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Everyone talked about the rotation. No ace, no dependable starter to get a win every fifth day. Somebody to look at the lineup of the Phillies and not quiver with fear. But everybody forgot about the bullpen. The Dodgers’ supposed saving grace last season, with two All Star closers in Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill to anchor Hong-Chih Kuo, Ronald Belisario, and Ramon Troncoso.
But the bullpen has been in tatters. Broxton has been pushed to the brink, pitching in 13 different games without rest. Troncoso has faced more batters than the recently DFA’d Charlie Haeger. That overuse has not translated into effective pitching. Troncoso has surrendered 15 inherited runs so far this season out of 24 inherited runners. Broxton has an opposing OPS of .626 when pitching on zero days of rest, compared to his season average of .565. Five of the eight runs he has given up this season have come on days without rest.
Of course, nothing is as startling as the rapid decline of George Sherrill. The former Baltimore closer had an ERA of .65 last year with the Dodgers. In all but two of his 32 appearances did he surrender an earned run. But 2010 has been a very different year for Sherrill. In nine of his 30 appearances this season Sherrill has given up at least a run; five of those nine times it has been multiple runs. His leash has also been much shorter; Sherrill has 20 appearances in which he does not record three outs. He has seen his role been reduced from set-up man and spot-closer to situational lefty. His woes forced the team to put him on the disable list at one point, hoping he could solve his problems without taking innings away from the major league club.
To continually turn to Broxton or Troncoso at every sign of danger, like the last two games against the Yankees which were non-save situations, the key cogs of the ‘pen will gain more and more wear as the season progresses. The team either needs to add another reliever, be it through trade or dropping a bench player like Garret Anderson, use men like Jeff Weaver or Justin Miller much more loosely, or face the consequences.
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