There is no better pitching staff in the majors. Yet things are turning ugly for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who can’t score enough runs to take advantage of that pitching.
Odalis Perez caused a major stink after a 3-1 loss to the Angels last Sunday. He criticized the Dodgers’ popgun attack and called for a shakeup.
“If we keep playing the way we’re playing, there’s no way for us to go anywhere,” Perez said. “We need to start producing–or get some other players to produce–because all the pressure’s on the pitching staff and that’s not fair. The trade deadline is coming. If we don’t make a move, we’re going to waste this season like last season.”
Catcher Paul Lo Duca was among the position players to take offense.
“If you have a problem with something, you should talk to the team and not pop off in the paper,” Lo Duca said. “If you pop off in the paper, then you’ve got no guts. You have no respect for somebody when they pop off in the paper.”
Or maybe you just reward the masses who are intelligent enough to begin their day with quality reading. It’s absolutely no wonder that the Dodgers’ pitchers have crossed the line from frustrated to exasperated.
A year ago the Dodgers missed the playoffs despite allowing the third-fewest runs in the National League. The Dodgers enter this weekend leading the majors with a 2.89 staff earned-run average and ranked last, by a significant distance, in just about every important offensive category:
– Runs: 285; the next worst was the Mets with 349.
– Batting average: .244; the next worst was the Mets at .248.
– Home runs: 52; the next worst was Pittsburgh with 71.
– Walks: 205; the next worst was Arizona with 262.
– On-base percentage: .304; the next worst was the Mets at .318.
The Dodgers entered the weekend having lost six in a row and nine of 10 to fall into third place in the NL West, 5 1/2 games behind San Francisco. They were 15 games over .500 on June 21 but had slid to only seven over, losing three of the last four times manager Jim Tracy inserted All-Star closer Eric Gagne into a tie game.
Brian Jordan is on the disabled list with a patella-tendon problem that could require surgery. That puts even more pressure on Shawn Green and–gulp–Fred McGriff to carry the load.
Given the recent downturn in production–an average of 2.2 runs in the last 10 games–there’s no end in sight. The Dodgers, like the Cubs, have found out that it’s easy for fans to talk about significant trades but very hard to make one.
“Any thought of a savior coming and lifting the multitude and carrying the team across the finish line is a ludicrous thought,” Tracy said.
Second-year GM Dan Evans bides his time, waiting to see which hitters become available in the next few weeks.
“There’s no panic here, and there’s no reason to panic,” Evans said. “You panic when you’re desperate and you’re not good enough, and that’s not the case with us.”
Juan Gonzalez has become the hottest name with Mike Lowell officially off the market. Gonzalez turned down a deal to Montreal but hasn’t ruled out the possibility of waiving his no-trade rights.
Don’t be surprised if Evans comes after White Sox left fielder Carlos Lee. His availability could depend on a couple of things–how Carl Everett plays in center field and whether the Sox can find a taker for Paul Konerko.
Dealing Konerko would ease the financial pressure that looms after this season. There’s a rumor that Baltimore has some interest and could be willing to deal 10-game winner Sidney Ponson. The Orioles were offering Ponson for Lee in the spring, but Sox GM Ken Williams wasn’t interested.
Given that the White Sox owe Konerko $16.75 million in 2004 and ’05, they probably would have to package him with top prospects to deal him now. Williams has to assess that cost against the risk that comes from trading Lee and hope Konerko starts to hit.
No sale: According to major-league sources, the Marlins took Lowell off the market in response to developments involving the Cubs.
Bobby Hill, a former University of Miami star, had figured to be a key guy in any deal, but Florida decided it could live without him. “What the heck can [Hill] do?” an unnamed Marlins scout told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “He’s a second-division ballplayer.”
Florida had been keenly interested in right-hander Angel Guzman. But Guzman is headed for shoulder surgery, likely ending what has been a disappointing season with Double-A West Tenn.
Despite Florida GM Larry Beinfest’s statement about hanging onto Lowell for the rest of the season, there’s little chance the Marlins will sign him to a long-term deal. Florida was six games out in the wild-card race entering the weekend. Some executives say they still expect the Marlins to listen to Lowell offers if they slide further back by late July.
Be our guest: Major League Baseball may have found a viable purchaser for the Expos. Jerry Reinsdorf, who heads MLB’s relocation committee, has invited Long Island developer Mark Broxmeyer to attend the All-Star Game, where he can meet owners and other power brokers.
Broxmeyer has hired Lehman Brothers to help him put together a bid to buy the Expos and move them, to either Washington or northern Virginia. He says he is open to Washington partners and would be willing to help finance a ballpark. Those are magic words to Commissioner Bud Selig’s ears.
“I look at it as one big bucket,” said Broxmeyer, who co-founded Fairfield Properties. “How much you pay for the team is going to depend how much you pay into the stadium. I understand the process baseball’s going through. It’s the same as the NBA did with the [expansion] Charlotte Bobcats. Once they [MLB officials] have finished up negotiations with the region, they’ll go to the buyers.”
Timing is everything: Indians general manager Mark Shapiro was vilified in Cleveland for trading Robbie Alomar to the New York Mets, but Alomar’s year-and-a-half funk makes it appear Shapiro was wise to make that deal.
Cleveland received Matt Lawton, Billy Traber, Alex Escobar, Jerrod Riggan and Earl Snyder in the trade, which was made during the winter meetings in December 2001. Escobar was considered the key but hasn’t blossomed, largely because of injuries. Traber, who has gone 3-5 with a 4.89 ERA in 22 games, including seven starts, looks to be the guy with the most shelf life.
Shapiro has been as surprised as anyone by the play of Alomar, who was traded to the White Sox last week.
“I thought I was trading one of the best players in the game,” Shapiro said. “The way he played in New York is not anything I expected, but it still doesn’t make me view the trade any differently. It was a trade we had to make to begin the transitional period we are now in.”
Getting Kremed: No wonder fans in Kansas City miss Mike Sweeney so much. The Royals have one of the best promotions in the majors–every time the team gets 12 hits, fans can swap their ticket stubs for a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts.
Kauffman Stadium fans start counting the hits as soon as Kansas City reaches double figures. “As soon as we get 11 hits they get hyper–and hungry,” infielder Desi Relaford said.
The Royals aren’t sure how long they will be without Sweeney, who had appeared headed for the All-Star Game before landing on the disabled list with back problems. They aren’t sure how he got hurt, but Sweeney believes it may have come from excessive celebration.
Sweeney didn’t notice anything wrong at the time but now believes he may have hurt himself hoisting Carlos Beltran into the air after he scored the winning run June 16 on a Raul Ibanez hit. He’s also suspicious about the day before that, when he delivered a ninth-inning single to beat the Giants.
“When I had the game-winning hit against San Francisco, a lot of guys were pounding me on the head and it could have been that,” Sweeney said. “Or it just could have been that last swing I took where it felt like a bolt of lightning went through my arm. I threw the bat down the left-field line.”
With Jose Lima going 3-0, the Royals are 10-6 since Sweeney has been sidelined.
Whispers: Curt Schilling hopes to rejoin the rising Diamondbacks next weekend. Randy Johnson, Arizona’s other ace, had hoped to be back immediately after the All-Star break, but his right knee continues to mend somewhat slowly. … Houston is trying to find a way to add pitching without increasing the payroll. GM Gerry Hunsicker’s targets include Ponson, Rick Helling and Pat Hentgen from Baltimore, Pittsburgh’s Jeff Suppan and the Mets’ Steve Trachsel. … Speaking of Houston and pitching, that Shane Reynolds release isn’t looking too bad. In his last four starts, Reynolds has gone 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA, lasting only 19 innings combined. There’s talk that the Braves are about to release him.
The last word: “I really liked it in Milwaukee. It’s a great bunch of guys in that clubhouse, an awesome atmosphere. And I think the team has the right people in place to make things happen.” –Reliever Curtis Leskanic, after being traded from the Brewers to the Royals.
