Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Spring Training: Andre Ethier Clears Air With Management

Jon Soo Hoo, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jon Soo Hoo, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a problem most teams would like to have, maybe.

Their surplus of outfielders can be a blessing and a curse, as there are too many names for just three spots. Last season, manager Don Mattingly tried to mix and match the outfielders and ended up doing more bad than good. Once Mattingly found the right combination, veteran outfielder Andre Ethier was left on the outside looking in. Ethier was relegated to a bench role, and when the Dodgers lost in the first round of the playoffs, Ethier let it be known that he wants to start this season.



In order to vent his feelings, Ethier sat down with a group of Dodgers management via Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

After reporting to camp Monday, Ethier said he met with the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, General Manager Farhan Zaidi and Manager Don Mattingly.

“It was good,” Ethier said. “It was a chance to all sit in a room for the first time, all four of us, and kind of clear the air and see where each one of us stands, to get what we had off our chests.”

As of now, it would not appear that Ethier would crack the starting lineup with Yasiel Puig in right field, Carl Crawford in left field and rookie Joc Pederson in center field. Of those three, Puig would seemingly be the only one guaranteed a spot, giving Ethier the chance to beat the others out.

Ethier does believe he will have that chance to start, considering he’s still with the team:

I would hope so and think so,” Ethier said. “With me still being here, I have to assume that they’re at least considering it.”

Last season, the 32-year-old hit just .249 with four home runs and 42 RBIs in 130 games. He was given the start in Game 4 of the NLDS in favor of Puig, but that was hardly enough to satisfy the veteran.

Ethier and the outfield will be one of the bigger story lines of the spring, and it will be interesting to see what does happen.

Dodgers FanFest 2015

Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

13 Comments

  1. Andre Eithier is my favorite player on the Dodgers – so I hope they will give him a chance to prove that he can be a good player again.

      1. Everybody has their faults, I don’t believe they played him enough last year. Hopefully this year he will get a chance and possibly show them he can do better. You have your opinion and I have mine – that is what makes the world go around, everybody thinks different,

        1. Look, facts are facts. And the fact is this. Andre has been on a downhill slide for 3 years. It started when he hurt his wrist in 2011. He has not been the same player since. He played almost the entire first 2 months of the season and he did not produce. He hit .249 with 4 HR’s. That is lousy for a guy getting that much money. CC and SVS outplayed him the entire first half. When Kemp proved he was back Andre became a platoon player. You are not going to play a guy who is not giving the team the power and production that a salary like he has means he should. Turner, SVS, and Crawford all outplayed him. This is a game where you play if you are doing the job. He was not doing the job.

        2. Do your self a favor. Read his career stats. You can plainly see his decline in numbers.

  2. Here we go again with more of the “Either is my favorite player garbage”. I got so tired of hearing that last season. Do you want to win or see your favorite player on the field? Sometimes both are not a viable option!
    I appreciate Either’s contributions to the team over the years, but he hasn’t been producing as of late and to keep him on the field taking up a roster spot so he might find his rhythm is not a realistic option with the talent this team has.

    1. Agreed. He has never been good against lefties, so unless he learned how to hit them in the off-season I don’t see him being an everyday player. This team is now is a lot better at small ball than just straight up power, which I’m ok with. Small ball gives you a chance to grind out every game, especially with the defensive depth.

    2. Let’s not forget him getting thrown out 90 feet from scoring by Yadi when he was loligagging back to the base. Head wasn’t in the game, and the NL championship on the line. No excuse.

      1. Grubby – If I remember right – aren’t there 9 players playing in the game not just one. Criticism should be on all players not just one – because you don’t like him.

    1. If you think that Philly would even consider that trade./……you are delusional

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