I’m not really sure what the Dodgers expect at this point. They’ve lost in the playoffs the past two seasons because of pitching. They thought they fixed the problem heading into this season, but that obviously didn’t work when it came down to finding a guy who could pitch in the clutch. There were a few guys that could, but certainly not enough for the Dodgers to make it to the World Series.

Heading into this off-season, we knew pitching would be more important than ever. And so far, the Dodgers’ pitching staff has gotten worse. Losing Wolf will turn out to be a pretty big deal I think, as we’ll be missing him somewhere around mid-season when we’re searching for that one guy that’s gonna be the model of consistency for this staff.

In my opinion, what it comes down to is this: obviously the McCourt divorce saga is worse than we thought. I was on the side early on that thought this divorce would not impact the team’s choices in the off-season. But at this point, I’ve been proven wrong. Something obviously isn’t right. Or at least I hope something isn’t right. Because if the Dodgers are just being plain lazy, or believe that there are other important needs on this team, then that would be a shame. If they want to have a chance to even make it back to the post-season in 2010, they have to find some pitching. And they have to do it soon.

We’re almost to Christmas and the new year, and the same problems exist for LA. As Dodger fans, maybe we should add a new starting pitcher to our Christmas wish list. While GM Ned Colletti did say most of the work would be done after the new year, I’m still a little uneasy about this situation. I’m now to the point to where I believe that the longer they wait, the worse this team will get.

They need to make a move, and they need to make it now. They’ve already lost Wolf, and traded away one of their best players in Juan Pierre. So what will the Dodgers do to fix these holes?

We continue to wait for the answer to that question.

The Carroll pickup is a nice one in my opinion, as no one really knows if Orlando Hudson or Mark Loretta will be back with the team. Personally, I don’t expect either to be back with the team, though I am certainly vowing for the team to re-sign Hudson, but that’s just wishful thinking. They won’t do it, because once they freed up some room to spend from the Juan Pierre trade, it seems like it’s burning a hole in their pocket. So they are just spending at will now. The only other major league-ready second baseman that the Dodgers have is Blake DeWitt, who would probably be your opening day starter if the season started right now.

As for the Harang trade, who knows. Harang doesn’t exactly have the best record over the past two seasons, as he’s won only six games in those two years. Of course, you could blame the Reds for that, as it’s obvious that they aren’t the greatest team in the league, and have certainly had some pitching problems over the years. Harang is 31, so it’s not like he’s that old, but I’m not sure this is going to completely help the rotation.

If Ned Colletti pulls the trigger on this deal, and the Dodgers don’t give up much in return, that’s fine. But if they decide to pay Harang the same amount, or more than they could have paid to get back Randy Wolf, then I’ve got a problem. Wolf has clearly been the more consistent of the two over the past two seasons, and it’s starting to look like the Dodgers are taking in guys who they think can have their careers rejuvenated in Los Angeles.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see how everything turns out, but as for now, these moves aren’t leaving me drooling in anticipation for the upcoming season. The Dodgers need more.