Los Angeles Dodgers: Spring Training Information

By: Beantown West
Location: Holman Stadium - Vero Beach, FL
Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 15th
First Game: Feb. 28th
Schedule

Projected Opening Day Lineup

1. Juan Pierre (LF)
2. Rafael Furcal (SS)
3. Russell Martin (C)
4. Andruw Jones (CF)
5. Jeff Kent (2B)
6. Matt Kemp (RF)
7. James Loney (1B)
8. Nomar Garciaparra/Andy LaRoche (3B)
9. Brad Penny (SP)

Projected Rotation

1. Brad Penny
2. Derek Lowe
3. Chad Billingsley
4. Hiroki Kuroda
5. Jason Schmidt

Projected Bullpen

Long: Rudy Seanez, Hong-Chih Kuo, Esteban Loaiza
Situational: Joe Beimel
7th Inning: Scott Proctor
8th Inning: Jonathan Broxton
Closer: Takashi Saito

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Key Battles: That projected lineup is assuming the Dodgers do what most knowledgeable fans don't want them to do, which is stick with last year's lineup (with the exception of Andruw Jones). But Juan Pierre shouldn't be batting leadoff, so I hope to see that lineup change dramatically by the time opening day rolls around.

And speaking of Pierre, the biggest questions for the Dodgers heading into spring training deal with the skinny centerfielder and Nomar Garciaparra. With the acquisition of Andruw Jones in the off-season, the team makes a big improvement in center, but the question now becomes-- what do with Juan Pierre? Most Pierre detractors (like me) believe he should be riding the pine all season, filling in when necessary. He had his chance to prove himself, he failed, let's move on. But, Ned Colletti and the Dodgers' front office aren't big on admitting their mistakes, so they might want Pierre to have one more chance to prove he's worth the $50 million they are paying him. If Pierre does end up sitting more, Andre Ethier is willing and very able to play left field (so the lineup would change, since Ethier wouldn't bat leadoff). Ethier, Jones and Kemp is an outfield I can get behind.

Garciaparra is sort of the same story. We all know he's been a great hitter in the past, but age and injuries have caught up to him, and last year's performance was just plain terrible. Andy LaRoche seems to be healthy, and it would appear the Dodgers are actually going to give the kid a chance to win the spot in spring training. That's a big story right now, since Nomar is a fan favorite. He moved to third base to make room for James Loney last year, but the move to the bench is much bigger. Keep your eyes on this one.

The pitching rotation is likely set, with just differences in the order. I would put Chad Billingsley third, based on the numbers he put up last year, but I don't know how the powers that be see it. Schmidt has had plenty of time to recover from last season's injuries, but his health is obviously a major concern. No one wants to see Loaiza in the rotation, but Kuroda is an unproven, slightly old (33 when the season starts) player who has never seen action in this country. We have a strong Japanese pitcher in Saito, so let's hope we catch the same lightning in a bottle with Kuroda. If not, Loaiza can step in and be a terrible fifth starter. Lowe should be fine after his hip problem at the end of last year, and Penny is a workhorse, so we should expect more of the same from him.

Joe Torre is the new manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in case you hadn't heard. It's hard to know what impact that will have on the team. Torre has been a successful manager for the last decade, but is that attributed to the Yankees' talent (and payroll) or to his skills as a manager? I think this season will be a test for him, but I'll take anyone over Grady Little.

What to Expect: Controversy. No matter what happens with Pierre/Ethier and Garciaparra/LaRoche, there will be people upset. There will also be a lot of focus on Jason Schmidt, since his health (or lack thereof) will affect the rotation significantly. There's always one guy who surprises people in spring training, right? My money is on LaRoche. I think he'll be at third base on March 31. Plenty of other stories should be popping up in the next two months, and I, for one, can't wait to see what happens next.

Erin covers the Dodgers and the Red Sox on her blog, Beantown West.

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