Outlandish Dodgers Predictions

By Bobby DeMuro
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Updated: March 24, 2015

Yasiel Puig must lead the Dodgers in his third big league season in 2015 (Image via Twitter)

We’re at that point in Spring Training where everyone gets a little testy from watching so much exhibition baseball while knowing there’s so much more to go. Can’t these guys just get started already? We’re ready for games that matter and big leaguers playing all nine innings! Sure, Spring Training is nearing its end, but it isn’t quite there, and we’re still stuck watching #96 pitch to #89 with #92 catching and #87 in right field. Ahhh, the glory of the Cactus League.

Anyways, why not have a little fun in the mean time? I’ll start us off with some outlandish predictions for the Dodgers. Have fun with these; they aren’t guarantees or oh-so-super-serious sports pundit predictions. But, crazier things have happened than what I came up with below, so maybe one or two will come true. I’m not going to bat 1.000, but I’d be cool hitting .200 on these.

Alex Guerrero will be traded. Guerrero has had a good spring with the Dodgers and he’s made his case to break camp with the team, but I still argue he’s better off being traded. The Dodgers have a plan in the middle infield already, and barring injuries, Guerrero might be an odd man out despite his solid spring. Besides, the club would probably get more in return from trading Guerrero than they would trading Darwin Barney or Justin Turner, even considering Guerrero’s contract, so why not shop the talented prospect for a pitcher (because Lord knows the Dodgers are going to need them).

I know, the Dodgers have infield questions beyond 2015 as multiple guys could walk via free agency next year, but the team can always spend money for talent, and Guerrero’s $28 million, while a big chunk of change, may not be enough in and of itself to keep him around despite his solid spring. Besides, suitors are lining up.

Pitching will be a disaster this year. You know, as much of a disaster as you can have with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke at the helm. But seriously, Hyun-jin Ryu is already going to miss time on the disabled list to start the year, Erik Bedard and Chad Gaudin, guys who would’ve replaced Ryu, have gone down, starter-turned-reliever Juan Nicasio had better not get anywhere near a starting job this season, two-time Tommy John Award winner Brandon Beachy won’t be here for months, and counting on Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy to stay healthy all year is, um, tenuous (at best).

Now is the time, whether with Guerrero or someone else, for the Dodgers to trade for a pitcher. He doesn’t need to be a Greinke/Kershaw level guy. He just needs to be durable and dependable. If the Dodgers can’t find a pitcher they can get 30 starts out of this season, the lack of starting pitching depth will blow up in their face and seriously cost them some ground in the NL West.

Yasiel Puig will win the MVP. After Puig experienced a power outage in the second half of the season last year, I’m bullish on him really starting to figure out pitchers and growing into his game in his third big league season. I think he’ll hit 30+ home runs, steal 20+ bases, slash somewhere around .330/.400/.580, play stellar (and smarter) defense, and develop into the player we all know he can become in every facet of the game. The Dodgers have issues, but I don’t think Puig will be one of them this year; it’ll be fun to watch him grow even more in his third big league campaign.

The back-end of the bullpen will struggle without Kenley Jansen. Jansen won’t be out all year, of course, so this issue may be mitigated quickly depending on his return, but the bullpen needs Jansen to close. There aren’t a whole lot of experienced firemen in the pen without Jansen, save for aging Joel Peralta and questionable production from Brandon League. Nicasio poses an interesting bullpen arm, but he’s not a closer (or a starter), and Chris Hatcher can run it up there very well for a converted catcher (like Jansen), but he’s relatively untested. Hurry back, Kenley.

The Dodgers will NOT win the NL West. I know they likely will considering the Padres aren’t quite there and the Giants didn’t get better (the Rockies and Diamondbacks certainly won’t win) but let’s make it interesting. Seriously, Dodger fans, while your club got better up the middle and improved in areas of leadership and chemistry with the additions of Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick, pitching depth still has gaping holes in the rotation and bullpen that must be remedied, and if pitching health becomes an issue like it’s shown to be this spring, things will only get worse this summer.

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