At this point in the season, how you start actually matters more than the finish

Normally, it's worth dwelling on the final score, except during Spring Training, especially this early in Spring Training, when all the important stuff happens in the first few innings. On Friday, the Blue may have lost 10-3 but there were encouraging signs to take away from the afternoon. The biggies were Hiroki Kuroda's two scoreless innings on the mound and Andy LaRoche's run scoring double in the first.

Turning that smile upside down, it's fair to say that Esteban Loaiza (2 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits... if he kept going, I probably would have hit a five somewhere) is still looking for his mojo. It's February 29th- fun to say- so there's no reason to freak out, but for those in the Dodger Nation who are a little leery about Loaiza manning the fifth spot in the rotation, today did nothing to de-leery anyone. Still, Loaiza's first effort of the spring was Cy Young material compared to Greg Miller. The big lefty allowed five runs on three hits and two walks, all without recording an out. If you happened to see the broadcast on ESPN, Miller was nowhere near the plate when the inning started, then too near it as it went on.

For a guy who has rather famously struggled with control issues, it wasn't an auspicious way to kick off the '08 season for Miller.

Posted by kambrothers on February 29, 2008 in Dodger News | Permalink

Comments

I got to view the national telecast. Torre does look weird in the Dodger uniform.

I see Loiza hasn't missed a beat since last season. I'll go out on a limb and predict he will win this year's "Tomko Award" for worst pitcher. Of course he might get some competition from Miller.

I know, I know, it's spring training...
Still, maybe Kuroda could be the free agent steal of the year.

Go Blue!

Posted by: Andy B | February 29, 2008 at 07:56 PM

Andy B-

The Miller stuff is less important obviously, at least in the short term, but it would be nice to see Loaiza pitch well this spring. It's not that he's never been good, but even in his good years, he's not usually dominant. Some positive signs that he can handle the five spot would be nice. Either that, or he's so awful, they just release him (haha).

Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | February 29, 2008 at 09:20 PM

Two games into spring training and I'm already worried. Loaiza looks like he's got nothing left. And even if he did, I'm not sure he's got enough fire inside to get it back. Schmidt had surgery about 8 or 10 months ago and he still can't even throw twice a week? What's he been doing all that time? And I really wish the Dodgers would stop pretending that there's no cause for alarm. We heard that same garbage every year about Brown, Dreifort, and Gagne.
Let's hope Kuo has a good outing or it might be time to ring up Jose Lima. Believe it!

Posted by: D-Web | February 29, 2008 at 10:34 PM

After watching Loaiza stink it up today, and hearing the bad news about Schmidt, I have a feeling that the 5th spot is going to be a big black hole for the Blue again this year.

Perhaps a Jason Johnson or Chan Ho Park can win a surprise roster spot and have better success than any other candidate in that 5th spot. Or maybe we will see Clayton Kershaw or James McDonald in Los Angeles after a couple of months...

The only function of that 5th starter is to keep your team in the ballgame. If you give up 3 or 4 runs in 5 innings, you've done an adequate job. Realistically, if you pick up about 8-10 wins in a season, you're a good 5th starter.

Posted by: Higgins | March 01, 2008 at 02:45 AM

Andy,

I second the nomination of Esteban Loaiza for this years' Bombko Award. He displays the top 2 attributes--his pitching sucks and he blames someone else for his ineffectiveness, as stated on the official Dodger website today. A waste of $8 million.

Posted by: Chunkdog32 | March 01, 2008 at 02:46 AM

D-Web, Schmidt seems like he's on track to not start the season active but to be back sometime after, within a month or so from everything I've heard. If Loiaza is terrible they're not gonna start him at 5, so yeah then there's Kuo. And if he doesn't work out, I actually kind of like Jason Johnson. And if none of that works out they could also speed McDonald along. The key is really how Schmidt is when he comes back. I'm not as worried as you are. Kuroda looks like a steal, he'll be the best #4 guy in the league. #5 won't be needed all that often for awhile.

Hey, K Bros, any truth to the Brandon Inge rumors? Why on earth were the Dodgers looking at him unless it's to be backup catcher? I think we have enough 3rd base options already. I hope that was just a rootless rumor.

Posted by: Craig Phillips | March 01, 2008 at 09:51 AM