Jose Dominguez, we knew ye, we hardly knew ye, we knew ye, we hardly knew ye … (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
This is stuff you should know already, but it’s easy to forget when you’re deep in Spring Training.
The Opening Day roster is the roster for, like, a day. Maybe a few days.
Let’s take a look at what happened last year. We’ll even bypass the Australia trip, which had its own special roster rules, and begin with the Dodgers’ Stateside opener in San Diego on March 30, the day that Clayton Kershaw was officially placed on the disabled list.
April 2
Placed Brian Wilson on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 31 (right elbow ulnar nerve inflammation).
Recalled Jose Dominguez from Albuquerque.
April 4
Activated Matt Kemp from the 15-day disabled list.
Optioned Mike Baxter to Albuquerque.
April 8
Placed A.J. Ellis on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 6 (left knee surgery).
Recalled Tim Federowicz from Albuquerque.
April 9
Activated Josh Beckett from the 15-day disabled list.
Optioned Jose Dominguez to Albuquerque.
April 15
Activated Brian Wilson from the 15-day disabled list.
Optioned Paco Rodriguez to Albuquerque.
April 21
Optioned Chone Figgins to Albuquerque.
Recalled Jose Dominguez from Albuquerque.
April 27
Optioned Jose Dominguez to Albuquerque.
Recalled Carlos Triunfel from Albuquerque.
April 29
Optioned Carlos Triunfel to Albuquerque.
Recalled Paco Rodriguez from Albuquerque.
April 30
Optioned Tim Federowicz to Albuquerque.
Selected the contract of Miguel Olivo from Albuquerque.
With Kershaw, that’s turnover involving 12 players, or 48 percent of the 25 in “25-man roster.”
Catcher, infield, outfield, starting pitcher and relief pitcher all are featured in transactions. Two of the transactions involve players who weren’t even on the 40-man roster after the season began.
And of course, there’s always that player who is caught in a revolving door. Jose Dominguez was recalled twice and optioned twice in a 25-day span.
In all, only nine players from the 2014 Opening Day roster didn’t go to the disabled list, the minors or another team at some point: Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, Jamey Wright, Drew Butera, Adrian Gonzalez, Dee Gordon, Andre Ethier, Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke.
Even more zany was the previous April, which included Aaron Harang making the Opening Day roster, then being traded before appearing in a game. (Harang is now with the Phillies, his seventh team in the past 24 months). The 2014 Dodgers added or subtracted 14 different players by April 30, and had employed 35 players on the 25-man roster by the end of the month.
Overall, 73 players have worn a Dodger uniform during a regular-season game since April 2013.
During Spring Training, when the games come down to players wearing jersey numbers suited for defensive linemen, there isn’t much more to talk about at night than who will make the initial cut and who won’t. But once things get set, get ready for change.
Mark Hagerstrom
Very enlightening.