ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR DEPTH?
Friedman loaded up on backups, and team will need them
PHOENIX — On March 19, the day after he fouled a ball off his right leg, Andre Ethier limped into the Dodgers clubhouse on crutches. An initial X- ray had not revealed a fracture, so the extent of the damage was unknown. A smoke screen engulfed the organization.
That same morning, Manager Dave Roberts pronounced himself relieved. A reporter asked whether Ethier would require any additional testing.
“I don’t, because I think when you’re talking bone, the X- ray was pretty definitive that there was no fracture,” Roberts said. “So I think we’re in the clear.”
The coming days offered an education for Roberts, a f irst- time manager, in the cruelties of his chosen profession.
Still unable to walk two days later, Ethier underwent a bone scan. The follow- up examination showed a fractured tibia, with a suggested rehabilitation period of 10 to 14 weeks.
It was that sort of spring for Roberts, one in which he attempted to balance his message of unity and optimism in the face of a relentless surge of injuries. How the team recovers will depend upon the strategy Andrew Friedman deployed this past winter: the obsessive accumulation of depth.
As a theoretical concept, depth lacks visceral appeal. It does not sell tickets. It does not excite the casual fan.
It does not erase the sting of the winter’s most disquieting moment, when Zack Greinke bolted into the welcoming arms of the Arizona Diamondbacks for $ 206 million.
But Friedman, the president of baseball operations, believes the Dodgers’ depth, their insistence on stocking nearly every position on the roster with a series of capable replacements, can sustain the team as it attempts to end a 28- year championship drought.
The stockpile can aid the club in a variety of ways, either in deployment on the field or in bundling as assets for a trade.
If either Miami starter Jose Fernandez or Oakland starter Sonny Gray becomes available at the trade deadline, the Dodgers could assemble a package capable of making a deal. Of course, the team possessed the pieces to trade for either Cole Hamels or David Price and declined to acquire either ace.
Barring a blockbuster, the Dodgers will use their farm system to patch the holes created by an injuryladen spring.
Alex Wood entered camp as a candidate either for the bullpen or a rotation spot in triple- A Oklahoma City. He exited Camelback Ranch as the team’s No. 4 starter, thanks to attrition. Brett Anderson underwent back surgery that will sideline him for three to five months. Hyun- Jin Ryu lagged behind as he recovered from shoulder surgery.
The casualties forced Mike Bolsinger into the fifth spot in the rotation — a place he held for less than 30 minutes.
Shortly after the team optioned Zach Lee to the minors, effectively declaring Bolsinger as the fifth starter, Bolsinger strained an oblique while warming up for a start. The Dodgers on Friday named rookie Ross Stripling their fifth starter.
The emergence of Stripling, who is working his way back after arm ligament replacement surgery, represented the f irst arrival in a possible wave of minor league talent. The Dodgers could receive contributions from top pitching prospects such as left- hander Julio Urias and right- hander Jose De Leon this season. Or the two could be dangled in trades.
When the Dodgers signed Howie Kendrick in February, Chase Utley looked like a redundant piece. But he will be a valuable performer, at least at the start of the season, as Kendrick recovers from tightness in his calf.
The Dodgers did not need to panic when Yasmani Grandal injured his forearm. The team felt confident the duo of veteran A. J. Ellis and rookie Austin Barnes could handle the load.
When Ethier broke his leg, the team slid versatile rookie Trayce Thompson into the outfield mix.
This is the value of depth. It also creates a challenge for Roberts, who must communicate messages from Friedman’s front office while maintaining the confidence of his players.
It is a difficult dance in any situation, and only more so given the expectations in Los Angeles. The 2016 season thus serves as a test of Roberts’ mettle, Friedman’s philosophy and the resilience of the organizational stockpile.