Can the Dodgers win the world series this year?
Question:Will they get Andrew Jones?
Answers:
Why do some Indians' fans boo Jim Thome?
To win the World Series you need a combination of:Starting Pitching
Relief Pitching
Defense
Clutch Hitting
Productivity from the Bench
Good Managing
Health
Chemistry
The Dodgers are very solid in the pitching department. They have a deep rotation, and at least 3 pitchers who are not in the rotation that are capable of stepping in (Kuo, Billingsley and Schmidt) and one of the best bullpens in all of baseball, with Yhency Brazoban joining that bullpen soon. The Dodgers have the 3rd lowest team ERA in the National League.
The Dodgers have been criticized for their offense, and more specifically for their lack of power. But for all that criticism, the Dodgers offense is actually very capable of scoring runs. They have scored the 6th most runs and have the 4th highest batting average in the National League. And while this may not sound overwhelming, when you have great pitching you can win with above average hitting. What the Dodgers seem to do very well is hit in the clutch. They have several veterans (Garciaparra, Kent, Gonzalez) as well as Russell Martin, who have proven to hit very well in the clutch. The Dodgers also have some very talented youngsters who have the potential to significantly contribute to the offense (Kemp, Loney, LaRoche).
The Dodgers also have a deep bench anchored by Olmedo Saenz. There is a good mix of veterans and youngsters to choose from off the bench. The Dodgers also seem to have great chemistry. They seem to get along great, have fun playing together and there is no troublemaker on this club.
The Dodgers defense has been an issue. They have the 3rd most errors and the 4th lowest fielding percentage in the National League. They also have 2 outfielders with weak arms (Pierre and Gonzalez). They have better outfield arms on the bench or in the minors, but this management group favors veterans and it will take an injury or a terrible slump by the veterans for the younger players to get much playing time in the outfield.
Grady Little has been criticized over the years for his bad managing decisions even before he joined the Dodgers. He does not do a good job of handling his pitching staff and knowing when to change a pitcher and when to leave him in. He often seems to change his pitcher either too soon or too late. He can make the easy call of bringing in Broxton in the 8th and Saito in the 9th when they are up, but when he needs to make a decision in the middle innings he often makes the wrong call. His bad managing cost the Red Sox a trip to the World Series and it should be a big concern come playoff time for Dodgers fans (myself included).
Health is always a concern with older players. The Dodgers have 13 players who are 33 or older, 2 of which are already on the DL. With so many older players, it almost has to be expected that a few of them will get hurt at one point in the season. This concern is offset by the fact that the Dodgers are very deep and have talented players in the minors who could fill in if needed.
The Dodgers would benefit themselves by bringing in a power hitter or two. They are very deep in most positions, and have talented minor leaguers, so they have the pieces to make a few trades. Andruw Jones would be a good addition. But I would prefer Vernon Wells, who the Dodgers almost acquired in the offseason. He is 28, Jones is 30, and his salary is less than half of Jones'. His career batting average is 22 points higher than Jones and he hits for power, although not as much as Jones has. But he has played half the amount of games that Jones has in his career. Jones has many miles on him, especially with all the playoff games he has played in. And acquiring Wells, at his lower salary, would enable the Dodgers to make another move, like maybe Wells' teammate Troy Glaus. The Dodgers have been rumored in recent weeks to be interested in Glaus. Although Betemit is hitting better lately, he has not been consistent in his time as a Dodger, and Andy La Roche is a rookie and is unproven as a Major Leaguer. Glaus would solidify the 3rd base position and he also hits for power. The Dodgers have the pieces to make a major trade with Toronto to acquire both Wells and Glaus, and I hope this is the route they go.
With the current roster the Dodgers can win the World Series if they have a magical run like the 1988 Dodgers did. They would have to stay healthy and get great pitching and clutch hitting, which they are capable of. But I would feel much more confident of their chances if they were to acquire a few power hitters. Although I am very concerned with Grady Little having to make key decisions in a tight game.
Hey yankees fans, do anyone know the name of alex rodriguez's home run song?
I dont think they will win the series. They got the offense to do it but they need to make a move in the pitching department. I think that the representative will once again come out of the central division.Joe Borowski had a save today, but Cleveland had a 4 run lead...?
I hope, but is too early to tell.Player taking a .400 average the farthest into the season since Ted Williams?
Anything is possible. Just stick with your team! Luck to you!na ,padres or boston will get them.
Is here a website predicting when Barry Bonds will break the home run record?
No and no.More Questions & Answers...