Author: Dennis Schlossman

Weighing the Dodgers’ Options with Carl Crawford

Published on by Dennis Schlossman2 Comments

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With spring training less than two months away, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been relatively quiet in the player personnel department; but as February quickly approaches, expect the Dodgers front office to start shuffling a few players — especially in the outfield.

One player who continues to draw consistent criticism from the fan base is left fielder Carl Crawford.

Crawford, 34, is under contract with the Dodgers through the 2017 season. He’ll earn $21,607,000 in 2016 and $21,857,000 in his walk year.

His banner year as a Dodger came in 2014 when he slashed .300/.339/.429 in 105 appearances.

He has often been hampered by injuries, which was the case in 2015, when he missed almost half the season with a serious oblique strain.

There’s no question that a healthy Crawford can contribute to the Dodgers in some extent, but whether or not he can produce to the tune of $21 million remains to be seen. With up to six outfielders competing for roster spots in 2016, every spot on the 25-man is extremely valuable.

All things being considered, Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi are faced with making a decision regarding Crawford, with the outcome hinging on three possible scenarios.

The first, which is the most unlikely, is to designate him for assignment. Although Friedman has shown no fear of DFA’ing players with hefty contracts in the past (see Brian Wilson and Brandon League), $43 million is just too large a sum to simply throw away, especially if Crawford is healthy enough to produce.

The next scenario is to try and trade him to another team. Looking at this on the surface, it seems like an impossibility, but don’t discount the creativity of Friedman.

A one-for-one deal with another team is highly improbable unless the Dodgers would settle for a lower-tier prospect and send money for all of Crawford’s 2016 contract, plus a check for a chunk of his 2017 salary. However, that’s not to say that Friedman couldn’t score a 3-4 team deal involving pieces that are only conceivable to the imagination. It’s safe to believe that Friedman and Zaidi have been on the phones now for sometime trying to make this happen.

The final option is to play Crawford part-time in left field and to utilize him as a late inning bench piece. Without a myriad of injuries, it’s reasonable to assume that Crawford won’t play every day, as there are just too many options besides him that will net better results. That being said, if the Dodgers were to trade away one or more core components of their current outfield corps, a starting spot could be conceivable.

There’s still enough time for the landscape to change in terms of players coming and going via trade, thus the decision for Friedman and Zaidi may get easier. However, a bench piece making $21 million annually will make Friedman cringe, and based on his beliefs and philosophies, he’ll certainly try his best to get a better return for his investment down the road.

(Photo Credit: zimbio.com)

Projecting the Starting Rotation at Oklahoma City

Published on by Dennis Schlossman5 Comments

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Although the starting pitching rotation for the 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers is still very much in doubt, the same cannot be said for their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Truth be told, after a brief analysis of available starting pitchers on the farm, nine different hurlers have a legitimate shot at vying for a rotation spot in OKC. Let’s take a look at all nine pitchers, listing their ages come Opening Day, number of option years remaining, and where they may begin their respective 2016 campaigns.

  • Mike Bolsinger – 28 years, one option remaining
  • Carlos Frias – 26 years, one option remaining
  • Joe Wieland – 26 years, one option remaining
  • Zach Lee – 24 years, two options remaining
  • Ross Stripling – 26 years, all three options remaining
  • Jharel Cotton – 24 years, all three options remaining
  • Frankie Montas – 23 years, all three options remaining
  • José De León – 23 years, all three options remaining
  • Julio Urias – 19 years, all three options remaining

Needless to say, that’s a very crowded yet talented list. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi may decide to simplify things by moving a few to the bullpen, or more likely, use several as trade pieces in a package for a much needed impact starter at the big league level.

Carlos Frias may command a spot on the 25-man roster, perhaps filling the role that Juan Nicasio held last season as long man or spot starter. Frias made 17 appearances including 13 starts for the Dodgers last season, hurling 77.2 innings to a tune of a 4.06 ERA.

Both Mike Bolsinger and Joe Wieland are also considered MLB-ready, and barring any trade or the need to begin the season in the Dodgers rotation, will certainly fill starting roles for OKC.

After a hot start, Bolsinger ended up contributing 109 innings over 21 starts in the bigs, compiling a 6-6 record with a 3.63 ERA and a 8.1 K/9.

Wieland made two unsuccessful starts for the Dodgers in 2015, but put up relatively consistent numbers for OKC. He threw 113 innings over 21 starts and posted a 4.59 ERA.

Former first-round draft pick Zach Lee had a nightmare of a debut for the Dodgers, but put up solid numbers in Triple-A. Lee hurled 113 innings over 19 starts sporting a 2.70 ERA. He also likely fills a starting slot for Oklahoma City.

Having had Tommy John surgery and sitting out all of 2014, Ross Stripling returned and pitched 67 innings over 13 starts for the Tulsa Drillers last season. He was added to the 40-man in November to protect him from Rule 5 status. Stripling isn’t overpowering, but features a nasty arsenal of breaking pitches much like Bolsinger. Stripling has never thrown at the Triple-A level, and may begin the year at Tulsa just to make room for others at OKC.

Although two completely different pitchers, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas find themselves in similar situations. Cotton had been a starter, and was given an opportunity to relieve late last season, while Montas has proven himself as a reliever but projects as a hard-throwing starter.

Cotton, who probably has the best changeup in the Dodgers system, projects better as a starter due to the lack of velocity on his fastball (90-91 MPH). His breaking pitches are his best weapons, leading him to a 10.7 K/9 in almost 100 innings of work last year.

Whether an honest evaluation, or an attempt to make him look attractive to other teams as a trade piece, Andrew Friedman continues to hype the talent of Montas. Friedman believes that his fastball-slider combo is among the best in the minors and often touts his triple-digit fastball. If able to maintain his command as a starter, there’s no doubt Montas will climb to the top of the Triple-A rotation quickly.

Perhaps the two most talented starters among the entire group are José De León and Julio Urias. Although both have ascended through the Dodgers’ system rapidly, neither is on the 40-man roster.

In terms of control, fastball velocity, mental maturity and overall talent, De León is fully developed physically and ready to go. If there’s still a crowded house come Opening Day, he may begin the season at Tulsa, but should make the jump to Triple-A quickly and be ready for a fall call-up when rosters expand in September.

Urias, the prized-possession of the farm, most likely needs one additional season on an innings count due to the fact that he’s still developing physically. He may be promoted to the 40-man at some point depending on the movement of other players, but like De León, should get a taste come September.

Based on no players being moved, and no service needed at the MLB level (assuming the Dodgers sign somebody like Kenta Maeda and one other free agent pitcher), we see things shaping up like this:

  • OKC starting rotation: Bolsinger, Urias, Lee, Montas and Wieland; with Cotton as long man and spot starter
  • De León and Stripling beginning the year at Double-A Tulsa but rising quickly
  • Frias beginning the season as long man in the bigs

Of course, all this could change with an injury or any type of trade. Although the logjam could create some minor headaches for the managers and directors on the farm, it’s certainly a good problem to have — especially when the big league squad needs all the help it can get.

(Photo Credit: MLB.com)

Hyun-Jin Ryu on Pace to Return by Spring Training

Published on by Dennis Schlossman1 Comment

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Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers finally received a bit of good news on Friday when starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu publicly revealed the progress regarding his recovery from last spring’s shoulder surgery.

Alongside teammate Justin Turner, several Dodgers legends, and members of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Ryu was at Dodger Stadium hosting 300 pre-selected schoolchildren at the annual Children’s Holiday Party.

Dodgers reporter Ken Gurnick of MLB.com first reported the news Friday evening.

“Other than throwing off a mound and going all out, I pretty much can do everything I want to do. I’m on a great program and everything is going great. No discomfort, absolutely nothing,” Ryu explained.

“I have no reason to believe I won’t be ready for Spring Training.”

Although the Dodgers’ medical staff and trainers are monitoring Ryu’s progress closely, the news comes as a bit of relief to many impatient fans who see a very sizable void in the starting rotation.

“My personal goal is to be in the rotation Opening Day until the season ends,” Ryu said.

Despite knowing that his initial physical before the 2013 season revealed a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Ryu pitched with the injury for two seasons and went 28-15 with a combined 3.17 ERA.

His best year was his rookie campaign in 2013, when he hurled 192 innings in 30 games, posted a 14-7 record (including one shutout) and a 3.00 ERA — numbers certainly worthy of a #2 rotation slot.

In light of Ryu’s progress, Dodgers’ President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman considers Ryu a “wild card” in terms of being ready for Opening Day.

Even with Ryu healthy, the Dodgers still need to add rotation depth, unless a solid and dependable option emerges from the farm  — most specifically Jose De Leon or Julio Urias.

The Dodgers have also been linked to trade rumors involving the Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays, as well as talks with free agent starters Mike Leake and Scott Kazmir.

Perhaps the best option of any is Japanese righty Kenta Maeda, who was posted by the Hiroshima Carp on December 10, and has a 30-day window to complete a contract agreement.

Regardless of what the Dodgers decide to strengthen and deepen the starting rotation, a healthy Ryu to begin the season would be very much welcomed by the fans, the players, and management alike.

(Photo Credit: isportsweb.com)

Dodgers Prospects: Scouting Yadier Álvarez

Published on by Dennis Schlossman3 Comments

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Digging deeper into the seemingly limitless list of pitching prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, another name sure to turn heads in the very near future is Cuban righty Yadier Álvarez.

After defecting from Cuba at the age of 18 and showcasing his skills in the Dominican Prospect League, the Dodgers signed Álvarez to a $16 million bonus on the first day of the 2015-2016 international signing period last July.

He’s currently ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Dodgers organization by Ben Badler of Baseball America.

Badler’s initial report of the Álvarez signing included this brief tidbit of scouting data:

“Alvarez, 19, has been clocked anywhere from 92-98 mph with his fastball, with a skinny frame (6-foot-3, 175 pounds) and a quick arm. His secondary stuff is inconsistent, but he has flashed an above-average slider that’s ahead of his changeup, a pitch he’s still learning to maintain his arm speed when he throws one. There’s some wildness in the very limited track record that exists with Alvarez, who never pitched in Serie Nacional and did not make Cuba’s junior national team before he left the island.”

Dodgers Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes and other Dodgers scouts were intrigued by the velocity of Álvarez’s fastball and potential for plus breaking stuff dating back to December of 2014.

“He’s one of the more talented teenage right-handed pitchers we’ve seen. A lot of us have been doing this a long time,” Byrnes said. “He has a prototypical body, with high-end velocity. We’ve seen him consistently 92-97 mph, occasionally touching 99-100. There is very little effort, a pretty good feel for secondary pitches, and he’s a pretty good strike-thrower. He’s got a long way to go, but his foundation, his ingredients for his age are pretty rare, so we’re excited to have him.”

It’s hard to say this early if Álvarez has the stamina or durability to be a starter. He finished out 2015 by throwing 2-4 innings per clip during workouts in the Dominican Republic, and it’s probable he’ll begin his career in the States with the Arizona League Dodgers this spring.

If he proves capable of handling the role of being a starter, his value and ranking among Dodgers prospects will skyrocket.

Rookie ball will be a valuable gauge in assessing the true talent of Álvarez. If he measures up anywhere near his initial evaluations, the already stellar Dodgers farm system will have gotten just a little bit deeper.

(Photo Credit: hngn.com)

Dodgers Prospects: José De León On the Rise

Published on by Dennis Schlossman4 Comments

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Regardless of how questionable the starting rotation looks for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, fans can take comfort in knowing that a handful of future stars are on the verge of making an impact in the bigs.

One such prized prospect is 23-year-old righty José De León.

Born in Isabela, Puerto Rico in 1992, De León played college ball at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 24th round of the 2013 MLB draft.

De León is currently ranked the third-best prospect in the Dodgers organization by Ben Badler of Baseball America.

After a full year of rookie ball in 2013, his ascension to star level began to take place when he was named the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year while playing for the Ogden Raptors in 2014. Later that year, after being promoted to Single-A Great Lakes, he broke Clayton Kershaw’s team record of 12 Ks set back in 2007 by fanning 14 Fort Wayne TinCaps in only his second career-start for the Loons. 12 of his 14 strikeout victims were retired by swinging strikes.

The beginning of 2015 saw De León promoted to High-A Rancho Cucamonga where he continued to shine. On May 29 against the Frisco RoughRiders, he threw 91 pitches over seven innings of work while striking out a season-high 11 batters and only allowing three hits, two walks and one earned run. His total tally for Rancho included 58 strikeouts over 37.2 innings of work, which calculated to a 13.9 K/9. A WHIP of .903 and a 1.9 BB/9 reflected the dominance he showed at the Single-A level. He was promoted to Double-A Tulsa after only 7 appearances for the Quakes.

While with the Drillers, De León fanned 105 batters over 76.2 innings to close out 2015. He posted a 12.3 K/9 and a WHIP of 1.124. His 3.4 BB/9, however, revealed his continued efforts to develop and diversify his off-speed and breaking-pitch arsenal.

Over the course of 2015, De León showed that he was much more serious about baseball as opposed to his earlier years. He ended up dropping 25-plus pounds by the end of the season. His improved fitness and conditioning allowed him to refine his mechanics, while increasing the spin on his slider and noticeably elevating the velocity of his fastball.

De León’s fastball, which has nasty, late movement and sits in the 93-96 MPH range, is by far his best weapon. His slider rates a little above-average but continues to improve. His changeup is by far his best off-speed pitch — he’s not afraid to use it when behind in the count and often uses it as his strikeout pitch.

Many scouts within the organization project De León to be a solid #3 starter down the road, but as time goes by, his ceiling continues to rise. His hard work on and off the field reflects a progressively improving command and pitching arsenal as well as added mental maturity. His rapid development and advancement almost indicate that he has a desire to be the Dodgers #1 prospect on the farm.

Most within the Dodgers’ organization see De León getting his first taste when rosters expand in September of 2016 and being ready to contribute to the rotation in 2017, but with his hard work and his uncanny ability to advance, don’t be surprised to see him on the hill much sooner.

(Photo Credit: milb.com)

Kenta Maeda: A Future with the Dodgers?

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With the sizzle of the 2015 Baseball Winter Meetings now losing steam, the Dodgers have a rare opportunity to focus their efforts on another free agent prize — Japanese righty Kenta Maeda.

Maeda’s posting process will begin on December 10, when interested teams will have the opportunity to submit the $20 million release fee, giving such teams the chance to negotiate a contract. It’s a no-risk scenario, as the teams that fail to sign Maeda will ultimately have that fee refunded.

Preliminary speculation suggests that a contract in the vicinity of 5 years/$60 million may win the services of Maeda, in addition to the $20 million going to the Hiroshima Carp as compensation.

Maeda, who will be 28 at the beginning of the 2016 season, is considered by many the top current pitcher in Japan. He began pitching professionally at age 20 for the Carp in 2008. In 2015, he posted a 15-8 record, hurling 206+ innings while recording a 2.09 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9.

His banner year may have been 2013, when he fanned 171 batters in 206 innings while logging a 1.53 ERA. His efforts for both of those years earned him Sawamura Awards — Japan’s equivalent to MLB’s Cy Young Award.

According to scouting reports, his early projection is to be a workhorse-type — possibly slotting in as a solid #3 or #4 starter upon his arrival to MLB.

Baseball America‘s Ben Badler recently posted a scouting report (subscription required) on Maeda, which he offered the following analysis (excerpt):

“Maeda has shown solid stuff across the board, with a fastball that sits at 89-93 mph and can touch 94, a tick above-average slider that he leans on heavily, along with a curveball and a changeup … While Maeda’s slider is usually his go-to secondary pitch, his best offspeed weapon in two starts against Mexico and Puerto Rico was his changeup.”

Needless to say, without any seasoning required in the minors, Maeda would fit nicely into a questionable Dodgers’ rotation that desperately needs depth. Beside Clayton Kershaw, Hisashi Iwakuma, Brett Anderson and Alex Wood, Maeda would be poised to make an immediate impact.

With the return of both Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy at some point in 2016, and a strong debut from either Julio Urias or Jose De Leon, a healthy and deep Dodgers starting rotation could possibly rank among the top-five in the National League.

The not-so-good news for Dodgers fans is that Arizona GM Dave Stewart has already showed strong interest in Maeda, and with the revenue from a new, lucrative TV deal in-hand, the Diamondbacks could make a run at the Japanese righty.

Stewart offered up this statement last winter:

“I love Maeda. I love him. We have a lot of video and film and we have people who have seen him. We think that he’s got a chance to be very successful in Major League Baseball. We’re going to try to be in on the market when he does post, if he does post.”

Having already bolstered their rotation by adding Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, with Maeda the Diamondbacks could go from being considered a contender to a possible favorite to win the NL West.

After showing a somewhat frugal wallet so far this winter, Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi must pursue Maeda at all costs — not just to bolster their own rotation, but to prevent a division rival from getting even stronger.

Life Without Zack Greinke

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The day after Zack Greinke surprised the world and signed an astronomical six-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the reaction among Dodger fans and the media has surprisingly been split.

On one hand, there’s a group who (for lack of better terms) is calling for Andrew Friedman’s head, while the other believes that it was smart business to draw a line and not exceed an already generous limit.

Regardless of the opinions rendered, the truth is that the Dodgers lost an important piece. The starting rotation grade drops from a B+ to maybe a C  depending on the recovery of Hyun-jin Ryu. Needless to say, the front office absolutely must make some corresponding moves to compensate.

Just looking at a few cursory numbers, the starting pitching staff in 2015 as a whole posted an overall ERA of 3.44, which was good enough to rank fifth of 15 teams in the National League. Subtracting Greinke’s contributions, the starters ERA calculates to 3.77, which would have ranked eighth. Interestingly enough, subtracting the stats of both Clayton Kershaw and Greinke, the starting pitching ERA rises to 4.16, which would have ranked 11th of 15.

Those numbers are a small sample size that illustrate just how critical front-end starting pitching is for success. However, if any pieces are added offensively, it may take some much-needed pressure away from the starters and perhaps make the loss of Greinke a much lighter blow.

The Dodgers as a team averaged 4.12 runs per game last year, which ranked eighth in the NL. A team batting average of .250 ranked 10th. Surprisingly, the team OPB of .326 ranked first while the OPS (.739) ranked second. All of this seems to suggest that the Dodgers had no problems getting runners on base, but instead had problems cashing them into runs. If Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman see any quick analytical answers within their spreadsheets, an improved offensive RPG average could lessen the burdens of the starting pitching staff.

Perhaps this is the best route to consider, being that it’s impossible to replace Greinke with a single player who remains on the free agent market. With David Price, Jordan Zimmermann and Jeff Samardzija already signed to sizable deals, only a few options remain. Johnny Cueto is available, but the fact that he rejected a reported 6-year/$120 million deal from the Diamondbacks last weekend suggests Friedman and Zaidi may shy away, especially considering his injury history.

Wei-Yin Chen, Yovani Gallardo, Hisashi Iwakuma and Ian Kennedy are still available, but are very unlikely candidates due to the fact they rejected qualifying offers and will cost the Dodgers a draft pick if signed.

The remaining free agents who may be possible fits are Henderson Alvarez, Doug Fister, Scott Kazmir, Mike Leake, Cliff Lee and Kenta Maeda, all of whom come with obvious financial risks.

Another option is to throw Jose De Leon, Ross Stripling and Julio Urias to the wolves and let them join the rotation to see if they are indeed ready to perform at the big-league level. Or, based on the results of last year’s Winter Meetings, the Dodgers’ front office may get super-creative and pull off some type of deal that’s unimaginable to all of us.

It’s easy to defend Friedman for not giving in and attempting to top the offer from Arizona that Greinke eventually accepted. However, the Dodgers do have money to spend, as indicated by the $90 million last year that was allocated to players that were either traded away or DFA’d.

Signing Greinke for six years may have looked bad on paper for the Dodgers, but squandering $69 million on years five and six of the contract in exchange for a World Series run right now may have been worth the investment.

Letting Greinke escape behind enemy lines may be a blow that hurts only temporarily if the front office has a back-up plan and reacts accordingly. However, being in the second-largest market in baseball, increasing ticket prices and parking fees, and the fact that many still cannot view a game on television, Friedman and Zaidi best better redeem themselves quickly.

Dodgers Coaching Staff Taking Shape

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Just one day after the introductory press conference of new manager Dave Roberts, the Dodgers front office began filling several positions within their mostly-vacant coaching staff.

According to multiple reports, Bob Geren has been named bench coach and Turner Ward has been hired as hitting coach.

Geren, who was interviewed for the Dodgers’ managerial position last month, spent the last three seasons as the bench coach of the New York Mets. He has extensive experience as a field manager, having managed in the minor leagues for both the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics.

After a stint as the A’s bench coach, Geren was promoted to manager in 2006. He was eventually fired in June of 2011, having had numerous, publicized disagreements with a few of his players and being openly criticized for his poor communication skills.

Despite the rocky past in Oakland, he is still widely regarded among his coaching peers as having excellent technical and fundamental knowledge, and a tremendous understanding of sabermetric principles.

Turner Ward’s MLB career spanned 11 years with 6 different teams. He was primarily a utility-type outfielder and designated hitter.

Ward began his managing career in the Pirates’ farm system in 2007, and eventually accepted similar roles in the Diamondbacks’ minor league system. He was promoted to assistant hitting coach for the Snakes in 2013,  where he remained through last season.  He is widely known for his involvement in the massive brawl between the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers on June 11, 2013.

While still not official, it is believed that Rick Honeycutt will return as pitching coach, and will be the lone survivor from the 2015 staff. Details of his contract are unclear, but it appears Honeycutt will return for two more seasons before being introduced to an executive role. He has been the Dodgers pitching coach since 2006.

Among all the primary coaching positions, the bullpen, first base and third base coaching spots still remain vacant. In the past, the Dodgers believed in promoting from within, but it’s highly unlikely this year after the front office did a thorough house cleaning of the farm at season’s end. The Dodgers did not retain OKC manager Damon Berryhill, hitting coach Franklin Stubbs or pitching coach Scott Radinsky following a season in which Oklahoma City posted the best record in the Pacific Coast League.

That being said, it appears that Andrew Friedman, Farhan Zaidi and Josh Byrnes appear insistent on choosing a brand new staff tailor made to their own technical philosophies and fundamental principles.

It was insinuated by several sources that Gabe Kapler was being considered for a coaching spot at the big-league level, but many believe that his strong performance as farm director would leave a very difficult spot to fill with his departure from that role.

The Dodgers hope to have the remainder of the major league coaching vacancies filled by week’s end.

Dodgers Rumors: Starting Pitching

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With the arrival of the 114th annual Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville on December 6, the MLB hot stove promises to heat up quickly. The Dodgers are expected to be very active in some shape or form, and starting pitching is certainly one key area of focus.

First and foremost, the Dodgers will make every possible effort to sign Zack Greinke. Early reports are indicating that Greinke’s representation, Excel Sports, is seeking an AAV upwards of $30 million. Despite this large figure, the Dodgers front office has actually had casual dialogue about adding both Greinke and David Price.

If the early signings of J.A. Happ and Jordan Zimmermann are indicators, teams may not be sparing any expenses this winter. Happ surprisingly scored a 3-year/$36 million contract with Toronto, while Zimmermann landed a 5-year deal worth $110 million with the Tigers.

To further exemplify the salty market, Johnny Cueto recently rejected a 6-year/$120 million offer from the Diamondbacks. Signals from the Cueto camp seem to reveal a desire for a contract in the $160 million range.

Depending on the timing, the Dodgers may not make the bulk of their moves until Greinke finalizes a deal one way or another. If Los Angeles does indeed land Greinke, one may assume the winter spendings will be capped right there. However, there’s certainly a strong crop of secondary starters available, including Jeff Samardzija, Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, Ian Kennedy, Yovani Gallardo and John Lackey—just to name a few.

The free agent market may not be the sole source for acquisitions, as Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi will leave no stones unturned while exploring the trade market. As recently as yesterday, rumblings were reported outlining a potential deal with the Braves offering Joc Pederson in exchange for Shelby Miller.

Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson and Alex Wood all will be set to start in 2016, with Hyun-jin Ryu seemingly meeting all the recovery standards to slot into another starting spot. However, glancing at the extensive number of injuries over the past 2 years alone, the front office may decide to setup a rotation that is 6 or 7 strong.

The farm system is always a last resort option, as several players, including Zach Lee, Julio Urias and Jose De Leon, seem to be on the fringe but ostensibly require another small stint of seasoning. Mike Bolsinger and Joe Wieland are the closest to the top, but need to prove their potential with every single opportunity they’re given. All that being said, at least one or maybe two new acquisitions may be critical to the team’s success.

The re-signing of Greinke is of extreme importance, as anything less will conceivably be a downgrade to the rotation. The good news for the fans is that Friedman and Zaidi seem to be strongly committed to making this happen. A base-five of Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Anderson and Wood is a solid starting point, and an addition of one of the secondary free agents mentioned above will produce a formidable staff.

In spite of everything, numerous moves will indeed be made very soon, as pitchers and catchers report in about 10 weeks. For the sake of the fans, hopefully Friedman and Zaidi reveal a plentiful wallet and make several gigantic splashes to build an even stronger squad in 2016.

The Role of Farhan Zaidi

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All “organic” dialogues aside, there are very few general managers in MLB with more intellect, potential and industrial savvy than Farhan Zaidi. His education alone speaks volumes — a bachelors from MIT and a PhD from Cal-Berkeley.

Being of Pakistani descent, Zaidi was actually born in Canada. He moved to the Philippines at the age of four, where he remained until departing for college in 1994. He played baseball at the little-league and high school levels, but never took the field beyond that — similar to one of his mentors and predecessors, Paul DePodesta.

While at Berkeley, Zaidi read the book Moneyball and his career path began to take shape almost immediately. Admittedly, he often scanned through the employment ads on mlb.com while in grad school, and upon discovering an opening with the Oakland Athletics in 2004, couldn’t help but reach out.

He was hired immediately by GM Billy Beane, and began his career as a data analysis sabermetrics assistant. He eventually worked his way up to Director of Baseball Operations, then was promoted to Assistant GM in 2014. After the 2014 season, he was recruited by Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman to assume the general manager role, becoming  the first Muslim general manager of any American pro sports franchise.

Working beside both Friedman and VP of Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes, many Dodger fans actually wonder how the daily grind is delegated to Zaidi and “who does what” inside the All-Star think tank.

While Byrnes is primarily responsible for player development (overseeing such executives as Gabe Kapler), Zaidi is more in tune to the daily operations of the MLB squad, research and development, and player acquisitions.

With his education and 12-year background at the MLB level, Zaidi certainly fits the new model of today’s general manager. He has already developed a reputation for having blends of both old school and new school  thought processes, unlike several of the dinosaurs before him in Los Angeles.

He believes in the “value” of a trade, and is very analytical in terms of giving up prospects of worth, possessing a similar philosophy to his bosses, Friedman and Stan Kasten.

Alongside Friedman, Zaidi continues to spend a great deal of time on R & D— developing new tools which measure every single split-second of players actions and reactions while on the diamond.

After a year at the helm, it’s certainly fair to say that the Dodgers are headed in a new direction—continuing to emphasize the farm and the value of youth, despite the overwhelming anxiety and desire of the fan base to win a World Series Championship “right now”.

Many of the skeptics are quick to point out that Zaidi’s lack of playing experience beyond high school may hinder is ability, while others are already bringing up bad player deals, especially whenever Dee Gordon wins any type of league award or honor.

The current system in place is definitely suited to win championships and build dynasties down the road. But with ticket and parking prices increasing annually, being the second-largest market in baseball and a $8 billion television deal that leaves many unable to view the majority of the games, the fans expect more than just development.

Twenty-seven years have now passed since the Los Angeles Dodgers have won a championship. Friedman and Zaidi are certainly qualified to break that streak, but the question that now lingers is whether that championship will come soon enough before ownership—just like the fan base—runs out of patience.