Friday, February 22, 2008

Starting Rotation Should Be Fine for the Dodgers

Copyrighted by Sarah D. Morris, 2008

This past off-season I have received many e-mails from Dodger fans worrying about the pitching staff. However, I don’t understand this because in 2007 the Dodgers had good pitching. I know a good pitching staff is a key to a successful baseball team.

A baseball team needs many things to be successful. If a team can’t hit, it can’t score and won’t win. When a team can’t catch or throw accurately, it won’t win.

The Dodgers had both offensive and defensive problems last season. Though the Dodgers had trouble finding reliable fourth and fifth starters, I don’t foresee this problem this season. I feel the Dodgers have better pitching staff depth.

Although I wanted Ned Colletti to sign two starters this last off-season, I like the starting rotation. I hope every starter stays healthy for the entire season. Most people probably think I am asking a lot, but I remember two seasons during early 1990s when a Dodger starter never missed a start. The last two seasons the Dodgers’ starting rotation has been plagued with injuries. This must change if the Dodgers want to go to the playoffs and World Series.

Brad Penny leads the starting rotation. For the last two seasons, Penny has been the best starting pitcher in baseball before the All-Star break. However, after the break Penny has tried to battle through injuries, and they have affected his performance. Although he has been criticized for a lack of endurance and using too many pitches, Penny has been over used in the first half. It is difficult for the Dodgers to take Penny out after a brilliant seven-inning performance, but they must in order to save him for the second half of the season. I would like to hear that Penny was strengthening his core because this is where he gets hurt.

I don’t understand why some Dodger fans enjoy criticizing Derek Lowe. Since Lowe joined the Dodgers before the 2005 season, he has been a durable and reliable starter for the Dodgers. Sometimes his sinker has remained up in the strike zone, and when it has happened, Lowe has struggled. However, Lowe has never complained or made excuses for his bad performance. Mostly Lowe has been a good pitcher. During this period, Lowe hasn’t been on the disabled list.

Last July when Grady Little mismanaged the bullpen during an extra inning game, Lowe was forced to relieve. He didn’t have the time to do his customary stretching. Although he did satisfactorily in his relief appearance, he injured himself in his next start. We didn’t know whether it was his hip or groin that bothered him for the rest of the season. Though Lowe denied the injury bothered him, he wasn’t the same pitcher that he was before July. To me, if Joe Torre doesn’t use Lowe as a reliever, the Dodgers will have a decent starter for the season.

Having Chad Billingsley in the starting rotation for the entire season will make it better. I didn’t understand why the Dodgers ever put Billingsley in the bullpen. Since he came up in June 2006, I always have liked the kid. Oh yeah, Billingsley sometimes struggled with his control and used too many pitches. What did the Dodgers expect from a 22-year-old kid? I have seen many pitchers who used too many pitches, and some of them are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Billingsley worked fast and was improving with every start.

While Billingsley was in the bullpen, the Dodgers had mediocre starters taking his place. The Dodgers don’t have Mark Hendrickson or Brett Tomko, and it will help immensely. Barring injury, Billingsley will be in the starting rotation for the entire season. This means that Billingsley won’t need to build endurance in June. He already is a quality pitcher at 23. If Billingsley continues developing the way he has been, I can see him winning a Cy Young award someday.

Hiroki Kuroda will be an asset to the Dodger starting rotation. In Japan he was a proven winner. Although he made too many pitches in Japan, his arm appears to be healthy. Kuroda should give the Dodgers a reliable fourth starter.

The fifth starter for the Dodgers is anyone’s guess. Even before Colletti signed Jason Schmidt, people thought his arm was going out. At no time during 2007, Schmidt looked healthy. If he would have admitted that he was hurt first off, the Dodgers would have been better off. Though Joe Torre doesn’t expect Schmidt to be ready for opening day, he should be able to pitch sometime this season. If Schmidt can be decent, he will be a help to the Dodgers, especially if another starter gets injured.

If Schmidt isn’t ready to be the Dodgers’ fifth starter, the Dodgers have options. Hong-Chih Kuo, recovering from another elbow surgery, can be the fifth starter. It would be nice to have a left hander in the starting rotation. However, at 26 years old, Kuo has a problem with control.

Chan Ho Park is trying to make the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee. Though he hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since August 2006, he is healthy. This spring he has been receiving tutoring from Sandy Koufax. He wants to pitch again for the Dodgers badly.

The Dodgers have a better idea of what their starting rotation will look like this season than last. Barring injury, the Dodgers arguably have the best starting rotation in the National League Western Division.