Rich Hill won’t take the mound tomorrow – Didn’t see that coming

Phil Gurnee ♦ August 6, 2016 ♦ 1 Comment

Go figure, a 36-year-old pitcher who hasn’t thrown 100 innings since  2007 seems incapable of taking the mound. Fix one blister, find another blister.

When the blisters are finally fixed, in all likelihood something else will go wrong. I’m not trying to be a cynic but there is a reason why just a year ago Rich Hill had zero suitors headed into August of 2015. It is one thing to sign Hill to a contract and gamble on him last winter,  it is another to trade for him on July 31st as your only get at the trade deadline when he has had trouble staying on the mound all year.

All the goodwill the Dodger front office acquired for getting ahead of the game and acquiring Bud Norris is dissipating rapidly. At this point, they can only hope that Brett Anderson can get through his next rehab game unscathed, and they will probably just slot him into the rotation. The odds that Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy can finish the year in the Dodger rotation seem long indeed.

On the surface,  things look bleak, but once you parse out the rotation you can still find five arms. Will the arms be good enough long enough? I don’t know but it is crazy time.

Clayton Kershaw – down and out, may or may pitch again, may or may not pitch again after pitching again.

Kenta Maeda – still healthy, still barely going getting 17 outs per game

Scott Kazmir – still healthy, still barely adequate

Brandon McCarthy – came out of rehab breathing fire, but looks to have been doused. Last two starts only able to get 21 outs combined. May simply be running out of gas after haveing not pitched regularly since 2014.

Brett Anderson – currently healthy, currently in rehab.  There is a chance that when Brett Anderson is able to take the mound for the Dodgers he will be their best pitcher. The good news is that his arm is fresh, the bad news is that anything could go wrong at any time.

Bud Norris – down and out

Ryu – down and out

Rich Hill – still waiting

Urias – inning cap so doubtful they will use him again

Brock Stewart – healthy enough, does quite well in innings that he doesn’t give up five runs. First start five runs in 2nd inning, second start five runs in 1st inning.  Good news is that he has thrown seven shutout innings in those two starts. The bad news is that he’s given up thirteen runs in the other three innings.

Jose De Leon – currently healthy -as of yet, has not thrown a major league pitch

Ross Stripling – currently healthy – did a credible job as a starter and long relief pitcher. Now forced into rotation. Just worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning.

Not exactly the rotation of a team with postseason aspirations but it will be awesome if they can get there with this group.