January 15th, 2014 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka When the Dodgers broke spring training camp last March, it appeared that they had an abundance of outfielders to match their abundance of starting pitchers. And even though Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp were not fully recovered from their respective shoulder surgeries and struggled considerably during camp, there was every indication that Crawford, Kemp and Andre Ethier were going to be the three everyday outfielders for the entire 2013 season – this in spite of the fact that (then) 22-year-old Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig had a spring training for the record books.
Puig went 30 for 58 (.517) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 11 RBIs in the team-leading 27 spring training games that he played in. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Puig’s .517 spring training batting average, .500 on-base percentage, .828 slugging percentage and insane 1.328 OPS were so far off the charts that many Dodger fans wondered how Ned Colletti could, in good conscience, intentionally keeping Puig off of the Dodgers 25-man roster when camp broke – but he did just that.
No one will argue that Puig absolutely had to play everyday and having him sit on the bench as the Dodgers’ fourth outfielder was not an option and would have been an injustice to the kid, but when a guy puts up numbers like he did during spring training, he absolutely must be on your 25-man roster. And with Crawford and Kemp still on the mend and struggling terribly at the plate, and having the luxury and opportunity to give Ethier an occasional day off, Puig could have easily been in the line-up every day. But alas, Colletti viewed having three All Star-caliber outfielders on the opening day roster while leaving an even better one down in the minors as “a good problem to have.”
Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Yasiel Puig.
Lo and behold Colletti’s decision proved to be spot on – almost prophetic. Not only did he go through every one of his abundance of starting pitchers within a month of opening day and eventually had to go out and get a couple more, his abundant outfield became a patchwork of utility bench players and call-ups from Triple-A (or in Puig’s case, Double-A).
In addition to his chronic shoulder issues which were tested daily by opposing base runners, Crawford also suffered a strained hamstring which eventually led to lower back issues causing him to miss a total of 46 games. And then there was Kemp who was basically done for the season by mid May, appearing in only 89 games and missing the postseason entirely. And just to make matters worse, Ethier suffered a microfracture in his lower left leg late in the season which hampered him significantly throughout the postseason. When the dust finally settled, having an abundance of outfielders truly was “a good problem to have.”
But what about now when it appears that Crawford, Kemp, Ethier and Puig are all going to be healthy and ready to go on opening day 2014 – is having four healthy All Star-caliber outfielders still “a good problem to have?” Although it certainly sounds good, there’s a pretty good chance that the tension in the Dodgers clubhouse is going to be thick enough to cut with a knife – these are some pretty big egos were talking about here. All four of these guys will want to start every game and will not want to come out for any reason.
During last week’s press conference, Colletti once again said that he is perfectly content heading into spring training with four starting outfielders and once again sees it as “a good problem to have.”
“I think it’s a strength for us,” said Colletti. “I think it’s something that, with the injuries assuming we’ll battle through I think it’s the wisest approach, and you’ve got ‘X’ number of games, you’ve got 162 times three – that’s almost 500 games that you’ve got to cover. It gives guys a chance to take a break once in awhile, it gives a guy a chance to get a day off, a chance to have some competition, so I’m all for it.”
That being said, Colletti was quick to point out that didn’t have his head buried in the sand during last month’s winter meetings.
“Did I listen (to trade offers) this winter? Sure, it’s part of what I have to do,” Colletti said. “But we didn’t find anything that… it’s going to have to be something that we say ‘Whoa, we can’t hang this call up’ and it never happened. I’m glad we have who we have and, again, it is a strength … I’d rather have more than less.”
No one can argue that Crawford, Kemp, Ethier and Puig are all top-tier starting outfielders. And while it may sound like “a good problem to have,” the truth of the matter is that it might not be. Sure, if Crawford, Kemp or Ethier were 36, 37 or 38 years old with their best years behind them instead of being 32, 29 and 31 years old respectively it would make perfect sense to keep all four outfielders, but each of these guys are still in their prime, along with 23-year-old Yasiel Puig. And this doesn’t even take into consideration the Dodgers two top outfield prospects down on the fame in Joc Pederson and Scott Schebler.
The Dodgers definitely have outfield depth down on the farm in top prospects Scott Schebler and Joc Pederson – unless Colletti trades them away, that is. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The point to all of this is that having four top-tier All Star-caliber starting outfielders (with Scott Van Slyke, Pederson and Schebler down on the farm) might sound really good and it might look really good on paper, it very well could end up being a recipe for disaster in the Dodgers clubhouse; and even more so, it might prevent the Dodgers from acquiring some much-needed middle infield and bench help.
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I wouldn’t even think about Pederson and Schebier, at least not for a while since Crawford, Kemp, Ethier and Puig is more than enough to contend with. It seems to me unless something really drastic happens any outfielders on the Dodger farm should have plenty of patience unless they are used in a trade. Everything is the way it is and I’m sure things will take care of themselves. Somebody will go into a slump or visit the DL, or we may have to say “goodbye” to someone.
I think that perhaps you may have missed the point, Joe. The point is that having Crawford, Kemp, Ethier and Puig, all of whom are All Star-caliber starting outfielders and all of whom expect to start every game, may cause some serious distractions and disruptions in the Dodger clubhouse and that it would perhaps be best for Colletti to seriously consider trading one of them for a proven infielder.
I think that you also may have missed the point that Pederson and Schebler are both very viable (eventual) replacements for Crawford, Kemp and Ethier. Pederson is MLB-ready right now and Schebler is probably only a year away.
Perhaps I am wrong and I very well may be, but it sounds as though you expect Crawford, Kemp, Ethier and Puig to be Dodgers for a long time, which I simply do not see happening – hence the mention of Pederson and Schebler and the need to keep them.
This is a problem that can only be resolved during the season. Kemp is a huge question mark as to whether he can return to his All-Star form and it would have been a big disappointment to move him at the lowest point in his career. Crawford is very brittle and only a hamstring pull from being on the bench. While I hope that Puig continues to succeed as a batter and mature as a player, it wouldn’t be the first time that a rookie regressed in his second year, God forbid he falls off the end of the Earth or runs into a wall that doesn’t have padding. Ethier is probably the only moveable piece this winter but he is currently the most valuable element in the Dodger short term by showing last year he can play other outfield slots. The Dodgers made the best decision by taking a wait-and-see stance. At some point two of these guys are going to become injured and Pederson will most certainly make his debut.
I’m not sure what will happen although I still feel one of the four will be traded with Andre being the easiest to trade and Yasiel not a trade option. I know that injuries occur as demonstrated by 2012/13 but if so it would be a more clear indication they will continue to occur after this year. If a trade can be made it would be in the better long term interests of the team.
I also don’t expect both Matt and Carl to be in Dodger Blue in 2017.
Joc Pederson (21) and Scott Schebler (23) are waiting in the wings. Jacob Scavuzza (20) and Joey Curletta(19)are on their way if 2013 in Ogden was any indication of their potential.
I don’t want a wholesale change in the outfield but do feel four is one too many. It would not be too many if all were not high profile players. Over the next few years I would like to see a gradual change in the outfield.
This is the crux of the article right here, Harold.
I really like all four of these guys but having all four on the 25-man simply doesn’t make sense and something has to give. That said, I can’t see all four going the full 162 without one of them (or more) going down to injury, so I get Colletti’s thinking. But this is where Pederson and Schebler come into the mix. As you well know, Joc has a legitimate shot at being a superstar OF.
It’s probably just me but I am really uncomfortable with all four being on the 25-man and I sure as hell don’t want to see Puig optioned back to the minors.
It’s never easy, is it?
It’s going to make for a very interesting Spring Training !! Lets just hope that everyone can stay healthy and the decisions become harder, because that would mean getting full value for what will probably need to happen !!