Dodgers Team Report

Overview- The front office has made major changes to the ball club, and the
hopes now rest on a high powered offense to bring a NL West crown. The
Dodgers hope to make the playoffs and win their first playoff game since the
1988 World Series. More trades and additions are to be expected, but the
general nucleus of the 2003 ball club looks to be in place.

Catcher- Veteran Paul Lo Duca returns as the backstop. He's expected to hit
in the #2 spot and provide the team with a consistent .300 batting average.
In the wings for the catching position is Koyie Hill who looks to be a solid
future catcher and the very promising Miguel Olivio. Olivio projects to have
good power, great speed for a catcher, and gold-glove caliber defense once
he is ready for the majors, which could come as early as next season.

First Base- Gone is senior-citizen Fred McGriff and in comes Derek Lee. Lee
is expected to contribute 30+ HRs and 100+ RBis. Lee also provides some
uncharacteristic speed from a firstbaseman as well as a solid glove. Doug
Mientkiewicz will be the backup on the bench. The future of this position
belongs to the young James Loney who projects to have very good contact and
power as well as fielding ability.

Second Base- Alex Cora found his way out of Los Angles for a young pitching
prospect. Todd Walker was brought in (and later shipped out) to hold down
the job until Joe Thurston or recently acquired 23 year old Luis Rivas were
ready to take over. A number of trades unfolded that left the Dodgers with
Luis Rivas to man the 2B position. He provides excellent glove work and
speed, but his on-base ability is still questioned. He'll get the early nod,
but solid utility man Jolbert Cabrera will be on the bench waiting to make a
move.

Shortstop- Defensively solid Cesar Izturis returns to the middle of the
diamond. Young Cesar will hit 8th in the lineup but his continued
development with the bat as a contact hitter is expected. As with Rivas, if
injury or struggles occur Jolbert Cabrera could step in.

Left field- Management found a way to nab the powerful Brian Giles. Giles
will more than likely bat in the #3 spot where he should see many RBI
opportunities. The Dodgers hope Giles can team with Green and Hunter to
provide the leagues scariest outfield and 3-4-5 lineup. Darryl Ward returns
as the backup and should be the primary pinch hitter off the bench.

Centerfield- Out goes speedy Dave Roberts and in comes the young Torii
Hunter. Hunter displays a flashy glove with very nice power. His contact
ability is still developing, but he is capable of hitting .270-.280 with 30+
HRs.

Rightfield- Shawn Green returns for another season in right field. The
Dodgers hope Green will provide his usual strong offensive performance from
the leftside of the plate. Early talk has Green batting 4th in the order,
but a move into the #3 hole is not out of the question.

Rotation - The aging Kevin Brown and often injured Darren Dreifort have been
traded to new teams. Hideo Nomo, Odalis Perez, and Kazuhisa Ishii are
expected to anchor the rotation and provide the club with 200+ innings of
quality baseball. Recently acquired Kevin Appier will more than likely find
himself towards the bottom of the rotation. The 5th rotation spot is a
battle between many players or another player may be brought in.

Bullpen- Eric Gagne, Paul Shuey, and Paul Quantrill return to anchor a
strong rotation. Tom Martin will provide a very solid lefty setup man. The
other two bullpen sports are likely to go to Guillermo Mota and a spot
starter, but future moves may change the situation.

Future- The Dodgers have been able to acquire a few young arms as well as
catcher Miguel Olivio. The team was able to hold onto top hitting prospects
SS Joel Guzman, 1B James Loney, and CF Reggie Abercrombie. While the Dodgers
plan to compete this season, a strong emphasis has been placed on the draft
and player development in hopes to keep the team filled with quality young
talent.