Forget the heroes, these guys really pitched in

I believe in giving athletes the credit they are due.

Take Monday night’s exciting, thrilling Dodgers game. If the Dodgers pitchers don’t get drilled, Monday’s game doesn’t become memorable.

“Everything we do around here is a total team effort,” cracked Manager Grady Little when I asked about the contributions of his pitching staff in the big game.

I figured the pitchers were probably overlooked in the celebration so when I arrived Tuesday I made the rounds to congratulate the guys who had gotten pummeled by the Padres. At the very least they deserved a pat on the back for building up the Padres’ hopes before the Dodgers’ hitters dashed them.

“Good job,” I told reliever Brett Tomko, “but in all the excitement, maybe you can help me -- I can’t remember how many runs you gave up?”

“I gave up a double, but got the next three outs,” Tomko said. “But the way this week has been going for me, I can see how you’d think I gave up some runs.”

I know Brad Penny gave up runs, four of them in the first inning, which was pretty clever on his part because it gave the Dodgers a chance to practice how to rally. They came back to make it 4-4, proving it could be done again when they fell behind, 9-5.

“Everything had to happen just the way it did,” Penny said, “or we don’t get that special game.”

That’s what I was trying to tell Takashi Saito, and while it was a little difficult to understand his response, you talk to a player from Oklahoma or a player from Japan, and they’re both difficult to understand.

I told Saito if he allowed only two runs in the ninth, the Padres would’ve had Trevor Hoffman finish off the Dodgers.

“That probably would’ve been the case,” Saito agreed.

But thankfully Saito was bad enough to get rocked for three runs, and Hoffman took a seat. San Diego put in some stiff, who gave up home runs to Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew, and while Hoffman came on, it was after throwing, sitting and then throwing again.

“A lot of things came to mind while watching everything unfold after I had pitched,” Saito said through an interpreter. “I thought back to spring training, starting the season in the minors, not knowing when I would be called up, then working in long relief and middle relief before becoming the closer.

“While we were hitting the four home runs, a lot of emotion came over me. But then my teammates were coming up to me and telling me not to worry. It was an indescribable feeling, and I was so grateful to be a part of such a good team with great teammates.”

He never feels any of that, though, if he doesn’t get shelled in the ninth.

“That’s true,” Saito said. “Without those Padres getting hits, I would not have had my teammates coming up to encourage me.”

What a heartwarming story, I told him, and all made possible because he couldn’t get anybody out.

That brought me to Aaron Sele, who came on in the 10th inning and gave up a run, which made Nomar Garciaparra’s game-winner more dramatic.

“I’ll give up a run any time in exchange for a win,” Sele said.

I can see that becoming the bullpen’s motto: Let’s give up a run and maybe we’ll win.

With that in mind, I thought it’d be fun to see how Jonathan Broxton reacted when I thanked him for going belly up against the Padres for a second game in a row. But unfortunately Kent got to him first and advised him how to answer my questions.

Broxton said something about giving 110%, I advised him to never talk to me again like that -- treating him just like I would Kent, and he settled down.

“If I hadn’t done what I had done,” he said, “it wouldn’t have turned out to be such a big team thing with everyone rallying around each other.”

Andre Ethier, sitting in the next locker, told Broxton, “Hey, you’re a hero.”

Finished with my rounds, I felt like I had done a good job convincing the Dodgers pitchers it was in the team’s best interests for them to get bombed.

Unfortunately, it appears I did such a good job, they now think that’s what they are supposed to do every night. We might have to have another chat tonight.

I WAS asked to speak at the Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club Tuesday apparently because Plaschke and Dwyre must have turned them down. Next week they’ve got Alan Massengale, so obviously Roggin and Hill also turned them down.

I mentioned the fact my daughter is still looking for some guy to marry, and got an immediate response from co-workers of Glendale High assistant principal Brent Forsee. They made a strong case for him, which really wasn’t necessary, because right now anyone will do.

By coincidence my future son-in-law had plans to visit Dodger Stadium Tuesday night along with Coach Phil Torres and the Senior Babe Ruth World Series champions from San Gabriel Valley who won seven games in five days.

We’ve never interviewed someone who has won a Senior Babe Ruth World Series; I would think he’d make the perfect guest on Sunday’s father/daughter gabfest. I have to call him to see if it’s a date.

BOB MILLER, the voice of the Los Angeles Kings, will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 2. Miller asked to be located near Chick Hearn (6755 Hollywood Blvd.) because Hearn recommended Miller for the job.

Miller’s star will be at 6763, and looking in one direction you can find Vin Scully (6675), and in an entirely different direction there’s Jim Gray (6801).

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T.J. Simers can be reached at

t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.