Dodgers' offense officially missing, collects only three hits as Padres win battle of bullpens, 3-2

It sounded like advantage Padres, a battle of bullpens, and it played out that way.

Which meant more bad news for George Sherrill and more for the Dodgers, the Padres pulling out a 3-2 victory Thursday when .230-hitting Oscar Salazar bounced a game-winning single up the middle in the ninth inning.

So a series that the Dodgers hoped would launch them back into the National League West race, instead pushed them just further back.

With the victory, the Padres took two in the three-game series and left the Dodgers seven games back in the National League West.

A Padres team with one of baseball’s least impressive lineups but its best bullpen raised its record to an N.L. best 60-40.

The bullpens had been matching zeros all afternoon when the beleaguered Sherrill came in to pitch the ninth.

Jerry Hairston Jr. immediately drilled a single off the arm of a diving Casey Blake at third. After a Tony Gwynn sacrifice bunt moved Hairston to second, the weak-hitting Salazar hit for the even weaker-hitting Everth Cabrera (.199).

Salazar, who’s bounced around the majors since 2002 but had only 60 career RBI, bounced his hit right up the middle to score Hairston with the winning run.

A Dodgers offense that is barely averaging two runs in its 14 games since the All-Star break had failed again. One day after managing only four hits, they came back Thursday with only three.

The Padres opened the scoring in the first inning off Vicente Padilla after putting runners on first and second on singles by Hairston and, despite that exaggerated defensive shift, Adrian Gonzalez.

Chase Headley’s one-out single scored Hairston.

James Loneyimmediately got the run back, however, when he led off the second against Matt Latos with his eighth home run of the year.

It remained a cozy 1-1 affair until Padilla walked Headley to lead off the fourth and Yorvit Torrealba doubled him home.

Padilla, who was 2-1 with a 0.98 ERA in four July starts, pitched out of further trouble but had extended himself.

He had already thrown 90 pitches after the four innings, so when the Dodgers put two on with walks and one out against Latos in the fifth, Garret Anderson pinch hit for him.

Which turned out to be a good thing, the struggling Anderson slicing a run-scoring double to left to tie the game at 2-2.

And that’s how the game was left when both Padilla and Latos left the game.

Padilla allowed his two runs on four hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Latos gave up his two runs on two hits and three walks in five innings, with seven strikeouts.

And then it fell to the bullpens.

For the Dodgers, James McDonald threw two scoreless innings, Kenley Jansen one (though he did allow his first hit) and Hong-Chih Kuo one (though he allowed his first hit to a left-handed batter, Gonzalez, in 37 at-bats) before it fell to Sherrill.

The Padres got scoreless frames from Joe Thatcher, Ryan Webb, Luke Gregerson and Heath Bell.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Scott Podsednik starts and bats leadoff; Dodgers designate reliever Jack Taschner

Newly acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik not only arrived in time for the Dodgers’ afternoon game in San Diego Thursday, but was inserted into the lineup -- in the leadoff spot.

Manager Joe Torre moved Rafael Furcal from leadoff to the second spot after first discussing the move with Furcal, who he said was fine with it.

This gives the Dodgers two speedsters at the top of the lineup and should help generate some offense -- some offense representing a grand improvement these days.

Podsednik is starting in center, Torre electing to give Matt Kemp the day off.

To make room for Podsednik, the Dodgers designated Jack Taschner for assignment. Which just goes to show how quickly in this bullpen one can go from being the late-inning, left-handed specialist to heading out of town.

Taschner’s departure again leaves George Sherrill sharing the late-inning responsibilities when the Dodgers would prefer not to use Hong-Chih Kuo on consecutive days. Torre had appointed Taschner his late-inning left-hander only a week ago.

The season has been a struggle for Sherrill, but he has retired his last six consecutive batters.

-- Steve Dilbeck

What could be next now that the Dodgers have added an outfielder and Roy Oswalt has moved on?

Now what, ye lovers of Boys in Blue?

The Dodgers acquired a needed outfielder in Scott Podsednik, and if the masses have done less than cartwheels (more on that later), at this moment he is a useable piece on a team in need of several pieces.

The most needed piece all season has been an ace.

Those, of course, tend to be in short supply. The Big Three approaching Saturday’s non-waiver trading deadline -- Cliff Lee, Dan Haren, and now apparently, Roy Oswalt -- have all moved on.

There is no other known pitching stud now available. Which leaves the Dodgers trying to determine whether they will go for the next tier: Ted Lilly, Paul Maholm, Jake Westbrook.

Any of these would be an upgrade from Carlos Monasterios or John Ely. But how much of an upgrade and at what cost?

General manager Ned Colletti has a limited number of prospects and money to deal with. Lilly has nearly half his $13-million salary still coming this season and Westbrook almost half his $11-million. Both are in the last year of their deals. Maholm is at $5 million this season, with $5.75 million due next season.

Since Colletti said after the Podsednik deal that he was turning his focus to pitching, it’s safe to assume he’s seriously looking at the second tier of available pitchers.

But unless they come unexpectedly cheap -- and apparently the Indians want to be wowed with prospects -- it might be best at this point to look for bullpen help.

In Wednesday’s loss to the Padres, the only reliever who did his job was beleaguered George Sherrill. Otherwise, the Dodgers are carrying a whopping eight relievers and can count on only two of them:   Jonathan Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo. Kenley Jansen is exciting, but far from proven.

One reliever may be sent down when Podsednik joins the team, returning the Dodgers to a more practical 12 pitchers.

But they are expected to bring Ely up Saturday, and at that point may have a more interesting decision to make. Podsednik is left-handed, as is Garrett Anderson. Xavier Paul could be sent down, but at this point the Dodgers would be better served waiving Anderson, a good guy who’s been bad at the plate. And it is almost August.

Meanwhile, picking up Podsednik has underwhelmed the blogosphere. None seem up in arms, they’re just less than excited.

-- Pauloberjuergue.com fears it was done simply so the Dodgers could claim they did something.

-- Mikesciosciastragicillness.com -- which is also opposed to adding a starting pitcher -- is wavering on the deal, though would like it more if Anderson is released.

-- ESPN/LA.com’s Jon Weisman said "this guy helps your team, but not a ton."

-- Memoriesofkevinmalone.com’s Chad Moriyama calls Podsednik a short-term upgrade, but thinks the Dodgers gave up too much.

-- Then from the other side, KingofKauffman.com’s Michael Engel is giddy with excitement over the deal.

My quick take: Look, it doesn’t figure to be the deal of the postseason, but at least for this year Podsednik figures to be very helpful. Particularly with the uncertainty surrounding the return of Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson.

And don’t forget, Manny is gone after this season, so it’s not impossible that the Dodgers will even keep Podsednik around for the final year of his contract.

It’s not like Lucas May, 25, and Elisaul Pimentel, lower Class A, were real prospects.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Trying to contain the enthusiasm: Not so easy with the early results of Dodgers' Kenley Jansen

 
Need it be said, two innings does not make a career. Two tiny innings. A minor blip during a major league career.

OK, that said, go ahead and get excited.

Dream the dream, because two games into his career with the Dodgers, Kenley Jansen has opened eyes.

Two innings and he has generated excitement on a team badly in need of some. Twenty-nine pitches into his career, and a ravaged bullpen has new life.

Slightly less than a year ago, Jansen was a strong-armed catcher who couldn’t hit his weight. So he was asked to switch to pitcher. He made his professional debut as a reliever July 29. He threw a whole 11-2/3 innings last season.

And Saturday he made his major league debut with a perfect inning. And Sunday he did the same to earn a save.

"That felt awesome, amazing," Jansen said. "Just having fun out there. It’s just like a dream come true."

In a bullpen minus a struggling Ramon Troncoso (at triple-A Albuquerque) and Ronald Belisario (reportedly in a substance-abuse program), and with a struggling George Sherrill, Jansen’s unexpected rise has energized the Dodgers.

"He’s a bit of fresh air for us," said third baseman Casey Blake. "Without Belisario we’ve been ailing down there a little bit. Guys have been worked pretty hard. It’s nice to see him come in and pitch so well. A couple of tough situations for a young guy, especially [Sunday] in a one-run game and he was nails."

In two perfect innings, the hard-throwing Jansen has four strikeouts. He simply overmatched the New York Mets on Saturday and Sunday. Calm as a morning breeze.

"There’s a calmness and confidence about this youngster, and very respectful of the game," Manager Joe Torre said. "Hopefully, that’ the right read I have on him."

The 6-foot-5, 257-pound Jansen is from Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles. He speaks English, Spanish, Dutch, French and Papiamento, the official language of Curacao.

He is not your average 22-year-old. Anyway, that’s what the Dodgers hope.

He is, after all, still learning to pitch. Clearly, though, he’s making remarkable progress. Already he shows signs of being more than just a thrower.

"He’s in the 93-94 range and he gets two strikes, and all of a sudden it pops up a little bit," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. "He’s got a little something extra. It’s not like he’s just rearing back and throwing as hard as he can every time. He’s under control."

His world could burst in his next appearance. Right now, though, he’s electric and dreaming the dream.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Kenley Jansen pitches for the Dodgers on Sunday. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Vicente Padilla gives Dodgers another strong start, but this time it's not enough as Mets win, 6-1

This time, strong starting pitching wasn’t enough for the Dodgers.

Vicente Padilla (pictured at right) gave them a third consecutive outstanding start, but was outpitched by the Mets’ Johan Santana. All that before the Dodgers bullpen imploded.

So the Dodgers' mini-winning streak was snapped at two, the Mets rolling on to a 6-1 victory Friday that returned the Dodgers to six games behind the San Diego Padres in the National League West.

There was little more that Padilla could have done. Save for one pitch to Ike Davis, he was just as masterful as starters Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda had been before him.

Padilla went seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter. Fifty-five of his 77 pitchers were strikes. During one stretch, he retired 17 consecutive Mets.

Padilla (4-3) was simply continuing his recent string of strong outings. In his last six starts, he has a 1.30 earned-run average.

The Mets, however, got to him for an unearned run in the first.

Jose Reyes led off the game with a double. Luis Castillo was able to beat out a bunt for a single to put runners on the corners.

Padilla struck out Angel Pagan and David Wright, but on the latter Castillo took off for second. When catcher Russell Martin fired to second, Reyes broke for home.

Martin’s throw was on line and Pagan would have been out for an inning-ending double play … except Dodgers second baseman Blake DeWitt dropped the ball for an error.

There was nothing unearned about the Mets’ second run. Padilla tried to throw one of those slow, looping curveballs past Davis and the first baseman waited patiently and rocketed it into the left-field pavilion for his 14th home run.

With Mets outfielders making a series of outstanding catches, Santana had the game in control for New York.

Like Padilla, Santana (8-5) wasn’t messing around, consistently throwing strikes. He gave up one run on five hits in his seven innings. Of his 98 pitches, 74 were strikes.

The only run the Dodgers scratched together off Santana came in the fifth when Martin led off with a double, advanced to second on a DeWitt groundout and scored on Jamey Carroll’s flyout to shallow right.

After the starters called it a night with the Mets clinging to a 2-1 lead, New York broke the game open against the Dodgers' bullpen.

Manager Joe Torre utilized four different relievers, all of whom struggled. Jeff Weaver walked two and James McDonald allowed a sacrifice fly and an intentional walk.

New left-handed specialist Jack Taschner then looked a lot like the old left-handed specialist (George Sherrill), walking the left-handed Davis.

Travis Schlichting’s first pitch was then lined by Jason Bay for a bases-clearing double.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti all outward patience as trading deadline approaches

The days tick past, the pressure builds, and Ned Colletti shrugs. He’s leaning against a wall outside the Dodgers clubhouse. He looks up at a group of reporters, hands in pockets, cell phone chiming in his pocket, reposed as can be.

"You have to exercise patience," Colletti said.

The Dodgers are a team in need, in a competitive division where the addition of a key player or two before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline could make all the difference.

The Dodgers could use a starting pitcher, either at the front or back of the rotation. They could use a middle reliever. And with Manny Ramirez becoming more difficult to count upon, they could use an outfielder.

The assumption is that Colletti is hamstrung by the McCourts’ divorce, that a major move that would require taking on a lot of additional salary is beyond his grasp.

"That depends on what a lot is," he said. "If it makes sense as a baseball deal, we’ll do it. Am I going to take on exorbitant salary and give up a fist full of prospects -- I wouldn’t do that on any circumstances."

His main focus had been acquiring a reliable starting pitcher;  the team lacks an ace and a fifth starter.

But with George Sherrill unable to return to form, Ramon Troncoso struggling and back in the minors, and Ronald Belisario on the restricted list and reportedly in a substance abuse program, a steady middle reliever is also a need.

Colletti said Friday that he did not know when Belisario would return, or even whether he would be back this season at all.

"I don’t know," he said. "I don’t know have the answer and I’m not telling you, I just don’t have it."

The Dodgers’ bullpen is so unsettled that Friday they called up right-hander Kenley Jansen, who has been pitching for less than a year. Jensen was a catching prospect converted to pitcher last summer.

And then there is the outfield, where utility infielder Jamey Carroll has been starting this week in left, what with Manny on the disabled list for the third time this season. With Reed Johnson also on the disabled list, suddenly another outfielder is of interest.

"A little bit, but not to the extent of pitching," he said. "The outfield has become a little more of a concern than in the past, not  just because of Manny but also because Reed Johnson."

Last year, Colletti brought in Sherrill at the trading deadline, and later Vicente Padilla. The year before, it was Manny and Casey Blake. He has a history.

But this season, the pitching needs are clear in the rotation and bullpen.

"Wherever a potential deal will take us," he said. "If it was one or both, you do it. If it’s only one, we’re not going to pass it up because it can’t fill the other one."

Colletti has a reputation for not always returning other teams’ phone calls, though he joked Friday that it was completely opposite this year.

"I don’t owe anybody a call," he said. "Everybody owes me a call. And that’s a good thing."

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers' staff in progress: Carlos Monasterios gets start Saturday, Jack Taschner replaces George Sherrill as late-inning left-hander

In their never-ending quest to determine a fifth starter, the Dodgers are going back to rookie Carlos Monasterios for the third time this season.

If at first you don’t succeed ...

The currently very cozy bullpen is getting a minor makeover, with more to come, and probably soon.

Even with Reed Johnson's lack of progress, the Dodgers decided to go at least one more game without calling up another outfielder for Thursday's game against the New York Mets.

When the Dodgers sent catcher A.J. Ellis to triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday, instead of calling up another bat, they brought up left-handed reliever Jack Taschner.

Manager Joe Torre said Taschner will take over George Sherrill’s role as the late-inning left-hander.

"He'll take on the left-handed specialist role at this point," Torre said. "We’ll use Sherrill earlier in the game and put Tas in the spot that [Sherrill] has been in until we get George to have enough good outings where he's confident knowing what's coming out and we are too.

"But we have to wait for that to happen. Up until that time, I think we need to use Taschner wherever it's called for later in the game."

Read: Sherrill was officially demoted.

The addition of Taschner on Wednesday left the Dodgers with 13 pitchers, and a bloated bullpen of eight relievers.

If the Dodgers can get through another game with a relatively unscathed bullpen, they probably would call up another right-handed bat, preferably an outfielder, by Friday.

"We certainly don't want to be at 13," Torre said. "Right now we'll stay there just until the bullpen stabilizes itself.

"I think it's realistic that in the next couple of days, we'll go back to 12."

Complicating the situation is Johnson, who is eligible to come off the disabled list Friday with a lower back strain, not progressing.

"We have no date right now for Reed Johnson," Torre said. "He's sort of stagnated there. It was getting better, getting better, but it’s not improving now. He’s not going backward, but he's not improving. He's probably going to be another week or so."

And then he probably will need to go on a rehabilitation assignment.

With Monasterios (3-2, 3.61 earned-run average) moving back to the rotation, James McDonald remains a middle reliever. McDonald has only started this season -- 12 games at Albuquerque and his outing Monday against the Giants in which he struggled (four runs on nine hits in five innings).

McDonald failed as the fifth starter at the beginning of last season, though he later found some success as a reliever. Torre, however, said the latest move doesn't mean that the Dodgers have determined that McDonald's future is as a reliever.

"Not necessarily," Torre said. "He was fine with it when we talked it. When you get at this level, you pretty much have to do what we need for the good of the team. At this point and time, I think that's where he's going to best serve us. He’s pretty durable, and he can come out of the bullpen and strike somebody out."

Somebody, however, will have to be sent down when the Dodgers call up a bat this weekend. If Taschner is now a late-inning guy, then the options are Travis Schlichting, Justin Miller (out of options) or McDonald.

And right now, with the lack of rotation depth, I'd rather have McDonald starting at Albuquerque.

Of course, other relievers could be called up (Kenley Jansen?) and the nonwaiver trading deadline is only a week away.

-- Steve Dilbeck

And you thought there was no way to find more slop in that Dodgers 7-5 loss: Joe Torre says umpires blundered in George Sherrill warm-ups

Wondering how that Bizarro world Dodgers-Giants game Tuesday could be mucked up any further?

Have no fear, there’s always a way ...

After the Dodgers 7-5 loss to the Giants, manager Joe Torre claimed the umpires had messed up by not allowing reliever George Sherrill an unlimited number of warm-up throws.

Rules are rules, unless you don’t know them. Or how to interpret them.

Sherrill was summoned into the game after acting manager Don Mattingly -- Torre had been ejected -- paid a visit to the mound in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, one out and Andres Torres due up.

"I really just went out to let the infield know we were going to play back," Mattingly said. "Torres could run. And the corners were basically pretty much going home.

"After I did that, I turned to walk away and James [Loney] said something, and I kind of turned around. I didn’t realize I was even off the dirt, but obviously I was.’’

That would be a no-no. Leave the dirt around the mound and return to it, and that constitutes two visits. A second visit to one pitcher in an inning, and that pitcher must be removed from the game.

Which meant closer Jonathan Broxton’s night was over.

"We’re not playing good, and it cost us a chance to win the game," Mattingly said. "Obviously when you have Brox in the game -- the bases loaded, but you feel you can get out of that.’’

Instead, Sherrill was quickly summoned from the bullpen. Mattingly said he asked crew chief Tim McClelland if, as in replacing an injured pitcher, his reliever would get as much time as needed to get loose.

"I asked McCelland, 'Can he warm up?' And he said, 'Yeah, I won’t do that to him. I won’t take a chance on a guy getting hurt,' " Mattingly said. At that point, Mattingly said, he was talking to pitching coach Rick Honeycutt "and not really realizing how many throws" Sherrill was getting.

Sherrill also thought he would be allowed as many warm-ups as he needed. Until he learned otherwise from home-plate umpire Adrian Johnson.

"After seven he said, 'One more,' and stood behind the plate and called for Torres," Sherrill said. "And that was that."

Until Torres drove a Sherrill offering into the left-center gap that turned a 5-4 Dodgers’ lead into a 6-5 Giants advantage and ultimately a 7-5 victory.

"The biggest issue to me, and I just found this out, the umpire behind the plate only allowed Sherrill eight warm-ups," Torre said, "and he was supposed to get as many as he needed."

Sherrill said, normally, bullpen included, he would normally throw about 25 pitches to get ready. Sherrill said he had thrown two in the bullpen.

Surprise, the rule is only slightly less confusing. Apparently, the number of warm-up throws in that situation can be a judgment call by the umpire.

Also, MLB Rule 8.06 makes it sound like what should have happened Tuesday was Mattingly should have been ejected, Broxton should have pitched to Torres and then been replaced:

"In a case where a manager has made his first trip to the mound and then returns the second time to the mound in the same inning with the same pitcher in the game and the same batter at bat, after being warned by the umpire that he cannot return to the mound, the manager shall be removed from the game and the pitcher required to pitch to the batter until he is retired or gets on base. After the batter is retired, or becomes a base runner, then this pitcher must be removed from the game. The manager should be notified that his pitcher will be removed from the game after he pitches to one hitter, so he can have a substitute pitcher warmed up.

"The substitute pitcher will be allowed eight preparatory pitches or more if in the umpire’s judgment circumstances justify."

Going by that, eight were technically OK, though the umpires should have been clear in their initial instructions. And Mattingly said when he turned to return to the mound, he heard Johnson yelling, "No, no, no. You can’t go back." So he had been warned.

Of course, the umpires acted on none of this initially. If Giants manager Bruce Bochy had not protested, the umpires were going to let Mattingly’s goof just slip by.

The muck was everywhere.

-- Steve Dilbeck

As if the rivalry needed more juice: Giants win a wild one, 7-5, as Dodgers' losing streak hits six

Just when things were almost approaching -- yawn -- ordinary in these little Dodgers-Giants affairs, along came Tuesday night.

There were hit batters and ejections, raised tempers and acting managerial stumbles, not to mention a dramatic 7-5 comeback by the Giants that ultimately extended the Dodgers' losing streak to six games.

Rivalry renewed, or at least refreshed.

After an almost routine Giants victory the previous night, Tuesday was tense and unexpected, full of history and grudges and pitches with intent and one big comeback.

Unexpected, like the Dodgers chasing Giants ace Tim Lincecum with their five runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers let it be known early this wasn’t going to be a typical Lincecum night. They opened the scoring in the first on an Xavier Paul double and an Andre Ethier two-run homer.

The Dodgers made it a 5-1 game in the third with a single by Blake DeWitt and a double by Casey Blake each driving in a run.

And then things got interesting.

(First some quick background: The two teams met here on April 16, Matt Kemp hitting a home run against Todd Wellemeyer and then getting buzzed with a Wellemeyer fastball at the head in his next at-bat. Vicente Padilla later hit Aaron Rowan with a pitch that broke two of his cheek bones and sent him to the disabled list.)

So with one out in the bottom of the fifth Tuesday, Lincecum throws an inside pitch to Kemp that had him bailing out of the batter's box. The next pitch hit Kemp in the ribs.

There's a lack of trust, and good reason for it, in the Dodgers bullpen

OK, boys and girls, today we momentarily take pause from the grieving for the lost St. Louis weekend to offer this brief quiz:

Joe Torre currently has seven relievers in his bullpen -- how many does he actually trust?

His bullpen boys are Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, Jeff Weaver, Carlos Monasterios, Justin Miller, George Sherrill and Travis Schlichting.

Come on, how many?

OK, despite blowing Sunday’s game, Broxton is an obvious choice. Kuo has yet to allow a hit to a left-handed hitter, so he’s in. Weaver has been more reliable than not.

And that about ends that.

That’s right, we’re going with the correct answer: three.

Oh, the pain. A year ago, the best bullpen in baseball. Now, tilting toward disaster.
 
How could this be? Let us count the reasons, again sticking with three:

1) Ronald Belisario had visa problems because of a DUI arrest, showed up the last week of spring training, joined the team late and then posted a 7.20 ERA in his first 16 appearances.

Then he got it together and had a 1.31 ERA over his next 19 appearances, only to disappear and be placed on the restricted list. Turns out, he’s in a rehab facility, and I don’t mean the kind that helps sore shoulders.

2) Ramon Troncoso, a workhorse middle reliever last season who owned a 2.72 ERA in 73 games, started the season decently and then went into a serious downward spiral.

Unable to get him untracked, the Dodgers finally sent him and his 5.15 ERA to triple-A Albuquerque to work on his mechanics. In his first five games for the Isotopes, he is 0-2 with a 2.84 ERA.

3) And then there is the unexplained mystery of George Sherrill, who was nothing short of sensational last season for the Dodgers (0.65 ERA) and nothing even close to that this season (7.17 ERA).

Finally at a loss as to how to get Sherrill to rediscover his form, the Dodgers placed him on outright waivers. He could clear Monday and then be asked to take a trip to Albuquerque. He could refuse and become a free agent, but he has the rest of that $4.5-million contract to consider.

This is a trio of key, reliable relievers for the Dodgers last season. Now, they’re out of the equation.

In their stead are rookies Monasterios and Schlichting and the journeyman Miller. And the Dodgers don’t want to use Kuo, because of four elbow surgeries, on consecutive days.

It makes for a lot of unpredictable nights in the bullpen. And days like Sunday, when Kuo and Weaver had already pitched the day before and Torre did not want to go back to them.

So he pushes Broxton, and it blows up. The depth just isn’t there, and unless most of the disappointing trio return to form or outside help is brought in, there could be a lot more games like Sunday's.

Who would you trust in that bullpen?

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Jonathan Broxton walks off the field after giving up a walk-off single to St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Holliday on Sunday. Credit: Jeff Roberson / Associated Press.