Dodger Free Agent Picks

I’m a Los Angeles-based high-school student and Dodgers fan. I sent the Dodger’s owner, Frank McCourt, the following list of the free agents who I think will help power the team into next year’s World Series. Since Huffpost is based here in the city, I thought I’d open things up for the site’s readers and bloggers to offer their own picks. Let’s see yours in the comments section.

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From:Jake Reiner

To: Frank McCourt

Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 10:45 AM

Subject: dodger free agent picks

FIRST BASE:

Tony Clark: last year hit .304, with 87 RBI’s, 30 HRs and had an on-base percentage of 366. Seems average right? The reason it is remarkable is because this guy didn’t play everyday; he mostly sat on the bench. One of the only problems is his age; he’s now 33, so he’s aging. A long-term deal might not be beneficial.

Paul Konerko: last year hit .283, with 100 RBI’s, 40 HRs and had an on-base percentage of 349. Even though this guy seems like a long shot, you would be a god if we got this guy. He might ask for a lot, but he can carry a team, like he did with the White Sox. Now, the Angels are interested. They already took Vlad away from us a couple of years ago, now it’s our turn. Don’t just go after him because the Angels are going after him, go after him because you want to win. I think he could carry the Dodgers to the title. He just turned 29, so a long-term contract would be suitable and he’ll probably ask for one. You won’t regret it.

J.T. Snow: Not very impressive offensively especially in the power department, but he is a consistent hitter. Batting .270 almost every year. This guy has six gold gloves and is a defensive wizard. But it is evident that the Dodgers are lacking power in the middle of the order. So J.T. Snow is not really a perfect fit in the somewhat complicated Dodger puzzle. There is not much to choose from, so that’s why I suggested Snow. He is 37, but is a positive influence in the clubhouse. And he would really help the young guys on the team. That would be the only real benefit to having him on the team.

Dmitri Young: last year batted .271, with 72 RBI’s, 21 HRs, and had an on-base percentage of .325. Young started out hot in the beginning of the season then kind of mellowed out the rest of the year. He’s what they call a “complementary player” He will not lead a team but he will be a kickstand for a guy like Jeff Kent. He’s like a Milton Bradley without the anger. With him you would need to add two more hitters. Young is not the best but he is very solid. He is 32 years old. Not much speed. You might consider him. He can also play the outfield and third base, so he is versatile.

Overall: I think you should strongly pursue Paul Konerko. Because as you probably know, Olmedo Seanz is a free agent and Hee-Seop-Choi did well off the bench last year. I think Konerko could really carry the Dodgers.

SECOND BASE:

I heard some reports that you might trade Jeff Kent. I think this would be a mistake. He led the Dodgers in every offensive category with the exception of stolen bases. He was the only guy on the team who went out on a consistent basis and produced almost every single time. He’s a key part to your success.

SHORTSTOP:

Rafael Furcal: Hit .284, with 46 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .348. If Izturris is unable to play or is injured for most of the season you might want to consider Furcal. He would be a great addition to the top of the order, which Izturris wasn’t able to do. And Furcal steals bases, which the Dodgers have lacked for sometime. As a side note he is clocked at 90 MPH when throwing to first base. He is only 28 years old, so he is pretty young. I don’t think you know how valuable a guy like this is. When he gets a base hit you automatically know he’s on second. That sparks a team up to knock him in.

Overall: The only other consideration is Nomar. The flaw is his age and his dependability. He was injured almost the entire first half. Now, Furcal plays everyday, and he plays very well. This is only if you're considering getting a Shortstop.

THIRD BASE:

You are limited; the only free agent I would even consider is Bill Mueller. He has basically no pop in his bat, but he is good defensively. Your best bet is right in your farm system with Andy Laroche. If you get a power hitting first basemen and a power-hitting outfielder then you don’t have to worry about third base.

OUTFIELDER
:
Brian Giles: a very good hitter and he plays every day. The only question is his power. That’s why I would be hesitant. He hit .301, with 83 RBI’s, 15 HRs, and an on-base percentage of .423. I love the run production, the average, and the on-base percentage. But I see him as a number two hitter, not a middle of the order type that can provide the sock needed. On the plus side you like him and he plays every day but I think it is taking a chance with a not so proven power hitter. His age is 34 years old

Johnny Damon: hit .316, with only 18 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of .366, and hit 10 HRs. The year before he hit 20 HRs. Ok, so he’s all over the place but he is a good player. He works the count and gets on base. He can also provide some clutch pop if needed. He’s a veteran and would be a great addition to the club. The only problem is his inconsistency. If you were going to get Furcal then Damon would be obsolete, because then Damon’s role would half to be a power source, which as we all know that role needs to be filled by a Paul Konerko to be affective to winning the crown. He is 32, which is very old.

Adam Dunn: not a free agent but if you were to trade for him that would be unbelievable. One person on the team that you could use for trading bait is Antonio Perez. Given the fact that the farm system looks prominent, there is no role for Perez to play. Even though Perez played unbelievably considering that he never got to play, losing him wouldn’t be bad. Although Dunn is a strikeout threat he provides major Power. Only batting .247, with 40 HRs, and 101 RBI’s, the bolded are the main keys to success. The batting average is crap but he hits in the clutch like Kent, which is what counts the most.

Jose Cruz Jr.: If possible you should re-sign Jose because if anyone gets hurt he could fill in and do great job just like last year.

Overall: only get Damon if you’re not considering Furcal, only get Giles if you have someone else to provide the sock, and if you can trade bait like Perez you should really pursue Dunn.

PITCHING:

To be honest you handled getting Pitchers unbelievably so you’re solid in that department. The only thing is Jeff Weaver, although inconsistent he was a big help late to eat up innings with the absence of Gagne, so if you could re-sign him it will benefit the club tremendously.

Overall of the Overall: I gave you a lot of choices to pick from but I do have my overall picks: Paul Konerko at first, Rafael Furcal (if needed, depends on Izturris) at shortstop, Johnny Damon in Center (if needed, depends on Furcal), and Adam Dunn.

Reminder: I know you like Giles and Manny, but Giles in my mind is a number two hitter and not what we need and Manny is a great hitter but basically is another Milton Bradley and a terrible fielder. (Keep that in mind.)

From,
Jake Reiner