[PilotMan]

1988 Opening Day Roster


Starting Rotation


Bryn Smith (19-12, 4.23 for Montreal)
Kelly Downs (16-10, 3.59)
Frank Tanana (15-8, 4.17)
Richard Dotson (14-12, 4.13 with California)
Fernando Valenzuela (18-10, 3.38)


A couple new faces via free agency come over. The rotation looks strong on paper. Only Tanana didn't get to 200 innings last year (198.1) and all posted good records, with decent numbers. Smith has 57 wins in 3 seasons. Dotson has 45 over the same period, although his other stats aren't up to the same. There are some concerns with Fernando as he had control issues in spring training walking 13 in 19 innings. He always ends up being the stopper in LA. This year will be no different.


Bullpen


John Denny (19-10, 3.14)
Jim Beattie (Injured)
Don Robinson (0-6, 13S, 4.89)


Frank DiPino (3-2, 3S, 5.02 with Cincinnati)
Kent Tekulve (1-2, 5S, 3.20 with New York Yankees)


John Franco (4-3, 17S, 2.60)


We start off with a little more flexibility than we had last season. DiPino adds a lefty to go with Franco, and the submariner, Tekulve, who is 41, never looks to be slowing down. John Denny is a bit of a surprise given that he was a top starter last season. You have to think he'll be ready if called upon. Jim Beattie is another surprise, he hasn't pitched since he blew his shoulder out in 1986. Don Robinson isn't loved after last season's struggles, but he is in the last year of his contract. Franco is entrenched as the closer.


Catcher
BJ Surhoff (.281/5/25)
Mike Scioscia (.286/6/39)


Both are lefties and it looks like it'll be a rotation to start. Surhoff adds a little more with the bat, while Scioscia adds more defensively. Surhoff, in only his 3^rd year, keeps taking playing time and he can also play third base.


First Base
Pete O'Brien (.302/26/100 TEX/LA)
Larry Parrish (.281/4/8)


O'Brien was worth the move to upgrade first base, even though Kittle hit 23 HR's in 62 games for the Rangers, after the trade. He was a liability in the field. Parrish is still here for some reason. The team never uses him the way they should and he's not happy about it. He still brings power off the bench, and that always helps.


Second Base
Jim Morrison (.264/14/64 with Seattle)


With Sax gone to the Padres, the team turned to a former cast off. Morrision is 35 now. His last couple of seasons were fair enough, but he's not lighting the world on fire. He's a dependable defender, doesn't break the bank, and has a little pop in the bat.


Third Base
Mike Schmidt (.268/17/55)
Ken Caminiti (.167/0/7 with San Diego)


While this looks great on paper, Schmidt, at 38, is far removed from his best days of baseball. He's got 494 career dingers so he could pop #500 in April, which is very cool. He has lost range on defense, but can also move over to first to play. He lost half of last year to a knee injury. Caminiti is the former #20 top prospect in baseball, but he got less game time last season, than the year before. He was the big get in the Sax trade.


Shortstop
Ozzie Smith (.255/0/28 with St. Louis)
Garry Templeton (.239/2/28 with CLE/SF)


An aging “Wizard of Oz” brings his flair to LA this year. The legendary short stop was traded for a handful of prospects. The most notable being former first rounder, Paul Sorrento. Smith is in the final year of his contract and has ++ speed and defense. Gary Templeton, who is in his second go around with the team will back him up, however, I expect that Roy Smalley will regain the backup role when he returns from the DL.


Left Field
Rickey Henderson (.310/17/59)
Pete Incaviglia (.265/36/101)


And here is a major issue with the team this year. The outfield is once again a crowded mess. Henderson, who had been in center, moves to left, and he can opt out of his contract after this year. Inky was a good power hitter in the middle of the lineup last year, and now will fight for playing time. He finished 3^rd in the Rookie of the Year voting last season.


Center Field
Von Hayes (.235/28/83 with the New York Yankees)
Dwayne Murphy (.228/4/12)


Hayes signed a big 6 year deal prior to last season and then was off loaded for Rick Rhoden. He's an average fielder, but has never been a standout player, (but he was 20/20 last year). He's got some speed, but his 28 HR outburst last year was an abberation. He needs to produce for this team. Murphy, who is still under his big 6 year deal will be the backup again. LA surely regrets that decision. He's had 39 HR's in the last 4 seasons, which is still less than the 41 he hit in Milwaukee, in '83 prior to coming here.


Right Field


Dave Winfield (.299/23/77)
Inky


I cannot deny that Winfield brings a certain amount of excitement and interest. Even though he's 36 now, he is still very popular. Last season was the first time that he's cleared 20 HR's in the previous 5 years. He's only here on a 2 year deal, so at least the bank isn't mortgaged. He's a decent fielder with a cannon for an arm. Inky will obviously be behind him, if his old knees give out.


The Close but Not Close Enough Brigade


SP Ken Howell (0-1, 2S, 3.28)


Howell has gone back to the minors and is has been working on his stamina all off season. The team wants to see him as a starter, so he'll start there. Have to think that he'll be the number 1 option, if the team needs help early. He only has 3 pitches, and I'm not sure that will be enough.


RP Tom Niendenfuer (2-2, 1S, 4.88)


The man who signed a big deal and was promised the closer role isn't even on the major league roster. Last season was the first rough season for him after 4 All-Star appearances. Have to think that he'd be on the trading block if the offer was right.


RP Brian Holton (1-1, 1S, 6.95)


Holton had a terrible year last year, bouncing between AAA and the majors. He's 28, and his time is either now, or up. He worked extensively in spring training, but the results were the same.


RP Bob Patterson (2-0, 3.66 with San Diego)


The extra who came over in the Sax/Caminiti deal. Patterson is a southpaw who played well last season. He's also probably the best lefty option in Albuquerque.


OF Doug Jennings (.263/0/2)


Jennings was one of the teams best prospects and he did add some extra help when he got the call last year. He plays all 3 OF positions and first base too. The problem is the team already has a deep outfield and players who fill the other positions. Look for him to have another breakout year in AAA and get the call if injuries to old guys mount.


OF Tom Beyers (.375/0/8)


Beyers is in the same boat as Jennings, except he has even less time. He's 29, played very well in his 23 games last year and is now in his last option year. He's a career .326 hitter in AAA. He plays the corner outfield positions and first base. Not a great fielder, he's likely a trade option if the team needs to fill gaps other places.


Down on the Farm


Overall, the Dodgers are still 24^th out of 26 teams. Last year's top prospect, Paul Sorrento, is gone, but LA traded for a Reds top prospect and that essentially evened the system out. Last year's draft wasn't good enough and the team is very weak in it's development. The top system is still in Atlanta where their top 5 prospects are all higher than the Dodgers top, but a long way. Randy Johnson is 4^th, Ramon Martinez is 12, Tom Glavine is 16, Tommy Greene is 19 and Juan Gonzalez is 51^st.


Here are the top guys in LA:


#1 OF Lee Stevens – A first round pick in 1985, by the Reds, Stevens will start the year in AA San Antonio, having played A ball all of last year. Acquired along with Frank DiPino in the trade that sent Tony Phillips away. He is the #74 prospect in the majors. He has a good eye and a high contact rate, along with gap power. He's a big guy, but only 20, so maybe his power has yet to develop.


#2 SS Chuck Jackson – A former supplemental first round pick in '83. Jackson is the #133 prospect in baseball. He's come up for a cup of coffee each of the last 2 years, playing 16 games last year. His total dominance of AAA hasn't translated over yet. The only positions he can't play are catcher and first base making him quite valuable. Above average defender with plus speed, he lost out when Ozzie Smith came over.


#3 C Bill Haselman – A guy the Dodgers liked so well, that they drafted him twice. His holdout resulted in a selection a whopping 7 slots higher, going in the 2^nd round last year. He's a big guy who may not be set at Catcher, could move to the out field. An average defender, he doesn't stand out in any area. Starts the season in rookie ball.


#4 P Arthur Rhodes – Another 2^nd round pick from last season. Rhodes has a high 80's, low 90's fastball , but also throws an assortment of other pitches that make him likely to run as a starter. He's young, only 18, so he'll need time to develop. Scouts like his stuff, but he stays high in the zone making hitters able to drive the ball on him.


#5 IF Tommy Hinzo – A former 4^th round pick of the Seattle Mariners, he was signed by LA in '86 as a free agent. Hinzo played in 158 games between A and AA last season, getting 666 at bats. He stole 61 bases in 106 attempts and had 181 base hits. Shows good range with ++ speed. Will start the year in A ball.


#6 OF Kevin Koslofski – Normall, I wouldn't do a number 6, but my god, this shows the lack of any quality in this system. Koslofski came over in the deal with the Padres that sent DeCinces away in exchange for the renting of Dave Dravecky. He somehow got a part of that deal, even though the Padres were his 9^th team between '83 and '87. He'd been released by 8 other teams, so it's not like the Dodgers never had a shot at him. He only elevated to A ball last year, where he hit .262 with 15 stolen bases. He'll start in A ball this year.


That's it for the tour around the team for 1988.


IT'S TIME FOR DODGERS BASEBALL!!!!