What The Dodgers 2012 Team Will Look Like

What will the Dodgers look like in 2012? Will they stay the course of the youth movement? I can't predict the future unfortunately. What I can do is some reasearch and analysis and put it all together. Of course this is purely speculation, but I am sure it will come across informative for most of you. Maybe in 2012 we will take a moment to look back and see how I did. I want to give credit to Ed Price from Baseball America as I used his ratings of the Dodgers top prospects for this post.

What will the Dodgers look like without Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal and others? Some big names and big contracts look to come off the books between now and the end of the 2011 season. Furcal will be gone for sure which leaves us without a shortstop and a leadoff hitter. Manny Ramirez will be creeping on 40 and figures to be playing as a DH in the American League. Subtract huge contracts, star-power, and big stats. Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, and Hiroki Kuroda all will likely be goners. The four biggest contracts all gone, along with some great players will be difficult to replace.

Now that we have discussed who won't be here let's look at some of the great players down in the minors waiting to make a name for themselves. It's time to dive in and take a look at what's in store the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

Dee Gordon is probably the best pure athlete the Dodgers have in the minor league system. He is in a world class league when it comes to his natural speed and defense. He is a natural fit for the Dodgers batting leadoff, and playing shortstop. Ivan DeJesus Jr. is another solid prospect in the Dodgers system right now, however he recently suffered a major injury and he will have to bounce back well in 2010 in order to make it to the majors. DeJesus Jr. should bounce back, but he or Gordon will have to make a position change in order to fit in the same lineup. DeJesus makes the most sense, but only because Gordon is so good defensively.

The Dodgers have the future of the pitching staff set with all the great young arms they have in the minors. Ethan Martin, Aaron Miller, Josh Lindblom, Chris Withrow, and Nathan Eovaldi. Of course I am going with the assumption that the Dodgers stick with the youth movement and don't trade any of these guys.

Some players who aren't even on the top prospect radar that I could see competing in 2012 are Trayvon Robinson. He is a switch hitting center-fielder with tremendous speed and a natural eye for the ball. I predict him to be the future center-fielder, except 2012 may be a little too soon. There is also a name I am just starting to get familiar with, Kyle Russell. This guy is a stud and has unbelievable power and has some serious speed to go with it. Last season he hit .272 but had a lot of strikeouts, but he tallied 26 homers, 102 RBI, 90 runs, 20 steals, a .371 on-base percentage and a .545 slugging percentage.

Projected 2012 Starting Lineup

SS-Dee Gordon
1B-James Loney

RF-Andre Ethier

CF-Matt Kemp
LF-Andrew Lambo

C-Russell Martin
3B-Blake DeWitt

2B-Ivan DeJesus Jr.

Bench

IF-Pedro Baez

OF-Kyle Russell

C-A.J. Ellis

OF-Trayvon Robinson

Pitching Rotation

SP-Chad Billingsley

SP-Clayton Kershaw

SP-Josh Lindblom

SP-Aaron Miller

SP-Chris Withrow

RP-Scott Elbert

RP-Cory Wade

RP-Ramon Troncoso

RP-Brent Leach

SU-James McDonald

CL-Jonathon Broxton

All in all things look pretty good for the Dodgers. I fully expect that Don Mattingly will have taken over as manager for the Dodgers by 2012, and he has got a pretty good crew to work with. The fact that all of these spots can be filled adequately enough, and still having a competitive team on the field shows that the Dodgers may not be as bad off as some may think. All I know is it's going to be interesting to see how the next few years play out.

Baseball America: Top Dodgers Prospects

The Dodgers have two prospects in Baseball America's Top 100 this year. Shortstop prospect Dee Gordon ranked in at 46 overall. Gordon is by far the best position player the Dodgers have in the minors right now. He got a very good prospect grade of 80 from the BA crew. BA projects his arrival to the majors to happen in 2012. Chris Withrow wasn't too far behind Gordon as he ranked in at number 48 overall. Known for his electric fastball and his ability to throw strikes, BA says we should see Withrow sometime around mid 2011.

Of course former Dodgers prospect Carlos Santana is ranked number 10 overall this year. Another former Josh Bell is ranked number 37 overall. You remember the names Carlos Santana and Josh Bell right? These were two prospects that Ned Colletti decided to send away to the Indians (Santana) and to the Orioles (Bell) because the Dodgers didn't want to pick up all of the remaining dollars on Casey Blake's and George Sherrill's contracts.

Not a whole lot else going on here unfortunately. You can check out BaseballAmerica.com for the complete list.

Hoping To Rebound: Russell Martin's 2010 Fantasy Analysis

Russell Martin was arguably the biggest disappointment for the Dodgers in 2009. He was also a huge disappointment for fantasy owners across the world, including yours truly. I found myself in denial the entire season, as a huge Russell Martin fan, and a fantasy owner.

After back to back All-Star seasons, Russell Martin seemingly forgot how to be a major league baseball player. He still walked at a better-than-average rate and stole a handful of bases, but his power completely evaporated, and his seven homers and nineteen doubles were both career lows. So after a season of struggles from start to finish, and without any signs of resurgence during the season, drafting Russell Martin comes with one unanswered question, What the heck happened to this guy? Everybody joking or not blamed the "J" on the back of Martin's 2009 jersey. The Dodgers blame a lack of confidence over a lack of ability, which makes sense considering he's only 27, and just entering the prime years of his career. I personally think his struggles can be blamed on the yoga, and the great shape Martin got himself into last off-season. Last year he reported to camp significantly thinner. I think the weight loss attributed to his loss of power, and the rest of his troubles at the plate last season. 

Ready for some good news? On the day pitchers and catchers had to report to training camp, Russell Martin walked into the Dodgers’ clubhouse with added muscle that he said made him look “like a fullback.” Back when Martin had his near 20-20 season he weighed about 218-225 according to Dylan Hernandez. Martin said he weighed 206-207 pounds at the start of camp last year. He said he weighs 231 pounds now. So adding muscle and 24 pounds sounds good right? Well if there is any hope of Martin rebounding, some muscle and weight is a good start.

Obviously there is no significant evidence of an impending rebound.  Martin comes with a huge amount of uncertainty in this years draft. I am predicting right now that Martin rebounds, and maybe even earns himself a Comeback Player of the Year award. I honestly believe the weight loss, the death of his mother, and lack of focus were the keys to Martin's disaster season. While Martin has had a chance to regroup and refocus, and has taken the off-season to beef up and put on some weight, the loss of a loved one, especially your mother is something that is impossible to forget. I do think that Martin has properly dealt with the loss of his mother at this point, and is ready more than ever to play baseball.

2010 Mock drafts show Martin is projected to be drafted somewhere between rounds 10 and 13, so he is definitely worth a middle-round pick in case he does rebound. Tim Dierkes from RotoAuthority.com ranks Russell Martin as the number five overall catcher for 2010 fantasy baseball. I personally don't see any reason Martin shouldn't be in the top 5, and he should be a huge steal in the middle rounds if you can draft him. On draft day if Martin is still there in round 12, trust me when I say draft him.

Around The Bases: News In Quote Form

Some quotes from around the Dodgers' dugout today. I found them interesting, so I hope you do to. All of these are coming from Dylan Hernandez via Twitter. Hey at least somebody has found a way to put their Twitter account to good use.

Matt Kemp, "I'm not a celebrity. I'm a baseball player, man."

GM Ned Colletti on Manny's next contract, "it's not a priority for me today." This guy can really say some stupid stuff sometimes.

Manny: "I know I'm not going to be here." 

Torre on Manny saying this is his last year in LA: "Maybe me too."

Around The Bases: Dodgers Weekend Roundup

Dodgers pitchers and catchers reported this weekend, and if you are looking for the latest updates you can check out Dylan Hernandez from the L.A. Times. Hernandez is providing daily coverage via Twitter, and he is covering all sorts of good stuff.

Curious about the details surrounding the incident involving Vicente Padilla shooting himself. The L.A. Times has the full story, and you can check it out here. Yeah this is the guy that is going to be in our starting rotation this year. 

Diamond Leung (dang I miss this guy) confirms that Eric Gagne will be wearing his familiar # 38 this season. He notes that Ramon Troncoso gave him the number and he will be wearing # 67 instead this year. 

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com is reporting that Joe Torre has said he plans on managing in 2011. I would imagine that this would probably be the end of the road for Torre. Let's hope the Dodgers and Torre can pull out a championship before they reach the end of the road.

The Game Is Not Over Yet, Eric Gagne Signs With Dodgers

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com is reporting that Eric Gagne has signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The reports have been confirmed by the L.A. Times, ESPN, and many others. The deal is reportedly worth $500,000 if he makes the roster and up to another $500,000 in incentives.

We have heard for months that Gagne has been wanting to make a comeback, and he has been hoping for a reunion with the Dodgers. Well Gagne got his wish, as he is on his way back to the majors, well almost. Here's the deal, Gagne's chances of getting back to the Dodgers bullpen is slim at best.

Gagne faces a mountain of obstacles before he gets a shot at the bigs again. The reality is Gagne is a former steroid user, and it's hard to think he would have found the same success if not for the PED's. It's hard to think Gagne will ever be the same Gagne from 2004. While the idea of hearing "Welcome To The Jungle" blaring throughout Dodger Stadium is a wonderful thought, the reality is it remains very unlikely. It seems as though the Rockies and Dodgers saw something worth pursuing in order to offer a deal to the former Cy Young winner.

Last year he played for the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am League as a starting pitcher. In 17 starts, he went 6-6 with a 4.65 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings. Gagne originally was a starter for the Dodgers before moving to the bullpen in 2002. Based on these stats, and assuming a move back to the bullpen is in order, I guess you could say there is a chance he can be effective again. It may be a teeny tiny chance, but it's a chance.

Don't get me wrong I am pulling for Gagne, I really am. I just don't want this to turn into something it's not. If you are expecting to hear "Welcome To The Jungle," and see Game Over lit up everywhere this season, well I regret to inform you that you are probably going to be very disappointed.

Is Matt Kemp 2010's Top Ranked Fantasy Outfielder?

Tough debate going on in fantasy baseball land these days. Topic of discussion, who is the top fantasy outfielder in 2010? Apparently it's a tough choice between Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp. Most people will tell you Braun is the clear number one, history tells us he is the clear number one. It seems as though Matt Kemp is out to take the throne in 2010. He seems to be winning fans and players over as a large case is being made for Kemp around the web. In some leagues Kemp is being drafted as early as fourth overall, and never lasts past the sixth pick. Braun seems to be going fifth overall almost every single time.

In 2009, Kemp batted .297 with 26 home runs, 101 RBI, 97 runs scored and  if that wasn't enough he stole 34 bases. This performance has turned Kemp into a fantasy baseball stud. Let's not forget he won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove, yeah 2009 was a good year for the Bison.

I will admit that Kemp seems to be have a lot of hype following him into the 2010 season. I will also admit that most of the hype is warranted. However Kemp is not a top five player entering the 2010 season. He is worth a pick at sixth overall, and will be gone in the first round. Kemp will easily be a 20/20 player in 2010, and there is no reason to think he can't be a 30/30 player. Kemp will be only 25 when the season starts, meaning he could be even bigger and better in 2010. His young age tells us he should repeat his 2009 performance. Kemp could be an All-Star putting up MVP numbers by the end of 2010. The sky is still the limit for this young stud, and is worth every bit of your first round pick this spring.
 
Despite all the hype, and all the talk, Matt Kemp is not the number one fantasy outfielder in 2010. That title belongs to Ryan Braun, and though a good case could be made for Kemp, Braun is the clear number one. Do not be foolish and spend a top three pick on Kemp, or Braun for that matter. If Kemp falls to you somewhere between the fourth and seventh pick you should give some serious thought to drafting Matt Kemp.

DodgersRumors Fantasy Baseball League Now Forming

Fantasy baseball season will be here before you know it. I am bringing back the DodgersRumors.com roto league for a second year. Two teams have already been filled (mine and the second place team from last year). My team is Blue Man Group, and no I don't like those ridiculous noise makers.

The draft will take place on Sunday March 6th at 6pm PST.  I've decided to do a standard live snake draft, as I want our league to be as close to standard as possible. Do not apply for the league if you can't make this time and date! Please note: If you do not have five to ten minutes a day to spend on your team do not apply!

If you agree to the above and want in, make your case in the comments of this post.  Please don't send me any emails about it. Please do include your email address in your comment.  Just tell me why you want in, and why you want to play.  I will close this thread off Tuesday February 23, and then I'll pick the entrants. If you are picked I will send you league information by email shortly after picking the winners.

In order to keep the league competitive, and also giving new people a chance to play each year, I will be kicking out the bottom four teams at the end of the season. The top eight teams will have the option of returning the following season. Important note: If I finish in the bottom four, I am going to break my rule and keep playing anyway. 

League Name: DodgersRumors.com
League Details: Rotisserie style with AVG, HR, RBI, R, SB, ERA, WHIP, W, K, and SV.  12 teams.  The league will be played daily on Yahoo. 162 max games played, 1500 IP for pitchers. No max acquisitions, or trades. No waivers and trades are processed instantly. Some rules and settings are open for changes.
Roster Positions: C, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, IF, LF, CF, RF, OF, Util, SP, SP, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, BN, BN, BN, DL, DL

I will be starting a new series appropriately titled Dodgers Fantasy Baseball. During this series I will be evaluating the fantasy value of each Dodger player, providing fantasy analysis, and other fantasy baseball information. I will also be providing weekly updates on the league, and fantasy help for players in the league and anyone else that wants it.

DodgersRumors H2H Fantasy Baseball League Now Forming

Fantasy baseball season will be here before you know it. I am starting a head to head league for my non roto-league fans. My team is Blue Man Group, and no I don't like those ridiculous noise makers.

The draft will take place on Sunday March 14th at 6pm PST.  I've decided to do a standard live snake draft, as I want our league to be as close to standard as possible. Do not apply for the league if you can't make this time and date! Please note: If you do not have five to ten minutes a day to spend on your team do not apply!

If you agree to the above and want in, make your case in the comments of this post.  Please don't send me any emails about it. Do not forget to include your email address in your comment. Just tell me why you want in, and why you want to play.  I will close this thread off Tuesday February 23, and then I'll pick the entrants. If you are picked I will send you league information by email shortly after picking the winners.

In order to keep the league competitive, and also giving new people a chance to play each year, I will be kicking out the bottom four teams at the end of the season. The top eight teams will have the option of returning the following season. Important note: If I finish in the bottom four, I am going to break my rule and keep playing anyway. 

League Name: DodgersRumors.com H2H
League Details: Head to Head style with AVG, HR, RBI, R, SB, ERA, WHIP, W, K, and SV.  12 teams.  The league will be played on Yahoo. Some rules and settings are open for changes. No max moves or trades. No waivers and trades are processed instantly.


Roster Positions: C, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, IF, LF, CF, RF, OF, Util, SP, SP, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, BN, BN, BN, DL, DL
H2H Rules: Scoring starts week 1, playoffs begin on week 24 and end week 25. 2 Divisions.

I will be starting a new series appropriately titled Dodgers Fantasy Baseball. During this series I will be evaluating the fantasy value of each Dodger player, providing fantasy analysis, and other fantasy baseball information. I will also be providing weekly updates on the league, and fantasy help for players in the league and anyone else that wants it.

What Manny Ramirez Means To The Dodgers In 2010

We already know that Manny Ramirez seriously considered opting out of his deal with the Dodgers to return to the American League for a designated-hitter role. What does Manny have planned for the 2010 season? Will Manny revert to the headcase in Boston? Does Manny have what it takes to repeat the Manny Mania of 2008? The fact is that nobody knows what Manny Ramirez will show up this season. Manny knows it's in his best interest to put together a solid season in 2010. That is of course if he has any plans on playing in 2011. If the 2010 Chone Projections are right, he will. Projections have Manny hitting .280/.374/.511, and putting up 24 homers with 78 RBI's. Not too shabby for a 38 year old. These numbers seem attainable, and I think he can post these numbers with no problem. No matter what numbers Manny puts up this season one thing is for certain, Manny Ramirez will not be playing for the Dodgers in 2011.

We have already heard from Joe Torre on his plans for Manny in 2010. Torre plans on providing regular rest in hopes of keeping him fresh all season. "I expect he'll play a little less and give his legs a chance to stay strong," general manager Ned Colletti said. "He's been in contact with Joe, who said he sounds great, is working hard, is in a good frame of mind."

What impact will Manny have in 2010? If he can stay off the suspension and disabled list, Manny will have a significant impact in 2010. The fact is Manny is still Manny, and as long as he is healthy he should produce solid numbers. Manny will make any team better, and he will make any lineup more deadly and respectable as long as he is in it. I am not so sure how much the Dodgers need Manny in order to win. The Dodgers had a suspended and ineffective Manny for the majority of last season and still managed to make it to the NLCS. Had he been around and been effective, the Dodgers may have found themselves in the World Series for this first time in over twenty years. Manny could have been the difference maker last season.

What about 2011 when Manny departs to the American League to look for a full time DH role? What will the Dodgers do then? Replacing someone like Manny Ramirez is not a very easy task. Just ask the Giants, they are still trying to replace the bat that was once known as Barry Bonds. The free agent market is not very promising, and there are zero options after Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth on the 2011 free agent list. Both players will have plenty of suitors, and I don't see Werth leaving the Phillies. The Dodgers will not be satisfied with internal options, and will look to the free agent market for the answer. Since the free agent market options look doubtful, I fully expect the Dodgers to look at trading Manny in July. One scenario that comes to mind, Manny to the Cleveland Indians for Grady Sizemore. Everyone is expecting Sizemore to be traded this summer, and a reunion between Manny and the Indians could present a best case scenario for both parties. Trading Manny is the best case scenario for the Dodgers, but don't count on Colletti pulling it off.

Around The Bases

Not a lot going on this week after the flurry of signings last week. While we count down the days to Spring Training, here is what else is going on around the web.


Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has an article regarding James McDonald. It seems McDonald has big plans for 2010.


MSTI analyzes the Dodgers signing of Jamey Carroll. I gotta agree with this one, Colletti misread the market completely. We probably could have had Felipe Lopez for the same money we spent on Carroll.


Steve Dilbeck of the L.A Times takes a look at the rotation of questions regarding the Dodgers pitching in 2010.

Dylan Hernandez is tweeting the Dodgers are likely to stand pat with their current starting pitching options. He also says that the Dodgers won't look to make any moves until the deadline approaches in July.

Dodgers Move On From Wang

Jon Heyman has a pair of tweets regarding the Dodgers interest in Chien-Ming Wang. Heyman first tweeted this morning that the Dodgers may be one of the two finalists for Wang since Dodgers execs Ned Colletti and Logan White were watching him throw this morning. Heyman later tweeted that the Dodgers have "pulled out of the Wang derby."

Dylan Hernandez is also tweeting the Dodgers are moving on from Wang.

The Washington Nationals seem to be the favorite at this point.

Brian Giles Signs Minor League Deal With Dodgers

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com is reporting a minor league deal between Brian Giles and the Los Angeles Dodgers is official. Giles will compete for a fifth outfielder or pinch hitter role in Spring Training. Giles, who will begin the season at the ripe age of 39, has a tough uphill battle ahead.  Had this signing taken place about four years ago, this signing would actually be good news. Instead Giles who struggled terribly in 2009, managed to hit .191 in 61 games. Giles has an opt-out clause in the contract, should he not make the major league club.

What does this signing mean? Absolutely nothing! Giles is washed up, and this becomes another unnecessary signing by Ned Colletti. I don't get it, I really don't. We have plenty of young guys begging for an opportunity, and Colletti continues to throw money down the toilet on guys like Giles and Ramon Ortiz.

Around The Bases

Here are some links from around the web to celebrate the Ramon Ortiz signing earlier today.

Dylan Hernandez provides us with the link for the L.A. Times new Dodgers blog. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/ Former L.A. Daily News columnist and Dodgers beat writer Steve Dilbeck will be heading up the new blog.

Sons of Steve Garvey provides an early look at the even uglier 2010 Spring Training baseball caps.

Chad from Memories of Kevin Malone takes a deeper look at the outcome of the Carlos Santana trade. This is the best read of the week so far, so get reading. Chad appropriately closes the book on this one by saying "there's a lot of angles one can attempt to defend Colletti from, but that trade is clearly not one of them."

Ramon Ortiz Signs Minor League Deal With Dodgers

Alright this is just getting out of hand now. Honestly, I laughed out loud when I saw this. Somebody needs to tell Ned Colletti you can only have one AAA team. He must be trying to set a record or something. Anyway back to Ramon Ortiz, he sucks.

It shames me to even have to add his name to my minor league transactions page. There are so many players on this list it has become ridiculous. Colletti is a numbers guy. He knows that if you throw enough crap on the wall something will eventually stick.

...Or Maybe Not, Colletti Signs Weaver and Amezaga

Call me an idiot for thinking our roster was full, but I guess Colletti wanted 42 players on the 40 man roster. I don't get it. Isn't this a little overboard? I understand the need for depth in your roster, but seriously? In case you haven't heard the Dodgers and Jeff Weaver agreed to a minor league deal worth $800K. As of about 9pm last night the deal was official, according to Dylan Hernandez. Don't worry Colletti didn't forget to include the incentives on this one either. Hernandez is tweeting he can earn another $100K in incentives based on performance.

So that makes 41 players on a 40 man roster? Technically not really since Jeff Weaver signed a minor league deal. The Dodgers are going to want Weaver to contribute at the major league level, otherwise they wouldn't have signed him. The Dodgers got around this by giving him a minor league deal, and therefore putting off the tough roster decision that will ultimately have to be made. In order for someone to be added to the 40 man roster someone will have to be removed. Repko's days as a Dodger could be numbered. Maybe can trade him to the Pirates...

Dylan Hernandez also says the Dodgers and utilityman Alfredo Amezaga agreed on a minor league deal yesterday. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the deal is worth $650K, with up to another $800K in incentives. Amezaga is essentially the new backup shortstop for the Dodgers, but some obstacles remain in the way. The first issue is Amezaga becomes number 42 on the 40 man roster, we covered this above. The next problem is we have a ridiculous amount of competition for this job. Nick Green, Chin-lung Hu, Angel Berroa, and now Amezaga are all hoping for the same role on the bench. I am sorry but what a waste of money and time. Hu would've been fine for the Dodgers bench, but somebody apparently hates this guy and instead wants some overpaid garbage to do the job instead. So with Hu out, this leaves Green, Berroa, and Amezaga to battle it out. Out of these three guys I will take Amezaga anyday. First of all Berroa is one of the worst major league players I have ever seen. For that reason he will be left out of the conversation entirely. Green never made a lot of sense, he can barely hit and his defense is average at best. Amezaga brings the ability to be a super utilityman since he can play every position but pitcher and catcher. Defensively Amezaga is above average at most positions, which alone seals the deal in my opinion. He is also a switch-hitter which will help his case, since the Dodgers have an all righty bench currently.

There are going to be a lot of guys waiting for a phone call in Albuquerque in 2010.

Dodgers Check Back In On Chien-Ming Wang

We found out in the beginning of December that the Dodgers were interested in Wang's services. Mark J. Miller of Yahoo Sports provides some new details regarding the free agent right-hander. Miller says the Dodgers are one of the four or five remaining teams interested in Wang. Miller also says that Wang had originally wanted to wait a few months to make a decision, but the interest in his services may force him to make a decision prior to the end of Spring Training. The Dodgers have made their interest well known and they have reviewed Wang's medical records, according to Dylan Hernandez.

Miller later adds that "the Los Angeles Dodgers apparently took a look at Chien-Ming Wang and the consensus was apparently that he's got a few months to go before he is healthy enough to contribute to a big-league club."

Wang is a perfect fit for the Dodgers, especially in the pitcher friendly Dodger Stadium. Wang has a high ground-ball ratio, and has an excellent supporting cast defensively to support him. Wang's scenario is often getting compared to Pedro Martinez's situation last year. Considering the similarities I can see how this makes sense. One important detail I notice being left off is the ten year age difference between the two players. While the Dodgers passed on Pedro last season due to the high risk which later backfired, Colletti and the Dodgers would be foolish to pass up this opportunity.

Dodgers Sign Reed Johnson, Colletti Done Shopping

The Dodgers filled the last spot on the 40 man roster today by signing Reed Johnson to a one year deal. Dylan Hernandez is tweeting that the deal is official after Johnson passed the physical yesterday afternoon. The deal is worth $800K in guaranteed money, and Johnson can earn up to $250K in incentives based on games played and plate appearances.

Other than the fact that Johnson plays a pretty good leftfield, I don't see how this signing makes any sense. He can't really hit all that well, and is mediocre at best at everything else. Jason Repko or Xavier Paul could have gotten the same job done in 2010. I knew Colletti was going to waste money on a fourth outfielder, oh well.

Ned Colletti is justifying the signing by saying, “Reed is a versatile outfielder that comes to the ballpark ready to play every day,” said Colletti. “We’re excited to have him with the Dodgers. He provides Joe with a few defensive choices since he has played all three outfield positions in his career.”

Last season, Johnson hit .255 with four homers and 22 RBI in 65 games. One big plus was his ability to hit .324 against left-handed pitching, and .455 with the bases loaded. On top of that Johnson is a career .294 hitter with runners in scoring position. What lies ahead for Repko and Paul?