This morning in Arizona, the Dodgers will conduct their first full squad workout of the spring. Spring training is in full swing, and not a moment too soon after a long winter.
Let’s celebrate by running an Opening Day roster prediction contest, shall we? I have in my possession an American Needle Brooklyn Dodgers cap, size 7 1/2, similar to the one you see at right. It’s brand new, since I quickly realized it didn’t fit me when I bought it last year, and it’s been boxed ever since.
The rules are simple — predict the 25-man roster the Dodgers open the season with (defined as being the roster the club sends out to media, usually the day before the first game). One entry per person, I’ll send it anywhere in the lower 48 states, and you have until the end of the long weekend to enter — let’s call it 9pm PT on Monday, Feb 18. Feel free to pass this on to friends, even those who aren’t regular readers. If the size doesn’t fit you, you can always enter anyway and tell me to mail it elsewhere.
To make things a little simpler on me, I’m going to stipulate that everyone starts off with these 12 players who are obviously making the roster. (Yes, anyone could get hurt between now and April, but if so, that’d screw everyone equally — no one was going to leave these guys off in the first place.)
- A.J. Ellis
- Adrian Gonzalez
- Mark Ellis
- Hanley Ramirez
- Matt Kemp
- Andre Ethier
- Clayton Kershaw
- Zack Greinke
- Hyun-jin Ryu
- Brandon League
- Kenley Jansen
- J.P. Howell
That leaves you 13 players to choose from, and there’s no shortage of options. Do you trust Chad Billingsley‘s elbow? Which excess starting pitchers stick with the team? Does Dee Gordon have a chance? Does Juan Uribe? Will Carl Crawford be healthy? Will Luis Cruz build on his nice close to 2012, or his horrible winter league play? Will Tim Federowicz back up A.J. Ellis or play every day in Albuquerque? How will the bench and bullpen round out? Which non-roster guy makes the club? Could someone who isn’t currently in the organization?
Enter your 13 choices below — first names & last names, if you would — and as a tiebreaker, predict the Opening Day attendance at Dodger Stadium. If there’s somehow still a tie, I’ll draw at random. Good luck!
(Contest closed! Check back on April 1 for winners!)

