Five Dodger Resolutions for 2012

2012 is a new year for the Dodgers, and if all goes according to Hoyle, it will bring a new owner as well. But a lot more needs to change than just ownership if the Boys in Blue hope to excel this upcoming season:

1. Chad Billingsley must resolve to improve. Most fans will look to James Loney and Juan Uribe for better seasons. But Bills, not to mention the Dodgers, has the most to gain if he can post solid numbers. After signing a three-year contract extension last spring, he finished 2011 with a disappointing 4.21 ERA and 1.452 WHIP. Thanks to Clayton Kershaw, he doesn’t have to be the team’s ace, but now that mediocre starters Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang have joined the rotation, Billingsley’s 2012 will be all the more important.
2. Andre Ethier must resolve to shut up. 2011 was not kind to Andre Ethier, though he wasn’t exactly a gentleman either. Two different off-field incidents and a stark dip in power led to surgery for his right knee that ended the year prematurely. 2012 is Ethier’s last season with the Dodgers under his current contract, and he’ll have to compete with Josh Hamilton and BJ Upton in the outfield market if he tests free agent waters. For any team to negotiate with him, he has to prove that his focus is on the field.
3. Matt Kemp must resolve to keep his promise. This resolution is a bit of a stretch, considering Kemp wants to have a 50/50 year. But after seeing an astronomical season fall just short in sweeping every major award, Kemp has enough motivation to make his 2012 even better than 2011, if that’s even physically possible.
4. The infield must resolve to stay healthy. Last season, the intended four infield starters only spent a couple games together. Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal and Juan Uribe could not stay healthy, and it caused a lot of roster turnover. This year though, the team does not have Aaron Miles or Jamey Carroll to gamely step in as replacement starters. If two or more infielders hit the DL at the same time, the Dodgers are in serious trouble. Beyond Jerry Hairston, this team has no real infield depth. Unless you have a real hankering for some Adam Kennedy action.
5. The bullpen must resolve to stay healthy as well. The bullpen was a mess last year, and every healthy reliever saw some time in a role he probably shouldn’t have. This year’s ‘pen has hope though. Javy Guerra was a revelation, and Kenley Jansen threw smoke in the second half. Matt Guerrier and Blake Hawksworth were serviceable if not spectacular. Throw in Josh Lindblom and Nathan Eovaldi as potential long-men, and the bullpen doesn’t look half-bad. It just needs to avoid the disabled list.

Of course, the most important resolution is off the field. The Dodgers must resolve to find the best owner possible. This one sounds like a slam dunk, but nothing is as simple as it seems. Whether it’s billionaires (Steven Cohen, Ron Burkle), former Dodgers (Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser, Joe Torre, Fred Claire, Peter O’Malley), super-fans (Dennis Gilbert, Larry King) or even basketball magnates (Magic Johnson, Mark Cuban, Patrick Soon-Shiong), the most important thing the Dodgers can do is find an owner committed to improving the team, the stadium and the fans’ experience. That might take more time than expected, but fans should not sacrifice quality for speed.