Jeff Weaver gets left out
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
After Dave Weaver had celebrated the Dodgers’ National League division series-clinching victory with son Jeff in St. Louis on Saturday, the Weavers decided to juggle their parent rotation for the next round of the playoffs.
Dave would follow Jered and the Angels in the American League Championship Series, while Gail would trek to Dodger Stadium to follow Jeff in the NL Championship Series.
So much for those plans.
Jeff was left off the Dodgers’ roster for the NLCS today in a move that Manager Joe Torre said would bolster his bullpen against a Philadelphia Phillies lineup filled with left-handed sluggers.
The addition of Scott Elbert gives the Dodgers three left-handed relievers to face Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth.
“We just felt that we wanted the option of having another left-hander for somewhere in the game if that situation arises wher we aren’t going to use” left-handers Hong-Chih Kuo and George Sherrill.
Elbert went 2-0 with a 5.03 earned-run average this season in 19 games with the Dodgers. The rookie limited left-handed hitters to a .222 average and struck out 14 of the 39 batters he faced.
Weaver pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and recorded the victory in Game 1 of the division series.
As expected, Jon Garland was left off the roster to make room for Hiroki Kuroda, who will start Game 3 in Philadelphia after missing the division series because of a bulging disk in his neck.
-- Ben Bolch