Was Link the wrong Dodgers reliever to send down?

They should have given the kid a chance.

Maybe it only would have been for a couple more days, but maybe not. They should have seen what Jon Link can do.

Instead, after Tuesday’s frustrating 11-9 loss to the Reds, the Dodgers sent Link back to Albuquerque as a prelude to activating Ronald Belisario.

I would have preferred they kept Link around and designated Ramon Ortiz for assignment.

A quick stop over for Link had been the plan since he was called up Sunday (when the other old Ortiz, Russ, was released). Keep him up only until either Belisario or Hong-Chih Kuo was ready to join the club this week.

Ramon Ortiz, 36, had a brilliant spring (0.96 ERA) but has been unable to duplicate it at the start of the season. He’s had some fine innings, but has been wildly inconsistent.

In Tuesday’s loss to the Reds, the Dodgers might have enjoyed a nice comeback victory, but for Ortiz giving up a two-run homer to Joey Votto in the fourth.

Link followed him, and making his major-league debut, threw two shut-out innings, not allowing a hit.

Link is 27 and has earned a look. He came to the Dodgers in the offseason from the White Sox as part of the Juan Pierre trade. He led all of the minors in saves in 2008. He may well have a future.

Ramon Ortiz, with his fat 8.00 ERA, does not. It’s tricky with him, because he can opt out if the Dodgers want to send him down. But if they did, he probably would best be served to head to Albuquerque.

It becomes more difficult -- if you can actually say that about moves with this bullpen -- later in the week, when Kuo is expected to be activated.

By then -- possibly as soon as Thursday -- a second reliever will have to be moved, and maybe Link would have had to go. The other possibility is Carlos Monasterios, the Rule 5 pick from Philadelphia, who is barely being used.

Manager Joe Torreappears to lack confidence in Monasterios.  He’s sort of taking up space. The Dodgers could make an offer to purchase him from the Phillies. If they decline, I’d let him return to the Phillies.

At least for the short term, though, I’d have kept Link around. Ortiz is probably going to have to go when Kuo is activated anyway.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Ramon Ortiz during a spring training session in March. Credit: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press

Comments

[Evan]

You are 100% right. keep Link up!

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

Where have you gone Ned Colletti, a city turns its lonely eyes to you 0-0-0...

[Bill Grabarkewitz]

I'll never understand Torre's bullpen management. Overuse some guys, don't trust guys who have pitched well, keep going back to guys who fail time after time.

[yankeechick]

Good luck with Torre's bullpen management. He's famous for sitting relievers who aren't his favorites and burning out the arms of his favorites. He ruined the careers of Tanyon Sturtze and Scott Proctor by overusing them; burned out Brian Bruney and when Bruney could no longer deliver, moved him to the end of the bench and ignored him; and let really effective relief pitchers like Paul Quantrill grow roots. If you haven't learned anything about St. Joe, pay close attention to how he mismanages the bullpen. We died and went to heaven when he went to you guys. Oh yeah, as a caveat to his players, don't say anything to the guy that you don't want to read in a book in years to come.

[bob cuomo]

I was impressed by Link. He looked good out there...he showed a lot of poise, and he threw the ball well. I hope the Dodgers remember that. I also hope he does well at Albuquerque and that he's called up again later this season. We all know some pitching moves will be needed.

[Steve the dweeb]

I could not agree more. Link had good command, and though I wish he threw more towards the mid 90's, he still seems a better bet then Ortiz.

[Mule]

Yes, Ortiz is not going to improve. Monasterios is the kind of guy who can be hidden in an otherwise strong bullpen...not this one!

[dodgerkramer]

I agree. Should have cut Ramon Ortiz and kept the hot hand (Link). Even if that hot hand has an extremely small sample size of two innings.

Then again, I'd take a young arm over an old one any day in my middle relief corps. The Dodgers have had a lot of success in recent years using that philosophy (Kuo, Belisario, Troncoso, etc.).

[jimishelter]

Link is making that Pierre trade look better every day. Juan is withering away in Chicago so far- an easy out.

[HI Dodger Fan]

i agree with everything except the part about offering monasterios back to the phils. why? to keep ramon ortiz? what for? there's a reason he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2007, and we're seeing it now. why would we keep him in a dodger uniform to get lit up when we could get the same from monasterios? at least with carlos we'd be developing another arm for the future. there is no future for ramon ortiz. the dodgers have invested time and money on carlos. to just throw it all away to keep a tired, old arm like ramon ortiz, who has been ineffective anyway, is just ludicrous.

[Steve Dilbeck]

HI Dodger fan: I wasnt suggesting Carlos Monasterios instead of Ramon Ortiz. If Link had been kept, then two current relievers would have to be moved to make room for Belisario and Kuo.

[VinceW]

No one talks about sending down Troncoso, as if he's as untouchable as Broxton. Troncoso blew a half dozen games last season, unable to hold the lead in a close game. Despite his ERA, more often than not he chokes. The Dodgers should ditch Ramon Ortiz and Monasterios, send down Troncoso, bring up Belisario, Kuo, and Link, move Bills to the pen, and add McDonald or Towers to the rotation.

[16blows]

An overaged 27 year old rookie who throws a couple of innings and is suddenly 'the answer'... heh heh-larious! Link is flotsam and the other guy jetsam that LA had dumped on them by the CWS - whole stole the dudgers best hitter and OF'r Juan Pierre due to Frank's $alary dump. Neither pitcher will amount to nuttin' while Juan will continue to add to his Hall ofFame resume.

Juan Pi-erre!

P-I-E-R-R-E!

[Bryan Holland]

Juan Pierre a Hall of Famer? That comment alone tells everyone that your comment makes no sense. Take a look at Link's stats from the minor leagues. He has been the victim of the organization he is in, not the talent. He was blocked by Jenks in Chicago and Broxton in LA. So he will have to settle in as a 7th inning/8th inning guy.

Take a look around the major leagues and ask any general manager. What is the most valuable commodity on a team that EVERYONE seems to be looking for? Bullpen help. You will find that Jon Link will be a solid arm that will help the Dodgers hold leads and make Broxton's numbers go up.

No one player is "the answer", however, he is a piece to the puzzle.