After two straight season appearing in the NLCS, the Dodgers took a step backwards last season in Joe Torre's farewell. Now with Donny Baseball at the helm, here are 10 important questions the Dodgers will face in getting back to October baseball.
1. Will Clayton Kershaw be the ace?
There's no doubt Kershaw has all the tools to be the top dog. Last year he went 13-10 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. He's already been named the Opening Day starter against the Giants, a very well-deserved honor. His biggest enemy in the past has been his walk on the wild side, but his innings pitched went up last year by over 30, and his walks were down by 10. With more run support, he can approach 20 wins this year.
2. Can Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier provide the power?
After a red hot start to the season by Ethier, a pinky injury of all things completely turned his season around. As for Kemp, he looked like his head was stuck in the clouds from day one. The good news? Both men are young enough and talented enough to really make a difference. With no Manny Ramirez around anymore to take the pressure off, these two will really need to show that last year was a fluke if the Dodgers expect to win.
3. Which Jonathan Broxton will show up?
It was the ultimate tale of two seasons for Brox, as he went from saving the All-Star Game for the National League to getting the boot from the closer's role. Want further proof? Pre-All Star: 2.11 ERA, Post-All Star: 7.13 ERA. Ouch! I believe much of his problems were mental, as he seemed to wilt against good competition. Another problem was that his fastball wasn't blowing people away anymore. Either way, he'll be given every chance to be the man in the 9th inning again. But after watching him last season, I'm not sure anyone can get too comfortable with him one way or another.
4. Will Hong-Chih Kuo hold up?
One of the real bright spots for the Dodgers last season was Kuo's performance, which was absolutely phenomenal. A 1.20 ERA, 21 holds, 12 saves, and 73 strikeouts equaled one of the best seasons for any reliever of all-time. But, as usual, the question of his fragile left arm has to be asked. This offseason, he kept on a regular throwing schedule, just like the one he has during the season. The hope is that his arm will remain strong. Let's hope it does, because a bullpen without Kuo isn't nearly as effective as one with him.
5. Who will emerge in left field?
I liken the Dodgers' claim that they have three legit starters in left to that of a football team with two starting quarterbacks: If you say you have more than one starter, do you really even have a starter at all? On the surface, it doesn't really look like it. The three in competition are Jay Gibbons (power), Marcus Thames (power), and Tony Gwynn (speed and defense). My guess is that Gibbons and Thames will platoon, and Gwynn will play the super-sub role late in games. But who knows, maybe one of them will get hot.
6. Who will emerge behind the plate?
Just like in left, there's three candidates: Rod Barajas, Dioner Navarro, and A.J. Ellis. Barajas hit 17 homers last year, including five in 25 games with the Dodgers. Navarro is eerily similar to Russell Martin in that he was once a hot, young All-Star, and is now fighting to prove himself all over again. Ellis finally hit the ball at the end of last season, but has never done that before. The Dodgers have to like Barajas's power, so I see him getting the early nod.
7. Will Juan Uribe provide a spark, ala last year in San Francisco?
Uribe hooked up with L.A. on a three-year, $21 million deal after helping guide the Giants to a ring last season. He's a career .256 hitter, but launched 24 homers last year, his fourth time over the 20 homer mark. His versatility is nice, as he can play anywhere from second to short to third. With a low average, the Dodgers are going to have to hope that he will make his hits count and be a leader in the infield.
8. Will the 'pen get back to business?
2009 was a fantastic year for the bullpen. 2010? Not so much. Throw out the great work of Hong-Chih Kuo and Kenley Jansen, and it was ugly to watch. Jonathan Broxton led the way, as he inexplicably blew up in the second half of the year, and lost his role of closer. With Ronald Belisario's status up in the air (again), the signing of Matt Guerrier takes on an added significance. If Kuo's arm holds up, Jansen continues to develop, and Broxton can regain his confidence, the bullpen can once again be among the league's best.
9. Is James Loney here for the long haul?
It's no secret that the Dodgers like Loney, but don't love him. That may sum up the feelings of fans, too. What he does bring is an ability to get RBIs, despite hitting for little power, and a slick glove. The problem is that nowadays, first basemen are looked at for their home runs, and that just isn't Loney's game. That's probably not going to change, so don't be surprised if he gets moved at some point if the Dodgers really want to go get an impact player.
10. How will Mattingly leave his mark?
Last season was not a fun ride, as Joe Torre retired and left behind a squad that largely underachieved. The knock on Torre was that he didn't get his club to play with any fire. Was it because he knew he was on his way out the door? We'll never know for sure. What we do know is that Mattingly has a chance to breathe some life into a team that really needed a kick in the collective behind. He'll have to do it without a big power threat like Manny Ramirez. Despite never managing on any level before (save for a stint in the Arizona Fall League), he'll have to show the ability to manage all sorts of different game situations and fast. I think he's up to the task, so I'm excited to see what happens.
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