Starter the Dodgers didn’t get could prove costly

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Throughout the off-season, people waited for the Dodgers to add a No. 1 starter to their rotation, or at least a viable one.

The off-season went by and they added retread free agents and a Rule 5 draft pick. Confetti was held in check.

Now the expense they didn’t go for may prove costly.

Charlie Haeger, a journeyman who started playing professional baseball in 2001 and is now with his third organization, eventually won the fifth spot. He’s making $411,000 this season.

He’s started two games, both lost by the Dodgers, and has a 7.20 earned-run average. He’s struck out 16 in 10 innings, but has allowed 11 hits and 10 walks.

Haeger struggled to get his knuckleball over against the Giants on Saturday and was chased after three-plus innings.

‘The whole outing was just awful,’ Haeger said. ‘Just a pathetic performance.’

Manager Joe Torrewas more forgiving. He used Haeger in relief for an inning Wednesday and had him warming up the next night, ready to go in if the Dodgers hadn’t won the game in the 10th.

‘We’ve asked him to do a lot this week,’ Torre said. ‘I have to give him a hall pass on this one today.’

Because of his knuckleball, Haeger is intriguing. He went 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA last year for the Dodgers in six games (three starts).

But he’s a cross-the-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best kind of starter. Someone the Dodgers hope will work out. The kind of risk taken when ownership is not of the mind to spend on a known entity.

Eventually, maybe he does work out. Maybe he masters his tricky pitch, becomes more consistent with it and prospers.

Or maybe he doesn’t. And not being more aggressive to acquire a proven starter haunts into the next off-season.

--Steve Dilbeck