Los Angeles Dodgers

The future was looking bright for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009: 95 wins and a playoff run that fell just short of the World Series.  Legendary manager Joe Torre was just starting to find his groove.

 Things were looking very good for Dodger fans.

Joe Torre’s departure seemed a bit abrupt, which seemed to raise a lot of questions about team management and ownership.

Deadlines. We all have them. I am no exception. In fact, I have a very important assignment for work that is due in approximately 15 hours.  

No matter what else is going on around me though, I always find myself thinking about fantasy baseball. It truly is an addiction. If Rachel Uchitel had to go on Celebrity Rehab for being addicted to love, then surely Dr. Drew would have something to tell me as well.  But they always say addiction can only be cured if the user really wants to be cured. I do not.  

The Dodgers addressed two issues in the offseason; pitching depth and power.

Los Angeles was 14th in the National League in home runs last season.  Grant it, Rod Barajas and Juan Uribe aren't sexy signings, but they add pop to the lineup.

The organization got pitching depth to put behind Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley with the re-signings of Ted Lilly and Hiroki Kuroda and the signing of Jon Garland.

After a three year stint in Dodger Blue, Joe Torre decided to hang it up.  Don Mattingly now takes over.

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A player that appeared on the brink of superstardom, Matt Kemp had a very disappointing 2010 season and now finds himself in the midst of trade rumors.  

With Opening Day only one week away and the list of injuries seemingly growing, fans across Dodgertown are left wondering if a door may open for one of several minor league prospects within the organization.

The track record of general manager Ned Colletti suggests that he much rather prefers middle-of-the-road veterans over the youngsters, however a handful of the farmhands have already shown positive value over the course of Cactus League play this spring.

After a disappointing 2010 campaign, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed first-baseman James Loney only to a one-year deal.

With a decrease in home-runs and batting average each of the last four seasons, anything more than a one-year deal may have been questioned.

So, the question remains; Should the Dodgers give him one more year to get back on track, or put him on the trade block?

Well, here are some potential candidates if L.A. chooses the latter. 

Nine innings Blog will be bringing you previews of every Major League Baseball team for the next 30 days. This is in accordance with our 30 teams in 30 days series. Today, we will give you the 2011 preview of the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to recapture prominence in the National League West division with a somewhat new look roster and a new manager in Don Mattingly.

The modern media have supported the notion that the greatest rivalry in sports' history is between the New York Yankees and the beloved Boston Red Sox.

Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers 2006 first-round draft pick, has slowly been gaining steam since making his Major League debut in 2008.  He’s been highly regarded since the day he first donned a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, but his 2010 campaign showed us just how good he could be:

13 Wins
204.1 Innings
2.91 ERA
1.18 WHIP
212 Strikeouts (9.34 K/9)
81 Walks (3.57 BB/9)
.275 BABIP

It wasn't the season the Los Angeles Dodgers were hoping for in the final year under manager Joe Torre. The Dodgers didn't exactly play badly at 80-82, but finished fourth in the NL West. Torre's replacement is Don Mattingly, who will try and bring life to an organization that hasn't made the playoffs since 2006.