Joe Torre talked about a number of aspects of the upcoming season at the dedication of the Dodgers’ ninth Dreamfield, at the Boys and Girls Club of Los Angeles. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has details.

• Torre plans to rest Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake more in 2010, and sees Reed Johnson also getting spot starts for Andre Ethier.
• Torre spoke to Ramirez by phone last week. Ramirez is “anxious to get started.”
• Scott Elbert might relieve, James McDonald might start.
• Blake DeWitt will get a fair shot to win the second-base job. Torre said he isn’t very familiar with Jamey Carroll, but that hitting coach Don Mattingly and scouts “like him a lot.”

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The Dodgers are mourning the passing of ticket operations manager Desiree Sanchez from breast cancer, Gurnick writes.  My sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Former Daily News columnist Steve Dilbeck will the Times‘ new Dodger blogger, with contributions from Dylan Hernandez, Bill Shaikin, Houston Mitchell and others. Dilbeck offers a nice introduction here.

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Tony Jackson notes that the Alfredo Amezaga deal isn’t official yet.

“The best is yet to come for Andre Ethier.”  That’s a tantalizing quote, one that contrasts my knee-jerk assumption that Ethier can’t possibly improve on his 2009 campaign, from Baseball HQ via Memories of Kevin Malone. There are also some new thoughts about Dodger Stadium park effects.

Elsewhere …

• Which is more valuable, a sixth position player on the bench or a 12th pitcher? Over the past year, I’ve come to think that for teams like the Dodgers whose starters don’t go deep into games, the extra pitcher is worth more. Dave Cameron offers some interesting pro and con arguments at Fangraphs.

• It’s the makeover moment of the year for the Dodgers: Casey Blake, beardless. I have to keep reminding myself that the $1 million donation by Blake and his wife, Abbie, to Indianola, Iowa schools is a bigger deal.  But I have spent some time wondering whether looking younger will make Blake play younger. It’s completely logical, don’ t you think?

• Vin Scully, Jaime Jarrin, Eric Karros and Ken Levine were among those receiving honors Monday from the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association.

• Vin Scully Is My Homeboy is very curious about whether the Dodgers will be showcasing a “55 since ’55″ patch this year.

Reed Johnson and the Dodgers have completed their deal for a one-year contract, the team announced tonight.

Previously on Dodger Thoughts: How the Johnson signing will affect the team’s roster.

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Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com has begun a series of Dodger season preview articles, starting with the infield.

Dodger Thoughts archives from July 2002-January 2009 are available via the sidebar. There will be a link to archives from February 2009-January 2010 sometime soon.

What goes around … goes around …