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So the season is over for LA. What do you think will happen this offseason? Please nothing about the divorce. Who do you think will magage next season. Trades? FA? Who will stay who will go?
Tough to say, I think Loney, Martin and Kemp have had some declines in performance, but I'm not sure these aren't really their new "standard" batting levels.
Team relied too much on the somewhat unpredictable Manny Ramirez, I think planning without him might be a bit easier. However, I'm not aware of any highly rated hitters in their upper minors. Casey Blake might be close to done, and I'm not too sure Podsednik or Reed Johnson will be back next year.
Pitching is OK, I think they have enough to contend.
SP Ted Lilly - FA
SP Hiroki Kuroda - FA
SP Vicente Padilla - FA
SP Chad Billingsley - Arbitration Eligible
SP Clayton Kershaw - Team Control
SP John Ely - Team Control
SP Charlie Haeger - Team Control
SP Carlos Montasterios - Team Control
RP Jon Broxton - 7 million
RP George Sherrill - Arbitration Eligible
RP Hong-Chih Kuo - Arbitration Eligible
RP Jeff Weaver - Free Agent
RP Ramon Troncoso - Team Control
RP Ronaldo Belasario - Team Control
RP Corey Wade - Team Control
RP Kenley Jansen - Team Control
C Russ Martin - Arbitration Eligible
C Brad Ausmus - 1 million option
C AJ Ellis - Team Control
C Rod Barajas- Free Agent
1B James Loney - Arbitration Eligible
2B Ryan Theriot - Arbitration Eligible
3B Casey Blake - 5.75 million
SS Rafael Furcal - 11 million
IF Jamey Carroll - 1.8 million
IF Ronnie Belliard - Free Agent
IF Juan Castro - .75 million Option
OF Andre Either - 9.25 million
OF Matt Kemp - 6.95 million
OF Scott Podsednik - 2 million Option (100,000 buyout)
OF Reed Johnson - Free Agent
OF Jay Gibbons- Free Agent
OF Xavier Paul - Team Control
OF Jamie Hoffman - Team Control
Clearly the starting pitching needs to be addressed. Kershaw and Billingsley are a solid 1 and 2, John Ely is probably the #5. Something needs to be done in the middle. Prospects Witherow and Martin aren't ready yet. The trade of McDonald for Dotel will cost the Dodgers for years. Stupid!
The bullpen will get a few arms, but Broxton and Kuo will continue to be the main guys. I'd like to see Schlicting and Elbert get shots.
Catcher, I think there is a chance that Martin gets non-tendered and the Dodgers go shopping for a new starter through free agency or trade. He's not been the player he was the first two years of his career, plus a raise in arbitration plus the injury. I'd try to sign him but only for the right price. Ellis is a back-up. Barajas and Old Man Ausmus suck.
1B will be Loney. But his salary is getting close to exceeding his production. Too bad Colletti traded away Lambo for Dotel. Stupid!
2B I assume Theriot is back. Though, Chin-Lung Hu and Ivan DeJesus Jr could work their way into the mix. Carroll looked good as well. Stupid Colletti should have kept DeWitt. He's as good or better than Theriot and cheaper.
3B will be Blake. This year is exactly what you'd expect from Blake. Last year he over performed. He's getting old and the decline will come, but there's no evidence of it yet. He's still a good player signed to an ok contract. I dont think that Russ Mitchell is the answer.
SS Furcal had a real good year. He'll play out his contract (or be moved during the season) and DeJesus or Dee Gordon will take over
The outfield is a bit of a mess. I'd like to see Kemp take over RF and Ethier in LF with a new CF brought in. The Dodgers played this year with two DH's and a RF in the OF. Getting a true CFer would improve the defense a lot. But, Xavier Paul and Jamie Hoffman look like they are major league ready. Unfortunately, both of them are probably 4th OFers and not starters. Podsednik could come back, as he doesn't make much and should provide some value over his contract. His injury could have long term effects though. Jay Gibbons is also interesting.
So the season is over for LA. What do you think will happen this offseason? Please nothing about the divorce. Who do you think will magage next season. Trades? FA? Who will stay who will go?
The whole divorce feud has ownership in a shambles. The queston is what kind of shape is the team in financially and are they going to be able to make any significant player acquisitions?
I created a little project when the season started. It turned out to be basically a book on the season. Minor league teams included. If you have excel feel free to check it out. Hope you enjoy.
Only a new owner would give us a shot at Lee. The way he's pitching this post season he's likely to get CC type money. If Cliff Lee ends up winning two games in the ALCS and putting Texas into the WS. The yankees would probably be even more pressured to sign him to a big contract just to keep from facing him.
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