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With spring training now at its peak and Cactus League play in full gear, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in the national spotlight of the sports media in regards to a number of popular storylines.

Team ownership is obviously at the forefront, as Frank McCourt was anticipating a $200 million cash advance from Fox until the transaction was blocked by MLB commissioner Bud Selig late last week. It’s unclear exactly where the overall finances of the club lie, but the fact that McCourt was involved in plotting such a deal doesn’t sound encouraging.

In the meantime, the divorce ordeal between Frank and Jamie continues to trudge along. Frank’s gun is loaded with the intention of new trials and appeals, while Jamie continues to express interest in gaining some type of control of the organization. However, the team, the fans and Major League Baseball itself would love nothing more than to see this tedious affliction become resolved.

As for player news, the absence of reliever Ronald Belisario from his third consecutive spring training start also captured its fair share of headlines. While Belisario continues to offer excuses about being separated from the team, he still remains in his native Venezuela. Most analysts around the league seem to agree that he’s already seen his last days wearing Dodger Blue.

Vicente Padilla, re-signed by general manager Ned Colletti to bolster the bullpen and provide insurance to the starting rotation, has already been under the knife to fix a recurring wrist injury that has been bothering him for more than a year. According to various opinions, Padilla may begin throwing again in as little as three-to-four weeks.

The passing of Dodger legend Duke Snider, who could arguably be known as the greatest player the franchise has ever seen, brought a somber moment of sadness to Dodgers fans far and wide. Without a doubt, for his contributions to the Dodger legacy, the Duke will be remembered for eternity.

As all the aforementioned news made headlines nationwide, a number of storylines which are critical to the club’s success continue to fly under the radar. The following slides highlight 10 such stories, as well as offer a brief commentary about each topic shown.

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Heading into the upcoming season, new skipper Don Mattingly and the Los Angeles Dodgers have not been hit with a slew of injuries.

However, that’s no excuse for not being concerned with what injuries they do have.

There are only four of note:

1. Pitcher Vicente Padilla’s elbow surgery.

2. Outfielder Jay Gibbons with the flu.

3. Pitcher Tim Redding with an illness.

4. Pitcher Dana Eveland’s strained hamstring.

Spring training has just begun; therefore, Dodger fans, let’s hope this is as bad as it gets.

Here is a breakdown for each injury/illness and what else to look for as time progresses.

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In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, an old fisherman goes 84 days without catching any fish. On the 85th day, he ventures further than he’s ever gone and snags the big one, an 18 foot marlin. Trying to bring his catch in, sharks begin to pick at the Marlin and by the time the old man returns to the village, only the skeleton of the fish remains.

In many way, the Los Angeles Angels are like the old man. Two years ago, they tried to re-sign first baseman Mark Teixeira, only to be outbid by the New York Yankees. This offseason, they eyed Tampa Bay Rays speedster Carl Crawford, only to once again be outbid, this time by the Boston Red Sox.

To make up for not landing their “marlin”, they have instead countered by landing smaller fish in the sea, which have included the likes of outfielders Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells, and pitchers Dan Haren, Joel Pineiro and Scott Kazmir.

For all intent purposes however, the Angels already may have the biggest fish in the sea in Mike Trout, MLB.com’s No. 1 rated prospect in baseball. Trout is considered to be a five tool baseball player and has even drawn comparisons to Mickey Mantle himself.  

Although the Angels lost out on Crawford, they traded for Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells, who last season hit 31 home runs with 88 RBI. Wells was acquired in exchange for catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.

When healthy, the Angels have more than enough firepower at both the plate and mound to overthrow the Texas Rangers and hold off the upstart Oakland Athletics.

The Rangers lost their best pitcher Cliff Lee to Philadelphia, and outside of C.J. Wilson, the Rangers pitching staff isn’t really impressive, at least on paper. The Athletics, on the other hand, may have the best pitching staff in the American League West, but they lack offense.

Of the entire AL West, the Angels offer the best balance at both the mound and plate. Jered Weaver lead the league last season in strikeouts, Ervin Santana lead the team in wins with 17 and Dan Haren dropped his ERA by almost two full points when he left Arizona, from 4.60 to 2.87.

Kendry Morales, who broke his leg after a walk-off grand slam back in May, is expected to return to the lineup this season. Morales and his offensive outburst from 2009, which included 34 HRs, 108 RBI and a .306 batting average, were missed in last season’s downfall that saw the Angels finish in third place.

In the end, what may determine the AL West will not be who landed the biggest fish in the offseason, but rather, who stays healthy and is consistent throughout the season. If all the parts and pieces that the Angels have put together over the last couple of seasons can stay healthy and play consistent baseball, the Angels may do what they’ve done three times in the last five seasons, win the AL West.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As spring training gets underway in Florida and Arizona, we take one last look at the recent Major League Baseball offseason and how the various trades and acquisitions will affect the fantasy landscape for 2011.

While there was much more movement than the players listed below, this is a fantasy roster comprised of the most notable players per position that will be wearing different uniforms from Opening Day 2010 and should be on radars come draft time 2011. Not all players in this article are necessarily top-tier options, but each carries some value all the way through the mid-to-late rounds if you have a position of need during your draft.

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Legendary New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was without a doubt one of the best center fielders that ever played the game of baseball. His five-tool skills, combining hitting for average, hitting for power, base running skills and speed, throwing ability and fielding abilities were matched only by Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr.

However, a new young buck has entered the fold. Los Angeles Angels top-rated prospect Mike Trout is already drawing comparisons to the great Mickey Mantle, and Trout has yet to play a game above the single-A level.

It’s a pretty heady comparison for a kid who has yet to play a game at the Major League Baseball level. But thus far, Trout has not done anything to dissuade those who marvel at his abilities.

Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels out of Milville, NJ in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Trout has excelled at every stop thus far in the Angels’ minor league system, hitting .360 in the Arizona Rookie League after the draft, and then hitting a combined .341 at the single-A and advanced single-A levels last season.

Trout’s 56 stolen bases last season only added to his overall allure, and his .428 on-base percentage showed a disciplined plate attitude, considered exceptional for a player who was only 18 years old at the time.

The accolades and awards have already started to pile up for the young stud, being named the Most Valuable Player of the Midwest League and earning Class A All-Star honors by both Topps and Baseball America.

Late last year, Trout was named the number one minor league prospect by MLB.com.

However, the comparisons to the great Mantle are certainly premature. Remember when the sweet-swinging Will Clark was compared favorably to Ted Williams?

The Angels have already said that they have no intentions to rush Trout to the big leagues, despite his meteoric rise. The Angels have had a history of can’t-miss prospects who never lived up to the hype (Dallas McPherson, Casey Kotchman), so they are understandably taking their time with the young Mike Trout.

With Peter Bourjos, Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter manning the outfield for the Angels, Trout will have time to continue to develop the skills that many believe will lead to a Hall of Fame career. Abe Flores, the player development director for the Angels, says the hype is all great and good, but that it’s important to not get over-excited.

“I wish everyone would just take a deep breath here,” Flores told the Los Angeles Times. “There’s been a lot of momentum around him, but everyone should keep their feet on the ground.

“I’m trying to quash people who are losing their minds comparing this kid to someone in the major leagues.”

The Angels only have to look to Brandon Wood, who was the next can’t-miss prospect for the Angels. Wood suffered through a terrible 2010 season after being named the starting third baseman for the Halos, batting just .146 overall. While Wood will still battle for playing time in 2011, the expectations of greatness are far from fulfilled.

As for Trout, one baseball expert believes that the sky could be the limit.

“I haven’t talked to anyone who’s seen Trout who hasn’t raved about him,” said Jim Callis, an editor at Baseball America. “One scout I talked to said Trout was the favorite prospect he’s ever scouted.

“Another told me he saw him hit a 400-foot home run, and in his next at-bat, he dropped a bunt and got to first in 3.65 seconds. Four seconds is top speed for a major leaguer.”

Mickey Mantle was a legend. Mike Trout could be a legend in the making.

For continuing coverage of the Los Angeles Angels, follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Have you ever wondered what goes through your girlfriend’s mind when she stops dead in her tracks, her eyes glaze over and she goes into a trance while looking at that ring in the window?

That’s what this is for men. Players like this only become freely available once a generation, and we too have paused and slipped into an alternative universe where this shiny jewel could be ours.

Well, at the risk of being the bearer of bad news, the parallels don’t stop there. There are only so many guys who can drop five grand just to make their girl smile, and only so many teams who can throw $300 million at a player.

In case you’re just back from a sabbatical in the Himalayas, Albert Pujols has reportedly cut off negotiations with the St. Louis Cardinals and plans to dip his toe into the murky waters of free agency.

While his legs dangle off the dock and you have visions of the fortunes of your team turning around by way of the hottest free agent signing in baseball history, I’ll have to ask you to snap out of it.

For you, the fans of the forthcoming 10 teams, it’s just not in the cards.

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The Dodgers have gone through a tough patch. 

After a year of ownership conflicts, down seasons and traded stars, some might forget that the Los Angeles Dodgers were the best team in baseball for much of the 2009 season, and that their core—Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Andre Ethier and Jonathan Broxton—remains intact and young.

Joe Torre’s gone. Manny Ramirez is gone. But the team remains talented.  

Ned Colletti spent this past offseason trying to supplement LA’s core and return the Dodgers—who finished below .500 last year—to the top of the division. While the team made few major additions, it retained some key pieces and supplemented that talent with bench players.

How did Colletti do?

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Clayton Kershaw is not only quickly becoming the face of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, but he’s also arguably on the fast track to being one of the premiere starters in all of baseball.

Among the larger criticisms of the Dodgers pitching staff is the lack of a true ace, however Kershaw’s performance during his first full two years of service indicates that it’s only a matter of time before he fills that void.

Kershaw, who will turn 23 in March, finished the 2010 season at 13-10 with a 2.91 ERA and 212 strikeouts in just over 204 innings of work. His number of wins could have easily been much higher if it weren’t for the Dodgers’ sluggish bats, who incidentally provided the lefty phenom with a mere 3.9 runs per game of offensive support.

One of his most impressive performances of last season came on May 9 when he outdueled Colorado Rockies’ ace Ubaldo Jimenez to lead Los Angeles to a 1-0 victory. Earning the win, Kershaw threw eight innings of shutout ball while striking out nine, having only surrendered two hits and three walks. Notwithstanding, he topped that effort with his first career complete-game shutout against Barry Zito and the San Francisco Giants on September 14. During that affair, Kershaw yielded no walks and only four hits as the Dodgers clinched the 1-0 win.

Although he doesn’t yet have the track record to prove so, some fans across Dodgertown have already began discussions that rank Kershaw among the greatest left-handed starters in Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers history. It may sound absurd, but Kershaw may become known among the Dodger lefty greats sooner than many would expect.

Surprisingly, amidst the Dodgers’ rich pitching heritage that spans 127 years, very few southpaws have experienced any type of dominating, consistent success. It’s not difficult in the least for the common Dodger enthusiast to list upwards of 35 right-handed starting pitchers who have proven to be elite, however the task of naming only 10 lefties is extremely challenging.

The following slides highlight 10 of the most successful southpaws in Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers history, as well as offer a bit of commentary regarding their careers as Dodgers. For those reading this piece who know of any die-hard Dodger fans who claim to be historical scholars or statistic addicts, feel free to challenge them to name 10 starting left-handed starting pitchers who deserve to be among the Dodgers elite—the task can certainly make even the most well-informed Dodger enthusiast seem feeble-minded.

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After a very successful first four and a half years to start his major league career, Los Angeles Dodgers’ closer Jonathan Broxton had a miserable second half in 2010.

Broxton was an All-Star in 2010, putting up great first half numbers with an ERA of 2.11, as well as 19 saves in 21 chances.  

However, after the All-Star break Broxton proceeded to post an ERA of 7.13 with just three saves in eight opportunities, and Broxton had more walks than strikeouts.

By mid-August, the Dodgers were falling out of contention and essentially went with a closer by committee over the last month and a half of the season, with Broxton, Hong-Chi Kuo and Kenley Jansen splitting the closer duty,

Broxton’s struggles came as quite a shock, considering he had done so well prior to the second half of 2010.

He still has a career ERA of 3.11 and a great strikeout to walk ratio of 3.2, but with Broxton expected to be the primarily closer in 2011, the Dodgers have to be ready to take action in case he struggles.

Here are 10 potential alternative plans the Dodgers can make if Broxton is ineffective in 2011.

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With spring training set to begin in a few short weeks and Opening Day less than two months away, fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers can’t help but feel a tingle of anxiety knowing that baseball season is only just around the corner.

The struggles of 2010 are now in the past.

Headed by skipper Don Mattingly, the 2011 coaching staff is almost entirely brand new, while multiple moves made by general manager Ned Colletti have filled several gaps in the roster. Although a small number of fans still remain pessimistic as Frank McCourt barely holds on to his regime as owner, the majority see 2011 as a fresh opportunity for the Boys in Blue to become contenders once again.

The home opener in 2009 was truly something special. Second baseman Orlando Hudson impressed the entire baseball world by hitting for the cycle in his first home game as a Dodger. Chad Billingsley was brilliant on the mound, surrendering only five hits and one earned run while striking out 11. The remainder of the Dodgers lineup had an offensive field day against future Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, as Los Angeles routed the San Francisco Giants, 11-1.

Despite all the glory, Dodgers fans were forced to wait an entire week from the beginning of the season to see their beloved club take the field at Chavez Ravine.

Moving into the 2011 campaign, Dodger Stadium will play host to Opening Day for the first time in three years. And what’s more fitting is that Los Angeles will battle long-time rival and 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants. The sellout crowd on-hand will promise to be nothing short of electrifying.

As a prelude to the clash with the Giants on March 31, the following slides highlight the 10 best individual Opening Day performances by Dodgers players over the past 25 years. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy a quick ride through a quarter-century of Dodgers history.

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