Five reasons the Dodgers could be in trouble, and five why they might be alright

Here are five reasons the Los Angeles Dodgers might be in trouble;

• All-star shortstop and significant offensive force Trea Turner opted for free agency and is now in Philadelphia.

• His replacement, Gavin Lux, suffered a knee injury Monday that will keep him out for the entire season. His replacement appears to be 34-year-old Miguel Rojas, who hit .236 for Miami last year.  Uh oh!

• Veteran third-baseman and acknowledged clubhouse leader Justin Tuner also opted for free agency and is in Boston.

• While he had slumped at the plate in recent years, Cody Bellinger was an elite defender in center field.  He left for Chicago. The Dodgers do not have an obvious choice to take over in center.

• Tyler Anderson won 15 games for them last year.  He, too, has left and now pitches in Anaheim.

5 Reasons the Dodgers could still be good

• Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman remain two of the Top 10 players in the National League.

• The starting rotation of Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Noah Syndergaard, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May has the potential to be dominant.

• Max Muncy and Chris Taylor have to be better.  Don’t they?  Both were All-Stars in 2021 and slumped badly in 2022.  Muncy went from 36 homers/94 RBI/.249 average to 21/69/.196 and Taylor went from 20/63/.254 to 10/43/.220.

• The Dodgers do have the best farm system in all of baseball and players no one has heard of now might well be factors in the summer.

• If the Angels get off to another slow start, they might decide to trade Shohei Ohtani.  The Dodgers would swoop in, trade for the two-way star and he then would carry them to another division title.

5 Notes on “The Littlest Angel” Albie Pearson

Remembering Pearson who died Feb. 21 at his home in La Quinta at the age of 88.

• Albie was the first Angel star, joining the team in their inaugural season, 1961.

• At 5-5, he was the smallest Angel until Freddie Patek came along in 1980 (he was also 5-5).

• Pearson was the 1958 American League Rookie of the Year with the Washington Senators.

• In 1963, he was the starting center fielder for the American League All-Star team – over Mickey Mantle.

• He and his wife of 70 years, started Father’s Heart Ranch in Desert Hot Springs in 1997.  It served as a home for abandoned and abused boys.

5 Ticket prices for Spring Training games in Arizona

• $95 for Dodgers vs Padres on March 6.  Behind home plate.

• $65 for Angels vs. Diamondbacks on March 11. Behind home plate.

• $112 for Padres vs. A’s on March 12.  Behind home plate.

• $63 for Cubs vs. Dodgers on March 17.  Only tickets left.  In right field.

• $1,795 for home plate box at Camelback Ranch for all Dodger and White Sox games.

And one NFL five-pack

5 Highest paid players (projected for 2023) in the NFL

• Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs, $45 million per year.

• Dak Prescott, Cowboys, $44 million per year.

• DeShaun Watson, Browns, $39 million per year.

• Matt Ryan, Colts, $30 million per year.

• Khali Mack, Chargers, $22.5 million per year.

Pete Donovan is a Palm Desert resident and former Los Angeles Times sports reporter. He can be reached at pwdonovan22@yahoo.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 5 reasons the Dodgers could be in trouble, and 5 why they might be alright