Do them both a favor and shut down Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill

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Can we now call it a season for Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill? Pretty, pretty please?

Exactly what is supposed to be gained in the final week by continuing to send them out there?

They have all the confidence of a teenager on a first date. They almost look scared on the mound.

That they combined to blow up an outstanding starting effort by Chad Billingsley on Sunday came as a surprise to … whom exactly?

It ranked up there with politician caught in lie, Lindsay Lohan enters rehab, Vicente Padillia oils his hair.

For Sherrill, it’s been an ongoing, mystifying theme. His season numbers: 2-2, 7:08 ERA and zero saves in four opportunities.

This -- it must be reminded -- from the guy who went 1-0 with a miniscule 0.65 ERA for the Dodgers last year after being acquired prior to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.

If you can understand that turnaround, explaining the origin of the pyramids should be a snap.

Broxton has been so bad of late, it’s almost hard to remember he actually was outstanding in the first half -- notwithstanding that fiasco against the Yankees.

In the first half, Broxton was 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA and had 19 saves in 21 opportunities. In the second half, he is 2-6 with a 6.85 ERA and three saves in eight opportunities.

He just isn’t the same guy. Whether he’s secretly hurt or just a jumbled mental case right now, it doesn’t matter. He can’t get anybody out. He pitches like he doesn’t believe he can.

Broxton averaged 7.86 strikeouts per walk in the first half and 0.85 in the second half.

It ain’t happening for him, or Sherrill. And suddenly having one decent outing in the final week isn’t going to send them into the offseason full of renewed confidence.

Shut it down, and let them relax and reboot next spring.

-- Steve Dilbeck