Dodgers GM Ned Colletti discussed a number of offseason topics with the media (including MLB.com's Ken Gurnick) during today's official introductory press conference for Carl Crawford. Here are some of the highlights…
- Colletti said the Dodgers would look to add starting and relief pitching this winter, plus outfield depth. "Our outfield is somewhat complete, but not complete," Colletti said. "We've got to keep our versatility and have somebody that can play center field. Tony Gwynn is still part of the organization and a candidate." Crawford, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are set as the Dodgers' starting outfield trio for 2013, though good bench options are necessary given Crawford and Kemp's recent injury problems.
- Mickey Hatcher is not a candidate to replace the recently-fired Dave Hansen as the Dodgers' hitting coach, though Colletti said Hatcher could find a job in another capacity with the team. Hatcher, fired last spring as the Angels' hitting coach, served as "a de facto assistant" to Hansen last season.
- The Dodgers are interested in bringing back Jamey Wright, Randy Choate and Brandon League next season. All three relievers are free agents, though Colletti is "encouraged" by negotiations thus far with League (as tweeted by Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times).
- Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has the details of Crawford's meeting with the media, including his surprise at being traded last summer, his willingness to waive his no-trade clause and how he wished he'd immediately undergone Tommy John surgery rather than trying to play through the pain. "I wish I’d done it [earlier], because I’d be better now. With the Boston fans you have a big deal that was made about my money and trying to play for the team," Crawford said. "Maybe I shouldn’t have done that and taken care of myself. I pretty much put pressure on myself to play. You get looked at as being soft and as somebody just trying to take money. I wanted to prove that wasn’t the case. That probably cost me a little time for next year."
Considering Mark McGwire’s success in STL, I’m surprised teams aren’t following suit and hiring elite hitters as hitting coaches. They obviously knew how to hit when they played and they might have more instant respect from players than lower level guys who played but weren’t exactly known as great players.
The only problem is that not all of those players have the ability to teach or coach. I know it’s a different sport, but look at Isaiah Thomas and his lack of success both in the pros and in the NCAA. And he’s a hall of Famer.
When surrounded by as many non talented thugs as Thomas was.. Guess someone had to shine thru as the class act. Laimbeer and Mahorn didn’t have the 1st clue with regards to how to play the game, without shoving, running over, pushing from behind at right moment when the opponent was shooting and not getting called (Laimbeer)..
Fondest BB memory is Chief Robert Parrish finally fed up with Laimbeer’s tactics.. Turning around, punching him out, Laimbeer coving up and Parrish never getting called for anything Laimbeer’s tactics were so well known..
Thomas and Dumars had talent on those Piston teams. The rest? None.
From reading the whole transcript with Crawford, he seems really interested in starting anew with the Dodgers. He said all the right things and seems to be a good guy. Just unfortunate that injuries struck when they did
Let’s hope Boston’s loss is our gain.
Obviously starting pitching has to be the number 1 priority. A Zach Grienke may be necessary to surpass the Giants, who have several aces!
“Several”? Cain is about the only one really. Bumgarner could be at some point, and Vogelsong is a solid #3 or #4. Who knows with Zito, and Lincecum could find himself in the pen.
Vogelsong same xFIP as Billingsly over past 2 seasons, he must be an ace too.
Don’t see it being that hard for the Dodger’s to catch up. They were out 8 games, and the addition of Beckett, CC, Agon, and Hanley should easily be able to make up most of that distance, and that is without the dodgers signing anyone else.
Beckett actually turned it around very good with the Dodgers. The 1/2 of Beckett/Kershaw should be just as good as the 1/2 of Cain and Bumgarner.
And billingsly has almost the exact same xFIP (off by .02) combined over the past 2 years compared to vogelsong.
As a whole 5 man staff I would still take the Giants, but the Dodgers lineup is significantly more improved, that they should be able to compete just fine, and their rotation isn’t too shabby.
Crawford is a great player without Boston pressure as seen with the Rays. Looking foward to see how he plays in LA
you;re implying there won;t be pressure with the Dodgers
LA is a much more relaxed environment for athletes compared to Boston
To expand upon the comment above, the Dodgers also have Kemp, Gonzalez, Ramirez and Ethier in their lineup… so that’s got to take off some pressure as well. I think expectations on Crawford will be less than those four.
I thought that true star athletes thrive on pressure…