Dodgers Regain Key Pitching Component for 2005

Search

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
1,627
Tokens
That's right. After about 6 months of waiting and hoping, the Dodgers are getting their ace back. A team rattled with new players, new faces and new attidudes about winning - they'll get another to add to the mix in proven winner Brad Penny.

Penny pitched last night at triple A Las Vegas, recording the win by throwing 6 solid innings of 5 hit, 2 ER baseball. He compiled 9 strikeouts on 79 pitches, throwing 69 for strikes. This was his final start in the rehab process - as he ironically found himself in the high thin air of Las Vegas. The 51s park has been known as the mini "coors" of the MLB, as the ball tends to shoot out of the park much like Colorado. As it stands now, he may very well find himself starting a game against the Rockies next week.

Penny was quoted as saying his arm feels 100%. He will be brought back slowly even though he had his own personal spring training for the past month and a half. The Dodgers will obviously have him on a pitch count for much of the 1st half, as another injury could change the tide in la la land.

But make no excuses.

What the Los Angeles Dodgers have coming back in man power is scary. Granted Eric Gagne hasn't picked up a baseball since he was diagnosed with a sprained elbow - they haven't needed him. Scoring at least 6 runs in 8 of their 10 games, its no wonder people are scrambling to find bottles of white out. So many reporters, analysts, and "experts" had the Dodgers breathing for runs, that the sudden explosive offense has slowly ripped away the blanket of ill will the city of Los Angeles and even major media outlets had towards them.

Sure, we are very early in the season. But with Wilson Alvarez, Jason Werth, Eric Gagne, and Brad Penny right around the corner - the question isn't how dangerous can this team become, it's which player is going to be sent down to the minors to accomodate them returning?

Outside of Gagne, Werths replacement has done nothing less than put his name on the leaderboard for ROY. Clubbing another monsterous homerun last night, this shortstop turned outfielder Jason Repko, has been making the most of his starts. Sending him down is out of the question.

Look for the Dodgers to move Houlton or Schmoll when Penny is officially back off the DL.

As lousy as Depodesta has been scrutinized this winter - he's so far....put together a team with a record of 10-2 on the field. And lastly, if anyone ever gets the chance.

Check out their minor league farm system. Easily in the top 5. This team is built to win now, and built to win in the future. As the Lakers slowly grind their way to the back of the West, the Dodgers have accepted their invitation with Mrs. "Spotlight".
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,106,768
Messages
13,438,835
Members
99,338
Latest member
chaicoca816
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com