The Los Angeles Dodgers parted ways with two of their most prolific power hitters from 2014 earlier this offseason, losing Hanley Ramirez to free agency before shipping Matt Kemp to the San Diego Padres in a trade.
Adrian Gonzalez, however, isn't concerned about his reconstituted team's ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark in 2015, and remains confident that newcomers Jimmy Rollins, Howie Kendrick and Miguel Montero will contribute to that effect.
"People say we lost power, but I think we're just getting power in different areas in our lineup," Gonzalez told MLB.com on Monday. "We've maintained that. It's just not going to be one hitter; it's going to be six or seven."
The Dodgers tied for fifth among National League clubs in 2014 with a .140 isolated power - a statistic that measures extra bases per at-bat - despite fielding a lineup that hit the ball on the ground more frequently than all but three MLB squads.
| Team | Isolated Power | GB% | LD% | FB% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | .140 | 47.80% | 21.10% | 31.30% |
| NL Average | .133 | 45.50% | 20.80% | 33.60% |
Among the club's offseason additions, only Rollins managed an isolated power above league average, but both Kendrick and Montero are poised to replace players who almost never hit the ball over the fence in second baseman Dee Gordon (.089 ISO) and catcher A.J. Ellis (.064).
"You have guys that you know what you're going to get - they're going to battle every at-bat and they're going to be prepared," he said. "I'm not saying we didn't before, but I think the guys that we got are guys that are going to be tough to game plan for. I think we'll be a deeper lineup."