At last year's Winter Meetings, the Dodgers were movers and shakers. They signed who they thought they needed to sign, they made bold trades, and they completely reshaped their roster. The Dodgers brass did what they felt they had to do and it helped to bring the Dodgers their third straight National League West title.
At this year's winter meetings, they signed a rag armed Japanese pitcher, Hisashi Iwakuma, who only made 20 starts last season due to injury and he may or may not replace any number of rag armed Dodgers pitchers already on the roster, and they re-signed a 36 year old second baseman, Chase Utley, that batted a robust .202 in 34 games after acquiring him from the Phillies late in the season. For $7 million, they might be able to coax Mario Mendoza out of retirement.
The biggest trade they made but didn't make involves what might be the hardest thrower in the history of major league baseball, Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds, but he is being investigated by the secret police of major league baseball for possibly abusing his girlfriend. I can't really understand major league baseball halting the trade unless making him stay with the Cincinnati Reds is going to be part of his punishment.
Taking a look at the Dodgers depth chart on their website, dodgers.com, it looks like a MASH unit already and the spring training is still two months away. They need to unload some outfielders but nobody wants them with the exception of maybe Joc Pederson. They should have unloaded Yasiel Puig last season when he may have still had some trade value but they may have to settle for trading him back to Cuba for a box of cigars, maybe two if they play hardball.
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