Los Angeles Dodgers' Biggest Storylines to Follow at the Start of 2015
A 2-1 start to the season is about what the Los Angeles Dodgers would have wanted. The pitching was fine, but the offense had quite a showing—and given that many of the questions about this team are about their run-scoring ability, that bodes well.
Of course, we can't draw any real conclusions about anything through just three games. However, certain trends have emerged that are definitely worth keeping an eye on through the first month of the season. Some of these are positive, while others are negative—none should be taken too seriously as precursors of the rest of the season, but I hope they provide viewers with something to watch for as the season progresses.
Adrian Gonzalez's Power Surge
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Gonzalez already has five home runs in three games, which is obviously unsustainable. However, if this is suggestive of a more powerful year, the Dodgers would certainly be appreciative.
One of the big criticisms of this lineup is a lack of power: They were 16th in home runs last year with 134 and lost 38 of those in the offseason (Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp). Yasiel Puig is probably expected to provide a bit more power this season, but if this happens to be a big year for Gonzalez, the Dodgers would be significantly better off.
Given that the big first baseman hasn't actually hit 30 home runs since 2010 or slugged .500 since 2011, it's unlikely that this is indicative of anything other than a hot streak. It's nice to dream, though.
Hyun-Jin Ryu's Injury
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Ryu began throwing again this week, but the Dodgers apparently don't expect him back until May. This in and of itself is not a huge concern—they don't need a regular fifth starter until May, and realistically, they are probably just hoping that he is ready for the playoffs. However, his track record cannot make them feel confident, as he was already on the disabled list last year for shoulder fatigue. If Ryu's left shoulder becomes an ongoing storyline, the Dodgers are in a bit of trouble.
Baserunning
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In what is actually a shocking development, the Dodgers have already been thrown out stealing three times. After trading 64 stolen bases off of last year’s team (Dee Gordon), I expected them to be far more conservative on the bases, especially given that none of their new additions can singlehandedly match Gordon’s baserunning talents.
Additionally, they ranked twelfth in success rate last year, which is impressive given the sheer number of attempts and also suggests a level of discretion that they did not have against the Padres. I would assume they will be more successful as the year progresses, but it will be interesting to see if they continue to run at this rate. If they do, expect Joc Pederson, Jimmy Rollins, and Howie Kendrick to make up Gordon’s attempts.
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Bullpen
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The bullpen will be an interesting story for the first month of the season, as closer Kenley Jansen's absence will force relievers into roles that they were not signed to fill. Thus far, manager Don Mattingly has relied upon Chris Hatcher and Joel Peralta in save situations, but the two have just 14 saves combined on their careers. In fact, without Jansen or Brandon League (both of whom are on the DL), J.P. Howell is the only reliever in the Dodger bullpen with more than 20 career saves.
That is not to say that the bullpen will be ineffective. Instead, this may give young pitchers such as Hatcher, Paco Rodriguez or Yimi Garcia opportunities to prove that they belong on the big league roster even after Jansen comes back.
Joc Pederson
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The biggest question mark in the Dodger starting lineup, Pederson has demonstrated some of both the good and the bad in his game. He already has two walks and two doubles, which shows his power and patience. However, he has also struck out five times—and he swung through some hittable pitches while doing so. Pederson's future for this season is dependent on which of these trends proves sustainable.
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