The state of the LA Dodgers heading into Spring Training 2018

The Best Conflict In Baseball May Cause Genuine Problems in 2018

The Dodgers’ outfield is, to put it simply, too good. LA has a bonafide right-fielder in Yasiel Puig. Baring any organization-altering trades, Yasiel Puig will be the Dodgers’ starting right-fielder in 2018.

Puig is one of the best, if not the best, right fielders in baseball. He dares hitters to challenge his arm, and those hitters rarely win. Yasiel Puig is LA’s right fielder, and I highly doubt that Dodger nation would want it any other way.

That said, right field is the first and the simplest part of the great and ever-growing mystery that is the Dodgers’ outfield. Center-field brings up problems of its own.

“Who will be the Dodgers’ starting center-fielder in 2018?” It’s a question that is problematic, not due to a lack of solutions, but rather far too many of them.

The logical answer is Chris Taylor.

The strong answer is Joc Pederson.

The intriguing answer is Kiké Hernandez.

The nostalgic answer is Matt Kemp.

The good answer; all four of them, and there lies the best problem in baseball.

Chances are, the Dodgers will trade Matt Kemp for either a starter or a reliever. They may not though. Either way, the Los Angeles outfield is stacked.

In 2017, all four of the Dodgers’ options for center field combined for 62 home runs, and a .247 average. Dave Roberts could put any one of those four guys out in center field for the first game of Spring Training and feel confident.

Opening Day is a different story. As the season progresses, a lack of routine and a lack of consistency in center could throw off the entire outfield.

The Dodgers have the best problem in baseball; too many talented options for one or two positions. No matter what, we can know this; whoever is standing out there in the top of the 1st on Opening Day, earned it.