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Daily Dodger in review: Josh Lindblom shows his promise

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Ah, yes, the winter meetings over and still a couple left …

JOSH LINDBLOM, 24, reliever

Final 2011 stats: 1-0, 2.73 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings, no home runs in 29 2/3 innings.

Contract status: Under team control.

The good: A couple springs ago, Lindblom was a mini-sensation, a promising young starter standing 6 foot 4. He never got untracked at triple-A Albuquerque, was converted back to a reliever and then started last season down at double-A Chattanooga, where his career again started moving forward.

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He was called up three times last season and was effective in each. He gave up an earned run in only eight of his 27 games. Throws hard and seems to have a strong desire to succeed.

During his three stints at Chattanooga, he had 17 saves, a 2.13 ERA and 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

The bad: On Sept. 11 in San Francisco, he threw six pitches, but allowed a hit, a walk and a pair of runs. It was the only time in 27 games he allowed more than one run in a game.

What’s next: Unless GM Ned Colletti goes all veteran-reliever-happy in the next couple of months, appears to have a spot on the 2012 roster.

The take: Throwing 29 2/3 innings isn’t exactly a major body of work to make grand determinations, but the former second-round 2008 pick showed only promise last season. Maybe not screaming, ‘This guy has to be our future closer’ promise, but enough to remain in their plans for next season. And enough to leave the door open on all possibilities.

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