Dodgers Sold to Magic Johnson's Group: 8 Predictions for the Next 5 Years

After the ongoing distraction for the Dodgers that was Frank McCourt over the past couple of years, the Dodgers were finally sold today to a group led by former Lakers great Magic Johnson.

The team was sold for a record $2 billion, and after the Dodgers were forced to avoid much spending over the past few seasons while the team declared bankruptcy, that should all change in the years to come, as the new ownership group will be looking to build a contender.

With that in mind, here are eight predictions for the team and its players over the next five years as the Dodgers look to once again join the ranks of baseball's elite.

Andre Ethier Will Be Re-Signed

Set to hit free agency at season's end, many believed that the Dodgers would have to pick between Matt Kemp and Ethier, and that when the team signed Kemp to a massive extension. It likely spelled the end of Ethier's time in Los Angeles.

The right fielder will be 30 years old this coming season, and while he has battled injuries the past two seasons, he has also been an All-Star both years and won his first Gold Glove last season.

The new ownership group will be looking to win, and win now, and that means holding on to its top players. Expect Ethier to get something in the neighborhood of a four-year, $45 million extension.

Clayton Kershaw Will Become Baseball's Highest-Paid Pitcher

At just 24 years old, Clayton Kershaw already has four big league seasons under his belt, and last year, he took the next step in joining baseball's elite hurlers, going 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248 Ks to win the pitching Triple Crown and take home the NL Cy Young.

The Dodgers bought out his next two years of arbitration eligibility this offseason with a two-year, $19 million deal, and he won't be a free agent until after the 2014 season.

The left-hander should continue to dominate for the next decade, so when it does come time for the Dodgers to open up their wallets and sign him to a long-term deal, it will likely rival the eight-year, $182 million deal that C.C. Sabathia received, as well as whatever Tim Lincecum receives once he signs his next deal.

Regardless, expect the Dodgers to do whatever it takes to keep their ace around, as there are few pitchers in the league as good as Kershaw right now, and he should only improve in the next couple seasons.

David Wright Will Be Lured to Los Angeles Next Offseason

While the Dodgers spent a ton to keep Matt Kemp and will likely have to do the same with Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw, much of the rest of the roster is veterans with contracts that will be up in the next couple seasons.

The starting lineup features Juan Rivera, Juan Uribe and Mark Ellis, while the bench has Adam Kennedy, Matt Treanor and Jerry Hairston, all players who will likely be elsewhere by 2014.

With their departure will come an influx of talented young players to the starting lineup such as 2B Ivan DeJesus, LF Joc Pederson, RF Jerry Sands and C Tim Federowicz. They will likely join SS Dee Gordon as starters, making the league minimum or somewhere around there.

That means the Dodgers will have money to spend, and their most glaring need appears to be at third base, where the organization lacks a future starter, and incumbent Juan Uribe (.204 BA in 2011) is just plain bad.

Expect the Dodgers to make a push for free-agent-to-be David Wright this coming offseason if the Mets do in fact decide to let him walk. Adding his bat to a middle of the order that already features Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier would give the Dodgers a potent run-producing trio.

Matt Kemp Will Win His MVP Award, Join 40-40 Club

With a line of .324 BA, 39 HR, 126 RBI, 40 SB, many believed that Matt Kemp deserved the NL MVP last season, but in the end, he finished a close second to Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun.

Still just 27 years old, Kemp still has his best years ahead of them, and while he should continue to put up dominant stat lines, the Dodgers will need to post a few more notches in the win column if Kemp hopes to take home the honor.

As they become contenders, expect Kemp to win the award; we'll say he takes it home in 2015. Until then, expect him to join the exclusive 40 HR, 40 SB club and to continue to make a run at the Triple Crown each season, as he is truly one of the game's premier talents.

Attendance Numbers Will Immediately Spike

The Dodgers saw their average attendance drop from third in the league in 2010 (43,979) to 11th in the league last season (36,236), but with the new ownership in place, there should be a new-found buzz surrounding the team.

In a stadium that holds 56,000, even when they were third in the league in attendance in 2010, they were still only at 78.5 percent capacity.

However, if the team starts winning, they could become the hottest ticket in town, as there are few markets as large and as willing to spend as the Los Angeles area. A contending Dodgers team could very well start selling out games, or at the very least, make their way back into the top five in attendance.

The Dodgers Will Hover Around .500 for the Next Two Seasons

While the addition of a new ownership group is a huge step in the right direction, the Dodgers still have some work to do before they can be considered legitimate contenders in what is generally a wide-open NL West.

The Diamondbacks have gotten better, the Giants still have a phenomenal staff, the Rockies look to be gearing up for a run this season after signing a number of veterans and even the Padres have taken big steps towards building for the future in trading Mat Latos for an impressive package.

Things will be tough in the NL West for the foreseeable future, and the Dodgers will need to give some of their young talent some time to mature into starting big league roles before they can be considered contenders.

The Dodgers Will Win NL West in 2014

While the next couple seasons could bring little return, that won't last long, as the Dodgers have a good young core of players that should only get stronger if top prospects like RF Jerry Sands, SP Zach Lee and SP Nathan Eovaldi, among others, can develop into impact players.

Either way, the team should have money to spend in free agency to add to what should already be a competitive team by 2014.

Within a few seasons, the NL West could be as deep as any division in baseball, but the Dodgers have the talent and the resources to take the division title by the 2014 season.

The Dodgers Will Win the NL Pennant in 2016, First Since 1988

The 2016 season will mark the Dodgers' fifth season under new ownership, and while that is a long ways down the road, after five years, it is safe to say that the new ownership has had time to mold the team into what they feel gives them the best chance to win.

Superstars Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw will still be in their primes, and with money to spend, who knows who else the Dodgers would have added by that point.

If the team does things the right way, spending to improve the team but avoiding overpaying for players simply because they have the money, they should have a fantastic core of players within five years. While a lot can happen between now and then, winning the pennant five years from now seems like as legitimate and attainable a goal.

Not since 1988, when the likes of Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser donned the Dodger blue, has the once proud franchise won the NL pennant, and they will look to return to glory under new ownership.