Ted Green: It’s time for Joe Torre to yank Jonathan Broxton

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I know he’s got a hall pass and lifetime immunity from the usual second guessing because of the success he had with the Yankees, but is anyone else who follows the Dodgers ready to ask Joe Torre how much longer he’s going to stay with Jonathan Broxton as his closer?

Right now Broxton couldn’t close a door if it was already padlocked shut.

Banks close, businesses close, even bars in New Orleans close, but for the past month now, Broxton hasn’t been able to close to save his 300-pound backside.

The coup de grace came Saturday night when, brought in to save a 3-1 lead in Arizona in the ninth, he gave up not one, but two bombs to center field, blowing yet another save in a game the Dodgers lost in extras an inning later.

While the big kid from Georgia implodes game after game, blowing one save opportunity after another, and a nice chunk of the Dodgers’ division lead along with them, the team’s new eighth-inning setup man, George Sherill, continues to set ‘em up and knock ‘em down, as predictably dependable as Broxton is lethally awful.

Sherill’s ERA with the Dodgers is zero. That’s zero as in 0.00. By George, he was an All-Star with the Orioles and a closer, too. But does this impress Torre? Apparently not.

Instead of reacting to what everyone can plainly see, that Broxton is in full Crisis in Confidence mode, Torre remains set in his ways, like so many baseball people, inflexibly making the same move game after game, as if it’s written somewhere that Broxton has to close or the world will fall to pieces.

This doesn’t mean demote Broxton forever. Let him work two or three eighth innings, regain his confidence in his old setup role, start feeling good about himself again, then Torre can switch it back to the way it was -- Sherill in the eighth, Broxton in the ninth. But right now Big Jon obviously needs a break from being the game-decider at the end.

And by the way, Broxton’s ERA of 3.25 for the season is WAY too high for a closer.

And by the way part 2: If the speed gun says 95 or below, since he can hit 100 when he’s right, there may also be something wrong with his arm.

So memo to Joe: Whether it’s his shoulder, his toe, or his brain at this point, the reasons for Broxton’s slump don’t matter anymore. It’s simply time to try someone else in the role. C’mon, Joe, show a little flexibility, you old dinosaur, before the Dodgers’ lead is gone completely.

-- Ted Green

Green formerly covered sports for the Los Angeles Times. He is currently Senior Sports Producer for KTLA Prime News.