The Los Angeles Dodgers head into the 2014 as heavy favorites to do it all: take the National League West, the National League pennant, and perhaps take a World Series title home to Hollywood by the time it's all said and done. On paper, they may have the pieces to do it. They've spent the last couple of years throwing money every which way in order to ensure that was the case. With the roster now as loaded as it's ever been, anything less than a title is going to be considered a disappointment for the men in blue. Nonetheless, this is a team that does still face a few questions throughout their roster if they're truly going to reach the ultimate goal this season.
Will Matt Kemp remain healthy in 2014?
Oh, Matt Kemp. A guy with a superstar skillset, we haven't seen it from Kemp in the last couple of seasons, but it's not as if we've actually received the opportunity to do so. The 2013 season could be considered a lost year for Kemp, as he dealt with a variety of issues that limited him to only 73 games. It was an ankle injury which he is still rehabbing from that ultimately ended his year. The season before that, in 2012, he managed to appear in only 106 games. Many have questioned whether or not he'd even be on the team after his name was floating around in winter trade rumors. He's still here, though, and has the opportunity to reward the Dodgers in a big way if he's healthy.
Kemp is a guy who went for a WAR of over eight as recently as 2011. There have been plenty of signs that he's still capable of playing at that superstar level even in his injury-riddled campaigns of the last two years. For Matt Kemp, it's not a matter of whether or not he's capable of performing at a high level. It's a matter of whether or not he can remain healthy enough to do so. That question alone is impossible to answer until Kemp proves it this year.
How will Alex Guerrero transition to the Major League level?
The Dodgers got really lucky with the performance of Yasiel Puig in his first year with the club last year, as he broke into the league and almost immediately began playing at a superstar level. The Dodgers paid top dollar to get yet another Cuban prospect into the mix heading into the 2014 season as they signed Alex Guerrero who, for all intents and purposes, looks to be the guy to start at second base to open the year.
What we actually know about Guerrero is relatively limited. We do know that he's a former shortstop, but athletic limitations forced him to move to second base. At the plate is where he'll earn his keep. He's a guy who can get on base at a very good rate and pop about 20 homers in a year. He's not going to do much on the basepaths. It's not a question of whether or not the upside is there for Guerrero. It is. He's a very capable offensive player and should be solid enough with the glove. How his game will translate to MLB, and how quickly, is going to be the question that he needs to answer early on in 2014.
Who's the fifth starter?
Where the Dodgers don't lack depth is in their starting rotation. As things stand right now, it's a group that goes seven deep, led by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, along with Hyun-Jin Ryu, who is coming off of a standout rookie campaign. Dan Haren joins the mix, as does Paul Maholm. Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett are also still hanging around as the Dodgers try and sort out what their starting five will actually look like. The locks at this point are likely going to be Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, and Haren, the latter of which had a strong second half of the year last year.
LA got Maholm at a bargain price so whatever his role ends up being is going to be a steal for the Dodgers. Billingsley is coming off of Tommy John and still trying to recover, so it's likely going to come down to one of Maholm and Beckett to start the year as the fifth starter. Between the two, it could come down to spring performances, but Maholm signed with this team knowing that he could be coming out of the bullpen. Beckett appears to have his sights set on a starting gig. Regardless of how things shake out, the depth that the Dodgers have built up in their starting pitching really is impressive, as long as health doesn't become an issue.
