Is the ‘Pen Mightier?

Davey Johnson needed a few good men--or a least a couple capable of protecting late-inning leads.

The Dodger manager was concerned about the bullpen early last season, and the reinforcements provided by management weren’t much help. The situation was as bad as it appeared, which Johnson told anyone who would listen.

New Chairman Bob Daly heard his pleas and responded, overhauling the ineffective unit through trades and free-agent signings. There is more right-handed depth, power and poise, providing peace of mind for Johnson.

Of course, there were questions about the left-handers’ roles when spring training began, then second-year lefty Onan Masaoka suffered a left-ankle sprain Thursday. So things are more muddled on that front. There also are too many pitchers for the positions available, roles that might be duplicated, and the upgrades were costly.

But that hasn’t dampened Johnson’s enthusiasm about the key off-season project.

The matchup-minded manager believes he has better tools to work with, enabling him to manage his way again. The Dodgers are finally armed and ready, and Johnson is eager to test his new, seemingly improved bullpen.

“A lot of times I’d look down there [toward the bullpen], and we just didn’t have too many places to go to,” Johnson said. “That’s not anybody’s fault, that’s just the way it was. Now, we’ve got options. When I look out there, I’m going to have a lot to think about.”

For the most part, his thoughts about last season were unpleasant.

Dodger relievers ranked eighth in the National League with a 4.37 earned-run average. They went 14-25 and gave up 443 hits in 450 2/3 innings.

And that was with dependable closer Jeff Shaw having another solid season.

Mel Rojas, Robinson Checo, Alan Mills and a bunch of kids simply didn’t get the job done often enough.

Although there were worse bullpens, the Dodgers had been advertised as being much better. The relievers’ problems, coupled with the starters’ struggles, contributed heavily to the high-priced Dodgers finishing 77-85.

“It wasn’t that we didn’t have good arms, we just needed more of them,” said General Manager Kevin Malone, whom Johnson credits for remaking the bullpen quickly. “We’ve got a closer we know we can rely on in Jeff Shaw, so what we did was try to add some people who can help us get to Jeff. We’ve added guys who know how to get outs, know how to handle pressure and just know what it’s all about. That’s why we got them.”

They got Terry Adams first.

The Dodgers acquired the right-hander from the Chicago Cubs in the controversial December trade that sent Ismael Valdes and Eric Young to the Cubs.

The Cubs grew tired of Adams because he didn’t impress in several opportunities to earn the closer’s job. However, scouts consider Adams one of the league’s best right-handed setup men. He throws a 90-plus-mph fastball and a good slider.

He’s competing for the No. 1 setup job with right-handers Mills and Gregg Olson, signed as a free agent in January. Orel Hershiser, who could also start, was brought back to the organization in December to complete a still-thriving career while being groomed for a position in management.

The Dodgers also acquired right-hander Dan Naulty in a December trade with the New York Yankees, and signed free-agent right-hander Mike Fetters. The hard-working Mills had a poor second half in 1999, and Antonio Osuna is recovering faster than expected after undergoing surgery on his throwing elbow in September.

There are more than 4,700 big league innings among the newcomers, and that’s comforting for pitching coach Claude Osteen.

“There are spots for anyone who wants to step up and take them,” he said. “Two or three guys could end up pitching equally, so there might not be so much stress on each and every one of them during the season.

“Last year, Mills didn’t have a lot of help, but we should have some arms ready to pick up the slack now. Of course, this means we should be stronger.”

That’s the plan.

“Shaw is a great closer, but if he needs a day off, or if Mills or Oly [Olson] need a day off, I can help those guys out,” said Adams, 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA and 13 saves in 52 appearances last season. “If a guy throws two innings one day and another guy has a day off, you’ve got another guy who can pick him up and not worry about the results.

“And that’s one thing that we didn’t have in Chicago--a group of guys who complement each other.”

Who makes the starting rotation will help determine who’s in the bullpen, but some believe the ballclub has too many short relievers.

Olson was bumped from closer to setup man after the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Matt Mantei last season. Adams filled both roles in Chicago and Mills set up Shaw.

Johnson and Malone wanted more short help, in part, because Mills had a 4.46 ERA in the second half.

There are at least three candidates to set up Shaw, but there isn’t a proven middle reliever. Hershiser is expected to start and relieve, but he isn’t the prototype middle man at 41.

Are the Dodgers vulnerable in that area?

“As for who does what, Davey will get that figured out,” said Olson, who had 44 saves for the Diamondbacks the last two seasons. “The main thing is having the arms to work with. Davey will make sure all the roles are filled and everyone knows what they have to do. You don’t have his success if you don’t run a good bullpen.”

The Dodgers will have a costly bullpen this season.

Shaw is making $5.05 million, Mills $2.25 million, Hershiser $2 million, Adams $1.4 million and Olson $1.25 million. That’s almost $12 million for relievers expected to fill five of the six opening-day roster spots.

And that helps explain the Dodgers’ left-handed predicament.

They pursued free-agent lefty Arthur Rhodes during the off-season, believing he would complete their bullpen. Malone and Johnson worked with Rhodes while they were with the Baltimore Orioles, and Malone tried to get him several times last season.

His salary request was too much for the Dodgers, though, so he signed a four-year, $13-million deal with the Seattle Mariners.

Masaoka, 22, was the No. 2 lefty as a rookie behind Pedro Borbon in ’99. Borbon was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in November in the Shawn Green-Raul Mondesi deal, leaving a huge hole.

Borbon limited left-handed batters to a .156 average--second in the league. Masaoka also fared well against lefties, who batted .217 against him.

But Johnson summoned Borbon with games on the line. Rookie Jeff Williams has less experience than Masaoka.

So although Masaoka’s ankle injury isn’t considered serious, the Dodgers still may have to trade for another left-hander.

“It all depends on how the right-handed situation sets up,” Osteen said. “Most managers I’ve worked for like to have two. Ideally, you’d like to have two in the NL because of the double-switches.

“But depending on how that right-handed situation shapes up, and who makes the club, you could be faced with maybe having only one. I’m not putting words into the manager’s mouth, he’s going to get what he wants. But sometimes you can go with only one.”

Shaw isn’t concerned.

“Kevin called me in the winter to tell me he was going to get me some more help, but he said he still wasn’t sure about getting another lefty,” Shaw said. “I said, ‘Kevin, why do we need another one? Remember, we had the best bullpen in the majors in Montreal in ’94 without a lefty.’ What you need is to have people who can get outs.

“We’ve got more guys who can do that this year. What always matters is guys who know how to pitch in tough situations, and that’s why we should be better.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NEW HANDS ON DECK

OREL HERSHISER

Signed as free agent

Salary: $2 million

Tied for lead on New York Mets in victories (13) last season. Might start and/or relieve.

TERRY ADAMS

Traded from Cubs

Salary: $1.4 million

A part-time closer in Chicago, he’ll return to setup role. Made 52 appearances in 1999.

GREGG OLSON

Signed as free agent

Salary: $1.25 million

Another former closer (44 saves last two seasons in Arizona) acquired for setup role.

DAN NAULTY

Traded from Yankees

Salary: $475,000

Bullpen has more bodies than available jobs, and he has minor league options.

MIKE FETTERS

Signed as free agent

Salary: $550,000

Former Angel is a non-roster invitee with 11 years experience in all relief roles.

Fanning the Fire

How the Dodger bullpen ranked among the 16 NL teams in 1999:

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Category Number NL Rank Strikeouts 299 16th Wins 14 16th Blown Saves 12 14th Saves 37 11th Losses 25 t-11th ERA 4.37 8th Earned runs 219 8th Hits 443 8th Runs 243 7th Opp. batting average .257 t-7th Walks 221 6th

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