I go dark for a few hours and I come back to see two more NRIs! That’s 24 now.

Everyone, check your mailboxes. You might be invited to Camelback!

but maybe they are doing this because of the trip to Taiwan?

will be a solid middle reliever. Great addition with a young staff that will likely pitch fewer innings.

R.J. Anderson at Fangraphs wrote about Weaver, and was a little surprised there wasn’t more of a market for him:

Weaver is a ROOGY, or at least, the right-handed version of a lefty specialist. These types can come in handy, since most batters are of similar dexterity and this gives Weaver the perceived edge, but types like Weaver are also the most fungible reliever type around.

He was the winning pitcher in the play-in game between the Rockies and Padres in 2007, the “Did Holliday touch the plate” game.

Ramon Ortiz (37 in March) is older than Russ Ortiz (36 in June)

but just spitballing the roster, here are my thoughts:

Locks (11 offense, 9 pitching)
1) C Martin
2) 1B Loney
3) 2B Belliard
4) 2B Carroll
5) 3B Blake
6) SS Furcal
7) LF Manny
8) CF Kemp
9) RF Ethier
10) OF Johnson
11) C Ausmus

12) SP Kershaw
13) SP Billingsley
14) SP Kuroda
15) SP Padilla
16) CL Broxton
17) RP Sherrill
18) RP Kuo
19) RP Belisario
20) RP Troncoso

DeWitt will be given a shot at 2B, but he is facing an uphill battle, at least to start the season. I think the final two bench spots will go to:

21) PH Mientkiewicz
22) IF/OF Amezaga

Both are non-roster players, so a move will have to be made for each spot

As far as pitching, there are three spots: one starter and two relievers. I think the 5th starter comes down to Stults, Elbert, and McDonald (Torre said as much yesterday). To start the season at least, I think Stults gets the shot, with McDonald in the pen and Elbert in ABQ:

23) SP Stults
24) RP McDonald

The only reason I didn’t make McDonald a “lock” is because I think there’s an outside shot that he would start every 5th day in ABQ rather than join the major league bullpen. That leaves the 7th and final bullpen spot open, likely for a swingman role, although McDonald is capable of doing that as well if needed. I think Weaver gets every chance to take this spot, and he starts the season with the big club:

25) RP Weaver

Weaver is non-roster as well, so we need to clear three spots off the 40-man. The first two are easy: Monasterios and Zerpa, the Rule 5 guys who will need a superhuman performance in spring to get noticed, let alone make the team. The last one is tricky. If Stults doesn’t perform well and loses the 5th starter spot, he will be gone since he’s out of options. Another choice to drop would be Haeger of course. But, watch, it will be someone out of the blue who will be removed from the 40-man instead!

Anyway, that’s my predicted roster for opening day, even though it is probably a fool’s errand to try and forecast something two months away. These things have a way of sorting themselves out.

the Amezaga and Ortiz deals have been confirmed by the Dodgers. Haven’t seen any monetary notes RE: Ortiz (and I hope I never have to!).