Saito joins Penny in Boston

Takashi Saito is now officially an ex-Dodger, agreeing to a 1-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. He'll earn anywhere between $1.5 and $2.5 million this upcoming year with an option for 2010.

So ends one of the best runs as a closer the Dodgers have ever had. In 2006 and 2007, he collected 63 saves in 142.2 IP, 1.77 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 185 K. Those are just dominating numbers for anyone, much less a guy that came out of nowhere to do it, ala Eric Gagne before him (though he had some help we later learned...).

The problem is that a sprained ligament in his pitching elbow derailed last season for him, which in effect ended his LA career. I can't blame the Dodgers for not offering him arbitration and risk overpaying him. Maybe he'll be good again, but after watching him in the playoffs in sole appearance against the Cubs, there's plenty of doubt about that.

Now he can settle in with the Red Sox and look to set up Jonathan Papelbon.

Saito's LA days likely done

The speculation came true, as the Dodgers have non-tendered Takashi Saito, officially making him a free agent. He's now eligible to sign with any team, including the Dodgers.

Based on the Elias Rankings, Saito is the best NL reliever of the past 2 years. But, his elbow injury suffered in the 2nd half of last season made the Dodgers not want to commit too much to him, obviously wary of his health and not wanting to sign damaged goods again, ala Jason Schmidt. It's unfortunate because Saito is brilliant when he's on, but that ship looks to have been sailed.

It's not like the Dodgers didn't offer a contract, because they did. They wanted him to sign for $2.5 million with incentives. Saito's people, however, wanted $3.5 million, which is the amount his value would have increased to had he been offered arbitration. I wonder if we'd even be having this conversation if he didn't look so atrocious in his playoff appearance against the Cubs. But he did, and here we are.

Where do the Dodgers go from here? With Saito highly unlikely to come back, Jonathan Broxton is now the closer. His stuff is fantastic, but I think there's still some hesitation to just hand the job over to him since he's been a big shaky at it in the past. Corey Wade had a great year, so he may get his chances as well. Hong-Chih Kuo would be an easy choice, but with his bad arm history, there's no way he can go out there day after day.

So, if you look at my previous post, that could leave the Dodgers making a run at Trevor Hoffman. Right about now, that looks like a good option. If anything, it gives them another option in the 'pen that can get the job done. I think the Dodgers should seriously consider making an offer to him.

If Saito is out, Hoffman could be in

With Takashi Saito's status uncertain, the Dodgers could shift their focus to Trevor Hoffman, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.

Hoffman's contract situation with the San Diego Padres has been ugly to say the least. There's some definite bad blood going on there, despite the fact that he's the all-time saves leader. Their offer was for $4 million, but was yanked off the table for whatever reason. Weird.

The Dodgers have to decide if they want to roll the dice with Saito. He missed 2 months at the end of last season with an elbow injury, obviously a big deal for a pitcher. He tried to come back for the postseason, but was horrible in his only appearance against the Cubs (thankfully the Dodgers were up big). It sure looks like the Dodgers would rather release him and move on, not being fully convinced he'll have the same effectiveness that he had as a closer since 2006.

If Saito is indeed gone, then Hoffman is an interesting option. True, he's 41 and understandably doesn't have his best stuff he once had, but he's still pretty darn good. The start of last season didn't go so well, but he turned it around to go 30/34 in save opportunities.

If anything, he can be a mentor for Jonathan Broxton, as well as play a key role in the late innings, whether it's closing or not. I think it'd be worth a shot at a 1-year deal.

It's official: Kuo's in and Saito's out

Hong-Chih Kuo has been declared good to go for the NLCS, and he's been added to the 25-man roster. That also means that someone had to get booted off, and that man is Takashi Saito. James McDonald still stays, as does the rest of the roster from the NLDS.

I talked about the possibility of this move yesterday, so just go back a couple of posts to read. If Saito looked that bad, then I suppose it's a good thing that this move was made. Well, Kuo absolutely needed to be added, but it's still somewhat surprising that Saito wasn't even good enough to beat out McDonald. Those must have been some horrible side sessions.

The chances of Kuo appearing in back-to-back games are probably slim, much like it was during the year. Having him there is good enough, so the Dodgers will take what they can get.

Kuo's return could bump Saito

All signs point to a thumb's up for the return of Hong-Chih Kuo to the active 25-man roster for the NLCS, which is definitely a good thing. The flip side is that Takashi Saito may have just pitched himself out of the postseason.

With Kuo ready, Saito's horrible bullpen sessions look to have earned him a ticket to the bench for this round of the playoffs. Combine that with his awful appearance against the Cubs in Game 2 (3 batters, 3 hits for those of you that have forgotten), and I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised.

It's really too bad that Saito may be the odd man out, because when he's on, he's just as good a closer as anybody else. Unfortunately, after missing 2 months with a partially torn elbow ligament, I guess it would be asking too much to have him close out games in the playoffs like the Saito of old. It's just not going to happen. And that's the reality. The good news for him is that there's still the World Series to get to if the Dodgers are good enough, so he can always get added back on. Rest and rehabilitation worked for Kuo, it can work for him as well.

If Saito is able to convince the powers that be from tonight to tomorrow morning that he can get big hitters out, look for Kuo to replace youngster James McDonald, who has yet to appear in the postseason.

Saito says he's A-OK

I just saw a report on the Division Series by ESPN's Pedro Gomez that Takashi Saito claims his right elbow is just fine. That's been in question since last night when he faced 3 batters in the 9th with a 10-1 lead, and promptly gave up 3 hard hit balls before getting yanked. So, eyebrows are understandably raised.

Look, it's not like he gave up hits to some scrubs. Getting lit up by Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and even Mark DeRosa isn't exactly out of the ordinary. What hurts Saito is that the first 17 innings of Games 1 and 2 have been FLAWLESS by the Dodgers. Anything negative gets highlighted even more.

Even though Jonathan Broxton has pitched the last 2 games, I would think he'll be the one closing out the game if need be on Saturday night. That's how lousy Saito looked. If the guy says he's fine, then I guess everyone needs to take his word for it. But, Broxton is clearly more prepared to assume the closer's role at this point. That seems the most logical solution to me, and probably many others as well...

So of course, about a few minutes after I wrote this, Joe Torre gave word that he's not ready to give up on Saito in the 9th just yet. I'm not surprised, and would somewhat agree that it's not the right thing to do to totally give up on him. Still, if it's a one run game in the 9th with the heart of the Cubs order due up, who would you rather see in right now? I gotta go with Broxton.

Saito makes his return... and Jones is officially done

The Dodgers had some win-win news on Saturday. Takashi Saito has made his long-awaited return from a torn right elbow ligament. To make room for him, Andruw Jones was placed on the 60-day DL, ending what was one of the most miserable seasons for a big-time free agent signing in baseball history.

First, let's look at Saito. Joe Torre said he will be eased back into his relief role, probably pitching in non-pressure situations to begin with. Will he be closing again? Who knows, but Jonathan Broxton is doing fine in that role, so I really don't see a big rush. Just having him back is good enough. Assuming the Dodgers hold onto the NL West lead for the playoffs, that will give Saito 2 1/2 weeks to work on his arm strength. Definitely good news.

Then there's the story of Jones. I really don't know what else to say about him that hasn't already been said. Just looking at his numbers of a .158 AVG, 3 HR, 14 RBI in 75 games pretty much says it all. He was given a chance to start in center field the other night, and went 0-4 with 2 K's.

At least Jones acknowledges that he has A TON of work to do if he ever wants to regain any form of respectability. Perhaps showing up to camp in shape would be a start. Just click on the link above to read all about his awful season and you'll get the point.

Oh boy... Saito is out for 6 weeks

And the beat goes on for the injury-riddled Dodgers.

Takashi Saito becomes the latest big-name player to get shelved as he is done for the next 6 weeks with a sprained elbow ligament. The timetable was pretty much what was expected, as a quick return seemed very unlikely when he was hurt.

For those of you keeping score at home, that's now the 15th player to hit the DL this season. I don't know... I sometimes wonder if this team is just cursed. They've had a roller coaster first half of the season with wins and losses, but the injuries have just derailed them from the start. What can you do?

While Saito heals, Jonathan Broxton is suddenly thrown into the closer's role. He's done it before, though not too successfully. Still, I think the Dodgers are much more prepared to replace a closer temporarily than most other teams are. Broxton is a stud who throw flames, so I think he'll be fine.

Now that Broxton is pushed up to the 9th inning, the domino effect takes place for the rest of the 'pen. One theory is to have Chan Ho Park return, meaning that Clayton Kershaw can be called back up to start. Joe Beimel could also pitch in the 8th.

A couple of other theories I heard that I tend to like. The first is that Hong-Chih Kuo can pitch the 8th and 9th on nights he's available. He's been terrific this year, so I like that. The other is to seriously consider using Brad Penny as the closer. He has great stuff, and with the starting rotation already set, it's worth a try. 2 great options in my mind.

Whatever the case, I still hope Saito comes back. Maybe I'm higher on him than some other people are, but even at 38, I still love him as the closer. Let's hope he'll be fine by the end of August.

Looking at the bullpen

While the Dodgers get ready to take on the Houston Astros tonight, let's take a look at how the bullpen has performed thus far.

LH - Joe Beimel
3-0, 12 IP, 0.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 1 ER, 11 H, 4 BB, 9 K
Beimel has been great so far, excelling in his role of left-handed specialist. Lefties stand virtually no chance against him, compiling a meager .190 BAA. He also leads the team in appearances with 18 since he has proven over and over that he is very much reliable.

RH - Scott Proctor
0-0, 17.2 IP, 6.11 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 12 ER, 19 H, 9 BB, 16 K
Probably the most surprising of all the numbers I have seen is Proctor's. For whatever reason, he has yet to really get on track, as evidenced by his bloated ERA. He's still a Joe Torre favorite, so he'll be given plenty of chances I'm sure.

RH - Cory Wade
0-0, 7.2 IP, 2.35 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 2 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 4 K
The book on Wade was that he's a good strike thrower, and that has certainly carried over to the Bigs. After Ramon Troncoso flopped, Wade has played his limited role very nicely. Righties are only hitting .125 against him.

RH - Chan Ho Park
1-0, 1 SV, 22 IP, 2.45 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 6 ER, 20 H, 10 BB, 9 K
Park was briefly sent down to Triple-A to start the season after losing the 5th starter battle, but was quickly recalled. He has really given the Dodgers big innings in games where the starters have not been so hot. I never thought he'd be playing anywhere close to this well, but he has.

LH - Hong-Chih Kuo
2-1, 24.1 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 7 ER, 19 H, 9 BB, 33 K
While it's not the situation he would want to be in, he has been outstanding in his role of long relief. Earlier this week against the Mets, Hiroki Kuroda wasn't getting the job done, so Kuo came in struck out 8 in 3.2 innings. He's challenging hitters and winning with his overpowering stuff. If he stays healthy (BIG if), he will continue to play a huge role.

RH - Jonathan Broxton
1-0, 15 IP, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3 ER, 9 H, 6 BB, 21 K
Another year, another dominating performance by Broxton. He is easily one of the top setup men in the game. There have been calls for him to take over closer duties already. While I think that's premature, it wouldn't surprise me to see it happen next year. For now, he still owns the 8th inning.

RH - Takashi Saito
1-1, 5 SV, 15.1 IP, 1.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3 ER, 13 H, 5 BB, 16 K
I hear people say Saito should be replaced, and then I look at these numbers and wonder what those people are thinking. I believe the problem is that he's been so good the last few years, any little slip up (like his blown save against Pittsburgh) gets magnified way too much. He's still one of the top closers in the game, and I'll take my chances with him closing out any game.

Overall, I think the bullpen has pitched very well. With the exception of Proctor, they all have really good numbers, which shows that with a little offense, the Dodgers are capable of winning any game. The return of a healthy Yhency Brazoban only gives them another weapon to turn to in innings 5-8. I really believe that if the starters can give 5-6 good innings, then it's a winnable game. Even when a starter isn't clicking, Park and Kuo have shown they can keep the game steady.

They're deep, talented, and most importantly, can get people out!

Sammy gets richer

Takashi Saito has agreed to terms of a 1-year, $2 million contract for this season. The deal assures the 3rd year star of going into the season without any lingering contract issues.

In short, Saito has had a brilliant career thus far. In '06, he was 6-2, 24 SV, 2.07 ERA. In '07, he was 2-1, 39 SV, 1.40 ERA. For those of you keeping score at home, that's a career total of 8-3, 63 SV, 1.77 ERA. He's only blown 6 saves along the way as well. That's like as many blown saves as Danys Baez had in his short stint in '06 when he was supposed to be the heir apparent to Eric Gagne. Thank God he's gone.

At 38, he's shown no signs of slowing down, though I have a feeling the second he gets into even a little bit of trouble, that talk will heat up. Combined with Jonathan Broxton, they can turn games into 7 inning affairs.

MLB.com preview: Relievers

The second-to-last version of the upcoming season preview focuses on the bullpen. For the Dodgers, this is definitely one of their strengths. With a great closer and setup man, they can easily turn games into 7 inning affairs.

Takashi Saito has turned into one of the most reliable closers in the game. As the article points out, it's amazing how fast people have forgotten about Eric Gagne. Well, maybe not so much forgotten, but more that they aren't stuck in the past and wishing he was still there. Already with 63 saves in 2 seasons, he's bumped his way up into the category of elite closers like Hoffman, Papelbon, Rivera, and Nathan. Not bad for a guy that wasn't even on the roster to start the 2006 season.

Then there's Jonathan Broxton, who's still only 23, yet is quickly earning a reputation as one of the top setup men in baseball. With the exception of his September meltdown last year, he's been flawless. Should Saito ever go down, they should barely skip a beat sliding him in there.

Joe Beimel is the primary lefty, with Tom Martin and/or Mike Myers possibly joining him. Rudy Seanez has been resigned, and has provided solid innings for a 39-year-old. Scott Proctor will continue to be a workhorse, more so because of Joe Torre's love for him. The rest of the 'pen could include names like John Meloan, Eric Stultz, Yhency Brazoban, and Eric Hull.

Hopefully, the bottom end of the rotation won't be as crippled and ineffective as they were last year, so the bullpen will not be overworked.