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Beyond the Box Score Clutch The Dodgers hit a National League-best .286 with runners in scoring position last season -- the first time they led the National League in that statistic since their 1988 championship season. Two players led the way -- Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra. Furcal hit .346 with runners in scoring position, eighth in the National League. Garciaparra hit .368 (fifth in the National League) with a handful of "walkoff" hits. Struggles The Dodgers made the playoffs in 2006 despite playing poorly against good teams. They went 19-38 against teams that finished the season with winning records, including 8-30 against teams that made the playoffs. Home sweet home The Dodgers had a split personality in 2006. They won 49 games at Dodger Stadium. Among NL teams, only the New York Mets (50) had more home victories. The dual personalities were most pronounced on offense. The Dodgers hit .293 with 88 home runs and 5.4 runs per game at home, .260 with 65 home runs and 4.7 runs per game on the road. Surprise closer Japanese reliever Takashi Saito came to spring training last year on a minor-league contract and opened the season on the Dodgers' Triple-A roster. When Eric Gagne had to undergo elbow surgery during the first week of the season, Saito was promoted and became the oldest rookie in Dodger history. The 36-year-old eventually stepped in as the Dodgers' closer and set the franchise rookie record with 24 saves. Model franchise The Dodgers were named the Organization of the Year by Baseball America for the 2006 season. The award recognizes total performance in the scouting and player development area at every level of the major and minor leagues.

There was a time when the Dodgers' farm system was the envy of the major leagues. From 1992-96, Los Angeles produced five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners, including Mike Piazza and Raul Mondesi. But then the tap ran dry for the better part of a decade. In recent years, however, the drafting and development side of the organization has been rejuvenated (even as the front office went through five general managers in a six-year span) and the products of that rebirth have begun to reach the majors. Last year's 25-man playoff roster included seven rookies, and more homegrown talent is on the way from an organization now ranked as the deepest in baseball. GM Ned Colletti has adeptly built a veteran lineup around that developing talent, and the Dodgers could be the team to beat in the National League West for years to come.

Rotation

If there is strength in numbers, the Dodgers' starting pitching qualifies as one of the better units in baseball. Unable to land the big bopper he wanted for the middle of his lineup, Colletti spent heavily on starting pitching, signing right-hander Jason Schmidt for the front of the rotation and left-hander Randy Wolf for the back half. They join holdovers Derek Lowe and Brad Penny to form a solid foursome, and leave youngsters Chad Billingsley, Hong-Chih Kuo and top prospect Scott Elbert to compete for a big league opportunity. Journeyman Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson add depth, bullpen options and/or trade options. Last year's rotation was reduced to Penny and Lowe and three days of woe for much of the season, and was particularly weak at pitching deep into games (an average of 5.1 innings per start and only one complete game all season).

Bullpen

Eric Gagne's reign as the best closer in baseball ended two years ago. The Dodgers began to move on last season, finally settling on Japanese veteran Takashi Saito -- a 36-year-old major league rookie at that -- as Gagne's successor. Saito was dependable (24 saves in 26 chances) if not as dominant or charismatic as Gagne. Hard-throwing young right-hander Jonathan Broxton stands as a formidable setup option and closer-in-the-making. Beyond that duo, though, there is little to get excited about in a bullpen that was overextended by the rotation's failure to pitch deep into games last season.

Middle Infield

Colletti's first purchase as Dodgers GM was an expensive one. He signed free agent Rafael Furcal to a three-year, $39 million contract in December 2005 that made him the highest-paid shortstop in the NL. After arthroscopic knee surgery in January led to a series of nagging injuries and a slow start, it looked like a bad buy. From May 1 on, though, Furcal was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for. He finished among NL leaders in hits, runs and stolen bases while matching a career-high with 15 home runs. That pop and a .346 batting average with runners in scoring position are enough for manager Grady Little to consider trying the Dodgers' best leadoff hitter in years in the No. 3 hole this season. Second baseman Jeff Kent began to show his age in 2006. He had the lowest full-season power totals since his rookie year in 1992 and failed to drive in 70 runs for the first time since 1996.

Corners

The Dodgers took a $6 million (plus incentives) gamble on Nomar Garciaparra and won big. After having a Hall of Fame career sidetracked by repeated injuries, Garciaparra regained some measure of his old form in 2006 and won a host of Comeback Player of the Year awards. He was especially big in the clutch, coming through with a handful of highlight-reel hits. Injuries were still an issue, though, limiting Garciaparra to 122 games and especially hobbling him late in the season and into the playoffs. The Dodgers are prepared for more of the same, with prospect James Loney ready to spell Garciaparra after getting his feet wet at the major league level last season. Wilson Betemit showed power and will get the first chance to grab the third base spot. But he remains an inconsistent and undisciplined hitter.

Outfield

J.D. Drew caught the team off guard by exercising the opt-out clause in his contract and leaving as a free agent. The move left an area of weakness further depleted by the departure of the team's leader in RBIs (100) and co-leader in home runs (20). Unable to find the power threat the team's lineup needs, Colletti's fallback position was to sign free agents Juan Pierre and Luis Gonzalez. Pierre is a younger version of last year's primary center fielder, Kenny Lofton -- but one with a much lower on-base percentage and stolen base success rate. Gonzalez is an older version of the Luis Gonzalez who hit 57 home runs for the Diamondbacks in 2001. Youngsters Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Jason Repko will compete for the final spot, each with their limitations. Ethier was a pleasant surprise last season, winning the left field job and emerging as a Rookie of the Year candidate until he hit a wall in September. Kemp burst onto the scene with seven home runs in his first 18 big league games but looked overmatched after that.

Catching

The Dodgers' catching position was filled for the next several seasons on May 5 last year. That's when Russell Martin made his big league debut. Martin played with poise beyond his years and deserved more Rookie of the Year support than he got. The Dodgers were 71-43 when Martin was in the starting lineup, a remarkable .623 winning percentage with a rookie manning the most challenging position on the field.

Bench

The Dodgers have the makings of a strong bench built around a trio of veterans -- Marlon Anderson, Olmedo Saenz and Mike Lieberthal. Anderson was a godsend after arriving from the Nationals in a trade. He hit .375 with seven home runs and 15 RBIs in 25 games with the Dodgers. His versatility gives Little flexibility and a left-handed pinch-hit option to match the right-handed Saenz, who hit .397 against left-handed pitching in 2006. Age in the Dodgers' everyday lineup is likely to leave plenty of playing time for youngsters Loney and Repko as well.

Management

Three years into the Frank McCourt era, the Dodgers have finally rediscovered a former hallmark of the franchise: stability. The tandem of Colletti and Little has put the dysfunction of McCourt's stewardship to rest. Little is a much better manager of people than games -- but that has proven to be just what the team needed. Colletti has restored order to the front office, rebuilding a scouting department that had previously been ignored.

Final Analysis

It has been a long time since the Dodgers were more than bit players in the postseason. They haven't won a playoff series since their 1988 World Series victory and have won only one playoff game in that time. That could change soon. The additions of Schmidt and Wolf have given the Dodgers the kind of pitching that takes a team deep into October, and the emergence of young talent like Martin provides a foundation for continued success. In an NL West where everyone else seems to be treading water, the Dodgers have the look of an emerging power.

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