LATimes

Things are getting crazy in Los Angeles.

With the MLB trade deadline slowly approaching, logic says it's not wise to lose a player to waivers.

An invaluable player to one team could be valuable to another; and when proposing a multi-player package to obtain a quality starting pitcher, player depth is critical.

But let's get real here. Would Nick Green or Charlie Haeger spark interest from other clubs around the majors?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are approaching a pivotal stretch in the 2010 season. The next 11 out of 17 games the team will play will be against division opponents.

Brandon Wood will always remember his first Opening Day in the big leagues.

He might wish he could forget the week that followed.

The highly touted third base prospect for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim went 2-for-22 with seven strikeouts and just one walk in six of the club's first eight games.

His performance was so poor, manager Mike Scioscia had to start backup infielder Maicer Izturis in his place—twice.

Five out of the last six seasons the Los Angeles Angels have stood alone atop the American League West.

In 2009, the Angels finished 10 games ahead of Texas and 12 ahead of Seattle. The Mariners seem to be the trendy choice to win the division this season.

After seeing several sportswriters actually pick the Angels to come in dead last, it is time for a reality check.

Here is a breakdown of why the rumors of the Angels' demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Imagine you were chosen to select an all-time rotation and pitching staff for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Who would you select?  Who would make your all-time pitching staff?

Your fantasy team would then have to compete against all of the other all-time rotations and teams selected.  How would it fare?

Budding young stars seem to be a trend in not only baseball, but in numerous sports. There is something to be said for harvesting your own players and having them shine. It has been a long time coming in baseball, where again exciting youth have arrived to sell out ballparks.

One of the top organizations in the business the Los Angeles Dodgers, have been to the League Championships in consecutive years.

This is interesting given the fact that the third largest market in sports has spent relatively cheaply.

The credit is due to the players and the managerial staff.

The days of waiting for a Dodgers ace may be over.

As much as Stephen Strasburg is dominating the headlines, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers deserves our attention. In Clayton's case, it won't make much difference if he receives it now or later, but he will receive it.

The Dodgers as an organization have groomed this 2006 first-round draft pick perfectly. Easing his way into the majors, Joe Torre saw fit to keep the work load strictly within his current ability.

The cleanup hitters. They are the backbone of a big league lineup. They are the home run hitters, the run producers and often the biggest weapon a team can put in the box. The 30 different cleanup hitters have varied success in their role, but they all serve the same purpose-to put runs on the board.

Often times the cleanup hitter is the team's best hitter, other times they are simply the guy who can change the complexion of a game with one swing. Here is a look at the best cleanup hitters in baseball.

Pity the prima donna who loses her voice.

Manny Ramirez is a prolific hitter. He’s also a perennial headache. In 17 big league seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder has justified his shenanigans in the clubhouse with his statistics on the field—which would be better news if his recent numbers didn’t raise the specter of a looming collapse.

Distinction means running ahead of your peers.

Decline, on the other hand, means fading back into the pack.

I've already taken a look at the strong bullpens of Seattle and Oakland. The Angels' bullpen is less set than either the Mariners' or the Athletics', however.

Candidates I'll be analyzing include:
Brian Fuentes
Fernando Rodney
Scot Shields
Kevin Jepsen
Jason Bulger
Brian Stokes
Matt Palmer
Rafael Rodriguez
Fernando Rodriguez
Francisco Rodriguez
Rich Thompson

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