Dodgers: Five Key Players That Will Determine the Season

The Dodgers 2017 Spring Training is finally coming to an end with Opening Day right around the corner on April 4^th against the San Diego Padres at Dodgers Stadium. The success of the season could depend on how well a select number of players perform.

For this list, I did not select players such as Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, or Corey Seager because these players are the driving force behind this Dodgers‘ team. Without solid seasons from each of them, it would be tough for the Dodgers to find continued success, so I have complete faith that they will do what they always do. However, there is only so much stars can do alone; a team needs the supporting cast to step up and take them to the next level.

The players I have selected are the Dodgers’ under-the-radar or second-tier players that will need to produce in order for this Dodgers’ team to return to the playoffs and beyond. They will help elevate the team to greater heights than just the team’s stars can do alone. Remember, this is a team sport so it has to be “all hands on deck” for any “team” success. The following five players are all players that will determine how far the Dodgers will go this season. They won’t be the be-all end-all, but if they do not perform as expected, Los Angeles will not be able to achieve its lofty goal of appearing in and winning its first World Series Championship since 1988.

Sergio Romo 

To the surprise of many, including myself, one of the greatest strengths for the Dodgers last season was their bullpen. The relief pitchers really stepped up their games last season but some credit is due to rookie manager Dave Roberts who masterfully used them.

This success did not go unnoticed to the front office who, opened their checkbooks to retain closer Kenley Jansen’s services to the tune of a five-year $80 million deal. However, the Dodgers did not retain their 8^th inning setup man Joe Blanton.

While many Dodgers fans have the dumbfounded look that Blanton had on his face, after surrendering a grand slam to Miguel Montero in the NLCS, stuck in their brain, he still had a very good 2016 campaign. Blanton went 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA, 80 strikeouts, and only 26 walks over 80 innings pitched.

To fill this void, the Dodgers brought in a man that Dodger fans loved to hate: Sergio Romo. According to Jon Heyman, Romo took less money to join his hometown team. While Romo had a 2.64 ERA last season for the San Francisco Giants, he was limited to only 30.2 innings pitched due to injury. The past few seasons, Romo has struggled a bit with his command and has been trying to regain his 2013 form where he was an All-Star and saved 38 games for San Francisco.

In my opinion, Romo is vital to the success of the Dodgers this season. The Los Angeles bullpen must replicate last season’s success for them to make a deep run once again. Romo has the potential to be a diamond in the rough for the Dodgers if he can regain the command of his pitches and fill in the void that Joe Blanton has left in the 8^th inning of games.

Without a doubt, Romo has great stuff and at times looks like one of the best relief pitchers in the game. However, in recent seasons, his lack of command has led to huge breakdowns and inconsistent results.

The good news for the Dodgers is that they have Rick Honeycutt, the Dodgers’ pitching coach, who has had great success in helping veteran pitchers regain their old form. If Romo can come close to returning to his old form, the Dodgers’ bullpen has the potential to be even better than it was last year.

Franklin Gutierrez

The most glaring weakness of the 2016 Dodgers’ team was their inability to hit left-handed pitching. The majority of the Dodgers’ lineup bat from the left side and they all struggled against lefties. To make matter worse, the few right-handed batters in the lineup also could not hit lefties.

In fact, Los Angeles ranked last in the entire Major Leagues in both batting average (.213) and on-base percentage (.290) against left handed-pitching last season. This problem came back to bite the Dodgers in the playoffs, as teams threw lefty after lefty at the Dodgers.

In order to bring more balance to the lineup, the Dodgers signed right-handed Franklin Gutierrez. The 34-year-old outfielder signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers worth about $2.6 million plus bonuses. The former Gold Glover can play all three outfield positions but his real value comes from his ability to hammer lefties.

Last season, Gutierrez batted .280 with 12 home runs and 32 RBI’s in just 186 at-bats against left-handed pitching. In his career, he is batting .289 with an on-base percentage of .351 along with 50 home runs and 150 RBI’s in 1175 at-bats against left-handers.

The addition of Gutierrez is huge for the Dodgers because not only does he rake against lefties but he can also play the outfield. With so much uncertainty in right and left field, he can act as a platoon at those positions when the opposition starts a southpaw.

Finally, Gutierrez will be another high character veteran presence in the clubhouse that can help mentor the other outfielders like Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, and Andrew Toles. The other players will also get to pick his brain and watch his approach when it comes to facing lefties. If Gutierrez produces another season as advertised, he could play a vital role in the Dodgers’ attempt to return to the World Series.

Rich Hill 

The Dodgers were active at the Trade Deadline last year, acquiring Rich Hill and Josh Reddick from the Oakland A’s. The Dodgers envisioned Hill as their #2 starting pitcher to slot behind Clayton Kershaw in a playoff series.

Rich Hill had a fantastic 2016 season, going 12-5 with a 2.12 ERA over 110.1 innings pitched. The 37-year-old was hampered by blisters, which caused him to miss multiple starts, but was able to come through for the Dodgers when it mattered the most in the playoffs.

The front office liked what they saw from Hill and rewarded him with a three-year deal worth $48 million this offseason. 2017 will be Hill’s first full season with the Dodgers, who are expecting big things from him after giving a pitcher of his age so much money.

It has already been established that Clayton Kershaw cannot do it all by himself, and that is why the team is counting on Hill to be their #2 pitcher. The key for Rich is to stay healthy because when he is healthy he has the potential to be one of the best lefties in the game.

Health has been something of an issue for Hill throughout his career. He has never pitched more than 200 innings in a single season and his 110.1 innings last season was his most in the major leagues since 2007.

If Hill can stay healthy and live up to the Dodgers’ expectations as a #2 starter, it would go a long way towards winning the NL West. With Hill manning the #2 spot, it allows pitchers like Maeda, Urias, and others to drop down in the rotation, giving them more favorable matchups against opponents.

If Hill can remain healthy and pitch some quality innings for the Dodgers this season, it would allow the bullpen to get some rest and remain sharp. The 162 game season is a grind and the less work the bullpen has to do, the better. This is especially important for a team like that Dodgers who have World Series aspirations. Los Angeles will need its bullpen come October, if they wish to contend for a title.

Los Angeles has been looking for a pitcher to fill the hole Greinke left when he signed with Arizona last offseason. A healthy Hill can be that man and is vital to both the starting rotation and bullpen. Rich Hill’s success is key to the Dodgers’ overall success.

Yasmani Grandal

The 2016 season was a tale of two halves for Yasmani Grandal. Sometimes he looked completely lost at the plate and others he looked like the best offensive catcher in the MLB.

Before the All-Star break, the Dodgers’ catcher was batting .212 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI’s. After the break, he batted .245 with 15 home runs and 35 RBI’s. While he finished the season with only a .228 batting average, he looked more comfortable and confident at the plate.

Grandal is a key for Los Angeles, not only because of his offensive abilities (27 home runs last season), but also because he is one of the best pitch-framers behind the plate. In addition, he caught 29% of would-be base-stealers in 2016, which tied his career best.

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However, the most important improvement the team hopes to see out of Grandal in 2017 is his ability to hit lefties for power. Grandal is a switch-hitter, but last season he found much more success as a lefty against righties than as a righty against lefties. Yasmani hit 23 of his 27 home runs and drove in 60 of his 72 RBI’s as a left-handed batter.

Grandal is going to be a key to the 2017 Dodgers’ success because of the vital role he plays as the teams starting catcher. He is expected to handle the pitching staff, play solid defense, and produce at the plate. Grandal accomplished all three in the second half of the season and looked like the player the Dodgers thought they were acquiring when they traded Matt Kemp for him.

If the Yasmani Grandal of the second half of the season shows up for a full season, the Dodgers will be the favorites to win the National League West. In addition, I would not rule out a second All-Star appearance.

Next: Who Needs to Breakout in 2017?

With the departure of A.J. Ellis, Grandal will be relied upon even more this season to handle the Los Angeles pitching staff. If history has shown us anything in baseball, it is that pitching is the key to winning in October. For that reason, Grandal is a player that will determine the success of the Dodgers in 2017.