Dodgers Fan Poll: Recent Moves Make Team Competitive

Up to, oh, about a week ago, the Dodgers’ offseason was a point of contention rivaled only by that cursed TV deal. Since then, the front office has either officially (Scott Kazmir) or reportedly (Kenta Maeda) signed two pitchers and while all might not be righted, the sky above Chavez Ravine is no longer falling.

We ran a poll on our Facebook page to gauge how the fan base is feeling at the moment about the Dodgers’ chances in a competitive National League West as moves continue to be made and the vibe is significantly more positive.

ICYMI: Dodgers 2015 Recap, 2016 Preview Yearbook

The post reached nearly 28,000 people and more than twice as many people say they are confident in the Dodgers remaining competitive than those who are hoping for a wild card spot.

Here are a few of the best comments on the post.

Peter Gutierrez, Jr. says:

Fell better about today than a few weeks ago, that’s for sure. Let’s see what they do with the bullpen and offense.

This pretty much puts a bow no the feeling overall. Question marks remain, but the Dodgers’ rotation taking shape is nonetheless a step in the right direction.

Sandy Sites takes another step in that direction:

Felt good before, feel better now. Think we have a fascinating mix of youth, veterans, good defense, good to very good pitching, and still have the best pitcher on the planet and a solid closer. A middle relief guy, and one more bat would help. And at least 50% of the following emerging or bouncing back this year: Puig. Pedersen. Seager. Urias. Ryu. GO DODGERS!

This is something people can sometimes overlook. While a move for a powerful bat like Yoenis Cespedes may seem like the an easy fix for the ailing offense, steps forward from those whom Sites mentions collectively might have a larger impact together than Cespedes offers by himself. Just a thought.

Now, the those inclined to criticize will still do so, and it’s perfectly within their own right. In both the Aroldis Chapman and Hisashi Iwakuma scenarios, agreements fell apart at the midnight hour. They did so, however, for good reason. The Dodgers and Maeda’s people negotiating what appears to be an insanely complicated deal over the course of a week after the initial reports of an agreement isn’t quite the same thing.

For now, it’s easier to see the competitiveness beyond projections than we have have before. While that might not be enough for many people, it sounds like the vast majority is excited to see this team on the field.