Dodgers’ bullpen remains unsettled as FanFest takes off
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Sights and sounds from Saturday’s Dodgers FanFest at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers’ pitchers report to spring training in two weeks, but the Dodgers might not yet have all their pitchers.
The Dodgers have addressed their most pressing needs this off-season — retaining pitchers Rich Hill and Kenley Jansen and third baseman Justin Turner in free agency, then trading for second baseman Logan Forsythe — but the bullpen remains unsettled beyond closer Jansen, left-hander Grant Dayton and right-hander Pedro Baez.
“I don’t think you ever get to a place with the bullpen where you feel you are done,” Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said Saturday. “Every year, heading into the season, it scares me.”
Manager Dave Roberts said “in theory” he would like to have a “dedicated eighth-inning guy.” He said one could emerge among the in-house candidates but he does not see one now.
“Right now, as our roster is, I don’t,” he said.
The Dodgers have maintained contact with right-hander Joe Blanton about a possible return, Friedman said. The free-agent relievers also include right-handers Luke Hochevar, Fernando Salas, Joe Smith and Sergio Romo, and left-handers Craig Breslow, Charlie Furbush, Javier Lopez, Boone Logan and Travis Wood.
In an era when even a setup man can command a multiyear contract, Friedman said the Dodgers’ investments in Hill, Jansen and Turner, at a combined $192 million, has limited what the team can spend in other areas. No team has spent more than the Dodgers in free agency this off-season.
“Obviously, it has trickle-down effects,” Friedman said.
The current candidates to fill out the Dodgers bullpen include left-handers Luis Avilan, Adam Liberatore and Vidal Nuno, and right-handers Josh Fields, Chris Hatcher and Josh Ravin. The Dodgers also could consider using starters Ross Stripling, Brock Stewart and Alex Wood in relief, and Roberts would not rule out Brandon McCarthy or Scott Kazmir in long relief.
“We really like the guys that we have and we feel like we have a good amount of depth,” Friedman said. “There are also a number of really interesting guys on the market.”
Still in right field: No. 66
Yasiel Puig might well be the Dodgers’ opening-day right fielder in 2017, after a 2016 season in which the team tried to trade him and then demoted him to the minor leagues.
Puig called the demotion “my fault” on Saturday.
“Coming late, never going to the meetings on time, [lack of] respect with my teammates and my coaches,” he said.
Puig said he has worked out five or six days a week at Dodger Stadium in recent weeks. He conducted his entire media interview in English but jokingly suggested he might revert to giving interviews in Spanish if he becomes too popular an interview target.
“Now everybody is going to my locker for questions,” he said, smiling. “That was the reason I was chilling with my Spanish.”
Hyun-Jin Ryu back?
Friedman said he was startled by a Korean media report last week that Hyun-Jin Ryu had thrown four bullpen sessions per day while preparing for spring training.
“I think that was lost in translation,” Friedman said.
The report was corrected to read that Ryu had thrown four bullpen sessions in all. Ryu had shoulder surgery two years ago and elbow surgery last year; he has pitched in one game over the last two seasons.
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Friedman said. “We feel really good about the fact he has done everything he can to put himself in the best position. I think it’s a wait-and-see approach. Obviously, it would be a major boon to us if he is able.”
Ryu, 29, had a 28-15 record and a 3.17 earned-run average for the Dodgers in 2014-15, his first two seasons in the majors after seven in South Korea.
Logan’s run
When the Dodgers traded for Forsythe last week, he and his wife had just closed the purchase of a 64-acre farm in Tennessee.
“It’s our first farm,” he said.
A farm?
“My off-season is kind of off the grid,” he said. “I don’t like too many neighbors around me. I like a little peace and quiet for a while.”
Then he flew to Los Angeles for the Dodgers’ fan festival Saturday, and it took him an hour to get from the airport to his hotel.
“Oh my goodness,” he said.
Short hops
Kenta Maeda said he hopes to throw 200 innings this season and believes he can pitch every fifth day. Maeda made 19 of his 32 starts on more than four days rest last season and pitched 176 innings, as the Dodgers eased him into a major league schedule after eight seasons in Japan. Maeda said he had agreed to the Dodgers’ request not to participate in the World Baseball Classic. ... Outfielder Joc Pederson said he has declined an invitation to play for Israel in the WBC. Utilityman Enrique Hernandez said he would play for Puerto Rico. … Catcher Yasmani Grandal said he cut meat from his diet this off-season. He said he usually reports to spring training 10 pounds over his playing weight but expects to arrive 10 pounds under his playing weight this year. “I’m a little worried about spring training,” he said. He said he probably would resume eating meat come spring. … Shortstop Corey Seager is the cover boy for the RBI 17 video game. “That was cool,” he said. “Playing video games growing up, you idolize those guys.” … The Dodgers said attendance for Saturday’s free fan festival was a record 28,967.
Follow Bill Shaikin on Twitter @BillShaikin
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