With the addition of Kuroda to the Dodgers rotation, I really think the team is coming together.  I've watched a few videos of him pitching in Japan, and I swear that his fastball has some rising action!  Our team as a whole is looking really good.  Top to bottom, our starting pitchers can compete with anyone in baseball, our lineup features at least 5 guys who can potentially hit 20+ homers, and our bullpen is still very solid.  We have younger versions of Olmedo Saenz and Ramon Martinez in Delwyn Young and Tony Abreu, and now we even have a backup catcher in Gary Bennett! 

While Colletti claims that we still have some moves to make, I don't think that we will give up any of our big name prospects for anyone, since our team is pretty much set.  We may trade a lower tier prospect for a reliever or something, but I think that's about it.  And honestly, I think the team we have right now can compete with anyone in baseball.  We may not have the most dominate pitcher or the top power hitter, but we are solid through and through.  I'm not just saying this cause I'm a fan either.  We are much better than last year because our younger players have had another year to mature, and I think that we are deeper as well.  Overall, I'm excited to watch this team play in the Spring (although I'm not too excited about the apparent increase in ticket prices!)

I've been at work late all week, and I'll be gone this weekend, so I just wanted to post a few quick comments about the recent Dodger activity.  First of all, getting Andruw Jones for 2 years really is a pretty good deal.  I know that over $18 million a year is a lot of money, but at least he is not locked in for 5 years or something.  He'll provide great defense in center field, and I predict he'll have some good year with the Dodgers.  He'll still be playing for a big pay day since he'll be a free agent again in 2 years, so I think he'll give us his best effort.  My predictions for next year and that he hits 31 HR's with 115 RBI's, and a .273 average.  You heard it here first.

Next, I want to say that we cannot trade Matt Kemp.  After we signed Andruw Jones, all I kept hearing about is how we would now turn around and trade Kemp.  There is NO WAY that should happen.  We need Kemp in this lineup to win, and he should play every day in right field.  He has such great talent, that I would not give him up for anyone.  However, an outfield of Jones-Kemp-Pierre leaves Ethier on the bench.  As much as I like Ethier, I think he deserve to play everyday, so I wouldn't mind trading him for a guy like Joe Blanton.  I mentioned a trade involving Ethier and Blanton a few weeks ago (see Recent Activity on Nov 23), and I still think that it could happen. 

That's about it for now.  I'm almost positive that we will trade for or sign another starting pitcher, but I'm not sure who it will be.  I'm also pretty sure that we will leave the 3rd base job to both Nomar and LaRoache, which sounds great to me.  A lineup of Furcal, Martin, Loney, Jones, Kemp, Kent, LaRoache, Pierre looks pretty good to me.