The Dodgers Bench

The Dodgers bench this season has been a good mixture of veterans who can play multiple positions and rookies who have been in the revolving door between Albuquerque, Chattanooga, and Los Angeles. I was most impressed with utility man Nick Punto. It seemed like every time the Dodgers scored an important run against the Toronto Blue Jays, Punto was at the top of the Dodgers dugout steps being the first player to congratulate the player that had just scored. He can play multiple positions with third base being his natural position but he gets the occasional start, he's a defensive replacement, and he can come off the bench as a pinch hitter from either side of the plate. Veterans Juan Uribe, Skip Schumaker (who hit his first home run of the season in the Toronto series) and Jerry Hairston, Jr., have performed the same functions. Several rookies and young players-Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke, Tim Federowicz, Dee Gordon, and Justin Sellers- have made key contributions in between shuttle runs between Albuquerque and Los Angeles. Puig is the only one that seems to be here to stay. During the Toronto series, I was impressed to see Puig sitting between two veteran players, Uribe and Hanley Ramirez, when he was out of the lineup and he was cutting up with the two of them and didn't seem anywhere near the arrogant player that has been portrayed in the press. Now if they could just get him to lay off that pitch just off the plate with two strikes.

The Targets Extend To The Minors

Evidently the Dodgers and their minor league affiliates have targets on their backs. Their AAA affiliate the Albuquerque Isotopes were involved in a basebrawl with the Memphis Redbirds yesterday when two Isotopes batters were plunked in back-to-back innings last night in the Isoptopes 13-10 win. In my opinion the Isotopes players have a right to defend themselves. Warnings were issued, ejections were made, but Justin Sellers still got one high and tight after Isotopes player Jeremy Moore hit a three-run homer. When warnings like that are issued, a pitcher loses his ability to pitch inside. There is no way to tell intent but if a pitch comes close to being inside, you run the risk of getting tossed from the game. I'm a baseball purist and pitching inside and beanballs have always been an accepted part of the game. Going head hunting is a different matter altogether because that signifies an intent to injure. I am sure suspensions will be handed down but I think baseball needs to take at the umpires not being able to control the game and letting situations like this escalate.

Adrian Gonzalez Breaks Out

Adrian Gonzalez drove in 4 runs yesterday in support of Hyun-Jin Ryu's 6 1/3 innings of 2 run baseball. He picked up his first major league win in the process and gave the Dodgers the sweep of the Pirates in the 6-2 victory. Ryu's only mistake was allowing a two-run homer by Andrew McCutchen in the top of the first. The Dodgers quickly got that back on a two-run single by Adrian Gonzalez in the bottom of the frame. Gonzalez had three hits, all singles, on the day and Justin Sellers had his first hit on the season, a solo homerun in the seventh inning. I still really don't understand the reasoning behind keeping Sellers over Dee Gordon to open the season, especially with Hanley Ramirez on the Disabled List. Sellers is not going to hit much over .200 whereas Gordon is probably going to hit more but with less power. Gordon is going to offer much more speed on the basepaths and on defense as evidenced by his highlight making catch for the Albuquerque Isotopes a few games ago. Sellers does offer defensive versatility as he can play multiple positions but so can Luis Cruz and Nick Punto. Matt Kemp had his second hit and second RBI on the season so here is to Kemp breaking out of his mini-slump and regaining his MVP form.

A New Beginning

It is time for the 2012 season to begin and that is what this season is: A New Beginning. The Dodgers finally have new owners in place as a group headed by Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 Billion. That is hard to type much less say.

With the ownership question out of the way, I look for the Dodgers to be more active next off season in the free agent market. This years roster has already been set as it was announced the other day that relief pitcher Josh Lindblom and shortstop Justin Sellers nabbed the last two roster spots. Lindblom will probably be sent back to Albuquerque when Ted Lilly comes off the Disabled List on April 14th and the Dodgers need a fifth starter. My man Josh Fields did not make the roster has he really went in the tank the last two or three weeks of Spring Training and his batting average really took a nose dive. Justin Sellers had a solid spring and earned the last infield spot although I do believe Fields offered more versatility and more power off the bench.