Remember when the Dodgers broke spring training camp last year with nine starting pitchers on their 40-man roster? How could you forget, we were reminded almost daily that it was “a good problem to have.” And indeed it was because within four weeks Zack Greinke, Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly were on the disabled list and Aaron Harang had been traded to the Rockies, forcing the Dodgers to call up Stephen Fife and Matt Magill from Triple-A Albuquerque. Although Magill did well in his first couple of starts, he eventually began to struggle and was sent back down to the minors and Fife himself ended up on the DL with chronic shoulder bursitis. By mid season Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti was forced to go out and get veteran starters Ricky Nolasco and Edinson Volquez to fill his starting rotation.

Here we are less than four weeks away from spring training 2014 with a very formidable rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-jin Ryu and Dan Haren, with Josh Beckett reported to be completely healed from his thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and Magill and Fife healthy and raring to go. And this doesn’t even take into consideration top pitching prospects Zach Lee, Ross Stripling and Chris Reed.

But wait, there’s more!

In addition to being among the front-runners in the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes, it was reported on Wednesday (yes, there was other news besides the Kershaw contract extension) that the Dodgers are considering a run at 36-year-old free agent right-hander Bronson Arroyo.

Will Bronson Arroyo and his signature high leg kick soon be a frequent sight at Dodger Stadium? (Photo credit – Donald Miralle)

To be perfectly honest, going after Arroyo makes about as much sense as the Dodgers signing relievers Chris Perez and Jamey Wright. In other words, it makes no sense at all and effectively blocks Zach Lee, Ross Stripling and Chris Reed from the majors just as acquiring Perez and Wright effectively blocks Chris Withrow and Jose Dominguez from the Dodgers bullpen. It also goes against the grain of the Dodgers frequently stated master plan of ‘getting younger.’

To his credit Arroyo has has a very good 14-year major league career. And while his career record of 138-127 and his career ERA of 4.19 doesn’t exactly take your breath away, Arroyo has made 30 or more starts in his last nine consecutive seasons, including 35 in 2006 and 34 in 2008 to lead the National League. Simply put, the guy is an absolute workhorse with a serious aversion to the disabled list.

Where things really get sticky is that should the Dodgers land Masahiro Tanaka and sign Bronson Arroyo, someone has to go – and by that we’re talking about designating Haren or Arroyo for assignment, which makes absolutely no sense after just acquiring them, or DFAing Beckett (and his $15.75 million salary), or starting Tanaka (and his projected $110 million+ contract) in the minor leagues, which makes even less sense.

It seems unfathomable to spend over $100 million for Masahiro Tanaka only to send him to the minor leagues. (Photo courtesy of Kyodo News)

Even if the Dodgers do not acquire Tanaka or Arroyo, it still figures to be a shootout for the number five spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation, most likely between Beckett, Fife, Magill, Lee, Stripling and Reed. Beckett, Fife and Magill definitely have the edge over Lee, Stripling and Reed, as they are already on the 40-man roster, but that can change with the stroke of a pen. Oh, and don’t forget that Chad Billingsley is due back from his Tommy John surgery sometime around the All-Star break too.

Perhaps having too many starters isn’t such “a good problem to have” after all.