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Predicting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Entire 25-Man Roster

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Predicting the Los Angeles Dodgers' Entire 25-Man Roster

Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are less than two weeks away from Opening Day, which means the team must buckle down and figure out who deserves to make the final roster spots. The team also must figure the best batting order and lineup that will give them the best chance to win. Here is a look at a prediction for the Dodgers’ entire 25-man roster.

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS

Jimmy Rollins, SS
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1. Jimmy Rollins, SS

Jimmy Rollins, SS
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Jimmy Rollins, who as acquired by the Dodgers in the offseason, is the most obvious choice to be the leadoff man in 2015. Manager Don Mattingly has already given Rollins the vote of confidence, which makes sense considering the veteran’s ability to steal bases with great success.

2. Carl Crawford, LF

Carl Crawford, LF
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2. Carl Crawford, LF

Carl Crawford, LF
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Carl Crawford makes sense in the second spot in the batting order due to his ability to hit for average and swipe bases in front of the power hitters. It has been suggested Crawford will platoon left field with Scott Van Slyke due to him being overpowering against right-handed pitchers and a career .265 hitter against left-handers.

3. Yasiel Puig, RF

Yasiel Puig, RF
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3. Yasiel Puig, RF

Yasiel Puig, RF
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Yasiel Puig is the best all-around player on the Dodgers. He is outstanding on defense in right field and he will terrify opponents with his bat. All signs point to him stepping up his production in year three, which is great news for Los Angeles.

4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
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4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
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Adrian Gonzalez led the majors with 116 RBIs last season. A combination of his power and the speed on the bases in front of him should allow him to clear 100 RBIs for the fourth consecutive season. Gonzalez’s ability to remain healthy will go a long ways to helping the Dodgers clinch a playoff berth this year.

5. Howie Kendrick, 2B

Howie Kendrick, 2B
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5. Howie Kendrick, 2B

Howie Kendrick, 2B
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Los Angeles traded for Howie Kendrick in the offseason to bolster their infield. At first glance, Kendrick being only one year away from free agency appeared to be detrimental. But, the Dodgers signing Cuban sensation Hector Olivera to a massive deal means Kendrick will likely only enjoy one year with Los Angeles.

6. Yasmani Grandal, C

Yasmani Grandal, C
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6. Yasmani Grandal, C

Yasmani Grandal, C
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Yasmani Grandal was acquired by the Dodgers in the Matt Kemp trade during the offseason. There’s no question he will be an upgrade on offense and defense at the catcher position, which makes the deal well worth it. To make matters even better, Grandal can hit from both sides of the plate.

7. Juan Uribe, 3B

Juan Uribe, 3B
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7. Juan Uribe, 3B

Juan Uribe, 3B
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Juan Uribe may own the starting job at third base on Opening Day, but it may not take long for the Dodgers to allow Olivera to see some action in the starting lineup. If or when he does, it will likely be Uribe who will be the odd man out. Until then, though, it is Uribe’s job, which is well deserved after his top-notch performances on offense and defense the past two seasons.

8. Joc Pederson, CF

Joc Pederson, CF
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8. Joc Pederson, CF

Joc Pederson, CF
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Despite the outfield talent, it is likely Joc Pederson will win the job of being the starting center fielder on Opening Day. Even though he has only four hits in his big-league career, Pederson has been unbelievable in spring training. The rookie is batting .415 with a team-high three homers, eight RBIs and four doubles. If he can keep it up, Los Angeles will make the easy decision to give him a prominent role.

9. A.J. Ellis, C (Bench)

A.J. Ellis, C (Bench)
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9. A.J. Ellis, C (Bench)

A.J. Ellis, C (Bench)
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With Grandal coming on board, A.J. Ellis will see himself in a bench role in 2015. The move makes sense because Grandal is the better of the two players. With that said, don’t be surprised to see Ellis get his fair share of playing time at catcher.

10. Andre Ethier, OF (Bench)

Andre Ethier, OF (Bench)
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10. Andre Ethier, OF (Bench)

Andre Ethier, OF (Bench)
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Many believe Andre Ethier won’t be on the Opening Day roster due to the Dodgers eagerness to trade him prior to the start of the regular season. I’m one of those people who believe he absolutely will be on the 25-man roster a little over a month from now. Even though Ethier may get dealt during the season, his production in spring training is plenty of reason to believe he’ll be a quality asset for the team.

11. Scott Van Slyke, OF/1B (Bench)

Scott Van Slyke, OF/1B (Bench)
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11. Scott Van Slyke, OF/1B (Bench)

Scott Van Slyke, OF/1B (Bench)
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Scott Van Slyke’s production against left-handed pitchers means he will play a big role for Los Angeles this year. Even though Crawford deserves to be the starter, Van Slyke will still see plenty of playing time. As I already stated, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers eventually went with a platoon in left field, depending on how both players are performing in the first few weeks of the season.

12. Justin Turner, Utility (Bench)

Justin Turner, Utility (Bench)
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12. Justin Turner, Utility (Bench)

Justin Turner, Utility (Bench)
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Every team needs a player who can suit up at multiple positions. For the Dodgers, that player is Justin Turner. The infielder is a versatile defender who will fill in when necessary. Turner batted an astonishing .340 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs in 288 at-bats for the Dodgers in 2014. Even though it’s unlikely he will enjoy those numbers again, his career averages are impressive enough to make him a great asset for the team.

13. Chris Heisey, OF (Bench)

Chris Heisey, OF (Bench)
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13. Chris Heisey, OF (Bench)

Chris Heisey, OF (Bench)
Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

As of right now, I believe the final bench spot belongs to Chris Heisey. However, that could change if Los Angeles feels they want to place Olivera on the 25-man roster. Even though Pederson is tearing it up in spring, Heisey gives the Dodgers a right-handed bat off the bench who can fill in for Pederson in center field if need be. It’s hard to imagine Los Angeles keeping so many outfielders, but it definitely makes sense.

14. Clayton Kershaw, SP

Clayton Kershaw, SP
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14. Clayton Kershaw, SP

Clayton Kershaw, SP
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Ace Clayton Kershaw is the leader of the team when he takes the mound. Last year’s NL MVP has won three NL Cy Young Awards in four years, including two straight. Kershaw will attempt to join Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson as the only players in MLB history to win at least three consecutive NL Cy Young Awards.

15. Zack Greinke, SP

Zack Greinke, SP
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15. Zack Greinke, SP

Zack Greinke, SP
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Since signing with the Dodgers in 2013, Zack Greinke has posted outstanding numbers. They’re not as good as his Cy Young season in 2009, but it’s the closest he has come in his career to repeating that specific performance. Greinke is arguably the best No. 2 pitcher in baseball, and Los Angeles will need him to step up if they want to make some serious noise in the NL West this year.

16. Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP

Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP
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16. Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP

Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP
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Just as Greinke is the best No. 2 pitcher in the big leagues, a case can be made that left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is the best No. 3 pitcher in the majors. Ryu made a decent jump from his rookie season to his sophomore year as far as his strikeout rate and walk rate are concerned. If he can stay healthy in 2015, he should have a huge impact for Los Angeles.

17. Brandon McCarthy, SP

Brandon McCarthy, SP
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17. Brandon McCarthy, SP

Brandon McCarthy, SP
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The Dodgers signed Brandon McCarthy to a four-year deal in December. Even though his numbers in recent years don’t jump off the page, his production in the second half of the season with the New York Yankees certainly stands out. If McCarthy can build on that success and stay off the disabled list in 2015, the Dodgers could have a talented No. 4 pitcher on their hands.

18. Brett Anderson, SP

Brett Anderson, SP
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18. Brett Anderson, SP

Brett Anderson, SP
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Newcomer Brett Anderson rounds out the starting rotation. Even though there are definitely major injury concerns that come with signing Anderson, the hope is he will keep his ERA under 3.00 (his career ERA is 3.73). What it comes down to is he could prove to be a great signing considering the team only has to pay him $8 million this season with a $1.5 million buyout for next season.

19. Kenley Jansen, Closer

Kenley Jansen, Closer
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19. Kenley Jansen, Closer

Kenley Jansen, Closer
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I understand Kenley Jansen will miss roughly the first month of the season as he recovers from surgery on his foot. But, for the sake of the list, he will be the closer for the Dodgers when healthy. For that reason, I felt it necessary to include him in the prediction of the 25-man roster. Jansen saved 44 out of 49 games last season while posting a 2.76 ERA. The Dodgers are hoping for even better numbers in 2015.

20. Joel Peralta, Setup Man

Joel Peralta, Setup Man
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20. Joel Peralta, Setup Man

Joel Peralta, Setup Man
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Despite Joel Peralta being 39 years old, there’s confidence he will be a stellar setup man to get the ball to Jansen in the ninth inning. Since 2011, Peralta has recorded 115 holds with the Tampa Bay Rays. His career 3.92 ERA is a bit alarming, but the good news is he’s the right kind of veteran a team should want in the clubhouse.

21. Brandon League, RP

Brandon League, RP
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21. Brandon League, RP

Brandon League, RP
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Brandon League will be Los Angeles’ specialist against right-handed batters. The Dodgers are hopeful he will be able to build on his 2014 production in which he posted a 2.57 ERA, 38 strikeouts and 11 holds in 63 appearances.

22. J.P. Howell, RP

J.P. Howell, RP
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22. J.P. Howell, RP

J.P. Howell, RP
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J.P. Howell’s career has taken a turn for the better ever since he joined the Dodgers in 2013. Over that stretch, he has posted a 2.19 ERA, 38 holds and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings in 135 appearances. The left-handed specialist held left-handed hitters to a .170 batting average last season.

23. Juan Nicasio, RP

Juan Nicasio, RP
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23. Juan Nicasio, RP

Juan Nicasio, RP
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Los Angeles fully expects to use Juan Nicasio out of the bullpen, but he will definitely be available to produce in the starting rotation if McCarthy or Anderson are unable to stay healthy. The Dodgers are clearly taking a chance using him as a long reliever. Of course, the hope is he will be able to make the successful transition.

24. Pedro Baez, RP

Pedro Baez, RP
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24. Pedro Baez, RP

Pedro Baez, RP
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Pedro Baez is one of the relievers who is currently on the bubble to make the 25-man roster. He showed enough during his first season in the majors last year to warrant a roster spot. Plus, he has performed well in six appearances during spring training. Even though Baez’s 2.63 ERA in 20 appearances last season is not something the team should expect out of him during a full year of work, he still has the stuff to be a difference maker.

25. Chris Hatcher, RP

Chris Hatcher, RP
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25. Chris Hatcher, RP

Chris Hatcher, RP
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The Dodgers acquired Chris Hatcher in a trade with the Miami Marlins in December. In 52 appearances last season, he recorded a 3.38 ERA, 60 strikeouts and six holds in 56 innings. The idea of having Hatcher in the bullpen is to utilize him when Mattingly needs someone to blow by a hitter. He should be a promising addition to a solid pitching staff.

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