Daily Dodger in review: Carlos Monasterios survives the season, looks to future
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CARLOS MONASTERIOS, 24, pitcher
Final 2010 stats: 3-5, 4.38 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 43 walks, 1.45 WHIP in 88 1/3 innings.
Contract status: Under team control.
The good: Listen, it was mostly good. Even very good. How so, considering his losing record and slightly elevated ERA? Because he had barely pitched above the Class-A level when the Dodgers took a flier on him as a Rule 5 draftee, and he mostly delivered. Not like the next coming of Roy Halladay, maybe, but he was still encouraging, lasted the entire season and is now the Dodgers’ property.
He started the season as a middle reliever, and in his first 12 appearances owned a 1.29 ERA. Since the Dodgers never really had a fifth starter until acquiring Ted Lilly at the July 31 trade deadline, he then took a turn in the rotation and things began to get bumpy.
The bad: He then started five consecutive games, posting a 2-2 record with a 5.96 ERA. He was back to the bullpen, but then bounced in and out of the rotation for the rest of the season (4.93 ERA in 15 appearances, seven starts). Although he prefers to start, right now he basically only throws two pitches (fastball, breaking ball), so for now is better suited to the bullpen.
What’s next: He’s not exactly getting offseason off. He’s been at team’s complex in Phoenix, participating in the Arizona Instructional League and is later scheduled to play in his native Venezuela Winter League.
Since he was rushed to the majors after being drafted out of the Phillies organization, he has a lot to catch up on. Plus, the Dodgers are trying to teach him a reliable third pitch.
Now that he lasted the entire season on their major-league roster, however, they can now start him in the minors next season.
The take: OK, so he doesn’t throw that hard. He’s a control guy. Probably not a future Hall of Famer. And right now, he’s not someone you want to pencil in the rotation.
That’s fine, he won’t like it after living the good life the past year, but he needs to head to triple-A. If they want him to start, put him in the rotation. Want him to be a reliever, see that he gets plenty of work.
Either way, it would be nice to know he’s down there should -- or when -- the rotation does get hit by injury. He could use the experience that comes from regular work. In the future, he could prove a reliable fourth or fifth starter.
-- Steve Dilbeck