Dodgers need to back off Ramon Troncoso fixation

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I don’t know, maybe it’s time to give Ramon Troncoso a break.

After appearing in both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader, he looked less than his usual best.

He has now appeared in 14 of the Dodgers’ first 20 games. That’s a pace for 114 games this season, which I’m thinking just might be a tad much.

Only one Dodgers reliever has ever appeared in as many as 90 games: Mike Marshall setting the team record with 106 in 1974. Only five have appeared in more than 80.

Troncoso entered the second game Tuesday with the score tied 3-3 after Charlie Haeger opened the bottom of the fifth with a pair of walks.

Troncoso, who threw 17 pitches in the first game, got the first two outs but then appeared to tire. David Wright lined an RBI single and Ike Davis followed with a two-run double.

Troncoso left having thrown 19 more pitches. And the Dodgers play a day game Wednesday.

The problem for Joe Torreis that Troncoso is about the only middle reliever he can currently count on. Outside of young Carlos Monasterios, every other middle reliever has an ERA over 6.00.

Still, it’s time to fight temptation. Time to think of the season, and not just the immediate need.

-- Steve Dilbeck