Dodgers Jump Back into International Market with Puig Signing

by Kevin Zeni

After years of underwhelming activity in the international market, the Dodgers made a bold jump back in with the record-breaking signing of Cuban defector Yasiel Puig (pronounced Yah-see-EL Pweeg).

The Dodgers have reportedly signed the 21-year-old outfielder to a seven-year, $42 million dollar contract, eclipsing the four-year, $36 million dollar deal the Oakland Athletics gave to fellow Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes this past offseason.

Puig, who has been considered the fastest player in Cuban baseball, hasn't played competitively in almost two years after being suspended from the Cienfuegos Elefantes of the Serie Nacional in 2011-12 for multiple failed defection attempts. However, in his breakout 2010-11 season, Puig put up numbers comparable to those of Cespedes (see below).

Player	2B	3B	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB	SO
Yasiel Puig	19	6	17	.330	.430	.581	49	39
Yoenis Cespedes	17	1	33	.333	.424	.667	49	40

(Stats courtesy of FanGraphs.com)

As of June 28, Cespedes his batting .267 with nine home runs, nine doubles, 32 RBIs, a .503 slugging percentage, and an .835 OPS for the A's. While Puig is not likely to have quite the power numbers of Cespedes, his speed will likely nab him more doubles and triples, as well as allow him to play better outfield defense.

Various scouts are predicting that Puig will be with the big league club at some point this season, but until then, it's likely that he will begin his professional career at Double-A Chattanooga, with the possibility of a brief stop at Advanced-A Rancho Cucamonga before that, so that the Dodgers brass could have a first-hand look at the young Cuban.

The signing of Puig may not immediately answer the Dodgers' offensive woes, but it does provide hope for the near future. Just think of the kind of damage an outfield of Puig, Kemp and Ethier could do when all three are healthy and productive. With those three outfielders each signed long term, Los Angeles could potentially have all three members of their starting outfield win Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards in the not so distant future.

Click here to see FanGraph.com scout/writer J.P. Breen's full scouting profile on Puig.

Hatcher Reunited with Dodgers

by Kevin Zeni

It took a little longer than I expected, by my prediction of Mickey Hatcher hooking up with the Dodgers since his firing as the Angels' hitting coach on May 15 has finally occurred.

This afternoon (June 26), the Dodgers announced the hiring of Hatcher as a special assistant to General Manager Ned Colletti. In his new role, Mickey will assist with player development in the minor leagues, as well as provide assistance to the major league staff as needed.

I'm not sure why it took over a month to bring Hatcher into the fold, but I'm glad the team was finally able to put a great hitting and baseball mind back in Dodger blue for the foreseeable future.

Click here for the Dodgers' official release.

Dodgers miss out on Golden (or should I say Red) Opportunity

by Kevin Zeni

With corner infielder Kevin Youkilis trading in his red socks for a pair of pale hose, it means that the Dodgers, among others, missed out on a chance to bring in the versatile veteran. While many Dodger fans would merely be disappointed at the fact that Youk won't be swinging a bat in Dodger blue, I have a much more obscure reason for my disappointment.

The moment that Youkilis' name started swirling about in Dodgers trade rumors, I began to envision both him and reliever Todd Coffey having a contest. While many teams may have contests to see who has the most power, most speed, or can bunt the best, this contest would involve seeing which of the two can turn their face the reddest.

Both have been known to turn intensely red in the face when heated or over-exerted. This has become something of a joke for their teammates and one that could only have become better if the two were to join forces.

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait to see if such a union can ever become reality, much to the dismay of this writer.

Billy Hamilton Theft Update

by Kevin Zeni

With the California-Carolina League All-Star Game now in the rear-view mirror, Reds prospect Billy Hamilton has come to the halfway point of his 2012 season having amassed 80 stolen bases in 66 official games. That number does not include the two steals the speedster collected in the Cal League's 9-1 loss to the Carolina League at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on June 19.

In a bit of an ironic twist, Hamilton was the victim of a theft prior to the all-star contest, having been held-up at gun-point while walking the streets of Winston-Salem. Click here for Cincinnati.com's full story.

Seemingly unfazed by the incident, Hamilton scored the Cal League's only run of the game en route to being named the league's MVP of the contest. Click here for MiLB.com's full story.

Click here to view Billy Hamilton's MiLB.com player page.

A Look at the Dodgers' 2013 Free Agent Options

by Kevin Zeni

Yes, yes, I know we haven't even hit the 2012 All-Star break yet, but as all of you who follow sports media nowadays know, it's never too early to examine who will likely be available on the free agent market next offseason. With Andre Ethier re-upping with the Dodgers this past week, I figured it all the more fitting to examine who else the Blue Crew may be able to bring into the fold in Stan Kasten's first offseason as the Dodgers' president.

Let's start with the team's most pressing need; first base. While it's still possible that incumbent James Loney will once again have a second-half surge that saves his job, some of the other names the Dodgers may explore include Kevin Youkilis (who could also fill a void at third), Adam La Roche, Carlos Lee, Carlos Pena, and Mike Napoli. Youkilis is the most likely to become available, and may even join Los Angeles by the trade deadline if Ned Colletti can complete an agreeable deal with the Red Sox. La Roche is another interesting name out there. His average, like Pena's, leaves something to be desired, but you can count on him for above-average defense at first and around 20 homers and 80 RBIs. Napoli will likely stick with the Rangers and want to catch, while Lee and Pena fit better in the American League, where they can also serve as the DH.

The Dodgers' next biggest hole is at third base, where Youkilis, David Wright, and Scott Rolen will be available. Most experts expect Wright to sign a long-term extension with the Mets, which would take his name off the table. Youkilis, as mentioned before, makes the most sense, but another interesting scenario to consider would be a platoon involving Youkilis and Juan Rivera at first, with Rolen and Youkilis sharing time at third. All players are older, yet still productive and could benefit from a time share at the corners. Rolen would also come fairly cheap, considering he's a 38-year-old with a history of injuries.

Now onto left field, a position the Dodgers have struggled to fill over the last decade or so (excluding the limited time Manny manned that spot). While every team in baseball will be salivating over Josh Hamilton, I expect the Rangers to make sure a deal gets done before season's end to keep him there for the rest of his career. That would leave such players as Cody Ross, Ichiro Suzuki, Michael Bourn, Carlos Quentin, Torii Hunter, Shane Victorino, B.J. Upton, Melky Cabrera, Delmon Young, and Carlos Lee. Bourn and Upton will want to remain center fielders and likely won't acknowledge any offers without that assurance. Both Victorino and Ross came up through the Dodgers' minor league system and wouldn't cost a ton to bring into the fold. Quentin is the most tantalizing bat not named Hamilton, but is a defensive liability on the field, as is Lee. Suzuki and Hunter are older guys that the Dodgers likely won't give a sniff and Cabrera and Young will probably price themselves out of the range Colletti and Kasten would be willing to spend on them.

The biggest prize of free agency will be Cole Hamels, who many have linked to the Dodgers if the Phillies don't complete an extension with him by the end of the year. Hamels is a San Diego native, and with the Padres unwilling and unable to spend money, the next closest team with pitching needs would be LA. Another guy, who will likely not have his $22 million option picked up and has San Diego roots, is Jake Peavy. While, he's not the same pitcher that won the Cy Young in 2007, he's still a top of the rotation guy that would fit nicely into a rotation with Hamels, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Chris Capuano/Ted Lilly. It's also possible that Nate Eovaldi and 2011 pitching sensation Rubby De La Rosa, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, could etch out a spot in the rotation with strong play the rest of this season. Meanwhile, some of the other names that will be out there and worth a look include former Dodgers Derek Lowe and Edwin Jackson, Jake Westbrook, Joe Saunders, and my personal-favorite slow-ball pitcher, Livan Hernandez.

Finally, some bullpen and bench guys that may be given a look to help round out the team could include Jim Thome, Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Cesar Izturis, Omar Vizquel, Jack Wilson, Marco Scutaro, Matt Treanor, Yorvit Torrealba, David Ross, Henry Blanco, Kelly Shoppach, Brian Schneider, Miguel Olivo, Jose Molina, Gerald Laird, Joakim Soria, J.J. Putz, Kyle Farnsworth, Mike Adams, Grant Balfour, Juan Cruz, Bobby Jenks, and Brad Lidge.

Regardless of what ultimately gets done this summer at the trade deadline and next winter, the Dodgers have a solid base in place to build around and should remain in the upper echelon of teams for years to come.

Dodgers' Elian Herrera Continues Hot Start

by Kevin Zeni

While interning for the Inland Empire 66ers during the 2009 season, I figured I'd see some memorable moments and get to meet at least a few players that one day will make it to the big leagues. I did not, however, believe that infielder/outfielder Elian Herrera would be the guy from that team proving to be most crucial (other than catcher-turned-closer Kenley Jansen) to the Dodgers success this year.

To add some perspective to my cynicism, some of Herrera's teammates on that '09 team were outfielders Scott Van Slyke (son of former Pirate and Cardinal Andy Van Slyke), Preston Mattingly (son of Dodgers manager Don Mattingly) and Trayvon Robinson (a September call-up of the Seattle Mariners last season), and third baseman Pedro Baez (a former top-10 Dodgers prospect currently at AA Chattanooga).

When outfielder Tommy Giles (who is now out of professional baseball) was promoted to AA Chattanooga in mid-May of 2009, Herrera took his spot on the 66ers. While Herrera put up a solid .290 average in his 99 games played in San Bernardino and played almost flawless defense at second base and all three outfield positions, he never did anything overly spectacular that would draw fans and scouts to pay particular attention to him as a guy who could be a key contributor to a first-place team in the National League West. In fact, other than Robinson, who was also promoted to Chattanooga mid-season, Van Slyke was the only position player on the team who showcased above-average potential to be a major leaguer, finishing the season as the first player in Inland Empire's history to collect 40 doubles, 20 homers, and 100 RBIs in a single season (he finished with 42, 23, and 100).

If someone would have told me in 2009 that three seasons later Herrera will collect the game-winning hit in the ninth-inning against Jonathan Papelbon to hand the Dodgers a win in Philadelphia over the Phillies, I wouldn't have believed you, yet that very thing happened just last night. The fact that Herrera has never won a player-of-the-week, player-of-the-month or player-of-the-year award, nor been named to an All-Star team in any of his nine full seasons of professional competition, makes his hot start in the majors all the more improbable.

It will be interesting to see if Elian can continue to reach base consistently and remain a key cog at the top of the Dodgers lineup, not only to provide the team a higher likelihood of winning, but to ensure he keeps his job when the likes of Justin Sellers, Mark Ellis and Matt Kemp return from the disabled list.

Regardless of what is to come, Herrera has already beaten the odds by making it to "The Show" and taking full advantage of the opportunity given to him. Who knows, the way things have gone for him so far, he may wind up leading the Dodgers to the World Series with a series of clutch hits in the playoffs.

Here's hoping.

Click here to view Dodgers.com's story on Herrera's surprising play.

Click here to view Herrera's MLB.com player page.

Click here to view Herrera's MiLB.com player page.

Jarrad Page Update

by Kevin Zeni

Jarrad Page's return to baseball has come to an abrupt end after the outfielder was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 29.

In his eight games played with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Advanced-A California League, Page batted .040 (1-for-25) with a a walk, an RBI and one stolen base in two attempts.

The move was made to open up a roster spot on the Quakes for fellow outfielder Casio Grider, who came off the disabled list, as well as to create more flexibility within the Dodgers organization in general, so that more highly regarded prospects can have an opportunity to move up the ranks.

With Page out of the picture for the Dodgers, it's likely that the former UCLA Bruin will more intensely pursue continuing his career as a safety in the NFL.

Click here to view Jarrad Page's MiLB.com player page.