Johnson Worried About His Bullpen

In compiling the best winning percentage among active managers while never finishing worse than second in 10 full seasons as a major league manager, Davey Johnson has exhibited a shrewd touch with bullpen and bench.

Now in his first week of spring training with the Dodgers, Johnson knows that Jeff Shaw will be his closer. So determining his set-up men will be a priority.

“The sixth, seventh and eighth innings are the critical areas and I like to use multiple set-up guys,” he said. “I like my pitchers to throw every other day because it saves arms. The better people and the more people you have in those roles, the more options you have and the tougher it is for the other team to respond.”

Left-handed relief pitching is a concern. Johnson has set-up potential from the right side with Antonio Osuna, Alan Mills, Mel Rojas and Dave Mlicki, if he is not traded, but his lefty options aren’t comparable, for instance, to 1997, when he could call on Randy Myers, Jesse Orosco and Arthur Rhodes in the Baltimore bullpen.

Johnson’s current candidates are Greg Cadaret, who had a 4.23 earned-run average last season with the Angels and Texas Rangers; Chris Haney, who had a 7.04 ERA with the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox; rookie Jeff Kubenka, who was in six late-season games with the Dodgers, and Pedro Borbon, who has not pitched in the majors since 1997 because of reconstructive elbow surgery.

Johnson said he would like to have two left-handers in the bullpen but is hopeful that at least one pitches well enough this spring to generate confidence. Of course, if Mlicki or one of the shortstops--Jose Vizcaino and Mark Grudzielanek--is traded, General Manager Kevin Malone said, “our left-handed relief situation is one area we’d be looking to shore up. However, that’s easier said than done.”

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Besides the set-up uncertainty, Johnson said a comparable priority is the left side of the infield, where Vizcaino and Grudzielanek will battle at shortstop, and Adrian Beltre will try to solidify his hold on third base. Does Beltre have to have a good spring, or is he locked in to open the season?

“My interpretation of a good spring may be different than yours,” Johnson said. “At the end of the spring, if he has his fielding down and is seeing the ball well and using the whole field, then he’s had a great spring. I don’t care if he doesn’t hit .400. I want to know where he is at the end of the spring.”

Does he have options at third?

“Not at this point,” Johnson said.