[外電] Five questions that the Dodgers need …

看板Dodgers作者mayday2242 (Gary)時間17年前 (2008/02/28 11:36)推噓2(2推 0噓 0→)

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VERO BEACH, Fla. -- When spring training was only a few days old, the Dodgers' new manager admitted that he couldn't recognize most of his players by sight. Though Joe Torre might be more familiar with the faces and personalities in his clubhouse, what they look like on the field when put in specific situations remains something of a mystery to him. And though he has a general idea of who could play where, Torre said that a lineup is "something that's going to come to you without having to really give it a lot of thought once you watch them play." Torre gets his first real look today, when the Dodgers open the exhibition season against the Atlanta Braves at Holman Stadium. Admittedly, the evaluation process will be difficult because the club is obligated to send a split squad to play exhibition games in China against the San Diego Padres on March 14 and 15. The contingent that will go to China, which includes Torre, will be apart from the rest of the team for a week in mid-March. The squads will converge in Arizona to finish spring training in the Cactus League. In the midst of this chaos, Torre will try to answer questions about his team. Here are the five most pressing ones: Who will play next to Andruw Jones? 1Jones, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, became a lock to start in center field the moment he signed a two-year, $36.2-million contract with the Dodgers in December. But stability in one position resulted in instability in two others, as returning players Juan Pierre, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier find themselves battling for playing time in the remaining outfield spots. "It's a nice problem to have," Torre said. Ethier is vying for both spots, competing with Pierre for the job in left and Kemp in right. Pierre, 30, who moved out of center to make room for Jones, had 196 hits and 64 steals last season, but his on-base percentage was only .331. Kemp, 23, might have the highest ceiling among the Dodgers' promising young players, but questions exist about his maturity. Ethier, 25, could be the most well-rounded player in the group. Speaking of Jones, can he bounce back from last season? 2A five-time All-Star, Jones hit 51 home runs in 2005 and 41 a year later. Last season, his total plunged to 26 and he hit .222. A few explanations exist for what happened, the first being that Jones battled elbow problems. Jones claims the injury didn't affect him, blaming his decreased output on a batting stance that he said was too wide and a body that he said was too slim. Jones said he weighed in at 241 for his physical exam, 16 pounds heavier than he did last season with the Braves. "It's a little bit of a concern," Torre said of the added weight. Jones said that the strength he felt he lost because of the lost weight is back and that his stance is where it should be. He said he wouldn't panic if he didn't start hitting immediately. "In the spring, you slowly make your adjustments," he said. Who starts at third: the former two-time batting champion who didn't look like a former two-time batting champion last season or a kid with minimal big-league experience? 3Torre's options at third base are Nomar Garciaparra, who hit .283 with seven home runs last season, and Andy LaRoche, who often looked overwhelmed in 35 big-league games last season. Garciaparra has refused to discuss the competition at third base this spring, saying, "I don't have any thoughts about anything. I'm just getting ready for the season." Torre said he recently spoke to Garciaparra about the situation, telling him that he had the "inside track" to be the starter because of his experience. The lack of consistency resulting from the lack of experience is a concern for LaRoche, who hit .309 in triple-A Las Vegas but only .226 in the majors last season. Front-office officials have noted that LaRoche initially struggled at every new level in the minors but that he always managed to make the necessary adjustments. The hope is that he could do that again. Was Hiroki Kuroda worth $35.3 million? 4Kuroda was the Dodgers' only target among the weak crop of free-agent pitchers. Assistant general manager Logan White scouted Kuroda in person in Japan and has vouched for his ability, but the reality is that the 33-year-old right-hander still hasn't thrown a single pitch in the big leagues. He'll get his first chance Friday, when the Dodgers visit the Braves in Orlando. Up to this point, Torre likes what he has seen. "He throws a variety of stuff from the same release point," Torre said. "He doesn't throw anything straight." Is Jason Schmidt completely healed? 5This is the question to which no one, not even Schmidt, has an answer. And the answer will remain unknown until some point this season, when Schmidt finds himself in a jam and is forced to let go of a pitch without considering the consequences. Schmidt underwent major shoulder surgery last season, the first year of a three-year, $47-million deal. So far, he hasn't suffered any setbacks. "I'm still on the right track," Schmidt said. Whether Schmidt can be ready for opening day remains uncertain. But that is of less concern than making sure that once he is back, he remains healthy. If Schmidt can regain at least some of the form that made him a three-time All-Star with the San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers' rotation could be one of the best in baseball. Torre has said Schmidt will pitch in the exhibition season, but said he will be cautious in how he handles him -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 71.134.74.14 ※ 編輯: mayday2242 來自: 71.134.74.14 (02/28 11:39) ※ 編輯: mayday2242 來自: 71.134.74.14 (02/28 11:43)