Ten things I learned in the 2017 Bill James Handbook.

Bill  James Handbook 2017The 2017 Bill James Handbook is on shelves now. It’s 609 pages of facts, figures and other quantitative observations from the most recent baseball season. I’m always amazed at how quickly anyone can publish such massive amounts of data, let alone sort them and analyze them into something digestable.

Between tracking down Kenley Jansen contract details, I attempted to make the BJH even more digestable for Dodger fans. Here are 10 things that either I didn’t know, or didn’t know with nearly the same precision, before reading the book:

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Nine Dodgers players become free agents, including Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner.

Justin Turner Dodgers

Justin Turner and Chase Utley became free agents on Thursday. (Keith Birmingham/Staff photographer)

Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner are free agents as of today, along with seven other Dodgers whose contracts expired the day after the World Series: Rich Hill, Joe Blanton, Chase Utley, Josh Reddick, J.P. Howell, Brett Anderson and Jesse Chavez.

A total of 139 players became free agents around MLB. That does not include Dodgers catcher Carlos Ruiz; the club has until Monday to exercise his 2017 contract option.

Colleague Bill Plunkett has the details.

The Dodgers’ NLDS roster: This is not a guess.

Austin Barnes

Austin Barnes is appears much smaller than his teammates, who are standing on the pitchers’ mound during a workout at Dodger Stadium on Monday. The Dodgers held a workout at Dodger Stadium in preparation for their National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, which begins Friday in Washington, D.C. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed the team’s roster for the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, which begins Friday. Our first and second guesses were both wrong.

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Chase Utley wins Dodgers’ annual Roy Campanella Award.

Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley has been selected as this year’s winner of the annual Roy Campanella Award.

Utley, 37, began the day batting .253 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and 74 runs scored in 130 games this season.

The award is given annually to the Dodgers player “who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership” of the late Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella. The award is voted on by the Dodgers’ uniformed personnel, players, and coaches. The award has been given out every year since 2006.

Utley will be presented with the award prior to Saturday’s game.

Game 118: Chase Utley is first in Philadelphia’s heart; Dodgers are first in NL West.

Chase Utley

Chase Utley hit two home runs for the Dodgers in his first game ever in Philadelphia as a visiting player. (Getty Images)

Chase Utley hit two home runs Tuesday, including a grand slam, in his first game as a visiting player in Philadelphia. The Dodgers beat the Phillies 15-5 and took over first place later in the day when the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants. The box score is here.

Utley, 37, said he wants to play next year.

The latest adjustment to the Dodgers’ starting rotation will see Ross Stripling start Thursday in Philadelphia, followed by Bud Norris Friday in Cincinnati and Brett Anderson on Saturday.