looking past the playoffs...

Current 40 Man Roster

Pitcher/ Year of Birth/Prediction

Mario Alvarez '84
Don't see him on the '09 team based on his minor league numbers. Probably loses 40 man roster spot.

Joe Beimel '77
He'll be a free agent and is probably gone. I hope the dodgers keep him, but with all the young arms they may choose to let someone else pay him bigger bucks. He'll probably get 3-4 million a year for 2-3 years. One of my better half's favorite players. Always looks drunk or hung over. The guy looks more ill than I do.

Chad Billingsley '84
Starting Rotation.

Brazoban '80
Probably traded. Might make team in Pen. More likely to be trade bait if he fails to impresses in spring.

Broxton '84
Set up man or Closer. Depends partly on Saito, and whether dodgers trade/sign a FA closer

Scott Elbert '85
AAA bound. Looked alright as a lefty reliever. Outside chance of winning a bullpen slot if he's dominant in spring training.

Jason Johnson '73
Gone as a free agent. The dodgers won't want him at the new price he earned.

Kershaw '88
Starting Rotation. Think he's proven enough to the dodgers that he'd have to play his way back to AAA.

Kuo '81
Traded. If not he at least makes bullpen as a swingman/set up man. Could be in rotation if he impresses. Injury problems may cause dodgers to cut the cord with him.

Kuroda '75
Starting Rotation.

Lowe '73
Boras Client. Wants to test free agency. He's gone. Don't know where, probably the Tigers, but he won't be back. Best of luck to Lowe. He got crappy run support in L.A.

Maddux '23 B.C.
He's going to retire. Maybe he signs on as a coach.

McDonald '84
May make rotation if he impresses out of spring training. He'll definitely make the big club.

Miller '84
God only knows. 3A numbers not good. Walk rate not going down. Probably trade bait. Might get released.

Orenduff '83
Struggled at 3A. On the Heath Totten career path right now.Shouldn't be on 40 man.

Park '73
Departs as a free agent. He's had a great year. He's pitching like he did before his back was ruined in Texas. He's going to want to sign a deal with a team that will pencil him in as a 5'th starter. That almost certainly rules out the dodgers.

Penny '77
Option declined and leaves as a free agent. Sticky situation. They should pick up his option if only to trade him to a team willing to take a risk that he's healthy. Don't know if management is going to take that risk that there will be a taker for him. This will probably come back to haunt them.

Proctor '77
Torre used to love this guy so it's hard to say he won't be back even though he's a free agent. I'm still leaning towards gone since his season went from 'suck' to 'hurt' back to 'suck'. Torre isn't really using him in any kind of leverage situations so maybe he has finally lost favor with Torre.

Saito '70
Retirement. Still closer quality pitcher if healthy. Is under control but will retire due to his arm being shredded.

Schmidt '73
I'll predict a Darren Dreifort type of a season for him. Not a factor except for financially.

Stults '79
Swingman type roll out of the pen.

Troncoso '83
Garbage innings guy next year. When Torre has given up, you'll see Troncoso pitching.

Wade '83
Middle relief role up to 7'th inning guy type upside if he impresses.

Starting Pitcher free agents of note: A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Jon Garland, Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Brad Penny, Oliver Perez, Horacio Ramirez, C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Randy Wolf (Penny, Perez, Ho-Ram, and Sabathia would be the guys I'd want, Penny only at his option price or less. Ramirez will probably sell himself as a starter)

Relief Pitcher free agents of note: Joe Beimel, Juan Cruz, Scott Downs, Brian Fuentes, Aaron Fultz, Bobby Howry, Brandon Lyon, Damaso Marte (no way even the Yanks pick up a 6mil option on him), Will Ohman, Darren Oliver, Dennys Reyes, Francisco Rodriguez Brian Shouse, Rafael Soriano, ,Horacio Ramirez--i left farnsworth off purposely, i think he's done and even torre won't ask for him to be given a chance--

Catchers

Danny Ardoin '74
Leaves via free agency. He's a back up catcher. Dodgers didn't figure to use him, but Bennett's inability to get the ball back to the pitcher caused the dodgers to dip down and bring him up. Maybe he'll get a better deal from some other team short on catching.

Gary Bennett '72
Dodgers decline his '09 option and he leaves a big loser than when he was signed. His career is probably over.

A.J. Ellis '81
AAA backup or sniffs the big club as Martin's backup. He's Canadian and there were articles on how he's not the most talented guy in the world but is a hard worker and very positive personality to have around.

Martin '83
Starting catcher. Should slap a "C" on his uniform, but they probably won't.

May '84
Probably spends entire season at Vegas. Seems like a Dave Ross mold type catcher.

Possible free agent addition: Dave Ross, Gregg Zaun, Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco, Javier Valentin, Vance Wilson, Johnny Estrada (lots of good backup catchers who can throw the ball back to the pitcher adequately available)

Infield

Abreu "84
Probably traded. The organization seems not to like him very much and he's always injured. His talent and the dodgers need and love for middle infielders may cause the dodgers to keep him.

Berroa '76
Leaves via free agency. Has become a Torre favorite, but I doubt a 5.5 million dollar favorite, which is what his '09 option costs. He's showed flashes of what made him a rookie of the year

Casey Blake '73
Gone via free agency. He's old, but will command a contract for three years or more at least at 8 million per year. There aren't really any great free agent options, so he's one of the top three free agent third basemen. Third base is a problem for the dodgers, but I don't think the organization sees him as the answer.

DeWitt '85
He's in. Torre loves this guy. Should be starting at third or second baseman next year depending on how the dodgers handle the offseason. I like him at second, but maybe it's too much to ask of him defensively.

Nomar '75
Re-signs with the dodgers. He's not going to have that many offers given his injuries. He's also just started a family. His wife also needs to work in the market he's already employed in. 5-6 million is plenty for a guy that can hardly stay healthy but is a 'name' utility guy. I doubt he leaves.

Hu '84
Starting or Backup MLB shortstop. His injury hampered his progress. His future depends on Furcal's ability to land an extension or work out a new deal with the dodgers. I think if that was going to happen it would have by now. I think Furby is out. Therefore I think Hu is in.

Kent '68
Retirement. I think he's done despite the knee surgery and 6 week comeback from it. He's just going downhill so fast and so brittle nowadays.

Loney '84
He'll be tarting at first. The only guy that is a lock for an infield position besides Martin. His numbers are down, though.

Ozuna '74
Dodgers may pick up his option to be the new Pedro Martinez given lack of infield depth.

Sweeney '69
Leaves via free agency. Torre is talking about possibly not carrying Kent on the postseason roster while this bum continually fails to produce? His career is probably over.


Possible free agent additions: Rafael Furcal, Orlando Hudson, Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera. I wouldn't mind re-signing Furcal or getting Hudson. I think the dodgers should take a longer look at Hu though. Seems most convenient to move DeWitt back to third rather than attempting to trade for a third baseman.

Outfield

Ethier '82
Should be starting in left or right. Has finally played his way into dodgers plans.

Jones '77
Traded during winter meetings. Awkward situation. One of those things that just didn't work out. Might get one of those 'needs a change of scenery' labels slapped on him.

Kemp '84
Starting center or right fielder. Depends on Andruw Jones.

Paul '85
Starts season at AAA. Mirrored Jason Repko's production while 4 years younger. A good spring could win him a 4'th or 5'th outfield job.

Pierre '77
Traded. Reduced role in '08 may oblige dodgers to pay his way out.

Manny '72
Leaves via free agency. I think more money will be there for him elsewhere. I think he likes L.A., but there's other places to go where there's enough celebrities that no one is stalking Manny like what supposedly happened in Boston. He'll get a 60mil/3years despite his age because he's such a great hitter. Being a DH is probably better for him.

Repko '80
Probably gets the Jayson Werth treatment if he gets injured again. Otherwise he's insurance.

Young '82
Traded. I think he's lost the interest of the organization due to his defense. Torre seems to not like him. He hasn't done well as a situational hitter either. To be fair he hasn't gotten much of a chance. The dodgers have better options in Repko and Paul.

Possible free agent additions: Manny, Rocco, Burrell, Dunn, (Something would have to be done with Pierre and/or Jones first). Baldelli, Manny, Burrell and Dunn should all get lots of interest from a lot of teams. The dodgers need to grab one of these guys. After landing one they need to get rid of Pierre and Jones to the losers that failed to get a free agent outfielder (Bradley is also available but not likely an option to come back to the dodgers for many reasons).

That cuts down the current 40 man roster down to 26. That leaves room for 14 additions. That's a lot of turn over, so I'm probably overdoing the people leaving via free agency. There's probably some of the kids that need those roster spots so they're protected from the rule 5 draft.