[PilotMan]

1985 Opening Day Roster


Starting Rotation
L Fernando Valenzuela (20-10, 2.75)
R Rick Rhoden (16-9, 2.99)
L Frank Tanana (15-9, 3.07)
R Dennis Eckersley (8-1, 3.00)
L Jerry Reuss (0-2, 4.35)


This team has a lot of options for starters. It's a little surprising to see that Reuss gets the nod over the rest of the guys in the bullpen, but pending his effectiveness at least there are other options. Valenzuela and Rhoden make a really good 1-2 combo. Tanana is a prototypical #3 starter and Eck is easily #3 caliber. Reuss is really nothing more than a 5 starter on this rotation. The big shocker is that 1984 MVP Alejandro Pena is nowhere to be found.


Bullpen
R Jim Beattie (19-4, 2.61)
R Milt Wilcox (17-8, 2.55)
R John Denny (1-0, 5.57)


R Alejandro Pena (19-6, 2.01)
L Steve Howe (1-3, 3.66)


R Tom Niedenfeur (9-2, 33S, 1.19)


No other team can match the number of wins from last year in their bullpen that we have. Too bad that doesn't count for anything at all. At 1Mil per year, John Denny continues to be the most expensive middle reliever in baseball. Pena and Howe will set up Niedenfuer this year. That could be a very good pairing. The addition of Jim Beattie seems to be a waste with him buried in the bullpen. Only 1 lefty in the bullpen, and you know John Franco is in AAA just waiting to make his mark on the team. Let's hope he doesn't get traded for another middle infielder.


Catcher
Mike Scioscia (.278/8/48)
Buck Martinez (.208/2/23)


Same guys as last year. Scioscia is an above average contact hitter who doesn't strike out much, and a good defender. Martinez is not an embarrassment, and is also a good defender. No competition here who the starter is when Scioscia got his big contract.


First Base
Sid Bream (.352/2/12)
Andre Thornton (.305/1/10)


Bream is first on the depth chart and had a very good year last year between AAA and the majors. He's a decent defender with above average skills. Thornton is a massive liability in the field and he's closing in on 36. He isn't even listed as the #2 first baseman. Not sure, other than a big bat off the bench, what he's doing with the team. Greg Brock was designated and placed on waivers. Stubbs will back up Bream for now.


Second Base
Willie Randolph (.335/6/46)
Frank White (.256/7/34)


Randolph was the most important piece of the offense last year with his ability to get on base. His defense was also stellar at second. He is in no danger of losing his job anytime soon. Frank White is coming off of an injury filled season. He is good in the field and is a good vet bat off the bench.


Third Base
Graig Nettles (.272/18/72)
Toby Harrah (.194/1/3)


This is the old guy position. Nettles is 40 and Harrah is 36. Lasorda is set to platoon them for now with Nettles sitting against lefties. Neither guy is going to hit for high average, and with Harrah we lose a lot of power when he's playing. Nettles is only averaging 15 homers per year for the last 3 years so you'd expect that to drop a litte for this year. I'm wondering if keeping Grich might have been the better option.


Shortstop
Roy Smalley (.226/11/63)


The only shortstop on the roster, Smalley saw his productivity drop off significantly last season. He is a below average short stop in the field, but even with that, he's still dangerous with the bat. I'm hoping that last year was a bit of an aberration. Tony Phillips who was nearly useless last year was optioned to AAA to start the year.


Left Field
Mike Marshall (.275/18/55)


Marshall has a lot of power, but will he stay healthy enough to play much? He also might split time with Ron Kittle, who was the AAA MVP last year (duh? That man was on fire!) Kittle is on the DL with tendinitis to start the year, but he should be called up when he's healthy. Both guys are similar and can hit the ball a mile, strike out a lot, struggle with injuries, and field questionably. Not having George Foster to suck up at bats should help both guys.


Center Field
Dwayne Murphy (.278/23/88)
Franklin Stubbs (.274/12/34)


Murphy didn't bring as much pop to the club as we had hoped. He didn't even get close to the 30 HR mark that was expected. His defense was outstanding however, and he easily holds down the starting spot this year. Stubbs is the primary backup at all 3 outfield positions as well as first base, so we can expect to see him playing quite a bit this year.


Right Field
Dwight Evans (.291/29/108)
Tony Brewer (.333/0/1)


Evans carried the team early last year, then just kind of disappeared. His power dropped off quite a bit playing in LA, which always seems to happen to sluggers who come here, but he hit for 20 points higher in average than the previous year. Brewer starts the year on the roster, but figures to go away in a couple weeks when Kittle comes back.


Notable Absences
Steve Sax. Guy hits .303 his rookie year and then .347 in AAA last year and he can't make the team? And they have so little faith that they go out and get Frank White? He's one of the best contact hitters on the team and he can't make the roster. Trade him for some value, or play him, please, before he can't throw to first any more.


Tony Phillips. Not that shocking. I have a feeling that he'll show up on the roster simply because he can play short stop and the other infield positions. Not likely to make an impact either way after his tenure here last year.


Scotti Madison. Once the top prospect for the team can't make the team as a catcher and they bring Buck Martinez back instead. That can't bode well for his future.


Brian Holton. Tore his UCL last year so he only threw 10 innings at AA. Still one of the better arms in the bullpen once he gets healthy. He was lost in the Rule 5 draft to the Brewers but didn't make the team and came back.


John Franco. Saw a little bit of playing time down the stretch and is now in his final option year. If the team needs another lefty in the bullpen he'll be the first to get the callup. Had 22 saves in AAA last year with a 0.90 ERA. He really needs to step it up this year because this team needs some young help. Could be playing if the team would unload some of it's starters and move them out of the pen.


Kelly Downs. Won 16 games in AAA last year is still only 24. The problem is that there are so many, many arms ahead of him on the club it's going to be hard to get that spot without some big things happening. He still has 1 more option year so it's not as important as it is for Franco.


Greg Brock, Jim Pankovits, UL Washington, Ricky Wright were all designated and placed on waivers. Brock is the only one of that group that's modestly surprising. He hit 3 homers in 17 at bats for us last year, but he hasn't really shined nor been the impact player that he needed to be to win the first base job.


It's time now, FOR DODGERS BASEBALL!