A winter of decisions

Phil Gurnee ♦ November 19, 2016 ♦ 2 Comments

Will Kenley Jansen or Justin Turner stay or go?

I think this winter will finally give us a real clue about how the Dodger front office plans to build the Dodger team now and in the future.

Last year the Dodgers went hard after Grienke but not hard enough to keep him from heading off to Arizona to count his dollars for a terrible team.

This year they have two key players that are free agents since they were unable to come to terms with either Kenley Jansen or Justin Turner during the summer. Rich Hill was acquired in mid-season for a stiff price and is also a free agent. Kenley Jansen and Turner would bring back draft picks if they sign elsewhere, Rich Hill will not.

I have numerous questions about this winter.

• Will the Dodgers go hard after their free agents since they don’t have any current replacements for either player and both players were at least in the top five at their position?
• If they don’t re-sign Kenley Jansen will his replacement come from within the organization, free agency, or trade?
• If they don’t re-sign Justin Turer will his replacement come from within the organization, free agency, or trade?
• Will they roll the dice once again with Chase Utley and a platoon partner or look for a full-time second baseman via free-agency or trade?
• Will they show confidence in Puig and once again make him the full-time right fielder, or continue to peddle him as they did this past summer?
• If they sign Rich Hill, will that be the extent of their moves related to the rotation?
• If they don’t sign Rich Hill, will they be searching for another pitcher via free agency or trade? There are no “quality” starters in the free agent market, so they can go back end or trade for a high-end starter.
• If they go the trade route to fulfill their needs, which prospects will they be willing to let go? One has to assume the Julio Urias is just about untouchable but you never know.
• Do they consider Cody Bellinger the heir apparent to Adrian Gonzalez?
• Do they think Willie Calhoun can be an NL second baseman?

In three months we should have answers to all these questions, and as they get answered it will start to give us clues about how this front office will act in the future.

Maybe