John Ely continues to pitch like he won't be in Dodgers' plans in 5-2 loss to Diamondbacks

Once there was Elymania, and it was grand. Also, very brief.

Logic said not to buy in. John Ely had essentially never pitched above double-A and was in no way originally in the Dodgers’ plans this season.

Then circumstance did its thing, and there he was. Called up and thrust into the Dodgers’ rotation. And to the surprise of pretty much all, he seemed to flourish.

Through a five-game stretch in May, he went 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA. He was far from overpowering, but displayed remarkable control. In those five starts, he walked only three. He had a stretch of 89 consecutive batters without allowing a walk.

Alas, that was then. Since then, he has been a very different pitcher.

This Ely struggles with his control, walks way too many and can no longer find the victory column, witnessed once again in the Dodgers’ 5-2 loss Saturday to the Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers’ incredibly shrinking offense managed just three hits, two against the Diamondbacks’ Daniel Hudson. Hudson came within one out of throwing the first complete game in his three-year career.

Stifling the Dodgers’ offense lately, however, is not exactly a significant accomplishment. In the Dodgers’ last 18 games, they are averaging 2.3 runs per game.

Ely went 5 1/3 fairly tortuous innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and six walks. He threw 101 pitches in his short stint, only 54 for strikes, and left with a 5.10 ERA.

Most troubling, that’s pretty much been his pattern since May. With only two starters assured of returning next season -- Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley -- some consider Ely a logical candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation.

But Ely has pretty much pitched himself out of offseason consideration. Since May, he is 1-7 and has allowed 31 walks in 56 1/3 innings. There’s no way the Dodgers can meet this winter and count on him for next year.

Remarkably, Ely threw a shutout through four innings Saturday. The Diamondbacks stranded six runners and the Dodgers backed Ely up with a pair of double plays.

The Dodgers’ first hit against Hudson (8-2) came in the fourth when ex-Diamondback Trent Oeltjen tripled to center and scored on an Andre Ethier sacrifice fly.

Arizona tied it in the fifth when Stephen Drew tripled and scored on a Tony Abreu sacrifice.

Then it all got away from Ely in the sixth. Adam LaRoche led off with a double, and after an intentional walk, Cole Gillespie hit a three-run homer to left just past the glove of Reed Johnson.

When the pitcher, Hudson, then doubled to deep center, manager Joe Torre had seen enough.

And you have to wonder if the Dodgers just haven’t seen enough of Ely for now. Currently, he looks like a pitcher who could use a solid season at triple-A Albuquerque.

Ely’s last victory was on June 29. In 13 starts at triple-A Albuquerque this season, he went 5-4 with a 6.22 ERA.

Elymania, we barely knew you?

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: John Ely pitches to the Diamondbacks on Saturday. Credit: Jennifer Stewart / US Presswire

Comments

[Brian]

Sure Ely will be a Dodger next year. They're going to lose most of their current rotation. Only Billingsley and Kershaw will be back. Ely will be their #4 pitcher.

[KidKuo]

Ely looked horrible tonight. Why is the Dodgers giving time to this pathetic minor leaguer?Are they trying to lose games to get better draft picks?

[kjp]

All Ely has is control. He misses, and he's going to get shelled.

My sense is he's been rattled by the balls that fly off the bats here in the bigs when he misses. And that's caused him to try to be too fine. Which has caused him to run up the walks. Which results in more balls banging off the walls. Etc. Vicious circle.

It's too bad he can't talk to somebody like Greg Maddux v2.0, the one who reinvented himself as a control pitcher. If Maddux missed, and somebody sent the ball into or over the wall, he just shrugged it off and went back to his game. Didn't try to get too fine. Ely needs to try to learn to do the same. He may never develop what is needed for him to remain a big-leaguer. Then again, he might.

[HI Dodger Fan]

is it just me or does anyone else think torre has just packed it in as well? first, he has two guys batting about .100 batting 4th and 5th in the lineup???? and then, in our only rally of the game, why would he let mitchell hit in the ninth against gutierrez when he had the lefty-swinging gibbons on the bench? it's not like mitchell is our future 3rd baseman or something and he's hitting less than .100 for pete's sake. at least give the team a chance to win. what is the point of watching these games if everyone is just going to quit? i just cannot fathom professionals making millions a year just packing it in. it's shameful.

[c.lo]

Ely should not be pitching in Albuquerque. He'll just get shelled out there because of the atmosphere, and that won't do anything for his self esteem.

[16blows]

Juan Pierre: MLB stolen base champion 2010, offensive catalyst, starting LF'r...

I wonder if the dudgers [who tried & failed via 7 guys LF, via the ever-injured furcal & podsednik lead-off hitters & the caught-stealing nigh on half the time kemp] miss JP much?

Without question they do and did in 2010.

heh heh heh