For the second straight time at home, the Dodgers swept the Padres in a three-game series, as they won Wednesday afternoon's game, 4-2. The win also gets the Dodgers to within five games of .500, which seemed almost incomprehensible not very long ago.
The Dodgers got things going in the first. Justin Sellers got another start in the leadoff spot, and he responded with a single. Tony Gwynn also singled as runners were on the corners. Matt Kemp, Mr. Everything for the Dodgers this year, lined an RBI single to left, and it was 1-0. That makes 102 for the season, tied for Prince Fielder for tops in the National League.
In the second, the Padres got that run right back. It could have been worse, as Alberto Gonzalez singled with one out, but was gunned down by Kemp trying to stretch to second. With two outs, Ted Lilly issued walks to Aaron Cunningham and Rob Johnson. Wade LeBlanc found a soft spot in the outfield with a bloop RBI single to tie it up.
The tie would not last long, as the Dodgers played a bit of longball to grab the lead again. James Loney walked leading off, which is something that has just killed the Padres this series. Rod Barajas hit a high fly ball off the foul pole in left for a two-run shot and 3-1 advantage. It was his 15th shot of the season.
Lilly again walked a pair in the third, but this time escaped unharmed thanks to some great defense. With Kyle Blanks on first and Jesus Guzman on third, Orlando Hudson grounded one to Loney. Loney stepped on first for the out, then fired home to get Guzman in a rundown in which he was easily tagged out going back to third. Great play by Loney.
Speaking of Loney, he added to the lead in the fourth. Casey Blake started it with a ground rule double to left. Loney has played like he's been reborn lately, and his RBI single to right made it 4-1. He couldn't get any further because Eugenio Valez shockingly forced him at second on a grounder.
The Padres looked to make a move in the sixth. Guzman singled leading off and was forced at second on Kyle Blanks's grounder. Hudson struck out as Blanks stole second with two outs. Gonzalez then stroked an RBI double to make it 4-2, and went to third on a bad throw back in by Gwynn.
Josh Lindblom just got recalled when Matt Guerrier was placed on the paternity list as his wife is expecting a baby. Lindblom took over for Lilly to get the last out, and he indeed did by striking out Cunningham.
Don Mattingly got some use out of his bullpen the rest of the way, as they held up the two-run lead. Lindblom got an out in the seventh before walking Andy Parrino. Scott Elbert entered and struck out Will Venable. Mike MacDougal then came on to face Lance Forsythe, and he flew out to center for the final out.
MacDougal stayed on to pitch the eighth, and he got through it by only allowing a single to Guzman, who was 3-for-3 with a walk and stolen base. Javy Guerra was given the ball for another save opportunity, and despite a two-out walk to Parrino, got Venable to tap back to him to end the game. That's 13 saves in 14 chances for a 2.08 ERA.
Even though the Padres have been on a destination to nowhere all season long, it was good to see the Dodgers finish this series off with another win. The biggest difference in the Dodgers lately has been that they've played with more energy. It's obvious on both sides of the field that they don't want to finish as cellar dwellers.
There's no doubt that Kemp has led the way, as he continues to show why he's a strong MVP candidate. But there's also guys like Sellers showing his speed and glove, Barajas hitting homers, and Loney finally matching his offense with his defense. That's not even mentioning Andre Ethier's resurgence and Aaron Miles's leadership, as both sat this one out, though Ethier did collect a single pinch-hitting.
The bottom line to all of this is that the reason the Dodgers finished August at a strong 17-11 is because multiple people are chipping in. They could easily sulk and just throw in the towel, but if they can continue playing good ball, they will show the rest of the league why they can be a contender next year. And maybe, just maybe, there can be more talk about happenings on the field instead of always what happens off.
With the homestand over, the Dodgers travel to Pittsburgh for a makeup game. Dana Eveland has been called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to make the start. It's a great opportunity for him to audition for more down the road, as Nathan Eovaldi will be moving to the bullpen after starting on Saturday.
Showing posts with label Padilla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Padilla. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Ethier powers up in sweeping the Padres
The Dodgers have most certainly not had a first half to remember in the 2011 season. From off-field distractions (that whole bankruptcy thing) to injuries and ineffectiveness on the field, it's not a surprise that they're 41-51 heading into the All-Star break.
For all of these reasons alone, it's refreshing to finally write something positive right now. Led by Andre Ethier's two solo blasts, the Dodgers finished off a three-game sweep of the Padres with a Sunday afternoon win, 4-1. That makes four straight and a 4-3 homestand.
Both teams got on the board in the third. Catcher Rob Johnson led off the inning with a solo home run to left off of Ted Lilly for the game's first run. Chris Denorfia singled and Chase Headley walked, but Lilly got Ryan Ludwick to ground into a fielder's choice to end it.
The Dodgers fought right back. Not that they needed to do much fighting, because Tim Stauffer walked the bases loaded without an out. With Tony Gwynn on third, Rafael Furcal on second, and Ethier on first, Matt Kemp hit a hard grounder that Headley made a diving stop on. Without a play near him, he inexplicably fired wide of home. Gwynn would have scored anyway, and Raffy sped home also to make it 2-1.
Still with nobody out, James Loney grounded one to first that Anthony Rizzo fired to home to nail Ethier. Juan Uribe's double play ball kept it only a one-run game.
From this point on, it was all about Ethier. He was recently named an All-Star replacement for the injured Shane Victorino, and it was well-deserved with a .308 average coming into this one. But, he only had seven homers, and his lack of longballs has been a bit of a concern. Games like today remind people just how good he can be.
His first home run came with two outs in the fifth, a shot to center to make it 3-1. His next at-bat came in the eighth, and he launched another one off of lefty Josh Spence to close the scoring at 4-1. It was his first multi-homer game since May 2, 2010 against the Pirates. His first homer was also the first one the Dodgers have had in 10 games! Geez!
Up by three in the ninth, Don Mattingly again turned to Javy Guerra for the save opportunity. Much like Friday night, Guerra struggled at first. He gave up consecutive singles to Orlando Hudson and Rizzo leading off. He settled down from there, getting Johnson flying out, Will Venable striking out, and Denorfia popping up to end the game. It's his fourth save in as many chances.
Not to be lost in the shuffle was the effort by Lilly, who has certainly had his own struggles in the first half. He lasted five innings for four hits, one run, two walks, and seven strikeouts. The win gets his record up to 6-9 with a 4.79 ERA. Not pretty numbers by any means, but a positive step today.
The bullpen also had a good day, as four relievers collected holds before Guerra's save: Kenley Jansen, Hong-Chih Kuo, Matt Guerrier, and Mike MacDougal. Combined with Guerra, all five pitched the last four innings without allowing a run on only two hits. You could tell that Mattingly wasn't holding anyone back with the upcoming four days off.
While the four-game winning streak is sweet, I can't help but note that playing the Padres and their pitiful offense absolutely helped. As two straight 1-0 games and today's score shows, they're just struggling mightily to get anything going. The Dodgers should be thrilled with their pitching, but it's not realistic to think it'll be this easy against better teams. They know that.
All of that aside, today's win at least gives the Dodgers a little something positive to talk about as we now watch the All-Stars in action on Tuesday. They're now in fourth in the NL West, 11 games in back of the Giants. I still don't see them coming anywhere close to the playoffs, but of course I hope I'm wrong. Just playing better baseball should be a more realistic goal, no matter where they end up in the standings.
The Dodgers catch a bit of a break by getting an extra day off after the mandatory three for the All-Star Game. They will then be in Arizona for three games starting Friday. Clayton Kershaw will pitch the first game, followed in the rotation by Hiroki Kuroda, Lilly, Chad Billingsley, and Rubby De La Rosa.
Good luck to Kemp, Kershaw, and Ethier in the All-Star Game! Should be fun to watch!
For all of these reasons alone, it's refreshing to finally write something positive right now. Led by Andre Ethier's two solo blasts, the Dodgers finished off a three-game sweep of the Padres with a Sunday afternoon win, 4-1. That makes four straight and a 4-3 homestand.
Both teams got on the board in the third. Catcher Rob Johnson led off the inning with a solo home run to left off of Ted Lilly for the game's first run. Chris Denorfia singled and Chase Headley walked, but Lilly got Ryan Ludwick to ground into a fielder's choice to end it.
The Dodgers fought right back. Not that they needed to do much fighting, because Tim Stauffer walked the bases loaded without an out. With Tony Gwynn on third, Rafael Furcal on second, and Ethier on first, Matt Kemp hit a hard grounder that Headley made a diving stop on. Without a play near him, he inexplicably fired wide of home. Gwynn would have scored anyway, and Raffy sped home also to make it 2-1.
Still with nobody out, James Loney grounded one to first that Anthony Rizzo fired to home to nail Ethier. Juan Uribe's double play ball kept it only a one-run game.
From this point on, it was all about Ethier. He was recently named an All-Star replacement for the injured Shane Victorino, and it was well-deserved with a .308 average coming into this one. But, he only had seven homers, and his lack of longballs has been a bit of a concern. Games like today remind people just how good he can be.
His first home run came with two outs in the fifth, a shot to center to make it 3-1. His next at-bat came in the eighth, and he launched another one off of lefty Josh Spence to close the scoring at 4-1. It was his first multi-homer game since May 2, 2010 against the Pirates. His first homer was also the first one the Dodgers have had in 10 games! Geez!
Up by three in the ninth, Don Mattingly again turned to Javy Guerra for the save opportunity. Much like Friday night, Guerra struggled at first. He gave up consecutive singles to Orlando Hudson and Rizzo leading off. He settled down from there, getting Johnson flying out, Will Venable striking out, and Denorfia popping up to end the game. It's his fourth save in as many chances.
Not to be lost in the shuffle was the effort by Lilly, who has certainly had his own struggles in the first half. He lasted five innings for four hits, one run, two walks, and seven strikeouts. The win gets his record up to 6-9 with a 4.79 ERA. Not pretty numbers by any means, but a positive step today.
The bullpen also had a good day, as four relievers collected holds before Guerra's save: Kenley Jansen, Hong-Chih Kuo, Matt Guerrier, and Mike MacDougal. Combined with Guerra, all five pitched the last four innings without allowing a run on only two hits. You could tell that Mattingly wasn't holding anyone back with the upcoming four days off.
While the four-game winning streak is sweet, I can't help but note that playing the Padres and their pitiful offense absolutely helped. As two straight 1-0 games and today's score shows, they're just struggling mightily to get anything going. The Dodgers should be thrilled with their pitching, but it's not realistic to think it'll be this easy against better teams. They know that.
All of that aside, today's win at least gives the Dodgers a little something positive to talk about as we now watch the All-Stars in action on Tuesday. They're now in fourth in the NL West, 11 games in back of the Giants. I still don't see them coming anywhere close to the playoffs, but of course I hope I'm wrong. Just playing better baseball should be a more realistic goal, no matter where they end up in the standings.
The Dodgers catch a bit of a break by getting an extra day off after the mandatory three for the All-Star Game. They will then be in Arizona for three games starting Friday. Clayton Kershaw will pitch the first game, followed in the rotation by Hiroki Kuroda, Lilly, Chad Billingsley, and Rubby De La Rosa.
Good luck to Kemp, Kershaw, and Ethier in the All-Star Game! Should be fun to watch!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Add Padilla to the DL club
Just in case any of you were comfortable with Vicente Padilla as the Dodgers' closer, think again. Padilla was placed on the 15-day DL with a sore right forearm. He joins a list of relievers including Jonathan Broxton, Blake Hawksworth, and Hong-Chih Kuo of the walking wounded.
Padilla took over the closer's role when Broxton was sidelined on May 4 with a bone spur in his right elbow. He appeared in three save situations and converted two of them, with the other becoming a hold when he was pulled after getting two outs. Overall, he has three saves and five holds for a 4.15 ERA.
The mess of a bullpen will get even cloudier now with a fourth arm sidelined. Expect to see Matt Guerrier and Kenley Jansen get the chance to close, with Mike MacDougal also getting key outs. After that it's a crapshoot with guys like Scott Elbert, Ramon Troncoso, Lance Cormier, and Javy Guerra. Ouch.
Needless to say, the Dodgers are in some trouble here. They have an offense that stinks and a bullpen that is leakier than my basement in all of this New York rain. If they want to win, the starting rotation will have to carry them even further now. It won't be easy.
Padilla took over the closer's role when Broxton was sidelined on May 4 with a bone spur in his right elbow. He appeared in three save situations and converted two of them, with the other becoming a hold when he was pulled after getting two outs. Overall, he has three saves and five holds for a 4.15 ERA.
The mess of a bullpen will get even cloudier now with a fourth arm sidelined. Expect to see Matt Guerrier and Kenley Jansen get the chance to close, with Mike MacDougal also getting key outs. After that it's a crapshoot with guys like Scott Elbert, Ramon Troncoso, Lance Cormier, and Javy Guerra. Ouch.
Needless to say, the Dodgers are in some trouble here. They have an offense that stinks and a bullpen that is leakier than my basement in all of this New York rain. If they want to win, the starting rotation will have to carry them even further now. It won't be easy.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Broxton's elbow lands him on the DL
In a move that may be long overdue, Jonathan Broxton has been placed on the 15-day DL with a sore right elbow. He will be shut down for at least 2-3 weeks, and probably won't appear for over a month. Kenley Jansen has been recalled to take his spot.
Broxton has certainly gone through his fair share of troubles since last year's All-Star Game. I don't know if I've ever seen a guy literally go from untouchable to completely touchable overnight. But the numbers don't lie. In the second half last year, he had a 7.13 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, and five blown saves.
Rest and relaxation didn't do anything for him, as this year he has a 5.68 ERA and 1.89 WHIP. He does have seven saves in eight chances, but he can thank multiple run leads for most of that. Only twice this year in 14 appearances has he not allowed a baserunner. That's just plain ugly.
Dodger fans have long suspected that something must be physically wrong with him in addition to mentally. Well, that has been confirmed to some degree, as Broxton admitted to having a stiff elbow after he pitches. He claims it doesn't hurt when he pitches, so who knows. Nonetheless, the Dodgers absolutely did the right thing in shutting him down for the time being.
The new closer will be Vicente Padilla, who has one save and four holds this season. He, too, was hurt earlier in the year, but since his return, has only given up one run in six innings. Pitching on consecutive days might not happen, so hopefully guys like Hong-Chih Kuo and Jansen can pick up the slack.
Broxton has certainly gone through his fair share of troubles since last year's All-Star Game. I don't know if I've ever seen a guy literally go from untouchable to completely touchable overnight. But the numbers don't lie. In the second half last year, he had a 7.13 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, and five blown saves.
Rest and relaxation didn't do anything for him, as this year he has a 5.68 ERA and 1.89 WHIP. He does have seven saves in eight chances, but he can thank multiple run leads for most of that. Only twice this year in 14 appearances has he not allowed a baserunner. That's just plain ugly.
Dodger fans have long suspected that something must be physically wrong with him in addition to mentally. Well, that has been confirmed to some degree, as Broxton admitted to having a stiff elbow after he pitches. He claims it doesn't hurt when he pitches, so who knows. Nonetheless, the Dodgers absolutely did the right thing in shutting him down for the time being.
The new closer will be Vicente Padilla, who has one save and four holds this season. He, too, was hurt earlier in the year, but since his return, has only given up one run in six innings. Pitching on consecutive days might not happen, so hopefully guys like Hong-Chih Kuo and Jansen can pick up the slack.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Injury updates on Blake, Padilla, and Garland
Some Dodgers are already banged up, so let's take a look at just how bad.
Casey Blake
Even though he's not buying into it quite yet, Don Mattingly fully expects him to start the season on the DL. The specific injury is being called an inflamed thoracic spine, which just sounds painful. Despite taking injections, all he's been able to do is swing off a tee, and even that is still painful once his swing in complete. Considering he's 37 and coming off a down season, this is definitely not the way he wanted to start off the season. Look for Juan Uribe to slide over to third and Jamey Carroll to take over at second for the time being.
Vicente Padilla
A 30-pitch bullpen session last Friday resulted in being shut down the next day, but he's been able to bounce back with 10 pitches today. Afterward, he reportedly felt good. If he stays that way, then it's a positive sign that he really is progressing at a quick pace. Unfortunately for Padilla, we've all seen him collect one injury after another, so it may be hard to believe that he'll be back sooner rather than later. In order for him to be at his best, there's no need to rush him whatsoever.
Jon Garland
He's still nursing a strained oblique, but was recently able to throw 70 feet without any discomfort. As for when he'll be back in the fold, the Dodgers won't need a fifth starter until April 12 in San Francisco. It's being pretty optimistic be expect him back then, but he did get hurt on March 9, so that will be a full month of recovery. Like Padilla, though, I wouldn't count on that quick of a recovery.
Casey Blake
Even though he's not buying into it quite yet, Don Mattingly fully expects him to start the season on the DL. The specific injury is being called an inflamed thoracic spine, which just sounds painful. Despite taking injections, all he's been able to do is swing off a tee, and even that is still painful once his swing in complete. Considering he's 37 and coming off a down season, this is definitely not the way he wanted to start off the season. Look for Juan Uribe to slide over to third and Jamey Carroll to take over at second for the time being.
Vicente Padilla
A 30-pitch bullpen session last Friday resulted in being shut down the next day, but he's been able to bounce back with 10 pitches today. Afterward, he reportedly felt good. If he stays that way, then it's a positive sign that he really is progressing at a quick pace. Unfortunately for Padilla, we've all seen him collect one injury after another, so it may be hard to believe that he'll be back sooner rather than later. In order for him to be at his best, there's no need to rush him whatsoever.
Jon Garland
He's still nursing a strained oblique, but was recently able to throw 70 feet without any discomfort. As for when he'll be back in the fold, the Dodgers won't need a fifth starter until April 12 in San Francisco. It's being pretty optimistic be expect him back then, but he did get hurt on March 9, so that will be a full month of recovery. Like Padilla, though, I wouldn't count on that quick of a recovery.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Padilla already feeling soreness
*** UPDATE ***
Padilla will undergo arm surgery on Thursday after going through a series of tests on Tuesday. Because he is going through this procedure now, the hope is that he will be back in weeks instead of months.
***
That didn't take long.
Once again, the injury bug appears to have bit Vicente Padilla. A mere few days into Spring Training, Padilla is experiencing soreness in his right arm and will receive an MRI. Yes, that would be same arm that DL'd him last year with a similar injury.
Padilla was brought back to the Dodgers this season to serve as the ultimate swingman. He can be a spot starter, throw multiple innings in relief, or possibly get a few big outs at the end of games. However, he recently said how he'd like to compete for the fifth starting spot, currently occupied by Jon Garland.
This news, though, reminds everyone just how fragile his arm can be. When he's on, he can really be on. We all remember how red hot he was to end the 2009 season, quickly becoming the Dodgers' ace that postseason.
After starting Opening Day last year (and getting bombed in Pittsburgh), it was a roller coaster ride from there on out. He ended up 6-5 with a 4.07 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, but in only 16 starts. Again, he showed how good he can be when healthy, but that seemed to be few and far between.
The hope here is that the Dodgers have caught the injury ahead of time, unlike last year. Wait and see.
Padilla will undergo arm surgery on Thursday after going through a series of tests on Tuesday. Because he is going through this procedure now, the hope is that he will be back in weeks instead of months.
***
That didn't take long.
Once again, the injury bug appears to have bit Vicente Padilla. A mere few days into Spring Training, Padilla is experiencing soreness in his right arm and will receive an MRI. Yes, that would be same arm that DL'd him last year with a similar injury.
Padilla was brought back to the Dodgers this season to serve as the ultimate swingman. He can be a spot starter, throw multiple innings in relief, or possibly get a few big outs at the end of games. However, he recently said how he'd like to compete for the fifth starting spot, currently occupied by Jon Garland.
This news, though, reminds everyone just how fragile his arm can be. When he's on, he can really be on. We all remember how red hot he was to end the 2009 season, quickly becoming the Dodgers' ace that postseason.
After starting Opening Day last year (and getting bombed in Pittsburgh), it was a roller coaster ride from there on out. He ended up 6-5 with a 4.07 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, but in only 16 starts. Again, he showed how good he can be when healthy, but that seemed to be few and far between.
The hope here is that the Dodgers have caught the injury ahead of time, unlike last year. Wait and see.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Padilla is back for insurance
The Dodgers continued their rapid-fire rebuilding of the starting rotation by resigning Vicente Padilla to a one-year, $2 million deal. The sweet thing for him is that he can get bumped an extra $8 million by hitting various incentives.
Padilla has rebuilt himself into an effective starting pitcher the last couple of seasons with the Dodgers. He made eight starts at the end of the 2009 season and went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, and had two great starts that postseason. Last year with marred with all sorts of injuries, as he made 16 starts for a 6-5 record and 4.07 ERA.
What makes Padilla so intriguing is that when he is healthy, he has some nasty stuff. His fastball shows good movement, and he even unleashed the "Bugs Bunny" curveball this past year, which totally threw off hitters. So, a healthy Padilla makes for a good pitcher.
But, at 33 next season, there's definite concern about maintaining his health. With Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland slated to be in the rotation, Padilla can take the role of swingman. He can make spot starts after the inevitable injury bug hits. He can fill the role that Jeff Weaver performed in the past by taking the ball for multiple innings of middle relief as well.
In addition, don't be surprised to see him close out games as well. Jonathan Broxton is the closer as of now, but with the way he melted down at the end of last season, Padilla would be a good person to step into that role. I doubt that's the plan now, but as the season progresses, I can see it happening.
I'll bet Garland is a big uncomfortable with this signing, as Padilla could seemingly aim for that #5 spot in the rotation. I think Garland will keep it, as he's a whole heck of a lot more durable than Padilla. But, a poor spring from Garland and a good one by Padilla, and that may become an interesting story.
Padilla has rebuilt himself into an effective starting pitcher the last couple of seasons with the Dodgers. He made eight starts at the end of the 2009 season and went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, and had two great starts that postseason. Last year with marred with all sorts of injuries, as he made 16 starts for a 6-5 record and 4.07 ERA.
What makes Padilla so intriguing is that when he is healthy, he has some nasty stuff. His fastball shows good movement, and he even unleashed the "Bugs Bunny" curveball this past year, which totally threw off hitters. So, a healthy Padilla makes for a good pitcher.
But, at 33 next season, there's definite concern about maintaining his health. With Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland slated to be in the rotation, Padilla can take the role of swingman. He can make spot starts after the inevitable injury bug hits. He can fill the role that Jeff Weaver performed in the past by taking the ball for multiple innings of middle relief as well.
In addition, don't be surprised to see him close out games as well. Jonathan Broxton is the closer as of now, but with the way he melted down at the end of last season, Padilla would be a good person to step into that role. I doubt that's the plan now, but as the season progresses, I can see it happening.
I'll bet Garland is a big uncomfortable with this signing, as Padilla could seemingly aim for that #5 spot in the rotation. I think Garland will keep it, as he's a whole heck of a lot more durable than Padilla. But, a poor spring from Garland and a good one by Padilla, and that may become an interesting story.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Add Padilla to the DL with a sore forearm
Vicente Padilla is the latest Dodger to hit the 15-day DL. He has a sore right forearm, something that he first complained about back in Spring Training.
The beginning of the season was downright awful for Padilla, who was given the Opening Day start in Pittsburgh, then got bombed for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. His next start in Florida was terrible as well, but he's coming off of two pretty good starts.
His stuff has looked pretty good, so even when he was getting torched, I thought he'd be able to turn it around. His last two starts against the Giants and Reds have combined for 13 innings, six earned runs, and 15 strikeouts. So I thought he was figuring things out. Now this happens.
In his place is supposed to be Jon Link. Since he was just sent down to Triple-A, he hasn't fulfilled the required 10 days to come back up. But, if the Dodgers are given permission since he's replacing an injured player, he'll be the one.
The bigger question will be who makes Padilla's next scheduled start in New York on Tuesday. Jeff Weaver is also hurt, so perhaps Scott Elbert will get recalled. We shall see.
The beginning of the season was downright awful for Padilla, who was given the Opening Day start in Pittsburgh, then got bombed for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. His next start in Florida was terrible as well, but he's coming off of two pretty good starts.
His stuff has looked pretty good, so even when he was getting torched, I thought he'd be able to turn it around. His last two starts against the Giants and Reds have combined for 13 innings, six earned runs, and 15 strikeouts. So I thought he was figuring things out. Now this happens.
In his place is supposed to be Jon Link. Since he was just sent down to Triple-A, he hasn't fulfilled the required 10 days to come back up. But, if the Dodgers are given permission since he's replacing an injured player, he'll be the one.
The bigger question will be who makes Padilla's next scheduled start in New York on Tuesday. Jeff Weaver is also hurt, so perhaps Scott Elbert will get recalled. We shall see.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Padilla to take the hill on Opening Day
Joe Torre has ended the weeks of speculation by naming Vicente Padilla as the Opening Day starter. He'll take the mound on Monday, April 5 in Pittsburgh.
The rotation will be followed by Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda. The fifth starter will then come, but he still hasn't been named yet.
This was a toss-up as far as whom to choose. It seemed like most people believed it was a battle between Padilla, Kershaw, and Kuroda (Billingsley just didn't end the year strong enough to be considered). In the end, Torre went with his hottest hand to close out last season.
If you're looking at spring stats, Padilla is actually the worst of the four. He's given up five runs in 10 innings, good for a 4.50 ERA. Kershaw has also gone 10 innings for a 1.80 ERA, Billingsley 9 2/3 innings for a 1.86 ERA, and Kuroda 14 1/3 innings for a 2.51 ERA. While it's only the spring, those numbers are still pretty encouraging.
Still, I like Padilla getting the ball. He proved last year that he can pitch in big games, as evidenced by two great starts in the playoffs against the Cardinals and Phillies. In the end, it's not really a big deal anyway who gets to pitch first, but it's a nice honor for Padilla, who's very much turned his career around in L.A.
As for the fifth starter, it seems to be a four horse battle: Russ Ortiz, Ramon Ortiz, Charlie Haeger, and Josh Towers. Carlos Monasterios looks like a favorite to stick with the team, but probably in the bullpen. Eric Stults looks like a dead man walking, as he wasn't even mentioned as being in the race.
The rotation will be followed by Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda. The fifth starter will then come, but he still hasn't been named yet.
This was a toss-up as far as whom to choose. It seemed like most people believed it was a battle between Padilla, Kershaw, and Kuroda (Billingsley just didn't end the year strong enough to be considered). In the end, Torre went with his hottest hand to close out last season.
If you're looking at spring stats, Padilla is actually the worst of the four. He's given up five runs in 10 innings, good for a 4.50 ERA. Kershaw has also gone 10 innings for a 1.80 ERA, Billingsley 9 2/3 innings for a 1.86 ERA, and Kuroda 14 1/3 innings for a 2.51 ERA. While it's only the spring, those numbers are still pretty encouraging.
Still, I like Padilla getting the ball. He proved last year that he can pitch in big games, as evidenced by two great starts in the playoffs against the Cardinals and Phillies. In the end, it's not really a big deal anyway who gets to pitch first, but it's a nice honor for Padilla, who's very much turned his career around in L.A.
As for the fifth starter, it seems to be a four horse battle: Russ Ortiz, Ramon Ortiz, Charlie Haeger, and Josh Towers. Carlos Monasterios looks like a favorite to stick with the team, but probably in the bullpen. Eric Stults looks like a dead man walking, as he wasn't even mentioned as being in the race.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Padilla will start the first spring training game
Vicente Padilla will get the call when the Dodgers start spring training action on March 5. Joe Torre stopped short of saying who will get the Opening Day nod in April.
What we do know, however, is that Padilla will be followed by Eric Stults, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuorda to start the spring.
The most interesting case is Stults, who's out of options. Simply put, if he doesn't make the team out of spring training, he most likely will end up elsewhere. So, it appears as if Torre is going to give him every chance to be the fifth starter.
The article mentions that a fifth starter won't be needed in the regular season until April 11, then the home opener is April 12. But, the real schedule says that home opener is April 13, so I'm guessing the article has a typo. Plus, with an off day after the first game April 5, the Opening Day starter can come back on normal rest in the fifth game on April 10.
So the bottom line is, I'm not sure when a fifth starter would be needed. The Dodgers have off days on two straight Monday's (April 12 and April 19), so according to my calculations, they can go with a four-man rotation until Saturday, April 24 in Washington, when a fifth starter would be needed.
Yes, it's confusing, and I could be wrong about all of this, but I'm taking educated guesses based on off-days. It's very possible a fifth starter could be used much earlier to give the other arms an extra day of rest.
What we do know, however, is that Padilla will be followed by Eric Stults, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuorda to start the spring.
The most interesting case is Stults, who's out of options. Simply put, if he doesn't make the team out of spring training, he most likely will end up elsewhere. So, it appears as if Torre is going to give him every chance to be the fifth starter.
The article mentions that a fifth starter won't be needed in the regular season until April 11, then the home opener is April 12. But, the real schedule says that home opener is April 13, so I'm guessing the article has a typo. Plus, with an off day after the first game April 5, the Opening Day starter can come back on normal rest in the fifth game on April 10.
So the bottom line is, I'm not sure when a fifth starter would be needed. The Dodgers have off days on two straight Monday's (April 12 and April 19), so according to my calculations, they can go with a four-man rotation until Saturday, April 24 in Washington, when a fifth starter would be needed.
Yes, it's confusing, and I could be wrong about all of this, but I'm taking educated guesses based on off-days. It's very possible a fifth starter could be used much earlier to give the other arms an extra day of rest.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Dodgers turn to Padilla
Vicente Padilla has agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.025 million to rejoin the starting rotation. The deal is for a base salary of $4.025 million with a $1 million signing bonus.
The signing isn't a surprise, as there was definite interest from both sides for Padilla to make his return. With the way he pitched after coming over from Texas on August 19 of last season, it's no wonder the Dodgers feel confident in giving him a slot in the rotation.
In seven starts with his new team, he went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA. He was also brilliant against the Cardinals in closing out the NLDS. He split great and lousy performances against the Phillies in the NLCS. Even with the one bad start (which was the final game of the season), it was obvious that he had turned his career around for the better.
Now come a couple of challenges, both for Padilla and for the team. First, can Padilla regain the form that left him overpowering hitters at the end of last season? By many accounts, he was a head case with the Rangers, but well-behaved in L.A. I'm sure it's no coincidence that a better attitude resulted in much better numbers.
Second, do the Dodgers have enough guns in the rotation to get back to the playoffs? Along with Padilla, there's Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and another slot that will be determined in spring training. For now, the rotation looks solid, but not spectacular.
With Padilla signed, it's unknown if the Dodgers will make any more moves. They got their second baseman in Jamey Carroll, and have already resigned all their arbitration players. This could be it for the winter.
Like always, stay tuned.
The signing isn't a surprise, as there was definite interest from both sides for Padilla to make his return. With the way he pitched after coming over from Texas on August 19 of last season, it's no wonder the Dodgers feel confident in giving him a slot in the rotation.
In seven starts with his new team, he went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA. He was also brilliant against the Cardinals in closing out the NLDS. He split great and lousy performances against the Phillies in the NLCS. Even with the one bad start (which was the final game of the season), it was obvious that he had turned his career around for the better.
Now come a couple of challenges, both for Padilla and for the team. First, can Padilla regain the form that left him overpowering hitters at the end of last season? By many accounts, he was a head case with the Rangers, but well-behaved in L.A. I'm sure it's no coincidence that a better attitude resulted in much better numbers.
Second, do the Dodgers have enough guns in the rotation to get back to the playoffs? Along with Padilla, there's Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and another slot that will be determined in spring training. For now, the rotation looks solid, but not spectacular.
With Padilla signed, it's unknown if the Dodgers will make any more moves. They got their second baseman in Jamey Carroll, and have already resigned all their arbitration players. This could be it for the winter.
Like always, stay tuned.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The search for another starter continues
As January starts to creep towards February, the Dodgers still find themselves looking to strengthen their rotation. Finally, they seem to be making some progress.
While it's only names at this point, at least the Dodgers appear to be very much involved in signing either Vicente Padilla or Joel Pineiro. Also, Braden Looper and Jon Garland have been talked about as well.
The top dog seems to be Pineiro. He's coming off a great season in St. Louis, going 15-12 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 214 innings. Basically, he picked a great year to produce. The Mets have looked at a deal with him in the two-year, $15 million range. The Dodgers look like they only want to do one year, so that may put him out of reach.
Padilla had a roller coaster year, but it thankfully was a positive ride once he came to Los Angeles. He went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, plus had two great starts in the playoffs. He was garbage with the Rangers, but looked golden with the Dodgers. So the reality is that he's probably somewhere in between. Still, he'd be a good signing for a year.
Looper had the best record for a bad pitcher that I maybe have ever seen last season. He went 14-7, which is really good. He also had a 5.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, which is horrible. He also gave up 39 long balls. Yikes! Though to be fair, he did play in a homer friendly park in Milwaukee.
Garland gave the Dodgers good innings at the end of last year as well. He went 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He's an innings-eater, so you can count on around 200 innings each year from him. I've never gotten the feeling this offseason that he'd be brought back, but I guess it's a possibility if nothing else pans out.
While it's only names at this point, at least the Dodgers appear to be very much involved in signing either Vicente Padilla or Joel Pineiro. Also, Braden Looper and Jon Garland have been talked about as well.
The top dog seems to be Pineiro. He's coming off a great season in St. Louis, going 15-12 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 214 innings. Basically, he picked a great year to produce. The Mets have looked at a deal with him in the two-year, $15 million range. The Dodgers look like they only want to do one year, so that may put him out of reach.
Padilla had a roller coaster year, but it thankfully was a positive ride once he came to Los Angeles. He went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, plus had two great starts in the playoffs. He was garbage with the Rangers, but looked golden with the Dodgers. So the reality is that he's probably somewhere in between. Still, he'd be a good signing for a year.
Looper had the best record for a bad pitcher that I maybe have ever seen last season. He went 14-7, which is really good. He also had a 5.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, which is horrible. He also gave up 39 long balls. Yikes! Though to be fair, he did play in a homer friendly park in Milwaukee.
Garland gave the Dodgers good innings at the end of last year as well. He went 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He's an innings-eater, so you can count on around 200 innings each year from him. I've never gotten the feeling this offseason that he'd be brought back, but I guess it's a possibility if nothing else pans out.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Don't mess with Padilla's shooting instructor
He just might shoot you.
While in his native Nicaragua, Padilla was accidentally shot in the right thigh by his instructor. Apparently, Padilla's gun was jammed when he handed it over to be checked out. Well, it worked just fine. So well that the moron instructor shot himself in the hand, which then grazed Padilla's leg.
No, this was not a cartoon, it's real life.
I can joke about this only because the injury was considered minor and surgery wasn't even required. And thank God, because the Dodgers reportedly have interest in resigning him.
After being signed to a minor league deal in August, Padilla was awesome the last two months, going 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA. He then had two great starts in the postseason against the Cardinals and Phillies, though he was battered in the last game of the season in Philly.
Based on that success, there is a strong likelihood of him being resigned and back in the starting rotation next season.
While in his native Nicaragua, Padilla was accidentally shot in the right thigh by his instructor. Apparently, Padilla's gun was jammed when he handed it over to be checked out. Well, it worked just fine. So well that the moron instructor shot himself in the hand, which then grazed Padilla's leg.
No, this was not a cartoon, it's real life.
I can joke about this only because the injury was considered minor and surgery wasn't even required. And thank God, because the Dodgers reportedly have interest in resigning him.
After being signed to a minor league deal in August, Padilla was awesome the last two months, going 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA. He then had two great starts in the postseason against the Cardinals and Phillies, though he was battered in the last game of the season in Philly.
Based on that success, there is a strong likelihood of him being resigned and back in the starting rotation next season.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Padilla has good outing in minors
Vicente Padilla made a start in Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday night, and did a good job. In five innings, he gave up three hits, two runs, three walks, and five strikeouts to get the win.
His only bad spot of the night came in the fifth when Adam Stern of the Nashville Sounds (affiliate of the Brewers) hit a two-run homer. Other than that, Padilla was spotted a 6-0 lead and made sure the Isotopes would cruise.
It's only a minor league outing, but to pitch well at the Triple-A level is an encouraging sign, especially since he hasn't pitched since August 7, his last outing with the Rangers. Padilla will get a his chance to show he can still be an effective major league starter by starting Thursday night in Colorado.
His only bad spot of the night came in the fifth when Adam Stern of the Nashville Sounds (affiliate of the Brewers) hit a two-run homer. Other than that, Padilla was spotted a 6-0 lead and made sure the Isotopes would cruise.
It's only a minor league outing, but to pitch well at the Triple-A level is an encouraging sign, especially since he hasn't pitched since August 7, his last outing with the Rangers. Padilla will get a his chance to show he can still be an effective major league starter by starting Thursday night in Colorado.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Padilla signed, will be in rotation next week
Vicente Padilla has inked a minor league contract for the rest of this season. He'll make one rehab start before taking the place of Hiroki Kuroda next Thursday.
I talked about his numbers in my previous post, so check it out. As speculated, the Dodgers will only have to pay about $100,000 of his $12 million contract, so it's a minor risk worth taking.
I talked about his numbers in my previous post, so check it out. As speculated, the Dodgers will only have to pay about $100,000 of his $12 million contract, so it's a minor risk worth taking.
Padilla could be coming in
With Hiroki Kuroda likely heading to the DL, the Dodgers have a renewed interest in Vicente Padilla, who was recently released by the Rangers.
Padilla had previously shown interest in the Dodgers, but the feeling wasn't mutual. But, that was before Kuroda started experiencing post-concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a liner in Arizona on Saturday.
Once considered a promising young pitcher, Padilla hasn't had a good season since posting a 14-12 record with a 3.62 ERA with the Phillies in 2003. Sure, he won double-digit games in '06 and '08, but that's a product of the big Rangers' offense by his side.
Needless to say, I'm not very high on him. He's 8-6 this year, but with a whopping 4.92 ERA. That can be lowered in the National League, but who knows by how much.
The good news is that if he is signed and flops, the Dodgers only owe $100,000 of his $12 million salary, so I'm sure that's part of the motivation for possibly signing him.
Padilla had previously shown interest in the Dodgers, but the feeling wasn't mutual. But, that was before Kuroda started experiencing post-concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a liner in Arizona on Saturday.
Once considered a promising young pitcher, Padilla hasn't had a good season since posting a 14-12 record with a 3.62 ERA with the Phillies in 2003. Sure, he won double-digit games in '06 and '08, but that's a product of the big Rangers' offense by his side.
Needless to say, I'm not very high on him. He's 8-6 this year, but with a whopping 4.92 ERA. That can be lowered in the National League, but who knows by how much.
The good news is that if he is signed and flops, the Dodgers only owe $100,000 of his $12 million salary, so I'm sure that's part of the motivation for possibly signing him.
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