The 40-Man Roster for 2014

[Villain]

Under Contract:

Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, Hyun-jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett, Chad Billingsley, Brandon League

Team Control (Arbitration):

Clayton Kershaw, A.J. Ellis, Ronald Belisario, Kenley Jansen, Scott Elbert, Mike Baxter, Peter Moylan, Drew Butera

Team Control (Pre-Arbitration):

Tim Federowicz, Dee Gordon, Elian Herrera, Justin Sellers, Scott Van Slyke, Chili Buss, Javy Guerra, Matt Magill, Paco Rodriguez, Chris Withrow, Stephen Fife, Onelki Garcia, Jose Dominguez, Shawn Tolleson

Free Agents:

Juan Uribe, Nick Punto, Jerry Hairston, Michael Young, Skip Schumaker, Ricky Nolasco, Edinson Volquez, Brian Wilson, J.P. Howell, Carlos Marmol

==============​

Those are the pieces you get to play with. Who do you keep, who do you let go?

 

[Villain]

I forgot to add:

Team Options:
Chris Capuano, Mark Ellis

 

[Villain]

My moves:

Obviously, you can't do anything about the guaranteed guys unless you want to eat their contracts or trade them. Those have to be done case-by-case, so immediate action on those players = nothing.

For the arbitration guys, everyone gets tendered except maybe Drew Butera and Peter Moylan. Since there isn't any urgency to settle those spots early on, my action = Offer extension to Kershaw, tender everyone, and then sit on Butera and Moylan until it's shown that their spots are needed.

Pre-arbitration guys: Keep them all, but DFA Justin Sellers and Elian Herrera. I don't they will get claimed so they can stay in the organization as minor league depth. If they get claimed, not much is lost.

Team Options, I'm open to bring Capuano back, but I think he can be had cheaper than 8MM. Decline him and try to re-sign if he is willing to accept the limited roll again. Mark Ellis, I'll pick up that option so he can be a veteran backup at 2B while hopefully coaching Guerrero on defense (assuming he signs).

Free Agents are the fun part:

Offer MLB Contracts to:
Juan Uribe
Brian Wilson
JP Howell
Ricky Nolasco

Offer Minor League Contracts to:
Carlos Marmol
Edinson Volquez



Skip Schumaker, Nick Punto, Jerry Hairston... Adios amigos. Multi-position veterans who can be signed cheaply are a dime a dozen. I think Hairston is going to retire anyways.

 

[LASports96]

I want Punto, Wilson, Marmol, Howell back

Uribe can come back if all else fails, although I prefer to find an upgrade at 2B and or 3B, so I'm only ok with Uribe OR MEllis coming back, an upgrade is needed at 1 of those spots

 

[Villain]

I want Punto, Wilson, Marmol, Howell back

Uribe can come back if all else fails, although I prefer to find an upgrade at 2B and or 3B, so I'm only ok with Uribe OR MEllis coming back, an upgrade is needed at 1 of those spots

There are no clear 3B upgrade options. Juan Uribe was one of the top 3B in 2013 (shocking, I know).

2B is more readily available for upgrade via Alex Guerrero once he finally signs. Again, there's not much out there on the FA market.

The way I see the long term situation at 3rd: Juan Uribe 2014 and then hopefully Seager is ready to play SS in 2015 and then Hanley Ramirez moves to 3B.

 

[SJ20]

I like AJ Ellis, but I'd be a player on McCann or Saltalamacchia. Need a 2B. And I would fire Mattingly.

 

[ksudodger]

Reports this morning are Guerrero is signed.. same deal from before which is good.

I bring back Uribe,Schumaker,Wilson,Howell on 1 year deals and sure as hell make sure Kershaw is locked up long term. I offer Marmol and Volquez invites to camp to see what they have left.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Now that it looks like the Dodgers signed Alexander Guerrero, the Dodgers will probably decline Mark Ellis' option and move on

 

[Old1949]

I'd like to see the Dodgers add M. Ellis to the coaching staff. He's a very solid guy. He may feel he still has a future playing for another team though.

 

[Villain]

I like AJ Ellis, but I'd be a player on McCann or Saltalamacchia. Need a 2B. And I would fire Mattingly.

Fire Mattingly? Why? And who do you hire to replace him?

I'd like to see the Dodgers add M. Ellis to the coaching staff. He's a very solid guy. He may feel he still has a future playing for another team though.

Mark Ellis probably still wants to play. I'm in favor of exercising his option and let me be the bridge to Guerrero. I don't think Guerrero will be ready for the bigs in April so it'll be important to have someone competent out there at 2B in the mean time.

 

[ksudodger]

Villian.... Guerrero is not Puig. AG is 26 years old and been playing professionally for 9 years. He will be the opening day 2B for the Dodgers no question.

 

[SJ20]

Fire Mattingly? Why? And who do you hire to replace him?


Anyone with a clue of how to manage.

 

[Villain]

Villian.... Guerrero is not Puig. AG is 26 years old and been playing professionally for 9 years. He will be the opening day 2B for the Dodgers no question.

He also didn't play 2B during his 9 year career. Surely that deserves a question mark?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

He also didn't play 2B during his 9 year career. Surely that deserves a question mark?

A bit but I think if he's worth the money he should be able to move over with spring training under his belt. He's moving over from SS so it shouldn't be that big of a question mark.

 

[Villain]

A bit but I think if he's worth the money he should be able to move over with spring training under his belt. He's moving over from SS so it shouldn't be that big of a question mark.

Scouting report says he's not very good on defense. The league he played in down in Cuba is said to be about even in talent with AA. Also, he didn't play ball last year because of the defection from Cuba.

So we have a guy who's never seen MLB-quality pitchers, never played 2nd, and hasn't been in a lineup in over a year.

Ladies and Gentleman, SportsHoopla's Starting Second Baseman in 2014!!!!




(Nope, no question marks here, since he was paid money).

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Scouting report says he's not very good on defense. The league he played in down in Cuba is said to be about even in talent with AA. Also, he didn't play ball last year because of the defection from Cuba.

So we have a guy who's never seen MLB-quality pitchers, never played 2nd, and hasn't been in a lineup in over a year.

Ladies and Gentleman, SportsHoopla's Starting Second Baseman in 2014!!!!




(Nope, no question marks here, since he was paid money).

Can't we just throw this point out the window? We've seen how Puig and Ryu have done this year lol, I mean you just saw it done. If he's not very good on defense then 2nd should be easier for him.

 

[Villain]

Can't we just throw this point out the window? We've seen how Puig and Ryu have done this year lol, I mean you just saw it done. If he's not very good on defense then 2nd should be easier for him.

No, not really. Puig had about a year in the minors before his call up. Puig also had a far-more favorable scouting report than Guerrero.

The fact that he's bad on defense is WHY he's only be considered for 2B. Have you read about Guerrero at all?

Ryu is a pitcher who came in as a pitcher. Ryu also had less question marks (but they were there regardless) and I'm thrilled that he answered them all positively. I don't know how you can say that Ryu can be the reason why Guerrero will do fine. Ryu was, by far, the top young pitcher in Korean baseball when he was signed by the Dodgers. He had waaaaaaay more accolades to his career than Guerrero.

The situations don't really compare other than the fact that they are international players. Ryu had early success, and that's awesome. Onelki Garcia is another Cuban player in the Dodgers system. He hasn't caught fire and stormed the bigs like Ryu and Puig. Did you think to consider him as a point to compare expectations?

You're comparing apples and oranges in order to disregard a very valid point.

Don't get me wrong, I am quite pleased with the signing on Guerrero given the other options on the market and I hope he makes it to the MLB roster ASAP. I'm also being realistic and understanding the very likely scenario in which Guerrero begins his season in AA or AAA and doesn't crack the roster until he's either forced up early by an injury, or until maybe May or June so that he can get a better feel for playing the new position on a regular basis.

The last thing I want to see is Guerrero forced onto the starting roster too early and flopping. Then coming onto this website to see a bunch of idiotic "the sky is falling" threads about how the Dodgers need to trade him immediately for bullpen help after he makes his 3rd fielding error in the week to complete his Luis Cruz -esque start to the season.

 

[Silas]

No one can predict how Guerrero will do. Every player stands on his own. Let's hope Guerrero turns out to be a nice find.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Many of Puig's games were played in AA, which is equivalent to Cuba according to you, when he came back from a year off and tore it up, then he broke out in spring training. I was high on him too the moment we signed him. I'll give you that Puig is a freak and the expectations can't be as high on Guerrero as they were on Puig, it's just plain unfair to do that. Ryu did have international success but many of the top players don't go to the WBC, and Korea is considered even worse than Cuba if I'm thinking correctly?

Anyway, based on what I've seen from him I find it hard to believe it will be that tough for him, especially if he tries anywhere close to as hard as Puig tried this past season. Sillas is right though, every player stands on his own and I guess we'll find out next season.

 

[shopson67]

Puig only played in 23 games in 2012 (rookie and A+) and 40 games (in AA) in the minors before joining the roster. It could be argued that he should've stuck with the club out of spring training. He actually hit better in the bigs than he did in AA.

Garcia only had one appearance last year (in A+) and 35 appearances this year at AA and AAA before getting a cup of coffee with the Dodgers in September.

Will Guerrero play in any of the winter leagues? It may be too late at this point.

By the way, ESPN is expecting Guerrero to be the opening day 2B as well:

Los Angeles Dodgers, Cuban defector Alexander Guerrero agree to four-year deal - ESPN Los Angeles

One thing in that story that struck me as awkward: "Guerrero, 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, was granted free agency in July but was not unblocked by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control until Friday." People are considered foreign assets?