2010 Rewind: The bitter and very public divorce between owners Frank and Jamie Court loomed over the Dodgers as they followed up back-to-back division crowns by finishing in fourth place in the NL West as they finished below .500 for the first time since 2005 and only the second time since the turn of the century.  Manager Joe Torre called it quits at season’s end, passing the torch to rookie skipper Don Mattingly.

The Good: Look for Andre Ethier to deliver a breakout season if he can stay healthy. The 28-year old right fielder .292 last year over 139 games with 23 homers and 82 RBI despite being limited by a broken finger. Clayton Kershaw has emerged as the staff ace. The 23-year old lefty was 13-10 with 2.91 ERA in 2010 as he led the team in wins, innings (204.1) and strikeouts (212). Lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo shined out of the bullpen a year ago by saving 12 games and posting a 1.20 ERA. He could emerge as the team’s closer sooner rather later.

The Bad: Even though he hit 28 HR and 89 RBI a year ago, outfielder Matt Kemp set a club record with 170 strikeouts on his way to a .249 average.  Durability has been a major concern for shortstop Rafael Furcal, who has played in less than 100 games in two of the past three seasons. Closer Jonathan Broxton stumbled badly after the All-Star break as he posted a 7.31 ERA and saved just three games before being pulled out of the role down the stretch.

Biggest Loss: The team’s top two producers of hits a year ago, left fielder Scott Podsednik and shortstop Ryan Theriot, have moved on. Their departure will have a minimal effect if Furcal can stay healthy and atop the lineup. Longtime catcher Russell Martin is now with the Yankees leaving the backstop duties to newly acquired veterans Rod Barajas and Dioner Navarro.

Best Addition: The Dodgers were busy this offseason filling some holes in the rotation and in the lineup. They lured free agent Juan Uribe away from San Francisco. His versatility will be a good fit for the Dodgers, but expect him to see most of his time at second base.  Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Vicente Padilla and Jon Garland were all brought in to add pitching depth and all should favor well pitching at Dodgers’ Stadium.

Fantasy Slant: There is plenty to like. Ethier is the team’s most valuable asset with Kershaw shortly behind.  Despite a bit of setback in his overall numbers starter Chad Billingsley is still useful in nearly any format due to his strikeout production. He has high upside and make for a solid mid-round pick.  Despite hitting a career-low .267 a year ago, James Loney is a nice late add-on as a corner infielder. He hit a career-high 41 doubles last season while finishing second on the team with 89 RBI.

Final Take: The Dodgers are an interesting team. They have all the talent in the world, but it will come down to how good their young talent will continue to grow. Expect a marginal increase in wins and for them to stay in the division race for a longer stretch in the season ahead…2011 Record: 88-74, 2nd place NL West

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