COMMENTARY : Dodgers Aren’t Shoo-Ins, Even With Strawberry

The Dodgers, without losing anyone from their roster, added an impact player of such magnitude that only one other player in baseball commands a more lucrative contract. But the addition of Darryl Strawberry still does not make Los Angeles the team to beat in the National League West. Too many flaws and questions remain for that.

When Dodgers General Manager Fred Claire was asked about the club’s defensive alignment, he said, “We’ve got four months to decide who plays where.”

That means they have four months to find somebody other than Strawberry to play center field. Strawberry had made himself into a creditable right fielder, though still short of what should be expected of someone with his speed and arm strength.

He is not a center fielder, and asking him to become one is only throwing another millstone around his neck. He already has the burden of that $20.25-million contract. His task would be made all the more difficult when charged with covering the ground between the wobbly-kneed Kal Daniels and Hubie Brooks, who committed 10 errors in right field last season.

“People are going to write and say the Dodgers are clear-cut favorites now,” the New York Mets’ Dave Magadan said. “That’s not so. Obviously, they’re going to be a much better offensive team. How they play on defense with Darryl in center field is another story. Maybe they’ll trade Hubie. They may have some problems fitting the pieces together. It may in the end wind up creating a lot more problems than they thought.

“You can’t overemphasize the importance of a good defense. And a center fielder is so important to a good defense. Offensively, they are going to be one of the best offensive teams in the league. But everybody said that about San Diego last year. Look what happened to them.”

The Padres, with Jack Clark, Tony Gwynn and Joe Carter, finished 75-87.

The Dodgers’ lineup appears even more imposing. Strawberry, Daniels, Brooks and Eddie Murray all hit at least 20 home runs last season. The four of them totaled 110 home runs and 388 runs batted in and batted .292.

But offense was not the Dodgers’ problem last season. Only the Mets and Pirates scored more runs than Los Angeles in the National League. The Dodgers were hurt by the least productive bullpen in baseball (29 saves in 48 chances) and injuries to pitchers Orel Hershiser, Tim Belcher and Jay Howell.

Belcher, who had shoulder trouble all year, is expected to be healthy for spring training. Howell, who underwent knee surgery, is also expected to be sound. But Hershiser has not yet been cleared to throw this winter. He underwent major surgery on his rotator cuff in April, and though he did some soft tossing in September, the Dodgers don’t know if he will be ready by Opening Day.

The Dodgers must improve their bullpen, make sure Belcher and Hershiser are healthy, and stabilize their defense in order to maximize their investment in Strawberry. They do have a fine center fielder in Stan Javier, a switch hitter who batted .304 in 104 games and who was the only outfielder in baseball to handle at least 200 chances without an error. Having Javier allows the Dodgers to explore the possibility of trading Daniels or Brooks and keeping Strawberry out of center field.

The Dodgers have shown no interest in re-signing Kirk Gibson, who played in only 160 games over the past two years because of various leg injuries.

The Dodgers are wasting their $20.25 million if they allow Darryl to wear out one of those Strawberry patches in the center field grass of Dodger Stadium, the way he did in right field at Shea by playing every hitter in the same spot. Their winter work remains unfinished.