SB Nation - Tom Gordon

The 2009 Diamondbacks Season, Part V: The Bullpen

Jim McLennan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:15:35 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Somehow, this pic - Qualls yelling to the bench for help after hurting his knee against Houston - sums up the bullpen's entire season...

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The Arizona bullpen allowed 271 runs and finished the season with a 4.61 ERA, both numbers which put them ahead only of Washington among National League relief corps. We've previously discussed the waking nightmare which was the eighth inning, but it's also worth taking a look at the numbers posted by the bullpen in general. How do they stack up in total? What were the issues? How might things have gone, and where do we go from here?

FIP vs. ERA
On straight ERA, as noted above, our relievers were pretty bad, even when you adjust for park factor. However, the underlying performance numbers weren't quite as horrendous. Arizona relievers had a combined line of .264/.338/.395, which is an sOPS+ of only 101, not too much worse than average. Fangraphs.com's FIP stat goes even further: the D-backs FIP was 4.02 - sixth-best in the league - with the biggest gap between that and 'actual' ERA of any team in the National League. This explains why they rated our pen at 36.1 runs above replacement, not just above average, but very close to the number (39.4) posted by the "lights out" 2007 bullpen.

The only two relievers with 10+ innings, to have a FIP higher than their ERA were Clay Zavada (FIP 3.92) and Blaine Boyer (3.34), both of which make sense. Zavada certainly benefited from the lucky scoreless streak which opened his career - his ERA the rest of the way was 5.34. And Boyer is obviously not the 2.68 ERA pitcher he was with Arizona: if he was anything like that, the Cardinals wouldn't have dumped him. Still, even if they deliver their FIP numbers in 2010, I don't think we'll mind too much. The other eight relievers all had FIP better than their ERA, the amount ranging from 0.07 (yeah, Scott Schoeneweis was as bad as he looked) to 1.06 for Juan Gutierrez.

There are various reasons why FIP can differ. It's based purely on home-runs, strikeouts and walks: you might think, "Hang on - the number of hits that stay in the park is irrelevant?" But the problem there, is that those do depend on the defense, so are not a good measure of pitching ability. I'll go into more detail about our glovework in the final part of this series, but Arizona's defensive efficiency - the percentage of balls turned into outs - was below average. If it seems counter-intuitive that you put H, K and HR into a mathematical blender and get a number that means anything, studies have shown that FIP is a better indicator of future performance than ERA.

Win Probability
However, the Hardball Times Win Probability Added is less convinced, saying our relievers cost Arizona 2.81 wins, this year ahead only of Pittsburgh and Washington. This is the same Win Probability we graph after every game; the winning team has 0.5 of a win to divide up, and the losers -0.5 blame. Over the entire season, our hitters "cost" Arizona 6.53 wins, and our starting pitching 1.67. [The total, not by coincidence, is 11, the number we were below .500] However, you should remember the value of a performance is radically dependent on when it happens. As Dave Studeman points out, "If a player hits a home run in the ninth inning of a 1-0 game, he is credited with more WPA points than if he hits a home run in the first inning of a 1-0 game."

The late innings will tend to have more leverage as a result, though given the bullpen threw about half the innings of the starters, to be "responsible" for more losses than the rotation isn't good. Still, the implication is that the offense was a bigger problem for the team in 2009 than the pitching in total. For context, it 2008, the bullpen WPA was -1.16 wins and in 2007, it was a stunning +7.48 victories. This is likely a reflection of the huge number of close contests in which that team was involved. Almost one-third (52) were decided by one-run, and when you get into the late innings of such games, every out has a very significant impact on Win Probability.

Was the bullpen overtaxed?
Not apparently. The average team saw 2,184 PAs dealt with by their relievers last season; Arizona saw fractionally less than that, at 2,122 - it clearly helped to have one of the most durable starters in the league, in Dan Haren, whose IP/start was 6.95, fourth-best in the league. Jon Garland (6.18, 24th) and Doug Davis (5.98, 34th) were also above the NL-average of 5.82. The Diamondbacks were also the least-likely team to use a reliever on back-to-back days: this happened only 80 times, the most common subjects being Gutierrez and Rauch, each eleven times. However, the results of such outings were good, with a 3.67 ERA.

The only reliever who worked more than 55 innings for the Diamondbacks was Gutierrez, who threw 71 innings [Rauch and Tony Peña were both around the same for the year, combining the totals for their two teams], which was not enough to put him among the top thirty 'pure' relievers in the majors. By appearances, his 65 games was only ranked #70, though Rauch ended up =13th by that metric. Arizona were right in the middle of the pack with regard to asking our relievers to get more than three outs too, so overall, workload doesn't appear to have been much of an issue for the bullpen as a whole.

Inherited issues
What did seem to be a problem was the bullpen's problem with inherited runners. Across the league, 30% of inherited runners scored, but for the Diamondbacks' relievers, that number was 38%, the worst figure in the NL. Only two relievers were below league average, and that fractionally: Scott Schoeneweis and Leo Rosales both came in at 29%, and the brevity of the former's appearances were likely a factor. From there, things only get worse, all the way up to Blaine Boyer (8 of 17 inherited runners scored, 47%) and Daniel Schlereth (7 of 12, 58%). Obviously, while we are talking small sample size here, and not all inherited runners are created equal, the overall numbers are significant enough to indicate a problem.

The Arizona bullpen: anti-clutch in action
A major driving factor in a pitcher's ERA will be how they perform with runners in scoring position - as we saw with Doug Davis this year, you can get away with allowing a lot of base-runners, as long as you don't let them get past third-base. This was something our bullpen didn't do last season. The Diamondbacks' OPS for their relievers across all situations in 2009 was .734: they can be divided into three groups by their performance with runners in scoring position (min. 30 such PAs):

    Significantly better: Leo Rosales (.653), Tony Peña (.655), Esmerling Vasquez (.686)
    There or thereabouts: Chad Qualls (.728), Juan Gutierrez (.730),
    Significantly worse: Blaine Boyer (.779), Jon Rauch (.853), Clay Zavada (.959), Scott Schoeneweis (1.078), Daniel Schlereth (1.192)

This would explain the high ERA; not just the raw number of pitchers, but the disparity. We had four relievers whose OPS was 100 points or more worse than bullpen average, when they had runners in scoring position, compared to none who were that much better. Avoiding such a skewed result in 2010 will certainly help. Harder to say whether it's something that can be addressed, or is just a question of waiting for regression to the mean.

What might have been
The front-office got criticism for letting Brandon Lyon and Juan Cruz walk at the end of 2008, and it's fair to say that the arms they brought to Arizona instead, Schoeneweis and Tom Gordon, were dismal failures. Admittedly, the former's problema could in no way have been foreseen, and completely derailed the year. Before his wife's death, Scott had an ERA of 2.53; after, it exploded to 10.80. But in the final analysis, he is just another in a long line of disappointing LOOGY's brought in by the team: see also Randy Choate, Mike Myers, Eddie Oropesa, etc. Since Myers in 2002, no free-agent southpaw reliever has had an ERA+ above 100 for Arizona.

Gordon was a low-risk roll of the die, but even at that, it must have been disappointing to get no more than 1.2 innings and a 21.60 ERA from the veteran. He only cost $600K, but one assumes the budget included the maximum Gordon may have earned, $3m. Between the price of him and Schoeneweis ($2m), the team could certainly have done better. Looing at the players we let go, Juan Cruz signed a two-year, $6m contract with the Royals, but had an ERA of 5.72, with a strikeout rate almost cut in half (from 12.4 K/9 to 6.4). Allowing Cruz to walk now seems wise, and Kansas City will be hoping for much better in 2010.

At first glance, Brandon Lyon was excellent with the Tigers, holding opponents to a .205 average and posting a 2.86 ERA, that seemed to justify fully his $4m deal, and likely sets him up for a big pay-day this winter. However, Lyon did have a freakishly-low BABIP of .229, leading to a FIP above four - the difference put him in the top 20 among major-league relievers. Still, signing him for $4m and getting anything like his actual performance would have been a much better deal for Arizona than Gordon and Schoeneweis.

2010?
From statements so far, it does appear that one or more arms will be added to the bullpen in the off-season. We'll be discussing this in more detail in due course, but I imagine the core is alreay present, in Qualls, Gutierrez, Vasquez and Zavada. Boyer and Schlereth would also seem to have a potential role, though use of the latter in high-leverage situations still concerns me. I still wouldn't mind us spending $5 million or so of the estimated $28m available on a couple of decent arms: I think "reliable" is the key-word there. Rather than us taking a risk on anyone like Gordon, we want someone who we know will contribute.

The last installment of this series will follow, probably next Monday. There, we'll be looking at defense and base-running, and their impact on the team's performance last season.

When In Doubt, Turn To The Wolf

Eric Stephen — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:34:51 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Randy Wolf will earn $500,000 upon recording his first out this evening.

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Randy Wolf to the rescue. In each of his last 11 starts, Wolf has pitched at least six innings. Over those 11 starts, Wolf is 5-3 with a 2.95 ERA. The Dodgers are 17-10 in his starts this season.

Clint Barmes, who homered last night to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, is working on a rare season. His current batting line on the season is .248/.300/.467, in 480 plate appearances. Since integration, there have only been 24 batters to qualify for the batting title and put up a .450 slugging with an on-base percentage under .300 (including two other candidates besides Barmes this year). Barmes' current OBP on the season is .30042.

Like father, like son: Not only did Dee Gordon win the "Prospect of the Year" award in the Midwest League yesterday, but according to the Dodger pregame notes, his father Tom Gordon also won the same award while with the Appleton Foxes, a Royals' affiliate, in 1988.

On this date 70 years ago, the first televised game in baseball history took place between the Dodgers and the Reds at Ebbets Field. Red Barber called the game on W2XBS TV.

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Don't forget to RSVP for True Blue LA Day at Dodger Stadium, on the next-to-last day of the regular season, October 3 against these Rockies.

Get your guesses in for "Just A Bit Outside" here.

Game Time: 5:40pm

TV: Prime Ticket

Baseball Reference Preview

Signing deadline looms for NL West teams

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Anyone this good joining the division this year via the draft? Hopefully, but hopefully not for that white and black team.

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In case, you've missed it, the signing deadline for players selected in June's draft is 10pm MDT tonight. The Rockies remain the least likely in the division to sign their top pick, but as it stands now, only three divisional first rounders have been inked. This is how we're looking this morning:

Arizona

The Diamondbacks made quick work of signing 17th overall pick AJ Pollack, agreeing to terms nearly two months ago. Arizona also had the 16th overall pick. They selected and have now signed HS infielder Bobby Borchering. Jim McLennan includes an audio interview with Borchering in that last link. The deal means Arizona has successfully reached agreement with their first 11 picks and 28 of their top 29. That's getting down to business.

Los Angeles

The Dodgers didn't have a first round pick once they signed Orlando Hudson, but they did recently strike a deal with second-round pick Garrett Gould. Los Angeles also has inked sandwich pick Aaron Miller and have deals with their first 11 picks and 18 of 19.

San Diego

Donovan Tate, a HS outfielder and 3rd overall pick, has yet to sign with San Diego. Corey Brock reported that Kevin Goldstein at Baseball Prospectus believes he will sign for about a $6.5million bonus by tonight's deadline. Tate had been given a dorm room at Chapel Hill (sound familiar?), where he planned on played baseball and football. Despite that, the Padres remain confident they'll sign pick Tate.

The Padres also have yet to sign 2nd-rounder Everett Williams or 4th-rounder Keyvius Sampson. Corey Brock says "Williams could be tricky to sign since he was perceived as a first round pick that slid into the second round." Here's the draft database for the Padres.

San Francisco

Sixth overall pick Zack Wheeler remains unsigned, but the Giants are moving forward with talks. Brain Sabean said he "thinks we'll get it done" and those in the know seem to expect Wheeler to sign by the deadline. The Giants also signed their second round pick, high school catch Tommy Joseph, to the most lucrative 2nd round bonus so far this year: $712. San Francisco gave Buster Posey a $6.2mil bonus last year. Picks 2-17 have been signed.

Jim Callis at Baseball America put together a chart of unsigned picks and what their contract demands are. The details are quite vague, but it's still handy.

And now for your weekly divisional report, but first, my apologies for all the red links. I'm writing on a new computer and it seems to be having formatting issues...

NL West Report

Arizona (54-64, 4th, L1, 16 GB)

Last Week: 4-2. 2-1 vs. Mets. 2-1 vs. Dodgers. D-Backs fans brought brooms to the final game of each series, but Arizona failed to allow them to wave each time.

Pace: 74-88.

Divisional Change: Gained 1.0 game.

This Week: 1 make-up game @ Atlanta, 3 game road series @ Phillies, 3 game road series @ Astros.

News: For the second straight year, the Diamondbacks have a veteran lefty with underwhelming stuff attempting to battle unthinkable battles off the field. After Doug Davis went through treatments for cancer last year, Scott Schoeneweis has had to cope with the surprise of his wife being found dead. None of us want to even imagine the horror ourselves, yet Schoeneweis took two weeks off to cope and be with his four children.

Scott Schoeneweis

#60 / Pitcher / Arizona Diamondbacks

Height:6-0

Weight:190

Bats:L

Throws:L

Born:Oct 02, 1973

That apparently was not enough time, as the lefty was scored on in six of his past seven outings, allowing 11 runs in 5 innings in that span, including a .462 opponent batting average. He was placed on the DL with depression last week. Sad sad story.

Brandon Webb plans to pitch "somewhere" next spring after rehabilitating his surgically repaired shoulder. Arizona is still unsure whether to pick up his $8.5 million option for next season. Webb prefers to stay in Arizona.

Nick Piecoro looks into the payroll going forward to 2010.

Doug Davis was claimed on waivers by the Brewers, but Arizona retracted him and he remains in the desert. We went on to beat the Dodgers Saturday.

Davis wants to be signed to a 3-year extension, but the Diamondbacks are non-committal at this point.

After having a terrible start to the season, Jon Rauch has turned his season around in a big way. Jim McLennan explores in his story: The Raucherrection of Jon.

Transactions: Called up IF Rusty Ryal from AAA and optioned OF Chris Young to AAA. Released RHP Tom Gordon and recalled LHP Daniel Schlereth.

Injuries: Placed LHP Scott Schoeneweis on the 15-day DL Tuesday with depression. Eric Byrnes has started a rehab assignment in AAA in an effort to return this month from his broken hand. Justin Upton hit off a tee yesterday and is in line to return in September. Top prospect Jarrod Parker might need surgery, but Arizona won't pull the trigger on that yet. He will be re-evaluated next month.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS INJURIES

15-DAY

PLAYER	INJURY TYPE	INJURY DATE
Eric Byrnes	hand	06/26/2009
Scott Schoeneweis	other-excused	08/10/2009
Justin Upton	oblique	08/06/2009

60 DAY DL / OUT FOR THE SEASON

PLAYER	INJURY TYPE	INJURY DATE
Conor Jackson	pneumonia	05/12/2009
Brandon Webb	shoulder	04/07/2009

News on the other three divisional teams after the jump.

Los Angeles (70-48, 1st, W1)

Last Week: 3-3. 2-1 @ Giants. 1-2 @ Diamondbacks.

Pace: 96-66.

Divisional Change: Lost 0.5 game lead to COL.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Cardinals, 4 game road series vs Cubs. The Dodgers' week before their visit to Coors is filled with games against the top two teams in the NL Central.

News: Hiroki Kuroda said he is "lucky to be alive" after being struck in the head by a line drive by Arizona rookie infielder Rusty Ryal. It was the second time a pitcher was felled by a line drive to the head at Chase Field (the first being in 1998), and Ryal was credited with a double after the ball ricocheted into the stands.

Hiroki Kuroda

#18 / Pitcher / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-1

Weight: 210

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Feb 10, 1975

Kuroda is quoted as saying that his wife thought he was dead when he was carted off. He is apparently okay now, will miss Thursday's start as a precaution but will remain in the rotation.

Randy Wolf had a heck of a game yesterday, taking a one-hit shutout into the eighth, striking out a season high 10 while falling a triple shy of the cycle at the plate. He was the sixth Dodger pitch ever to hit a home run during a three-hit night in franchise history. I blame Yumeiro Petit for everything.

Snoop Dogg takes Ticket Truck for spin | dodgers.com: News
On Tuesday, the Dodgers announced the launch of the club's first mobile ticketing unit with local rap icon Snoop Dogg taking the truck on its inaugural voyage.

Rookie knuckleballer Charlie Haeger was called up and will start tonight.

Joe Torre is confident Los Angeles will add an arm if they need it. Two options are John Smoltz and Vicente Padilla.

Transactions: Optioned LHP Eric Stults to AAA and called up RHP Charlie Haeger.

Injuries: Chad Billingsley threw 85 pitches in a bullpen session and reported no pain. He's set to tomorrow. Hiroki Kuroda is reportedly "feeling good" but will likely miss his Thursday start vs. Chicago. No replacement has been announced.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS INJURIES

PROBABLE

PLAYER INJURY TYPE INJURY DATE

Chad Billingsley hamstring 08/16/2009

15-DAY

PLAYER INJURY TYPE INJURY DATE

Will Ohman shoulder 05/28/2009

Jason Schmidt shoulder 08/06/2009

60 DAY DL / OUT FOR THE SEASON

PLAYER INJURY TYPE INJURY DATE

Doug Mientkiewicz shoulder 04/17/2009

Xavier Paul ankle 05/21/2009

PLAYER	INJURY TYPE	INJURY DATE
Chad Billingsley	hamstring	08/16/2009

PLAYER	INJURY TYPE	INJURY DATE
Will Ohman	shoulder	05/28/2009
Jason Schmidt	shoulder	08/06/2009

San Diego (49-70, 5th, L4, 21.5 GB)

Last Week: 2-4. 2-1 @ Brewers, 0-3 @ Cardinals.

Pace: 67-95.

Divisonal change: Lost 1.0 game.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Cubs, 4 game home series vs Cardinals.

News: Heath Bell actually blew a save last night, just his second of the season. That quietly puts Huston Street in the NL lead in save percentage, trailing only Mariano Rivera for the MLB lead. Bell and Adrian Gonzalez were placed on waivers over the weekend. The Angels are interested in Bell, but the Jake Peavy trade lessens the need for San Diego to unload their talent.

Heath Bell

#21 / Pitcher / San Diego Padres

Height: 6-3

Weight: 240

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Sep 29, 1977

Randy Read replaced Jim Lefebvre as hitting coach July 31, and the move has paid off so far. San Diego has hit over .300 under Read and are scoring over five runs a game.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is injured for Texas. A potential replacement is Padre backup Henry Blanco.

Last year, an NL West shortstop injured his own hand. Actually, two of them did. One of them is now an elite player at his position, hitting cleanup for the NL Wild Card leaders. The other got traded and has spent most of the season on the disabled list due to anxiety. Am I ever glad we are proud owners of the former player. The Padres filed a grievance against Khalil Greene, attempting to recoup $1.7million in salary after Greene fractured his hand after "swiping a storage chest." San Diego privately resolved the case with Greene before they had to go to a hearing.

Transactions: Optioned C Eliezer Alfonzo to AAA. Signed RHP Matthew Lollis and assigned his to the AZL Padres. Optioned RHP Mike Ekstrom to AAA Portland and recalled RHP Cesar Carillo.

Injuries: Activated C Nick Hundley (forearm) from the 15-day DL.

San Diego Padres Injuries

15-Day

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Brian Giles	knee	06/19/2009
Edgar Gonzalez	concussion	07/19/2009

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Mark Worrell	elbow	03/27/2009
Cha Seung Baek	forearm	03/30/2009
Shawn Hill	elbow	04/26/2009
Chris Young	shoulder	06/15/2009

San Francisco (63-54, 3rd, L1, 6.5 GB)

Last Week: 2-4. 1-2 vs. Dodgers, 1-2 @ Mets.

Pace: 87-75.

Divisional Change: Lost 1.0 games in NL West. Lost 1.5 games in Wild Card.

This Week: Final game of a four game set @ Mets. 3 game road series @ Reds. First 3 games of 4 game road series @ Rockies.

News: Now that Alex Rios and his fat contract has headed south to Chicago, Andrew Baggarly at the San Jose Mercury News reminds (or informs) us that there was once talk of a Tim Lincecum for Alex Rios swap less than two years ago. The best trades are indeed the ones you don't make. Unless you're Toronto. Imagine that 1-2 punch.

Tim Lincecum

#55 / Pitcher / Toronto Blue Jays

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Bats: L

Throws: R

Born: Jun 15, 1984

Would you let Barry Zito go on a waiver claim? Henry Schulman at SFGate evaluates from all angles.

Ken Rosenthal has a Q and A with Giants GM Brian Sabean. Among the topics: how Sabean wanted to draft Lincecum so badly he refused to watch him in person, Barry Bonds, and the futures of the catching position, the Kung Fu Panda and Sabean himself.

Transactions: None.

Injuries: Activated Nate Schierholtz (hip) from the 15-Day DL and placed Rich Aurilia (ankle) on the 15-day DL.

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Rich Aurilia	ankle	08/12/2009
Andres Torres	hamstring	07/31/2009

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Randy Johnson	trapezius	07/06/2009
Noah Lowry	ribs	03/27/2009
Kelvin Pichardo	shoulder	06/28/2009
Henry Sosa	shoulder	08/05/2009

San Francisco Giants Injuries

15-Day

Player Injury Type Injury Date

Rich Aurilia ankle 08/12/2009

Andres Torres hamstring 07/31/2009

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player Injury Type Injury Date

Randy Johnson trapezius 07/06/2009

Noah Lowry ribs 03/27/2009

Kelvin Pichardo shoulder 06/28/2009

Henry Sosa shoulder 08/05/2009

Thursday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:58:38 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

Alcides Escobar talks with Willie Randolph during the first inning Wednesday.

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Some things to read while searching for a signature sign-off.

So, yesterday morning I skipped out early for an appointment, got back home, ate some breakfast, mowed the lawn, then sat down at my coffee table to check the comments on the Mug and discovered what might have been the biggest news day of the season, as the Brewers demoted J.J. Hardy to AAA, promoted Alcides Escobar, fired Billy Castro, designated Bill Hall for assignment and called up Jason Bourgeois. Adam McCalvy has reactions from the clubhouse, and here are several more reactions from around the web:

J.J. Hardy has until Friday to join the Sounds, and says he's looking forward to a few days off.
Brewed Sports was not pleased with that response.
Brewer Paradise Lost is one of many who suspects this move might have been made to prevent Hardy from becoming a free agent following the 2010 season. Hardy would have to remain in the minors past September 1 for the demotion to count against his service time, and it seems unlikely the Brewers will leave him there once rosters expand.
R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs isn't sure the Escobar-for-Hardy swap helps the Brewers this season, or helps Hardy's trade value down the road.
Meanwhile, Cash Kruth caught up with Bill Hall, who seemed upbeat about his situation and expects to be on a team again soon. With that said, this is the same guy who still thought he was the best third baseman in baseball a few weeks ago.
Ken Rosenthal is reporting that at least one NL team is interested in trading for Hall.
Cincinnati Reds Blog sees the Hall situation as "a big opportunity for the Reds to pick up a talented player."
Billy Castro, who had been with the Brewers as a coach for nearly 18 years, left with no regrets. He may not get another chance to be a pitching coach, but it sounds like he'll always have a spot in the Brewer organization, if he wants it.
A Girl's View of the Brewers wonders if these moves will be enough to get the Brewers back on track.
Big League Stew accused the Brewers of waving the white flag on the 2009 season.
PocketDoppler says the Brewers are pushing the panic button.
Aaron Gleeman of Circling the Bases says the move likely came too late for the Brewers' playoff hopes.
Keep Turning Up the Heat says "these are some dark times in the Brewers organization," and doesn't agree with the decision to call up Escobar or fire Castro.
Quevedo at the Buffet doesn't get the timing or the logic behind the moves.
The Bucky Channel wonders why Alcides Escobar was only used sparingly and Jason Bourgeois wasn't used at all last night.

Meanwhile, the Brewers did actually play a game last night, and lost their second straight to the Padres, dropping their playoff chances to 2.9%, the first time all season they've fallen below 3%.

Things could get worse today, as they play a day game against the Padres, who are sending Cesar Carrillo to the mound to make his major league debut today. The Brewers are 0-4 this season in games where the opposing pitcher is making his debut. And, of course, they haven't been good in day games either, or in games played in June, July or August.

Doug Melvin may not be done dealing. The Brewers claimed Doug Davis off waivers from the D-Backs (h/t FanShot), giving the two teams 48 hours to work out a deal to bring him back to Milwaukee. Davis says it would be fun to return to Milwaukee, but Tom H. says it's unlikely to happen.

A bunch of news got lost in the shuffle with everything else that happened yesterday. Here are the important notes that got buried in today's game preview:

Both Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan are expected back before September 1.
Jesus Colome was available to pitch last night despite his bruised pinky finger.
Nick Green cleared waivers after being DFA'd and will remain in Huntsville.

One other minor league note to pass along today: Matt Hagen of The Hardball Times nominated Jeremy Jeffress for most disappointing minor leaguer in 2009.

On power rankings:

The Brewers jumped from 23rd to 20th in WhatifSports' rankings.
MLB FanHouse has the Brewers holding steady at 19.

Around baseball:

Angels: Released reliever Justin Speier.
Cardinals: Placed Todd Wellemeyer on the DL with elbow inflammation.
D-Backs: Placed Scott Schoeneweis on the DL with depression and released Tom Gordon.
Giants: Placed Rich Aurilia on the DL with ankle tendinitis.
Indians: Claimed R.J. Swindle off waivers from the Rays.
Mariners: Erik Bedard is expected to undergo shoulder surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
Marlins: Signed Esteban Yan to a minor league deal.
Pirates: Placed reliever Evan Meek on the DL with an oblique strain and claimed reliever John Meloan off waivers from the Rays.
Reds: Placed Scott Rolen on the DL with a concussion.
Royals: Acquired pitcher John Bannister from the Rangers.
Twins: Placed Glen Perkins on the DL with shoulder trouble and released Mark Grudzielanek.

By shuffling the deck in the bullpen a little bit this offseason the Brewers created some new problems, but at least they're done with this one: Reflections of Blue has had it with Guillermo Mota, who posted a 0.26 ERA over one 35.1 inning stretch and a 10.32 ERA since.

Here's something to ponder for all of you who want to make the case that J.J. Hardy should be moved to second or third base, Rickie Weeks should be moved to center field and Mat Gamel should play first base or right field: Will Carroll says a player playing out of position has a 30 percent greater chance of getting injured, based on unfamiliarity with the position.

Brian Anderson wants your help to raise money for the I Back Jack Foundation. Follow the link for more info on how you can help Jack Bartosz, a young man fighting neuroblastoma.

Speaking of causes that could use your money, UW-La Crosse, alma mater of former Brewers Jerry Augustine and Vinny Rottino, has raised enough money to keep the program alive for one more season, but is still on the chopping block.

On this day in 1987, Paul Molitor homered in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 28 games, but the Brewers still lost to the Orioles, 5-4.

Happy birthday today to Corey Patterson, who turns 30, and former Milwaukee Brave Tony Cloninger, who turns 69.

Drink up.

Sick Snakes: The Diamondbacks on the Disabled List

Jim McLennan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

After getting whacked by a pitch, Byrnes, left, shakes his left hand as he stands on first base, June 25. No sign of him returning to the fray as yet.

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Nice to get Chris Snyder back off the Disabled List on Tuesday - for a while, it seemed like the traffic was all one-way, with the DL being a gurgling vortex of suck, from which no-one ever seemed to return. In other words, something like going to play for the Padres, but with more painkillers.

At least we only have four players sitting on the DL: Eric Byrnes, Tom Gordon, Conor Jackson and Brandon Webb. San Diego and the New York Mets each currently have ten men calling in to the sick line, which has certainly hampered the latter this season. The Mets have a payroll of almost $150m, and their record is only about six games better than the Diamondbacks - gloating in the streets scheduled for 9pm]. But in the Arizona infirmary, our patients are in various states of the recovery process, so let's take a look at their progress [thanks to Bob for the suggestion]. We'll go in order of expected return date.

Tom Gordon.
A poster boy for the wisdom of incentive-based contracts for players with health issues. If he'd been healthy all season, he'd have been in line for a $3m payday, regardless of actual performance. However, only $500K of this was guaranteed, with everything else dependent on him being on the active roster. He got an extra $100K for his first day on the active roster, a goal achieved in his three miserable outings - three walks and three hits to the ten batters faced - before he fell down and injured his knee. The rest would have been parceled out in $200K chunks, every 15 days, from 30-150 days, with $300K at 165 and 180 days. Now... not so much.

Gordon has been rehabbing in Reno, but the results so far have been shaky to say the best. In an outing on Sunday, five of six batters faced reached against him, on three hits and two walks - he has handed out ten free passes in just 5.1 innings of work, though managed a scoreless (and walkless) inning last night., albeit with a pair of hits. He has to improve that, if he wants to make even the 60-day bonus for the rest of the season. However, the question would have to be asked - is he really a better option than the current members of the 'pen? And would we be better off evaluating with an eye to 2010, instead of giving innings to a reliever who turns 42 later this year?

But it's not all bad news for the Gordon family - his son, a shortstop prospect in the Dodgers organization, leads the A-level Midwest League with 119 hits, 55 stolen bases, 74 runs and 10 triples. And going by Devaris Strange-Gordon, has one of the best names in the league too...

Eric Byrnes
Has at least reportedly begun strengthening exercises on his hand and wrist, after being hit by a pitch on June 25th, breaking the fifth metacarpal in his left hand, but is still wearing a wrist-brace. On Sunday, manager AJ Hinch reported that Byrnes was at least two weeks away from even facing live hitting, so it seems hopes he'd do so during the upcoming road-trip are probably over-optimistic. It wouldn't be the first time: after Byrnes got the cast taken off, he sounded on his way to recovery, saying, "I'm on a four-week timetable, but the doctors are on an eight-week timetable. We'll probably meet in the middle." Funnily enough, the trained medical practitioners appear to have had the better estimate.

The curse of the contract extension seems to be persisting. As Adam Green pointed out over at KTAR.com, "Out of five recent contract extensions handed out by General Manger Josh Byrnes, four seem to have been the wrong move." While Dan Haren's seems like a steal based on his performances so far this season, the extensions given to Eric, Chris Snyder, Chris Young and Chad Tracy have, on the results so far, ranged from the mediocre to the downright disastrous. Perhaps this helps explain why the club exercised extreme caution in its negotiations with Brandon Webb - a decision which would have been the most expensive of them all. And that brings us nicely to...

Brandon Webb
Let's start with what I wrote yesterday, before the most recent news of our ace:

If Webb wants some starts in September, it seems to me that time is beginning to run short. I tried to find something, anything about Webb picking up a baseball - not necessarily throwing it, even playing catch. Nothing. There has been hardly anything new to report since the beginning of July, when Webb announced that he will not have shoulder surgery. The aim at that point was for Webb to go onto a strengthening program that would not only resolve the issue here, but prevent a re-occurrence.

At that time, he said a return in September was a "realistic goal", and it's possible there has been activity going on beneath the surface, which just hasn't been reported. However, we can only go on what we've heard, and that would be precious little. Given the nature of the injury and the multiple steps through which Webb would have to go before even getting as far as facing live hitters, never mind a rehab assignment - playing catch, throwing off flat ground, throwing off a mound - it seems we are talking about the second-half of September for a Webb return at the earliest.

It seems that no news was definitely not good news, with today's announcement, that things haven't really been going well. Said Josh Byrnes, "He's worked hard. It's just when it comes to throwing, it just hasn't been much different recently than it was going back to late May or June." I would imagine surgery is now once again being discussed, and the odds of him pitching at all this season now appear slim to none. The question is now whether the Diamondbacks opt to pick up the 2010 option, effectively sight-unseen. The apparent casual aside from Todd Walsh a few days ago that the team would not do so, makes a lot more sense in the light of the latest update.

Conor Jackson

Well, I was going to write something based on the lyrics of Valley Girl, but it's kinda hard to write a parody of a parody, and any similarity between the subject of that song and CoJack is, I'm sure you'll agree, purely coincidental. Instead, I'll refer you to a good article over the weekend in the Republic, about Conor's slow progresss as he returns from valley fever, and the pneumonia into which it developed. He reckons that if he he had a 'normal' job, he'd be back to work by now - however, the odds of him being able to get back on the field this season seem to be slim.

As a result, he's working towards playing winter ball somewhere - and another possibility is that we might see Jackson in the Fall League this year. That would require an exception to be granted, as the league is normally restricted [PDF file] to those with less than two years of major league service time. If the waiver is granted, I expect to see Jackson hitting at least .600 off these minor-league pitchers, valley fever or no valley fever. ;-) Says Jackson, "I know nothing is going to be handed to me, that's for sure. I just want to be in the plans for next year. That's my main goal for right now."

Roy Halladay To The Dodgers: What Would You Do?

Eric Stephen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:04:01 -0000

More photos » by FRANK GUNN - AP

Although that powder blue uniform is sweet, what would you do to get Roy Halladay in Dodger blue?

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According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, the Blue Jays are no longer asking for Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw in a possible trade for Roy Halladay. However, the price in trade may still be steep: as many as five or six prospects:

The Jays, in need of a shortstop, surely would have interest in Ivan DeJesus Jr., who has been out the entire season with a broken right leg, or Devaris Gordon, a younger shortstop who is the son of reliever Tom Gordon.

Among the other Dodgers prospects who could interest the Jays: Outfielder Andrew Lambo, right-hander Josh Lindblom, third baseman Josh Bell and right-hander Chris Withrow.

I am excited about the replenishing of the Dodger farm system, and in particular Chris Withrow is a favorite of mine. That said, I would package our top prospects to get Halladay.

If the Dodgers stand pat, they still have an excellent chance to win it all this year. Their chances of making the playoffs, according to Baseball Prospectus, currently sit at 98.2%. Halladay is certainly no guarantee in the playoffs, but there's no doubt he is a big help.

Also, Halladay is not a rental. He is under contract for 2010. Thanks to the invaluable Cot's Baseball Contracts, we see that Halladay is set to be paid $14.25 million this year, and $15.75 million next year. Acquiring Halladay by tomorrow would mean he is due roughly $5.14 million for the remainder of this season.

The Dodgers are in a unique situation. Their team is pretty much set next year, outside of second base, assuming Manny Ramirez opts to stay for his $20 million 2010 salary. Manny had a tough time finding suitors before his PED suspension, and I doubt he would risk testing the market again. The Dodger payroll for 2009 is around $100 million right now, and possibly $110 million or so after incentives are reached. The 2010 payroll is estimated at $88 million, so adding Halladay would push that to about $104 million.

Because Halladay signed his contract extension before the new collective bargaining agreement was signed in 2006, he would have the right to demand a trade this offseason if he was traded during his multi-year contract. However, doing so binds him to a team for three seasons (they would just offer him arbitration for 2011 and 2012), so its unlikely Halladay will forgo the chance to become a free agent at 34, when he could get a bigger, longer contract, for the risk of becoming a free agent at 36. The fine folks at Brew Crew Ball, the SB Nation Brewers blog, explored this trade demand right in detail recently.

Acquiring Halladay makes the Dodgers clear favorites in the National League for 2009 and 2010, as well as a formidable foe for any American League club should they meet in the World Series. Giving up five prospects is steep, but are any of the current crop top notch prospects? Is there a Kershaw or Billingsley in the mix? Perhaps, but there is still risk before they play a major league game. Also, don't forget the benefit of gaining two draft picks when Halladay leaves after 2010.

Even if the farm system is gutted -- an assertion I don't agree with -- the core of the team is still in place until at least 2012, so there is still time to replenish yet again. To get a guy like Halladay, you have to pay a price. Think of the Dodgers' system: players like McDonald, Elbert, DeJesus, Gordon, Withrow, Bell, Lindblom, Lambo, etc. Pick your top five prospects. I would give them up for Halladay. Would you?

Poll

Pick your top five Dodger prospects. Would you trade all of them for Roy Halladay?

Yes

1193 votes

No

262 votes

1455 votes | Poll has closed

Dodgers Trade Deadline Preview

Brendan Scolari — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:55:33 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

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(Note: I actually wrote this article for MLB Daily Dish, but as the title indicates it's fairly relevant to Dodger fans. So without further ado...)

Buyers or sellers?

With the best record in baseball this season, there is just no way the Dodgers will be selling off any major league contributers. They will be in the same boat as last year, looking for veterans who can help the team reach the playoffs and then contribute if/when they get there. However, in 2008 the Dodgers were looking for bats (and they added Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake), this time around they will be looking for arms to add depth to the pitching staff.

Short-term need

With players locked in at every position around the diamond, the only way the Dodgers could really consider trading for another hitter was if an elite talent like Adrian Gonzalez became available. Even in that case a trade would be unlikely. The Dodgers have stuggled to find a dependable left-handed hitter off the bench but Doug Mientkiewitcz should be back before the postseason begins. In the rotation the Dodgers are looking for a back-end starter to replace Eric Milton, who was recently lost for the season. It's possible the Dodgers could get a decent arm to fill that role although ultimately not that important because the Dodgers already have four effective starters to use in the playoffs. A player like Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee would be a luxury but is in no way a need. Of more pressing importance could be the bullpen, where set-up man Ronald Belisario was recently put on the DL. With the injuries to Belisario, Hong-Chih Kuo, and Jonathan Broxton the Dodgers 'pen is thin. It wouldn't be surprising if an arm is added here, in fact general manager Ned Colletti has said it is the tea's number one priority.

Long-term need

It's hard to pinpoint many long-term needs right now because the current team is so stacked. Young pitchers are still plentiful in the minor league system but the starting rotation will probably need an infusion of talent in another couple years when Hiroki Kuroda and Randy Wolf could be gone. With Russell Martin's struggles this year it should be a priority to find a player who can spell him more often than the Dodgers current backup catchers can and potentially replace him if he doesn't rebound eventually as his salary is escalating. At the corners the Dodgers don't have a lot of firepower and they could use a power bat there in the next few years. Other than that, they should be relatively set for the near future.

Big Leaguers on the market

Barring a trade for Roy Halladay or a similiar player, the only major leaguers on the market are the youngsters who are still trying to earn their place on the team. Even if such a trade were to occur, the Dodgers would have a tough (read: near impossible) time parting with guys like Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp who have provided huge boosts to the team this year. Blake Dewitt and James McDonald, youngsters who have been promoted a few times this year, could find their way into deals for a mid-level starting pitcher. Others like Scott Elbert and Xavier Paul have more muddled futures with the team and may be in trades for smaller upgrades.

Minor league strength

The Dodgers have two areas of strength in their farm system, middle infield and right-handed pitching. Excluding the aforementioned James McDonald and Scott Elbert, the Dodgers recent high draft picks have produced right-handed pitchers Josh Lindblom, Ethan Martin, and Chris Withrow. Withrow and Martin are years away from the majors but Lindblom could help out the bullpen this year if neccesary. As far as middle infielders the Dodgers have Blake Dewitt, Chin-Lung Hu, and the currently injured Ivan Dejesus all at Triple-A with the potential to help out major league teams. Hu's future is in jeopardy because of his abysmal hitting this year (.624 OPS), but both Dewitt and Dejesus have above-average starter potential. At the lower levels Devaris Gordon (son of Tom Gordon) has is toolsy but raw but could turn into a good player down the road.

Take on short-term money to win?

This shouldn't be a problem as the Dodgers play in the second biggest market in the country. However, last year the Dodgers had to add additional prospects to deals because they refused to pay the salary of either Casey Blake or Manny Ramirez. Manny's suspension saves the team about $2.7 million and given the drop in team payroll from '08 to '09, the Dodgers should be able to add a reasonable contract without too much trouble.

2009 Trade Deadline Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers

Brendan Scolari — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:47:23 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

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Buyers or sellers?

With the best record in baseball this season, there is just no way the Dodgers will be selling off any major league contributers. They will be in the same boat as last year, looking for veterans who can help the team reach the playoffs and then contribute if/when they get there. However, in 2008 the Dodgers were looking for bats (and they added Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake), this time around they will be looking for arms to add depth to the pitching staff.

Short-term need

With players locked in at every position around the diamond, the only way the Dodgers could really consider trading for another hitter was if an elite talent like Adrian Gonzalez became available. Even in that case a trade would be unlikely. The Dodgers have stuggled to find a dependable left-handed hitter off the bench but Doug Mientkiewitcz should be back before the postseason begins. In the rotation the Dodgers are looking for a back-end starter to replace Eric Milton, who was recently lost for the season. It's possible the Dodgers could get a decent arm to fill that role although ultimately not that important because the Dodgers already have four effective starters to use in the playoffs. A player like Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee would be a luxury but is in no way a need. Of more pressing importance could be the bullpen, where set-up man Ronald Belisario was recently put on the DL. With the injuries to Belisario, Hong-Chih Kuo, and Jonathan Broxton the Dodgers 'pen is thin. It wouldn't be surprising if an arm is added here, in fact general manager Ned Colletti has said it is the tea's number one priority.

Long-term need

It's hard to pinpoint many long-term needs right now because the current team is so stacked. Young pitchers are still plentiful in the minor league system but the starting rotation will probably need an infusion of talent in another couple years when Hiroki Kuroda and Randy Wolf could be gone. With Russell Martin's struggles this year it should be a priority to find a player who can spell him more often than the Dodgers current backup catchers can and potentially replace him if he doesn't rebound eventually as his salary is escalating. At the corners the Dodgers don't have a lot of firepower and they could use a power bat there in the next few years. Other than that, they should be relatively set for the near future.

Big Leaguers on the market

Barring a trade for Roy Halladay or a similiar player, the only major leaguers on the market are the youngsters who are still trying to earn their place on the team. Even if such a trade were to occur, the Dodgers would have a tough (read: near impossible) time parting with guys like Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp who have provided huge boosts to the team this year. Blake Dewitt and James McDonald, youngsters who have been promoted a few times this year, could find their way into deals for a mid-level starting pitcher. Others like Scott Elbert and Xavier Paul have more muddled futures with the team and may be in trades for smaller upgrades.

Minor league strength

The Dodgers have two areas of strength in their farm system, middle infield and right-handed pitching. Excluding the aforementioned James McDonald and Scott Elbert, the Dodgers recent high draft picks have produced right-handed pitchers Josh Lindblom, Ethan Martin, and Chris Withrow. Withrow and Martin are years away from the majors but Lindblom could help out the bullpen this year if neccesary. As far as middle infielders the Dodgers have Blake Dewitt, Chin-Lung Hu, and the currently injured Ivan Dejesus all at Triple-A with the potential to help out major league teams. Hu's future is in jeopardy because of his abysmal hitting this year (.624 OPS), but both Dewitt and Dejesus have above-average starter potential. At the lower levels Devaris Gordon (son of Tom Gordon) has is toolsy but raw but could turn into a good player down the road.

Take on short-term money to win?

For more coverage of the Dodgers, check out True Blue LA.

Phillies Breakfast Links: June 16, 2009.

WholeCamels — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:20:51 -0000

Gordon's advice put Phillies' Madson back on track
So is the mystery of Ryan Madson's increase velocity finally solved? A creepy desert road trip with Tom Gordon? Did Hunter S. Thompson write about this guy?

Reading's Savery beats Harrisburg to improve to 8-1
Reading lefty Joe Savery allows just one hit in six shutout innings.

Charlie is great , but his TV show is not
I live outside the region so I didn't see it. Is it that bad?

Phils' Jamie Moyer Hosts "Celebrity Waiters" Event
Another smooth move by the Moyer Foundation.

Interleague play not kind to Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are winless thus far in 2009 in Interleague Play. Unfortunately, my advanced statistical model says that "they're due."

Rich Hofmann: Phillies' Utley an old-school player in modern times
Just once I wish there could be a puff piece about Chase Utley that just talks about how awesome he is at baseball without going into how "gritty" he is, or that he's a "throwback," or all of these other reverse-racially tinged phrases.

Three Phillies among NL All-Star leaders
Second baseman Chase Utley is the leading vote getter among all National Leaguers; Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins lead at their respective positions. Rollins should abdicate...

Building character
On sports mascots, featuring David Raymond.

Chan Ho Park Closing In on Asian Win Record
What a great day that will be.

McCaffery: Charlie says arms not good ’n plenty
Okay, I just read this and I have no idea what it said. Help?

NL West Report: Divisional headway from Rockune, Peavy might be out for the year

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:00:12 -0000

The Rockies have been blasting through opponents like a Tornado (or a Tornadough?) the last 11 games, outscoring their foes 73-28 in that span. It's a bit unfortunate that none of those games were intradivisional, but if there's any way to guarantee you'll make up some ground, it's to win every game.

Here's the standings as of Monday morning, before San Francisco plays the Angels tonight at 8:15 MDT:

NL West Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Los Angeles	42	22	.656	0	Won 2
San Francisco	34	28	.548	7	Won 3
Colorado	31	32	.492	10.5	Won 11
San Diego	28	34	.451	13	Lost 3
Arizona	27	37	.421	15	Lost 2

(updated 6.15.2009 at 3:25 PM MDT)

We're still a ways back, but an 11-game streak will put a dent in any deficit. Here are the standings from June 3, immediately prior to the streak.

So in 11 games, we've made up the following on the divisional teams:

Los Angeles (5 games)
San Francisco (2.5 games)
San Diego (7 games)
Arizona (6.5 games)

If the teams continue as they have the last 11 games, even if we win another 11 straight, we'll still be in 3rd place. This is why April and May do matter. And that's why we have a 3.30% chance of winning the NL West. I'd talk about the Wild Card, but well, this is the divisional report.

NL West Report

Arizona (27-37, 5th, L2, 15 GB)

Last Week: 0-1 @ Padres, 1-2 vs Giants, 1-2 vs Astros. A bad week makes the bad season worse. Funny thing is, they're only 8 games off their Pythagorean pace for 2007.

This Week: 3 game road series @ Royals, 3 game road series @ Mariners

News: Chris Young is having a horrible Atkins-like season. AZSnakepit discusses what should be done with their CF.

Chris Young

#24 / Center Field / Arizona Diamondbacks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 200

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Sep 05, 1983

	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Chris Young	.189	.248	.354

Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com reported recently that the Diamondbacks are destined to be sellers at the trade deadline, with only Justin Upton, Max Scherzer and Dan Haren being untouchable.

Nick Piecoro of AZCentral.com, who is closer to the team, refuted that proclamation last night, stating that we should not expect a trade and that Josh Byrnes may even add a player at the deadline.

Scott Bordow at the East Valley Tribune believes it's time to trade Felipe Lopez, Jon Garland and Doug Davis, but Arizona may becontent to let them leave as free agents and just take the compensatory picks.

The D-Backs claimed relief pitcher Blaine Boyer off waivers from the Cardinals and optioned Daniel Schlereth to AA..

Mark Reynolds earned co-NL Player of the Week honors for last week, sharing it with our very own Huston Street.

Arizona had 7 picks in the top 64 in last week's draft, most in the majors. Check out their top picks. They bucked the trend and selected only 2 pitchers with their top 8 picks, the first coming at pick #45.

Arizona Diamondbacks Injuries

15-Day

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Tom Gordon	hamstring	05/04/2009
Yusmeiro Petit	shoulder	05/09/2009
Conor Jackson	pneumonia	05/12/2009
Chad Tracy	oblique	05/30/2009
Tony Clark	other-excused	05/06/2009

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Brandon Webb	shoulder	04/07/2009

More on the rest of the division after the fold.

Los Angeles (42-22, 1st, W2)

Last Week: 1-1 vs Padres, 2-1 @ Rangers. In case you are wondering, the Dodgers have lost just two series since Manny Ramirez was suspended, and one of them was their first series following the announcement.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Athletics, 3 game road series @ Angels.

News: Everyone knows all about TIm Lincecum and Dan Haren, but maybe Chad Billingsley is the best ace in the West. Eric Stephen at TrueBlueLA looks at his stats over the last claendar year. They are elite.

Chad Billingsley

#58 / Pitcher / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-1

Weight: 245

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Jul 29, 1984

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Chad Billingsley	9-3	2.72	1.23	93	39

Despite convincingly being the best team in MLB and having the 3rd best NL offense, the Dodgers have zero position players projected to start the All-Star Game via fan voting. Orlando Hudson is the only player even in the top 5 at his position; he's 2nd behind Chase Utley. East Coast bias apparently also means no love for LA.

Popular owner Frank McCourt wasn't so popular with Andruw Jones, even though McCourt okayed the ludicrous contract Jones signed with the Dodgers. Apparently, McCourt was the reason Jones wanted out.

Jayson Stark suggests the Dodgers may try to trade Juan Pierre when Manny Ramirez returns from is suspension. It's unclear how much of Pierre's contract LA might have to eat.

LA didn't pick until #36, two picks after the Rockies selected their third player. Their picks.

Los Angeles Dodgers Injuries

15-Day

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Eric Milton	back	06/06/2009
Will Ohman	shoulder	05/28/2009
Eric Stults	thumb	05/31/2009
Hong-Chih Kuo	elbow	04/30/2009
Jason Schmidt	shoulder	03/30/2009
Xavier Paul	knee	05/21/2009

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Doug Mientkiewicz	shoulder	04/17/2009

San Diego (28-34, 4th, L3, 13 GB)

Last Week: 1-0 vs Diamondbacks, 1-1 @ Dodgers, 0-3 @ Angels. The Padres have failed to string together consecutive wins since May 27. They are 5-12 in that span.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Mariners, 3 game home series vs Athletics.

News: Hold your trade talk. Another NL West ace is hurt and probably won't be going anywhere at the deadline. Jake Peavy landed on the 15-day DL Friday due to an ankle injury and will be out a month, perhaps the rest of the season.

Jake Peavy

#44 / Pitcher / San Diego Padres

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: May 31, 1981

Hindsight being 20/20, CBSSports' Scott Miller says the Padres screwed up by not accepting the Braves' offer in November.

The Padres' front office is looking to add a "big-name" international player once the international signing period starts July 2.

San Diego released IF Chris Burke this week.

The Pads selected Donavan Tate with the third pick in the draft Tuesday. GM Kevin Towers talks about the draft. I'd give you a list of their picks, but I'll just say that GasLampBall doesn't have one instead.

San Diego Padres Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Hundley	wrist	06/15/2009

15-Day

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jake Peavy	ankle	06/09/2009
Shawn Hill	elbow	04/26/2009
Scott Hairston	biceps	06/03/2009
Luis Perdomo	knee	06/08/2009

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Cha Seung Baek	forearm	03/30/2009
Mark Worrell	elbow	03/27/2009
Everth Cabrera	hand	04/20/2009

San Francisco (34-28, 2nd, W3, 7 GB)

Last Week: 0-1 @ Marlins, 2-1 @ Diamondbacks, 3-0 vs Athletics. Bruce Bochy's staff allowed just 17 runs in the 7 games last week.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Angels, 3 game home series vs Rangers

News: Henry Schulman at SFGate states the most obvious headline of the year: The Giants need a power bat to contend.

Jonathan Sanchez

#57 / Pitcher / San Francisco Giants

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Nov 19, 1982

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Jonathan Sanchez	2-6	4.84	1.66	57	43

SI's Jon Heyman reports that Jonathan Sanchez is on the market, despite an apparent slip recently in his stuff. Tom Verducci suggests that the Giants try to use Sanchez to net that power bat. Maybe even Garrett Atkins.

Grant at McCoveyChronicles discusses the Giants' selection of Zach Wheeler over Tyler Matzek. Matzek was Grant's #1 choice, but the Giants passed on his top three to select Wheeler.

And just because, here's a big Pablo Sandoval home run.

San Francisco Giants Injuries

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Noah Lowry	ribs	03/27/2009
Joe Martinez	concussion	04/10/2009