Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Dodgers (Part Two)

Yes, I still have a ton more Dodgers to talk about in 2019. This is how good they were this year. 17 players missed regulation in terms of customs this year, which means this team was already awesome...and 17 players weren't awesome enough to go during the season, and yet...it's still SEVENTEEN. Some teams have, like, 3.

Rich Hill has sort of gone on consecutive Uncustomed Heroes years because he's a solid pitcher who's fantastic when he's healthy, but he's never a pivotal performer or leading the team. He only started 13 games this year, but Hill still had a 2.45 ERA with a 4-1 record. So he clearly still had some of his stuff.
Why Him in 2019?: Had a lower ERA than Kershaw, Buehler and Maeda. And he's 40.
2020 Prediction: Signs with a middling team, has a few more last hurrah starts and then retires.

 Meanwhile, Kenta Maeda repeated his 2018 voyage of starting well in the rotation and being moved to the bullpen for the postseason. Maeda still had a 10-8 record with 169 strikeouts, but he's not the innings-eating, high-rotation star he was.
Why Him in 2019?: Allowed 1 hit in 7 innings of postseason ball.
2020 Prediction: Will hold onto a starting rotation spot, and potentially might be traded midseason.

 In Maeda's place, the Dodgers looked to two minor leaguers to fill spots, with mostly good results. Tony Gonsolin, one of the most unlikely dominant MLB pitchers this side of Randy Dobnak, lobbed his way to a 2.93 ERA, and had a 2.89 ERA in his 6 starts.
Why Him in 2019?: Unlikeliest big-game pitcher in LA in August.
2020 Prediction: Will start the year in the minors, but will have some big games in an audition for a permanent rotation spot.

 In Gonsolin's wake left Dustin May, a more-touted prospect who was expected to be stronger, but struggled early, and eventually left a game after a liner to the head. After 4 starts, he was moved to the bullpen, and still averaged 3.63 ERA.
Why Him in 2019?: The Dodgers' second-biggest prospect debut.
2020 Prediction: The Dodgers will make a concrete decision on where they want Dustin, and no matter what they decide, he'll deliver 100 strikeouts.

 Kenley Jansen had something of a down year as closer, which is odd for a perennially dominant guy like Jansen. His 33 saves were his lowest season total since 2013, and his 8 blown saves was his highest season total ever.
Why Him in 2019?: Still closed the Dodgers.
2020 Prediction: Either he goes back to the 40s, or he loses the closing gig.

 Pedro Baez has continued to be a strong bullpen arm for LA, delivering his lowest full-season WHIP in 2019 with a .947, and, sadly, continuing his rotten postseason luck.
Why Him in 2019?: Baez was the most integral reliever in LA.
2020 Prediction: This is Baez' last year before free agency, so he'll have to deliver in order to be on the Dodgers' radar beyond this year.

 After winning a ring last year, Joe Kelly came to his former WS opponents to try to win another one. This didn't exactly happen. Kelly's 4.56 ERA, and his numbers in general, were down from last year, and his postseason numbers weren't much better.
Why Him in 2019?: Solid member of a solid bullpen.
2020 Prediction: Might not last the whole season in LA.

 Julio Urias vexes me. Like, his early troubles made me think the Dodgers had rushed him early, but now that he's had a few seasons, I just assume this is what he does? I dunno, it's odd. This year he started a few more games, and had a 3.26 ERA in 8 starts. As a reliever, he had a 2.08 ERA in 29 appearances, getting his first 4 saves. I guess this means he's better off as a closer?
Why Him in 2019?: The Dodgers finally figured out what to do with him.
2020 Prediction: Will be the strongest reliever on the club next year.

And lest we forget Adam Kolarek, a late-season trade from Tampa who posted a 0.77 ERA in 26 Dodger appearances with 45 strikeouts. In the postseason he was even nastier, despite only pitching an inning over 3 games.
Why Him in 2019?: Kolarek was possibly the Dodgers' best deadline acquisition.
2020 Prediction: A slight decline in production over a full season, but numerous strikeouts anyway.

Coming Tomorrow Morning: Now we get your Giants customs, and I'll do the Indians tomorrow night so we can balance this month back out.