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 Underachievement. That's one way of looking at the Dodgers season, but not the way ultra-positive manager Jim Tracy chooses to frame it: The club's 86-76 record and third-place finish in the West was not a failure, but a steppingstone to 2002 -- something to build on. The perception is not of starting over, but rather continuation. In spite of all the disruptions and distractions -- injuries and upheaval -- the 2001 Dodgers were battling the Diamondbacks (soon to be world champions?) in a pennant race in September. For a team notorious for underachievement, at least this year's Blue Crew didn't go down without a fight, and that kind of effort is encouraging.
Best Pitcher: Kevin Brown's health woes, not his nasty stuff, dominated the headlines this season. Three stints on the disabled list limited the ace to 20 games (19 starts). However, when he was well, the right-hander showed he's still one of the premier pitchers in the game. He went 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA before September elbow surgery shelved him for good. Brown is 41-19 with a 2.77 ERA since signing a seven-year, $105 million deal with the Dodgers three years ago, but the team needs him to be healthy. The good news is he should be ready by opening day. Middle reliever turned starter Terry Adams gained confidence in the second half of the season and was the team's most reliable hurler down the stretch, finishing up with a 12-8 record and 4.33 ERA.
Best Position Player: After slumping most of his first year with the Dodgers, the real Shawn Green stood up in 2001, producing one of the most prolific seasons in Dodger history. Green hit .297, slugged .598, set a franchise record with 49 homers and had a career-high 125 RBIs. He is the first Los Angeles lefty to drive in 100 runs and ranks second in L.A. history to Tommy Davis, who set the club mark with 153 in 1962. In addition, Green became just the fifth left-handed batter in Major League history to clout 49-plus homers, joining Barry Bonds (49 in 2000, 73 in 2001), Luis Gonzalez (57 in 2001), Johnny Mize (51 in 1947) and Larry Walker (49 in 1997). Green also stole 20 bases and scored 121 runs. Only Maury Wills crossed the dish more times in an L.A. uniform, 130 times in 1962.
Grading The Manager: A-minus. When Jim Tracy took over for Davey Johnson, one of his goals was to restore Dodgers tradition and pride. It's not fully restored, but things are looking up due to the rookie manager's approach, which stressed team unity, communication (between coaching staff and players), fundamentals and execution -- advancing the runner, sacrificing, hitting the relay, doing the little things that win baseball games. The selfless approach was just what the doctor ordered. Tracy immediately earned the players' respect with the way he handled Gary Sheffield's spring training tirade, and it carried over throughout the season. The fundamentally inept, check-for-a-pulse Dodgers? Not anymore. And Tracy, the consummate players' manager, is one big reason why.
Most Improved: After years of riding buses in the minors, Paul Lo Duca broke on through to the other side and had an outstanding campaign in his first full season in the bigs. The Brooklyn native went from unknown to team MVP and emotional leader, the epitome of the Dodgers' attitude adjustment -- whatever's best for the team. Lo Duca hit a club-high .320, smacked 25 homers and drove in 90 runs in 125 games. It was a monumental step for Lo Duca, who had played in just 76 total major-league games before this season. Lo Duca also hit .379 (39-for-103) with runners in scoring position and threw out 38 percent of would-be base thiefs (30-of-78) behind the dish. One notable side note: Last offseason, Tracy decided the Dodgers need not pursue Charles Johnson or Sandy Alomar because they had Lo Duca. Shrewd move.
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Dodgers' 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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86-76
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86-76
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HR leader
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Sheffield, 43
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Green, 49
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BA leader
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Sheffield, .325
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Lo Duca, .320
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ERA
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Brown, 2.58
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Park, 3.50
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Biggest Weakness: Leadoff hitter and center field help wanted. Tom Goodwin wasn't the answer in center, and neither was Marquis Grissom. Even though Grissom finished up with 21 home runs and kept the Dodgers afloat while Gary Sheffield was on the DL, Grissom's bat was nonexistent after the All-Star break (.175 average), as was Goodwin's (.175). The duo combined for 29 steals, 107 runs and 165 strikeouts, the majority of which came while hitting in the leadoff spot. Neither of the anti-table setters hit better than .231 overall, and their on-base percentages were horrible (Goodwin: .286, Grissom: .250). Magnifying the black hole at the top of the order, the team had 27 one-run losses. That kind of inefficiency doesn't come cheap, either. The two cost the Dodgers $8.4 million and some change in salary combined.
Gaining Momentum: New GM Dan Evans plans on bringing a different approach to running the organization than Kevin Malone, whose front office was depleted, fractured and virtually autonomous. Evans intends to surround himself with a good support staff of experienced baseball minds and rely on them for input and information before making free agent, trade and draft decisions -- making the inexact science more of an exact one. That bodes well for the Dodgers' future, especially with key personnel questions to answer this offseason.
Kicked Off The Island: Chan Ho Park has 20-win stuff, but it has never translated to a 20-win season in his career. While Park again had a decent season (15-11, 3.50 ERA), he showed a disconcerting lack of tenacity and mental toughness -- the eye of the tiger -- down the stretch. Now that he's a free agent, it's probably the right time to let him go elsewhere or sign and trade him to try to get something in return. One last thing to ponder: Was Eric Karros' drop-off in production (.235, 15, 63) an aberration or a sign that his skills are in decline?
Eric Ortiz is an assistant editor at ESPN.com.
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