LA Dodgers: Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios at Every Position for 2012

Amidst a mess of a situation, the Los Angeles Dodgers quietly finished 82-79, which put them in second place in the NL East.

Their owners' divorce and possible rumors of a sale for the Dodgers overshadowed the many positives of the team this year.

Although improvements need to be made, there isn't much more to do in order to make the Dodgers a playoff team in 2012.

So here are a list of the moves the Dodgers need to make and the best- and worst-case scenarios at each position for Los Angeles.

1st Base: Best: Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, Worst: James Loney

This one is a no-brainer. If the Dodgers have the opportunity and the means to sign either Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, they should do it. Both of these guys are the top two coveted free agents this offseason.

If the Dodgers can pair either Pujols or Fielder with MVP candidate Matt Kemp, the Dodgers would have one of the best combinations of three and four hitters in all of baseball. It would certainly give a boost to an offense that was ranked 21st in runs scored last year.

But this won't happen.

Frank McCourt's divorce is no doubt costly, and he may be pinching pennies in free agency this year. Both Pujols and Fielder will command at least $25 million apiece, money that is too rich for McCourt's blood.

Look for the Dodgers to go with James Loney again next year, as he is arbitration-eligible.

Loney saw his home runs and average go up from 2010 with a drop in RBI. Loney is only 27 and still has plenty of upside.

If this is the worst-case scenario for the Dodgers, they're not in bad shape.

He is the more realistic choice for the Dodgers in the situation Los Angeles is in, and expect him to get the nod in 2012 at first base.

2nd Base: Best: Jamey Carroll, Worst: Free Agency

In two seasons with the Dodgers in which he's played over 130 games each, Jamey Carroll's average is right around .290. That is no doubt an average that most teams would take out of their second baseman.

In the eyes of the Dodgers, Carroll may be the most dependable choice.

Carroll may be 38 next season, but he is simply the most reliable, realistic option for the Dodgers at second base. He is certainly the better alternative to over paying at the position in the free agent market.

Shortstop: Best: Dee Gordon, Worst: Jose Reyes

In only 56 games last season, Dee Gordon showed why he was considered the Dodgers' top prospect in 2011.

He got his chance when Rafael Furcal went down to injury and made the most of it.

Gordon hit .304 in his limited time and gave the Dodgers a solid lead off hitter, stealing 24 bases as well. Gordon is the much cheaper and sensible alternative.

Not to mention, he is the Dodgers' top prospect, and he will be given the chance to play a major role with Los Angeles in 2012.

Jose Reyes will be one of the top players on the market this winter. If not for injuries, he would have been well on his way to an MVP season in the National League.

The Dodgers would be insane to go after Reyes, who is injury-prone on his best year. They would be foolish not to go with Gordon, who clearly showed a ton of promise last season.

3rd Base: Best: Aramis Ramirez, Worst: Aaron Miles

Aramis Ramirez is the best available third baseman on the market this Winter.

If the Dodgers were to add him, Ramirez would give a young team a lot of experience and some pop in a lineup in need of some offense.

He could combine with Matt Kemp to give the Dodgers a nice three-four combo in the heart of their order.

Ramirez would be the perfect addition to a team in need of an offensively gifted and cheaper solution to their offensive problems. He is no doubt more in the price range of the Dodgers' capabilities.

If not, then the Dodgers could try to re-sign Aaron Miles or a player like him who can give them enough offense not to hurt the team and play solid defense in the hot corner.

Catcher: Best: Ryan Doumit, Worst: Rod Barajas

Much like the market for second basemen, there isn't really much room to improve at catcher in 2012.

The best option would be the former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit. He hit over .300 and missed most of the season due to injury.

Doumit might show flashes of being a good hitter, but he is one of those oft-injured players who may not be so reliable to be healthy the entire year.

Still, at only 30, Doumit would give the Dodgers a solution for years to come if healthy. He would give Los Angeles an offensive boost over their back stop from last year, Rod Barajas.

If the Dodgers can't swing a deal for Doumit, they should bring back Barajas. He did have 16 home runs and 47 RBI, numbers that are acceptable for a catcher despite a .230 average.

And you can depend on him to be on the field every day.

Left Field: Best: Carlos Beltran, Worst: Free Agency

Carlos Beltran would be just what the doctor ordered for the Dodgers. Beltran would instantly add a big bat to the Dodgers order to pair up with Matt Kemp.

Beltran just finished the 2011 season with the San Francisco Giants and may be looking to stay in California for stability-sake. It will also depend upon how much the Giants want to bring him back.

If they can pull him away from San Francisco, Beltran would be perfect for the Dodgers. He's an experienced outfielder and could easily make the transition to left field.

Guys like Raul Ibanez, Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera would be cheaper options, but won't improve the team as much as Beltran would.

Center Field: Best: Matt Kemp, Worst: Injury

Matt Kemp was the NL MVP for the 2011 season. He is a sure-fire superstar in the MLB and will be a great player for the Dodgers for years to come.

The only thing that can stop that is injury.

Right Field: Best: Andre Ethier, Worst: Injury

Andre Ethier will be going through arbitration for the final year of his contract, so he will be playing right field in 2012.

Ethier had a drop off in production, but kept his average above .290 for the fourth time in his six-year career. He should be able to pick up his numbers next season if the Dodgers add some much needed offense.

Starting Rotation

Whether best- or worst-case scenario, Clayton Kershaw will be the ace of the staff for the Dodgers in 2012. If the Dodgers want to have good pitching, they will need to make a few moves to do so.

First, Los Angeles should re-sign Hiroki Kuroda.

Kuroda had a misleading 13-16 record, but an impressive 3.07 ERA. If the Dodgers can improve their offense and score some runs for him, Kuroda has the stuff to be a 17 to 20-game winner.

After getting their No. 2, the Dodgers need to lengthen their rotation further. If they are willing to open their wallet, it would be a nice fit to sign Mark Buehrle as their No. 3. That would easily give the Dodgers the most dominant rotation in baseball.

Here's what the Dodgers rotation would look like:

1. Clayton Kershaw

2. Hiroki Kuroda

3. Mark Buehrle

4. Chad Billingsley

5. Ted Lilly

Here's what the Dodgers rotation would look like in a worst-case scenario:

1. Clayton Kershaw

2. Chad Billingsley

3. Ted Lilly

4. Jon Garland

Closer: Best: Jonathan Papelbon, Worst: Javy Guerra

The Dodgers may look to improve the back end of their bullpen, and the best man available in that department is Jonathan Papelbon. Now I know people will make the Heath Bell argument, but Papelbon has been doing it better for longer and is someone you can trust.

Last year, Papelbon had 31 saves in 34 chances on a Red Sox team that was up and down at best. He also has a ridiculous career ERA of one in the postseason.

If saving money is the direction they want to go, the Dodgers could stay in-house with Javy Guerra, who looked good last season, finishing with 21 saves in 23 chances.

Jonathan Broxton is arbitration-eligible, so he could be a candidate for the job. If all goes well, the Dodgers might have a nice one-two punch in the back end of their bullpen. Add Papelbon, and you have yourself a good 'pen.

Manager: Don Mattingly

Despite the major distractions created by Dodgers' owner, Frank McCourt, Don Mattingly still had his team playing over .500 baseball in 2011.

Under Mattingly's watch, the Dodgers saw their two biggest young stars, Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, have MVP and Cy Young seasons last year respectively.

It's certainly a nice jump-off point for Mattingly's ball club in 2011. There is no question, if the Dodgers make the right moves, Donnie Baseball will get the most out of his team and could take the Dodgers deep in the playoffs.

He does have a black cloud floating over his head and has experienced bad luck the entirety of his baseball career as a member of the Yankees and Dodgers. But with some of the pieces the Dodgers have in place, Mattingly could break his personal curse in Los Angeles.

Owner: Best: Anyone, Worst: Frank McCourt

One thing is absolutely certain with the Dodgers: Frank McCourt needs to go.

No matter how much anyone and everyone in baseball wants him out, he will fight to the end to keep his team.

Hopefully for the Dodgers, their finances are straight and Los Angeles can make the moves they need to in order to improve to a playoff team.

Maybe with the divorce behind him, McCourt's eye will be more closely focused on making the Dodgers a winner.