LOS ANGELES DODGERS

2009: 95-67 (1st)

So Long: SS Juan Castro, P Jon Garland, 2B, Orlando Hudson, 3B Mark Loretta (retired), P Eric Milton, P Guillermo Mota, P Will Ohman, P Jason Schmidt (retired), 1B Jim Thome, P Randy Wolf

Welcome: SS Alfredo Amezaga, OF Garret Anderson, 2B Jamey Carroll, OF Brian Giles, OF Reed Johnson

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Rafael Furcal, SS
2. Matt Kemp, CF
3. Andre Ethier, RF
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. James Loney, 1B
6. Casey Blake, 3B
7. Russell Martin, C
8. Ronnie Belliard, 2B

Rotation - Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, Chad Billingsley, Vicente Padilla, James McDonald
Setup - George Sherrill, Ronald Belisario
Closer - Jonathan Broxton

The Dodgers have a tremendous core of youngsters that are quickly helping cement this squad as the team to be in the NL West. Exciting young hitters such as Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are supplemented by veteran leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal and PED user Manny Ramirez. Their pitching staff is anchored by the young tandem of Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw, not to mention Jonathan Broxton, their most dominant horse at the back end of the bullpen since the days of Eric Gagne. Speaking of Gagne...

...the ass hat is back with the Dodgers, signing a minor league deal. There is absolutely no assurance that he'll make the club, but if he does, Padres and Giants fans are sure to have a heyday when the Boys in Blue visit. Russell Martin, the club's other wacky Canadian, had a rough year in 2009 and is looking to bounce back to his 2008 form. Unfortunately for Martin, he'll get a late start on that comeback, as a pulled groin will keep him out of the lineup for the next six weeks.

Much of the offseason murmur in Los Angeles has had less to do with personnel moves, and more to do with the messy divorce of owners Frank and Jamie McCourt. Fortunately for the McCourts, the Dodgers did not have many gaping holes to fill via free agency. Frank insists that General Manager Ned Colletti will have all the necessary resources to pursue whatever help the team may need come July 31st. Ha, we'll see about that, Moneybags. "My wallet is wicked hahdcore empty!"

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: shrunken testicles. We're not implying anything really. It's just a scientific fact that steroids have adverse affects upon the testes. Not that anyone on this squad has ever done steroids. Just sayin' is all.

The "Choose Your Own Adventure" Award: this goes to Ronnie Belliard, Blake DeWitt, Jamey Carroll, and any other scalawags and journeymen the Dodgers bring in later to play 2B. They would prefer to let DeWitt take over, but again, he's Blake DeWitt. Fortunately, the lineup should be able to cope with the eight-hole chasm.

The Old Yeller Award: Garrett Anderson, Brian Giles, and Doug Mientkiewicz share this honor. All are non-roster invitees to Spring Training. With Reed Johnson signed as a reserve, two of these players will likely be taken out behind the wood shed. All would stand a far better chance in the American League.