Dodgers Diaries

Andre Ethier did it again. No, not just help propel the Dodgers to a win with his offense. Although he did do that, with two home runs in the first two innings, the second a grand slam, to put the Dodgers ahead 7-0. What his offense did a second night in a row is mask a serious pitching problem.

Vicente Padilla did his part, throwing seven strong innings of 4-hit ball, surrendering just 3 runs to the Lilliputian offense. And if ever there were an occasion to bring in Russ Ortiz, a 10-3 game in the 8th inning would be the prime example. He even pitched a 1-2-3 8th. But with the game just three outs away, Ortiz got himself into the kind of trouble that has been all too familiar to Dodger fans in just 11 games. Before it was all over, the Giants had climbed back within two runs, and what was supposed to be a laugher became a tense night, if only for a few pitches.

No, Ortiz didn’t give up the three-run homer to lucky-guess hitter Eugenio Velez. That was Ramon Troncoso’s fault. But Ortiz allowed two runs to score before the blast, and put the two runners on base in front of him. His ERA is now an even 12, with no signs that he can get out major league hitters on a regular basis. The Dodgers have to have somebody better than this in their minor league system, be it James McDonald, Scott Elbert, Josh Lindblom, or a name we haven’t heard yet. I’m sure they’re simply waiting until Hong-Chih Kuo and/or Ronald Belisario are ready to return to the roster.

But why wait. You won’t have many seven-run leads to protect. And I can’t see that Joe Torre will ever feel comfortable trusting in Ortiz again in anything more taxing. Pitching will be at a premium in today’s game against Tim Lincecum. We’ll see whether Charlie Haeger is up to the task, or was simply lucky against Florida last Sunday.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL