A couple of news items on the pitching staff...
* Trevor Cahill has been signed to a minor league deal. He was recently with the Braves, where he got canned after going 0-3 with a 7.52 ERA and 1.72 WHIP. Um, that's not good. No wonder he got released.
There has been plenty of good in Cahill's career, as he was an All-Star in 2010 with Oakland, going 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and .220 BAA. That was by far his best year, as his numbers started to slide the next year. A move to the Diamondbacks in 2012 didn't exactly help, as he had an ERA in the high-3's for a couple of years, but was horrific last season with a 5.71 ERA in 32 games (17 starts). He was a complete disaster with the Braves in three starts this year.
If you're the Dodgers, you probably figure, What the heck? Give it a shot and see what he can give you. Maybe down the stretch he teams up with Brandon Beachy and gives the Dodgers some good starts at the end of the rotation. If not, then it's a very low-risk signing, so no harm done. We'll see what happens.
* In a bit of a surprising move, the Dodgers have decided to DFA Brandon League, who was on a Minor League rehab assignment for about a month. If he clears waivers, he can either accept another Minor League assignment, or be released.
How much will League gather if he's sent home for good? Try $7.5 million. That'll probably make him feel a little bit better when he's sitting on the couch sipping iced tea. Or maybe something stronger.
Anyway, League was really good on rehab, giving up only one run in 10 2/3 innings. Despite that, with his 30-day rehab window coming to a close, the Dodgers did not see enough out of him to bring him back to the big club. His fastball barely reached 90 mph, and his hard sinker was largely a thing of the past. That's not too surprising considering his right shoulder had long been giving him problems.
For Ned Colletti, this is yet another signing that proved to be a major flop, much like Brian Wilson, Jason Schmidt, and Matt Guerrier in the past. Mega-bucks to guys fading in their careers, and it cost them. While League was very good to close out 2012 (6-6 in saves, 2.70 ERA), he was mostly horrendous in 2013-14, getting the boot at closer for Kenley Jansen, and largely being relegated to mop-up duty.
Give Andrew Friedman this - he's not afraid to eat money if it means improving the team. Wilson is being paid $10 million to get the hell away from the Dodgers, and barring some team shockingly wanting League at this point, he'll be paid $7.5 million to do the same. That's a lot of dead money, but oh well.
Showing posts with label League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label League. Show all posts
Friday, July 3, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
With Jansen out, who steps up to close?
Bad news coming out of LA yesterday, as Kenley Jansen will need 8-12 weeks to recover from left foot surgery. Jansen was recently working out at Dodger Stadium when he reported discomfort in that foot. Lo and behold, he has a growth on his fifth metatarsal, so he immediately when under the knife.
The news is bad, but not devastating only because of the timeframe it occurred. Yes, it would have been nice to get this over with all during the offseason, but Jansen had no control over that. Instead, he'll be looking at a mid-May return, which puts him out around a month and a half. That's much better than this happening smack dab in the middle of the season, at least.
So now, the Dodgers have a giant closer role to fill, which won't be easy considering Jansen had 44 saves last season. Let's take a look at potential options, both on the inside and out.
Current Bullpen - Joel Peralta, Pedro Baez, Chris Hatcher, Brandon League
The first guy to jump out would be Peralta, who's been pitching in the Bigs since 2005, but only has 12 career saves. He does get his fair share of strikeouts, though, so that could be a good sign that he can translate it to the ninth.
Baez is someone to keep an eye on. He only has 20 games of experience last season, but throws very hard and got in some action in the NLDS. He's also virtually unknown to people outside of big Dodger fans, which could help him against batters who are unfamiliar with him. Hey, that's how Eric Gagne got his start years ago, so you never know.
Hatcher is very much like Baez in that he doesn't have much experience, but throws hard and keeps his walks down, so he could emerge. I only included League because of his past experience closing, but it's a longshot. And quite frankly, if the Dodgers have him going in the ninth, it's because everyone else has flopped so miserably, they had to resort to him.
Minor League Invites to Spring Training - Sergio Santos, David Aardsma
Santos could be an intriguing option if he can get things together in the spring. He saved 30 games with the White Sox in 2011, but hasn't come anywhere close to that since then. Last season was a complete disaster with the Blue Jays, compiling an 8.57 ERA in 28 games. It's no wonder his stock is way down, but if his arm is right, the history of brief success is there.
Aardsma had two excellent seasons as the Mariners' closer in 2009-10, collecting 38 and 31 saves, respectively. After injuries set in, he had a very good season pitching for the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate last year, and went to the Dodgers after attracting interest from quite a few teams in the offseason. Like Santos, if the injuries are behind him, then he could be a sleeper.
Free Agents - Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano
K-Rod came out of nowhere for an excellent 2014 campaign, saving 44 games for the Brewers. He's still unsigned, and latest word is that he's seeking a two-year deal, or a $10 million deal for a season. There's obvious hesitancy in giving him so much money, as he's about to enter his 14th season. Plus, it's hard to know if he can come anywhere close to last season's types of numbers again.
Soriano has saved 40+ games three times since 2010, and 32 last season, albeit with seven blown saves. So, it's a bit surprising that he still hasn't signed with any club, as he has a career 2.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. It could be a money thing like K-Rod, as he views himself as a top-tier closer who will only sign for what he wants.
Trade Candidate - Jonathan Papelbon
With the Phillies practically a sinking ship, you would think they'll finally be serious about rebuilding this season. Cole Hamels is the hottest name in trade talks, but Papelbon could be right behind. As this great article from John Stolnis points out, Papelbon is probably a better option than K-Rod, and if the Phillies eat some of his money, could be less expensive as well.
My Take:
I don't see the Dodgers reaching out for either of the big two free agents, or a trade for Paps. The only way a trade occurs is if the Phillies really want to move on from him, but that probably wouldn't happen until later in the season.
I do see someone from the Santos/Aardsma combination making the big club, then getting thrown into the fire. There's no real competition in LA right now, as every other option is not a true closer. Peralta is better suited for a setup role, and who knows if Baez and Hatcher are ready for such a role.
Spring Training just got a whole lot more interesting, as it will be fun to watch these many options duke it out and step up into that role for the first few weeks of the season. I just hope someone can hold the fort down for the time being so Jansen doesn't feel the need to rush back too soon. The last thing the Dodgers need is for Jansen's injury to linger all season long.
The news is bad, but not devastating only because of the timeframe it occurred. Yes, it would have been nice to get this over with all during the offseason, but Jansen had no control over that. Instead, he'll be looking at a mid-May return, which puts him out around a month and a half. That's much better than this happening smack dab in the middle of the season, at least.
So now, the Dodgers have a giant closer role to fill, which won't be easy considering Jansen had 44 saves last season. Let's take a look at potential options, both on the inside and out.
Current Bullpen - Joel Peralta, Pedro Baez, Chris Hatcher, Brandon League
The first guy to jump out would be Peralta, who's been pitching in the Bigs since 2005, but only has 12 career saves. He does get his fair share of strikeouts, though, so that could be a good sign that he can translate it to the ninth.
Baez is someone to keep an eye on. He only has 20 games of experience last season, but throws very hard and got in some action in the NLDS. He's also virtually unknown to people outside of big Dodger fans, which could help him against batters who are unfamiliar with him. Hey, that's how Eric Gagne got his start years ago, so you never know.
Hatcher is very much like Baez in that he doesn't have much experience, but throws hard and keeps his walks down, so he could emerge. I only included League because of his past experience closing, but it's a longshot. And quite frankly, if the Dodgers have him going in the ninth, it's because everyone else has flopped so miserably, they had to resort to him.
Minor League Invites to Spring Training - Sergio Santos, David Aardsma
Santos could be an intriguing option if he can get things together in the spring. He saved 30 games with the White Sox in 2011, but hasn't come anywhere close to that since then. Last season was a complete disaster with the Blue Jays, compiling an 8.57 ERA in 28 games. It's no wonder his stock is way down, but if his arm is right, the history of brief success is there.
Aardsma had two excellent seasons as the Mariners' closer in 2009-10, collecting 38 and 31 saves, respectively. After injuries set in, he had a very good season pitching for the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate last year, and went to the Dodgers after attracting interest from quite a few teams in the offseason. Like Santos, if the injuries are behind him, then he could be a sleeper.
Free Agents - Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano
K-Rod came out of nowhere for an excellent 2014 campaign, saving 44 games for the Brewers. He's still unsigned, and latest word is that he's seeking a two-year deal, or a $10 million deal for a season. There's obvious hesitancy in giving him so much money, as he's about to enter his 14th season. Plus, it's hard to know if he can come anywhere close to last season's types of numbers again.
Soriano has saved 40+ games three times since 2010, and 32 last season, albeit with seven blown saves. So, it's a bit surprising that he still hasn't signed with any club, as he has a career 2.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. It could be a money thing like K-Rod, as he views himself as a top-tier closer who will only sign for what he wants.
Trade Candidate - Jonathan Papelbon
With the Phillies practically a sinking ship, you would think they'll finally be serious about rebuilding this season. Cole Hamels is the hottest name in trade talks, but Papelbon could be right behind. As this great article from John Stolnis points out, Papelbon is probably a better option than K-Rod, and if the Phillies eat some of his money, could be less expensive as well.
My Take:
I don't see the Dodgers reaching out for either of the big two free agents, or a trade for Paps. The only way a trade occurs is if the Phillies really want to move on from him, but that probably wouldn't happen until later in the season.
I do see someone from the Santos/Aardsma combination making the big club, then getting thrown into the fire. There's no real competition in LA right now, as every other option is not a true closer. Peralta is better suited for a setup role, and who knows if Baez and Hatcher are ready for such a role.
Spring Training just got a whole lot more interesting, as it will be fun to watch these many options duke it out and step up into that role for the first few weeks of the season. I just hope someone can hold the fort down for the time being so Jansen doesn't feel the need to rush back too soon. The last thing the Dodgers need is for Jansen's injury to linger all season long.
Monday, February 9, 2015
2015 Season Preview: Bullpen
Here is the second installment in my season preview series. Last season, the bullpen was a huge weak spot on a division winning team, as the Dodgers had a very difficult time getting the ball to their dominant closer, Kenley Jansen. It ended up being one of the big reasons they Dodgers went four and out in the playoffs.
So, have the flurry of moves made this unit stronger heading in '15? Let's take a look.
2014
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Jamey Wright
Pedro Baez
2015
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Joel Peralta
J.P. Howell
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Juan Nicasio
Chris Hatcher
Then Compared to Now:
Right off the bat, what jumps out is the addition by subtraction. That is, getting rid of dead weight in Wilson and Perez. They both were so horrendous last season, it's hard to imagine those two signings going any worse. Wilson had a 4.66 ERA in 61 games, and Perez collected a 4.27 in 49. Awful, just awful. Good riddance!
In their places come Peralta, Nicasio, and Hatcher. The biggest name is Peralta, who's coming off of three straight seasons of more strikeouts than innings pitched. But, he's also seen his ERA creep up the last few seasons as well. Like Peralta, Hatcher relies on his fastball to blow hitters away, so the strikeout is always a possibility.
Howell will look to pitch more like the guy the first few months of the season, and less like the one who was knocked around at the end. Baez will look to step up into a bigger role, and Nicasio will look to play the swingman role of long reliever and spot starter.
Individual Breakdown:
Jansen (2014 stats): 2-3, 44 SV, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 101 K's in 65 1/2 IP
After some bumps in the road to start the season, he really turned it on as the summer months got hotter and hotter. The result was another terrific season in which he by far posted his most career saves. He's in love with the cutter, and when it has a sharp bite, it's practically unhittable. When he mixes in softer stuff like a slider, he's even more effective. He's only 27 with not much mileage, so the Dodgers have very little worry that he'll continue that success.
Peralta (with Rays): 3-4, 1 SV, 18 HLD, 4.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 74 K's in 63 1/3 IP
The good news is that he can't possibly be worse than Wilson in the setup role (right?). The bad news is that he appears to be going in the same direction as Wilson. Of course, that's not to say he'll completely fall off the map too, as I can't imagine he'll get roughed up nearly as bad as The Beard did. The strikeouts are still there, and he only walked 15 last season in 69 appearances, which is very good. With an improved defense behind him, those are reasons to believe he'll be effective. Is he an everyday setup man? That might be a stretch, but we shall see.
Howell: 3-3, 27 HLD, 2.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 48 K's in 49 IP
It's a shame he started getting shelled in September, because before that, he was really, really good. And what do you know, he's once again the only lefty in the bullpen. Like it or not, he's the man to face tough lefties. He's not going to blow you away, as he's a location and breaking ball type of guy. When it's working, it's good. When it's not, it's practically batting practice. Maybe he just ran out of steam last season, so hopefully he can be fresher down the stretch, because he'll be needed.
Baez: 0-0, 5 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 18 K's in 24 IP
In his first season, he only appeared in 20 games, so the sample size is small. Even with that, he was thrust right into the spotlight of the postseason, giving up a huge three-run shot to Matt Holliday in that epic meltdown in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Still, I like what he offers, as he throws hard and seems to have good composure on the mound. With Chris Withrow most likely out for all of 2015, his role will be increased even more.
League: 2-3, 11 HLD, 2.57 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 K's in 63 IP
What a roller coaster ride it's been for him since being traded to the Dodgers from the Mariners in 2012. He went from closer of the future to a complete waste of a big money deal. Then he posted a fantastic ERA last season, but a very high WHIP showed just how often he was playing with fire. At this point, he is what he is - a guy who will fool some with his breaking stuff, and will go through awful stretches where he lets everyone on base. He survived the offseason without getting canned, but if he falters once again, he'll be sent packing.
Nicasio (with Rockies): 6-6, 1 HLD, 5.38 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 63 K's in 93 2/3 IP
The best thing for any young pitcher is to finally get out of Coors Field, as he owns a 5.24 career ERA at home. It's not like he lit it up on the road, though, with a 4.81 ERA. Still, he has to feel great about coming to the Dodgers and taking the ball in a much friendlier ballpark. If there's a silver lining, he's made six career starts in LA (seven games overall), and owns a 3.63 ERA. That's something to build on.
Hatcher (with Marlins): 0-3, 6 HLD, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 60 K's in 56 IP
Like Jansen, he was once a catcher who converted to a hard throwing reliever. His first few seasons weren't so hot, but after getting called up in late May with the Marlins last season, put together a good season. He throws hard and keeps his walks low, which is always a good combination. Right now he's a young, power arm on the rise, so if he can keep missing bats and avoid the free passes, he'll be a good weapon.
Other Names to Remember: Daniel Coulombe, Carlos Frias, Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez
Is Now Better Than Then?
The Dodgers could pair just about anyone up with Jansen and be considered better this season. They absolutely needed to dump Wilson, even if it cost them $10 million in dead salary. Big deal, it needed to be done. And thank the Lord that it did.
The guys who were brought in - Peralta, Hatcher, and Nicasio - aren't names that will jump off the page, and will have to prove that they can be the answer. Peralta appears to be the first in line to pitch the eighth, and finally give a reliable bridge to Jansen in the ninth. That, in my opinion, was the biggest Achilles' heel of the Dodgers last year, so that's something that absolutely needs to get better if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. If not Peralta, then maybe a surprise name such as Baez or Hatcher can be that guy.
Two other guys who are gone from last year are Wright and Perez, as their best days are clearly behind them. Because of those subtractions, I'll easily take this year's squad as an upgrade over last year's. But, does that mean this year's group is good? There's always a huge plus with Jansen at the end, but the newcomers and young guys like Baez will have to show they can put up consistent numbers all season long to be one of the better bullpens in baseball.
So, have the flurry of moves made this unit stronger heading in '15? Let's take a look.
2014
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Jamey Wright
Pedro Baez
2015
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Joel Peralta
J.P. Howell
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Juan Nicasio
Chris Hatcher
Then Compared to Now:
Right off the bat, what jumps out is the addition by subtraction. That is, getting rid of dead weight in Wilson and Perez. They both were so horrendous last season, it's hard to imagine those two signings going any worse. Wilson had a 4.66 ERA in 61 games, and Perez collected a 4.27 in 49. Awful, just awful. Good riddance!
In their places come Peralta, Nicasio, and Hatcher. The biggest name is Peralta, who's coming off of three straight seasons of more strikeouts than innings pitched. But, he's also seen his ERA creep up the last few seasons as well. Like Peralta, Hatcher relies on his fastball to blow hitters away, so the strikeout is always a possibility.
Howell will look to pitch more like the guy the first few months of the season, and less like the one who was knocked around at the end. Baez will look to step up into a bigger role, and Nicasio will look to play the swingman role of long reliever and spot starter.
Individual Breakdown:
Jansen (2014 stats): 2-3, 44 SV, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 101 K's in 65 1/2 IP
After some bumps in the road to start the season, he really turned it on as the summer months got hotter and hotter. The result was another terrific season in which he by far posted his most career saves. He's in love with the cutter, and when it has a sharp bite, it's practically unhittable. When he mixes in softer stuff like a slider, he's even more effective. He's only 27 with not much mileage, so the Dodgers have very little worry that he'll continue that success.
Peralta (with Rays): 3-4, 1 SV, 18 HLD, 4.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 74 K's in 63 1/3 IP
The good news is that he can't possibly be worse than Wilson in the setup role (right?). The bad news is that he appears to be going in the same direction as Wilson. Of course, that's not to say he'll completely fall off the map too, as I can't imagine he'll get roughed up nearly as bad as The Beard did. The strikeouts are still there, and he only walked 15 last season in 69 appearances, which is very good. With an improved defense behind him, those are reasons to believe he'll be effective. Is he an everyday setup man? That might be a stretch, but we shall see.
Howell: 3-3, 27 HLD, 2.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 48 K's in 49 IP
It's a shame he started getting shelled in September, because before that, he was really, really good. And what do you know, he's once again the only lefty in the bullpen. Like it or not, he's the man to face tough lefties. He's not going to blow you away, as he's a location and breaking ball type of guy. When it's working, it's good. When it's not, it's practically batting practice. Maybe he just ran out of steam last season, so hopefully he can be fresher down the stretch, because he'll be needed.
Baez: 0-0, 5 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 18 K's in 24 IP
In his first season, he only appeared in 20 games, so the sample size is small. Even with that, he was thrust right into the spotlight of the postseason, giving up a huge three-run shot to Matt Holliday in that epic meltdown in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Still, I like what he offers, as he throws hard and seems to have good composure on the mound. With Chris Withrow most likely out for all of 2015, his role will be increased even more.
League: 2-3, 11 HLD, 2.57 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 K's in 63 IP
What a roller coaster ride it's been for him since being traded to the Dodgers from the Mariners in 2012. He went from closer of the future to a complete waste of a big money deal. Then he posted a fantastic ERA last season, but a very high WHIP showed just how often he was playing with fire. At this point, he is what he is - a guy who will fool some with his breaking stuff, and will go through awful stretches where he lets everyone on base. He survived the offseason without getting canned, but if he falters once again, he'll be sent packing.
Nicasio (with Rockies): 6-6, 1 HLD, 5.38 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 63 K's in 93 2/3 IP
The best thing for any young pitcher is to finally get out of Coors Field, as he owns a 5.24 career ERA at home. It's not like he lit it up on the road, though, with a 4.81 ERA. Still, he has to feel great about coming to the Dodgers and taking the ball in a much friendlier ballpark. If there's a silver lining, he's made six career starts in LA (seven games overall), and owns a 3.63 ERA. That's something to build on.
Hatcher (with Marlins): 0-3, 6 HLD, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 60 K's in 56 IP
Like Jansen, he was once a catcher who converted to a hard throwing reliever. His first few seasons weren't so hot, but after getting called up in late May with the Marlins last season, put together a good season. He throws hard and keeps his walks low, which is always a good combination. Right now he's a young, power arm on the rise, so if he can keep missing bats and avoid the free passes, he'll be a good weapon.
Other Names to Remember: Daniel Coulombe, Carlos Frias, Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez
Is Now Better Than Then?
The Dodgers could pair just about anyone up with Jansen and be considered better this season. They absolutely needed to dump Wilson, even if it cost them $10 million in dead salary. Big deal, it needed to be done. And thank the Lord that it did.
The guys who were brought in - Peralta, Hatcher, and Nicasio - aren't names that will jump off the page, and will have to prove that they can be the answer. Peralta appears to be the first in line to pitch the eighth, and finally give a reliable bridge to Jansen in the ninth. That, in my opinion, was the biggest Achilles' heel of the Dodgers last year, so that's something that absolutely needs to get better if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. If not Peralta, then maybe a surprise name such as Baez or Hatcher can be that guy.
Two other guys who are gone from last year are Wright and Perez, as their best days are clearly behind them. Because of those subtractions, I'll easily take this year's squad as an upgrade over last year's. But, does that mean this year's group is good? There's always a huge plus with Jansen at the end, but the newcomers and young guys like Baez will have to show they can put up consistent numbers all season long to be one of the better bullpens in baseball.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
How much blame should be on Colletti for the failed bullpen?
As Andrew Friedman gets settled into his position of the man pulling all the strings for the Dodgers, Ned Colletti is quietly getting adjusted to his new role as well. A new role that will no longer allow him to be the trigger man in player movement.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Dodgers hit a lull, so what's the problem?
For anyone who thought the Dodgers might be able to run away with not only the NL West, but the National League as a whole, think again.
The Brewers came into Dodger Stadium and showed why they're a legit contender with a three-game sweep, finishing off the Dodgers with a 7-2 shellacking on Sunday. Couple that with last weekend, and the Brew Crew have to feel good about taking five of six from LA. And that's with both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke starting four of the six games.
After getting the lead in the NL West up to over six games, the lead over the Giants has dropped to 3 1/2. Washington and Milwaukee are now ahead of the Dodgers in the race for #1 seed in the NL.
Simply put, like the headline says, the Dodgers are in a lull, dropping three straight and four of five. So what's the deal? Here's the deal:
* In those four loses, the offense has scored nine runs, averaging 2.3 per. Even with great starting pitching, it's hard to win many games like that.
* Hyun-Jin Ryu was placed on the DL with a sore glute muscle. Kevin Correia will fill in, and while he had a great opening act, isn't the caliber of Ryu over the long haul.
* Juan Uribe was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. Justin Turner will see action at third, but his glove has been shaky to say the least of late.
* Greinke hasn't been as sharp in August. In three starts, he's 0-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He walked five in only five innings his last start, running his pitch count way up to 99.
* The bullpen completely imploded on Friday night, as Jamey Wright and Brandon League combined to give up five runs in the eighth. The eighth inning, as I recently wrote about, has been a huge disappointment.
* Even Kershaw was off his normal dominant self, giving up a couple of home runs in losing on Saturday. Of course, he still went the distance and only surrendered three runs, but his offense gave him nothing.
* Dee Gordon still has his big games, but has seen his numbers dip a bit after the break, and one has to wonder if he's slowing down a bit just from the grind of the long season.
* Matt Kemp was red hot in July, but in August he's back down to hitting .219. He's actually hit safely in 12 of 17 games, but most of those are 1-for-4 or 1-for-5.
* The defense is much-improved since the start of the season, but is still middle of the pack in fielding %. Losing Uribe at third does nothing to help, either.
* All the good vibes Dan Haren had coming into Sunday may have come to screeching halt, as the Brewers smacked him around.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com wrote a good article about how this is not a time to panic, and to instead "keep the faith." It makes a lot of sense, as every team is bound to go through peaks and valleys over the course of a 162-game season.
But, for the many reasons listed above, it's also realistic that the Dodgers need to figure things out in order to keep that first place standing in the NL West. When one of their key starting pitchers and starting third baseman get hurt, then they get swept at home, there's reasons to be a little nervous.
There is some good news, as Hanley Ramirez looks like he'll be ready to go when he comes off the DL next Sunday. As a bonus, it looks like he might play some third, something he did in his Marlins' days when they acquired Jose Reyes. That will get his bat back in the lineup, and keep the better fielding Miguel Rojas at short.
That's still a week away, and in the meantime the Dodgers will welcome the Padres and Mets into town starting Tuesday. Even though they both stink, with the way the Dodgers play at home, they can't afford to overlook anyone. If they do, they might find themselves in second in no time.
We'll see what the Dodgers' depth can do, as they will go deep into their 25-man roster to stay afloat. It would be great if guys like Kemp, Gordon, and Adrian Gonzalez have a big week, and the Dodgers can get rolling again. They are the stars, so now they need to step up and play like it.
Oh ya, and not blowing more leads in the eighth inning would help too.
The Brewers came into Dodger Stadium and showed why they're a legit contender with a three-game sweep, finishing off the Dodgers with a 7-2 shellacking on Sunday. Couple that with last weekend, and the Brew Crew have to feel good about taking five of six from LA. And that's with both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke starting four of the six games.
After getting the lead in the NL West up to over six games, the lead over the Giants has dropped to 3 1/2. Washington and Milwaukee are now ahead of the Dodgers in the race for #1 seed in the NL.
Simply put, like the headline says, the Dodgers are in a lull, dropping three straight and four of five. So what's the deal? Here's the deal:
* In those four loses, the offense has scored nine runs, averaging 2.3 per. Even with great starting pitching, it's hard to win many games like that.
* Hyun-Jin Ryu was placed on the DL with a sore glute muscle. Kevin Correia will fill in, and while he had a great opening act, isn't the caliber of Ryu over the long haul.
* Juan Uribe was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. Justin Turner will see action at third, but his glove has been shaky to say the least of late.
* Greinke hasn't been as sharp in August. In three starts, he's 0-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He walked five in only five innings his last start, running his pitch count way up to 99.
* The bullpen completely imploded on Friday night, as Jamey Wright and Brandon League combined to give up five runs in the eighth. The eighth inning, as I recently wrote about, has been a huge disappointment.
* Even Kershaw was off his normal dominant self, giving up a couple of home runs in losing on Saturday. Of course, he still went the distance and only surrendered three runs, but his offense gave him nothing.
* Dee Gordon still has his big games, but has seen his numbers dip a bit after the break, and one has to wonder if he's slowing down a bit just from the grind of the long season.
* Matt Kemp was red hot in July, but in August he's back down to hitting .219. He's actually hit safely in 12 of 17 games, but most of those are 1-for-4 or 1-for-5.
* The defense is much-improved since the start of the season, but is still middle of the pack in fielding %. Losing Uribe at third does nothing to help, either.
* All the good vibes Dan Haren had coming into Sunday may have come to screeching halt, as the Brewers smacked him around.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com wrote a good article about how this is not a time to panic, and to instead "keep the faith." It makes a lot of sense, as every team is bound to go through peaks and valleys over the course of a 162-game season.
But, for the many reasons listed above, it's also realistic that the Dodgers need to figure things out in order to keep that first place standing in the NL West. When one of their key starting pitchers and starting third baseman get hurt, then they get swept at home, there's reasons to be a little nervous.
There is some good news, as Hanley Ramirez looks like he'll be ready to go when he comes off the DL next Sunday. As a bonus, it looks like he might play some third, something he did in his Marlins' days when they acquired Jose Reyes. That will get his bat back in the lineup, and keep the better fielding Miguel Rojas at short.
That's still a week away, and in the meantime the Dodgers will welcome the Padres and Mets into town starting Tuesday. Even though they both stink, with the way the Dodgers play at home, they can't afford to overlook anyone. If they do, they might find themselves in second in no time.
We'll see what the Dodgers' depth can do, as they will go deep into their 25-man roster to stay afloat. It would be great if guys like Kemp, Gordon, and Adrian Gonzalez have a big week, and the Dodgers can get rolling again. They are the stars, so now they need to step up and play like it.
Oh ya, and not blowing more leads in the eighth inning would help too.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
8th inning could be the Dodgers downfall
Remember last season when Brian Wilson was signed, and the Dodgers had the ultimate 1-2 punch with Kenley Jansen down the stretch and in the postseason?
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
1-0, again? Sure, the Dodgers will take it
For as bad as the offense has been this week for the Dodgers, there were some good things to come out of Sunday's game: they won, they took three of four from the Padres, they have the best record in the National League, and Hyun-Jin Ryu more than shook off getting creamed in Detroit.
So, despite one run for the second straight night, it's another win for the Dodgers over the Padres.
Hey, at least they did better than one run on four hits on Saturday, right?
If you want to read about how poorly the Dodgers have been performing at the plate, then take a look at my article on yesterday's game. I could have written the same exact thing today, because Yasiel Puig's RBI single in the sixth was the lone highlight of the game for either team. Tyson Ross, Ryu, and a few relievers completely shut these teams down.
What I will focus on is just that, the pitching. The start of the Dodgers' offensive ineptitude began on Tuesday against the Tigers. After taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning off of Justin Verlander, Ryu got pounded for 10 hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings as the Dodgers got destroyed 14-5. Today Ryu went six innings for two hits, no runs, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. His off speed stuff was awesome.
From there, Brandon League, J.P. Howell, and Kenley Jansen combined to shut the door. League was a little shaky, walking Yasmani Grandal and giving up a single to Cameron Maybin. Howell put out that fire when Brooks Conrad lined to Carl Crawford in left.
Howell stayed on in the eighth, still with only the one-run lead. Even though Adrian Gonzalez dropped a throw to first for an error, Howell had no issues. At the break, he has a 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 19 holds. Lefties are 8-for-56 (.143) and righties are 9-for-54 (.167) against him. Very quietly, he's turned into one of the best middle relievers in baseball.
Jansen had to toughen up today for the save, as he walked Carlos Quentin on a very close full count pitch, then watched Grandal bounce a single into right with an out. Two strikeouts later, the game was over for his 27th save.
Back on June 20, Jansen blew his third save in San Diego, giving up three runs in the ninth and being hit all over the place. His nine appearances since then? All perfect, collecting seven saves and a win while lowering his ERA from 4.55 to 3.49. He also has more K's (13) than walks (1) and hits (5) combined. He's finally mixing up his pitches and figuring things out.
Other thoughts from the game:
* OK, so here's a bit more talk about the offense. Matt Kemp didn't start (good move), but pinch-hit in the eighth with Puig on second and two outs (bad move). Predictably, he struck out. Man, he really stinks now. That's all I've got to say about that.
* I don't think I've ever seen A.J. Ellis yell and get visibly upset at himself during a game before, but that's exactly what happened after he K'd with two on and none out in the second. He's had a rough year between injuries and a big lack of production at the plate and in not throwing out stealers. Let's hope the All-Star break does him some good.
* It was good to see Crawford get the start in left, as he singled and walked in four at-bats. Like I wrote about recently, there's no way Kemp should be handed every start in left. Give me a break. Let's see what Crawford can do with more time. Better than watching Matt "Swing and a Miss" Kemp.
* Can you tell I'm down on Kemp?
* Ross is a very good young pitcher. His slider is practically untouchable. I initially wasn't so sure about him making the All-Star team, but he showed he deserves it today. Too bad for him his team sucks behind him.
Every team in baseball will take the next four days off, then return to action Friday. The Dodgers will be in St. Louis, and Dan Haren will get the ball. Gee, if that doesn't get you pumped for Friday, then I don't know what will!
So, despite one run for the second straight night, it's another win for the Dodgers over the Padres.
Hey, at least they did better than one run on four hits on Saturday, right?
If you want to read about how poorly the Dodgers have been performing at the plate, then take a look at my article on yesterday's game. I could have written the same exact thing today, because Yasiel Puig's RBI single in the sixth was the lone highlight of the game for either team. Tyson Ross, Ryu, and a few relievers completely shut these teams down.
What I will focus on is just that, the pitching. The start of the Dodgers' offensive ineptitude began on Tuesday against the Tigers. After taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning off of Justin Verlander, Ryu got pounded for 10 hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings as the Dodgers got destroyed 14-5. Today Ryu went six innings for two hits, no runs, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. His off speed stuff was awesome.
From there, Brandon League, J.P. Howell, and Kenley Jansen combined to shut the door. League was a little shaky, walking Yasmani Grandal and giving up a single to Cameron Maybin. Howell put out that fire when Brooks Conrad lined to Carl Crawford in left.
Howell stayed on in the eighth, still with only the one-run lead. Even though Adrian Gonzalez dropped a throw to first for an error, Howell had no issues. At the break, he has a 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 19 holds. Lefties are 8-for-56 (.143) and righties are 9-for-54 (.167) against him. Very quietly, he's turned into one of the best middle relievers in baseball.
Jansen had to toughen up today for the save, as he walked Carlos Quentin on a very close full count pitch, then watched Grandal bounce a single into right with an out. Two strikeouts later, the game was over for his 27th save.
Back on June 20, Jansen blew his third save in San Diego, giving up three runs in the ninth and being hit all over the place. His nine appearances since then? All perfect, collecting seven saves and a win while lowering his ERA from 4.55 to 3.49. He also has more K's (13) than walks (1) and hits (5) combined. He's finally mixing up his pitches and figuring things out.
Other thoughts from the game:
* OK, so here's a bit more talk about the offense. Matt Kemp didn't start (good move), but pinch-hit in the eighth with Puig on second and two outs (bad move). Predictably, he struck out. Man, he really stinks now. That's all I've got to say about that.
* I don't think I've ever seen A.J. Ellis yell and get visibly upset at himself during a game before, but that's exactly what happened after he K'd with two on and none out in the second. He's had a rough year between injuries and a big lack of production at the plate and in not throwing out stealers. Let's hope the All-Star break does him some good.
* It was good to see Crawford get the start in left, as he singled and walked in four at-bats. Like I wrote about recently, there's no way Kemp should be handed every start in left. Give me a break. Let's see what Crawford can do with more time. Better than watching Matt "Swing and a Miss" Kemp.
* Can you tell I'm down on Kemp?
* Ross is a very good young pitcher. His slider is practically untouchable. I initially wasn't so sure about him making the All-Star team, but he showed he deserves it today. Too bad for him his team sucks behind him.
Every team in baseball will take the next four days off, then return to action Friday. The Dodgers will be in St. Louis, and Dan Haren will get the ball. Gee, if that doesn't get you pumped for Friday, then I don't know what will!
Sunday, June 22, 2014
It all could come down to the bullpen for the Dodgers
One night after Kenley Jansen's horrific blown save against the Padres, the Dodgers bounced right back behind seven shutout innings from Josh Beckett. Saturday was a solid night, as Dee Gordon scored twice and stole his 39th base, Hanley Ramirez drove in two, and Justin Turner had two hits. Jansen even got the save, regaining some momentum from the night before.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
Friday, May 23, 2014
League's role should continue to increase
Yes, I did just say that.
After earning his first hold of the season on Wednesday night, Brandon League lowered his ERA to 1.35. Even more impressive is how his ERA has gone down in each of his last 14 appearances, going scoreless in 21 1/3 innings during that stretch.
So, here is something that I never, ever thought I'd say: It's time to give Brandon League a crack at being the setup man.
Hey, why not? It's not as if anyone else is getting the job done. Brian Wilson has done slightly better lately, but still sports an 8.22 ERA. Chris Perez has been lit up in recently, increasing his ERA all the way to 5.68. Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez are in Albuquerque trying to throw strikes more consistently.
J.P. Howell could be another candidate for the eighth inning, but he's more of a situational lefty, and lets a few too many men reach base. Jamey Wright has a solid 3.16 ERA, but a 1.48 WHIP isn't good at all. Paul Maholm has recently been a starter, and will fill the long relief role.
Which leaves us with the suddenly rejuvenated League, AKA Juan Uribe 2.0. It's no secret that Ned Colletti completely overpaid for him a couple years back, as he was looked at as the closer while Kenley Jansen continued to be the setup man. It flopped miserably.
Now League has found his sinker again, and appears like Don Mattingly's confidence as well. If you want a funny look at how low on the totem pole League has been for most of this year, check out his game-by-game results. In his 18 appearances, only five of them have occurred during a Dodgers' victory. The other 13 have been in a loss, which shows the mop up duty he's been performing.
Thanks to a combination of League's effectiveness and the rest of the bullpen getting rocked, Mattingly should at least give this a try. Even more encouraging is that he's thrown the most innings in relief at 26 2/3, but only has six walks. Considering the Dodgers are second in baseball with 83 free bullpen passes, he stands out even more.
If it doesn't work, then oh well. Like I said before, it's not as if anyone else has grabbed the setup role and run with it. It's been a whole lot of negativity for one reason or another. League has been a surprising success story thus far, so let's see if he can continue that in a bigger inning.
After earning his first hold of the season on Wednesday night, Brandon League lowered his ERA to 1.35. Even more impressive is how his ERA has gone down in each of his last 14 appearances, going scoreless in 21 1/3 innings during that stretch.
So, here is something that I never, ever thought I'd say: It's time to give Brandon League a crack at being the setup man.
Hey, why not? It's not as if anyone else is getting the job done. Brian Wilson has done slightly better lately, but still sports an 8.22 ERA. Chris Perez has been lit up in recently, increasing his ERA all the way to 5.68. Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez are in Albuquerque trying to throw strikes more consistently.
J.P. Howell could be another candidate for the eighth inning, but he's more of a situational lefty, and lets a few too many men reach base. Jamey Wright has a solid 3.16 ERA, but a 1.48 WHIP isn't good at all. Paul Maholm has recently been a starter, and will fill the long relief role.
Which leaves us with the suddenly rejuvenated League, AKA Juan Uribe 2.0. It's no secret that Ned Colletti completely overpaid for him a couple years back, as he was looked at as the closer while Kenley Jansen continued to be the setup man. It flopped miserably.
Now League has found his sinker again, and appears like Don Mattingly's confidence as well. If you want a funny look at how low on the totem pole League has been for most of this year, check out his game-by-game results. In his 18 appearances, only five of them have occurred during a Dodgers' victory. The other 13 have been in a loss, which shows the mop up duty he's been performing.
Thanks to a combination of League's effectiveness and the rest of the bullpen getting rocked, Mattingly should at least give this a try. Even more encouraging is that he's thrown the most innings in relief at 26 2/3, but only has six walks. Considering the Dodgers are second in baseball with 83 free bullpen passes, he stands out even more.
If it doesn't work, then oh well. Like I said before, it's not as if anyone else has grabbed the setup role and run with it. It's been a whole lot of negativity for one reason or another. League has been a surprising success story thus far, so let's see if he can continue that in a bigger inning.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Extra innings have been unkind, but why?
After another extra-innings loss on Thursday night to the Giants 3-1, the Dodgers dropped to 3-6 in such games. It's actually pretty amazing that of the 36 games played so far, nine have gone into "overtime."
So the simple question is, Why?
Here's why: the bullpen ERA is 3.92 overall, but shoots up to 5.40 after the ninth inning. The breakdown goes something like this:
Brandon League - 4 1/3 IP, 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, .333 AVG
Jamey Wright - 6 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .286 AVG
Chris Perez - 2 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .333 AVG
J.P. Howell - 2 2/3 IP, 10.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .231 AVG
Kenley Jansen - 1 2/3 IP, 10.80 ERA, 3.60 WHIP, .500 AVG
Simply put, those numbers range from a little taste of good to a whole lot of bad.
Even more surprising is the order in which this list appears. I would think if you had these five guys as your choices before the season started, you would've had it flipped completely, as there's no way anyone would think League would have a better ERA than Jansen when the pressure is on. But, that's certainly been the reality.
Look, the Dodgers just have to play better on both sides of the field if they want to breakout and stop treading water. Better pitching in extra innings is just one part of it. It's not like the offense lights it up either, as their .266 AVG is about in the middle of the pack. That's not that great, but it's better than the poor pitching at least.
Then again, the Dodgers just need to go on a 42-8 run again. That would solve plenty of problems.
So the simple question is, Why?
Here's why: the bullpen ERA is 3.92 overall, but shoots up to 5.40 after the ninth inning. The breakdown goes something like this:
Brandon League - 4 1/3 IP, 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, .333 AVG
Jamey Wright - 6 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .286 AVG
Chris Perez - 2 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .333 AVG
J.P. Howell - 2 2/3 IP, 10.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .231 AVG
Kenley Jansen - 1 2/3 IP, 10.80 ERA, 3.60 WHIP, .500 AVG
Simply put, those numbers range from a little taste of good to a whole lot of bad.
Even more surprising is the order in which this list appears. I would think if you had these five guys as your choices before the season started, you would've had it flipped completely, as there's no way anyone would think League would have a better ERA than Jansen when the pressure is on. But, that's certainly been the reality.
Look, the Dodgers just have to play better on both sides of the field if they want to breakout and stop treading water. Better pitching in extra innings is just one part of it. It's not like the offense lights it up either, as their .266 AVG is about in the middle of the pack. That's not that great, but it's better than the poor pitching at least.
Then again, the Dodgers just need to go on a 42-8 run again. That would solve plenty of problems.
Friday, April 25, 2014
The "dominant" Dodgers' bullpen... is pretty average
Oh boy. One night after Brian Wilson completely melted down against the Phillies in a 7-3 loss, getting burned for four runs and only one out in the ninth, it's time we take a look at how exactly the Dodgers' bullpen is doing.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
The overpaid guys let the Dodgers down
After about five hours and 12 innings, the Dodgers walked away from AT&T Park shaking their heads for many reasons.
The biggest one is the money they're paying a couple of guys who aren't earning anything close to their bottom dollar.
Those two guys are Andre Ethier and Brandon League, who both had chances to either get a lead or keep the game tied. Neither happened, and on Jackie Robinson Day throughout baseball, the Giants beat the Dodgers 3-2.
Let's start with Ethier (trust me, I'm anxious to get to League, but I'll hold off a few paragraphs). Ethier was 1-for-6 with a single in the fourth. That blistering night at the plate dropped his average to .213. Of his 10 hits, only one is for extra-bases (a solo home run), so his slugging is a paltry .277. Maybe worst of all, he got the start while Matt Kemp had to wait until the seventh to get into the game, something I'm sure he was just thrilled about.
Wait a minute, I was wrong. Worst of all is that Ethier is making $15.5 million this year, and is signed through 2017, and possibly 2018 because it's a vesting option. Remember when he extended for five years and $85 million, and we thought it was a good idea? It wasn't.
Needless to say, "Andre the Giant" is nowhere to be seen anymore. Two years ago he hit 20 homers and 89 RBIs, and those numbers dropped to 12 and 52 last year. I'm not sure he can even get to that this year. It's time for Don Mattingly to stop playing him so damn much. I'd rather see a guy like Scott Van Slyke start against a right-handed pitcher than Ethier. Yes, I know Van Slyke is a righty himself, but so what? Ether is hitting .243 against righties, so enough is enough. The magic in his bat is gone.
OK, now let's get to good old League. How appropriate is it that he's the one who took the loss after such a long game? Very, I'd say. This guy makes Ethier's contract look like a bargain. That's how utterly disastrous these last two years have been for him.
What pisses me off even more is what happened before the game. Brian Wilson was activated from the 15-day DL, and instead of Ned Colletti just cutting his loses with League, Paco Rodriguez is the one who gets sent down. Why? Because he has "options," meaning there's no penalty to send him to Triple-A. Wouldn't you know it, League stays and takes the loss just hours later. Typical.
The League contract is one of the worst ones in Dodgers' history. After posting some good numbers in 2011 after being traded from the Mariners, Colletti threw three years and $22.5 million to get him to stay as the closer. It's not working. He got booted early in the season last year from that role, and isn't even close to regaining it this year.
Yet here the Dodgers are, with the highest payroll in all of baseball, stubbornly keeping this guy around. Amazing. I guess they are content watching him collect $15 million this season and next, while effective relievers like Rodriguez are in Albuquerque because of the numbers game.
If I'm Colletti, I'm taking care of a couple of things. Ethier plays good defense, but his lack of pop makes him expendable, and certainly not worthy of as many starts as he gets. I'd look to move him and roll with Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Kemp, and Van Slyke in the outfield. If one of them gets hurt (or WHEN, I should say), then call up Joc Pederson.
For League, it's simple: call him in, say your good-byes, and move on.
The biggest one is the money they're paying a couple of guys who aren't earning anything close to their bottom dollar.
Those two guys are Andre Ethier and Brandon League, who both had chances to either get a lead or keep the game tied. Neither happened, and on Jackie Robinson Day throughout baseball, the Giants beat the Dodgers 3-2.
Let's start with Ethier (trust me, I'm anxious to get to League, but I'll hold off a few paragraphs). Ethier was 1-for-6 with a single in the fourth. That blistering night at the plate dropped his average to .213. Of his 10 hits, only one is for extra-bases (a solo home run), so his slugging is a paltry .277. Maybe worst of all, he got the start while Matt Kemp had to wait until the seventh to get into the game, something I'm sure he was just thrilled about.
Wait a minute, I was wrong. Worst of all is that Ethier is making $15.5 million this year, and is signed through 2017, and possibly 2018 because it's a vesting option. Remember when he extended for five years and $85 million, and we thought it was a good idea? It wasn't.
Needless to say, "Andre the Giant" is nowhere to be seen anymore. Two years ago he hit 20 homers and 89 RBIs, and those numbers dropped to 12 and 52 last year. I'm not sure he can even get to that this year. It's time for Don Mattingly to stop playing him so damn much. I'd rather see a guy like Scott Van Slyke start against a right-handed pitcher than Ethier. Yes, I know Van Slyke is a righty himself, but so what? Ether is hitting .243 against righties, so enough is enough. The magic in his bat is gone.
OK, now let's get to good old League. How appropriate is it that he's the one who took the loss after such a long game? Very, I'd say. This guy makes Ethier's contract look like a bargain. That's how utterly disastrous these last two years have been for him.
What pisses me off even more is what happened before the game. Brian Wilson was activated from the 15-day DL, and instead of Ned Colletti just cutting his loses with League, Paco Rodriguez is the one who gets sent down. Why? Because he has "options," meaning there's no penalty to send him to Triple-A. Wouldn't you know it, League stays and takes the loss just hours later. Typical.
The League contract is one of the worst ones in Dodgers' history. After posting some good numbers in 2011 after being traded from the Mariners, Colletti threw three years and $22.5 million to get him to stay as the closer. It's not working. He got booted early in the season last year from that role, and isn't even close to regaining it this year.
Yet here the Dodgers are, with the highest payroll in all of baseball, stubbornly keeping this guy around. Amazing. I guess they are content watching him collect $15 million this season and next, while effective relievers like Rodriguez are in Albuquerque because of the numbers game.
If I'm Colletti, I'm taking care of a couple of things. Ethier plays good defense, but his lack of pop makes him expendable, and certainly not worthy of as many starts as he gets. I'd look to move him and roll with Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Kemp, and Van Slyke in the outfield. If one of them gets hurt (or WHEN, I should say), then call up Joc Pederson.
For League, it's simple: call him in, say your good-byes, and move on.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Taking a look at the loaded Dodgers' bullpen
If you're a Dodger fan looking for quality arms, then Christmas was very kind. Ned Colletti announced the signings of Chris Perez, Jamey Wright, and J.P. Howell on Tuesday, giving the Dodgers one of the deepest, and hopefully best, bullpens in all of baseball.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Dodgers by the numbers
I haven't done this in awhile, but it's always fun to look at exactly where the boys in blue rank in certain categories. Today I'll focus on the bullpen, which has been a huge part of turning things around.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
I guess this is why the Dodgers want to trade for pitching
There's really only one way to sum up Friday night's 16-1 shellacking to the Phillies: it sucked.
End of story.
It was the worst home loss the Dodgers suffered since moving from Brooklyn, if you want to look further into it. Chris Capuano was absolutely horrific, and the bullpen of Peter Moylan, Matt Guerrier, and Brandon League were just atrocious.
Oh, Skip Schumaker pitched a scoreless ninth. That might be the most embarrassing stat of the night.
For those of you wondering why the Dodgers would be linked to a guy like Ricky Nolasco of the Marlins, this is it. I wrote the other day about how the Dodgers were getting good production from the back end of their rotation during this recent six-game winning streak. Well, you can throw that out the window after Friday. It's hard to imagine Capuano being much worse.
Nolasco seems to be the biggest name out there so far, at least well before the trade deadline at the end of July starts sparking new names. He's the type of guy who certainly has the potential, but is notorious for not living up to those projections. And guess what? He was hit around by the Padres at home before the Dodgers took the field on Friday, giving up five runs and 11 hits in five innings. Not exactly the type of start that encourages Dodger fans.
Still, would making a move for Nolasco be worth it? There's understandable concern that Capuano, Stephen Fife, and Ted Lilly are not the answers down the stretch. I like the way Fife has looked lately, so perhaps he'll be fine, but I can see why management wants an upgrade to solidify the fourth and fifth rotation spots.
This season, Nolasco is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 83 K's in 103 1/3 innings. Those numbers aren't bad, but he's in a rough patch right now. He was only 1-4 in May, but with a 3.57 ERA. In five June starts, he's fallen back at 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA. One step forward, one step back.
Money is no object for the Dodgers anymore, so they can easily cover the remaining $6 million left on Nolasco's deal. When it comes to players with big money owed, you can automatically link the Dodgers to them after the Red Sox trade from last year. So that gives them an edge over teams reluctant to take on all that money.
Before Friday's game, I would have said that the Dodgers should steer clear of him. But Capuano was so bad and so discouraging, I'm completely rethinking that stance. I can't imagine the Dodgers would have to give up much to get him as long as they take his contract, so no major players would be on the move to Miami. Maybe Nolasco is one of those "change of scenery" type of players where getting away can only help. Rick Honeycutt has had success with all sorts of different pitchers, so I'd like to see what he can do with Nolasco.
As for the bullpen, I haven't seen any specific names linked to them, but that will change soon. There's no way they can feel confident about winning anytime they give the ball to guys like League, Moylan, and Guerrier. Ditto for Ronald Belisario. The only ones they feel good about are Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, and Paco Rodriguez. As much as Don Mattingly would like to, he can't put them in there EVERY game.
End of story.
It was the worst home loss the Dodgers suffered since moving from Brooklyn, if you want to look further into it. Chris Capuano was absolutely horrific, and the bullpen of Peter Moylan, Matt Guerrier, and Brandon League were just atrocious.
Oh, Skip Schumaker pitched a scoreless ninth. That might be the most embarrassing stat of the night.
For those of you wondering why the Dodgers would be linked to a guy like Ricky Nolasco of the Marlins, this is it. I wrote the other day about how the Dodgers were getting good production from the back end of their rotation during this recent six-game winning streak. Well, you can throw that out the window after Friday. It's hard to imagine Capuano being much worse.
Nolasco seems to be the biggest name out there so far, at least well before the trade deadline at the end of July starts sparking new names. He's the type of guy who certainly has the potential, but is notorious for not living up to those projections. And guess what? He was hit around by the Padres at home before the Dodgers took the field on Friday, giving up five runs and 11 hits in five innings. Not exactly the type of start that encourages Dodger fans.
Still, would making a move for Nolasco be worth it? There's understandable concern that Capuano, Stephen Fife, and Ted Lilly are not the answers down the stretch. I like the way Fife has looked lately, so perhaps he'll be fine, but I can see why management wants an upgrade to solidify the fourth and fifth rotation spots.
This season, Nolasco is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 83 K's in 103 1/3 innings. Those numbers aren't bad, but he's in a rough patch right now. He was only 1-4 in May, but with a 3.57 ERA. In five June starts, he's fallen back at 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA. One step forward, one step back.
Money is no object for the Dodgers anymore, so they can easily cover the remaining $6 million left on Nolasco's deal. When it comes to players with big money owed, you can automatically link the Dodgers to them after the Red Sox trade from last year. So that gives them an edge over teams reluctant to take on all that money.
Before Friday's game, I would have said that the Dodgers should steer clear of him. But Capuano was so bad and so discouraging, I'm completely rethinking that stance. I can't imagine the Dodgers would have to give up much to get him as long as they take his contract, so no major players would be on the move to Miami. Maybe Nolasco is one of those "change of scenery" type of players where getting away can only help. Rick Honeycutt has had success with all sorts of different pitchers, so I'd like to see what he can do with Nolasco.
As for the bullpen, I haven't seen any specific names linked to them, but that will change soon. There's no way they can feel confident about winning anytime they give the ball to guys like League, Moylan, and Guerrier. Ditto for Ronald Belisario. The only ones they feel good about are Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, and Paco Rodriguez. As much as Don Mattingly would like to, he can't put them in there EVERY game.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
What's wrong with the Dodgers? Start with the bullpen
After the Dodgers blew a lead for the second consecutive game, this time resulting in a loss to the Rockies on Saturday, Don Mattingly is once again searching for answers. If the middle relief does well, the closer stinks. If the middle relief stinks, the closer doesn't get a chance. It's been that ugly.
Let's take a look at some key stats for the team and individually for the 'pen.
Team Bullpen Stats:
ERA: 4.24 (23rd)
Losses: 14 (1st)
Saves: 14 (14th)
Blown Saves: 11 (tied for 2nd)
Save %: 56 (27th)
Earned Runs: 75 (tied for 8th)
Batting Average Against: .262 (26th)
It's hard to put any sort of positive spin on these numbers. The loses could be inflated a bit because the offense doesn't score enough runs. But still, a 56% save percentage is really bad.
Brandon League
20 1/3 IP, 1-2, 5.31 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 11 SV, 3 BS, 10 K
Things have gotten a little worse and worse for League, as he continues to give shaky performances when they count the most in the ninth. He's certainly not blowing anyone away, which suggests that he'll have a tough time turning things around. I just don't see him as a reliable closer anymore, which is a shame considering he was signed for three years before the season. I'm guessing Ned Colletti would like to take that contract back.
Kenley Jansen
26 2/3 IP, 1-3, 3.04 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2 SV, 1 BS, 11 HLD (Holds), 37 K
While Jansen may not be quite as dominant as previous seasons, it's hard to ask him to continually match that success. He still has nearly 12.5 K/9, which is outstanding. I still wish he had another pitch other than a cut fastball, but at this point, it's time he gets save opportunities.
Ronald Belisario
27 1/3 IP, 3-4, 3.62 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 1 SV, 3 BS, 5 HLD, 21 K
Belisario emerged last year as a very good reliever, but once again has fallen off. This has been his MO during his career: one good year, then one bad. His ERA is pretty high, but his WHIP is very high, which obviously means way too many baserunners allowed. He shouldn't be handed the ball late in the game with a lead anymore. You never know what you're going to get with him.
J.P. Howell
24 1/3 IP, 1-0, 2.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 0 SV, 0 BS, 3 HLD, 23 K
I know Howell is looked at as more of a situational left-handed pitcher, but that needs to change. Think about it - would you rather see Howell pitch late, or Belisario or Matt Guerrier? Exactly. Howell doesn't allow many baserunners and has a good strikeout rate. That's a great sign.
Matt Guerrier
20 2/3 IP, 1-2, 3.92 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 0 SV, 1 BS, 3 HLD, 10 K
Much like League, here's another guy with a three-year deal who has underwhelmed, to say the least. His numbers are just OK. He'll look good one day, then bad the next. A good way to sum him up is Saturday's game. He relieved with one out in he 10th, got the next batter with ease, then three straight hits led to the a Dodgers' loss. I trust him a little more than Belisario, but that's not saying much.
Paco Rodriguez
18 2/3 IP, 1-2, 2.89 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 0 SV, 2 BS, 7 HLD, 20 K
Not only are Paco's numbers very good, but they've only gotten better as the season has progressed. After posting a 4.32 ERA in April, he lowered it to 1.93 in May. He knows how to strike people out, and opponents are only hitting .133 against him. Like Howell, I'd like to see him get the ball later in the game, as he's earned the opportunity.
To sum it all up, here's how I would like to see the pecking order in the bullpen:
Closer: Jansen
Setup: Howell, Rodriguez
Middle Relief: League, Belisario, Guerrier
The wild card in all of this is Peter Moylan, a righty who pitched sparingly with the Braves the last couple of seasons. He was once one of their most reliable relievers, gathering 25 and 21 holds in 2009 and 2010, respectively. If Mattingly insists on using a righty in the eighth, why not give him a shot? Better than watching guys like League, Belisario, and Guerrier flop again.
Let's take a look at some key stats for the team and individually for the 'pen.
Team Bullpen Stats:
ERA: 4.24 (23rd)
Losses: 14 (1st)
Saves: 14 (14th)
Blown Saves: 11 (tied for 2nd)
Save %: 56 (27th)
Earned Runs: 75 (tied for 8th)
Batting Average Against: .262 (26th)
It's hard to put any sort of positive spin on these numbers. The loses could be inflated a bit because the offense doesn't score enough runs. But still, a 56% save percentage is really bad.
Brandon League
20 1/3 IP, 1-2, 5.31 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 11 SV, 3 BS, 10 K
Things have gotten a little worse and worse for League, as he continues to give shaky performances when they count the most in the ninth. He's certainly not blowing anyone away, which suggests that he'll have a tough time turning things around. I just don't see him as a reliable closer anymore, which is a shame considering he was signed for three years before the season. I'm guessing Ned Colletti would like to take that contract back.
Kenley Jansen
26 2/3 IP, 1-3, 3.04 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2 SV, 1 BS, 11 HLD (Holds), 37 K
While Jansen may not be quite as dominant as previous seasons, it's hard to ask him to continually match that success. He still has nearly 12.5 K/9, which is outstanding. I still wish he had another pitch other than a cut fastball, but at this point, it's time he gets save opportunities.
Ronald Belisario
27 1/3 IP, 3-4, 3.62 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 1 SV, 3 BS, 5 HLD, 21 K
Belisario emerged last year as a very good reliever, but once again has fallen off. This has been his MO during his career: one good year, then one bad. His ERA is pretty high, but his WHIP is very high, which obviously means way too many baserunners allowed. He shouldn't be handed the ball late in the game with a lead anymore. You never know what you're going to get with him.
J.P. Howell
24 1/3 IP, 1-0, 2.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 0 SV, 0 BS, 3 HLD, 23 K
I know Howell is looked at as more of a situational left-handed pitcher, but that needs to change. Think about it - would you rather see Howell pitch late, or Belisario or Matt Guerrier? Exactly. Howell doesn't allow many baserunners and has a good strikeout rate. That's a great sign.
Matt Guerrier
20 2/3 IP, 1-2, 3.92 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 0 SV, 1 BS, 3 HLD, 10 K
Much like League, here's another guy with a three-year deal who has underwhelmed, to say the least. His numbers are just OK. He'll look good one day, then bad the next. A good way to sum him up is Saturday's game. He relieved with one out in he 10th, got the next batter with ease, then three straight hits led to the a Dodgers' loss. I trust him a little more than Belisario, but that's not saying much.
Paco Rodriguez
18 2/3 IP, 1-2, 2.89 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 0 SV, 2 BS, 7 HLD, 20 K
Not only are Paco's numbers very good, but they've only gotten better as the season has progressed. After posting a 4.32 ERA in April, he lowered it to 1.93 in May. He knows how to strike people out, and opponents are only hitting .133 against him. Like Howell, I'd like to see him get the ball later in the game, as he's earned the opportunity.
To sum it all up, here's how I would like to see the pecking order in the bullpen:
Closer: Jansen
Setup: Howell, Rodriguez
Middle Relief: League, Belisario, Guerrier
The wild card in all of this is Peter Moylan, a righty who pitched sparingly with the Braves the last couple of seasons. He was once one of their most reliable relievers, gathering 25 and 21 holds in 2009 and 2010, respectively. If Mattingly insists on using a righty in the eighth, why not give him a shot? Better than watching guys like League, Belisario, and Guerrier flop again.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
5 ideas to fix the Dodgers
The Dodgers are terrible.
We all know that, and we all see it every night. They're banged up, can't drive in runs, can't close out games late, and make plenty of mental errors. A $200+ million payroll doesn't fix any of that.
So how can things be fixed? It won't be easy, it won't be quick, but here are five ideas I have for turning things around. Some might be radical, but so what? It's not like this team is going anywhere at this current rate anyway, so why not try some new things?
1. Demote Brandon League and put Kenley Jansen back in the closer's role. League has been absolutely embarrassing as of late. He's given up runs in five of his last six appearances, and seven of 10. He's been charged with the loss his last two appearances, and his ERA has risen from 4.09 to 5.40. Hardly the numbers of a closer.
I know League signed a big contract for a reliever this past offseason (three years, $22.5 million), but that can't be the reason to keep running him out there late in games just to watch him flop. Kenley Jansen is by far the best option right now. When you're looking at a closer, you want him to strike people out. Well, League's K/9 is a paltry 4.73, while Jansen's is 11.12. There is no comparison. Jansen is certainly not flawed, as he basically just throws a cut fastball over and over. But when it's on, he's unhittable. Make the switch, get League some work in the middle innings, and don't look back.
2. Promote Yasiel Puig. He's the most exciting thing not named Clayton Kershaw the Dodgers have right now. And he hasn't even played Triple-A ball yet. And you know what - Who cares? He made a huge splash in Spring Training and was the talk of the baseball world. I did not blame the Dodgers one bit for sending him down to get him seasoning. The only thing I said at the time was that he needed to be on standby in case the offense sputters. Uh, the offense is sputtering.
There are understandably concerns with his maturity, as he was recently busted for reckless driving. He's only 22 and obviously has plenty of growing up to do. And guess what I say to all of that once again - Who cares? The Dodgers need offense, they need some excitement, and he's just the guy to bring it. Let the kid play, and buy him a damn chauffeur for all I care. Just get him to Dodger Stadium and fast.
3. Trade Andre Ethier. Speaking of calling up Puig, it would have to be Ethier who is let go. Look, Ethier has had lots of great moments in Dodger blue, as he was at one point the walk-off king, earning the nickname "Andre the Giant."
And now? A .243 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBIs. Not horrible, but certainly not good either. He still can't hit lefties with a .250 AVG, but now he can't hit righties either (.239). At home he's hitting .218. With runners in scoring position, it's .161. The bottom line is that I just don't see any pop in his bat anymore. He can hit singles, but that's about it. The days of his clutch hitting are done. Because he's only 31, there's still time to trade him before he gets out of his "prime." I have to believe some teams would pounce on him, believing that a change of scenery would do the trick. If I'm Ned Colletti, I'm making it happen. Everyone deserves a change here.
4. Demote or DFA Luis Cruz and Justin Sellers. To be honest, I couldn't possibly care less what happens with these two. They have had some of the most atrocious trips to the plate I can ever remember. Cruz is hitting .091 with 2 RBIs in 66 ABs. Sellers is hitting .191 with 2 RBIs in 68 ABs. That's pathetic!
Yet, because of injuries and way too much patience, there they are being run out there almost every night. They are clearly not Major League-level players. Clearly. Down in Triple-A Albuquerque there's guys like Alfredo Amezaga, Brian Barden, and Rusty Ryal playing infield positions other than first base. Dee Gordon and Elian Herrera are already up because of injuries. Do I have much confidence in any of them? No. But at least it would be better than watching Cruz and Sellers stink up the joint game after game. Enough is enough!
5. Move Kemp out of the #3 spot in the order. The Dodgers' leader in home runs right now is Carl Crawford with five. Kemp has one, which is the same as Sellers and Nick Punto. Um, not good.
The Dodgers simply can't afford to keep watching Kemp fail over and over to make an impact in the three-spot. How many times already have we seen him in a spot to deliver a big hit, only to ground out? I can appreciate Don Mattingly having faith in his boy, but the Dodgers need to score runs! It's not about riding out a slump while others hit because so many others aren't hitting, too. I would move him down to #5 for now until he proves he can consistently hit again.
Crawford's numbers have cooled off lately, but he's still hitting .304 and is a career .291 hitter as the third hitter. He's definitely an option to move into that spot. Adrian Gonzalez is an option as well since he's hitting .340, though I like him in the cleanup spot better. Either way, it's time to fix the lineup instead of hoping it'll fix itself. It's not going to happen.
We all know that, and we all see it every night. They're banged up, can't drive in runs, can't close out games late, and make plenty of mental errors. A $200+ million payroll doesn't fix any of that.
So how can things be fixed? It won't be easy, it won't be quick, but here are five ideas I have for turning things around. Some might be radical, but so what? It's not like this team is going anywhere at this current rate anyway, so why not try some new things?
1. Demote Brandon League and put Kenley Jansen back in the closer's role. League has been absolutely embarrassing as of late. He's given up runs in five of his last six appearances, and seven of 10. He's been charged with the loss his last two appearances, and his ERA has risen from 4.09 to 5.40. Hardly the numbers of a closer.
I know League signed a big contract for a reliever this past offseason (three years, $22.5 million), but that can't be the reason to keep running him out there late in games just to watch him flop. Kenley Jansen is by far the best option right now. When you're looking at a closer, you want him to strike people out. Well, League's K/9 is a paltry 4.73, while Jansen's is 11.12. There is no comparison. Jansen is certainly not flawed, as he basically just throws a cut fastball over and over. But when it's on, he's unhittable. Make the switch, get League some work in the middle innings, and don't look back.
2. Promote Yasiel Puig. He's the most exciting thing not named Clayton Kershaw the Dodgers have right now. And he hasn't even played Triple-A ball yet. And you know what - Who cares? He made a huge splash in Spring Training and was the talk of the baseball world. I did not blame the Dodgers one bit for sending him down to get him seasoning. The only thing I said at the time was that he needed to be on standby in case the offense sputters. Uh, the offense is sputtering.
There are understandably concerns with his maturity, as he was recently busted for reckless driving. He's only 22 and obviously has plenty of growing up to do. And guess what I say to all of that once again - Who cares? The Dodgers need offense, they need some excitement, and he's just the guy to bring it. Let the kid play, and buy him a damn chauffeur for all I care. Just get him to Dodger Stadium and fast.
3. Trade Andre Ethier. Speaking of calling up Puig, it would have to be Ethier who is let go. Look, Ethier has had lots of great moments in Dodger blue, as he was at one point the walk-off king, earning the nickname "Andre the Giant."
And now? A .243 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBIs. Not horrible, but certainly not good either. He still can't hit lefties with a .250 AVG, but now he can't hit righties either (.239). At home he's hitting .218. With runners in scoring position, it's .161. The bottom line is that I just don't see any pop in his bat anymore. He can hit singles, but that's about it. The days of his clutch hitting are done. Because he's only 31, there's still time to trade him before he gets out of his "prime." I have to believe some teams would pounce on him, believing that a change of scenery would do the trick. If I'm Ned Colletti, I'm making it happen. Everyone deserves a change here.
4. Demote or DFA Luis Cruz and Justin Sellers. To be honest, I couldn't possibly care less what happens with these two. They have had some of the most atrocious trips to the plate I can ever remember. Cruz is hitting .091 with 2 RBIs in 66 ABs. Sellers is hitting .191 with 2 RBIs in 68 ABs. That's pathetic!
Yet, because of injuries and way too much patience, there they are being run out there almost every night. They are clearly not Major League-level players. Clearly. Down in Triple-A Albuquerque there's guys like Alfredo Amezaga, Brian Barden, and Rusty Ryal playing infield positions other than first base. Dee Gordon and Elian Herrera are already up because of injuries. Do I have much confidence in any of them? No. But at least it would be better than watching Cruz and Sellers stink up the joint game after game. Enough is enough!
5. Move Kemp out of the #3 spot in the order. The Dodgers' leader in home runs right now is Carl Crawford with five. Kemp has one, which is the same as Sellers and Nick Punto. Um, not good.
The Dodgers simply can't afford to keep watching Kemp fail over and over to make an impact in the three-spot. How many times already have we seen him in a spot to deliver a big hit, only to ground out? I can appreciate Don Mattingly having faith in his boy, but the Dodgers need to score runs! It's not about riding out a slump while others hit because so many others aren't hitting, too. I would move him down to #5 for now until he proves he can consistently hit again.
Crawford's numbers have cooled off lately, but he's still hitting .304 and is a career .291 hitter as the third hitter. He's definitely an option to move into that spot. Adrian Gonzalez is an option as well since he's hitting .340, though I like him in the cleanup spot better. Either way, it's time to fix the lineup instead of hoping it'll fix itself. It's not going to happen.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
At this rate, it's going to be a long year with this bullpen
Matt Magill had everything going for him on Saturday night. The emergency starter who arrived at Dodger Stadium all of a few hours before the game went 6 1/3 innings for four hits, two runs, two walks, and seven strikeouts. He left in the seventh with a 3-2 lead and in line for a win.
Did he get that win? Nope. Thank you, bullpen.
Paco Rodriguez gave up a single to his only batter, Matt Guerrier was atrocious in giving up a couple of two-run homers, and the Brewers once again exposed that horrible bullpen in getting a 6-4 victory.
If you're a Dodger fan, you're both frustrated and not at all surprised by this. Plus you're probably mad at Don Mattingly for pulling Magill in the first place. I know Magill was over 100 pitches, but the last batter he faced was a strikeout of Jean Segura, then Rodriguez and Guerrier completely blew all that hard work. That damn pitch count excuse... UGH.
Here are some interesting numbers for the bullpen this season:
ERA: 4.41 (24th)
WHIP: 1.39 (26th)
ER: 32 (10th highest)
BB: 31 (8th highest)
Plus, you can factor in they have 65 1/3 innings pitched, which is only 25th in the majors. So it's not like numbers such as earned runs and walks are inflated because they pitch much more than other teams. It's actually just the opposite.
It's hard to like much of anything about this group. Kenley Jansen has a 1.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 innings, so he's been good. Brandon League is 7-8 in saves, but his ERA is high at 4.50. Ronald Belisario has a 3.09 ERA, but a high WHIP at 1.46.
Everybody else has been flat out horrendous. Here are the ERAs for the rest of this crew: Paco Rodriguez (4.93), Matt Guerrier (5.40), J.P. Howell (5.40), Josh Wall (12.60). Shawn Tolleson doesn't have an ERA, but he walked the only two batters he's faced. So his WHIP is infinity!
Considering that Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, and Stephen Fife are all on the DL, this problem is magnified even more. And Saturday night was the perfect example that even when a starter is effective and goes pretty deep into the game, the late innings are a huge advantage for the opposing team.
You want another interesting stat? Over the last seven days, the Dodgers are fourth in the majors (first the NL) in runs scored at 37. Yes, seriously. They've actually been pushing runs across the plate, but then guys like Guerrier and Rodriguez completely flush it down the toilet. It's hard to watch.
At this point, the Dodgers have to be thinking about making some moves to improve this unit. How much longer can they accept watching most of these guys stumble late in the game? For a team with an astronomical payroll and expectations, patience has to be very thin. And rightfully so.
Did he get that win? Nope. Thank you, bullpen.
Paco Rodriguez gave up a single to his only batter, Matt Guerrier was atrocious in giving up a couple of two-run homers, and the Brewers once again exposed that horrible bullpen in getting a 6-4 victory.
If you're a Dodger fan, you're both frustrated and not at all surprised by this. Plus you're probably mad at Don Mattingly for pulling Magill in the first place. I know Magill was over 100 pitches, but the last batter he faced was a strikeout of Jean Segura, then Rodriguez and Guerrier completely blew all that hard work. That damn pitch count excuse... UGH.
Here are some interesting numbers for the bullpen this season:
ERA: 4.41 (24th)
WHIP: 1.39 (26th)
ER: 32 (10th highest)
BB: 31 (8th highest)
Plus, you can factor in they have 65 1/3 innings pitched, which is only 25th in the majors. So it's not like numbers such as earned runs and walks are inflated because they pitch much more than other teams. It's actually just the opposite.
It's hard to like much of anything about this group. Kenley Jansen has a 1.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 innings, so he's been good. Brandon League is 7-8 in saves, but his ERA is high at 4.50. Ronald Belisario has a 3.09 ERA, but a high WHIP at 1.46.
Everybody else has been flat out horrendous. Here are the ERAs for the rest of this crew: Paco Rodriguez (4.93), Matt Guerrier (5.40), J.P. Howell (5.40), Josh Wall (12.60). Shawn Tolleson doesn't have an ERA, but he walked the only two batters he's faced. So his WHIP is infinity!
Considering that Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, and Stephen Fife are all on the DL, this problem is magnified even more. And Saturday night was the perfect example that even when a starter is effective and goes pretty deep into the game, the late innings are a huge advantage for the opposing team.
You want another interesting stat? Over the last seven days, the Dodgers are fourth in the majors (first the NL) in runs scored at 37. Yes, seriously. They've actually been pushing runs across the plate, but then guys like Guerrier and Rodriguez completely flush it down the toilet. It's hard to watch.
At this point, the Dodgers have to be thinking about making some moves to improve this unit. How much longer can they accept watching most of these guys stumble late in the game? For a team with an astronomical payroll and expectations, patience has to be very thin. And rightfully so.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
League inks 3-year deal to assume closing duties
Brandon League was given two things on Tuesday: a fresh three-year contract, and the key to the closer's role in LA.
Despite Kenley Jansen saving 25 games and seemingly healthy going into Spring Training after recent heart surgery, Ned Colletti made it all crystal clear - League not only will stay with the Dodgers, he will enter 2013 as the closer.
Citing a "thin" market for closers this winter, Colletti wasted no time in drawing up a contract for League. In breaking it all down, the deal covers three years and $22.5 million. According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, 2016 will be a vesting option for $7.5 million, which will only vest if he finishes 55 games in 2015.
League was one of many names brought in around the trade deadline this past season, as he became expendable in Seattle after blowing six saves and only converting nine. It's a good thing the Dodgers did get him, as after a few growing pains, he took over when Jansen went down with more heart problems.
The result? 6-6 in save opportunities, and scoreless in 20 of his last 21 appearances. Overall, his LA run ended with a 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and .183 BAA in 28 games.
It's not hard to see why Colletti and the Dodgers wanted him back, as a trio of Ronald Belisario, Jansen, and League is pretty nasty at the back end of games. Jansen has already commented how much better he feels after surgery, so if he somehow gets even better, that's as good a setup-closer combo in baseball.
Even though League is called the closer right now, we all know how things can change in the heat of a season. Look no further than this past season, as Javy Guerra was quickly bounced after one month of shaky relief. I don't care what anybody is saying now - if League stumbles, then Don Mattingly won't hesitate to flip-flop him with Jansen. That's the uncertainly of the life of a closer.
This move is important for another reason, and that's the overall health of the 'pen. Jansen, Belisario, Guerra, Matt Guerrier, and Scott Elbert have all battled some sort of ailment in recent times. If anything, a reliable guy like League goes a long way. Then again, the Dodgers also thought Guerrier was dependable, and he pitched in whopping 16 games this year after pitching to a 4.07 ERA in 70 games the year before. So, nothing is guaranteed.
Even though we all saw the Dodgers make a million moves during the 2012 season, you have to think they are still only getting started in the Hot Stove season. I think it's a great first move, as the end of the game is strengthened. Now it's time to look at the beginning and middle.
Despite Kenley Jansen saving 25 games and seemingly healthy going into Spring Training after recent heart surgery, Ned Colletti made it all crystal clear - League not only will stay with the Dodgers, he will enter 2013 as the closer.
Citing a "thin" market for closers this winter, Colletti wasted no time in drawing up a contract for League. In breaking it all down, the deal covers three years and $22.5 million. According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, 2016 will be a vesting option for $7.5 million, which will only vest if he finishes 55 games in 2015.
League was one of many names brought in around the trade deadline this past season, as he became expendable in Seattle after blowing six saves and only converting nine. It's a good thing the Dodgers did get him, as after a few growing pains, he took over when Jansen went down with more heart problems.
The result? 6-6 in save opportunities, and scoreless in 20 of his last 21 appearances. Overall, his LA run ended with a 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and .183 BAA in 28 games.
It's not hard to see why Colletti and the Dodgers wanted him back, as a trio of Ronald Belisario, Jansen, and League is pretty nasty at the back end of games. Jansen has already commented how much better he feels after surgery, so if he somehow gets even better, that's as good a setup-closer combo in baseball.
Even though League is called the closer right now, we all know how things can change in the heat of a season. Look no further than this past season, as Javy Guerra was quickly bounced after one month of shaky relief. I don't care what anybody is saying now - if League stumbles, then Don Mattingly won't hesitate to flip-flop him with Jansen. That's the uncertainly of the life of a closer.
This move is important for another reason, and that's the overall health of the 'pen. Jansen, Belisario, Guerra, Matt Guerrier, and Scott Elbert have all battled some sort of ailment in recent times. If anything, a reliable guy like League goes a long way. Then again, the Dodgers also thought Guerrier was dependable, and he pitched in whopping 16 games this year after pitching to a 4.07 ERA in 70 games the year before. So, nothing is guaranteed.
Even though we all saw the Dodgers make a million moves during the 2012 season, you have to think they are still only getting started in the Hot Stove season. I think it's a great first move, as the end of the game is strengthened. Now it's time to look at the beginning and middle.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Dodgers add League to boost their bullpen
The Dodgers have had their bullpen issues as of late, struggling to hold leads during their last roadtrip.
In response to that, Ned Colletti has swung a deal to acquire former All-Star closer Brandon League from the Mariners. In return, the Dodgers gave up minor league outfielder Leon Landry and pitcher Logan Bawcom.
League is now with his third team after spending the first part of his career with the Blue Jays starting in 2004, then moving onto the Mariners the last three seasons. His best season was clearly last year, when he converted 37 of 42 save opportunities with a 2.79 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Those numbers earned him his only All-Star berth.
This season, however, has been different. He was doing pretty well through April, going 6-8 in saves with a 2.77 ERA. May was awful, as two more blown saves that month along with a 6.48 ERA saw him being demoted from the closer's role. He hasn't had a save since then.
To his credit, he's actually settled down quite nicely since losing the ninth inning spot. His ERA after his last appearance as closer was 4.43, and now it's 3.63. Take away his last appearance in which he gave up three runs and only recorded one out against the Royals, and his ERA is 3.05. So there has been positive steps taken by him.
Colletti has said that they actually tried to acquire him last year and during the winter, but he wasn't available. His struggles this year have changed all of that.
I like this move for a couple of reasons. One, the Dodgers clearly need better options late in games. Ronald Belisario for awhile looked like the perfect setup man, with an ERA as low as 0.95 on July 5. Since then, he's given up runs in 6 of his last 10 stints on the mound, upping his ERA to 3.03. He just isn't the same pitcher anymore.
The other reason is because League has shown solid improvement these last two months. Like I discussed before, he seemed to accept his demotion positively, as his numbers have only gotten better. That's the kind of pitcher the Dodgers need right now.
Barring anymore deals, the bullpen looks like this: Jamey Wright, Josh Lindblom, Javy Guerra, Randy Choate, Belisario, League, and Kenley Jansen. Scott Elbert is currently on the DL, and Lindblom looks to be involved in a possible deal for Shane Victorino. So, there's still moves that could happen.
Stay turned all day Tuesday, as the Dodgers don't look to be done with the trade deadline at 4 P.M. Eastern.
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