It’s time for another edition of this Dodgers Spring 2014 breakdown. Last post was previewing the Dodgers solid starting pitching rotation. This post we will now take a look at the Dodgers bullpen. Los Angeles bullpen has been what you can say up and down the last few years. There’s games where they look really solid or games where they’ll make you really want to pull your hair out (Assuming anyone has hair). This season the Dodgers upgraded the bullpen which looks good on paper but will they produce and help the Dodgers or will it be another year with the Box of Pain?
2013 Review: Last season was an up and down season for the Dodgers Bullpen. During the first half of the season the Dodgers bullpen was just a constant struggle. How you ask? Well Dodgers would go into late innings with a lead or training by one or two runs before the relief pitchers would come in and blow a lead or put the Dodgers way out of the game. Brandon League, who was the Dodgers closer for a good part of the first half of the season, blown countless amount of saves and pitching a 6.25 ERA while Ronald Belisario, Peter Moylan, Matt Guerrier/Carlos Marmol/Josh Wall wouldn’t help matters at all. Yeah it was that kind of start for the Dodgers. The Dodgers would make moves to attempt to better the bullpen like trading Matt Guerrier to the Cubs for Carlos Marmol (We all know it was for International Money) but it really didn’t help that much. Things would however start to turn for the Bullpen towards the last few weeks of the break when the Dodgers as a team got their act together. After the break the Dodgers bullpen would really turn around and get a complete revamp as well. Dodgers brought up Chris Withrow and Jose Dominguez who would make solid contributions, Ronald Belisario and Carlos Marmol Sorta turned the corner, and JP Howell, Paco Rodriguez, and Kenley Jansen continued to have solid seasons that helped out the Dodgers but one signing really put it together. Los Angeles would go on to sign Brian Wilson to a one year deal which had a lot of Dodgers either excited about the move or iffy about it. Once Wilson hit the mound for the Dodgers many Dodger fans would go to love him. Wilson would pitch a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 Innings he pitched in 18 games. Overall the Dodgers bullpen would end the season with a 3.49 ERA and considering how the season went at the start I would take the way how it ended.
Off-season: The Dodgers off-season was a time to really revamp pitching. Los Angeles were in need of improving the bullpen from last season in hopes to really make a serious push towards brining a title to Los Angeles. First order of business was re-signing Brian Wilson who was a huge part to the Dodgers late season run to the NL West title. Wilson decided to sign back with the Dodgers over the Detroit Tigers. Dodgers would also get JP Howell back who also had a solid season with the Dodgers and was a huge pick up for Los Angeles. Now there were a two interesting signings the Dodgers made in the off-season with one brining back a former Dodger in Jamey Wright. Wright signed a deal with Tampa Bay last off-season and pitched some pretty good numbers coming out the pen pitching 3.09 ERA 1.20 WHIP. Wright towards the end of the 2012 season was also solid for the Dodgers as well. Another is Chris Perez who is coming from Cleveland. Perez is an iffy signing seeing that the 4 years in Cleveland he went from a ERA under two to a 4.33 ERA. Change in scenery can really help pitchers at times and it’ll be interesting to see if being in Los Angeles in a pitchers league and park helps him out.
Key Additions:
Jamey Wright: Pretty much Jamey Wright was a brought back after having a solid season in Tampa Bay. Last season Wright pitched a 3.09 ERA coming out the Bullpen. This will be an upgrade to the pen when it comes to those mid innings when Los Angeles need to get out the inning. His numbers with the Dodgers may not have been great with the Dodgers but lets not forget towards the end of the season in 2012 he was doing pretty solid.
3 Questions To Be Answered:
1) Can we expect consistency from the Bullpen?: A consistent bullpen is something that the Dodgers haven’t had at all last season and that’s what they worked at improving this off-season. On Paper the Dodgers upgraded but we all know that it doesn’t matter until you actually play the game. I think all Dodger fans eyes will be this Bullpen as it will be a key to the team’s season. Think about it like this. Even though the Dodgers managed to win the division, how many of those games early on were lost due to the bullpen?
2) Brandon League Turnaround?: When he came to Los Angeles Brandon League was having solid outings and also closed game while Jansen missed the season with a heart issue. After getting a good contract by the Dodgers and was closing things took a complete turn south. League got knocked around left and right and blew saves which cost the Dodgers games. No I’m not pin pointing him as the reason why they struggled at the start. Brandon League finished the 2013 season with a 5.30 ERA and saw less and less time on the mound as time went along. This season will be a chance to League to really clean things up and turn it around but the main thing is can he recover from that horrendous 2013 season? I think that’s something everyone will be keeping a close eye on.
3) Closer Platoon?: Let’s state this right now. The Dodgers have a lights out 1-2 punch in the pen in Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen. The question is that are we looking at a platoon at closer? Reason I ask that is because we know Brian Wilson will likely want to close games as well and not set up all season. I think they’ll be games where Wilson can close when Jansen will need an off day and Wilson I believe is fine with that otherwise he would’ve gone else where. One way or another no matter where they pitch in the pen the Dodgers have a killer Set-up/Closer 1-2 punch.
Players To Watch:
Brian Wilson: I have Wilson as a player to watch because this is his first full season with the Dodgers. Last season Wilson came to the Dodgers after missing a full year due to Tommy John Surgery and had to pitch in Minor league games to get back into game speed. Wilson looked great in rehab games and continued to look great once he came to the Dodgers by not giving up a run the whole season. Not bad at all. What many want to see and looking at is for him to continue his dominance on the mound.
Paco Rodriguez: Paco really had a solid 2013 Season and came along pretty well. Rodriguez pitched a 2.32 ERA in 76 games he appeared in and really had it going for majority of the season but towards the end and in Playoffs he really struggled giving up hits and couldn’t get out of innings. This season the improvement of Rodriguez is something I want to see. This kid really has a right future and can really produce in late innings when needed.
Chris Withrow: Chris Withrow might be one of my favorite pitchers coming out the bullpen. Initially a starting pitcher in the minors, Withrow came up to come out the bullpen for the Dodgers and really provided some solid innings for the Dodgers. One game many Dodger fans will remember is the game against Arizona in late July when Withrow continuously pitched for 3-4 extra innings to help the Dodgers defeat the Diamondbacks in extra innings. Likely Withrow won’t be on the 25 man roster but when he’s needed Withrow can go long innings if needed. You need a pitcher who can go 2-3 more innings for you then Chris Withrow is your guy.
Overview: This is a deep deep deep Bullpen. On paper the Dodgers really improved in this area but will it look that way on the field? Some players return to the Dodgers and new solid players join the team so it’ll be interesting to watch. One thing is certain is that this will be a interesting group and I’m excited to see how it develops from Spring Training and through out the season.
