Five things to know about the Dodgers
Miller from Dodgers camp
1. Milton Bradley's anger management sessions appear to be taking -- for now. Bradley and J.D. Drew essentially worked out the center field-right field duties during a conversation earlier this spring with the blessing of manager Jim Tracy. Despite Drew's belief he would play center when he signed as a free agent, he will play right and Bradley center for the bulk of the time. But when Drew's surgically repaired knee flares up, he'll shift over to center, to avoid the quick stops and turns a right fielder often must make (particularly in the corner) and Bradley will play right. If Drew can stay on the field, look out: He reached base in 133 of 145 games he played in for Atlanta last season.
2. Though he tantalized the Dodgers in his scorching-hot debut for them early last August by throwing a two-hit shutout over eight innings, Brad Penny hasn't been heard from since. His long comeback from the nerve problem in his right arm continues. He didn't throw off of a mound for the first two weeks of camp -- though he was long-tossing -- and is no longer expected to be ready for opening day (but the hope is he will be shortly afterward). It's one thing to be cautious, and if Penny is OK, that's fine. But if his arm acts up when he cranks it up, the Dodgers will have a gaping hole atop their rotation.
3. In trading Shawn Green and allowing Adrian Beltre to walk as a free agent, the Dodgers lost 76 homers and 207 RBI from last year's lineup. Now, into the void at first base steps Hee Seop Choi, one of GM Paul DePodesta's pet projects. Choi has yet to prove he can be an everyday player through stints with the Chicago Cubs and Florida, and in 31 games for the Dodgers last season, he batted .161 with no homers and six RBI. Overall, in 126 games with the Dodgers and Florida, he batted .251 with 15 homers and 46 RBI -- and a .370 on-base percentage.
4. The days of Mike Piazza and even Paul Lo Duca behind the plate are long gone. The Dodgers are weak behind the plate. David Ross needs to waste no time in showing he can be the productive hitter many in the organization think he can be. This was such a weakness by the end of last season that the Dodgers carried three catchers on their postseason roster because Tracy was so handcuffed by the lack of production. "You'd really like for Ross to recapture what we saw in '03 with a limited number of at-bats," Tracy said. "We did witness the guy do that."
5. Cesar Izturis arguably is the best defensive shortstop in the game, and he is coming off of a breakout season. He won his first Gold Glove, he became the full-time leadoff hitter after Dave Roberts was dealt to Boston, and he increased his on-base percentage noticeably -- it was .330 last season, compared to a career average of .293.
