GLENDALE, Ariz. >> The Dodgers needed a long-haul second baseman.
The preceding sentence has no expiration date.
They have had seven primary second basemen in their past eight seasons. The only player to “repeat” was Mark Ellis in 2012-13, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
They have tried veterans (Orlando Hudson, Howie Kendrick, Chase Utley), kids (Dee Gordon, Blake DeWitt) and multi-use extra men (Jamey Carroll). The ground was a lot firmer from 1973-88, when Davey Lopes and Steve Sax were the only keystone cops the Dodgers needed.
But underneath all of their roster churn is a deep lament for stability.