The mystery of George Sherrill impersonation is revealed at last: he has a bad back
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So that’s what the problem was.
George ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ Sherrill had a bad back.
Silly me, all that talk about his mechanics being off. Should have recognized his delivery was out of whack because of a mid-back tightness. Must be tough to find a good masseuse these days.
Funny how his injury was revealed the same day the Dodgers activated shortstop Rafael Furcal and needed to create roster space. I’m sure it was a coincidence. Kinda like Charlie Haeger and his plantar fasciitis.
Anyone who had never seen Sherrill pitch until this season would probably wonder what he was doing on the roster in the first place.
Anyone who had seen him pitch last season knows this Sherrill actually crawled out of a pod.
Understand, after Sherrill came to the Dodgers last July 30, he was absolutely lights out. Really, he was incredible. He posted an amazing 0.65 ERA in 30 games with the Dodgers.
He was automatic. The perfect left-handed complement to closer Jonathan Broxton. The finishing touch to an already excellent bullpen.
And then spring came, and he was gone. Vanished from planet Earth. Replaced by his perfect twin, only one who couldn’t pitch.
How can anyone go from a 0.65 ERA to his current 7.36? Is that even possible? OK, apparently. Maybe he was throwing with his right arm and we didn’t notice.
Manager Joe Torre was constantly asked if there was anything physically wrong with Sherrill, but each time he denied it, saying it was simply a matter of mechanics. Then there were video sessions with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and trying to find flaws watching opponents on TV.
Yet every time Sherrill would put together a couple of promising outings, he would take a step back again. Those back injuries are the darnest things.
No doubt the Dodgers figure a couple of weeks of just trying to hone his delivery can’t hurt.
And though his exit leaves the Dodgers with an 11-man pitching staff, they won’t need a fifth starter until Friday in Colorado. By then maybe Nick Green ’fesses up to an ankle sprain or something.
-- Steve Dilbeck