Dodgers Are Thinking About Getting Younger

Remember when I was saying that the Dodgers needed to get younger? Well it appears that the Dodgers might possibly be thinking the same thing. According to the latest article from Mark Saxon, the Dodgers are looking to add some youth onto the roster while maintaining competitive, and not taking on anymore lousy contracts to veterans. So basically the Dodgers want their cake and eat it too.

That’s certainly going to be hard to do with all of the bloated contracts already on the club. Sadly, I think we may have seen the last of Hanley Ramirez. The Dodgers will probably make him a qualifying offer just to cover their butts. That way if he declines at least they’ll pick up a draft pick if he signs with somebody else. I would think Hanley would probably turn down the qualifying offer to test the free agent market in order to get a multi-year deal. Or at least that’s what everyone is saying. It sounds likely to happen.

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Saxon waxes philosophical about the old guys, and Joc Pederson possibly going through some growing pains in his development. If they do play Joc, they may have to move one of the veterans, which would be either Andre Ethier, or Carl Crawford. Both players are on bloated contracts. Ethier’s was signed by Guggenheim, but Crawford’s was inherited in the Nick Punto trade of 2012.

The Dodgers also still have Erisbel Arruebarrena and Alexander Guerrero to help with the infield. I think if Hanley doesn’t come back, we’re looking at Arruebarrena as the starting shortstop for 2015. I’m sure Guerrero would get some playing time there as well. Another platoon situation probably. Yuck, Don Mattingly just loves those. I just hate platoons in general, but the above mentioned players are fine.

Arruebarrena will be a fine shortstop, but the offense would take a big hit. I’m not sure how the Dodgers would replace Hanley’s offense. Especially since the speculation is that the club is trying to get the payroll down to a more manageable 200 million dollars.

That means that they won’t be signing any major free agent starting pitcher this winter. The Dodgers will need to find another starter, but it could probably end up being another Dan Haren type, according to Saxon. I guess meh.

The farm system still sucks of course. It’s going to take a lot of time and smart draft picks in order to rebuild it. In the meantime it will be interesting to see if the Dodgers can stay a first place club while trying to pare down payroll and go with more youngsters as the veterans continue to age.