will any of jason repko, nakamura or russel martin be on the opening day roster? or is that already a foregone conclusion?

--ev

There's one open spot on the roster if no one goes on the DL. Potentially, Penny and Werth could open up two more spots.

I would say Nakamura has the best guarantee of the 25th spot, any number of the reliever candidates (Lopez, Venafro, Brooks, Carlyle, Houlton) would take the Penny spot, and Repko would take the Werth spot. Mike Edwards would be a dark horse.

If Perez, Gagne or some other pitcher isn't quite ready, then add another pitcher to the team.

For a recap of the candidates, go here:

https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/017545.html

Don't rule out a trade, either.

this is all I found on kfwb's website...
http://kfwb.com/content.asp?table1tabCount=6&table1tabOn=4&table2tabCount=6&table2tabOn=2&displayOption=&contentGUID={8996915C-BB79-496A-A534-F88983C2853E}&groupName=KFWB%20Dodgers%20News&siteGUID={3B62BF55-4A93-48E6-A45D-6A495DC423AD}
(http://tinyurl.com/5lnse)

anyone else really annoyed that they can't find anyone talking about the dodgers on their morning and evening commute? kfwb doesn't even mention the fact that they're the "home of the dodgers" ... and I have to listen to ESPN's 710 affiliate do entire shows dedicated to the LAAoA ... ack.

--ev

2) Saenz did a nice job off the bench last year.

3) With third base unsettled, the more options there, the better.

If someone comes along and beats Saenz out, fair enough. But there's no one obviously better than him for a reserve role.

anyone happen to know how the bevy of players the dodgers lost to the rule 5 draft are doing in other organizations? anyone feel like looking it up?

i better get back to work...

--ev

@Marcos Carvajal
1-0
5 games
7.0 innings
6.43 ERA
INN H R ER HR HBP BB SO
7.0 9 5 5 1 1 5 7

Matt Merricks
1 inning 2 hits, ERA 0

Shane Victorino .321 slugging, .179 hitting
Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SB CS SF SH HBP SLG AVG
S Victorino 13 28 3 5 1 0 1 1 9 0 0 0 1 0 .321 .179

DJ Houlton
3.12 ERA, 8.2 innings
Player W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR HBP BB SO
D Houlton 0 0 3.12 3 1 0 0 0 8.2 7 3 3 1 0 1 6

i guess we'll be seeing most of our players back... DJ Houlton definitely does not look too shabby :)

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/3474474

His control is decent, and his HR rates have been solid. He's never had spectacular K rates, but they've all been decent. He's old enough that he might not have much of a future as a starter, but if he continues to improve he might slot in as a decent back of the rotation guy in his pre-arb years.

I understand that his fastball is underwhelming, and there's nothing particularly deceptive about his delivery. Still, his control is good enough that he could be a useful reliever, and he's not a prototpical LOOGY.

Were he returned to the Dodgers, he'd be in Sickels' 20-25 range for their system.

Coming off the bench, offense is going to be more important that defense. Saenz is a below-average defensive third baseman but you can put him there on a temporary basis. I'd rather go with the known quantity in Saenz and start Nakamura in the minors if I had to. But the Dodgers probably won't have to.