01-31-08 - The Master Plan is Unfolding

When Ned Colletti joined the Dodgers everyone lamented that he was a Brain Sabean Clone and would gut our farm system.  Instead, Ned Colletti surrounded himself with a cadre of solid talent evaluators and sound baseball people, and then listened to their imput.  The farm system was not gutted and is still in excellent condition, even with the graduation of many of it’s students.  At this juncture, I have to believe that the baseball people in the Dodgers organization are among the best, if not THE best, in all of baseball.  Consider who we have:  De Jon Watson, Kim Ng, Logan White, Tim Hallgren, Bill Lajoie, Toney Howell, Vance Lovelace, Bill Mueller, Mark Weidemaier, Rick Ragazzo, Luchy  Guerra -  That’s a pretty impressive (and eclectic) mix of baseball people, and Ned evidently values their input.

I think the master plan includes continual development and growth from a farm system that wants to be the best in baseball and puts the best handlers and teachers of players on the field (guys like Torre, Bowa, Easler, Mattingly, Clines, McCray and Vizcaino - that is obvious.  However, I think the master plan runs much deeper than that.  Part of that plan includes replacing Ned himself with Logan White. 

No, Ned won’t leave the organization - he’ll become President of the Dodgers, but Logan White will assume the General Manager position, maybe as early as 2008!.  Kim Ng will be tricky to keep, but her responsibilities could be expanded and her talents utilized even more.  I think the plan still includes Donnie Mattingly becoming manager in three years, but his current issues could impact that (stay tuned).  I could see Bill Mueller becoming a manager someday…How about the master plan on the field?  Well, it’s obvious that it is unfolding as well.   Ned has made some bad deals (Tomko, Hendrickson, et al), but he hasn’t sold the farm.  Julio Lugo netted us Chris Withrow, so stay tuned.  Chad Billingsley is poised to become our ace, even though Brad Penny still stands tall and James Loney, Russ Martin and Matt Kemp are all on the fast track to stardom!  Clayton Kershaw, James McDonald,  Chin Lung Hu, Tony Abreu, Greg Miller and others are poised to move up the rank and file. 

Lowe is in his walk year and is pitching for a contract.  Although he is not part of our future, he could have a career year as he tries for the big payolla!  Schmidt, Kuroda and Loaiza cost us only money, not players.  All may pay dividends this year!   The plan has simply been this:

1. BUILD FROM WITHIN;
2. Build a tight infractructure;
3. Grow the farm;
4. Pay for talent;
5. Go back to #1.

We had the highest payroll in the NL last year - Ned is not afraid to spend McCourt’s money, and we will be close to the top again this year.   McCourt understands that he has to spend and he is making the Dodgers into a “machine.”  

We see the plan at work with the sale of DJ Houlton and the signing of Ramon Martinez along with the signings of Chan Ho Park, Mike Myers and Tom Martin.  Mixing youth and vets is often difficult, as Grady Little learned last year, thus Joe Torre replaced Grady Little.  Joe will oversee the handing of the baton to his successor and then ride off into the sunset.  While the Mets may be the favorites to win the NL with the addition of Santana, don’t forget for a minute that we have a guy that is only 20 years old who might be just as good…

Andy LaRoche is poised to breakout and that’s just for starters.   My candidate as a darkhorse to make the team this year is Justin Orenduff!   This guy can be a great middle reliever.  This is going to be one fine season.  Spring Training needs to start soon!  Let’s get ready….

This can’t hurt either.  According to Josh Rawitch on his Inside the Dodgers Blog:  …for those who missed the news over the weekend, Rafael Furcal’s eighth-inning, tie-breaking, game-winning homer gave the Aguilas a 2-1 victory for the Dominican League title. Furcal hit .361 with a .395 OBP during the regular season and then led all Dominican players during the round-robin tournament in RBI (15) and stolen bases (7). He was tied for the lead with three triples and second in the league with 27 hits. During the playoffs, he got on base at a .398 clip and posted a .440 slugging percentage.   Judging from those numbers, I’d say he’s back in playing shape and ready for position players to report in less than a month!

A healthy Furcal in his walk year, playing for a new contract, in the prime of his life could put up a career year in 2008.  I could see him with a .310 BA/.380 OB%/18 HR and 45 SB - that would be awesome at the top of our lineup.

IN CASE NO ONE HAS NOTICED, WE NOW HAVE ONLY 38 PLAYERS ON OUR 40-MAN ROSTER…  HUMMMMM!  IS SOMETHING BREWING?  Is it just Seanez and Sweeney or more than that?