Extra Innings

In yesterday’s L.A. Times, Bill Shaikin criticized Wilson Alvarez for only going five innings in his latest poor outing. A few paragraphs later, he lauded Greg Maddux for a strong performance in which he pitched all of six innings. That’s a difference of just one inning, yet one pitcher was excellent and the other was supposedly atrocious?

The difference is that Alvarez gives up homer after homer, as does the guy who came in to replace him, Scott Erickson. In Monday’s game, Alvarez allowed two runs in the first, then threw two scoreless innings, and gave up two more in the fourth. The Dodgers halved the lead with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fourth.

At that point, you’d think Jim Tracy would have seen enough of Alvarez. But he wants so much for somebody to succeed that he left the hefty lefty in for another inning, and Alvarez promptly gave up another homer. Erickson relieved him and did not give up another run, but the Dodger comeback stalled.

Since neither Alvarez nor Erickson seem capable of delivering a quality start, and since there isn’t another option on the horizon—even when Odalis Perez returns, the fifth starter spot remains empty—I say why not use the two in tandem. Tell them both that they will be pitching that day, and have them each go three innings—longer if they pitch well.

The fact that Alvarez is a lefty and Erickson is a righty will prevent opponents from stacking their lineups with one-sided hitters. If the Dodgers are winning after six (do I dare to hope with these guys pitching?) bring in Sanchez for the seventh, Brazoban for the eighth, and Gagne for the ninth, just like the textbook says. If they’re losing (As has lately been the case), divide up the last three among Carrara, Wunsch, Houlton, Carlyle, Dessens, Schmoll, Dreifort, and anybody else taking up roster spots.

Better yet, let J.D. Drew pitch. He’s so good at striking out these days that he might know something about getting opposing players to do the same.