After alot of huffing, puffing, and controversy, He will be back in Dodger Blue in 2009.
Certainly he will be one of the key pieces to the Dodger puzzle this season.
Yes, Rafael Furcal has a new contract in Los Angeles.
Who did you think I was talking about?
After an NLCS appearance in 2008, Joe Torre and the LA Dodgers (does that still seem like an odd combination to anyone, like saying "Gladys Knight and the Blowfish" or "Tom Petty and the Wailers") return as very heavy favorites to repeat as NL West Champions this season. The Dodgers have a roster filled with talent. Offensively they are probably peerless in the NL West. Their pitching stacks up well against pretty much all NL foes. Even if they under perform, does the talent exist in the NL West to overtake them at the top of the standings?
And, oh yeah, Manny Ramirez is back.
Pitching
One of the benefits of living in Honolulu is that I often catch Dodger games on TV. Vin Scully is still a joy to listen to as he calls a game. For the past two seasons he has gushed about "big Jonathon Broxton." Theres a strong man crush there and its very very obvious. So, out of respect for Mr. Scully, we will begin our discussion of the Dodgers' pitching with a look at the man at the back of their bullpen. After assuming closer's duties mid-season Broxton posted mixed numbers. His 3.13 ERA is right in that ambiguous area between acceptable and not for a closer. As the Dodgers full-time closer to start 2009, we will see what Broxton brings to the table, other than, of course, an impressive physique.
The starting rotation boasts Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda in its top 2 spots. Billingsley had a stellar 2008 until a sloppy postseason. The jury is still out on Kuroda. His ERA and WHIP were both in range to make him a more successful pitcher than his 2008 win-loss record would suggest.
Randy Wolf pitched like a man possessed after Houston GM Ed Wade picked himself up off of the floor and brought Wolf in for an attempted pennant chase. The Dodgers hope he can replicate 2008 as their 3rd starter. Youngster Clayton Kershaw should see a full season in the Dodger rotation. His numbers last season (when he was a mere 20 years old) were not eye-popping but they suggest that the immense talent and huge upside that scouts have long prophesied for Kershaw were not misguided. A 4.26 ERA at the big leagues is a nice jumping-off point for a career.
The 5th spot in the rotation is the subject of a great deal of Cactus League gossip. The Dodgers still own the rights to Jason Schmidt. And Pedro Martinez's name has been appearing in recent days as an option. Remember the result the last time he and Manny Ramirez were teammates?
And Joe Torre could manage them this time.
The Infield
Russel Martin is one heck-of-a catcher. He saw time at 3rd base on would-be off days and saw his numbers fall off considerably in the final weeks of 2008. His .293 average is nothing to shake a stick at and an .816 OPS (slugging plus on-base percentage) from your backstop is a nice asset for Joe Torre.
James Loney had a rough first full season in 2008. He hit .289, which isn't bad but did not live up to lofty expectations. His .772 OPS is low for a 1st baseman on a winning team, but, he did manage to drive in 90 runs. Which is the real James Loney, the .331 hitter from 2007 with a .919 OPS or last year's more pedestrian effort? Can he really not hit lefties with any kind of consistency?
Orlando Hudson arrives to, likely, play second base. This leaves Blake DeWitt, the 3rd base prospect who filled in admirably at 2nd last season in an awkward 5th infielder position. He will likely be the primary backup to both Hudson and third-sacker Casey Blake.
After a Days of Our Lives-esque offseason in which Furcal was signed by the Braves but not really signed by the Braves and then returned to the Dodger fold. His sparkling play in the 2008 NLDS trouncing of Chicago and his gaudy numbers in an injury-limited season are enough to remind us all that Furcal is an incredible talent and always a potential firecracker near the top of any lineup.
Furcal is a nice illustration of the Dodgers' biggest reason to be optimistic about 2009: They won in 2008 without having a particularly good year. Injury and inconsistancey weren't enough to derail the 2008 Dodger offense. Can anything stop them from winning in 2009?
The Outfield
Say what you will about his antics, his appearance, or how he quit on the Red Sox last season, but, Manny Ramirez is without question among the 5 greatest hitters of our era. With braids flailing about and his baggy trousers drooping well over his shoes, Ramirez crashes line drives all over (and often out of) big league parks. I love watching him hit. When he faces a team i root for, I cringe, but I cannot deny taking a certain pleasure in seeing him swing the bat. Barring injury, he will hit and hit well in the middle of an already potent Dodger lineup in 2009.
Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier will fill center and right field respectively. In his first full season in the big leagues, Kemp posted a modest .799 OPS hit .290, swiped 35 bases and slugged 18 homers. Nothing eye-popping, but, baseball writers and baseball brass rave about his potential and the upsides presented by his power/speed combination. Ethier lost playing time in the middle of last season and did not handle the snide well. His .880 OPS is an encouraging figure. Right field is his job to lose. Juan Pierre will once again be the odd-man-out in the Dodger outfield. He will be an expensive 4th outfielder (3 years and $28.5 million are still owed to him), providing defensive breaks for Ramirez in left field. He stole 40 bases in 52 attempts last season. He can still fly, something that, when everything boils down, simply can't be taught.
Overall
This is a talented team in a talent-thin division. Barring revelations that Manny Ramirez's braids contain a rare nerve-agent that cripples anyone who comes within 20 feet, the Dodgers will win the West going away. There's just not anyone to stop them.
91-71. 1st Place NL West.
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