This is a project where 30 people got together to act as the GMs of the 30 MLB teams with the idea of conducting the offseason in one week. This is what happened in this simulation, not a prediction of what will happen in real life.

By Bob Lowe

As the third team left standing in Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers mostly stood pat in the offseason.

The big additions to the 2017 roster:

-Slugging outfielder Ryan Braun

-Third baseman Luis Valbuena

-Second baseman Sean Rodriguez

Notable free agent signings were:

-RP Kenley Jansen

-LHP Rich Hill

Notable deletions are:

-Third baseman Justin Turner

-OF Yasiel Puig

-LHP JP Howell

-OF Josh Reddick

-RP Joe Blanton

The Dodger hot stove started with arbitration. The Boys in Blue offered arbitration to all eligible players, partly due to the relatively affordable cost of each player.

The blockbuster of the offseason was sending of OF Yasiel Puig and RHP Brandon McCarthy to Milwaukee for OF Ryan Braun. The salaries of the duo match Braun’s 19 million. Puig ends a soap opera of career in LA. He had an incredible start and then tailed off. However, after joining the club for September and the playoffs, he was a solid contributor for the club. McCarthy was expendable, although moving a southpaw would have been a better move.

As for Braun, he addresses the team’s biggest weakness: lack of a strong bat vs. LHPs. The Hebrew Hammer returns to his hometown with a .304 career batting average and 285 home runs. However, his .344 batting average vs. LHPs in 2016 addresses a big achilles heel for LA.

He will join Joc Pederson in the outfield. Expect Andrew Toles and Andrew Ethier to see time against RHPs. When lefties are on the bump, Trace Thompson, Howie Kendrick and Kike Hernandez can fill the holes.

Adrian Gonzalez is back at first base. He carried the team early in the year and is a clubhouse leader. Kendrick and Hernandez can spell new 2B Sean Rodriguez. MLP ROY Cory Seager is penned in at shortstop for 2017 and beyond.

At third base, the Dodgers were outbid for Justin Turner. He had a career year for LAD and will be missed in the clubhouse and on defense. However, this move could benefit the Dodgers since Turner has been injury prone. Replacing him will former Houston Luis Valbuena. He arrives after a career-best .816 OPS in 2016.

The Dodgers will enter 2017 with a familiar top-three starting rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda. Julio Urias could land a spot, but they may micromanage his innings again next year. Scott Kazmir. Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brett Anderson return from injury trouble. Jose DeLeon could be a factor, but his innings will be managed. Ross Stripling keeps the spot starter long-relief role. Alex Wood is an option, too.

In the bullpen, LAD paid closer Kenley Jansen was strategically paid 22.4 million, cementing the Curacao native below Keshaw but ahead of Gonzalez as the second highest paid Dodger. Pedro Baez, Adam Liberatore, Luis Avilan, Grant Dayton and Chris Hatcher bolster the LAD pen.

Behind the plate, Yasmani Grandal and Carlos Ruiz provide a solid crew. Grandal switch hits and can spell Adrian Gonzalez at first base. Ruiz offers a clutch righty bat off the bench, too.

On paper, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the cast to capture its fifth straight National League West Title in 2017.

Pos’n ML Srv Agent Length / Total Value 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
  Kershaw, Clayton lhp-s 7.105 Excel Sports 7 yr/$215M (14-20) $34,571,429 $35.57 $35.57 $34.57 $35.57 FA
  Gonzalez, Adrian 1b 10.108 John Bogg 7 yr/$154M (12-18) $21,857,143 $22.36 $22.36 FA    
  Ethier, Andre cf 9.153 CAA Sports 5 yr/$85M (13-17)+18 cl opt $18,000,000 $17.50 $2.50      
  Anderson, Brett lhp-s 7 Legacy Agency 1 yr/$15.8M (16) $15,800,000          
  Kazmir, Scott lhp-s 9.119 Legacy Agency 3 yr/$48M (16-18) $12,666,667 $17.67 $17.67 FA    
  Valbuena, Luis 3b         $6.10        
  Jansen, Kenley rhp-c 5.073 Wasserman Media (prev Joshua Kusnick, Double Diamond Sports Mgt) 1 yr/$10.65M (16) $10,650,000 22.4        
  Kendrick, Howie 2b 9.091 Reynolds Sports 2 yr/$20M (16-17) $10,000,000 $10.00 FA      
  Ruiz, Carlos c 9.069 Marc Kligman 3 yr/$26M (14-16)+17 cl opt $8,500,000 $0.50        
  Ryan Braun OF         $19.00        
  Hill, Rich lhp-s 6.127 ACES 1 yr/$6M (16) $6,000,000 17.1        
  Rodriguez, Sean 2b         5.1        
  Maeda, Kenta rhp-s 0 Wasserman Media, Adam Katz 8 yr/$25M (16-23) $3,125,000 $3.13 $3.13 $3.13 $3.13 $3.13
  Grandal, Yasmani c 3.115 Legacy Agency 1 yr/$2.8M (16) $2,800,000 2,800,000 A3 FA    
  Coleman, Louis rhp 3.018 Frontline 1 yr/$0.725M (16) $725,000 725,000 A3 FA    
  Baez, Pedro rhp 1.059 Kelvin Nova 1 yr/$0.52M (16) $520,000 520,000 A1 A2 A3 FA
  Hernandez, Enrique “Kike” 2b-ss 1.054 Rep 1 Baseball 1 yr/$0.52M (16) $520,000 520,000 A1 A2 A3 FA
  Pederson, Joc cf 1.028 Excel Sports 1 yr/$0.52M (16) $520,000 520,000 A1 A2 A3 FA
  Thompson, Trayce of 0.063 Wasserman Media 1 yr/$0.5125M (16) $512,500 512,500        
  Seager, Corey ss 0.032 Boras Corp. 1 yr/$0.51M (16) $510,000 510,000        
  Avilan, Luis lhp 3.077 SPS Sports Group (prev Morgan Advisory Gp) 1 yr/$1.39M (16) $1,390,000 1,390,000 A3 FA    
  Dayton, Grant lhp 0 Full Circle Spts 1 yr (16) 510,000 510,000        
  Liberatore, Adam lhp 0.106   1 yr (16) 510,000          
  Stripling, Ross rhp 0 Beverly Hills SC 1 yr (16) 510,000 510,000        
  Toles, Andrew of 0 Reynolds Sports 1 yr (16)   510,000        
  Urias, Julio lhp-s 0 Boras Corp. 1 yr (16)   510,000

4 comments on “GM Project 2016-17: Los Angeles Dodgers

  • TexasGusCC

    Sean Rodriguez? The career utility guy? You gave him 5.1 and the starting job? Also, I understand missing out on Turner, but how does a team wanting to go for a title put a third baseman in the lineup that has struggled most of his career keeping his average over .220?

  • Brian Joura

    I’m with Gus. While there wasn’t a lot of options for 3B, that gigantic payroll of yours should have gotten someone better…

    • Chris F

      Like Wilmer Flores…

  • Jonathan Williams

    I actually loved the Sean Rodriguez signing. He had a really good season and deserves a shot at a larger role. If it doesn’t work out, Willie Calhoun is close to the majors and Kendrick and Hernandez are still on the roster.

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