In a perfect world, here's the perfect Dodgers' roster

Suppose I was given the power to ignore all of the contracts, all of the options (who still can be optioned and who's already run out of them), and was able to piece together the perfect 25-man roster for the Dodgers based on their current Major and Minor Leaguers.

Here's my best shot at it...

C - Yasmani Grandal
1B - Adrian Gonzalez
2B - Howie Kendrick
SS - Corey Seager
3B - Hector Olivera
LF - Alex Guerrero
CF - Joc Pederson
RF - Yasiel Puig

Bench - Austin Barnes (C), Scott Van Slyke (OF), Andre Ethier (OF), Justin Turner (3B), Jimmy Rollins (SS)

SP - Clayton Kershaw
SP - Zack Greinke
SP - Brett Anderson
SP - Mike Bolsinger
SP - Scott Baker

RP - Kenley Jansen (Closer)
RP - Carlos Frias (Long Relief)
RP - Joel Peralta
RP - Pedro Baez
RP - J.P. Howell
RP - Juan Nicasio
RP - Paco Rodriguez

Keep an eye on - Brandon Beachy (SP), Brandon League (RP), Zach Lee (SP), Darnell Sweeney (2B)

Rationale for Offense. I've mostly had it with watching the following list of people stink it up every game: Chris Heisey, Kike Hernandez, A.J. Ellis, and Alberto Callaspo.  OK, so Callaspo is actually hitting .282 with a .378 OBP, but the guy is a singles hitter and nothing more, so he's pretty easy to defend.  Heisey is hitting .154, Ellis .175, and Kike .257.  Enough of them, it's time to move on.

Yes, Rollins has been absolutely embarrassing at the plate this year hitting .200.  I would only keep him as a late-inning defensive replacement, as he still plays a very slick short.  That is the ONLY reason I'd keep him around.  He might have a great clubhouse presence (or so we all keep being told about...), but it's his glove that keep him around, nothing more.

At some point, the Dodgers have to stop hoping their offense turns around with the same group of guys, and instead do something about it.  Bringing up Olivera and Seager is a start, and putting Guerrero in left and Barnes as the backup catcher is smart as well.  Those guys have the numbers and need a chance.

Rationale for Pitching.  Injuries have played a big part in the constant switching of names this year.  Right now, Peralta, Baez, and Paco are working their way back to the active roster.  Beachy and League are as well, but they seem a little bit further away.

I would give Scott Baker a shot at being the fifth starter.  In 10 starts at Triple-A, he's 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA and an excellent 1.01 WHIP.  He's only allowed two longballs in 60 1/3 innings.  Yes, this is the same guy who's made 172 starts in his MLB career, mostly with the Twins.  He's worth a shot.  Frias has done a pretty good job filling in, but I'd feature him more as a long reliever since teams are hitting .305 against him.

Names I definitely DO NOT want to see around anymore are Chris Hatcher and Yimi Garcia.  They cannot getting hitters out consistently to say the least.  Josh Ravin needs more seasoning down on the farm.  Daniel Coulombe looks like he has some pretty horrendous stats no matter where he pitches - Majors, Minors, or even Little League if he had to do that.

Frias rocked, so who are the possible trade options?

One day after Carlos Frias was unmercifully rocked 11-3 by the Padres (he only lasted four painful innings), it's safe to say Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers have ramped up their efforts to acquire starting pitching.

With that in mind, and based on the suggestions by the great writer Mark Saxon from ESPNLosAngeles.com, let's take a look at the seven starting pitchers he mentioned, with stats from this year and over their careers:

Scott Kazmir - Oakland
2015: 9 starts, 2-3, 3.09 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 53 K, 55 1/3 IP
Career: 249 starts (250 games), 93-82, 4.03 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 1372 K, 1425 2/3 IP

Jesse Chavez - Oakland
2015: 6 starts (10 games), 1-4, 2.89 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 41 K, 43 2/3 IP
Career: 29 starts (233 games), 18-27, 4.52 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 378 K, 424 1/3 IP

Kyle Lohse - Milwaukee
2015: 9 starts, 3-4, 5.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 42 K, 53 2/3 IP
Career: 403 starts (427 games), 145-132, 4.31 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 1546 K, 2423 2/3 IP

Matt Garza - Milwaukee
2015: 9 starts, 2-6, 5.71 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 38 K, 52 IP
Career: 227 starts (230 games), 77-81, 3.88 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 1165 K, 1397 2/3 IP

Johnny Cueto - Cincinnati
2015: 9 starts: 3-4, 3.03 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 60 K, 65 1/3 IP
Career: 203 starts, 88-61, 3.26 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 1055 K, 1273 2/3 IP

Mike Leake - Cincinnati
2015: 9 starts, 2-3, 4.14 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 30 K, 58 2/3 IP
Career: 151 starts (156 games), 55-45, 3.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 641 K, 950 1/3 IP

Yovani Gallardo - Texas
2015: 10 starts, 4-6, 4.13 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 40 K, 56 2/3 IP
Career: 221 starts (224 games), 93-70, 3.71 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 1266 K, 1346 IP

My Thoughts:
Obviously, Cueto will be the big chip every contender is gunning for.  It doesn't matter if the Dodgers' starting staff puts together a long run of quality starts, there's no denying just how big of an impact Cueto can make if he comes into the fold.  To be as dominant as he's been in the Reds' ballpark is even more impressive.  He's actually pitched much better at home (1.55 ERA) than on the road (4.21 ERA) this year.

Getting Cueto will not be easy or cheap, so perhaps the Dodgers shy away from trading some of their prospects and go in a different direction.  Of the names listed above, I'd lean more towards the American League guys than the National League ones.

Kazmir will also not come cheap, though I can't imagine his price will be as high as Cueto's.  Perhaps the Dodgers will look to replace their original #3 lefty starter Hyun-Jin Ryu with another lefty.  Kazmir's last couple of starts haven't been pretty, and his walks are starting to pile up, so that's something to keep an eye on.

I'd put Chavez and Gallardo on the next level, as either one of them can be pretty good.  Gallardo is the more experienced one if that makes a difference.  I'm just not sure the Rangers will be sellers because in the AL West, it's unlikely the Astros continue to play so well.  The Rangers can quietly make their move, and with Yu Darvish done for the season, Gallardo is arguably their best starter.

Chavez has only been a consistent starter since last season, as he was mostly a reliever since breaking in with the Pirates in 2008.  I only know him from being on one of my fantasy teams, but in looking at this numbers, he's only given up a couple of home runs and 13 walks in nearly 44 innings.  So, he doesn't let many people on base, or to circle the bases.  I can see him coming in and becoming a solid starter towards the back end of the rotation.

With Ryu out, Beachy's signing is that much more important

Remember when the Dodgers signed Brandon Beachy to a one-year, $2.75 million contract back in February?

No?

Well, take my word for it, because they did.  And it's a good thing, too, considering the news from today concerning another one of their starters.

Hyun-Jin Ryu has opted for shoulder surgery on Thursday, all but ending any chance he pitches in 2015.  Never say never, but I haven't read a thing yet that makes me even somewhat optimistic that he'll be toeing the rubber come this postseason.  It ain't gonna happen, folks.

So, this is where the Dodgers start to scramble with Ryu and Brandon McCarthy already KO'd for the year.  They've gotten good starts out of rookies Carlos Frias (3-1, 2.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) and Mike Bolsinger (2-0, 1.04, 1.10).  In fact, those are very good numbers, so it's hard to expect them to stay that way.  That's not to say they can't pitch well, but numbers that low can't be counted on over and over.

That leads us back to Beachy, who's showing signs of fighting back from his second Tommy John surgery in three years.  He hasn't pitched since August of 2013, so you can understand just how long a road he's been on in pitching again.  His most recent step came a few days ago when he tossed two innings of a simulated game pain free.

At the time, I don't think anyone could've expected Beachy to be so important this early in the season, but he is.  In 46 career starts with the Braves, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 K's in 267 2/3 IP.  Those numbers are very promising, and you can see why the Dodgers were willing to take a chance on him.

What's next in the recovery process for Beachy?  According to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles,com, he's expected to go on a rehab assignment soon.  Assuming that all goes well, then it's very possible we'll see him with the big club in June.

That's a best case scenario, and considering how fragile his arm has been in the past, we'll have just wait and see how he responds after increasing his workload each start.

But let's stay positive here and say that all does go well.  Beachy can then slot himself right into the back end of the rotation over the summer and give a nice boost.  It'll be hard to match Ryu's consistency, but as long as he can keep his WHIP low, the much-improved Dodgers' defense can help him in a big way.

The bottom line is to keep your eye on Beachy over the next few weeks.  If he's feeling good and getting hitters out, he can be just what the Dodgers need in June.

With depleted rotation, will the Dodgers' bullpen eventually wear out?

One of the biggest, and best, surprises of the season has been the effective Dodgers' bullpen.  Paco Rodriguez, Juan Nicasio, Joel Peralta, J.P. Howell, Yimi Garcia, and Adam Liberatore all have ERA's at 1.29 or below.  Pedro Baez is at 2.08, and Sergio Santos 3.00.

That's a lot of great stuff, and to think that Kenley Jansen hasn't even pitched this year, makes it even better.

The only problem?  The rotation is beat up, their ace has been human, and one has to wonder how long the 'pen can keep putting up these great numbers.

Clayton Kershaw isn't getting chased early, but has only gotten into the eighth inning once, and that was when he blew a two-run lead against the Brewers on Monday.  He's 1-2 with a 3.72 ERA.  He's certainly getting strikeouts with 51, good for second in the National League. 

What's causing him headaches is when he misses location, he's getting seriously pounded.  His fastball usually tops out at 94 mph with little movement, and that's what caused him to surrender five home runs already.  Clearly, he's not feeling his slider yet, and has been hoping his fastball gets his through the game.  It hasn't quite worked out that way.

With Kershaw scuffling, the bullpen has had to rev it up even more in his games than they've had to in the past.  Normally those are "rest days," meaning only a couple of arms would be required at most.  It's not exactly fair to continually put all that pressure on Kershaw to put up blanks over and over, but he'll be the first to tell you that he needs to pitch better and be the stopper.

Fortunately, Zack Greinke has been a stopper at 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA.  He's won his last five straight starts, and is pitching like a guy who wants to opt out of his deal for more cash... which is exactly what will happen at the end of this season at this rate.  That doesn't mean he won't be a Dodger next year, it just means he's keeping his options open.  Who can blame him?  Not this guy.

Brett Anderson received a gift complete game victory on Friday, picking up the win on a rain shortened, 5 1/2 inning, 2-1 victory over the Rockies.  He's been scoreless in his last two starts, covering 11 innings, and lowering his ERA from 5.49 to 3.52.  We all know the story with him - if he stays healthy, he can be really good.  So far, he's been healthy, and he's settling into his role of #3 starter very well.  Let's hope it stays that way.

The rest of the rotation has been a complete patchwork job, as Brandon McCarthy is done for one calendar year thanks to Tommy John surgery, and Hyun-Jin Ryu has suffered a setback on his comeback from a shoulder injury.  I don't like the sounds of that at all, as I have to seriously question if Ryu will be back anytime soon, if at all.  The Dodgers are being very quiet about it, which doesn't seem good.

All of that leads us back to the bullpen.  Right now, they've tossed 89 innings, which is ninth highest in the NL.  That's not bad at all, and with a 1.92 ERA and .186 BAA, both good for second, they've obviously stepped up and delivered.  I just worry that the innings will go up, and the other numbers will suffer because of it.  That's what rotation injuries can do to a team.

There's a couple of reasons for optimism.  For one, Jansen is rehabbing and on his way back soon.  As good as the bullpen has been, Jansen is clearly the best option to close games.  Maybe Don Mattingly eases him back into that role, but I hope not.  Jansen needs to close right away if he's healthy.  That bumps guys like Garcia and Rodriguez into setup roles, which can be really good.

The other reason is that these are the Dodgers, and you know a trade or two could be only a few days away.  Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir are two names that come to mind whenever "trade" and "starting pitching" are being tossed around.  Don't be surprised at all if one of those big arms are in Dodger blue before the end of the season.

Andrew Friedman has done a great job in getting fresh arms called up to give Mattingly some new options.  That's been more out of necessity, but it's still worked.  Santos and Liberatore both did not start the year in LA, but when their number got called, have been really good.

The bottom line is that for the bullpen to keep producing at a high level, a couple of things have to happen: Kershaw needs to get deeper into games, and the rotation will need to be bolstered with an addition or two.  I really worry that at this current rate, with Kershaw giving up runs in bunches and the rotation featuring one spot start after another, the arms in the 'pen will start to wear down.  It's only natural if that were to occur.

2015 Season Preview: Starting Pitching

Here is the first installment in my season preview series.  The Dodgers have gone through a whole lot of changes in the offseason, one of the biggest turnovers between the front office and on the field in their storied history.

Up first is the strength of the club, starting pitching.

2014
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Josh Beckett
5. Dan Haren

2015
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Brandon McCarthy
5. Brett Anderson

Then Compared to Now:
The top three in the rotation stay the same, and that's a good thing.  You won't find many better threesomes at the top of any pitching staff than Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu.  It's a good mix of power and craftiness coming at you from both sides of the pitching rubber.

That leaves the biggest question mark to the final two slots.  Last year, Beckett gave the Dodgers many terrific starts to the tune of a 2.88 ERA, including that fantastic no-hitter in Philadelphia.  Unfortunately, 20 starts was all he could give, as a hip injury forced him into retirement.

Then there was Haren, who went through the roller coaster of great to start, awful for much of the summer, then reliable again down the stretch.  Through it all he had a 4.02 ERA, which was good for a guy at the bottom of the rotation.

Individual Breakdown:
Kershaw (2014 stats): 21-3, 1.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 239 K's in 198 1/3 IP
Oh ya, and an MVP and another Cy Young Award, his third overall.  You really couldn't ask for much of anything else, as he completely dominated in just about every start.  About the only thing that didn't go right was in the playoffs against the Cardinals, as he took two losses and got hammered for a 7.82 ERA.  He'll just have to be patient and hope he gets another chance at redemption, as that's the next step in his evolution.

Greinke: 17-8, 2.71 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 207 K's in 202 1/3 IP
After another terrific season from him, the question he'll be facing all season long is if this will be his final year in Dodger blue.  He's eligible to opt out of his current six-year deal, which is now entering the third year.  Who knows how that will play out, but posting another sub-3.00 ERA and All-Star berth will only increase the odds of him looking for more money.  So, in a strange way, the better he does, the more likely he'll be gone.  But the Dodgers will gladly take the quality starts, and then worry about the contract situation in October, hopefully after a parade in downtown LA.

Ryu: 14-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 139 K's in 152 IP
The third part of the Big 3 put up great numbers in his second season, yet it was a bumpier ride thanks to a couple of injuries that limited him to 26 starts.  He nearly missed the playoffs because of a sore shoulder, though was able to recover and pitch very well in Game 3 against the Cardinals.  He also had a sore butt muscle at one point.  Um, I'm guessing that's not much fun.  Let's hope those injuries don't pop up again, as he quietly is a really good starter.

McCarthy (with Diamondbacks and Yankees): 10-15, 4.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 175 K's in 200 IP
Those numbers don't jump off the page, but his 14 starts after being traded to the Yankees should: 7-5, 2.89 ERA, 1.15 WHIP.  I don't think anybody anticipated numbers like that.  As a result, the Dodgers gave him a shiny, new four-year, $48 million contract.  We know that he's tough, as he's more than bounced back from taking a horrible line drive to the head in 2012 with the A's, then suffered a seizure the following year in what was related to that seizure.  We also know that he's had a long history of injuries, only making 30 starts once.  The Dodgers believe he'll be good to go every fifth day, as he can be a great addition in the bottom part of the rotation if that's indeed the case.

Anderson (with Rockies): 1-3, 2.91 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 29 K's in 43 1/3 IP
Yup, those numbers are tiny, all because he only made eight starts.  In fact, after making 30 starts in his rookie season with the A's in 2009, he's made 19, 13, 6, 5 (16 appearances), and 8 starts since.  Last year he dealt with a broken left finger and lower back injury.  The Dodgers only signed him for one year, so they're hoping to find that guy who has fantastic stuff when healthy, and not the guy whose name you forget about when he's buried on the DL.

Is Now Better Than Then?
On paper, I would take this year's rotation, mostly because of McCarthy.  If he can pitch anywhere close to the guy who went over the AL East last season and dominated, then the Dodgers have a terrific top four.  If he reverts back to the guy the DBacks were more than willing to get rid of, then that's a pretty back signing.

Let's not forget about all those great starts Beckett gave before the All-Star break last season, as he was one of the top pitchers in the National League for quite some time.  Haren probably won't be missed because of his inconsistency, but when it was all said and done, a 4.02 ERA in 32 starts isn't too shabby.

I also should point out that we all need to temper our expectations for Kershaw, who's set such a high standard for himself, there's not much else he can do.  Let's not just assume he can throw up zeroes every start.  As we saw in the NLDS against the Cardinals, even the MVP can be human, and shaky starts happen to the best of them.

With all of that said, with some good health, the Dodgers have to like their chances in every game with the guy they send to the hill.  You know what you'll get from the top three, but if McCarthy and Anderson can pitch as well as they're capable of, this is a very strong rotation, and an upgrade from last year.