Jon Broxton
Try your best to win them all
and one day time will tell
when you’re the one that’s standing there
you’ll reach the final bell!
You’re the best!
Around!
Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down
He is the best around, our K-rate kid. ( 13.6 per 9 innings ) Sure, he had that rough stretch when he was blowing saves and giving up runs as if opposing batters were a gang of teens wearing skeleton costumes and beating him up, but now it's all crane kicks.
Mercy is for the weak! No, wait, that was the bad guys who said that.
George Sherrill
What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything, divided by 100?
What is George Sherrill's ERA as a Dodger?
Both these questions have the same answer! Cosmic, eh?
Perhaps Sherrill's sub-1 ERA is a little lucky. He has 16 strikeouts, 9 walks and one home run given up in 21.1 innings as a Dodger. Good numbers, but not the kind of numbers that will sustain such a low ERA. Nevertheless, he's been a great addition to the Dodgers ( leaving aside the matter of who the Dodgers gave up to get him ) who along with Broxton effectively shortens games to 7 innings.
Hong-Chih Kuo
In a game where Broxton, Kuo and Sherrill are all available, and the Dodgers have a lead after six --- well, I like the Dodgers' chances.
Ronald Belisario
Belisario's ERA is less than 2. That's the good news. The bad news is that he was accused ( and charged ) with driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of 0.11. I don't know what else to say about him. I have a hard time cheering for him now, thinking back to how Angel pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed by drunk driver Andrew Gallo. Of course, Belisario hasn't been found guilty yet, and he wasn't in any accident. Could he have been? I don't know --- it's worth pointing out that Gallo's BAC was measured at 0.19, significantly higher than what Belisario is accused of. Does that difference matter? Gallo hasn't been found guilty yet either, and no one holds back from criticizing him because of that. Of course Gallo unquestionably blew through a red light and killed three people, which is a pretty big difference.
James McDonald
McDonald's relief ERA is 2.40. He's striking out a batter per inning. In other words, he's just another fabulous Dodger reliever.
Ramon Troncoso
The Troncuilizer has fallen on hard times lately. Or maybe hard luck? Though his post All-Star break ERA is above 4, his strikeouts rate has actually improved after the break. I think it's just a matter of more ground balls finding holes and going for hits lately. The Dodgers also don't call on Troncoso that much anymore, because of the addition of Kuo, Sherrill and McDonald to the bullpen elite. But he's still a good pitcher, a great fifth or sixth option out of the 'pen.
Mark Loretta
He is the ultimate utility player, a veritable multi-tool of a man who can tackle any baseball related job. Where would Joe Torre and the Dodgers be without Mark Loretta? Not only is Loretta second to team-MVP candidate Juan Pierre in pinch hits, but he leads the Dodgers in relief ERA, at 0.00. The zeros of that ERA go all the way out, forever. He's perfect as a pitcher. It's a pity Torre doesn't use him more often. One third of an inning doesn't seem like enough for the man from Santa Monica. But don't let his rare work out of the 'pen fool you. He's the best the Dodgers have in relief. Forget about Juan Pierre, and Ronnie Belliard, and Brad Ausmus. They don't pitch. Mark Loretta is the true MVP* of the Dodgers.
*-- MVP = Most Veterany Player
Game 147 Unfair Win Shares ( Dodgers )
Kemp -- 1
Belliard -- 1
Kuroda -- 1
No love for the relievers. They deserve recognition for their three scoreless innings, but no one reliever had a bigger game than Kemp, Belliard, or Kuroda. That's just the way it is. If they do their job, they barely get noticed. If they don't do their job, then the blame goes right to them.
Game 147 Unfair Loss Shares ( Pirates )
Pearce -- 1
Cedeno -- 1
Vasquez -- 1
Quick --- are these real Pirate players, or did I just make up three names, figuring no one would know the difference?
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