The Dodgers are in a World Series or bust mode right now and why shouldn’t they be. Their manager has won 4 World Series in his career so why not think big? Torre led the Dodgers to a 95-67 record (58.6%) last season winning the N.L. West and beating the Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the Phillies in the N.L.C.S. Torre is now 179-145 (55.2%) in his two years with the Dodgers. He has now compiled a 2,246-1,915 (54%) in his major league career as a manager in 28 years. He has won 6 American League Pennants and 4 World Series (all with the Yankees).

PROJECTED GRADE BY THE MANAGER IN 2010: B+

The Dodgers have a loaded bullpen ready for the 2010 season. It all starts with “Big” Jonathan Broxton. 25-year old righty Jonathan Broxton will be the closer again in 2010 pumping fastballs right by hitter. Broxton pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 7-2 with 36 saves, a 2.61 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He only gave up 44 hits in 76 innings last season while whiffing 114 batters showing just how nasty he is. He has now pitched in 308 games (0 starts) in his five years with the Dodgers and he is 19-12 with 55 saves, a 2.92 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

32-year old lefty George Sherrill will be the set up man for the Dodgers in 2010. Sherrill pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season after coming over from the Orioles in a trade and he was 1-0 with 1 save, a 0.65 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He pitched in 72 games (0 starts) overall for the Dodgers & Orioles last season in which he was 1-1 with 21 saves, a 1.70 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Sherrill could step in for Jonathan Broxton as the closer if he gets hurt.

28-year old lefty Hong-Chih Kuo is a dominator when healthy. Kuo pitched in 35 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. In his last two years with the Dodgers, Kuo has pitched in 77 games (3 starts) in which he was 7-3 with 1 save, a 2.37 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has whiffed 128 batters while only allowing 81 hits in 110 innings the last two years for the Dodgers showing just how dominant he has been.

27-year old righty Ramon Troncoso will likely also get some chances late in games for the Dodgers in 2010. Troncoso pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 5-4 with 6 saves, a 2.72 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. His WHIP was a little high but I look for him to improve in that area in 2010.

27-year old righty Ronald Belisario just got into spring training camp due to visa problems in Venezuela. He pitched in 69 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last year and he was 4-3 with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He only gave up 52 hits in 70 2/3 innings last season showing just how nasty he can be. It will be interesting to see how the Dodgers handle Belisario as they are not happy with him right now.

32-year old righty Luis Ayala will have a good shot to make the bullpen. He pitched in 38 games (0 starts) for the Twins and Marlins last season in which he was 1-5 with a 5.62 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Ayala just hasn’t been the same since he blew out his elbow in the World Baseball Classic. The Dodgers are hoping that they are getting the Ayala that dominated from 2003-07 with the Nationals/Expos. In those four years, Ayala pitched in 258 games (0 starts) in which he was 26-24 with 9 saves, a 2.82 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

32-year old Justin Miller pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Giants last season and he was 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He has really been a solid pitcher in the National League and I think he will help the Dodgers in 2010.

26-year old righty Cory Wade will miss the first three months of the season due to surgery but the Dodgers hope he can help them at some point in 2010. Wade pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 2-3 with a 5.53 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. That was a huge dropoff from his rookie year in 2008 when he pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers in which he was 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP.

25-year old righty James McDonald will start the year in AAA but I don’t expect him to be there too long. He pitched in 45 games (4 starts) for the Dodgers last season and he was 5-5 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: A

The first four slots in the starting rotation of the Dodgers are locked up with Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla. The fifth spot in the rotation will be determined in spring training with a lot of guys competing for the job. 22-year old lefty Clayton Kershaw by far has the best stuff on the Dodgers’ pitching staff. He pitched in 31 games (30 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. He only gave up 119 hits in 171 innings last season while whiffing 185 batters showing just how nasty his stuff really is. Look for Kershaw to be a Cy Young Award winner when he starts to cut down on his walks. He walked 91 batters last season in 171 innings so think of how good his numbers would be if he cut that total in half? Maybe 2010 will be the year that happens.

25-year old righty Chad Billingsley also has the stuff to be a ace of a pitching staff. He pitched in 33 games (32 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 12-11 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He only allowed 173 hits in 196 1/3 innings last season for the Dodgers while whiffing 179 batters. Like Kershaw though he had a problem with control as he walked 86 batters last season and that is too many. If he starts throwing more strikes this season there is no reason he can’t win 15-17 games in 2010.

35-year old righty Hiroki Kiroda could probably teach Kershaw and Billingsley a few tricks as he only walked 24 hitters in 117 1/3 innings last season for the Dodgers. He pitched in 21 games (20 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 8-7 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Only health can stop Kiroda from winning 10+ games in 2010.

32-year old righty Vicente Padilla was a godsend for the Dodgers last season. He pitched in 8 games (7 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Overall with the Rangers & Dodgers last season he pitched in 26 games (25 starts) in which he was 12-6 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Padilla still has wicked stuff so he should be able to put up double digit wins in 2010 for the Dodgers.

30-year old lefty Eric Stults will try to win the #5 starter job for the Dodgers in 2010. Stults pitched in 10 games (all starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 4-3 with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He has now pitched in 35 games (24 starts) in his four years with the Dodgers and he is 8-10 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Stults has always filled in decently when called upon by the Dodgers so maybe he’ll earn his big shot in 2010.

35-year old righty Russ Ortiz will also battle for the #5 job in the rotation this spring. Ortiz pitched in 23 games (13 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 3-6 with a 5.57 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. Ortiz has now pitched in 305 games (266 starts) in his major league career in which he is 113-88 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Ortiz hasn’t pitched well in the majors in a long time so I have doubts that he would be a success for the Dodgers in 2010.

33-year old righty Jeff Weaver pitched pretty well for the Dodgers last season so he deserves to be considered for the 5th spot in the starting rotation this year. Weaver pitched in 28 games (7 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. But, his overall major league numbers are not that impressive. Weaver has pitched in 312 games (274 starts) in his major league career and he is 99-118 with 2 saves, a 4.67 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

26-year old righty knuckleballer Charlie Haeger looked good late in 2009 for the Dodgers. He pitched in 6 games (3 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Haeger also pitched in 22 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last season in which he was 11-6 with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Knuckleball throwers are often late bloomers so maybe Haeger’s time will come in 2010 for the Dodgers.

25-year old lefty Scott Elbert was used out of the pen for the Dodgers last season but he has been a starter in his minor league career. Elbert pitched in 19 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season and he was 2-0 with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He also pitched in 20 games (18 starts) in AA+AAA ball last season in which he was 4-4 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Elbert had 125 strikeouts in only 96 innings in the minors last season as he has pretty nasty stuff.

25-year old righty James McDonald will probably be more needed in the bullpen in 2010. He pitched in 65 games (4 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 5-5 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2010: B

The Dodgers will be wihout 26-year old righty reliever Cory Wade for at least 3 months after he underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery earlier this week. Wade pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last season in which he was 2-3 with a 5.53 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He has now pitched in 82 games (0 starts) in his major league career in which he is 4-4 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Wade has only given up 79 hits in 99 career major league innings showing what kind of stuff he has. The Dodgers will miss Wade while he’s out of action.

27-year old lefty swinging Andre’ Ethier stepped up big time for the Dodgers last season especially in the power numbers. Ethier played in 160 games for the Dodgers last season and he was 162 of 596 (.272 avg, .869 OPS) with 92 runs scored, 31 homers, 106 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Ethier has a .291 career average but he changed his batting style last season to try to hit more homers so it will be interesting to see if he goes for the power or the average route in 2010. Ethier does need to improve his defense in 2010. Ethier made 7 errors in 158 games in RF for the Dodgers while showing below average range. Ethier had 6 assists in RF last season so his arm is so-so.

39-year old lefty swinging Brian Giles will battle for a backup job in the outfield this spring. Giles played in 61 games for the Padres last season and he was 43 of 225 (.191 avg, .548 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 2 homers and 23 RBIs. Giles is just one year removed from hitting .306 with a .854 OPS in 147 games for the Padres in 2008. If his knee is healthy he will have a good shot to win a bench job with the Dodgers this spring. Giles didn’t make any errors in 58 games in RF for the Padres last season while showing above average range. Giles still has a good throwing arm as he had 6 assists in only 58 games in RF last season.

33-year old righty swinging Reed Johnson played in 7 error-free games for the Cubs in RF last season but he showed poor range. Johnson also doesn’t have the arm to play much in RF for the Dodgers.

29-year old righty swinging Jason Repko will also try to make the team this spring. Repko played in 10 games for the Dodgers last season and he was 0 for 5 (.000 avg, .143 OPS) with 1 run scored and 1 RBI. He also played in 110 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 109 of 393 (.277 avg, .800 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 16 homers, 47 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Repko played in 3 error-free games in RF for the Dodgers last season while showing poor range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2010: B