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Thursday, April 5
Los Angeles Dodgers preview

ESPN.com

POWER RANKINGS


	Kevin Brown won just 13 games in 2000, but led the league in ERA and was top 5 in strikeouts and complete games.

Strength of schedule
.505, 6th in NL
Lineup ranking
15th in NL
Pitching ranking
5th in NL
Prediction
4th in NL West

The lowdown
2000 record: 86-76 (2nd in NL West)
Runs scored: 798, 8th in NL
Runs allowed: 729, 2nd in NL

Three key issues for 2001
1. Will the rotation will be the worth the $50 million the Dodgers are paying it? After all, Darren Dreifort has a career losing record and Chan Ho Park is one year removed from a 5+ ERA.

2. With Adrian Beltre likely out for the year, will the Dodgers get any production from third base?

3. Can Eric Karros and Shawn Green come closer to their 1999 numbers as opposed to 2000 numbers?

Three key facts
1. The Dodgers' bullpen led the majors with a 3.76 ERA.

2. Kevin Brown led the National League in ERA (2.58), opponents' batting average (.213) and opponents' on-base percentage (.261).

3. The Dodgers won 42 road games last season, the third-best total in the National League.

RETURNING 2000 STATISTICAL LEADERS

AVG	G. Sheffield	.325
HR	G. Sheffield	43
RBI	G. Sheffield	109
RUN	G. Sheffield	105
SB	S. Green	24
WIN	C. Park	18
SV	J. Shaw	27
ERA	K. Brown	2.58
Complete 2000 Statistics: Batting \| Pitching

Dave Campbell's scenarios
Best case: "Blue" skies and "Green" pastures.
If Gary Sheffield is happy, he and Shawn Green could make big things happen in Los Angeles.

Worst case: "Brown" smog.
If Sheff is a cooked goose and Kevin Brown's ankle injury causes long-term problems, it could be over for the Dodgers real soon.

ESPN.com's lineup analysis
Player	Comment	Pos. rank*
T. Goodwin, CF	Will fight Marquis Grissom for at-bats	14
M.Grudzielanek, 2B	Which number doesn't fit: .273, .272, .326, .279?	15
G. Sheffield, LF	We'll take a big bat over clubhouse chemistry	3
S. Green, RF	Will hit better, but '99 may be career year	6
E. Karros, 1B	Average plummeted from .302 to .250	9
C. Donnels, 3B	Without Adrian Beltre, Dodgers in dire straits	16
C. Kreuter, C	Umm ...	12
A. Cora, SS	Lefty hitter may need a platoon partner	14
ESPN.com's pitching staff analysis
K. Brown, RHP	Led NL in baserunners per 9, K/BB ratio and OBP	2
C. Park, RHP	Terrific second half (2.23), but did have 124 walks	8
D. Dreifort, RHP	We'll get excited once he gets ERA under 4.00	23
A. Ashby, RHP	Only Greg Maddux averaged fewer pitches per batter	30
Middle relief	Had best bullpen ERA in NL	8
J. Shaw, CL	Allowed 3 ER in 30.1 IP after All-Star break	14

	Position average (NL rank):	11.13 (15th)
	Pitching index (NL rank):	6.50 (5th)

* Position rank, compiled by ESPN.com's baseball staff, compares each NL team's strength at that position, including platoons, based on players' total projected value (offense, defense, durability) for the 2001 season.

NL position players and bullpens ranked on a 1-16 basis, with 1 being best.
NL starting pitchers ranked on 1-64 basis, with 1 being best. Cumulative rankings of starting pitchers are combined with bullpen and closer for overall pitching index, with more weight given to starters.
In both rankings, 1.00 is the best possible score, 16.00 the worst.

Click here for position-by-position NL rankings.

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