Daily Dodger in review: Jonathan Broxton -- back from the ashes?
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This is the first of a new daily ongoing series, reviewing the individual 2010 seasons of the main players on the Dodgers’ 25-man roster. First up ...
JONATHAN BROXTON, 26, relief pitcher.
Final 2010 stats: 5-6, 4.04 ERA, 22 saves (29 opportunities), 73 strikeouts, 28 walks, 1.48 WHIP, allowed .270 batting average in 62 1/3 innings.
Contract status: Next season is his final year of a two-year contract; he’ll earn $7 million.
The Good: A National League All-Star. Up until June 26, Broxton was one of the best closers in baseball. Next to automatic.
Through that point, he was 3-0 with 17 saves in 20 opportunities, with a stunning 0.83 ERA. He had struck out 48 while giving up just five walks. The LAFD was ready to name him the new fire chief.
The Bad: After June 26, he went 2-6 with five saves in nine opportunities, had a 7.58 ERA and struck out 25 while giving up 23 walks. The turning point was his June 27 appearance against the Yankees, when he threw 48 pitches and blew a four-run lead the day after recording the final four outs against New York.
He lost his job as a closer. Lost his confidence. Just completely lost his way. His pitches looked flat. The LAFD was ready to name him the arsonist of the year.
What’s next: The return of Jonathan Broxton, closer. Anyway, that’s the plan. In the second half Broxton almost accidentally disproved theories he was mentally wilting in closer situations, struggling just as miserably as a set-up man.
Manager Don ‘Two Trips’ Mattingly has already said he will go into spring training counting on Broxton to be his 2011 closer.
‘I kind of look at Broxton’s whole body of work that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,’ Mattingly said. ‘I’ve seen a big chunk of Jonathan Broxton [be successful]. And I’ve seen a small piece that hasn’t been as successful.
‘I believe in Jonathan and what he can do and what he’s capable of. That’s the way I look at it.’
The take: What else are they going to do with him? Coming off his 2010 season and owed $7 mil, they can’t trade him. They can’t, or won’t, rely on fragile-elbowed Hong-Chih Kuo to pitch on consecutive days. And Kenley Jansen has barely been a pitcher for more than one season.
There’s no question Broxton’s second half was a miserable, perplexing failure. Still, overall he owns a 3.11 career ERA and has cashed in on 70% of his 109 opportunities.
He could have been overworked and wore down. He could have simply been overweight and wore down. Or it’s possible he was secretly injured.
To start the season, however, a physically and mentally rested Broxton is best written in as the Dodgers’ 2011 closer. In pencil, of course.
-- Steve Dilbeck