a Dodgers team that has not been afraid to spend this offseason and looks to be taking the place of the departed Randy Choate, who signed a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason.

Will Howell come back to his prior form with a Dodgers team that looks to be the favorite in the National League West?

Time will tell.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have made tremendous moves in the past 12 months and have changed the face of the franchise since the coming of the new Magic Johnson-led ownership.

Their new billion-dollar TV deal and matched spending habits have led many, including myself, to call them the “West Coast Yankees.” 

However, there are still questions, and subsequent changes to be made in order for the Dodgers to achieve the desired well-balanced team to potentially bring a World Series to L.A. 

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have a 2013 Opening Day payroll that is already over $200 million, so it should come as no surprise that their roster is littered with All-Star talent. With 11 players who have previously made at least one appearance in the Midsummer Classic, the Dodgers should lead the National League in All-Stars next season.

No one should expect all of L.A.’s former All-Stars to be playing in Citi Field next July, but most of them are still in their primes. Of that group, only Ted Lilly, who turns 37 in January, is definitely beyond his best years.  

The other 10 players are all 32 years old or younger. All except Josh Beckett have been All-Stars within the past four seasons.

Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Chad Billingsley are all returning from season-ending injuries. Their ability to earn All-Star votes will largely depend on how many games they miss and how quickly they return to top form.

Listed in reverse order from least-to-most likely to make the 2013 MLB All-Star team, here are 11 Dodgers who have a very good chance of playing in New York on July 16, 2013.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers began the offseason with one of the most baffling signings in MLB. Two months later, the transaction is still one of the most curious—and potentially terrible. 

Soon after the World Series ended, the Dodgers re-signed reliever Brandon League. That in itself wasn’t an objectionable move.

League compiled a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances for the Dodgers after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners. He also struck out 8.9 batters per nine innings, nearly the best rate of his career. 

But perhaps because the Guggenheim Baseball Management ownership group is just overflowing with money, the Dodgers gave League a generous three-year contract worth $22.5 million. That’s $22.5 million for a reliever who was only the full-time closer for one season in Seattle. 

As a point of comparison, R.A. Dickey just signed a two-year contract extension for $25 million with the Toronto Blue Jays. Jonathan Broxton, who’s been an established closer, received a three-year, $21 million deal from the Cincinnati Reds. 

The Dodgers also already appeared to have an established closer in Kenley Jansen, which is another reason signing League seemed odd. The 25-year-old right-hander notched 25 saves this season while striking out 13.7 batters per nine innings.

Unfortunately, Jansen went on the disabled list with an irregular heartbeat and had surgery to correct the problem after the season. The Dodgers were thus likely worried and wanted some insurance at closer, so the team decided to move Jensen to a setup role and give the ninth-inning duties to League.

Utilizing Jansen as a setup man arguably allows Dodgers manager Don Mattingly to use his best reliever in a variety of situations, rather than tie him to the customary save opportunity in which a closer pitches. Perhaps Mattingly will decide to keep Jensen restricted to the eighth inning, as many MLB skippers do.

But Jansen could be used for whatever is judged the most important, high-leverage scenario late in a ballgame. If it’s a situation in the seventh inning with runners on second and third and one out, and a strikeout is needed, Mattingly could call upon Jansen then.

However, some teams prefer to have their best strikeout pitcher in the closer role, looking for a guy who can come in, mow down three batters and call it a night. Jansen seems best suited for that imposing sort of figure.

Yet general manager Ned Colletti was impressed by the job League did as closer, telling the Los Angeles Times‘ Dylan Hernandez that his performance in the last two to three weeks of the season convinced the team that he could do the job. 

League was indeed outstanding in September, posting an 0.55 ERA and six saves in 15 appearances. He allowed one run and seven hits in 16 innings, while also striking out 13 batters. 

If League can be that kind of pitcher throughout a full season, then Colletti‘s faith in him would be justified. But that’s the question, one which makes the Dodgers’ investment such a head-scratcher: It’s a risk. Colletti is taking a gamble that League can be a dominant closer when he’s never really demonstrated he’s capable of that.

Yes, League had 37 saves in 2011, the one season in which he was the Mariners’ designated closer. But he only struck out an average of 6.6 batters per nine innings, hardly the flamethrower that most teams prefer to pitch in the ninth inning. League also allowed 8.2 hits per nine innings, putting more runners on base than a reliever should in late innings. 

But League showed the potential of being a more formidable reliever during his late-season stint, displaying a capability for the role that Colletti obviously feels will make him a good closer for the Dodgers over the next three seasons. 

As mentioned above, League’s strikeout rate during his 28 appearances with the Dodgers was the second-highest of his career. His rate of 5.6 hits allowed per nine innings was also the lowest of his nine major league seasons.

Perhaps League is just better suited to pitching in the National League after working virtually his entire career in the American League. That could be something else Colletti is banking on. 

Ultimately, the Dodgers might look smart for investing in League. The market for closers wasn’t great this offseason with relievers like Jose Valverde, Brett Myers and Matt Capps on the market. Rafael Soriano is seeking to be paid like a starting pitcher. And Brian Wilson is coming off the second Tommy John surgery of his career. 

Taking a chance on a reliever who will turn 30 before the 2013 season begins and has prior experience as a closer was clearly the best option for a team that needed stability in the ninth inning after juggling those responsibilities among Jansen and Javy Guerra this season. 

If it turns out to be a bad investment for the Dodgers, that’s one luxury of having such a large, deep payroll. A franchise with a lot of money can afford to make some mistakes along the way without such misjudgments setting the team back. 

But if Colletti is willing to take a chance on League and he doesn’t work out, can his judgment be trusted on the next reliever he might tab to be the Dodgers’ closer? 

Grade: C

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have worked hard to add to their roster this offseason, and that activity continued on Tuesday.

According to Los Angeles Times reporter Dylan Hernandez, the Dodgers have acquired Skip Schumaker from the Cardinals:

Source: the #Dodgers have acquired Skip Schumaker from the #Cardinals.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) December 12, 2012

It’s unclear what the Cardinals will receive in return, according to Hernandez’s full report, but you can’t imagine that the price will be all that steep. The deal also depends on Schumaker‘s ability to pass a physical.

Hernandez mentions that “Hitting coach Mark McGwire pushed for the Dodgers to acquire the 32-year-old Schumaker, whom he worked with in St. Louis.” He hit .276 in 304 plate appearances last season.

Schumaker will earn $1.5 million this season, his final year under contract. He can play all three spots in the outfield, but he’s frequently lined up at second base throughout his career. Having a guy that you can plug in to many different positions makes things easier on the manager, and it forces other teams to be on their toes as well.

Because he’s a left-handed bat, he will pair well with Mark Ellis at the position. He hits right-handed pitchers exceptionally well, and that will make the Dodgers’ lineup more versatile as well.

There’s nothing about this move that is big time, but he’s the kind of player who makes the team better because he does the small things. Every great team needs depth, and every team needs quality leadership that they can turn to when the season reaches its critical moments.

Schumaker played in a great Cardinals organization for eight years. He’s a team-first guy, and he will help the Dodgers try to become contenders in the National League West with quality veteran leadership.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers introduced the newest member of the team on Tuesday afternoon.

Zack Greinke, with a freshly-signed six-year, $147 million contract in tow, was the guest of honor at Dodger Stadium. Greinke is expected to team with Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to form a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the starting rotation.

Here are some pictures and quotes from Greinke, as well as from Magic Johnson and general manager Ned Colletti.

Note: Quotes transcribed from press conference via dodgers.com

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With all of the moves that they have made over the past few months, there is no doubt that there will be a lot of pressure on the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. The team is expected to have a payroll of at least $225 million according to Mike Bauman of MLB.com, which would be the largest in league history.

Despite making a few trades to bring in All-Star caliber players last season and spending over $200 million on starting pitchers this winter, some evaluators believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers may still not have a better team than the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants (h/t Buster Olney of ESPN).

Even with the elite roster that they have assembled, it will be no easy task for the Dodgers to win the National League West. To get a better idea whether the Dodgers’ spending has pushed them passed the Giants, the teams should be looked at on a position by position basis.

There is no debate over which team has a better catcher. Buster Posey was the National League MVP in 2012 and is the best catcher in baseball. A.J. Ellis is a good catcher, but he is not close to Posey’s level.

At first base, the Dodgers have the edge. Adrian Gonzalez may not have demonstrated the power stroke that he has in the past, but he is still going to hit around .300 and drive in 100 runs for the Dodgers. Brandon Belt is a talented young player, but still needs to continue to develop.

The San Francisco Giants will once again be trotting Marco Scutaro out at second base while the Dodgers will turn to Mark Ellis. These two players have different skill sets. Scutaro has been more of an offensive presence, while Ellis has been better with the glove.

Brandon Crawford made some strides in 2012 during his first full season in the major leagues, but at the plate, he cannot compare to Hanley Ramirez. However, Crawford is able to make up for a large portion of that difference because of his value defensively. Last season Crawford posted a 2.0 dWAR total while Ramirez had a -0.5 dWAR total (h/t Baseball-Reference).

Third base is another area where the Giants have a big edge over the Dodgers. Pablo Sandoval is an All-Star and a potential MVP candidate while Luis Cruz has never played a full season at the major league level.

Things get interesting when you compare the outfielders on the two teams. Los Angeles should have the advantage in left field with Carl Crawford, but it is hard to know what to expect from him or if he can even stay healthy. The Giants have Gregor Blanco out in left, and while he is not a superstar, he is a big part of the team’s lineup.

Both teams have very solid center fielders, but the advantages there goes to the Dodgers. Matt Kemp is only a year removed from an MVP season and he is a potential 40/40 player. Even if Angel Pagan exceeds his performance from last season, he may not be able to match a healthy Kemp.

Over in right field, the match-up of Hunter Pence and Andre Ethier is a close one. Both players have a strong offensive presence in their respective team’s lineup.  Either player can change a game with one swing of a bat.

By looking through the projected starting lineups for both the Giants and the Dodgers, it seems as if the two teams are very closely matched. Each team has multiple All-Stars and a number of players that can contribute both offensively and defensively.

The battle for supremacy in the National League West may very well come down to the two team’s pitching staffs.

Clayton Kershaw is one of the top pitchers in the National League and the Dodgers are very fortunate to have the young ace on their staff. He will likely have a few outings this year against Matt Cain, the Giants ace. These pitching duels will be fun to watch as both starters are immensely talented.

Seeing the number two starters on these teams face off will be a treat as well. The recently signed Zack Greinke gives the Dodgers an elite No. 2 starter. Los Angeles is counting on the former Cy Young award winner to be one of the pieces that leads them to the playoffs.

While the Giants are only paying Madison Bumgarner a fraction of what the Dodgers are giving Greinke, San Francisco should get just as much, if not more production from their No. 2. The 23-year old has been lights out since he reached the majors and has a career 3.20 ERA compared to Greinke‘s career 3.77 ERA.

Both team’s have some questions about their third starter. Josh Beckett was inconsistent with the Boston Red Sox last season, but he was able to turn things around once he was traded to the Dodgers. Seven starts is a small sample size to go off of, but it is a good sign for Los Angeles.

Tim Lincecum could be one of the best No. 3 starters in baseball history. The 2012 season was a struggle for the two-time Cy Young award winner, but he was able to turn things around in the second half. Following the All-Star Break, Lincecum posted a 3.83 ERA and held hitters to a .328 on-base percentage.

If both pitchers are able to pitch in 2013, the Giants will still have a big edge in this spot.

Newly signed Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the Dodgers’ fourth starter in 2013. He was very successful in South Korea, posting a 2.80 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in seven seasons, but it is uncertain how his numbers will translate to the United States.

Meanwhile, the Giants know what they can expect from their fourth starter. Ryan Vogelsong has pitched very well over the past two seasons and was a key part of the Giants’ World Series run.

According to the Dodgers’ official depth chart, Chris Capuano is penciled in as the team’s fifth starter, but the team has other options. As it stands, Capuano is a better fifth starer than Barry Zito, the Giants No. 5.

Zito had one of this best years as a member of the Giants last year, but he has struggled with consistency after moving across the San Francisco Bay.

Chad Billingsley ended last season with a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow and while it looks like he may be able to start in the majors in 2013, it is still too early to tell (h/t Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times).

While it is a push when it comes to the offense, the Giants have the edge when it comes to starting pitching.

One of the Dodgers’ biggest strengths last season was their bullpen. They had the eighth best bullpen ERA in the game, while the Giants bullpen was 15th (h/t ESPN). It appears that this will once again be an advantage for the Dodgers in 2013.

Even after all of the moves that the Dodgers have made in the past seven months and all the money that they have spent, it is hard to say that they have actually passed the Giants in terms of talent.

The Dodgers ownership may need to open up their wallet one or two more times or have the team make another trade before they actually surpass their longtime rivals.

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Trade rumors involving R.A. Dickey have generated plenty of buzz during the first two days of MLB‘s winter meetings. But there also seems to be the sense that the New York Mets won’t trade him until after Zack Greinke signs with a team. 

Could both Dickey and Greinke end up with the Los Angeles Dodgers? According to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick, the two pitchers aren’t necessarily an either-or proposition for general manager Ned Colletti. 

The Dodgers could try to get both pitchers, providing their rotation with a top three of Cy Young Award winners that would rival the Philadelphia Phillies‘ trio of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels and make Los Angeles a favored playoff contender in the NL. 

If the Dodgers were to lose out on Greinke, presumably to the Texas Rangers or the Los Angeles Angels, then Dickey would certainly be a fallback option, giving the rotation the strong No. 2 starter Colletti is looking to acquire. 

The presumption is that the Dodgers won’t have to make a choice because they can just pay more than any other team. 

That is certainly true for Greinke and it’s why the Dodgers have always been considered the favorite to sign him. The Texas Rangers or Los Angeles Angels aren’t going to win a bidding war with the free-spending Dodgers.

But principal owner Mark Walter has expressed a reluctance to sign a pitcher to a long-term deal, telling the Los Angeles Times‘ Dylan Hernandez, “Pitchers break.” That might indicate that the Dodgers won’t give Greinke the six-to-seven year deal that he’s reportedly seeking. 

If that’s the case, then perhaps Dickey is a better fit for the Dodgers. He’s signed for next season after the Mets picked up his $5 million option for 2013. 

However, to make a trade for Dickey worthwhile, Colletti will almost certainly have to agree to a contract extension before finalizing a deal.

The Dodgers didn’t trade for Ryan Dempster because Colletti wasn’t willing to give up top prospects for a two-month rental. Dickey would be with the Dodgers for a full season, so perhaps Colletti would be more willing to part with his young talent. 

According to the New York Daily News‘ John Harper, the Dodgers have made such an offer to the Mets for Dickey. Harper tweeted that Los Angeles proposed a deal involving top pitching prospect Zach Lee and shortstop Dee Gordon. 

Lee is the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect, according to Baseball America, and that is surely the sort of player the Mets want in exchange for Dickey. Gordon has the potential to be a starting shortstop as well, but he lost that job with the Dodgers because he doesn’t hit or get on base enough. Without that, his speed can’t be utilized. 

So that package probably isn’t enough to interest the Mets. As Harper points out, the Mets want an outfielder in any prospective deal and probably would like a catcher as well. MLB.com beat writer Anthony DiComo doesn’t think Lee and Gordon can made a trade happen either. 

These are the sorts of concerns Colletti doesn’t have to deal with in regards to Greinke. He’ll just cost money. A lot of money. But the Dodgers don’t have to give up any players they project as future stars to get the top pitcher on the free-agent market. 

However, as I’ve written in another article, giving Greinke $150 million could cost the Dodgers even more money down the line when Clayton Kershaw’s contract comes up after next season. Kershaw is even better than Greinke, coming off two outstanding years for Los Angeles. He could very well get a $200 million contract. 

But if Greinke doesn’t get a mega-deal with the Dodgers and ends up signing for less money with another team, perhaps Kershaw doesn’t break that $200 million threshold. Could that enter into the Dodgers’ thinking at all? Do they want to avoid paying $350 million to two pitchers? 

Even if the Dodgers sign Dickey to a two-year contract—or the three-year deal that ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin reports the knuckleballer is seeking—he would likely cost around $12 million per season. That’s half of what Greinke is seeking. And a three-year deal might be more in line with what Walter believes is appropriate for a pitcher. 

Dickey would also perhaps slot in more comfortably to the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Kershaw and in front of Josh Beckett.

That might not seem like a big deal from a baseball standpoint, but it might be a concern in terms of payroll. Greinke could be getting paid like an ace, yet be the No. 2 guy in the Dodgers rotation. This wouldn’t be an issue with Dickey, who would clearly be the second starter with a shorter contract. 

Yet such matters just don’t seem significant to the Dodgers, especially if their ownership is serious about building a championship contender and becoming the next superpower in MLB. Adding Greinke to their rotation is an impact move that could affect the balance of power in the National League.

The Dodgers have to go big to overtake the World Series champion San Francisco Giants in the NL West. Trading for Dickey would be a good move. Signing Greinke would be a great one. From all accounts, the Dodgers are looking to become great.

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After countless seasons under a strict budget, the Los Angeles Dodgers underwent a much-needed transformation in 2012 following their purchase by Guggenheim Baseball Management. Given the new ownership’s endless bankroll, they became the biggest spender in the game seemingly overnight and implemented a “win-now” mentality.

However, the change in ownership also had a drastic impact on the team’s already fringy farm system. Shortly before the July 31 trade deadline, the Dodgers dealt their first-round draft pick from 2008, right-hander Ethan Martin, to the Phillies in exchange for Hunter Pence.

And then later in the season, they traded another top pitching prospect, right-hander Allen Webster, to the Red Sox as part of the blockbuster deal that landed them Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford.

Although both of the aforementioned prospects flashed Nos. 2 or 3 starter upside, they were each regarded as somewhat expendable considering that the organization had selected a pitcher in the first round of each of the last five drafts.

Thankfully that streak came to end this past June when the Dodgers drafted prep infielder Corey Seager with the 18th-overall pick. Additionally, the organization made a big splash in the international market in late June when they signed Cuban defector Yasiel Puig to a massive seven-year, $42 million contract.

And even though their top-10 prospects has a vastly different look than it did at this time last year, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re without a solid crop of high-ceiling prospects, especially on the mound.

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