We all know most of the guys who we’ll see on the field for the Dodgers this year, but it’s probably a good time of the year to review the 40-man roster, especially those players who don’t have numbers listed.

First, let’s go over some random pitchers. Staying in line with a theme of financial and organizational flexibility, the Dodgers didn’t go after big-name starters like Max Scherzer and James Shields this off-season. That said, they do have a lot of relative unknowns who could make an impact both in spot-starts and in relief this upcoming season. Here are four guys you may not know much about.

Yimi Garcia

Garcia saw a little time with the Dodgers last year. In just eight games and just ten innings, he posted an ERA of 1.80. The righty also posted a 3.10 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in Albuquerque, where he spent most of the season.

If the Dodgers are looking for some real bullpen help this season, Garcia could be a part of that. At some point.

Here’s a profile of Garcia from Eric Stephen at TrueBlueLA that was posted almost a year ago.

Mike Bolsinger

Bolsinger spent last season with the Diamondbacks, where he started nine games and wasn’t very good. The Dodgers saw enough in him to pick him up in the offseason. Presumably, he’s someone who can provide a few starts and, hopefully for Dodger fans, give the team a chance to win.

They got him from a division rival for a song, which would make any positive contribution he makes even more satisfying for fans who love to see that Arizona team twist in the wind. Depth, depth, flexibility, depth.

Chris Hatcher

Hatcher is a relief pitcher with four years of experience with the Marlins, though only one of them can really be classified as “good.” Last season, he pitched 56 decent innings and managed a K/BB ratio of more than 4/1. Hatcher’s addition should also help the Dodgers’ bullpen depth, though nothing is ever guaranteed when it comes to brining in relief pitchers.

Hatcher is 30 years old and is a converted catcher like his new bullpen-mate Kenley Jansen. He made the news last year when he was suspended for fighting a minor league teammate. Hatcher at-worst interesting and at-best like a character out of the bullpen who the Dodgers and their fans could really grow to depend on this year.

Adam Liberatore

Liberatore was drafted by the Andrew Friedman-led Rays organization and has yet to see the big leagues. At AAA Durham last season, he put up a .892 WHIP and 1.66 ERA. He is a left-handed relief pitcher with presumably good stuff, which is always a commodity one would like to have. It’s a little odd that Liberatore will be 28 this year and hasn’t seen the big leagues with numbers like he had.

Liberatore has a Tommy John surgery in his history, but it didn’t seem to affect his performance in the minors last year. Perhaps this is the season and the team for him to finally make it to the big-time, where he could be very effective — especially against left-handed hitters.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have not made a World Series since 1988. With their loss this week, they won’t have a spot in the fall classic in 2014. A team with the highest payroll in baseball in one of the best baseball cities in America shouldn’t be eliminated from the playoffs as early as the division series. The Dodgers squad is made up of different types of talent that honestly don’t really work together to create a complete team. This season, their raw talent led them to the division title, and fans and experts alike looked past their obvious shortcomings.

Ned Colletti’s job could be in jeopardy after the team’s clear holes weren’t addressed. By PVSBond, via Wikimedia Commons

It has been two seasons since both trades went down and what do the Dodgers have to show for it? Two division titles and two playoff beat-downs at the hands of the St Louis Cardinals, who have are arguably become the San Antonio Spurs of Major League Baseball.

While the regular season winning is nice, when you spend that much money on a team it is championship or bust. So the question remains who is to blame for the Dodgers disappointments and what do they do about it?

Clayton Kershaw had a historic season. The Dodgers’ ace went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, but his postseason demons struck again against a familiar opponent. He is now 3-7 with a 4.83 ERA against the St. Louis Cardinals and 70-22 with a 1.99 ERA against everyone else. Kershaw cruised through six innings in game one, only having allowed two runs before squandering a four run lead and giving up eight runs in the 7^th inning. While Kershaw deserves some of the blame, Mattingly also deserves some for not pulling out his star pitcher once the Cardinals had closed to 6-4. I don’t care who the pitcher is or how much you trust them, once they start giving up runs and putting the game in jeopardy you take them out especially in the 7^th inning of a home playoff game. Mattingly in his Dodger career has made a lot of blunder-headed mistakes but none like this playoff series.

His first mistake was with Kershaw in Game One. Then, in game three he took Hyun Jin Ryu out after the 6^th inning when he was pitching a masterful game on the road. After the game, Ryu came out and said that he felt fine to pitch the 7^th inning. Instead of bringing in a relief pitcher that has carried the team all season like Brandon League, he brings in Scott Elbert who promptly gives up a two run home run that sealed the Dodgers game-three fate.

In Game Four, with Kershaw pitching on three days rest, the Dodgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead and Mattingly left Kershaw in for the 7^th against the heart of the Cardinals order, which lead to a three-run home run and the end of the Dodgers’ season.

All signs point to Don Mattingly and all-star pitcher Clayton Kershaw taking the majority of the blame. While they both made mistakes, they shouldn’t get all of fans’ ire. Mattingly made some dumb decisions, but in the end he isn’t the one who goes out onto the field and plays. The big hitters the Dodgers have didn’t produce and the bullpen, which was the weakest link of the Dodgers team all season, struck again.

The person who deserves the most blame for the Dodgers’ disappointments has to be general manager Ned Colletti. There have been rumors swirling that there might be changes in the Dodgers front office and I hope they are true. At the trade deadline, Colletti had opportunities to pursue bullpen help that might have saved the Dodgers season. Instead, Colletti went out and got back-end pitchers Roberto Hernandez and Kevin Correia neither of whom made the postseason roster.

While Colletti has built teams that made the postseason, he continues to disregard the team’s biggest needs and it ends up costing them late in the season. The Dodgers could use a new General Manager in their system and maybe then they will finally reach the World Series. The Padres and Diamondbacks have already changed their GMs so the Dodgers should continue the trend in the NL West.

Leave no doubt, this team needs some fixing. In order for this team to be fixed it is going to take major work. Much of the team is locked in for years to come in their respective deals. One solution would be to upgrade on a few positions including third base and catcher. Juan Uribe and AJ Ellis have been good clubhouse guys but their production on the field has been less than expected and more consistent production is needed from those positions. For me, the most important factor of the 2015 offseason will be getting bullpen help. Kenley Jansen is the only bullpen guy the Dodgers could rely on this season and even he has some issues.

Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Dee Gordon, Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, Hyun Jin Ryu and Kenley Jansen should be the main players returning to the team next season due to their success. Trading Andre Ethier and re- signing Justin Turner should be priorities going into the offseason. This coming offseason is going to be a tough one on both the Dodgers front office and the players but this team will be back again next season and should again be favorites to win a championship. In the mean time, the front office needs to make some changes in both player personnel and front office personnel, because the Dodgers have the core talent to win a title but proving it out on the field is a whole different story.

After making it to the NLCS a season ago and going on their historic 42-8 run to make it there, the Dodgers seemed primed to be legitimate World Series contenders in 2014. Yet the start of the 2014 season seems oddly familiar to the 2013. The likelihood of them going on a run like they did last year, though, is very far-fetched. So the question remains what is wrong with them right now?

Currently the Dodgers hold a record of 19-18 and are sitting in the third place position in the NL West. They started out winning four of their first five games and were looking good. Recently though, they have dropped six of their last eight games. They are a pathetic 2-6 head-to-head against the Giants who are clearly the best team in the NL West right now. They have had some injuries including Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and A.J. Ellis but that shouldn’t be an excuse for a team with such a high payroll and as much talent as they have.

It’s been said before but if the Dodgers don’t start winning soon, Don Mattingly may be looking for a new job. By http://www.flickr.com/photos/pvsbond/, via Wikimedia Commons

Aside from their obvious struggles, the Dodgers have had some bright spots this season, including the play of Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Zach Greinke and Adrian Gonzalez.

Gordon, who  is leading the team with a .328 batting average, has also  stolen 21 bases already which is the best in baseball, nine more than the next guy behind him.

Free agent acquisition, Dan Haren, has shown why the Dodgers signed him with his 4-1 record and his 2.68 ERA. With all the injuries to the pitching staff, Haren has stepped up and played a huge role in keeping this team afloat.

Zach Greinke started out 5-0 only to finally lose a game where the Dodgers just couldn’t score any runs. His 2.35 ERA and 47 strikeouts lead the team and have carried the Dodgers while Kershaw was hurt.

Adrian Gonzalez, in my opinion is an early contender for National League Most Valuable Player. He is hitting .265 with 9 HR and 26 RBI. He also has an .861 OPS, putting him just below the range of his best three seasons. Gonzalez has carried the load offensively thus far while the rest of the team figures themselves out.

How to fix whatever is wrong?

Other than the injuries to the team the only two real problems with this team are the inconsistency of the bullpen and the lack of hitting in some games, both of which can be easily fixed. As for the bullpen, manager Don Mattingly needs to read the situations during games better and figure out when to plug certain pitchers in rather than go with a set bullpen rotation. With the kind of depth that the Dodgers have, its the only way to manage all those bodies.

Dodgers win and Mattingly only made three mistakes. I'll take it.

— Howard Cole (@Howard_Cole) May 10, 2014

The hitting will come around, I’m sure of that. The Dodgers have too much depth and talent on their roster for it not to. It’s still very early in the season and the Dodgers just need regroup and get things together. Although it was over a month ago, the unorthodox trip to Australia could still be affecting them, since it cut their spring training and usual time to prepare for the long grinding season short. The Dodgers will get it together and I expect to see them being the team we all expect them to be come the second half of the season.

What do you think? Will the Dodgers turn it around or will they stay at .500 and be a disappointment all season?

Here we go again… the thoughts in the minds of many Los Angeles fans as they slowly watch the Dodgers play out their season, referring to the lackluster year the Lakers just produced. The Lakers and Dodgers, who are LA’s two premier sports franchises, were poised to have amazing seasons and so far neither have lived up to expectations. While the Lakers season is already over, the Dodgers still have a fighting chance to do something with all the salaries they are paying. Having a $217 million payroll would make you think the team would be a contender, but for the Dodgers it equals a last place spot in their division.

Dodger fans have seen a league-leading 13 blown saves this season. by Erik Becker

The season started out with the Dodgers beating the arch-rival Giants on an amazing performance by Clayton Kershaw. But since the fatal brawl in San Diego on April 11th the Dodgers have gone 21-33, sinking into the bottom of the division. Outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier have underpreformed. Carl Crawford has been a good addition for the Dodgers when he is actually in the lineup. The same with shortstop Hanley Ramirez. The only consistent players for the Dodgers this season has been Adrian Gonzalez and Kershaw who has a tough-luck 5-4 record given his 1.88 ERA.

The struggles continue for the Dodgers, who have used the disabled list at least 17 times so far this year. Yasiel Puig, a Cuban rookie sensation, has done his part since joining the club, which is 5-4 since his recall. As bad as the Dodgers have played with the hitters struggling and all the injuries, the team could have avoided this if not for all the blown saves by the bullpen. The bullpen has blown 13 saves — tied for the most in baseball — and they just can’t seem to stop the bleeding. Closer Brandon League has been disappointing, especially since he just signed a new three year contract at $ 7 million per year. Manager Don Mattingly has taken much of the scrutiny because of the teams performance and just recently after yet another blown save by League has decided it was time to finally name Kenley Jansen the closer. It is a smart move for a man trying to keep his job, after all, but if Jansen can’t help the Dodgers bullpen woes then nobody can.

Mattingly should have made this move long ago but kept his faith in the more veteran League for far too long. While Jansen hasn’t been dominant this season either, anything is better than League at this point. The bullpen woes are so bad, that Dodger fans must be wondering what 37-yearold Eric Gagne is up to. Luckily for the Dodgers the baseball season is a long one. The team still has some time to figure it all out, but the window of opportunity is closing as we head into mid-June. As Vin Scully would say “It’s time for Dodger baseball”, and its time for them to finally go out and play like they mean it. The Dodgers much like the 2013 Lakers, are a complete mess but they can only go up from here….right?

Dodger fans breathed a sigh of relief that Yasiel Puig was not more badly injured in yesterday’s game. By Owen Main

Last night, Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig dove for a ball in the outfield, landing awkwardly and prompting left fielder Jerry Hairston to signal quickly for the trainer. Don Mattingly and trainer Sue Falsone rushed out to center field, fearing the worst.

“I thought he probably bent his hand,” said Mattingly. “I’ve seen a lot of guys dive and get the glove trapped… and you end up bending back a thumb or a wrist.”

Hairston’s signal to the dugout came as a result of Puig’s reaction.

“He was hurt,” said Hairston. “He was kind of screaming. So anytime you hear a guy kind of screaming and knowing that he was in pain, you’ve got to call for the training staff. Obviously he’s had a great spring, he’s got a lot of talent. You hate to see a guy get hurt, but from what I hear he’ll be fine, so that’s a good thing.”

Reports after the game said he just had the wind knocked out of him. The Dodgers took him out of the game as a precaution.

Puig played Saturday night, replacing Carl Crawford in the fourth inning. He promptly doubled in his first at-bat and scored on a double by Matt Kemp. Puig singled in his next two at-bats and is now hitting .547 this spring (29-53) with zero walks and 10 strikeouts.

According to a recent tweet by Jon Morosi of Fox Sports News, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have the piece to lure Cole Hamels away from the Phillies.  

With Victorino headed for free agency, Bourjos likely would intrigue the #Phillies in any Hamels talks.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 5, 2012

A move that makes the speedy 25 year-old Bourjos all the more alluring from a trade standpoint, considering Cole Hamels and starting centerfielder, Shane Victorino’s, looming free agencies. 

Boujos is clearly the Angels’ most movable player right now for a myriad of reasons. He’s young  and cheap — signed through 2014 on a rookie level contract — and has been replaced by the emergence of Mike Trout. Through 63 games Bourjos is hitting just .233 despite an impressive debut last season.  Despite his slow start to the season, he has tremendous offensive upside coupled with a gold glove in the outfield.

The question is whether or not the Angels have the ability to realistically ink Hamels long-term while solidifying  Trout and Mark Trumbo as the franchise faces. Hamels will seek a long-term contract worth at least $20 million per season. While I look forward to the concept of slotting him third of fourth in a rotation abounding with lock-down guys like Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and C.J Wilson, I’m uncertain as to how prudent signing another mega contract would be.

Despite Ervin Santana’s inconsistency in the fourth slot in the rotation, the 29 year-old has historically been a second half pitcher. Last year, he started 1-9 in the first half and finished 10-3 with a low two era and a no hitter in late July.  Signed through 2013 the Halos have another year to assess whether or not Santana is worth another three to five year contract extension at his affordable 11.2 million dollar rate.

I would welcome a move only if the Angels can package Santana and either Maicer Izturis or Alberto Callaspo alongside Bourjos in exchange for Hamels. But all the Hamels talk has been speculation without word from the Halos camp regarding Bourjos’ future in Anaheim.

At the moment, according to this article by Ken Rosenthal, the Angels are unwilling to part with Bourjos because of his future as a major team building block and Garret Richards, who is a solid low-cost option at the bottom of the rotation. Angels’ General Manager Jerry DiPoto is thinking not only about the team now but the team in the near future when big names like Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells and perhaps Santana, come off the books.  Shoring up their long-term ability to retain Trout and Trumbo alongside future hall-of-famer Pujols and a top-five rotation would seem to be the primary goal at this point.

Considering their 37-19 record over their past 56 games, sitting solid in a wild card slot, and scoring more runs than anybody in baseball right now there really isn’t the need there to make a major move. Hamels would make more sense in a Dodger uniform behind the formidable Clayton Kershaw, to help relieve tension in what is becoming a disturbingly odd season of highs and lows for manager Don Mattingly’s team.

The Dodgers before injuries to Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Dee Gordon and Mark Ellis, held the best record in baseball through mid-June. Since then, they have slid into turmoil, slugged by inefficiency at the plate and a rotation plagued by Chad Billingsly’s erratic performances. Currently 1 1/2 games ahead of the surging San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers have a hard road ahead of them if they hope to get themselves into the postseason.

After a deal for first-baseman Carlos Lee fell through early this week, Matt Kemp according to this article remains hopeful. “It’s always good to get people to make your team better,” Kemp said. “I don’t know exactly what people think we need. We did a great job with what we have here. If we get somebody, that’s good. But if we don’t, it keeps going on and we have to keep playing the way we have in the first half.”

But I wonder how Dodger fans must feel. How long will the team sit around and wait for a potato sack at first like James Loney to make a difference? According to Mike Potriello of mikescosciastragicillness.com, fans might be willing to listen to offers for a prospect like right hander Zach Lee, in exchange for a bat like the above average Chase Headley at third.  Which proves just how desperate the Dodger fan base is to get into the postseason now rather than tomorrow.

Both teams have had moody beginnings to the 2012 season, but one is surging and the other is desperately limping just to remain relevent. The Angels are looking for that 4th starter to shore up a small blight while the Dodgers seek a plethora of parts just to keep the engine running. It’s all a matter of how far DiPoto’s team can fly but a desperate matter of how long Colleti’s bunch can keep their heads above water.  And that all goes without saying whether or not Tim Lincecum decides to become Tim Lincecum again.

At some point, Uribe, his .207 batting average and 5 home runs since he joined the Dodgers needs to make like Andruw Jones and get the hell off my team.

I laughed when I saw emojuanuribe.com, but this is no longer a laughing matter.

The Dodgers just finished a series during which they did not score a run in 3 games and looked as inept as you can. If this is how it’s going to be, I’d rather have Scott VanSlyke or really anyone else (save for James Loney) getting regular at-bats in lieu of Uribe.

Since Uribe came off the disabled list and re-claimed his regular position at third-base, the Dodgers, who were 39-22 at the time, have gone 4-11. Before he came back, it seemed like they were getting contributions from everyone.In the 15 games since he came off the disabled list, the Dodgers are reeling offensively, scoring only 2.26 runs per game.

A team that is hot and getting what seem like random contributions can withstand one crappy corner infielder in the lineup. But with the combination of Loney and Uribe, the Dodgers have started to regress to the team they probably actually are. The decline of both of these players was not hard to predict, so the Dodgers should not act surprised. But they should act. Based on this quote of Don Mattingly in Yahoo Sports today, it looks like they are laying the ground work to do just that:

“I’ve got to find production and it’s not happening. You’ve got to produce. This is the big leagues, not instructional league or coming through the minors.”

Amen.

While it is obviously not time to panic by any stretch of the imagination, the Dodgers’ offense is absolutely anemic. They have scored a horrendous 2 runs their last 28 innings. Last weekend’s home series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, one that saw the Dodgers drop 2 of 3 games, was a testament to their struggles at the plate.

I was either fortunate enough, or unfortunate enough, to attend the Saturday afternoon game that was nationally televised on Fox Saturday Baseball. The Dodgers allowed rookie pitcher Josh Collmenter to beat them 1-0, while Chad Billingsley and company only allowed one hit the entire game to the opposition. The Dodger offense couldn’t plate even one run. This lack of offensive generation that was on display during this tight and urgent margin was a microcosm of what the Dodgers have been suffering from during the past two weeks.

Manager Don Mattingly, along with obvious consent from General Manager Ned Colletti, brought up AAA star Jerry Sands to the big club approximately three weeks ago. Since then Sands has started 5 out of 6 games a week in left field, as the coaches and management are certainly testing what this young right-handed, opposite-field minded batter has to offer.

The fact that Mattingly pinch-hit for Sands late in the Saturday loss, with a runner on 3rd and one out, down one run, only speaks to the transparent inexperience and distrust of Mattingly in his rookie campaign as the Dodger skipper.

To substitute the mentally-growing Sands in favor of a back-up catcher, Dioner Navarro (who ended up striking out on four pitches), simply because he was a left-handed bat against a right-handed pitcher, is absolutely ridiculous and is the polar opposite of what you are trying to accomplish within your progression of Sands.

Why pinch-hit for Sands in that situation, a scene that is his optimum learning and improving situation, when it is clear you brought him up to put him through these rigorous types of tests to really see what the kid can do? You just defeated your whole purpose with the kid in one substitution, “Donnie Baseball.”

Your place as manager goes beyond statistical probability, and has everything to do with what you are trying to gain as a young captain in a year that demands gain in positivity outside of the box score.  Your only gain has everything to do with an acquisition of quintessential trust within your players.  The move displayed was a defiant step in the wrong direction.

The lack of intelligent organizational protocol such as is what scares me about Mattingly as the Dodger manager, and is why I had my doubts when the Dodgers hired him with absolutely no top-level managerial experience.  Yes, he was a great ball-player, but so were countless others.  Being able to hit a baseball doesn’t mean you know how to manage men.  So far in this at-bat, Mattingly, you are behind in the count.

Instead of letting your young, up-and-coming outfielder, that you invested over 50 at-bats in during the past three weeks, bat in that situation, you grasped and flailed with the snap-trigger desperation that is the very antithesis of successful baseball managing.

If you bring a kid up like this and are testing him for future benefits, you let him hit in this clutch, run-scoring situation. What do you have to lose?  You only have something to gain.  That’s what you brought the kid up for, situations like this? How else is he going to learn how to thrive as a big-league pro?  By being substituted for, confidence ruined?  This was without a doubt a rookie manager move.  Its May, not September, Donnie winter-ball manager.

Aside from Mattingly’s Saturday evening blatant blunder, the overall tragedy that has lead to more losses than wins thus far, has to be the fact that the Dodgers have been losing 2-1 and 1-0 games since May began. Its not like they are getting blown out 7-0 and 10-1 in their losses over and over. All it takes to turn it around is one key move or one clutch hit, and its just not happening. The chemistry is not allowing it to.  This speaks to the lack of savvy and experienced managing that is ahead of the curve, the lack of knowing what your team needs.

The starting pitchers are pitching more than well enough to win, and they have been pitching this way not just since May began, but since opening day. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp hit a hot streak to end April, but since then they have had average performances at best. And when the one-two punch of Ethier and Kemp cool down, and the rest of the supporting cast features only perpetual 19/80, .238-hitting baseball vagabonds, you are going to struggle to score runs, and struggle mightily.

The return of Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake will definitely boost the offense if even in the slightest bit, as Aaron Miles will finally ride some pine and Jaime Carroll can bob between second base and left field.  This will allow the revolving pop-up that is Juan Uribe and rookie Jerry Sands to platoon at a two-thirds level, 3 players at 2 positions, which will keep them fresh and tip-top for the sake of an aging veteran and a rookie.  Let’s hope Mattingly realizes this and substitutes as much.

A lineup of: Furcal, Carroll, Ethier, Kemp, Loney, Uribe, Barajas and Blake; will definitely will pump out more that what is currently being seen from the Dodger offensive attack.

All distant-future events considered, hopefully the bats wake up tonight in game 2 of the current home series versus the Brewers, because you know a consistently accurate arm like Hiroki Kuroda will keep the defense behind him on their collective toes.

If the Blue doesn’t get a “W,” it should snap a thread and reek as a completely unacceptable 5-games below .500 display at this quarter-season juncture. If this happens, something then needs to be tossed. Chemistry needs to be shaken up. A leader needs to break a few things in the clubhouse, or a coach needs to throw over the post-game table-spread in contention that the offense doesn’t deserve to eat.

Just average is not acceptable. Don’t fall into the lull of the mundane and the tolerant in May. If you do, June will look like 30-40 and July will end you up looking at a record of 40-55.

Even with the McCourt circus, this direction that is beginning to transpire shouldn’t be tolerated by any of the Dodger faithful.  Stay true and expect greatness everyday, even if your expectations are in the realm overachieving.  Any attitude less will only lead to underachievement.

Stay steadfast in wanting to consistently bounce the below-average norm that we are currently seeing. Clayton Kershaw’s bobble-head that is being given out tonight whole-heartedly agrees.

As a Dodger rally was unfolding during the 1st inning, a rally in which three runs were plated, Sands hit a 2-out double the other way down the Right field line that advanced James Loney from 1st base to 3rd base.

In his next at-bat during the 3rd inning, he came up with runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. Amidst the “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” chants from the blue-faithful, Sands, executed another superb inside-out swing, and hit a towering fly ball to deep right field that scored the runner from 3rd base and advanced the complimentary runner from 2nd to 3rd.

As the next half-inning was unfolding, Sands made a great half-leaning, half-sliding catch while fighting the lights in left field. As he flipped the ball back into the infield with ease after the catch, the chants began again, “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”

In the 6th inning, with the Dodgers ahead 4-0, Tim Hudson threw the first pitch of Sands’ third at-bat to the person sitting directly behind Sands in the first row behind home plate. The location of Hudson’s pitch definitely had a purpose. Matt Kemp took exception to the deliberate scare tactic as he retaliated with a bark in Hudson’s direction from the top step of the dugout.

With Sands putting the ball in play easily in his last two plate appearances to the opposite field, Hudson didn’t want him feeling so comfortable leaning out over the plate. Sands ended up chasing a 3-2 slider off the edge of the outside corner for a swinging strikeout.

The following half-inning, with two outs and no one on base, Dodger pitcher Ted Lilly threw his first offering to Nate McLouth behind his back, in a display of protection for his rookie left fielder making his major league debut.  The home plate umpire warned Lilly as well as both dugouts.  I love old-school baseball unwritten rules and justice such as this.

For Sands’ fourth and final at bat in the 8th, he faced reliever Jario Ascencio. After taking a fastball off the plate, Sands fouled one straight back to the screen, a sign that you are right on the pitcher and aren’t being fooled. Ball two was a hook that missed. Strike two was a hook that was fouled off at the plate. Sands was then ultimately fooled on a low slider for a swinging strike three.  This was his second strikeout on a slider off the outside corner.  Take notes and know the slider will now be thrown to you with two strikes.  Make the adjustment in the future, rookie.

Yes, it was an anti-climactic finish to Sands’ debut, but finishing the night 1-3 with a double, a sacrifice fly and a run batted in is much more than most can say they accomplished on day one in the big leagues.

Most importantly, and for the sake of overall team chemistry, Sands did get to execute the jumping “body high-five” with fellow outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier when the final out was recorded in a 4-2 victory.  This is a staple of Dodger outfielders after a win.

In a post game interview, the innocent and boy-ish-looking Sands said about his debut, “It was awesome, and I’m ready to come back to work tomorrow.”

When questioned about Hudson throwing behind him, he genuinely insured, “its good to know that even in my first game my teammates have my back, and I want them to know that I have theirs too.”

During a post-game interview in the clubhouse, Dodger manager Don Mattingly said, “we hope he continues having good at-bats and playing solid defense in left field.”

While not entirely ringing, this was undoubtedly a solid endorsement.

Sands had been a substitute teacher in the previous off-seasons of his minor-league career, but after 5 home runs in the first 10 games of his triple A season in Las Vegas, he was sent up to the majors, replacing Xavier Paul, that was subsequently sent down to triple A after Sands’ arrival.

Well done tonight Jerry, you contributed to a win in a very significant and professional way. Appreciate the wholesome love from the fans and keep it up kid. If you do, I’m sure you will never have to go back to negotiating recess disagreements and lunch-time food-fights.