| | ESPN.com
In the style of a blue-eyed blonde discovered sipping chocolate malteds by Sam Goldwyn, Shawn Green has gone to Hollywood to be showered with riches and all the perquisites afforded a marquee attraction.
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DODGERS' LOWDOWN |
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|  | | Shawn Green hopes to restore the Dodgers' winning tradition. |
1999: 77-85
Runs: 793, 11th in NL
Allowed: 787, 8th in NL
Key facts
Shawn Green now highest-paid position player. But his OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) ranked just seventh among right fielders.
Chan Ho Park's career ERA is 3.34 at home, 4.82 on the road.
Dodgers had .372 OBP vs. left-handers, but a lowly .317 mark vs. right-handers.
Tim Kurkjian's scenarios
Best-case: New right fielder Shawn Green's professional attitude and terrific skills change the look and attitude of this team, taking it from massive underachiever to contender.
Worst-case: Chan Ho Park and Darren Dreifort don't perform like No. 2 and No. 3 starters, dooming the Dodgers to another season around .500.
Prediction: 3rd in NL West
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Green went to high school in Tustin, Calif., and has lived in Newport Beach while spending five seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. But it was only after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers that Green became the most perhaps baseball's most celebrated Jewish player since Sandy Koufax.
"It's something to get a chance to play at home in L.A.," said Green, who signed a six-year, $84-million contract immediately after the trade. "Everybody who knows baseball knows what a class organization this is."
History is everything with the Dodgers. Green not only was surrounded by photos of former greats on his first day at Dodgertown, but he bumped into Koufax himself. It was almost too much for the '99 All-Star, who was platooned by Cito Gaston before averaging 38 homers and 112 RBI the last two seasons. "I almost didn't know how to be in front of him," Green said.
Green is part of an ongoing organizational overhaul administered by executives from Fox and bold GM Kevin Malone. It has been an underwhelming success. Despite the addition of $15 million-a-year free agent Kevin Brown and a payroll of almost $80 million, Los Angeles finished eight games under .500 last year.
Malone is banking on Green's status as one of baseball's most complete players. He is a left-handed batter who can hit for power and average while also stealing bases (35 in '98) and playing three outfield positions well. He won a Gold Glove in right last year, where he will play after being acquired for Raul Mondesi.
Green, who is now the highest-paid position player in the majors, seemed comfortable in the shadows in Toronto but he's becoming a leading man in Los Angeles. He is the focus of the team's marketing efforts and was in such demand over the winter that he said he wanted "to relax a little bit" in spring training.
Green believes his ability will back up the interest generated by the size of his contract. He seems genuinely embarrassed about earning more than Ken Griffey Jr.
"It's not necessarily what I would have hoped for," Green said. "It's going to be nice when some people pass me by."
It can be tough at the top, especially if your team is at the bottom.
-- Phil Rogers
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Lineup comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Player
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Comment
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Grade
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D. White, CF
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Likely shares with Todd Hollandsworth. Neither has a leadoff man's OBP
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D
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Grudzielanek, 2B
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How do you hit .326 in 488 ABs and drive in just 46 runs?
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B
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G. Sheffield, LF
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Became a team leader and a hard worker. (No, those are not typos)
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B
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S. Green, RF
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On the top-5 list of players we'd pay to watch play. Too bad there's no A-plus
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A
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E. Karros, 1B
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Once the center of every trade rumor, now looks like he'll be a lifetime Dodger
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B
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T. Hundley, C
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How do you hit 24 homers and drive in just 55 runs?
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C
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A. Beltre, 3B
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Top young 3B in baseball. Shows talent beyond his years
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B
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Alex Cora, SS
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Excellent range, arm; no bat. Kevin Elster -- you heard right -- had a good spring
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D
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Pitching comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Pitcher
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Comment
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Grade
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K. Brown, SP
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Engineer's mind. Can show how an airplane takes off. And how a baseball sinks
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A
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C. Park, SP
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Not until 33rd -- and last -- start did he show his good stuff. Tease? Or foretaste?
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B
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D. Dreifort, SP
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Five extra-base hits tied for second among ML pitchers in 1999
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B
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Eric Gagne, SP
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No one touched him in 4 of 5 Sept. starts. Orel Hershiser around just in case
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B
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G. Olson, RP
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Originally recruited by Nebraska to play OL. At 210, he's better-suited for pen
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C
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Jeff Shaw, RP
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Only three relievers ever had fewer K's (43) in 34-save season
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B
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