As I posted on Twitter today, the signing of Vicente Padilla is a pretty decent one... if he is to be the fifth starter.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid he's the fourth starter.
With two wide open spots in the rotation, the Dodgers seem to only have the money to sign one guy, and then hope to fill the whole that is the fifth spot.
As much as I am hoping the cheap signing of Padilla means that they are going to go after Jon Garland or Ben Sheets, I just don't think it's going to happen.
Padilla's lifetime stats (98-85, 4.33 ERA) aren't bad, but I think Dodger fans are going to want the guy who was 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in seven starts.
He won't be that guy. He'll be more like the guy who's mean stats for the year was a 4.46 ERA. That's not bad, but when the first three starters in your rotation all have question marks, it becomes more of a concern.
With someone like Sheets, Garland, Joel Piniero (before he signed) and then Padilla as the fifth starter, the rotation would look pretty solid. I'm less hyped on Jarrod Washburn and Braden Looper, but it's better than the alternatives at this point.
Now, the Dodgers are going to be relying on the one or more of the following to plug the gap:
Scott Elbert- hasn't been the same since shoulder surgery derailed a promising ascent through the Minor Leagues.
James McDonald- has proven he is more suited as a reliever because he can max out at 95-97 mph instead of a very hittable 90-92 fastball with little movement.
Eric Stults- will never be consistent enough to be a full-time starter.
Charlie Haeger- ummm... no thanks.
John Ely- got him in the Juan Pierre trade. Hasn't pitched above Double-A, but had great numbers there last year.
I like Padilla for the fourth starter, he is better suited in LA with the hispanic players on the team (Furcal, Mota, Manny, Duncan) compared to the Rangers who didnt have many people he could relate to in the clubhouse and everybody hated on him...it was bad on both ends. I dont like that it takes forever for him to throw each pitch though.
As for the fifth spot it will be interesting and I recall last year we talked about the fifth starter for days and it never got solved until Garland and Padilla were picked up. Elbert and McDonald need to prove that they are legit options to be a four or fifth starter for the team or else they need to be traded before two top 25 prospect pitchers will go the way of Greg Miller. When are Elbert and McD out of options?
Haeger is an interesting guy...throws a knuckleball and 90mph fastball!! But was inconsitent after a great start...If he went after hitters more w his fastball and got a curveball to mix in there he would replace Stults as the sixth starter to replace an injury.
Ely is a soft pitcher right?? What is the scouting report on him? "Why hasnt anybody else picked up on him yet?" Lou Brown
What is our bench looking like???
1B Mientkiewicz
SS Berroa
Utl Carroll
OF Repko/Paul
C Ellis/Closser
That sucks balls!!!! no pop, old speed in repko and carroll, unproven backup catcher w no stick in Ellis, Closser had some pop if I remember correctly, old broken down Doug at 1B is the only one that I like along w giving Repko another shot...just one last one though and he needs to have a good spring to beat out Xavier Paul who I saw and liked last spring.
Bring in someone who just might be able to hit a bomb!!!!!...nobody on that list is sufficient.
McDonald and Elbert still can be optioned back and forth because they haven't been on the 25-man roster for enough seasons. It's Stults who is probably getting close.
Ely is definitely a finesse guy.
Love the Lou Brown quote. Love it so much in fact I might go watch that movie.
I'm not impressed with Haeger.
The bench is certainly not looking as good as last year.
Like both signings in ausmus and belliard coming back. Belliard provides pop off the bench and ausmus is a text book definition of the word vet. Now I still start dewitt and have belliard as the right hander off the bench....a lefty w some pop and we are pretty much done for the offseason although another person to compete for the fifth spot wouuld be nice