Vicente Padilla has agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.025 million to rejoin the starting rotation. The deal is for a base salary of $4.025 million with a $1 million signing bonus.
The signing isn't a surprise, as there was definite interest from both sides for Padilla to make his return. With the way he pitched after coming over from Texas on August 19 of last season, it's no wonder the Dodgers feel confident in giving him a slot in the rotation.
In seven starts with his new team, he went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA. He was also brilliant against the Cardinals in closing out the NLDS. He split great and lousy performances against the Phillies in the NLCS. Even with the one bad start (which was the final game of the season), it was obvious that he had turned his career around for the better.
Now come a couple of challenges, both for Padilla and for the team. First, can Padilla regain the form that left him overpowering hitters at the end of last season? By many accounts, he was a head case with the Rangers, but well-behaved in L.A. I'm sure it's no coincidence that a better attitude resulted in much better numbers.
Second, do the Dodgers have enough guns in the rotation to get back to the playoffs? Along with Padilla, there's Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and another slot that will be determined in spring training. For now, the rotation looks solid, but not spectacular.
With Padilla signed, it's unknown if the Dodgers will make any more moves. They got their second baseman in Jamey Carroll, and have already resigned all their arbitration players. This could be it for the winter.
Like always, stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment