The Dodgers need bullpen help, in the opinion of Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. Manager Joe Torre has been leaning heavily on closer Jonathan Broxton, who failed to protect a four-run lead against the Yankees last night. Shaikin feels that the Dodgers have only two other reliable relievers – Ronald Belisario and Hong-Chih Kuo.
GM Ned Colletti has already stacked the Albuquerque Isotopes' roster with veteran relievers – Jesus Colome, Jack Taschner, Kiko Calero, and Claudio Vargas are recent additions. Asked over email by MLBTR whether he is looking to upgrade the bullpen and if he'd be open to renting a reliever, Colletti was noncommittal: "Always depends on who is coming in and who is going out." Talking to Shaikin yesterday, Torre said, "I know Ned is certainly not zeroing in on one little area." In other words, Colletti is considering more than just starting pitching.
If Colletti looks to make a deal, I imagine Kerry Wood, Kyle Farnsworth, Octavio Dotel, D.J. Carrasco, Brendan Donnelly, and Javier Lopez can be had. I also wonder about Brandon League, David Aardsma, Brandon Lyon, Matt Lindstrom, Jason Frasor, Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg, and Matt Capps. The remaining salary on these contracts ranges from $413K for Lopez to $5.59MM for Wood.
if they get brandon league they will have a great bullpen
you sound like the M’s fans who looked at League’s peripherals and sabers and all that.
none of that mattered to Jays’ fans.
Sometimes visual evidence still outweighs stats: no matter how many League mows down, he will give up the back-breaking bomb.
Kyle Farnsworth always had great stuff, didn’t he?
thats true
what team do u go for
montreal expos!
steve rogers forever
HUH?
His career K/BB is 2.18. His K/9 is 6.8. No one thinks League is a superstar. What a stupid diss. I’d like to know what stats point to League being a dominant reliever to make this strawman case.
But that being said, he’s given up almost exactly 1 home run per 9 inning pitched in his career. Current Jays closer Kevin Gregg stands at 0.94. I’d like to bet you wouldn’t notice that 1 extra home run per 150 innings pitched.
you sound like the M’s fans who looked at League’s peripherals and sabers and all that.
none of that mattered to Jays’ fans.
Sometimes visual evidence still outweighs stats: no matter how many League mows down, he will give up the back-breaking bomb.
Kyle Farnsworth always had great stuff, didn’t he?
With Torre Running a Bullpen, You need all the bullpen help you can get… Just ask Paul Quantril, Scot Proctor, Tom Gordon, Tanyon Sturtze, Juan Acevedo, Steve Karsay… am i leaving anyone off the list whom Torre ended their careers because he cant manage a bullpen???
How about Corey Wade hes never been the same guy and injury prone. Troncoso looks like hes been worn down so that may be another one.
I think Joe Torre got his gigs with glowing endorsements from the Kerlan-Jobe practice, to keep them in business.
Scott Proctor with the Dodgers as well, then Cory Wade, and currently Ramon Troncoso.
Cory Wade was actually good. His ERA in ’08 was not much above 2.00. He’s been in the minor leagues since 2008 with injury trouble and ineffectiveness.
Ramon Troncoso is the guy Torre is currently abusing, his ERA has been over 5.00 since July 2009, yet Torre runs him our there more than anybody else…
Scott Proctor with the Dodgers as well, then Cory Wade, and currently Ramon Troncoso.
Cory Wade was actually good. His ERA in ’08 was not much above 2.00. He’s been in the minor leagues since 2008 with injury trouble and ineffectiveness.
Ramon Troncoso is the guy Torre is currently abusing, his ERA has been over 5.00 since July 2009, yet Torre runs him our there more than anybody else…
Who needs bullpen help? They just signed Jack Taschner!! Problem solved.
jack is just dept their not gonna bring him up right away
I was being sarcastic anyway… Taschner is awful.
When you call those Triple-A arms help, I think of the song from Free to Be You and Me: “Some kinds of help are the kinds of help we all could do without.”
Well don’t look for the indians to pick up any of the remaining contract unless there is a very nice prospect involved.
How about Jerry Sands and Kyle Smit For Kerry Wood and the Indians pick up half of his remain contract for the rest of 2010.
Still wondering why Torre didn’t just walk out to the mound and shoot Broxton instead of subjecting him to that slow, painful death…
would have helped if he could have gotten a call from the home plate ump. He was terrible. Did you see Martin when he got rung up on the same pitch that was repeatedly called a ball for Broxton?
I’m basing this entire opinion on having watched the play by play on game cast, but it seemed to me that by the time Huffman singled to bring home the third run, it was more than clear that not only did Broxton not have his best stuff, but his pitch count was in area where it was beginning to affect velocity and command. With a weak hitting lefty coming up and two outs, it seemed like the PERFECT time to bring in Kuo and his near 1 ERA to strike out Curtis and avoid Jeter. The guy has given up only 1 run since his first outing of the year, and has not allowed ANY HITS to lefties all year.
Thought he was going to punch the ump in the face.
he had a “shard” of a bat in his hand, too.
he had a “shard” of a bat in his hand, too.
Thought he was going to punch the ump in the face.
would have helped if he could have gotten a call from the home plate ump. He was terrible. Did you see Martin when he got rung up on the same pitch that was repeatedly called a ball for Broxton?
oh please, one bad game from the ace of the pen and hell freezes over. Let’s analyze this pen. Broxton is one of the best closers, if not the best closer in the game. Belasario is a very acceptable 8th inning guy. I hesitate to call Kuo an excellent 8th inning guy, because he can’t go 3 days in a row, but he can dominate any lefty in the game, and is a very acceptable 7th inning guy. Something is clearly wrong with Sherrill – he gave up 1 run in the NL last year. Maybe he finds his form, but if he doesn’t the back end of the rotation isn’t exactly shabby. Let’s not forget Troncoso, who is going through a rough patch, but has at times been a very reliable set up guy. Other than that, Jeff Weaver has been very reliable, and Justin Miller looks ok so far. Could always use another arm, but Colletti should be fired if he gives up a top prospect for a set up man two years in a row.
Troncoso has been very reliable at one thing – being mediocre. The guy has an ERA over 5.50 that dates back to July 24, 2009.
He’s been riding a hot 3 months opening 2009 for way, way too long.
oh please, one bad game from the ace of the pen and hell freezes over. Let’s analyze this pen. Broxton is one of the best closers, if not the best closer in the game. Belasario is a very acceptable 8th inning guy. I hesitate to call Kuo an excellent 8th inning guy, because he can’t go 3 days in a row, but he can dominate any lefty in the game, and is a very acceptable 7th inning guy. Something is clearly wrong with Sherrill – he gave up 1 run in the NL last year. Maybe he finds his form, but if he doesn’t the back end of the rotation isn’t exactly shabby. Let’s not forget Troncoso, who is going through a rough patch, but has at times been a very reliable set up guy. Other than that, Jeff Weaver has been very reliable, and Justin Miller looks ok so far. Could always use another arm, but Colletti should be fired if he gives up a top prospect for a set up man two years in a row.
Kuo wasn’t available to pitch, though he would have been a logical call had he been.
Broxton was up in the eighth, when the lead was smaller, and then sat down when the Dodgers scored, and Troncoso got up. The third out came too soon for Troncoso to be ready, so Broxton went in, anyway. He wasn’t in the right frame of mind, if you ask me, and then was getting pinched on the low strikes.
You’re talking about the low pitches that were strikes for the Yankees but balls for the Dodgers? Martin shoulda punched him….
exactly. but if martin had slugged the ump, we’d be looking for a catcher as well as a starting pitcher and relief help… would have made a great sportscenter highlight though….
Going with Lucas May and A.J. Ellis wouldn’t be much of a downgrade at this point.
Going with Lucas May and A.J. Ellis wouldn’t be much of a downgrade at this point.
You’re talking about the low pitches that were strikes for the Yankees but balls for the Dodgers? Martin shoulda punched him….
I will never understand why Weaver is pitching out of the bullpen when he could be a serviceable 5th starter.
I will never understand why Weaver is pitching out of the bullpen when he could be a serviceable 5th starter.