Hyun-jin Ryu turned out to be a great pickup for the Dodgers last offseason, but the team has more subtle changes to be made this year. By Owen Main

Last offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers made some huge splashes in the free agent market by signing Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu to multi year contracts. Both signings panned out for the Dodgers during the 2013 season as both Greinke and Ryu pitched very well in both the regular season and postseason helping to guide the Dodgers to the NL West title. After being eliminated in the NLCS, many people wondered what the next big move for the Dodgers would be during the offseason. Would they make a trade for former Cy Young Award winner David Price? Would they trade away star outfielder Matt Kemp? Neither have happened to this point. Here’s what has happened so far:

The winter meetings have passed and the Dodgers have remained very quiet this offseason. The biggest signing so far is that of Dan Haren to close out the pitching rotation. Since the new ownership of the Dodgers has taken over they have been willing to spend money whenever they want with no price limit, so the lack of movement this offseason has confused some folks. Aside from the Haren signing the team has re-signed some key players from last season including Juan Uribe, Brian Wilson and J.P. Howell. The team’s quiet signing of these players and lack of a big splash so far has been a blessing in disguise for the Dodgers. Sometimes, less is more.

Even with their lack of moves, the Dodgers should still should be the favorites to win the title this season. Re-signing such major players to their team as Uribe, Wilson and Howell was very important for the team and its chemistry. Consistency is a major factor for any team playing any sport and keeping mainly the same players around and having them grow together with the ups and downs wins championships which is the Dodgers ultimate goal. The type of players the Dodgers have in their clubhouse is extremely important. They did lose some utility players and clubhouse presences to free agency and retirement (Skip Schumaker, Mark Ellis, Nick Punto, Jerry Hairston, Jr.), but for the most part the rest of the 2013 team is there.

The Dodgers management should get more credit than they deserve for finally putting a winning product back onto the field in Los Angeles. Both the players and fans of the Dodgers should be excited for the upcoming season regardless if any more moves are made. For the first time in a long time, the Dodgers are looked at as the favorites to win the World Series and end their 26 year title drought. And, with a team this talented, they aren’t just making moves to make moves.

The off-season hot stove is heating up. For the Dodgers, it’s time to start making moves and scout new players to fill the holes on the roster. Many questions have surfaced about the team — linking them to almost every free agent player and wondering whether or not manager Don Mattingly would return. Mattingly will, in fact, be back. Who are the players he’ll be managing, though?

Re-signing Brian Wilson is a key part to the Dodgers offseason, especially so he doesn’t end up back with the Giants. By Thephatphilmz (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

The key for the Dodgers to have a successful offseason begins and ends with one name — Brian Wilson. When Wilson signed with the Dodgers, it was basically an audition for teams to see how he could pitch after his injury and Wilson impressed. Wilson’s presence was a key to the Dodgers run into the NLCS. He posted a 0.66 ERA with a record of 2-1 in 18 regular season appearances and didn’t allow a run in three innings in the playoffs.

So what’s the problem? Wilson was great, so why is it so hard to sign him back? The primary answer is that Wilson wants to be a closer again and the Dodgers already have a good closer in Kenley Jansen. Many teams have expressed interest in Wilson and the Dodgers needs to do something about this fast. Wilson has interest and would stay in Los Angeles if he were to be paid closer-type money. I think the Dodgers should pay the man whatever amount he is asking for. If there is one team who can sink closer money into a player who isn’t a closer, it’s the Dodgers. Wilson has become a fan favorite already and having both him and Jansen at the end of the bullpen is a scary sight for opposing teams.

The Dodgers management needs to re-sign Wilson before making any other moves. He will be a key factor in this team trying for a title run. Winning close games is something you have to be able to do. Wilson will help to this end. Losing him would be a huge blow to a team that had bullpen problems last season. I say the Dodgers should pay the man and keep the rest of the National League West fearing the beard.

Ricky Lake might have lost an abundance of weight but the scale of asinine blabber blubber spilling to the earth is larger than Fat Albert and his robust “hey hey hey”.

Hey hey hey Buster O, next time you spy on A-Rod with binoculars, you mind wearing a pair of pants? It’s freaking out the children and his mother is hyperventilating in fear.

This time the possessive oriented media has chosen to turn their attention from Joey Votto’s sexual orientation, and toward his immediate future.

Sound appealing? Sure.

Anytime a former NL MVP is being “shopped,” there’s a ton to talk about. The first question being…where?

That would be tons of fun this offseason. Where on God’s green earth would the Reds superstar land?

That is, if the media reports weren’t spun by groups of feigning sports dorks and fast food gossip junkies.

While Reds GM Walt Jocketty continues to lambaste the media for their inherent need to overreact and spin whatever small whisper they can, league-wide leaders like Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports continue the garbage.

Earlier this week, Rosenthal reported the Reds don’t have to act now but can wait for Pujols and Fielder
to land contracts in order to gauge the star first baseman’s worth.

Worth? Why are we talking about trade worth?

Walt Jocketty set the record straight with Reds beat writer Mark Sheldon. His strong words diminished any fear Reds fans may have in regards to their franchise’s future.

“We haven’t talked about it. I wish that people would stop writing it,” Jocketty said Monday. “Why would we trade one of the best players in the game? We’re trying to win.”

No trade means no trade, and here I am writing about it.

But don’t add me to the impish idiots condoning their intellectual filth. Let me set the record straight: the topic of a Joey Votto trade is as irrelevant as a pair of L.A. Gear high tops.

Owed 25 million dollars over the next two years commits the star to the ownership in Cincinnati.

His absence in speaking out against current opines of his presumed navigation elsewhere, proves the man is less concerned with the media and more so, with his play.

His birth into a perennial all-star first baseman, MVP and league-wide giant was conceived in Cincinnati. Isn’t there some sort of franchise commitment? I think so.

With an intelligent manager in Dusty Baker, the Reds and Votto are just one or two hitters away from returning to postseason play.

This is not to deny the man may seek employment elsewhere in a couple of years. But until then can we just pay attention to the 2011 World Series? The NFL? NBA Lockout? Emma Stone?