Dodgers’ farm system, prospects get preseason reviews (Web links)

One of my least-favorite sports terms: It’s a process.

Like everything isn’t. Studying game film, learning to lay off that low outside slider, scratching your left earlobe, it’s all a process.

Normally this process malarkey is used to explain why things aren’t as good as they’re supposed to be. And since in sports there is only one winner, that pretty much leaves everyone else going through their little processes.

Naturally, you hear it a lot around the Dodgers. Rejuvenating the fan base, upgrading the roster, adding depth to the front office — it’s all a process. Also this: rebuilding the farm system.

That one, even I have to acknowledge, does require a bit of time. The Dodgers believe they’re on the right course now, adding scouts and becoming more aggressive in the international market.

Early reviews at least have them on the proper track, though maybe not immediately, as well as you might expect.

ESPN’s Keith Law in his annual review of Major League Baseball farm systems, ranks the Dodgers’ farm system No.18, which maybe you think seems a reasonable starting point. I suppose it is, but then you have to recognize this is six spots lower than he ranked their system last year.

Of course, over the past year the Dodgers traded prospects Ruby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Jerry Sands and Ivan De Jesus Jr. to the Red Sox, Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough to the Marlins and Ethan Martin to the Phillies. That’s a pretty decent hit to the system.

Meanwhile, Baseball America gives its top 10 Dodgers prospects, and named South Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, whom they signed for $36 million over the winter, as their No.1 prospect, followed by Cuban Yasiel Puig, whom they signed for $42 million last year.

Baseball Prospectus doesn’t count Ryu, scheduled to be in the rotation this season, and has Puig No.1 (subscription required for full post).

More items on the Web:

— The weekend came and went and nothing from the Cardinals on Scott Rolen’s status, as they hoped. He could still figure in Dodgers’ plans.

— Major League Baseball has released its fantasy rankings of every major league player, with Matt Kemp No. 4. In a shocking development, the lowest-ranked Dodger was Juan Uribe at 795. Shocking because they ranked 843 players.

— No pressure, but Magic Johnson told The Times’ Bill Shaikin it is World Series or bust this season for the Dodgers.

— MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez talks to scout Mike Brito about Fernando Valenzuela during his induction into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.

— Chan Ho Park is planning on building a baseball complex in South Korea (via Vin Scully Is My Homeboy).

— Chad Billingsley’s sore elbow feels great, writes Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick.

— ESPN’s Jim Caple has a love/hate relationship with the WAR stat.

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