The Opening Day Roster 2011

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced their opening day roster for 2011 after their final exhibition game last night against the Seattle Mariners. Injuries helped to dictate at least 5 positions on the roster as Jay Gibbons, Casey Blake, Dioner Navarro, Vicente Padilla, and Jon Garland are all starting the season on the Disabled List.

With Casey Blake being on the Disabled List, that allowed Ivan DeJesus Jr. an opportunity to make the team although Jamey Carroll will get the start at second base against the San Francisco Giants tonight. Non-Roster Invitee Aaron Miles also made the team as a backup infielder.

I do not know why I am so enamored with Outfielder Xavier Paul making the team but he did make it as a backup outfielder. He was a 4th round draft choice in 2003 and has slowly worked his way through the Dodgers minor league system. He has never really hit for a high average, only has below average power, and he does not have game changing speed. He also struck out too much this spring. He has had injury problems the past couple of years but he has logged 135 at-bats in the major leagues with a lone Homerun to his credit. For whatever reason, I wanted him to make this roster.

The pitching staff was pretty well set after Padilla and Garland hit the Disabled list. Right-handers Lance Cormier and Mike MacDougal made the team. I would have preferred the Dodgers take another left-hander in Scott Elbert but Cormier kind of forced their hand not to mention the fact that Elbert had some serious control problems this spring. He is another player I have been campaigning for to make the roster (maybe it was because I saw him pitch for the Savannah Sand Gnats a couple of times) but this one was not meant to be.

The Dodgers decided to carry three Catchers coming out of Spring Training- Rod Barajas, the more defensive minded A.J. Ellis, and the one that was swinging a hot bat this spring, Switch-hitter Hector Gimenez. Gimenez has more pop in his bat and can also occasionally play First Base.

The "real" roster will be set when everyone starts coming off the Disabled List. Casey Blake is due to come off April 8th (my guess would be back up Catcher A.J. Ellis will be sent down at that time) and Pitcher Tim Redding is due to start on April 10th, the first time the Dodgers will require a 5th starter. I believe DeJesus will be the first to be sent down of the infielders.

That is the great thing about the first game of the season. The possibilities are endless and the Dodgers stand as good a chance as anybody to win the World Series.