Dodgers News Round-Up: Chase Utley, Kenley Jansen, Prospects

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LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 13: Chase Utley #26 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout just prior to the start of the MLB game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Dodger Stadium on July 13, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

When Clayton Kershaw toed the rubber, threw his arms above his head and threw the ball in Russell Martin’s glove, it was once again time for Dodger baseball.

Winter has given way to spring, pitchers and catchers are in camp and soon, position players will flock towards the desert to prepare for the 2019 season.

From camp, there are always stories. Guys getting there in the best shape of their lives, a line that has become almost comical. Managers are breaking news on rosters and players breaking news on themselves and each other.

All of it contributes to the swirl of Tweets, posts and broadcast stories but for now, an article.

The Dodgers preliminary round of news came out on Tuesday when camp officially got started. Among those bits of information were Corey Seager’s health, Keibert Ruiz’s 2019 status and Cody Bellinger’s projected defensive alignments for spring training. You can read about all of that here.

For today’s slate of rumors, we’ll take a look at the most notable pieces of information from the last two days.

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 18: Chase Utley #26 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to his strikeout during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Chase Utley’s legacy as a player will forever be immortalized. A man who loved getting hit by the baseball just as much as he did a home run, went about his playing career humbly, quietly and never acting bigger than the next man up despite his years and years of knowledge.

When Utley played he knew he was a coach. He said in his retirement speech that he was happy to have always been another hitting coach, another pitching coach, and even a strength and condition trainer. Very simply put and summarized, Utley was a leader.

His leadership is what managers are made of and the Dodgers obviously saw that when they asked Utley to take on a front office role with the team.

His duties are still undefined but general manager, Andrew Friedman, told the media that Utley’s role with the team will be “announced sometime next week.”

Adding Utley can only be positive. His expertise and quiet desire to always lead should and will go a long way in the Dodgers’ player development desires and even their major league efforts.

More news to come on this and it will get its own article as soon as the news comes out.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

If you ask Kenley Jansen, a natural competitor and his own biggest critic, if he was happy with his 2018 results, his answer would almost certainly be no. The Dodgers famed closer wanted more for himself and for his team last year and he will have an opportunity to do that in the upcoming season.

Over the offseason, Jansen had a heart operation to repair an irregular heartbeat experienced while the team was in Colorado. It is Jansen’s second time receiving the surgery.

But, despite going under the knife, he seems to have turned a new leaf.

Jansen showed up to Camelback Ranch considerably skinnier than he was when the World Series ended last year and that could be both good and bad.

First, the good. Jansen’s health is number one. He had a heart issue last year and cutting some weight can only help with that. If Jansen’s goal in the weight loss was simply to protect his health, there is no arguing it is bad.

Purely from a baseball standpoint, one could argue that losing weight for a big-bodied, hard-throwing pitcher is not the most optimal move. Losing weight essentially puts less behind the ball because the pitcher does not have the same amount of mass coming down the mound as he once did.

The big determining factor in all of this will be Jansen in game action. Once we see him throw and watch his velocity, the picture on how good or bad the weight cut was will become much clearer.

GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Will Smith #79 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses during MLB Photo Day at Camelback Ranch- Glendale on February 22, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /

Prospects in big-league camp are no new occurrence. It happens every year. But, rarely does a team’s future catching duo play in the same big league camp for media and fans to observe at the same time. Will Smith and Keibert Ruiz are giving Dodger fans that chance.

We’ve talked about Ruiz in these articles. Earlier this week Dave Roberts said he was probably not going to see any big league action in 2019. Reason being the Dodgers want to take their time with the 20-year-old catcher.

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For Smith though, the story is not quite the same. Roberts initially said that Smith is not ready for the majors. He said his offense needs some refining and there is no disagreeing with that. In his 87 Triple-A at-bats, Smith his just .138.

Roberts’ desires for improvement stopped there.

The Dodger manager followed up those comments with “Smith could win an MLB Gold Glove right now.” Again, there is no disagreeing with it.

Smith’s primary position is obviously catcher. He was taken in the first round out of Louisville by the Dodgers with the full intention of playing him behind the plate. But, when the Dodgers started to employ more versatility on their big league roster, Smith began to work on his.

Starting with the High-A Quakes, Smith saw time at catcher, second base and even third. The top catching prospect known only for his work behind the plate became usable in other positions and promoting him became much easier.

Next. Dodgers’ Player Previews 2019: Kenley Jansen Looks to Bounce Back. dark

The news that Roberts is raving about Smith’s defense is important. It is one less step that needs to be met before the 23-year-old will get called up.

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When Clayton Kershaw toed the rubber, threw his arms above his head and threw the ball in Russell Martin’s glove, it was once again time for Dodger baseball.

More from Dodgers Way

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