Present, Future Shines Bright for the Dodgers

January 31, 2007
As the annual free agency fiasco rapidly starts to wind to an end, the Los Angeles Dodgers situation can be brought into focus as follows:

The Dodgers are going to be good… for a very long time.

Already fielding a squad that finished with the second-most regular season wins in the National League (88), the Dodgers embarked on a thoroughly calculated off-season endeavor to further the improvement of the team.

The biggest splash the Dodgers made killed two birds with one stone, weakening the rival San Francisco Giants while advancing an already solid pitching staff by adding ace Jason Schmidt to the rotation with a three-year contract.

While the Giants did pick up a younger frontline starter of their own in Barry Zito, it is worth noting that Schmidt (173:77 K to BB, 1.25 WHIP in 207.1 innings of work) far outperformed Zito (151:99 K to BB, 1.40 WHIP in 221.0 innings) over the course of the 2006 campaign. True, Schmidt is five years Zito’s elder, but for sheer production the Dodgers have to be happy to insert Jason Schmidt into the front slot in their rotation.

Although none of the other transactions the Dodgers made have the big-name component of a Jason Schmidt signing, each one provided an upgrade. A possible “silent but deadly” move was made in the form of a one-year deal with a club option for 2008 in the form of former Phillies starter Randy Wolf.

In Wolf’s last two full seasons of action (2003 and 2004), the Woodland Hills, Calif. native posted strong WHIP numbers of 1.27 and 1.32. Sure, the injury risk means you can’t necessarily expect Wolf to immediately return to this form, but for seven million dollars – in this day and age – and the chance lock him up for 2008 leaves the Randy Wolf signing speaking volumes for the Dodgers franchise.

These transactions leave the Dodgers with Schmidt, Wolf, Derek Lowe, and Brad Penny filling four of the five slots in the rotation. And the fifth slot? Well, Chad Billingsley is ready to contribute right now, Scott Elbert should be ready by midseason, and flame throwing lefty Clayton Kershaw, who should surface around 2009, has the potential to be the best of the bunch.

Top it all off with the strong closer of today, Takashi Saito, the future end of the bullpen, Jonathan Broxton, and the likes of say a Joe Beimel in the equation as well…pitching staff: check.

Now it’s time to marvel in the Dodgers’ bats. The loss of the spark created by Kenny Lofton at the top of the order was offset by the signing of Juan Pierre. Did the Dodgers overpay for Pierre? Of course! But this signing was necessary to make a statement, and the Dodgers did just that.

J.D. Drew’s departure left a rather large hole in right field. Not to worry though. Proven veteran Luis Gonzalez was nabbed off of exile from the Diamondbacks to provide an experienced presence in the Dodgers lineup. Add the young talents of Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp and we have ourselves an imposing array of outfield flair.

Young and promising catcher Russell Martin will now have the opportunity to further his development under the tutelage of free agent pickup Mike Lieberthal. The return of Nomar Garciaparra keeps an impressive infield of Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal, and Wilson Betemit around the horn.

Concerns about Garciaparra’s durability or Betemit’s inconsistency? The Dodgers have the answers in the form of arguably the best first base prospect in baseball, James Loney, and their finest young hitter down on the farm in third baseman Andy LaRoche, who can boast a very impressive .322/.400/.550 vital line from Triple-A last season – and he was playing with two injured shoulders, now surgically repaired.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are left with no holes: not on the 2007 team, not in the future.

Since literally everything seems to be set in place for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s beyond safe to state that the Dodgers will be a perennial superpower for years and years to come.


After all this, you still have your doubts about the future of the Los Angeles Dodgers? Email Adam Loberstein at adamloberstein@gmail.com for further facts of a Dodger rampage on Major League Baseball.