Dodgers X-Factor Candidates for 2016

We’ve looked at a few candidates to make under-the-radar impacts on the Dodgers, but the everyday impact of positive additions in these next two spots are going to be absolutely vital.

ICYMI: Dodgers Should Not Worry About Having A True Leadoff Hitter

Bullpen:

An ‘X-factor’ doesn’t have to be one player, and the role of the bullpen seems to fit the criteria perfectly given how much more emphasis is put on it in today’s game. We saw it first hand with the Kansas City Royals, who won the World Series last year with their biggest attribute undoubtedly being their shut-down bullpen.

If you watched a lot of Dodgers games last year, and are anything like me, you probably got your share of chest pains and/or queasiness anytime the Dodgers went to the bullpen in a close game. They rarely made things easy, and when they did, it was usually made easy for the opposing team to score. In 2015, the Dodgers bullpen finished 19^th in ERA and 20^th in BAA, and those numbers don’t necessarily depict the true reality either.

Certainly, many fans thought the Dodgers has upgraded their bullpen big-time this off-season after news broke that they had traded for Aroldis Chapman. But we all know how that turned out.

The Dodgers still have a very capable bunch though. Coming off another solid year in 2015, Kenley Jansen continues to be one of the better closers in the league. Most of the inconsistency from the bullpen came from the middle relief. The Dodgers will need Chris Hatcher to be the 2^nd half version of himself and not the 1^st half one. They will also need young guys like Pedro Baez and Yimi Garcia to make strides in their 2^nd full years. J.P Howell, Luis Avilan, and Adam Liberatore will return as the likely primary lefties, and guys like Carlos Frias could also be moved to the pen.

The Dodgers also made some additions that could boost the bullpen this year, acquiring Cuban pitcher Yaisel Sierra, and Joe Blanton from the Pirates (don’t laugh, Blanton actually pitched well as a converted reliever last year.)

Certainly, the bullpen will need to be more reliable in 2016. Too many games were lost and too many leads were given up last year. And though it didn’t prevent them from winning the division, an under-achieving bullpen could be a major factor this season. In contrast, we’ve all seen the kind of benefits that a lights-out bullpen could provide (right KC?)

Dave Roberts:

Entering his first year as skipper, Roberts replaces Don Mattingly, who came to a “mutual” agreement with the Dodgers front office this off-season to part ways with the club. Many believed Mattingly was a good clubhouse manager, but maybe not the best “X’s & O’s” guy. And no matter how great you get along with the players, at the end of the day, managers must make key decisions throughout the year that have direct effects on the outcome of games.

Many people were excited by the hiring of Roberts, but some were concerned that he may have been hired by the Friedman/Zaidi duo to simply carry out their strategy for the team. A “puppet manager” if you will. But there’s been nothing so far to show that type of micro-managing exists within the organization. Roberts has said he’s open to analytics, statistical metrics, and anything else that could help him better manage the team, which the front office is definitely all about. How Roberts manages the club on a day-to-day basis though, remains to be seen.

Like any other manager, Roberts will be faced with important decisions throughout the year that will have big impacts on the outcome of games. Not only in the day-to-day calls, like the lineup card, or when to go to the bullpen, but also in how he will manage the club overall. Will he platoon in left field? Will he stick to his claim that no one player will be the lead-off hitter? Who will start the season as the 5th starter? These are seemingly routine decisions, but they play a huge role in a team’s success, or lack thereof.

Obviously, no one manager is perfect, and mistakes will surely be made at some point. But if Roberts can push the right buttons, and make the correct calls more often than not, it could be the difference between a playoff team and a 3rd place team.

Again, no one player, manager, or move made by the front office will decide the Dodgers fate this year. It will be a combination of many things. With that said, the guys mentioned above will likely play a crucial role in determining how the Dodgers do. They’re success could very well be directly tied into the team’s success.

No pressure fellas.