Andrew Friedman Aiming To Mold Talented Dodgers Into A Team
For a team that’s coming off a 94-win season and a second consecutive NL West title, the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers will look markedly different than the group of players that took the field over the last two seasons.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi have showed little, if any hesitation in trading productivity, popularity and in Dee Gordon’s case, years of team control, for players that may be one-year rentals.
Shortly after the Dodgers formally introduced Howie Kendrick, Friedman offered insight into his objective. “Our overarching goal coming into the offseason was to take a very strong collective group of players and do our best to mold it into a highly functioning baseball team,” Friedman said.
Along with Gordon and Matt Kemp being dealt, both of whom were catalysts last season, also gone are Hanley Ramirez via free agency and Brian Wilson by virtue of being released. While Gordon was still coming into his own, Kemp, Ramirez and Wilson are big personalities that are certain to leave a void in the Dodgers’ makeup.
As for the new-look Dodgers that are certain to be tinkered with even further, Friedman spoke highly of the current players. “We’re excited about the way our position-player group fits together, how they compliment one another,” he said. “We feel like we’ve got great length to our lineup with great balance as well.”
Given that Gordon is no longer with the team, the Dodgers will likely turn to Jimmy Rollins to hit from the leadoff spot with questions marks throughout the rest of the batting order, despite the depth Friedman speaks of.
Yasmani Grandal conceivably should bolster the lower half of the order, but where he’ll bat may largely be dependent on Kendrick, which in turn will likely be impacted by where manager Don Mattingly writes Yasiel Puig’s name in the lineup.
Whether Friedman and Zaidi stand pat until April 6 or continue to work at morphing the roster so that it better fits their vision, Opening Day will mark the start of another year with World Series aspirations.
Amazes me……..this guy is a kid and he thinks he knows it all already…well we will see……Needs to learn he is in LA not Tampa….this city and its fans like stars along with their baseball…..complemented by good players…
Speak for yourself as I’m glad Kemp is outta here and Ramirez wasn’t worth the money he got. You might think that everyone are idiots but I think your the pessimistic idiot.
and I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and I have mine if you do not like it shove it up your ass…
I will be at a lot of games again this year and would be happy to meet up so you can try.
When I get out to LA I will be more than happy to oblige you…….bring your medical coverage…
Keep talking as I’m ready any time but the sooner the better. How about opening game. I can’t wait to “meet” you!! Anytime or any place. Where do you live? I can even meet you there.
Who gives a crap what nick young thinks?