Heading into Spring Training, the Los Angeles Dodgers starting eight position players is largely expected to be the same group the team ended last season with. One change could come in left field, where Andre Ethier presumably has a leg up on Carl Crawford.
With much of the roster intact, the biggest change the Dodgers made during the offseason was mutually agreeing to part ways with former manager Don Mattingly. In his place, former Dodgers outfielder and San Diego Padres bench coach Dave Roberts was hired.
Moreover, the only holdover from Mattingly’s staff is pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. While Roberts inherits a talented roster, it’s not without some question marks — specifically at the leadoff spot in the lineup.
Mattingly’s lineups last season often depended on matchups and was rarely the same for consecutive days. Roberts acknowledged on Friday he’s already given some thought to how he’ll fill the lineup card, but declined to provide specifics.
“I’ve thought about it. But, sharing it with you guys, no,” he said. “We’ve kind of talked about it a little bit. It’s a fun exercise I think for any manager to project while we’re so early in the game.”
Roberts intends to lean on the expansive information to start a group of players that puts the Dodgers in the best position possible. “I think us, as a group, everyday is a new day and whatever gives us the best chance to win that day is the way we’ll go about things,” he said.
That will entail forgoing a lineup with a traditional leadoff batter penciled in. “I think even in talking to Andrew and the guys, the way the game has evolved, even as a player everyone talks about consistency,” Roberts said.
“There’s definitely something to be said for consistency, but with the information and data, I think players are really starting to understand their strengths and weaknesses, which we encourage. I think information is great. I think nowadays it’s just another spot in the order. A typical leadoff hitter doesn’t have to be Brett Butler.”
Jimmy Rollins began last season as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, but slumped and was replaced by Joc Pederson. The rookie center fielder’s hot bat forced Mattingly’s hand in placing him atop the order, though Pederson eventually cooled and went through a slump of his own.
Utility man Kiké Hernandez hit leadoff for the Dodgers in seven regular season games and one playoff game. Howie Kendrick did so in three postseason games. Yasiel Puig also has experience as a leadoff hitter.
Batting from that spot in the order over 27 games during his rookie year (2013), Puig batted .333/.409/618. Pederson led the Dodgers last season with 69 starts as the leadoff hitter. He hit .216/.325/.437 with 16 home runs and 31 RBIs in those games.
