Saito Out, Dodgers Potentially Screwed

The Dodgers Takashi Saito will be out a minimum of six weeks after being diagnosed with a sprained elbow ligament. Heavyset reliever Jonathan Broxton moves into the closer role for the time being.

Saito has saved 17 games so far this season with an ERA of 2.18 and likely would have replaced Kerry Wood in the All-Star game but for his injury. Broxton, whose fastball reaches 100 mph, filled in temporarily for Saito last season with mixed results. He is widely regarded as the Dodgers closer of the future, but any struggles may force the Dodgers to make a trade, since pitching is the only thing keeping the team in the playoff hunt.

This may also mean the return of phenom Clayton Kershaw, as the Dodgers consider returning Chan Ho Park to the bullpen to compensate for Saito's loss.

Dodgers Punish Competence, Demote Clayton Kershaw

The headline of this post really should be "Dodgers Reward Incompetence, Allow Brian Falkenborg To Continue Squandering Leads," but nobody knows who he is.  

To accommodate Hiroki Kuroda's return from the DL, the Dodgers demoted Clayton Kershaw to AA Jacksonville.  In 8 starts, Kershaw went 0-2 with a 4.42 ERA.  The Dodgers could have sent down Eric Stults, or gone with a 6-man rotation, as Joe Torre indicated he would do several days ago, but instead chose to get rid of one of the few bright spots on the Dodgers team.

Kershaw is not happy.  "Any way you spin it, I'm getting sent down.  They can say they don't have enough room.  But they sent me up when they didn't have enough room.  All those guys were healthy then."  Translation:  Why the hell is Eric Stults not getting sent down?  Kershaw is right.  He's a big part of the future of the Dodgers rotation and clearly ready for a permanent big league job.

The only thing Kershaw lacks is a big league victory, something that seems have Torre perplexed.  This probably has something to do with Torre's foolish reluctance to let Kershaw out of the 6th inning, if he even lets him get there.  Torre allowed Kershaw into the 6th inning Tuesday for only the second time this season, but immediately pulled him after 90 pitches when he allowed two runners on base.  This was rather generous of Torre, who pulled Kershaw in his last start after just 4 innings, despite allowing only 2 runs.

Dodger fans need not fret though - Brad Penny and his 5.88 ERA return Friday.

UPDATE:  Penny suffered a setback and will make at least one more rehab start before returning.  Chan Ho Park will start in his place Saturday in San Francisco.