2007 Dodgers Projected Lineup

2007 Los Angeles Dodgers

Batting Order

1. SS Rafael Furcal
2. CF Juan Pierre
3. 1B Nomar Garciaparra
4. 2B Jeff Kent
5. LF Luis Gonzalez
6. C Russell Martin
7. RF Andre Ethier
8. 3B Wilson Betemit

The Dodgers will have the luxury of being able to use Pierre or Furcal at the top of the lineup. Both players have speed, but Furcal has a little bit more pop in his bat. Gonzalez doesn't have the power that he did years ago but has enough experience and smarts to protect Kent in the batting order. It's a job that Betemit ultimately will have, but he still needs to prove himself as a legitimate power hitter. Ethier comes with versatility to hit near the front or back end of the lineup.

Rotation

1. Jason Schmidt
2. Derek Lowe
3. Brad Penny
4. Randy Wolf
5. Chad Billingsley

Schmidt, Lowe and Penny make up one of the best top-three combinations in the league, but even they'll come into the season with question marks. Schmidt has thrown a lot of innings in his career, and there is some question about his durability. Penny is known for his volatile temper and needs to control that to be effective. He earned a trip to the All-Star Game last season but was mediocre during the second half. Wolf is coming off "Tommy John" surgery in 2005, so he still has a lot to prove.

Billingsley showed his ability to be a top pitcher last season, but that was when he wasn't battling command issues. Billingsley will have to fend off Brett Tomko, Mark Hendrickson, and Hong-Chih Kuo for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Closer: Takashi Saito

Saito returns for one more season as the closer, which means Broxton may have to wait one more season before taking the job. Saito is also coming into spring training with stiffness in his right calf, so Broxton could get a chance to close even sooner.