Semi-OT: Dodgers' Rotation includes 4 Lefties

Slightly OT here, but still baseball. I've been watching the Dodgers lately since a childhood friend of mine got called up (Brent Leach, a LH bullpen pitcher) and my wife and I will be at Wrigley for 3 games against the Dodgers in a couple of weeks.

Today I noticed that they recently called up a FOURTH left-handed starter. Their rotation now includes lefties Eric Milton, Clayton Kershaw, Randy Wolf, and Eric Stults. Chad Billingsley, a righty, is their fifth starter.

I think it's odd that LA's barrage of righties in the playoffs led Hendry & co. to sign so many lefties / switch hitters this offseason, and now 4 of the Dodgers' starters are left handed.

Can anyone recall a team throwing 4 lefties (or even 5) in their rotation? I remember Lilly, Hill, and Marshall were 3 lefties in the rotation most of the year in 2007, and I thought having 3 lefties was unusual.

Thoughts?

Edited to break up the paragraphs. At first I'm lined up on the left with no paragraph spacing and now I have spacing but I'm all in the center. I need a "Fanposting for Dummies" or something.

5 months ago sparky39762 9 comments 0 recs |

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Wow, I had some paragraph breaks in there

Could I have done anything different, or do the Fanshots just jumble it all together?

by sparky39762 on May 16, 2009 6:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No you can break 'em up.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."

--Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on May 16, 2009 8:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This was long enough to be a fanpost.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on May 16, 2009 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't want the Fanpost Police pullin' me over

I had an open container in the backseat.

Now I have paragraphs, but everything is centered – and I don’t even see a center align option. I’m confused.

by sparky39762 on May 16, 2009 10:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I am too.

Admittedly, the Fanshot interface needs work. The SBN tech people are, as I understand it, working on it.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on May 17, 2009 4:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can think of two fairly recent ones

2004 Royals (Gobble, Anderson, May, Affeldt) and the 2003 Athletics (Mulder, Zito, Lilly, and Halama). Obviously this worked out better for the A’s than the Royals but I’d say that was due more to the caliber of pitchers than anything.

"I'll never forget how I felt last October." ~Kosuke Fukudome

by Goodie1969 on May 17, 2009 11:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The Dodgers are plugging holes though

Milton was in there because Torre put Jeff Weaver back in the bullpen. Torre “liked Milton’s make up” and wanted to see him in there. Stults is a stop gap as well but he’s been pitching out of his mind lately, so he’s still there. That Torre is juggling Milton and Weaver should tell you a lot about the fifth spot in that rotation.

"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008

by BeerCub on May 17, 2009 12:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

So last year's Cubs lineup may have been ideal to face this year's LA rotation?

It’s a game of adjustments.

by DudeVf11 on May 17, 2009 2:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dodgers are the best team in the National League

Yes, I feel safe in saying that too. They have really responded to the loss of Manny. Loney, Either, Martin and Kemp are all bursting with exceptional talent and a very enviable foursome of young talent in that lineup. Hudson has stabilized the infield and Furcal and Blake are good veteran ballplayers. Billingsley is already climbed the ladder of one of the best pitchings in the NL and Kershaw is an enormous talent as well. Plus Joe Torre has made the playoffs 13 consecutive seasons.

by BLou on May 18, 2009 11:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs