Probably the last thing you'd expect to go wrong for the Dodgers is pitching problems. First, we lose Schmidt. Then we find out Randy Wolf has been pitching with a sore shoulder and has been placed on the disabled list, which explains his rapid decline in recent starts. Then we find out Beimel has been hospitalized with potential heart problems. Hung Chi Kuo had been sent down to the minors, but didn't make it, he wound up on the disabled list as well.
Hendrickson started well, giving up only 2 runs in 5 innings, but with the depleted bullpen, Grady Little was forced to bring in Tomko in the 6th, who gave up 2 more runs in only a third of an inning.
They were so desperate, the brought in Broxton and Saito to finish the game, even though they were losing 5-2.
All of this combined could be a huge problem for the Dodgers, whose strength all year has been pitching.
At least the fireworks were worth staying for!
4 comments:
Seanez was warming up when Little put Tomko in. I wonder why Tomko went in first (yeah, I know that Seanez had pitched the day before.... but Tomko has kinda sucked for quite a while).
I think the Dodgers had a better chance before Tomko's inning drove the morale from them.
It also sucked that Betemit never got to pinch hit in his inning.
The only good thing about this is that it's happening right before the All-Star break, which at the least gives them a few days to regroup, and at the worst, gives them a month to make one or two trades. I had been arguing that we don't need more pitching, and instead need a slugging third-baseman, but now I think we need a starter as well.
I do sincerely hope that any trade does not give up the fantastic youth group we've amassed: Loney, Abreu, Kemp, Ethier, Billingsly, Broxton, and Laroche.
Well July 5 was another heartbreak. I wouldn't blame everything on the pitching either. The men left on base tells the story. Let's face it: Pierre opened an inning with a triple and the Dodgers let him stay there!
There were hits aplenty for us, but nothing added up together.
I feel for Chipper Jones: switch hitting 2 HRs in a single game (the last time he did this was 7 years ago) but before an uncaring crowd.
And they still don't know who will be starting on Sunday.
I saw the end of the game on TV. It's hard to fault the offense when they put up 6 runs. But they did manage to leave too many men on base again.
I would expect DJ Houlton to start Sunday.
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