Los Angeles Dodgers 2003 Finish: 85-77, 2nd NL West	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Shawn Green Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Batting Order
CF	Dave Roberts Was 40-for-50 in steals and had 19 bunt hits.
C	Paul Lo Duca Battled knee injury and hit .226 after the break.
RF	Shawn Green 49 doubles set franchise record, but 19 HRs was major outage.
3B	Adrian Beltre Batted .225 before the break, .305 in September.
1B	Robin Ventura Expected to play in a platoon/reserve role.
LF	Juan Encarnacion His 94 RBI would have led the team in 2003.
2B	Alex Cora Batted .249 after hitting .291 in 2002.
SS	Cesar Izturis Has two HR in 997 ABs as a Dodger.
Rotation
LHP	Hideo Nomo Could have won 20 with run support (13 runs in his 13 losses).
LHP	Odalis Perez Was ostracized after he complained about punchless offense.
RHP	Jeff Weaver Move to NL could benefit the one-time top prospect.
LHP	Kazuhisa Ishii Walked 101 batters, one fewer than NL leader Russ Ortiz.
LHP	Wilson Alvarez Dodgers were 9-3 in his 12 starts.
Bullpen
RHP	Eric Gagne Tied John Smoltz's NL record with 55 saves; 15.0 Ks per 9 IP.
RHP	Guillermo Mota Posted 1.97 ERA in 105 innings.
RHP	Paul Shuey 1.88 ERA at the break; battled arthritic hip in the second half.
LHP	Tom Martin Stranded 37-of-42 runners, best percentage among relievers.
LHP	Steve Colyer Hard-throwing youngster expected to take a prominent role.
RHP	Darren Dreifort Theoretical candidate for rotation.
Prospects
RHP	Edwin Jackson On his 20th birthday, beat Randy Johnson in debut.
RHP	Greg Miller Scouts rank his ceiling as even higher than Jackson's.
C	Koyie Hill Smart, confident player can hit for AVG; power's another question.

The Dodgers' offense was the worst in the major leagues last year, and it doesn't promise to be much better this season. Impregnable Eric Gagne returns, but the loss of Kevin Brown will make it tough for the pitching staff to match last year's dominance. Still, the National League West appears wide open.

Brown and his private jet are gone, sent to the Yankees in a trade that brought Jeff Weaver to the Dodgers along with payroll relief. Weaver will settle into a rotation that also includes Hideo Nomo, Kazuhisa Ishii and Wilson Alvarez. Oft-injured Darren Dreifort had reconstructive knee surgery in June and will compete for a spot in the spring. Top prospect Edwin Jackson and rookie Joel Hanrahan also will be candidates. Odalis Perez is expected to be the team's No. 2 starter unless the Dodgers trade him for offensive help. The Dodgers' staff was far and away the best in the league last season, but Brown's toughness will be difficult to replicate. Also, Nomo is coming off of shoulder surgery, and Ishii had some knee problems in September.

Gagne became the first Dodger to capture the Cy Young Award since Orel Hershiser in 1988. Gagne was 55-for-55 in save chances, rewrote chunks of the record book and developed a cult following at Dodger Stadium. The team lost some depth behind Gagne but again should feature one of the top bullpens in the game. Guillermo Mota, dominant in a long relief role last season, becomes the primary setup man after Paul Quantrill, who led all relievers in appearances, signed with the Yankees. Paul Shuey had hip surgery after the season and will be asked to carry a heavier load. Lefthander Tom Martin was one of the team's best feel-good stories. Signed to a minor league contract during spring training, the veteran of five arm surgeries was throwing 95 mph and made the team as the primary lefty in the bullpen. He appeared in 80 games and held left-handers to a .189 average. He also led the major leagues in first-batter efficiency (they were 7-for-70) and stranding inherited runners (37-of-42, 88 percent). Young lefty Steve Colyer will also be given a chance to shine.

Cesar Izturis probably was the best defensive shortstop in the league, though the Cardinals' Edgar Renteria won the Gold Glove. Izturis also made some progress at the plate, but his overall numbers weren't good. The Dodgers had an offensive vacuum in the middle infield with Izturis and Alex Cora. Cora signed a contract to return, though it might be in a reserve role. The team entered January still looking for an everyday second baseman. Jolbert Cabrera is a fine utility player with pop, but he's been known to boot a few routine plays. Former top prospect Joe Thurston remains in the system and could get another chance.

The great Adrian Beltre debate rolls on for another season. It appeared Beltre was playing himself out of the organization last season, but he rescued his future with another strong second half. Still a phenomenal talent and just 24 years old, he should be motivated as he enters his walk year. But it's approach and attitude -- not effort -- that are the questions with Beltre. The Dodgers have considered moving Shawn Green to first, but they need to find another outfielder (possibly Bubba Tramell) to plug into the lineup. The team also re-signed Robin Ventura, who could form part of a platoon at first base.

Juan Encarnacion will play left field unless the Dodgers move Green to first base. Encarnacion wasn't the most patient hitter, as his .313 on-base percentage attests, but he gained World Series experience with the Marlins, and his 94 RBI would have led the Dodgers. When the team acquired him in December, they envisioned him as a No. 6 hitter. Encarnacion also might see time in center field, allowing the team to better pace Dave Roberts. The speedy leadoff man battled hamstring problems most of the season but was mildly effective when healthy. Green set a franchise record with 49 doubles but hit just 19 homers after clubbing 91 over the previous two seasons. He admitted late in the year that he'd battled a right shoulder injury since spring training. He had surgery in October and was encouraged during early stages of rehab.

A disturbing career trend is beginning to emerge for Paul Lo Duca. He was named to the All-Star team after hitting .307 but managed just a .226 average the rest of the way. The Dodgers were forced to play Lo Duca in left field and at first base on his "days off" from behind the plate because he was the team's only effective right-handed hitter. They will be more cautious not to let him wear down this time. Lo Duca's name also came up in trade talks over the winter, and the team could deal him before spring training. Todd Hundley had back surgery in May and isn't guaranteed a roster spot, even though he's making $6.5 million. David Ross is a competent backup and rookie Koyie Hill will get a look.

Aside from Cabrera, the group didn't produce much and most aren't coming back. Mike Kinkade was sent to Japan and Ron Coomer likely to retirement. Daryle Ward (.183, one extra-base hit in 52 games) was an utter embarrassment. Trammell, signed in the offseason, could be a valuable bat off the bench if he doesn't crack the starting lineup.

Opinions are split over manager Jim Tracy. On one hand, he coaxed 85 wins out of a team that scored 17 fewer runs than the Detroit Tigers. On the other hand, he faced grumbles within his own clubhouse after he failed to use Gagne in a late-inning debacle at Arizona on Sept. 10. At times, Tracy appears to lack confidence in himself, and players see through it rather easily. GM Dan Evans took major heat from critics and players alike for failing to get an impact hitter at the trade deadline. Evans was handcuffed this winter by the ownership situation and his own unwillingness to trade top prospects Jackson and Greg Miller. Evans already has been replaced by Paul DePodesta of the A's. Tracy likely is gone after this season, too.

The Dodgers are in a transition period and lack the intangibles that most winning teams possess. They have finished above .500 in each of Tracy's three seasons but stumbled again in September and are still looking for their first playoff appearance since 1996. Their offense needed major renovations this winter, but entering January, Evans' only moves were to acquire Encarnacion, re-sign Ventura and trade Brown. It might not take 90 wins to capture the NL West this season, so if Green recovers and Gagne stays close to perfect, the Dodgers might have a shot.

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