Starting Pitcher Edinson Volquez to Join the Dodgers

Starting pitcher Edinson Volquez just recently cleared release waivers from the San Diego Padres and quickly agreed to a major league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight. Deal is expected to be made official tomorrow. Volquez could start as soon as this saturday against…. the Padres. Wouldn’t that be interesting? This also means the Dodgers will have to clear a roster spot for Volquez and the player that is most likely to go, but will get called back up on Tuesday when rosters expand, would be reliever Chris Withrow or catcher Tim Federowicz. Or they may even designate one of the pitchers Chris Capuano or Carlos Marmol for assignment. I think it will most likely be Withrow to be sent down just because he has options. He will only be in Triple-A until Tuesday when rosters expand.

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Now, a lot of Dodgers fans would really not like this move because Volquez has terrible control problems. This season, Volquez has a record of (9-10) and an ERA of 6.01. GOOD LORD! What are the Padres doing to him? The Padres should have a good pitching staff since they have three pitching coaches. THREE! Their manager, Bud Black, is a former pitcher, the Padres also have the pitching and the bullpen coach and maybe an assistant pitching coach. Anyways, keep in mind that the Dodgers have one of the best pitching coaches in baseball and they have helped struggling pitchers all around baseball, including in their Dodgers organization, like former Chicago Cubs pitcher, Marmol to former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher J.P. Howell who had a 5.00+ ERA last season to Dodgers reliever Withrow, who started his career as a starting pitcher then switched over to the bullpen a year ago and is now having success in the majors, and even Brandon League from last year! (League went back to his old ways and is having one of the worse seasons of his career and really NEEDS a vacation!)

I believe that Edinson Volquez is a good gamble, the Dodgers pitching coaches may have already spotted the problem in his mechanics and delivery, that is why they have signed him to come in and enter the playoff race. Also won’t be paying Volquez much since the Padres pick up all of his salary except about 5 million, which is nothing to the Dodgers. I bet this was also want the Dodgers think as well, Volquez needs a change of scenery after pitching for the Padres, who have not made the playoffs since, uhhh when was the last time they made the playoffs? Like 2005? Anyways, playing in an winning environment, I think will wake up and motivate Volquez to pitch his best since he will also be auditioning to make the playoff roster. I am sure there could be other relievers in the Dodgers minor league system, auditioning for League’s spot. (Hopefully!)

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I think if the Dodgers had to choose who they want for the long reliever spot, it would be Volquez over current starting pitcher Chris Capuano, who has a record consisting of (4-7) and an ERA of 4.74. While that doesn’t look too bad, but he has been bad lately, going five innings or less in each of his four starts, giving up at least three runs or more and has an ERA of 6.98 in that span. Volquez, if he sucks well, it won’t matter as much, considering that he will only pitch in a few starts and will not make the postseason roster. Unless the Dodgers management think he will be effective in the bullpen as a long reliever, which they may never use, meaning that the Dodgers pitching staff is so strong and durable that they can pitch up to 7 innings in the postseason and hand the ball to the top relievers in 7th, 8th and 9th innings in Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, Brian Wilson and the dominant closer, Kenley Jansen.

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I think the chances with Volquez staying on the roster are high. Why not bring another character to bring into the clubhouse, joining the likes of Wilson, Howell, Marmol and shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who was able to be himself in the clubhouse. What’s one more character going to do? Destroy the clubhouse chemistry? As I stated earlier, being surrounded by a winning environment and a good group of players, Volquez will change his attitude and will do anything to help the Dodgers make the playoffs, whether he starts or pitches from the bullpen or even stay on the bench and be a really good teammate. I highly doubt that he stays on the bench, since the Dodgers signed him to start and be himself. Hopefully being himself will spark Volquez, who we as baseball fans, once knew the dominating pitcher he was from his days on the Cincinnati Reds, to return to his all star form.