DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ROTATION TAKING SHAPE.Byline: Tony Jackson
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer KISSIMMEE, Fla. - With their season opener now less than three weeks away, the Dodgers' pitching staff appears to be coming together. This despite the best efforts of club officials to create the impression that nothing has been decided. Of the following, you can be at least reasonably sure: --Scott Erickson will have his contract purchased by the club, be added to the major-league roster and begin the season in the starting rotation. --Brad Penny will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list because he still will be in the final stages of rehabilitation after last season's nerve injury There is no single classification system that can describe all the many variations of nerve injury. Most systems attempt to correlate the degree of injury with symptoms, pathology and prognosis. . --Because Odalis Perez might begin the season on a pitch-count limit, the club probably will open with 12 pitchers, meaning that either Buddy Carlyle Earl L. "Buddy" Carlyle (born December 21, 1977 in Omaha, Nebraska) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft, Buddy spent three years in , Aquilino Lopez Aquilino Roa López (born April 21, 1975 in Villa Altagracia, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic is a MLB relief pitcher with the Detroit Tigers. He bats and throws right-handed. , Ryan Rupe Ryan Kittman Rupe (born March 31, 1975 in Houston, Texas) is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Rupe has also played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Boston Red Sox. In 2002 Rupe was 5-10 with a 5.60 ERA in 15 games with the Devil Rays. or Kelly Wunsch Kelly Douglas Wunsch (born July 12, 1972, in Houston, Texas) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of Texas A&M University. Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round of the 1993 MLB amateur draft, Wunsch would make his Major League also will find a way onto the active roster. Of course, none of the organizational decision-makers will admit to any of this. Not even to the Erickson part, although his spot on the club became rather obvious after yet another impressive performance on Tuesday against Atlanta, a game that ended in a 3-3 tie after 10 innings before 8,385 at Cracker Jack Crack·er Jack A trademark used for a candied popcorn confection. Stadium. Assuming a 12-man staff, that leaves a bullpen of closer Eric Gagne, setup man Yhency Brazoban, Alvarez, Giovanni Carrara Giovanni Carrara [car-RAH-ra] (born March 4, 1968 in Anzoátegui State, Venezuela) is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Carrara bats and throws right handed. He has established himself as a valuable middle relief man. , Elmer Dessens, Duaner Sanchez and whichever of the aforementioned non-roster hopefuls can pull away from the other three. Carlyle, 27, last pitched in the big leagues for San Diego in 2000 and spent the next two seasons in Japan. He pitched a perfect inning against the Braves and now has a 1.13 ERA for the spring. Lopez, 29, who saved 14 games for Toronto in 2003, hasn't allowed an earned run in four innings this spring. Rupe, who turns 30 on March 31, has a 24-38 record in five seasons with Tampa Bay and Boston. He spent last season in Japan and has a 2.00 spring ERA. Wunsch, 32, who threw a perfect eighth inning against the Braves, spent five seasons as a frequently-used reliever for the Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the White Sox have played in U.S. and never had an ERA above 1.42. His spring ERA is 6.75, but he is a sidearming left-hander with nasty stuff, and Tracy loves situational lefties. Another thing Tracy loves is to point out it's not just about who makes the opening-day roster, but about who leaves camp in position to be called up sometime during the season not if, but when, a need arises. Carlyle, Lopez, Rupe and Wunsch all figure to at least be in that mix. ``You have to assume there are going to be bumps and bruises,'' Tracy said. ``Somebody's arm is going to get tender over the course of a 162-game season. That much, I can guarantee.'' But just try telling that to the guys trying to crack the roster. ``That's definitely a positive way to look at it,'' Wunsch said. ``But I think everybody would love to open with the team and feel like you're in that first wave of guys out there. Tony Jackson,(818) 713-3675 tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson has a 2.57 ERA this spring, which might earn him a spot in the starting rotation. Scott Audette/Associated Press Box: BEYOND THE BOX SCORE |
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