What went right, and the Dodgers' youth movement, begins with Matt Kemp.

What Went Right

Considering that this was a transition year, you can say that a lot went right. The team ended the season above .500 with an 82-80 record which on the surface does not look all that great but considering that the majority of the league hovered around .500, you could say that they did not fair too poorly. Up until the last month of the season, they were included in playoff talks. The Dodgers are always among the top teams when it comes to minor league prospects and several of their young, talented players were able to make the leap up the majors and demonstrate what they can bring to the organization over the coming years.

The team has all ready produced some top talent that is making splashes in the majors. The team has been very high on their outfielder Matt Kemp. This solid right fielder appeared in just under 100 games with some staggering figures. The first of which is the .342 batting average he posted not to mention a .521 slugging percentage. Kemp produced 100 hits in 98 games, with 12 doubles, 3 triples, and 10 home runs. He has displayed his speed with the 10 stolen bases that he added to his stats. I believe that he is favored over all of their young talent in the outfield.

Additionally, the team has young Jason Repko and Andre Ethier. Repko spent time jumping from their Triple-A team and the big leagues; however, continuous issues with a hamstring literally “hamstringed” his potential big league debut in 2007. Andre Either, on the other hand, played in 153 games, and he batted .284 with solid plate presence, striking out only once in every seven at-bats. Ethier has displayed great defensive speed, although he was unsuccessful in all nine attempts to swipe a base. In all likelihood, Ethier’s talent and abilities against Matt Kemp’s leads me to believe that in the off-season, it will be Ethier, not Kemp, which the team considers trade bait to bring the team closer to a deep-playoff team. There are simply too many players crowding limited outfield positions and a definite need in the bullpen.

The team also featured some great arms as both Jonathan Broxton and Chad Billingsley continued to make progress. Broxton is one of the brightest young arms in a bullpen with 99 strikeouts in 83 appearances. He did at times have control issues, but one can expect that in a young pitcher’s career. Billingsley had a rocky start but finished with an impressive 12-5 record with just over a 3.00 ERA.

Lastly, we look at the youth at the team’s infield positions – third baseman Andy LaRoche, catcher Russell Martin, and first baseman James Loney. LaRoche is and continues to be one of the most highly sought young minor leaguers. LaRoche dealt with significant back and shoulder issues and remains second behind Nomar Garciaparra on the depth chart. It is only a matter of time before LaRoche takes over the starting spot as Garciaparra’s power outage of 2007 has the whole Dodger Nation abuzz. As for Loney, he is establishing himself as an excellent player, posting a .331 batting average. His power numbers can only go up from here (15 home runs). Martin will easily be among the most talked about catchers of the 2008 season with an impressive .293 batting average, 19 home runs, and an amazing 21 stolen bases. You just do not see that type of production in steals from a catcher (not since the decline of Jason Kendall) and is simply invaluable in 5X5 fantasy leagues.

This team was riddled with young talent and aging veterans, hence the term, transition year.

What Went Wrong

There were two big issues with the 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers, injuries and age. Injuries one can expect, but the Dodgers seem to have experienced more injuries to their major role players at the most inopportune times.

The pitching rotation took their fair share of hits in the 2007 season. Jason Schmidt ended up needing major shoulder surgery, making an impact only on the payroll. Derek Lowe struggled all season with hip injuries, making his sinkerball flat and hittable. Randy Wolf hit the designated list on June 18, never to return. Waiver-wire pick-up Esteban Loaiza ended up needing both back and knee surgery before the year was out.

In the field, they sustained some major inconveniences due to injury as well. Starting shortstop Rafael Furcal spent 15 days on the D/L in March. Outfielder Jason Repko was lost to a hamstring issue. Andy LaRoche injured his back and shoulder. Jeff Kent was on-again, off-again in the starting lineup as usual.

Even though there was plenty of young talent in the dugout, there were plenty of aging players as well. Nomar Garciaparra is declining in every statistical category, Jeff Kent is literally “on his last leg,” outfielder Luis Gonzalez has shown that his best years are behind him, and again I refer to Rafael Furcal and his inability to stay on the field.

Overall, considering the age and injury factor, this team held it’s own throughout the year and kept it competitive even under such circumstances.

The Moves They Made

For some reason, the organization decided that David “Boomer” Wells was worth the money investment to go ahead and sign him to a one-year deal, possibly hoping to replicate what the San Diego Padres did with Greg Maddux the year before. Unfortunately, Boomer did not pan out as they had hoped to, posting an abysmal 5.12 ERA. Fortunate or them, they did trade them to the San Diego Padres who thought the very same thing.

The team invited Rudy Seanez, yet another Boston Red Sox transplant, however, the organization realized what most teams who have had him on their roster, although he is not consistent, he is definitely serviceable. The team, trying to overcome the injury bug, ventured into the waiver-wire and picked up Oakland starting pitcher Esteban Loaiza in late August. He then contracted the injury bug and ended up on the D/L, never to see the field again in 2007.

In a move that attempted to trade excess talent for bullpen help; the team traded infielder Wilson Betemit to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Scott Proctor. This move benefited both teams. Scott did post a respectable 3-0 record with an ERA of 3.38 while in a Dodgers’ uniform. Proctor should be an even better addition based on the team’s future deficiencies in the bullpen rotation.

The Moves They Didn’t Make (But Should Have)

When reflecting on the team’s production throughout the past three years, it is now apparent that they simply held on to team manager Grady Little too long. The ownership appeared to value his abilities more than their opponents. Grady has shown throughout his tenure that he simply can be bent and broken by his players, often making decisions that adversely affect the team in a negative way (A.K.A. “Pull Pedro?”). Considering the injuries his team sustained, some would say he did the best he could, but when you consider that he was let go at the end of the season, or…ahem…”left of his own accord”, even the “homer” front office disagrees.

There was plenty of opportunity to bolster their team during the All-Star Break, especially where they were hurting the most, a big bat. In my opinion, Andruw Jones could have been traded for near-nothing during the All-Star break as he had lost huge statistics and the Atlanta Braves organization as well as the fan-base seemed resigned to let him go.

Beyond not trading for Andruw Jones (or another big bat), I am quite happy with the teams decisions the team made to bring up their talented youth and stick to their plan of a rebuilding year rather than jumping the gun and packaging their talent together for a “premiere” player. The team had enough veteran leadership with Luis Gonzalez, Jeff Kent, Juan Pierre, Brad Penny, and Scott Proctor to have the desired affect of creating confidence and growth in the dugout.

Where Now?

The team made it through a rough “transition” year and the Dodgers look to make a significant splash in the National League West.

The organization went out and reeled in a “Big Fish” in the off-season, demonstrating proper respect the Yankees’ organization did not, offering and signing manager Joe Torre to a long-term deal worthy of his stature and resume. Joe Torre is such a significant upgrade from Grady Little, it is not even worth the time to demonstrate it further…just know it!

The team finally did what I thought they should have done during the All-Star Break of 2007 and signed Andruw Jones, adding experience without adding age. Andruw brings his 10 gold gloves and 30+ homerun potential to a line-up that is on the “up and up”.

Juan Pierre has moved to left field with the incoming Jones, and Kemp appears to be firmly entrenched at right field. Loney will continue to progress as a big league hitter along with the savvy base-stealing Martin’s progress at and behind the plate.

The pitching staff is still considered shaky, even with incoming free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda who is said to bring a toughness to their starting rotation (word play used to drive confidence in the rotation due to last years injuries). The team will likely be without starting pitcher Jason Schmidt for at least the first half of the season, so the team is hoping that Billingsley can progress, and pitchers Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, and Esteban Loaiza can stave off the “injury bug” and be more consistent on the mound.

The bullpen, all ready secured with veteran Scott Proctor, talented Jonathan Broxton, and a dominant closer in Takashi Saito (2-1, 1.40 ERA, 39 Saves), needs a few more pieces to the puzzle. I believe the team will rely on Rudy Saenez, who had arguably one of his better years with a 6-3 record and an ERA of 3.79. Broxton’s contract is up this year but I look to the Dodgers to secure him to a long-term deal before the season begins. The team will definitely focus this off-season on securing the bullpen, potentially waiving Andre Ethier as trade-bait although Kemp is more likely to draw interest.

Expect infielder Tony Abreu to continue to grow into the organization and contribute from a utility role, eventually establishing himself as a major league player and possibly finding a full-time starting position. Also, look for young prospect shortstop Chin-Lung Hu, who had a cup of coffee in the majors in 2007, who will likely push for playing time during spring training. There is a chance that young starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made the jump to Double-A last year, could see a spot open up for him in the later part of the 2008 season. It may be even earlier if injuries again plague their starting rotation.

Although I believe that this team will not be complete until the 2009 season, I believe they have “playoff potential” written all over it, especially with Joe Torre at the helm.

Fantasy Corner

Three Keepers

1. Brad Penny – Although he has struggled at times to stay on the field (typically leg issues), Penny is a strong enough pitcher to get you 15-18 wins, 150 SO, and 18 innings pitched.

2. Russell Martin – Any catcher that can hit over .300, put up 25+ homeruns, and steal an amazing 20+ bags is worth considering as a keeper.

3. Matt Kemp – This player is poised to have a big, breakout year. He is has speed on the base paths, (steals, doubles, triples), pop at the plate (est. 30 HR) and will likely be hitting second behind Juan Pierre (RBI potential) and James Loney and Andruw Jones (Run potential).

4. James Loney – I know it says “three keepers,” but I had to add a fourth due to Loney’s statistical potential. As long as Andruw Jones can get back to his pre-2007 batting average (.278), Loney will have great protection at the plate with high RBI potential with Pierre and Kemp in front of him.

Three Sleepers

1. Andruw Jones – Fantasy managers have short memories and will let the 2007 season linger in the back of their minds. Use it to your advantage, grabbing him as your second or even third OF in your league’s draft. This player, contrary to popular belief, is NOT on the decline.

2. Andy LaRoche – With Nomar all but done and Andy having far more “ceiling” than Tony Abreau, Andy is a solid sleeper/keeper. He may not see the field early on but Nomar WILL continue to disappoint, leaving the door open for Andy’s emergence to the majors.

3. Chad Billingsley – He had such an “up and down” season, often hitting and being picked up from fantasy waiver wires that most managers will not have true confidence to draft this pitcher where he should be. You will likely be able to secure him as your third or fourth pitcher, grabbing him in the 14-16th rounds.