Los Angeles Dodgers

So apparently the Dodgers are in the mix for an ace named Roy Halladay.

Bloggers, writers, panelists, and commentators across the country are all leaning towards a "no deal" mentality especially if it means trading Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw.

Why?

POTENTIAL.

–adjective
1. possible, as opposed to actual: the potential uses of nuclear energy. 
2. capable of being or becoming: a potential danger to safety.

via www.Dictionary.com

Question number one, what do the Dodgers have? Question two, what do they need? The questions are very simple to answer. The Dodgers have a flurry of young stars, Manny Ramirez, Gold Glovers, but no ace.

In order to play in the Fall Classic, it takes more than just one pitcher you are constantly counting on to deliver. You need that ace, that veteran, that mentor, the one who throw's a cutter that could cut you seven inches deep.

Distractions abound surrounding the future of the Dodger’s organization, but the real focus should be on filling the holes in the lineup and building a team that can muscle past the NLCS next season.

And so, our attention shifts to the ballclub’s No. 2 priority behind pitching: second base.

On Friday November 20, Chien Ming Wang spoke to reporters in Taiwan about his questionable future with the New York Yankees organization. Wang has been plagued by injuries the last two years and is no longer the Yankees ace pitcher. 

When speaking to reporters in Taiwan, Wang said that the Yankees are his "first choice". But afterwards mentioned that he would be alright pitching for any other major league team. 

The National League MVP will be announced this week, and it will undoubtedly be handed to Albert Pujols.

With this year's race all but locked up, I wanted to take a look at a player who I consider to be the front-runner for MVP in 2010. 

At 25 years old, Matt Kemp has already put up impressive numbers that rank up there with some of the elite names in baseball history. 

Times are tough in Los Angeles. 

A second consecutive playoff exit at the hands of the Phillies was followed by news of a nasty divorce.  Frank McCourt and his soon to be ex-wife Jamie continue to lob insults at each other making the most personal of matters embarrassingly public. 

The Dodgers have most of what it takes to enter, or even win, the World Series. But they need to be more "clutch."

FanGraphs had them ranked first in National League teams in raw hitting ability for 2009. But they were behind the Phillies in batting "win probability." Meaning that the Phillies had fewer hits, but hit more when it counted. Sound familiar from the NCLS?

FanGraphs also had the Dodgers ranked first in Major League baseball in raw pitching. But the Dodgers' "clutch" value was a MINUS 1.84, putting them seventh in pitching "win probability."

The most valuable asset in baseball is good pitching. Good, young, controllable pitching could be likened to winning the lottery for a million dollars, and when you go to cash in your ticket, you find out you actually won five million.

To call the 2009 season a roller coaster for Chad Billingsley would be an understatement. He was named to his first All-Star game in July, but he also had his career-worst year statistically.

Sunday night, Bob Dutton reported that the Royals are rumored to be interested in shipping Alberto Callaspo to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 28-year-old (29 in April) catcher A.J. Ellis.  Seeing as though Ellis has worked his way up to a grand total of 13 plate appearances in two September call-ups at that advanced an age, it is hard to get overly excited about the prospect of this deal.

Uncertainty is the most unbecoming characteristic of a baseball team, and right now it has emerged as the best way to describe the state of the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the offseason, both on the field and off.

Owner Frank McCourt is neck-deep in divorce proceedings with his wife and former Dodgers CEO, Jamie, and the decision of a Los Angeles County court could trigger an unwanted sale of the club over the offseason.