Last of a three-part series about the National League West
Joe Torre could have quit. No one would have blamed him. He logged 12 seasons with the New York Yankees, aging in dog years under the watchful eye of temperamental owner George Steinbrenner.
Rather than retire to Hawaii, his winter home, Torre felt the gravitational pull to keep managing. There are few places that could afford his services. And even fewer that would fit a man of his profile.
Los Angeles? That made complete sense: The Dodgers have tradition, ambition and a chance to contend. So, with his tears barely dry from leaving the Yankees, Torre took over for Grady Little, in charge of repairing a talented but publicly dysfunctional clubhouse.
“I am convinced that (ownership) is committed to bringing a championship here,” Torre said at his introductory news conference. “Will it happen right now? You have to put the building blocks in place. But does it mean you can’t win this year? No.”
The Dodgers have many attractive pieces, but they haven’t been able to link a puzzle. Little’s lack of communication skills only exacerbated the problems with the mismatched parts. The clubhouse divided along birthday lines, with young pitted against old, namely Matt Kemp and James Loney questioning the leadership of second baseman Jeff Kent.
Stop if you’ve heard this before — but the Dodgers look like contenders. There isn’t a team in the National League that wouldn’t love to have catcher Russell Martin. And Kent and Rafael Furcal provide stability up the middle.
“I admire what Colorado did by developing from within. It’s not easy to do that and have success,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. “And it’s not always possible in every market.”
Translation: Patience is an evil, not a virtue, in Hollywood. If kids fail, run out a new pilot and see if it sticks.
The philosophy of newer is better has created some forgettable contracts. Juan Pierre has $36 million and four years remaining on a five-year deal and might not start this season, forced into limbo by the club’s signing of Andruw Jones to play center. And Jason Schmidt, who received a market-driven $47 million deal before last season, may never pitch again after having shoulder surgery.
“It’s about staying healthy. If we can stay healthy, we’ll be all right,” Jones said. “Everything (pitching/hitting) has to work together.”
The idea is that Torre will create harmony, allowing the talent to reach its potential. It’s not as utopian as it sounds when examining the Dodgers’ rotation. Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda fortify arguably the NL West’s best group of starters. And the Dodgers are prepared to protect leads with the nasty combination of Jonathan Broxton and closer Takashi Saito.
For Los Angeles, keeping a lead isn’t as hard as getting one. The Dodgers ranked 21st in baseball in runs scored and 26th in home runs. That explains why they took an interesting flier on Jones, giving him a two-year, $36.2 million deal.
Forgive Dodger fans if they take a weight-and-see approach. Jones, 31, arrived in camp at 245 pounds.
This is a franchise that, after last season’s turmoil, doesn’t need any more excess baggage.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
