March 8th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 Now that the Dodgers have played fifteen games in 2020 Spring Training we can see the signs that the cream is rising to the top.
Pitching:
- Pedro Baez – 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 7 K;
- Caleb Ferguson – 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K;
- Kenley Jansen – 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 7 K;
- Clayton Kershaw – 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 8 K;
- David Price – 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 10 K; and,
- Ross Stripling – 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 5 K.
In addition, three pitching prospects are making Dodgers management take notice as they decide on the Opening Day 2020 active roster:
- 21-year-old Brusdar Graterol – 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 k;
- 23-year-old Dennis Santana – 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 9 K; and,
- 25-year-old Tony Gonsolin – 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Unfortunately for a few veterans, Spring Training has been difficult – to put it mildly:
- Dylan Floro: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, and only 1 K;
- Adam Kolarek: left-hander in 4 IP has allowed 6 H in 12-at-bats to right-hand hitters, failing to dispel the perception that he is limited to being a LOOGY (left-handed one-out guy); and,
- Julio Urias was unimpressive in his only Cactus League appearance, only pitching .2 innings.
Hitting:
Like the pitchers, the cream is also rising amongst veteran Dodgers hitters with an OPS of .800 or above: Justin Turner; Chris Taylor; Max Muncy; Cody Bellinger; Kiké Hernandez; Matt Beaty; Corey Seager; and, surprisingly, Austin Barnes.
Hitting prospects: Cody Thomas (1.319 OPS); Zach Reks (1.206); Zach McKinstry (1.189); and, Cristian Santana (.926) have been making their respective cases for places on the Dodgers roster in 2021, if not 2020.
Disappointments to date? A.J. Pollock with a .512 OPS and 9-strikeouts in 25-at-bats leads the list, along with catcher Will Smith with a .385 OPS. Top prospect Gavin Lux is still trying to find his swing and may be in danger of starting the 2020 season playing for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers rather than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Almost three weeks remain in the 2020 Cactus League, there are plenty of innings to be pitched, and at-bats to be taken, but the Dodgers will continue to assign players to their minor league camp as they have with pitchers Josiah Gray, Edwin Uceta, Mitchell White, and Victor Gonzalez. Every game, every pitch thrown, every at-bat, is becoming more important by the day.
* * * * * *
Posted in 
ST is always so vexing. How many years have we seen guys blow the doors off the place the first 3-4 weeks then fad a bit as real starters make up the opposition. Still they make the roster only to totally flame out in the dinner show.
Then there have been guys who just, well, stink on ice all ST long. The season switch gets flipped and they own the league.
All i think matters is if guys are fixing things they they need to…stats matter for squat in ST. A pitcher could be working on some part of mechanics, a hitter on swing tweaks…it almost always begins to gel those final 10 days or so…until then it’s sure fun to speculate.
This year is the first season in the last 10+ seasons where i feel they have a true WS caliber pitching staff. The BP is flat out scary strong, not by their numbers but from seeing the batter reactions. There is a swagger we haven’t seen since the, well, a few+ decades ago. The rotation really looks solid. I’m still not close to sold Urias is ever going deliver. Woods is a questionable until the season starts. Top three are solid as we’ve seen in a long time. Price looks super against the ST scrubs as all top line guys should. If a pitcher struggles at all against scrubs the latter half of ST has felt like a sign it’s all smoke & mirrors. May & Gonsolin are going to be huge later on.
Hitters are as good as i can remember. No holes, no true questions, even Pollock. The platoon of Pollock & will deliver big from LF.
No single player has to be “the man”. Betts is nice but is not a saviors as the team didn’t need a savior in the field. Rather his value is looking like he brings a sense if purpose to the frat-house that has been the Dodgers locker room during this entire run. Right there he is worth the cost of entry. Bellinger should realize to just relax and stop listening to those asinine MVP chants (never seen any player respond well to them, it’s distracting and players try to hard to live up to that hyperbole). Lux & Smith are the wildcards. They are going to struggle for a fair part of the season.
We fans just need to be patient and trust their talent, remembering just how strong a roster the team has.
Well said / written.
SP – Buehler, Kershaw, Price, Stripling, Wood
BP – Baez, Kelley, Urias, Ferguson, Treinen, Graterol, Gonsolin, Alexander
PP – Barnes, Smith, Muncy, Beatty, Seager, Turner, Taylor, Hernandez, Pederson, Bellinger, McKinstry or Lux, Betts, and Pollock [dammit]
Conclusion – Decent
The Dodgers have stated many times that Urias is starting. You forgot Kenley.
I think the starting rotation (unless Urias completely fails) is set with Buehler, Kershaw, Price, Urias, and Wood, with Stripling in the pen waiting,for a chance or a trade.
No doubt, starting spots are Urias’ and Wood’s to lose. Urias started off rough yesterday, but came back strong. Wood needs to step up large his next Cactus League start. Both have to be feeling the pressure from Stripling and Gonsolin who have pitched very well so far.