DePodesta Picks Up the Reality Check

As with most Dodger games recently, the most interesting development came off the field.

This time it was normally reclusive General Manager Paul DePodesta opening up and reflecting on the team he swiftly assembled, then watched slowly crumble.

“There are definitely things I wish we could do over again,” he said. “If I said anything else given our standing, it would mean I’m removed from reality.”

Then came the game, and another dose of reality.

A belt-high pitch by Derek Lowe was knocked into the seats by Craig Biggio in the eighth inning and the Dodgers fell to the Houston Astros, 2-1, Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Like a Milton Bradley outburst or a J.D. Drew injury, the long ball against Lowe seems an inevitable occurrence.

The sinkerball specialist in his first season as a Dodger has given up a career-high 26 home runs, including 17 in July and August. In nine previous seasons, he gave up an average of nine home runs.

Besides the 0-1 changeup that Biggio deposited in the seats between the left-field foul pole and bullpen, Lowe (8-13) was sharp while pitching from the first-base side of the rubber for the first time.

He allowed a run in the second inning when first baseman Olmedo Saenz couldn’t get the ball out of his glove after fielding a ground ball and Jason Lane raced home. But Lowe retired 12 of 13 batters before facing Biggio with one out in the eighth.

“When you’re involved in a game like that, one pitch decides the game,” Manager Jim Tracy said.

The Dodgers (57-71) scored only on a home run by Saenz in the seventh against left-hander Andy Pettitte (12-9), who allowed six hits in eight innings. Brad Lidge walked Jeff Kent and gave up a single to Jason Phillips in the ninth, but struck out Jose Cruz Jr. and pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee for his 31st save.

It was the Dodgers’ third consecutive one-run loss and kept them running in place on a day National League West opponents San Diego, Arizona and San Francisco also lost.

DePodesta took responsibility for the failures of a roster that has proven deficient in nearly every respect.

“If there is a finger to be pointed, point it at me,” he said. “I’m the GM and ultimately the responsibility is mine.”

As he has done several times this season, DePodesta made it clear he does not hold Tracy responsible for the disappointing season.

“The finger-pointing is certainly not at Tracy or the coaching staff, that’s for sure,” he said. “They’ve been terrific.”

The Dodgers have suffered more than their share of injuries, but DePodesta did not hide behind them, saying, “Injuries come with the territory.”

He was relaxed and upbeat, eventually turning the discussion to the talent-rich Dodger farm system. Although he didn’t come out and say wait until next year, the inference was clear.

“We still believe in our long-term vision,” he said. “It’s an exciting time for us. We’ve had great success in our player development and it’s truly our desire to put together a team of Dodgers that is home grown, our own guys.

“It’s just the beginning of what we hope is a great era of Dodger baseball.”

He acknowledged publicly for the first time that a new approach might be in order next off-season. Team chemistry and character -- the importance of which owner Frank McCourt underscored a day earlier -- will be primary considerations.

“Chemistry is definitely important,” DePodesta said. “I’ve said for a long time that it is the difference between major league players and championship players. You have to have the competitiveness and self-esteem to achieve at the highest level.”

He said he sought those traits in bringing in players with playoff experience such as Kent, Ledee and Lowe.

“I don’t want to make it seem like we never believed in [character],” he said. “We did last year when we brought in [outfielder Steve] Finley and [catcher Brent] Mayne.

“There comes a time when you have to realize that not every player can do everything you want.”