Dodgers Need Pitching

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in no doubt need of pitching. The need at least another solid number two starting pitcher and a solid middle reliever if they want to win the pennant this season. Here's a look at the Dodgers' starting pitching:

Pitcher	Win	Loss	ERA
Brad Penny	9	2	2.94
Derek Lowe	7	4	3.49
Aaron Sele	4	2	3.06
Mark Hendrickson	4	9	3.71
Chad Billingsley	0	2	4.91
Odalis Perez (demoted to bullpen)	4	3	6.84
Brett Tomko (DL)	6	6	5.12

 

As you can see there are three pitchers there that are decent. You can only trust two of them because Aaron Sele is getting older and he has been with the Dodgers only to fill in. In the long run Derek Lowe and Brad Penny will ultimately help you win the championship...The Dodgers recently aquired Mark Hendrickson from Tampa Bay along with catcher Toby Hall for Jae Seo and Dioner Navarro. Hendrickson has only made one start for the Dodgers and that was Saturday against the Angels. So far unimpressed. I'm sure Dodger GM Ned Coletti realizes that Hendrickson is not the answer... Odalis Perez has been awful this season and when he asked to be traded no team wanted him...Chad Billingsley is one of many rookies on the roster this season and has shown very little improvement from AAA to the big leagues...Brett Tomko started the season very hot but then has cooled off for some time before landing on the Disabled List, it is unclear how effective he will be down the stretch.

Here's the thing: the Dodgers would really benefit from a guy like Dontrelle Willis or Barry Zito. Brad Penny and Derek Lowe can only carry the Dodgers so far they need some support.

Exhibit 'B' the Bulpen:

Pitcher	Win	Loss	ERA	Saves
Takashi Saito (Closer)	3	2	1.63	5
Jonathan Broxton	1	0	2.62	0
Joe Beimel	2	1	3.34	1
Danys Baez	4	4	4.20	9
Hong-Chih Kuo	0	4	5.60	0
Odalis Perez	4	3	6.84	0

There are three good relief pitchers on this list. ONLY THREE! That is simply not going to cut it, down the stretch especially when only one starter on the Dodgers (Derek Lowe) has thrown a complete game this season which means the other starters are not going deep into games. It would be good to get two to three more relief pitchers but I will settle with just one great one.

If the Dodgers do everything I have stated above then we're talking winning the division this year. And who knows maybe a seventh World Series title.