Its Time To Scrap The Thirteen Pitcher Idea

Doesn’t really seem to be a need for Schlichting. Joe is not going to use him unless the game gets away and our pitching staff rarely lets a game get away. With Kuroda back I don’t really see the need for him. Leach has a 5.14 ERA but his FIP is only 2.55 and we probably need the left hander.

DeWitt makes the most sense since he can play 2nd/SS/3rd. If we need an outfielder he can play 3rd and Blake can hit the outfield. If we need a 1st, he can play 3rd and Blake can play 1st. Loretta is just not very useful against RHP so the bench at times would be Loretta, Castro, Ausmus, Hoffman so are very vulnerable to hard throwing RHP relief pitching when we need to call upon pinch hitters.

With Milton and Kuroda due for one more rotation and no off days until then, I don’t think the Dodgers lower their staff until then.

After Sunday, the Dodgers only have to use a 5th starter 3 times until the All-Star Break and they won’t need one for two weeks. Milton can join Weaver in the long man role, though he probably won’t be considered a LOOGY. My guess is that Ohman may go and pitch some rehab just to build up some arm strength.

Ultimately, a lot of this rest on if Kuroda can join Billingsley and Wolf and pitch into the 7th inning on a consistent basis, if he can do that, then you might see the 12 man staff once the Dodgers start having to use their full rotation on a full-time basis after the ASB.

having to use a pitcher to PH (even if an admittedly early PH spot) was the tipping point for me. That simply should not happen.

I do agree with BH, though I don’t think this experiment will last long. My assumption was that they were nervous about Kuroda’s coming back, wanted to make sure he was healthy and looking good — and now that he is, and can probably start to work longer with each outing, that extra pitcher becomes even more pointless.

So yeah, that plus the off days and I would be very surprised if they don’t call up a position player (and it really should be DeWitt imho) within the week.

Btw, the picture above did make me laugh. What is she, like 4’8 or something? Not much call for short pitchers ’round these parts, but she sure is cute as the dickens!

for the Texas Rangers series. Guaranteed.

Pierre
Furcal
Hudson
Loney
Blake
Ethier
Kemp
Ausmus
Wolf

Dodgers with a .500 slugS% are Blake and Pierre. I’d have lost the house on that one.

The highest active OPS belongs to Pierre at .933. I’d have lost the 2nd house on that one.

Russell Martin with a slug percent (.318) lower then Juan Pierre’s batting average (.382). I’d have lost my left testicle on that one.

Juan Pierre with highest active OPS+ at 147. I’d have lost my right testicle on that one.

Good thing I stopped betting on baseball.

Matt Stairs should be a Dodger

David Delucci sure lost it quick. Probably my imagination but it seems like older players are losing it much faster post testing once they get injured.

If Casey Blake can maintain this type of production he is going to have an historic season for his age at his position for a non HOF player, non future HOF player, non admitted steroid user. Then again that is why they play 162 games and why it weighs heavily against the aged.
http://www.bb-ref.com/play-index/shareit/phfx

the Dodgers using Milton as a pinch hitter. I do mind him swinging at the first pitch for an easy out. At least make the other pitcher throw 3 pitches minimum.

with the girl throwing out the first pitch. Bet they couldn’t throw Shannon three strikes.

But then he then went on to wonder why we don’t have any “long man” relievers where this has pretty much been Weaver’s entire role since he left the rotation and is a specialist position we can have exactly because we have the 13 pitcher roster. The ESPN guy should have just provided the link and quite while he was ahead, maybe he should get your number.

I don’t have any problem with having your best hitting pitchers hit instead of a mediocre bench warmer. Ideally you would have some better hitting pitchers than we have this year as we have in the past, but there isn’t any reason why a pitcher roster spot shouldn’t be used for offense.

I think this luxury was really just luck since our defensive specialist suddenly decided he could hit. Whatever Torre is doing, he’s doing something right, because the team ERA is ridiculously low compared to the expectations coming into the season and I think that’s beyond accepting a position with a NL West club. I think limiting our pitchers to what they can handle and not stretching them out has been a big part of the success.