2003 Los Angeles Dodgers season explained

Los Angeles Dodgers
Season:	2003
League:	National League
Division:	West
Ballpark:	Dodger Stadium
City:	Los Angeles
Record:	85–77 (.525)
Divisional Place:	2nd
Owners:	Fox Entertainment Group
President:	Bob Graziano
Managers:	Jim Tracy
Television:	Fox Sports Net West 2 KCOP (13)
Radio:	KFWB Vin Scully, Ross Porter, Rick Monday KWKW Jaime Jarrín, Pepe Yñiguez, Fernando Valenzuela

The 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 114th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 46th season in Los Angeles, California. It was a turbulent season as News Corporation (Fox) was seeking to sell the team. Nevertheless, the Dodgers fell just short of a Wild Card berth, winning 85 games while finishing second in the National League West. The Dodgers pitching staff led baseball in earned run average (3.16), Éric Gagné became the first Dodger to earn the NL Cy Young Award since 1988 as he converted all 55 of his save opportunities. Shawn Green set a new Dodger single season record with 49 doubles and Paul Lo Duca had a 25-game hitting streak.

Offseason

• December 4, 2002: Acquired Todd Hundley and Chad Hermansen from the Chicago Cubs for Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros.
• December 16, 2002: Acquired Derek Thompson from the Chicago Cubs for cash.
• January 25, 2003: Acquired Daryle Ward from the Houston Astros for Ruddy Lugo.
• January 27, 2003: Acquired Jason Romano from the Colorado Rockies for Luke Allen.
• January 30, 2003: Ron Coomer was signed as a free agent.^[1]

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day lineup

Opening Day Starters

Name	Position
	Center fielder
Paul Lo Duca	Catcher
	Right fielder
	Left fielder
	First baseman
Adrián Beltré	Third baseman
	Second baseman
	Shortstop
	Starting pitcher

Notable transactions

• July 14, 2003: Acquired Jeromy Burnitz from the New York Mets for Jose S. Diaz, Victor Diaz and Kole Strayhorn
• July 31, 2003: Acquired Robin Ventura from the New York Yankees for Bubba Crosby and Scott Proctor

Roster

2003 Los Angeles Dodgers
Roster
Pitchers		CatchersInfielders		OutfieldersOther batters		ManagerCoaches (hitting) (pitching) (hitting) (third base) (bullpen) (bench) (1st base)

Starting Pitchers stats

Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W/L = Wins/Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts; CG = Complete games

Name	G	GS	IP	W/L	ERA	BB !	SO	CG
Hideo Nomo	33	33	218.1	16-13	3.09	98	177	2
Kevin Brown	32	32	211.0	14-9	2.39	56	185	0
Odalis Pérez	30	30	185.1	12-12	4.52	46	141	0
Kazuhisa Ishii	27	27	147.0	9-7	3.86	101	140	0
Wilson Álvarez	21	12	95.0	6-2	2.37	23	82	1
	21	12	73.0	3-10	5.18	17	41	0
	10	10	60.1	4-4	4.03	25	67	0
	4	3	22.0	2-1	2.45	11	19	0
	3	2	12.0	0-1	3.00	3	8	0

Relief Pitchers stats

Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W/L = Wins/Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts; SV = Saves

Name	G	GS	IP	W/L	ERA	BB	SO	SV
Éric Gagné	77	0	82.1	2-3	1.20	20	137	55
	89	0	77.1	2-5	1.75	15	44	1
	80	0	51.0	1-2	3.53	24	51	0
	76	0	105.0	6-3	1.97	26	99	1
	62	0	69.0	6-4	3.00	33	60	0
	13	0	19.2	0-0	2.75	9	16	0
	12	0	11.2	2-0	3.86	4	13	0
	4	0	9.0	0-0	6.00	4	5	0
	5	0	5.2	0-1	12.71	6	3	0
	1	0	3.0	0-0	9.00	5	1	0

Batting Stats

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games; AB = At bats; Avg. = Batting average; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases

Name	Pos	G	AB	Avg.	R	H	HR	RBI	SB
Paul Lo Duca	C/1B	147	568	.273	64	155	7	52	0
	C	40	124	.258	19	32	10	18	0
	C	21	33	.182	2	6	2	11	0
	C	3	3	.333	0	1	0	0	0
Fred McGriff	1B	86	297	.249	32	74	13	40	0
Alex Cora	2B/SS	148	477	.249	39	119	4	34	4
César Izturis	SS	158	558	.251	47	140	1	40	10
Adrián Beltré	3B	158	559	.240	50	134	23	80	2
	1B/3B	69	125	.240	11	30	4	15	0
	1B/3B	49	109	.220	11	24	5	13	0
	2B	12	10	.200	2	2	0	0	0
Shawn Green	RF	160	611	.280	84	171	19	85	6
Dave Roberts	CF	107	388	.250	56	97	2	16	40
Jeromy Burnitz	LF	61	230	.204	25	47	13	32	4
	OF/IF	128	347	.282	43	98	6	37	6
	LF/CF/RF	66	224	.299	28	67	6	28	1
	LF/RF/1B/3B	88	162	.216	25	35	5	14	1
	LF/1B	52	109	.183	6	20	0	9	0
	LF	30	72	.208	7	15	2	5	3
	CF	21	41	.220	2	9	0	2	1
	LF	30	38	.211	2	8	0	2	0
	LF/RF/CF/2B	37	36	.083	3	3	0	0	2
	LF	11	25	.160	2	4	0	2	0
	LF	9	12	.083	0	1	0	1	0
	OF	1	1	.000	0	0	0	0	0

2003 Awards

• 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
  • Éric Gagné reserve
  • Paul Lo Duca reserve
  • Kevin Brown did not play due to injury
• National League Cy Young Award
  • Éric Gagné
• Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
  • Éric Gagné
• TSN National League All-Star
  • Éric Gagné
• TSN NL Pitcher of the Year
  • Éric Gagné
• TSN NL Reliever of the Year Award
  • Éric Gagné
• Players choice: NL Outstanding Pitcher
  • Éric Gagné
• NL Pitcher of the Month
  • Kevin Brown (May 2003)
• NL Player of the Week
  • Éric Gagné (Aug. 4–10)

Major League Baseball Draft

See main article: 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. The Dodgers selected 50 players in this draft. Of those, 12 of them would eventually play Major League baseball.

The first round pick was right handed pitcher Chad Billingsley from Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio. He was a 2009 All-Star and pitched eight seasons with the Dodgers with an 81–61 record and 3.65 ERA in 219 games (190 starts) before missing most of 2013 and all of 2014 with serious arm injuries.

The sixth round pick, outfielder Matt Kemp from Midwest City High School would lead the National League in Home Runs and RBIs in 2011 as well as finishing second in the MVP vote that year.

The draft class also included catcher A. J. Ellis (18th round), who would become the Dodgers starting catcher in 2012.

External links

• 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers uniform
• Los Angeles Dodgers official web site
• Baseball-Reference season page
• Baseball Almanac season page

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ron Coomer Stats.
2. https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?query_type=franch_year&team_ID=LAD&year_ID=2003&draft_type=junreg& 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft