Los Angeles Dodgers: Five steps to return to the World Series next season

1. Keep the same strategy with the bullpen

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office has done a great job of piecing together great bullpens year in and year out. Ironically, it was the fatigued bullpen that arguably cost the team the series as early as game two, However, the Dodgers have the gameplan to craft another dominant bullpen and should not shy away from that.

First and foremost, the team must avoid going out and signing any big names such as Wade Davis to fill a bullpen vacancy. Big name reliever signings almost never work out for the Dodgers (see Sergio Romo and Brian Wilson). Yet, the team excels at turning lesser-known stars — such as Brandon Morrow or Joe Blanton — into great arms.

Not just that, the team breeds great pitchers. Ross Stripling has been a staple of the bullpen the last two seasons as has Pedro Baez and Grant Dayton. Los Angeles must not shy away from this game plan. While there is a chance that Morrow walks to be a closer elsewhere, Morrow should be the only big name target the Dodgers look to sign.

The organization knows what they are doing as well. Last offseason, the Dodgers were losing one of their best bullpen arms in Blanton. Blanton threw 80 innings for the Dodgers with a 2.48 ERA. This earned Blanton a one-year, $4 million contract with the Washington Nationals. Blanton threw 44.1 innings with a 5.68 ERA.

Relievers just do not seem to be same when they leave Rick Honeycutt‘s system. The Dodgers must maintain that system to carry over another great bullpen.