Daily Dodger in Review: The Edinson Volquez experiment

We’re getting down to it with our reviews, only three more to go.

EDISON VOLQUEZ, 33, starting pitcher

Final 2013 stats: 9-12, 5.71 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings (0-2/4.18/1.18/8.4 as a Dodger).

Contract status: free agent, signed one-year, $5-million deal with Pirates.

The good: In his six games with the Dodgers, he actually pitched better than the 27 he had thrown for the Padres. Struck out seven without a walk in a Sept. 15 start against the Giants, but took the loss when he allowed a pair of home runs. Since his career ERA is 4.75, his time with the Dodgers was better than most of his nine years in the majors.

The bad: Pretty much everything else. Led the National League in earned runs (108). Had a 6.01 ERA and 1.67 WHIP as a Padre. In his 24 innings starting for the Dodgers, he gave up 12 earned runs on 25 hits and eight walks.

What’s next: Probably more disappointment, only this time for the Pirates.

The take: There was nothing to lose in signing Volquez, so there can’t be much crying over how he performed. He was the 11th different starting pitcher the Dodgers used last season, so they were sort of past being real picky for a fifth starter.

The right-hander showed some improvement as a Dodger, and his walks and hits per inning both dropped. When he was flirting with control, you could see why he once struck out over 200 one season for the Reds.

But too often he was all over the place and is not the kind of guy a team that believes it can win a World Series can count upon. The Pirates, of course, also have big ambitions, so best of luck there.

And he did get another $5 million out of it.