No matter which All-Star plays CF for the Dodgers in 2014, “putrid” is the word

The Dodgers have had three major league all-stars, and one minor league Pacific Coast League player of the year take their turn in CF, and all have been found wanting in various degrees.

First up was Matt Kemp, who did the job offensively even if it was not at the level of his previous offensive performance. You can’t really complain about a .807 OPS except in context with his previous offensive heights. It was not Matt Kemp’s offense that moved him from center field, it was his defensive play, which by most metrics and first hand eye accounts said he was the worst defensive center fielder in baseball.

Donnie had enough after 153 PA, and moved Andre Ethier to CF. The offensive results were to be kind, putrid.

It took an injury to Yasiel Puig for Don Mattingly to see the light. With Puig hurt, Matt Kemp was moved from LF to RF, where he proceeded to revive his season.  With Kemp showing signs of his former self in RF, Don Mattingly and company moved Puig to CF when Puig was ready to play again.

On July 25th Puig had one of the greatest games of the season (or any season), in his first start in CF. He had three triples, and a double, accounting for 11 total bases without a home run, a record for a Los Angeles Dodger.

Unfortunately the season did not end on July 25th for Puig. Since that point, he has played strictly CF, plus some pinch-hitting, and the results are just as bad as what Andre Ethier was putting up. So in a word, “putrid” must apply.

Joc Pederson the wonderkid from the Pacific Coast League has had minimum exposure in Sept, but we added him here just because he’s been even worse than putrid, albeit in a very very very tiny sample size.

So, this is your 2014 Dodger Center field.

Kemp – adequate offensively, putrid defensively

Andre – putrid offensively, adequate defensively

Puig – sadly same as Andre

Joc – not enough data