Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team, who belong to in the Western Division of the National League. The club is presently based in Los Angeles , California . The franchise was founded in Brooklyn , New York , where it was recognized as the Brooklyn Dodgers , before moving to Los Angeles for the 1958 season. Dodgers gave their weakest performance last year when they at fourth place in the NL west with an unimposing 71-91 record. The LA Dodgers concluded the last season with three-game sets against Pittsburgh (at home), Arizona (at home), Colorado (on the road) and San Francisco (on the road); all these teams finished below .500 a year ago. It seems to be a broken record, but until the Dodgers weren't weakened by a distressing injury, they could have been the winners last year. Jim Tracy resigned from his post and Ned Colletti was invited by Grady Little to replace Tracy in December. The Dodgers drafted a cluster of free agents in the off season in order to fill in the required gaps.

For first base free agent Nomar Garciaparra (.283 9 30) was accquired to, Bill Mueller (.295 10 62) was hired to play third base, Rafael Furcal (.284 12 58) to play shortstop and Kenny Lofton (.335 2 36) to play centerfield. Milton Bradley was sent to the A's and the team added NY Met Jae Seo (8-2 2.59) and Giants free agent Brett Tomko (8-15 4.48) to the starting rotation. The Dodgers marked their bullpen necessites by picking up closer Danys Baez (5-4 2.86) and reliever Lance Carter (1-2 4.89) who was traded from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The club earned aid and cover for closer Eric Gagne by signing the duo of former All-Stars in relievers Danys Baez and Lance Carter. Both these players were traded from Tampa Bay for pitchers Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany. Expectations are high from the Dodgers; they will lead the 2006 season with the bats and arms to surmount a scrawny division. There is no reason for the Dodgers to loose NL West. If Giant has a vigorous Barry Bonds, even then they can't bout Dodgers bats and arms. Diamondbacks lacks the pitching, Colorado is just doleful and the San Diego Padres, who were winners of the division during last season with an 82-80 record, doesn't have the hitters to get it done. Dodgers will be benefited this season as they will be playing many games against their own division. But one spot where LA Dodgers lack is the starting pitching which is still trembling.

The Dodgers set a club record for home runs with 211 with Gary Sheffield putting together one of the best offensive performances in the history of franchise. For the second straight season, he hit better than .300, with at least 30 home runs, 100 RBI, 100 walks and 100 runs. He tied Duke Snider's franchise record of 43 home runs, making the All-Star Team for the third time. Despite of this outstanding performance by Sheffield, the Dodgers finished the season in 2nd Place with an 86-76 record. Rookie Matt Herges who spent eight years in the minors opened the season with eight consecutive victories.