Atomic RoadRunners

Blake DeWitt was protected from the 2008 Roadrunners, but things started to unravel before the season started. Originally penciled in as the starting second baseman, the Dodgers went out and signed former gold-glove free agent Orlando Hudson (for only $3 million – can you blame them?). Thus DeWitt was to get regular at-bats in AAA-Albuquerque. However, manager Joe Torre wanted DeWitt available on the bench, so now he’s getting 3 at-bats per week as the third or fourth pinch hitter. This isn’t helping the Roadrunners (or DeWitt). So we say goodbye to DeWitt, as the Roadrunners need a hitter.

I now understand why X-Men released Dallas McPherson last season, even though he was lighting up the Pacific Coast League. The problem is that at this rate, he’ll never be active for the big-league club. McPherson signed a few weeks back with the Giants, who assigned him to AAA Fresno. However, we learned this week that McPherson has yet to even report to Fresno, let alone play well for them. So sayonara, there, Mr. McPherson – lots of help you were.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• SP Chad Gaudin, Padres ($0 bid,  reserve)
• SP Mitchell Boggs, Cardinals ($1 bid, active)

Up:

• 1B Casey Kotchman (to CM)
• RP Juan Gutierrez

Down:

• 3B  Emilio Bonifacio
• SP Shairon Martis
• SP Kenshin Kawakami

Cut:

• 2B/3B Blake DeWitt
• 3B Dallas McPherson

Notes:

• Gaudin was originally drafted this season by The Pi Train, in the 12th round of the Minor League Draft.  Upon being cut by the Cubs, The Pi Train released him.  He was then signed by the pitching-starved Padres.
• We say farewell to DeWitt, who was protected from 2008.  However with the acquisitions of Casey Blake and Orlando Hudson, and Joe Torre’s goal of having him rot on the bench, DeWitt won’t be able to help anyone until 2010, at the earliest.

Dodgers recalled Blake DeWitt from the minors Friday. He will take utility infielder Doug Mientkiewicz spot on the roster and will fill a similar role with the team as he can play multiple infield positions. Manager Joe Torre plans to start DeWitt at short on Saturday in order to give Rafael Furcal a day off. Torre also said that DeWitt will be his primary left-handed pinch-hitter. At this stage in his career, DeWitt could use everyday at-bats and could be back in the minors shortly because of that reason. For now, he remains just a NL-only Fantasy reserve and long-term keeper until he becomes a regular. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the Dodgers have sent Blake DeWitt to Triple-A and called up Juan Castro. Castro would have been kept over DeWitt originally, but the Dodgers didn’t have a 40-man roster spot for him. DeWitt was sitting on L.A.’s bench behind veteran infielders Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson. The Dodgers probably feel as though DeWitt’s development is better served by playing at Albuquerque as opposed to riding the pine with the big league club. He had received only six at-bats thus far in the season, including a start at shortstop on Thursday.Look for DeWitt to return to the big club at some point later this season if a more consistent opportunity to play arises. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Blake DeWitt is set to make his first ever start at shortstop on Thursday. It’s a 12:35 start, so manager Joe Torre will rest Rafael Furcal as he planned to do early in the season. DeWitt will pick up shortstop eligibility in some leagues, but he’s not playing enough to make a difference. DeWitt gets start number one in game number four. Seems counter-productive to DeWitt’s development to start every fourth day, but the Dodgers will try and find him starts all over hte infield. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Blake DeWitt has made the Dodgers’ opening day roster and will work as a utility man, backing up second base, third base, and shortstop, the L.A. Daily News reports. A mild surprise given that it would seem DeWitt would benefit from regular playing time in Triple-A. He’ll probably start a couple games a week, but barring an injury, it’s hard to see more than 250 at-bats over the course of a full season. (Rotowire)

[Roster Moves are for Opening Night, Sunday, April 5th, and Opening Day, Monday, April 6th]

Up:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio
• RP Kyle McClellan
• RP John Grabow

Down:

• SP Madison Bumgarner (prospect)
• RP Jose Ceda (prospect)
• MI Blake DeWitt

Notes:

• DH Jose Reyes moved to SS
• SS Ryan Theriot moved to MI
• 1B Adam Dunn moved to OF
• OF Chris Duncan moved to DH
• CM Casey Kotchman moved to 1B

Blake DeWitt went 3-for-5 and homered as the Dodgers edged the Diamondbacks 10-9 on Tuesday. At .299/.338/.433, DeWitt has turned in a decent enough spring, though certainly nothing spectacular for an Arizona hitter. It doesn’t appear likely to earn him a spot on the Dodgers with Doug Mientkiewicz set to make the team. (Rotoworld)However, he would almost certainly be the choice if Mark Loretta has a setback and has to open the season on the disabled list.

Blake DeWitt homered and doubled as the Dodgers’ shortstop Tuesday against the Padres. DeWitt is getting a look at shortstop as he attempts to make the Dodgers as a utilityman. He’s 5-for-16 so far, and there haven’t been any complaints about his defense. Still, there probably aren’t going to be enough at-bats available to justify keeping him in the majors as a 23-year-old reserve. (Rotoworld)

Three-time All-Star second baseman Orlando Hudson and the Dodgers reached agreement on a one-year contract Friday, giving Los Angeles a replacement for the retired Jeff Kent. The deal was contingent on Hudson passing a physical, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Dodgers have not confirmed the contract. The Dodgers opened camp with 23-year-old Blake DeWitt, who took over when Kent went down to injury in September, at second base. DeWitt can also play third while Hudson, could combine with shortstop Rafael Furcal to give the Dodgers one of the top defensive middle infields in the majors. However, Casey Blake is still under contract with the Dodgers, so DeWitt could now be out of a starting job if Hudson passes his physical. DeWitt hit .264 with nine home runs in 368 at-bats as a rookie last season. He gets on base and has above-average power, but without everyday at-bats, he might start the season as a NL-only Fantasy option. Stay tuned . . .

The L.A. Daily News reports that Dodgers SS Blake DeWitt will get some work at shortstop this spring once Orlando Hudson is ready to take over at second base. DeWitt, who hit .264 with nine home runs in 368 at-bats as a rookie last season, could do with having another position on his resume if he wants to stick around in the majors in 2009. He gets on base and has above-average power, but without everyday at-bats, he might start the season as a NL-only Fantasy option. Stay tuned. While the Dodgers could use a true backup shortstop to pair with Mark Loretta as an infield reserve, DeWitt, who is stretched at second, clearly isn’t the answer. He likely will find himself in the minors on Opening Day. (CBS Sports, Rotoworld)

RazzBall is continuing their stroll through the majors by asking five key questions to a team-specific blog. Here’s the Dodgers focus by a blog called “Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness.”

Q: I called Blake DeWitt a 2009 fantasy sleeper. Am I right as Chocolate Rain or drunk? And why?

A: Blake DeWitt has to be one of the most unpredictable players in baseball right now. His line from last year may not say much, but just look at how his 2008 unfolded. Though he was a former first round pick, he was coming off some uninspiring minor league seasons in A and AA and was somewhere around the 7th option at third base – even falling behind “screw it, let’s just fix our outfield logjam by playing all four and forgetting the hot corner” and “hey, why don’t we play our All-Star catcher there?” Most predicted that he’d flop miserably, yet he came up and was great for two months, even to the point where I noted in May that he was a top-5 MLB 3B. Then he started to fail so badly for two months that by July I was calling for him to be demoted (he eventually was), only to return as the everyday 2B in September and the playoffs, and with a much more productive bat than he’d left with.

My point is, I have absolutely no idea what to expect from Blake DeWitt in 2009. He could hit .320 with 20 homers; he could hit .220 and be back in the minors by May; he could be caught speeding down the Pacific Coast Highway with 3 Guatemalan hookers and the corpse of Ricardo Montalbon in his trunk. Nothing would surprise me from him.

The Dodgers and Orlando Hudson’s agent have continued to have discussions, GM Ned Colletti confirmed. The Dodgers are willing to go with Blake DeWitt as their primary second baseman, but with Hudson potentially having to settle for a rather inexpensive one-year deal, they’d be crazy not to take a serious look at him. (Rotoworld)

Protected lists have been submitted, and we’re locked in for the 2009 WBRL Draft.  Here’s who we’re bringing:

• C – Chris Iannetta  (2 / $1)
• 2B – Brandon Phillips  (1 / $16)
• SS – Ryan Theriot  (1 /$1)
• 3B – Chipper Jones  (1 / $23)
• MI – Blake DeWitt  (2 / $5)
• OF – Chase Headley  (2 / $5)
• OF – Jody Gerut  (2 / $5)
• P – Tim Lincecum (1 / $7)
• P – Josh Johnson (2 / $5)
• P – Todd Wellemeyer (2 / $5)
• P – Matt Lindstrom (2 / $10)
• P – Brian Wilson (1 / $10)
• P – Mike Gonzalez (2 / $5)
• 3B – Mat Gamel (3 /$5) (Minors)

Here are the figures:

• Players Protected: 14
• Payroll: $98
• Players Needed: 11
• Available: $162
• Available per Player: $14.73

Also note that the Atomic Roadrunners will have the final selection in the 2nd Round of the Minor League Draft (the 11th pick overall)

Today we have the fourth installment in the my series of Protected List columns – The Fringe. These guys could go either way, with a lot of factors ultimately determining whether they make the cut. Here goes:

Blake DeWitt
2 Years – $5
.264 Average, 9 HR, 52 RBI, 45 Runs, 3 Steals
Nice pickup in week one. DeWitt was the fourth 3B on the Dodgers’ depth chart to start the season, behind Nomar Garciaparra, Andy LaRoche, and Tony Abreu. However injuries to the other three kept DeWitt starting, save for a few days in May. The deadline acquisition of Casey Blake ended the party only for a week, as DeWitt was then moved across the diamond to fill in for Jeff Kent. All indications have DeWitt as the starting 2B for 2009 for the Dodgers, with the Mark Loretta signing only providing a platoon partner against tough lefties. If he was still a 3B, then he wouldn’t be protected, but he’s adequate at 2B, and should earn his $5 keep. Should.

Verdict: Protect

Jody Gerut
2 Years – $5
.296 Average, 14 HR, 43 RBI, 46 Runs, 6 Steals
I had tracked Gerut through spring training, and picked him up once he was called up in May, after Jim Edmonds was dismissed from the Padres. He did really well, including a hot 7-homer August, but then missed most of September with a strained ligament in his finger on a stolen base attempt – leaving him unable to swing a bat. Padres manager Bud Black has already indicated that Gerut would be the starting center fielder. With more playing time, those counting numbers should increase. Worth $5.

Verdict: Protect

Chris Dickerson
2 Years – $5
.304 Average, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 20 Runs, 5 Steals
Dickerson was a flier pickup at the deadline, originally for a few extra steals. He was activated when Gerut went down with an injury for the Roadrunners. Dickerson exceeded all expectations, contributing the above stats in only 102 at-bats. This was the toughest decision for the final spot on the 2009 Roadrunners. Here are some additional projections and comments:

SOURCE        AVG    R     HR   RBI   SB
------------------------------------------
BP Pecota    .247    63    15   50    17
Shandler     .243    53    12   42    19
Lindy's      .275    81    10   60    14
Fanball      .253    41    8    25    12
Marcel       .282    36    9    31    6
CBS Sports   .278    65    7    41    14
------------------------------------------

Average:     .263    56    10   41    14

Those are some very Mike Cameron-lite projections. The speed and athleticism doesn’t bother me, but boy, does that projected average, especially for someone that is “old” for a rookie and never really broke out in the minors.

Here’s a quote from Chris Bracke, associate editor of Fanball Magazine:

I admit I bought into him last year mostly in an attempt to pick up a couple extra steals, but I believe his inability to make consistent contact will make him too much of a liability in the batting average department. The comp I believe people should keep in mind when considering the potential for Dickerson this season is Michael Bourn. And if that didn’t make you just throw up in your mouth, I don’t know what will.

Exactly.

Plus, the Reds then signed Willy Taveras to play CF, pushing Dickerson (who held his own in CF) over to left field, potentially in a platoon with Norris Hopper.  Okay, fine.  Then then Reds signed BOTH Jacques Jones and Johnny Gomes to minor-league deals with spring training NRI’s, which further informs me that Dickerson is now one of four competing for the LF spot.  So now he’s a talented 4th outfielder (don’t ask me who the #3 is), and that’s not worth $5, not with that kind of uncertainty.  We’ll see how spring training goes, and may bid accordingly.

Verdict: Release

Razzball’s Grey has a blurb (always colorful) about Blake DeWitt being a 2009 Sleeper:

I’m not sure if Jeff Kent will retire. I’m sure his wife doesn’t want him to retire because he seems like he’d be a miserable prick around the house. Why doesn’t this remote work?! She sighs, “You have to turn on the TV first.” Maybe he lands as a DH somewhere in the AL. Either way, Kent prolly won’t be on the Dodgers next year. So that opens 2nd base in 2009 for the Dodgers. This should be filled by Blake DeWitt, no relation to Joyce DeWitt, against righties and Mark Loretta against the occasional lefty. Okay, so what can we expect from Blake DeWitt for 2009 and why is he a fantasy sleeper?

In 2008, Blake DeWitt was rushed to the majors to fill-in at 3rd base prior to the Casey Blake move. He was marginally meh, but never quite eh or feh. He has limited power and speed. Kent could prolly out-homer him even in his 41st year on the planet and Rickey Henderson could still outrun him. Blake’s ideal 2009 has him at about 60/14/75/.275/7. Kelly Johnson just yawned reading those numbers. Now Blake also has corner and middle eligibility (here’s a list of all the players that have multiple position eligiblity for 2009), and there won’t be many 2nd basemen who come as discounted as Blake in 2009 fantasy drafts. Some of the schmohawks I’ve seen drafted before Blake are Mark Loretta, David Eckstein, Nick Punto, Mark Grudzielanek and Marco Scutaro. I just vomited in my mouth writing some of those names. So towards the end of your NL-Only drafts or very deep mixed leagues, Blake DeWitt is a good sleeper name to have stashed away.