Dodgers banking on big second half from Penny

Baseball Betting Lines

07/21/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brad Penny nearly reprised his role as the National League's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game for a second consecutive season. The Los Angeles Dodgers are now hoping that their burly ace doesn't repeat his subpar second-half performance of 2006.

Although Penny was nudged out by San Diego's Jake Peavy for the NL's starting nod of this year's Midsummer Classic, he certainly made a strong case for the honor. He entered the break with a 10-1 record and 2.39 earned run average in 18 starts, while surrendering a mere three home runs over 116 2/3 innings of work.

Penny posted similar numbers (10-2, 2.91) en route to earning last year's starting assignment in Pittsburgh. That appearance turned out to be the high point of the 28-year-old's season, as he slumped to a 6-7 record with an uncharacteristic 5.25 ERA following the break.

The hard-throwing right-hander appears determined not to duplicate that disappointing performance this time around, and if Penny's initial start of the 2007 second half is any indication, he won't be. He threw seven dominating innings against a potent Philadelphia Phillies lineup on Monday, yielding only a run on four hits while striking out eight batters in the Dodgers' 10-3 victory.

Penny showed no ill effects from a recent blister problem that cut short his final first-half start. He was able to throw 104 pitches on the evening, 70 of which found the strike zone.

"Great plays were made that kept me out of trouble, he said afterward. "I threw strikes. I felt better as the game went on."

The Dodgers are going to need Penny to maintain his level of excellence with the club's once-formidable rotation currently in a state of flux. Derek Lowe has been struggling badly in recent weeks, Jason Schmidt is out for the season and Randy Wolf is temporarily on the shelf with a sore shoulder.

Factor in an expected lack of available starting pitching at the trade deadline, and it looks like Los Angeles will be relying heavily on Penny to keep pace with the Padres and Diamondbacks in the competitive NL West.

DYNAMIC DUO

Lately the Dodgers have received tremendous production out of right field, where youngsters Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have been splitting time at the position.

Ethier, the left-handed member of the platoon, is batting .522 (12-for-23) with two home runs and 10 RBI over the last eight games. Kemp is presently riding a six-game hitting streak in which the 22-year-old has gone 11-for-21 (.524) with a pair of homers, two triples and seven RBI.

The biggest challenge for manager Grady Little has finding enough time for the budding sluggers in a crowded outfield that also includes clutch veteran Luis Gonzalez and speedster Juan Pierre.

"We've got guys battling for playing time, but you have to know what's expected of you and what your role is," Ethier recently told the team's official site. We have four outfielders swinging the bat well, and we know what's expected. There's no wondering why one guy plays and one guy's on the bench. We each have each other's backs."

IN WITH THE OLD

Los Angeles added an arm to its bullpen prior to Wednesday's series finale with the Phillies, as grizzled vet Roberto Hernandez was recalled from Triple- A Las Vegas to serve as the 12th pitcher.

The 42-year-old, who has 326 career saves to his credit, began the season with Cleveland but was released by the Indians last month after compiling a lackluster 6.23 ERA in 28 appearances. The Dodgers signed Hernandez to a minor-league deal shortly afterward.

While it's possible the right-hander could make a solid contribution to the relief corps, Hernandez's addition more than likely signals the Dodgers' willingness to trade for bullpen help prior to the July 31 deadline. Kansas City's Octavio Dotel has been mentioned as a possible target to serve as a bridge to All-Star closer Takashi Saito.

Los Angeles could use a fresh arm in the 'pen, though, as its starting pitchers have averaged just five innings over the first seven games following the All-Star break. Rubber-armed relievers Jonathan Broxton and Joe Beimel have appeared in five of those contests.

INJURY REPORT

Wolf will have a 20-pitch bullpen session on Friday, the lefty's first time throwing off a mound since he was placed on the DL on July 4, and is expected to make a rehab start for the Dodgers' Class A affiliate, the Inland Empire 66ers, sometime next week. Barring any setbacks, he should be ready to rejoin the rotation in early August.

Right-hander Chad Billingsley labored through a career-high 113 pitches in five innings of Wednesday's 5-4 win over Philadelphia and aggravated a blister on his finger that could put his next scheduled start in jeopardy. The talented young hurler is tentatively slated to take the mound when the Dodgers open a three-game series in Houston on Monday.

WHO'S HOT

The entire Dodger offense. Los Angeles has racked up 58 runs over its last eight games and compiled 13 hits or more in all but two of those contests. The surge has vaulted the club to the top of the National League in batting average (.278) and third in on-base percentage (.345).

Individually, catcher Russell Martin has gone 9-for-24 (.375) with a .500 on- base percentage in seven games following his first career All-Star appearance. Shortstop Rafael Furcal is batting .364 (12-for-13) with six runs scored since the break.

WHO'S NOT

Lowe was rocked for nine runs and 10 hits before being removed after three innings of Thursday's 13-9 loss to the New York Mets. He hasn't won in five starts since defeating Tampa Bay on June 22, having recorded three defeats and two no decisions over that span.

ON DECK

A four-game series with the NL East-leading Mets resumes Friday at Dodger Stadium, with Brett Tomko (2-7, 5.88) getting the call for Los Angeles opposite Oliver Perez (8-6, 3.13). Penny (11-1, 2.33) will face off against Jorge Sosa (7-4, 3.84) on Saturday, with Mark Hendrickson (4-5, 4.54) slated to start Sunday's finale for the Dodgers. Veteran Orlando Hernandez (6-4, 2.96) will pitch for New York.