WRITE ON: DODGERS COLUMNIST CONTEST.

Two pairs of Sweet 16 finalists will write on an assigned topic each week with submissions running in Sunday's sports section. Go to dailynews.com/sports to cast your votes.

DALY, III VS. LONDON

Dodgers dealin' for second-half run

FRANK T. DALY III

47

Car Salesman

Woodland Hills

Dodgers get much needed help in starting rotation in deal that sends Navarro and Seo to D-Rays for left-hander Mark Hendrickson and battery-mate Toby Hall.

The good news for the Dodgers is that they are not sitting idle in making a run this summer for their tenth National League West crown and a bid for post season play. But ... well ... that could also be the bad news too, the latter referring to the 2004 mid-season trade that sent all-star catcher Paul LoDuca, middle reliever Guillermo Mota and Jose Lima packing when the team was gelling like no Dodger team since that '88 team that caught lightning in a bottle, beating Mets and A's teams that looked on paper to be superior, in the League Championship and World Series respectively. There's a lot to be said for team chemistry.

On Tuesday, Dodgers G.M. Ned Colletti sent back-up catcher Dioner Navarro (who was expendable with the surprise emergence of Russell Martin behind the plate), right-hander Jae Seo, and a ``to be named later'' minor-leaguer to Tampa Bay for left-handed starter Mark Hendrickson, catcher Toby Hall, and $1 million. The key part of the deal for the Dodgers, having lost six of ten and just being on the losing end of a three game sweep by the Twins, is the 32 year old Hendrickson, who will bring another live arm into the rotation and most likely be the number three starter behind Brad Penny and Derek Lowe. Left-hander Hendrickson, a 6'9'' former NBA journeyman, might have Dodger fans envisioning the second coming of Randy Johnson. But in reality, he will steady a beleaguered staff with the ability to go deep into games, going just under seven innings per outing in his last ten starts for the D-Rays as well as leading the team in wins for the last two years.

With only 3.5 games separating first and last place as they move into the ``Dog Days'', his welcome addition could be the last missing piece of the Dodger's puzzle in the rejuvenated National League West.

Pointing out their `faults'

CRAIG LONDON

49

Security Guard/H.S. Sports Official

Encino

In a division with as many contenders as pretenders, and all with just as many questions, the Dodgers may have answered one of their own. They picked up southpaw pitcher Mark Hendrickson and catcher Toby Hall from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for pitcher Jae Seo and catcher Dioner Navarro.

As far as numbers go for the catchers involved, neither has any that are as earthshaking as the SanAndreas Fault. Navarro although 22, and with a promising future, had 3 homers last year and just 2 this year in 25 games. Toby Hall, 30, with some occaisonal power, is hitting only .125 in his last 10 games. So the Dodgers are not getting Johnny Bench, but one who can spell Russell Martin on a weekly basis.

A comparison of the two pitchers gives the Dodgers somewhat of an advantage. Jae Seo's numbers are as staggeriing as an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day after his eighth round of Old Bushmills. In 67 innings pitched, he has surrendered 14 home runs while putting 100 runners on base. Hardly striking fear in any big league hitter.

Hendrickson will not remind anyone of Koufax, or Fernando, or even Jerry Reuss. He is not even a break even pitcher and has just a record of 4 and 8 this year. Yet in his last 10 starts, has averaged 7 innings while facing the likes of Oakland, Toronto, Detroit, and the Bosox, and Chisox. This will take pressure off an already shaky bullpen. Odalis Perez on the other hand, has an ERA of 8.00 over his last 10 outings.

In a rotation where a Penny has shined the brightest, it makes sense to go after a lefty to go up against Bonds, Finley, Helton, Shawn Green, and Brian Giles. The elite left-handed power hitters of the division.

Since we traded Piazza and Lo Duca, what's one more catcher. This wide open race will be won by the best pitching. Ned Colletti may have made his best deal. After all, it's not like we traded Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.

AMITIN VS. GURROLA

Dodgers trade for effectiveness

SETH AMITIN

21

Writer

Glendale

Mark Hendrickson eats up innings, something sorely needed. He's started 13 games for the D-Rays and averaged seven innings per start, which is better than every Dodger starter by more than half an inning.

Hendrickson has the 31st best ERA in all of baseball, better than Dontrelle Willis, Jake Peavy and Randy Johnson.

Toby Hall hit .287 last year in 135 games as the starting catcher.

Jae Seo has looked absolutely awful, as indicated by his 5.61 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.

Navarro was, and is, notoriously lazy -- while he showed he could hit, he couldn't block passed balls, let alone call a game.

The bad:

How effective will Hendrickson be? Remember the last time the Dodgers traded for a Devil Rays pitcher (Danys Baez)?

Hendrickson is 32 and has never shown any sort of potential to pitch this well. His career ERA is 5.01 and he's just now starting to pitch like this?

Toby Hall is hitting .231 as a starter this year, .171 in the past two months.

Still no help in the bullpen.

They traded both Seo and Navarro at the low points of their careers and it's still a month before the trade deadline. Did Colletti forget about Seo's World Baseball Classic highlights? Or his 8-2 record with the Mets last year? And couldn't Colletti wait a month for Navarro's average to pick up in the minors before trading him?

Overall: Tomko went on the DL Wednesday. Seo, Billingsley and Odalis Perez have been ineffective in starting -- a good reason to trade for Hendrickson. So they gained a possibly effective starter for an ineffective one, and gave up a catcher they didn't need for a serviceable back-up catcher. Plus they got $1 million.

If Hendrickson turns out, then good. Great. But if he pulls a Danys Baez, the Dodgers will suffer and you can kiss the postseason good-bye.

A good move by the GM

MATTHEW GURROLA

29

UCLA student

Canoga Park

As expected by some and hoped for by all Dodger faithful, Ned Colletti has made a solid trade that will boost the Dodger's faltering pitching staff.

In a deal with Tampa Bay, the Dodgers acquired lefty starter Mark Hendrickson, catcher Toby Hall and $1 million in cash in exchange for catcher Dioner Navarro, pitcher Jae Seo and future considerations.

My initial reaction to the deal was mixed. Why would the Dodgers need to acquire another catcher, especially one who doesn't play any other positions? While this deal will force the Dodgers to carry three catchers, Colletti explained that, in trading Navarro, the Dodgers no longer had a major league ready catcher in their farm system. With the way the Dodgers have been getting hurt over the last two seasons, Hall becomes a great insurance policy in case Russell Martin gets hurt or wears down. Add with that Grady Little's statement that catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. and his .345 batting average will see increased action as a pinch hitter, and this acquisition makes perfect sense.

The centerpiece of the deal for the Dodgers is Hendrickson, who, at 6'9'', becomes the tallest player in Dodger history. In 13 starts for the last place Devil Rays, he had a 3.81 era, which places him fourth amongst the Dodger's seven different starters. He also averages nearly seven innings per start, which will give the bullpen some much needed rest.

With Brett Tomko going on the DL, this deal moves from necessary to crucial. While the Dodgers would love to showcase Odalis Perez for a future deal, they are no longer forced start him and his 6.84 era.

This trade confirms the sensibility of the new GM. He didn't go out and make a ``sexy'' deal for Dontrelle Willis or for Greg Maddux, where he would have to give up prospects or future stars. He made a solid deal that addresses the club's immediate needs while keeping in mind the bigger picture. The best part about this deal is that, when Colletti says he is still looking for more help, you can believe him.