DODGERS - 7/26/02
2nd place (tie) in the NL West
57-45, 4 games behind the D’Backs



LATEST TEAM INFO:
The Dodgers face a huge weekend series at Pac Bell Park against the Giants who enter the series tied with the Dodgers for the wild card lead. Barry Bonds is still out with an injured right hamstring, so they don’t have to worry about his threat in the lineup. The Giants have won 6 of 9 from the Dodgers so far this season.

In 14 games, the Dodgers have turned a 2.5 game lead into a 4 game deficit in the NL West. They’ve dropped 11 of 14 games and have looked lifeless in the process. The exclamation point came in an 8-0 shutout at the hands of the Padres where the Dodgers managed only 5 hits and didn’t advance a runner to second base. In the first half, everything seemed to go right for this team; but in the second half, nothing seems to be going right. The offense has been the biggest culprit as it only scoring 2.6 runs per game since the break. This looks like the offensive crew that started the season and was shutout 8 times in the first month and a half. They have managed 2 or fewer runs in 9 of their last 14 games. While Shawn Green was just unstoppable in the May and June slugging over .700, he hasn’t had an extra-base hit in 12 games. Opposing pitchers have finally come to their senses and have pitched around him with the rest of the lineup producing nothing. Even the bullpen has been struggling. While Gagne continues to dominate, the rest of the pen looks like it is trying to match Montreal for worst pen after the break. They’ve allowed 11 runs in 11.2 innings of the last four games. Guillermo Mota, who earned a more prominent set-up role, has been torched since the break. In his last 6 games, Mota has pitched 5.2 innings allowing 10 runs, 11 hits, 3 homers, 4 walks and striking out 3. Because of this, GM Dan Evans is searching for another arm out of the pen (scroll down to trade rumors for more info).

Alex Cora has started 7 games at shortstop and second base since the break. He's started 5 of the last 6 games at shortstop. He will continue to get starts as long as he continues to hit as Cesar Izturis has been terrible against righties (.201 avg) all season long. Cora has three multi-hit games in his last four starts.

Dave Roberts has Jim Tracy considering eliminating the platoon in centerfield. Roberts has been one of the great stories for the Dodgers this season. Roberts, 30, finally was given a starting job this spring after being a bench player in Cleveland. Roberts has really been solid all year with a .293 avg, .368 OBP and 28 steals in 34 chances. If you need steals, Roberts is definitely a good option.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:

Dodger fans are very disappointed with the Dodgers after such a brilliant first half. With the Angels playing well down the freeway, it’s even harder to swallow the quick deterioration of this Dodger club. Fans can only hope that GM Evans will make some moves to shore up the team before the deadline. In the past week, he’s made three deals. The biggest trade was the acquisition of 3B Tyler Houston from the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitchers Ben Diggins (1st round pick in 2000) and Shane Nance (24th round pick in 1999). Houston is a left-handed hitter that will hopefully put pressure on Adrian Beltre to start living up to his potential. In 76 games, Houston is batting .302 with 7 homers and 33 RBI. A couple of problems are that Houston has been as cold as the Dodger offense in July; in 16 games, he’s batting .169 with no homers and one RBI. Houston’s move out of Miller Park to Dodger Stadium won’t help his numbers either. His home OPS for the year is .902; while his away OPS is .700. Interestingly before Evans pulled the trigger on this deal, he placed one more call into the availability of Scott Rolen. Phillies GM Ed Wade was apparently asking for Beltre, a major league pitcher and a minor league pitcher. Beltre has actually been one of the few producers since the break hitting 4 homers and 9 RBI.

The two other deals were minor. The Dodgers acquired utility man Jolbert Cabrera from the Indians for minor league pitcher Lance Carraccioli. Colbrera was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The Dodgers also traded OF Hiram Bocachica (and his great name) to the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitcher Tom Farmer and a player to be named later (hopefully as good a name as Bocachica). Farmer was 6-8 with a 4.92 ERA in 16 starts for Double-A Erie.

RUMOR MILL:
GM Evans is apparently much more content about the weak hitting Dodger offense than I am. While I considered it a miracle that the Dodgers scored so many runs in the first half, Evans seems to believe that that is their normal level of production which to me seems absurd when they get almost no production from 2B, 3B and SS (and currently getting no production from every position).

Evans is more concerned about getting help for the bullpen, which will hopefully have some kind of lead to protect. I can pretty much guarantee that he’ll pick up another arm for before the deadline. He’s inquired about Cleveland right-hander Paul Shuey, Florida right-hander Braden Looper and Milwaukee righty Luis Vizcaino. He's also talked about Toronto's Kelvim Escobar, Colorado’s Todd Jones, Pittsburgh's Scott Sauerbeck, Cleveland's Ricardo Rincon and Tampa Bay's Esteban Yan.

INJURIES:
Kevin Brown (P) - Status: DL
Brown has now thrown a couple of bullpen sessions with no ill effects of his sore elbow or his back surgery. He threw all of his pitches aggressively and will likely face hitters in either batting practice or simulated innings next week. It looks like Brown will return in late August at the earliest.

Darren Dreifort (P) – Status: DL
Dreifort, who is recovering from his second “Tommy John” surgery, was diagnosed with bursitis. He received a cortisone shot in his knee and will resume throwing lightly in the bullpen. Dreifort may return in September but in a very limited role.

Jeff Reboulet (IF) – Status: 15-day DL, back
Reboulet went on the DL with a stiff back. If you have Jeff on your squad, you have serious issues. Please call 555-IDIOT and I’ll help you immediately. IF/OF Mike Kinkade was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Eric Karros (1B) – Status: In lineup
Karros was hit in the face by a 97mph Felix Rodriguez fastball in the seventh inning on July 20th against the Giants. He had stitches and “minor plastic surgery.” He’s missed one game but is back in the lineup. JD Drew should learn some toughness from Karros.

Odalis Perez (P) – Status: Given leave
Perez was excused from the team to travel to the Dominican Republic for personal reasons. Perez was going to be given a few days off to rest his arm anyways. He’ll pitch again August 1st against the Reds. Perez is 1-4 in his last 5 starts. In 28.1 innings, he’s allowed 23 runs on 41 hits, 6 walks and 22 strikeouts.


LINEUP (last 7 days)

1. Dave Roberts (CF): 7-19 (.368), 1R, 3RBI, 5SB, .846 OPS
2. Alex Cora (SS): 7-19 (.368), 4R, 1RBI, .789 OPS
3. Shawn Green (RF): 4-24 (.120), 2R, 1RBI, 5BB, .476 OPS
4. Paul Lo Duca (C): 3-25 (.120), 2R, 1HR, 3RBI, .400 OPS
5. Eric Karros (1B): 6-18 (.333), 1R, 3RBI, .880 OPS
6. Brian Jordan (LF): 6-20 (.300), 4R, 1RBI, 1SB, .683 OPS
7. Adrian Beltre (3B): 5-19 (.263), 2R, 1HR, 2RBI, .721 OPS
8. Mark Grudzielanek (2B): 7-19 (.368), 2R, 2RBI, .768 OPS

Tyler Houston (3B): 4-17 (.235), 1R, 1RBI, .512 OPS
Cesar Izturis (SS): 3-17 (.176), 0R, .352 OPS

PITCHING

ROTATION:
Odalis Perez: 0-1, 5 IP, 8H, 1BB, 3ER, 5.40 ERA, 1.80 WHIP
Kazuhiza Ishii: 0-1, 12.1 IP, 9H, 9BB, 9K, 5ER, 3.64 ERA, 1.46 WHIP
Andy Ashby: 0-0, 5.1 IP, 9H, 4BB, 2K, 5ER, 8.43 ERA, 2.44 WHIP
Hideo Nomo: 0-0, 6IP, 7H, 3BB, 3ER, 4.50 ERA, 1.67 WHIP
Omar Daal: 0-0, 7IP, 5H, 3B, 2ER, 2.57 ERA, 1.14 ERA

BULLPEN:
Eric Gagne: 2 saves, 6K in 3 IP, 0 ERA
Giovanni Carrara: 1-1, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2BB, 3ER, 4.76 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
Paul Quantrill: 1-0, 4IP, 3H, 4BB, 0ER, 1.75 WHIP
Guillermo Mota: 0-1, 3.2 IP, 6H, 3BB, 6 ER, 14.72 ERA, 2.45 WHIP

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Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent

DODGERS - 7/19/02
3rd place in the NL West
55-42, 1.5 games behind the D’Backs



LATEST TEAM INFO:
The Dodgers have stumbled out of the gate after the All-Star break, dropping 8 of 9 and looking totally flat offensively. They’ve been outscored 42-19. The offense has scored only 9 runs in the last 6 games. As a team they are hitting .202 with a .555 OPS. Shawn Green who carried the Dodgers through the last couple of months has been struggling. In his last 9 games, Green is hitting .219 with one homer and six RBI. He’s scored only 3 runs, walked 6 times while striking out 7 times. With Eric Karros and Brian Jordan providing even less offense, Green isn’t seeing many pitches to hit. In his last 9 games, Jordan is batting .125 (4-32) with no homers, no RBI, 4 walks and 9 strikeouts. In the same time period, Karros is batting .200 (6-30) with no homers, no RBI, 6 walks and 5 strikeouts. Since the break, Dodger cleanup hitters are batting 3 for 32 (.094) in 9 games; and since July 2nd are 7 for 52 (.135).

The starting pitching staff that sparkled so brightly in the first half has also been fading. All-Star Odalis Perez had his worst of the year against the Padres allowing 7 runs in 5.1 IP. Perez who admitted to a arm fatigue before the All-Star game has lost 3 of his last 4 starts in which he allowed 20 runs (5 homers) in 25.1 IP. Perez who is only two years removed from Tommy John surgery has now thrown a career high 139.1 IP. Perez has asked to skip a couple of starts to “refresh” for the second half and will likely skip his turn after pitching this coming Monday in San Diego. Andy Ashby is also slumping and is 0-2 in his last 4 starts. He’s allowed 17 runs (5 homers) in his last 22.2 IP with a 1.54 WHIP. The only bright spot has been Kaz Ishii who has been solid in his last two starts. Though he’s allowed a staggering 11 walks in his 13.2 IP, he’s only allowed 5 hits, 2 runs and has struck out 9 in games against Arizona and SF. Ishii still needs to get his walks down.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:
Los Angles fans aren’t feeling very confident right now but have been very supportive as the last two games have been sell-outs (of course one game was Shawn Green bobblehead night). When you watch the Dodgers right now, they just aren’t hitting the ball with any authority and can’t come up with the big hits (or any hits for that matter). Fans hope for some help via the trade but the Dodgers farm system is very thin after Kevin Malone’s neglect. To make matters worse, Malone’s propensity to sign long-term inflated contracts is the biggest obstacle for GM Dan Evans. The Dodgers already have a $102 million payroll, and several untradeable contracts. Here are some of the ugly deals. Darren Dreifort is in the 2nd year of a 5-year, $55mn deal. Kevin Brown (38 years old) is in the 3rd year of a 7-year, $105mn deal. Eric Karros (34 years old and always overrated) is in the 2nd year of a 3-year, $24mn contract extension signed in February of 2000; to make it worse he has a $9mn club option for the 2004 season, which kicks in automatically with 500 plate appearances in the 2003 season. The woeful Mark Grudzielanek is in the 3rd year of a 4-year deal. Even the worst pitcher in baseball Terry Mulholland is making $3mn; the league is hitting .336 against him with 10 homers in 29.1 IP for a 7.67 ERA.

RUMOR MILL:
There have lots of rumors swirling around Dodgertown but still nothing has come to pass. The Dodgers desperately need more offense, as the team has got virtually no production from 2B, 3B and SS all year. Last weekend, Rangers Frank Catalanotto was rumored to be heading west for Triple-A second baseman Joe Thurston. The deal now looks to be dead in the water.
During the All-Star break, GM Dan Evans apparently inquired about the availability of offensive help in Brewers 3B Tyler Houston, White Sox 3B Greg Norton, Cubs 3B Bill Mueller, Mets 2B Roberto Alomar and 2B/3B Edgardo Alfonzo. On the pitching side, the Dodgers have interest in the following left-handed specialists: Baltimore’s Buddy Groom, the Mets’s Mark Guthrie, Pittsburgh’s Scott Sauerbeck and Cleveland’s Ricardo Rincon. Finally the Dodgers are said to be calling about Colorado set-up man Todd Jones.

INJURIES:
Kevin Brown (P) – Status: DL, has begun throwing
Brown plans to begin throwing off a mound on July 23, when he’ll be six weeks removed from back surgery. The Dodgers look to his return in September when the rosters expand.

Darren Dreifort (P) – Status: DL
Dreifort threw 41 pitches in a simulated game on Friday. The Dodgers will take it slow on Dreifort who is coming off his second major surgery on his pitching elbow. Don’t expect to see him back until September at the earliest.

Paul Lo Duca (C) – Status: In lineup
Lo Duca has been bothered by twinges of pain in his upper groin area. An MRI exam ruled out a hernia. The injury causes him pain when he swings but he plans to play through it.

Chad Kreuter (C) – Status: Activated from DL
Kreuter was on the DL due to a left leg contusion. David Ross was sent back to Triple-A Las Vegas. If Kreuter is on your team, I’m laughing at you, not with you.

ON THE FARM:
Chin-Feng Chen (1B/OF): 97G .285 62R 19-2B 21HR 62RBI 42BB 107SO
Joe Thurson (2B): 94G .330 74R 26-2B 7-3B 8HR 35RBI 16BB 42SO 15SB
Mike Kinkade (UT): 74G .341 63R 22-2B 11HR 50RBI 29BB 49SO


If you have any questions or comments, please email me at Dodgers@fantasyinfocentral.com

Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent

DODGERS MIDSEASON BREAKDOWN

1st Place in the NL West
54-34 (.614), 2.5 games ahead of Arizona, 4.5 games ahead of SF

It has been a brilliant first half for the Dodgers and almost everything has gone right for them as they sit atop the NL West. Let’s first take a look at the brilliant offseason moves made by GM Dan Evans.

OFFSEASON MOVES

1. Acquired Omar Daal from the Phillies for 2 minor league pitchers
While Daal was unhappy with being in the bullpen to start the year, Evans knew that he needed an extra arm with Brown and Ashby coming off elbow surgery. Daal pitched brilliantly from the pen and is now in the rotation for the injured Brown.

2. Acquired Cesar Izturis and Paul Quantrill from Toronto for Luke Prokopec and a minor league pitcher
Prokopec has been injured all year in Toronto while Izturis has been the Dodgers starting shortstop and Quantrill has been their most effective set-up man.

3. Acquired Dave Roberts from the Indians for a minor leaguer
Roberts has surprised everyone with his quality of play from the leadoff spot – he has really flourished after finally given the chance to play.

4. Signed Hideo Nomo
After a rocky start, Nomo has pitched brilliantly going into the break riding a 7 game winning streak.

5. Acquired Odalis Perez and Brian Jordan from the Braves for Gary Sheffield
Perhaps the biggest winner for Evans, Jordan (.834 OPS) has virtually matched Sheffield’s (.824 OPS) production for the season and Perez has been one of the best starters in the NL.

6. Signed Kazuhiro Ishii
Ishii has won 11 games and I think the Dodgers would have been happy with that total for the season.

7. Acquired Guillermo Mota from the Expos for Matt Herges
Mota is quality young arm, but more importantly it open the door for Gagne to be the full time closer.

Left via free agency: Terry Adams, Chan Ho Park, James Baldwin, Jeff Shaw (retirement); Adams, Park and Baldwin are a combined 13-16, 1.49 WHIP, 5.32 ERA

Questions coming out of spring training

1. Would the Dodgers hit enough to win, especially with Roberts and Izturis batting 1-2?
Well it certainly didn’t look like it to begin the season. The Dodgers were shut out 8 times in their first 40 games, but then Shawn Green caught fire and the carried the Dodgers to a 27-13 mark while only being shut out once to the break. They are middle of the road in most offensive categories as they rank 8th in the NL in runs.

2. Would Brown and Ashby stay healthy after coming off elbow surgery?
Well you probably know that Brown didn’t, but one out of two wasn’t bad. Ashby will need to stay healthy in the second half for the Dodgers to take home the pennant.

3. Would Eric Gagne pitch effectively in the closer role?
If you don’t know by now, you probably are at the wrong website. Gagne is on pace to break Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 saves in 1990.

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS

Paul Lo Duca (C) - .326, 41 R, 5 HR, 38 RBI, 3 SB, .843 OPS
FIC rank – C: 4, 1B: 16
Lo Duca is proving that last year’s breakout season was no fluke. While his power numbers are down, he ranks 4th amongst catchers on our player rankings. He’s stuck out only 13 times in 297 ABs.
2nd Half: Expect Lo Duca to continue to be a top fantasy catcher. His power numbers should increase from the 1st half. Being a line drive hitter, his homers will come in bunches.

Eric Karros (1B) – .292, 30 R, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 3 SB, .766 OPS
FIC rank – 1B: 18
Karros has bounced back from a injury plagued (back) 2001 season and has given the Dodgers needed production from the 5 hole in the order. He ranks 17th amongst first basemen on our player rankings which probably means that you will only have room on your roster for him in NL-only leagues.
2nd Half: Karros’s first half averages are right about at his career averages so you can probably expect much the same from Karros in the second half barring injury. He’s had a very consistent first half and his power has actually come on toward the end of the first half. I’d expect Karros’s power production to increase slightly in the second half.

Mark Grudzielanek (2B) - .245, 31 R, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 1 SB, .629 OPS
FIC Rank - 2B: 27
Grudzielanek carries very little fantasy value at this point in his career. Though second base is a very thin position, Grudzielanek has no business on your fantasy team. He’s also battling a mysterious hand injury where he has to have fluid drained from spots on the back of his hand every couple of weeks. He may also lose playing time to Alex Cora who has been contributing more effectively.
2nd Half: Expect much the same from Grudzielanek, which isn’t very good. Keep him away from your fantasy team.

Alex Cora (2B/SS) - .298, 15 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB, .868 OPS
FIC Rank: NR
Cora has played solid as a spot starter in the first half. Looking at his numbers, you wonder why he doesn’t get more of a chance to play either 2B or SS.
2nd Half: Over the past two years as the starting shortstop he hit .238 and .217. At 26, could this be an offensive rebirth for Cora? I don’t think so - Cora has only 3 walks in 93 AB. Look for Cora to fall back to earth in the second half.

Cesar Izturis (SS) - .230, 32 R, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 5 SB, .568 OPS
FIC Rank – SS: 32
Izturis has played great defense for the Dodgers in the first half; unfortunately the same cannot be said about his offense. After hitting a surprising .280 in April, Izturis is hitting only .231 with a .258 OBP. His biggest problem is batting from the left side: 43-220 (.195), 15 runs, 15 RBI, .479 OPS; from the right side: 28-90 (.311), 16 runs, 8 RBI, .773 OPS. Izturis also needs to learn how to read pitchers better as he’s only 4 for 10 in stolen base attempts.
2nd Half: Since Izturis has never shown great patience at the plate, I wouldn’t expect his numbers to improve greatly in the second half. He needs to hit better from the left side or Alex Cora should get some more time at shortstop. At this point in his career, Izturis shouldn’t be on your fantasy roster.

Adrian Beltre (3B) - .237, 32 R, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 2 SB, .646 OPS
FIC Rank – 3B: 29
Beltre has been the biggest disappointment on the Dodgers so far this season. Reporting to camp this year healthy and stronger than ever, Beltre was expected to have a breakout season; however, it’s been a frustrating season for the youthful third baseman. His OBP and SLG have dropped to his rookie year levels of 1998; his walks are down from his best years and his strikeouts are up. The media has questioned his focus on the field as well as his mental toughness as he leads the lead in errors with 15.
2nd Half: It’s hard to imagine that Beltre can play worse than he has in the 1st half. Since the Dodgers have no replacement for Beltre, he will be given a shot to improve day in and day out. At this point if you have Beltre, he should be on your bench as there are better options available at the hot corner.

Brian Jordan (LF) - .275, 47 R, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 1 SB, .834 OPS
FIC Rank – OF: 43
Jordan has filled Gary Sheffield’s (ranked #36) shoes more than adequately. While Jordan doesn’t command the same respect as Sheffield as a hitter, he’s provided Shawn Green with the protection that he needs. As is typical of Jordan, he’s playing with injuries (knee) and still manages to play hard and well.
2nd Half: His numbers are almost a mirror image of last year’s so I’d expect very similar numbers from Jordan in the second half. The thing that you must monitor Jordan for is his health. Jordan will need offseason surgery on his knee so it is a question of it holding up through the regular season.

Dave Roberts (CF) - .302, 38 R, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 20 SB, .755 OPS
FIC Rank – OF: 47
Roberts has been a very pleasant surprise at the leadoff spot. After a slow start, Roberts had a great month of May batting .387 with a .466 OBP. He’s stolen an impressive 20 bases in 25 attempts. Roberts has been platooning more in centerfield with Marquis Grissom hitting well as well.
2nd Half: After drawing 20 walks in April and May, Roberts has drawn only 2 walks in June and July – definitely raising concerns. As long as he gets on base, Roberts will be a valuable fantasy player because of his speed.

Marquis Grissom (CF) - .267, 26 R, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 3 SB, .826 OPS
FIC Rank – OF: 76
The right-handed part of the centerfield platoon, Grissom once again got off to a fast start and has hit 10 homers in a part time role. The problem with Grissom has always been plate discipline and this year is no different. Grissom no longer offers the stolen base potential that he had in the past.
2nd Half: While his walks are up slightly from last year, it is only a matter of time before his .503 SLG falls back down to his career average of .407. Grissom hit an ugly .191 in June with a .404 SLG. Keep him away from you lineups.

Shawn Green (RF): .280, 62 R, 26 HR, 68 RBI, 4 SB, .970 OPS
FIC Rank – OF: 6
After a terrible start, Green jump-started the Dodgers offense in May with a 4 homer game against the Brewers. His offense propelled the Dodgers into first and they will need his bat to stay hot for them to stay in first in the second half. Green has proved that he doesn’t need Sheffield to protect him in the lineup and has vaulted himself into the elite status of fantasy studs. In my eyes, Green was the first half NL MVP.
2nd Half: Green is a superstar so he should be in your lineup day in and day out. Looking at his career numbers, Green’s best month is August and September is solid as well; so there’s no reason to expect him to fade down the stretch.

Chad Krueter (C), Dave Hansen (IF), Hiram Bocachica (IF), Jeff Reboulet (IF)
FIC Rank: NR
These players have no fantasy value.

PITCHING ANALYSIS

STARTING ROTATION

Odalis Perez: 10-4, 128 IP, 3 CG, 86 K, 0.91 WHIP, 2.81 ERA
FIC Rank – SP: 5, P: 7
Perez has had the breakout pitching performance that only Dodger fans could have dreamed of after being acquired for Gary Sheffield in the offseason. Perez has excelled from day one and has never looked back. Perez ranks #2 in the majors in WHIP; #8 in ERA and #8 in opponents batting against (.218). Though Perez has one less victory than Kaz Ishii, Perez has had the superior first half by a mile. Of some concern would be that Perez allowed 10 runs in 12 innings in his last two starts.
2nd Half: I think it would be naïve to think that Perez will continue to be as dominant as he has been in the first half. However, you don’t have to worry about his arm being abused as he’s only thrown 100+ pitches in 4 of his 18 starts. I expect Perez to still be the top performer on the staff but his WHIP will likely climb above 1 and his ERA to the low 3s.

Kazuhisa Ishii: 11-5, 100.2 IP, 100 K, 1.55 WHIP, 3.58 ERA
FIC Rank - SP: 31, P: 44
The top Dodger brass couldn’t have asked for a better debut from Ishii after a terrible spring. Ishii won his first 6 starts and 10 of his first 11 decisions. Averaging a K per inning, Ishii has shown great ability to escape trouble in the first half. However, his control problems (68 BB) finally caught up to him and Ishii lost 4 of his last 5 starts.
2nd Half: Kaz will have to improve on his control to continue to win ballgames. Of particular concern to me is that he has shown no signs of harnessing his control as he’s walked 2 or less in only 1 of his 17 starts! Unless he gets his WHIP down, Ishii is bound to half a rough second half. My recommendation is to trade him for a more reliable starter.

Andy Ashby: 7-6, 109.2 IP, 70 K, 1.15 WHIP, 3.36 ERA
FIC Rank – SP: 33, P: 48
Ashby has had a better first half than his 7-6 record shows. He’s allowed 3 or fewer runs in 12 of his 17 starts. His WHIP is 2nd among the starting staff, yet he ranks 4th in wins. Ashby has no been the beneficiary of much run support in his starts – in the losing games in which Ashby has started, the offense has scored 15 runs in 8 losses.
2nd Half: Ashby looks healthy and has been kept on a pretty strict pitch count all year so I feel comfortable with Ashby in the second half. I feel confident that his win total should pick up as long as he continues to pitch as he has in the first half of the year. Of concern to me is that his highest career ERAs occur in August and September so watch his starts carefully.

Hideo Nomo: 9-5, 114 IP, 90 K, 1.32 WHIP, 3.16 ERA
FIC Rank – SP: 20, P: 30
Nomo got off to a terrible start going 2-5 and his WHIP got up to 1.55. However, Nomo has pitched his best baseball heading into the break and he has won his last 7 decisions. In his last four starts (29 IP), Nomo has allowed only 4 runs while striking out 24.
2nd Half: I think Nomo will have an even better second half. Looking at Nomo’s home/road split, it is surprising. Nomo actually has performed better away (2.67 ERA) than at Chavez Ravine (3.78 ERA). Nomo is the only starter on the staff that has that differential, as the three starters above have at least a 1 run differential the other way.

Kevin Brown: 2-3, 44.1 IP, 38 K, 1.26 WHIP, 4.06 ERA
FIC Rank – SP: 108, P: 175
Brown has been a huge fantasy bust. He’s only made 9 starts on the season and in two of those, he’s only lasted an inning before landing on the DL. Brown has clearly rushed back from his surgically repaired elbow and the Dodgers will be more patient with him this time around. To top things off, Brown injured his back wrestling with his son and had to have back surgery; which may give his elbow the needed time to properly heal.
2nd Half: There is no timetable for Brown’s return. He has begun his back rehabilitation which can take anywhere between 2 weeks and 2 months. Considering that Brown has 3 more years left on his seven-year contract, I believe they would be wise to be extremely careful with him.

Omar Daal: 7-4, 78 IP, 61 K, 1.14 WHIP, 4.15 ERA
FIC Rank – SP: 56, P: 49
As a starter Daal is 5-3, 45.2 IP, 36 K, 1.27 WHIP, 4.93 ERA. Since taking over for Kevin Brown on May 31st, Daal is 3-4. In his 3 wins, Daal pitched 16 innings with a 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10 Ks. In his 4 losses, Daal pitched 20 innings with a 13.05 ERA, 2.05 WHIP and 13 Ks.
2nd Half: His overall numbers still don’t reflect his numbers as a starter and therefore I think many fantasy managers believe that he’s pitched better than he actually has. Don’t be fooled. His career WHIP is 1.39 and his career ERA is 4.40. If you decide to keep Daal, pitch him at home where he has a 2.63 ERA; and bench him on the road where he has a 4.17 ERA.

RELIEVERS

Eric Gagne – 0-0, 32 S (2 BS), 45.1 IP, 62 K, 0.71 WHIP, 1.39 ERA
FIC Rank – RP: 1; P: 3
If you don’t know the Gagne story, check out his FIC player spotlight. He has been the most dominant closer in baseball this season in his first year as a professional closer. He’s been lights out, closing the door in 32 of 34 attempts. Opposing batters are hitting a measly .167 against him.
2nd Half: Gagne will continue to get a lot of save opportunities, as the Dodgers don’t have the offense to blow out their opponents. I also wouldn’t worry about him being overworked as Gagne has pitched more innings as a starter and because of his dominance he’s faced fewer batters than most other closers.

Paul Quantrill – 0-1, 17 HLD, 43.1 IP, 34 K, 1.25 WHIP, 3.12 ERA
Giovanni Carrara – 5-2, 13 HLD, 1 S, 52.1 IP, 28 K, 1.28 WHIP, 3.78 ERA
Jesse Orosco – 1-2, 8 HLD, 1 S, 14.1 IP, 7 K, 1.74 WHIP, 3.77 ERA
Guillermo Mota – 1-0, 2 HLD, 31 IP, 29 K, 0.97 WHIP, 2.61 ERA
Terry Mulholland – 0-0, 0 HLD, 0 SV, 1.86 WHIP, 9.13 ERA
These relievers are unranked. They have no fantasy value unless your league includes holds as a category. Quantrill is the most reliable set-up man in the bunch. Mota has potential to be a solid set-up man with a live arm. Mulholland needs to retire.

Issues for the Second Half

1. Can the Dodgers continue to score enough to win?
The Dodgers have only drawn 231 walks; the only team to draw fewer walks is the Tigers. They will need more production from 2B (.629 OPS), SS (.568 OPS) and 3B (.646 OPS); otherwise it will really put pressure on the rest of the lineup to carry the offense.

2. Will the pitching continue at its current level (#2 ERA in baseball)?
Kaz Ishii will have to cut down on his walks as both his ERA and WHIP have been on the rise. Ashby and Nomo’s worst months are August and September. Odalis Perez is 4 innings away from surpassing the most innings that he’s ever pitched as a professional. It will be a battle for this pitching staff, but they do have Chavez Ravine (the anti-Coors) to help them out mentally.

3. What moves will the other NL West teams make to improve their clubs?
That’s a big wildcard and GM Evans doesn’t have much wiggle room himself to make a move. The Dodgers could use help in two areas in my opinion. One is an upgrade at second but second is a thin position to begin with. And two is to add another lefty out of the pen. Mulholland has been the worst pitcher in baseball in my opinion (he’s allowed at least one run in 10 of his 16 appearances). Orosco who has been their situational lefty has been hit hard by lefties (.294 with a .910 OPS).

A final note: the Dodgers have played great ball within their division with a 21-14 record. With Ishii, Daal and Perez throwing from the left side, the Dodgers feel like they have an advantage against the big left-handed bats in the west (Gonzalez, Bonds, Helton, Walker, Klesko). Here are the team records against lefties: Dodgers (17-5), D’Backs (14-12), Giants (9-8), Colorado (9-17), San Diego (11-17). Unless the D'Backs are able to add another arm to their rotation, I believe that the Dodgers will take home the NL West pennant!!!