LOS ANGELES DODGERS

2005 finish: 71-91, 4^th place in NL West

Manager: Grady Little (1^st year)

Incoming: SS Rafael Furcal, 1B Nomar Garciaparra, 3B Bill Mueller, RHP Danys Baez, RHP Brett Tomko, CF Kenny Lofton, RHP Lance Carter, C Sandy Alomar Jr., OF Andre Ethier

Long gone: OF Milton Bradley, RHP Jeff Weaver, RHP Elmer Dessens, RHP Edwin Jackson, IF Jose Valentin, C Paul Bako, RHP Darren Dreifort

Rotation: RHP Derek Lowe, RHP Brad Penny, LHP Odalis Perez, RHP Brett Tomko, RHP Jae Seo

Relievers: RHP Eric Gagne; Setup men: RHP Danys Baez, RHP Yhency Brazoban, RHP Lance Carter, RHP Jonathan Broxton, RHP D.J. Houlton, RHP Franquelis Osorio, LHP Hong-Chih Kuo, LHP Tim Hamulack

Regulars: SS Rafael Furcal, CF Kenny Lofton, RF J.D. Drew, 2B Jeff Kent, 1B Nomar Garciaparra, 3B Bill Mueller, LF Jose Cruz Jr., C Sandy Alomar Jr.

Role players: C Russell Martin, 1B/3B Olmedo Saenz, IF Oscar Robles, IF Ramon Martinez, OF Jayson Werth, OF Ricky Ledee, OF Jason Repko, OF Joel Guzman, C Dioner Navarro (DL), IF Cesar Izturis (DL)

The pressure is on: Rafael Furcal will have to prove he’s a $13-million-per-year player.

Breakout candidate: Jae Seo was kept in the minors for too long last season while the Mets foolishly hoped for something positive from Kaz Ishii. Now Seo gets a chance at a full season in a pitcher’s park.

Rundown: Early winter mismanagement cost them an excellent manager in Jim Tracy, but owner Frank McCourt changed directions in mid-stream, made a wise choice in new general manager Ned Colletti, began spending money, and the result is a team that could be the best of a mediocre West if all goes well. While everybody focuses on who Colletti has brought in, what’s equally important in looking at the Dodgers’ chances to get better is to glance back at 2005, when only two players – Jeff Kent and Cesar Izturis – accumulated as many as 400 at-bats, and 15 others got somewhere between 100 and 399 at-bats. That meant Tracy was forced to use a bunch of role players and platoon guys in key positions and spots in the lineup. The problem was particularly noticeable down the stretch, when the lineup often resembled something you’d see in a spring-training game. That will change this season, assuming newcomer veterans Kenny Lofton, 39, Nomar Garciaparra, 32, and Bill Mueller, 35, stay healthy – not to mention oft-injured J.D. Drew, who has accumulated as many as 418 at-bats only twice in seven seasons. And of course, there is Eric Gagne -- the game’s best closer -- who is coming off knee and elbow surgery. So far, so good with him, and that is great news, as this is a vastly different team with him at his best. Just in case Gagne isn’t 100 percent, they gave up some young pitching for All-Star closer Danys Baez and setup man Lance Carter, deepening a bullpen that lost Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll, who went to the Mets for underrated No. 5 starter Jae Seo. With Gagne and Baez at the back end, Yhency Brazoban can return to a seventh-inning role, setting up a potentially killer late-inning trio. The rotation doesn’t have a true ace as the Giants do with Jason Schmidt -- unless Brad Penny steps up at 28 and puts together a season that fulfills his potential. But it is a decent one with Penny, Derek Lowe, Odalis Perez, Brett Tomko and Seo all likely to post double-figures wins. Lowe should be better after a 2005 season filled with off-the-field drama, and Perez is coming off a disappointing season in which he pitched only 108 innings, and needs to rebound. Izturis’ recovery from major elbow surgery could extend to mid-season, although he appears to be ahead of schedule. There is the possibility that he could end up at second when he returns, with Kent sliding to first and Garciaparra to left field. But there really is no sense in worrying in March about a potential position controversy later in the season. For the time being, Jose Cruz Jr. will play left field. But a sleeper could be 6-6 top prospect Joel Guzman, who has made the move from shortstop, where he now is blocked by Furcal. There was no room for Hee Seop Choi, and he was claimed on waivers by Boston. There are question marks and problem areas – when will Dioner Navarro be ready, to name one -- just as there are with the division’s other expected front-runner, the Giants. Both teams have age issues. Both need key stars to be healthy. The Dodgers do have the advantage of a handful of elite prospects knocking on the door, and possibly making second-half contributions. We’ll lean to them for the time being.

Predicted finish: 1^st place, 86-76

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