A bullpen stint in front of Dodgers officials, and the 20th selection in
Thursday's draft, changed all of that. Withrow was sitting inside of his Odessa,
Texas, home, watching the draft unfold on TV. When his name was called, the
celebration began.
"I was completely shocked," Withrow later admitted. "I knew that the Dodgers
were interested in me, but I didn't know how interested they were."
The Dodgers were interested enough to sweat it while the Phillies were
deciding on the 19th overall selection. When Withrow's name wasn't called,
Dodgers officials at the draft were able to resume breathing.
"Chris has a real loose, easy arm, and in my mind it's one of the best arm
actions I've seen in a long time," said Logan White, the Dodgers' assistant
general manager for scouting. "He's a quality person with good character."
Some so-called experts feel that Withrow is not a big-time pitcher because he
comes from a small school in a not-so-big town. Withrow disputes that claim and
is ready to prove himself to the Dodgers.
"I am from a private school, but we played 5A schools and some 4A schools,"
the 19-year-old said. "I feel we've been tested."
It will probably cost the Dodgers between $1.2 and $1.4 million to sign
Withrow, but both sides are optimistic that an agreement can be reached.
NOTES, QUOTES
--RHP Takashi Saito practiced running from the pitcher's mound to first base
prior to Thursday's game and came away without any discomfort in his strained
left hamstring. He will return to the bullpen for Friday's game. "I'm not
exactly sure where this came from," he said of the injury. "It could just be
aches and pains of the season that everybody goes through."
--SS Rafael Furcal went 2-for-4 against Padres RHP Jake Peavy on Thursday and
is now batting .346 against him.
--LHP Hong-Chih Kuo pitched well in his second start of the season, walking
four but striking out a career-high eight batters. He left Thursday's game
against the Padres in position to win, but the Dodgers had a ninth-inning
collapse and lost the game.
--OF Juan Pierre went 1-for-8 in the first two games of the series at San
Diego and was not in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale. He
entered late as a defensive replacement. Manager Grady Little said the move was
made to give Pierre a chance to clear his head. Pierre is scheduled to be back
in the leadoff spot Friday.
--OF Luis Gonzalez hit his seventh home run of the season Thursday, moving
him into a second-place tie with Russell Martin among the Dodgers. Jeff Kent
leads the team with nine home runs. The home run was Gonzalez' 330th as a left
fielder.
--INF/OF Marlon Anderson (right elbow irritation) went 0-for-3 Thursday in
his first rehab game for Class AAA Las Vegas. He has been out since early May.
BY THE NUMBERS: 13 -- The number of consecutive innings that the Dodgers
failed to score during Friday's and Saturday's games against the Pirates. They
went 1-1 in those two games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The way it looked to me in the dugout looked nothing like it
looked to me on TV. He was right, I was wrong." -- Dodgers manager Grady Little,
after being ejected from Sunday's game by umpire Bill Welke for disputing a
close play at the plate that led to a Pirates run.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Takashi Saito (tight left hamstring) left the June 3 game and hasn't
pitched since. He was available June 8, but manager Grady Little decided to give
him an extra day of rest.
RHP Yhency Brazoban (strained right shoulder) went on the disabled list on
June 1. He will begin throwing during the week of June 11.
RHP Chin-hui Tsao (strained right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list
on May 23. He will begin throwing during the week of June 11.
RHP Jason Schmidt (shoulder inflammation) went on the disabled list
retroactive to April 15. He made a rehab appearance for Class A Inland Empire on
May 30 and was activated from the DL on June 5.
UT Marlon Anderson (right elbow irritation) went on the 15-day disabled list
retroactive to May 5. He had surgery to remove bone chips on May 11. He began a
rehab assignment with Class AAA Las Vegas on June 7.
OF Jason Repko (torn left hamstring) had surgery on March 28 and is expected
to be out for the season.
Player Stats
Hitters
T Abreu, 2B BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .200 5 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .370 27 3 10 6 0 0 4 0
Season .327 49 7 16 8 0 0 5 0
Wilson Betemit, 3B BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .250 4 2 1 1 0 0 0 0
Season .187 91 13 17 5 0 5 15 0
Brady Clark, LF BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .200 10 1 2 0 0 0 1 0
Season .228 57 7 13 4 0 0 5 0
AEthier, RF BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .333 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .280 25 4 7 2 0 1 3 0
Season .273 187 19 51 11 1 5 27 0
Rafael Furcal, SS BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .400 5 1 2 1 0 0 3 0
Last 7 Games .250 28 2 7 2 0 0 7 1
Season .295 207 26 61 13 1 0 23 7
N. Garciaparra, 1B BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .208 24 0 5 1 0 0 2 0
Season .279 222 18 62 11 0 1 34 1
L Gonzalez, LF BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .500 4 1 2 0 0 1 1 0
Last 7 Games .308 26 2 8 2 0 1 2 0
Season .289 194 29 56 9 1 7 21 3
Jeff Kent, 2B BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .160 25 3 4 1 0 1 3 0
Season .260 208 33 54 15 0 9 33 1
Lieberthal, C BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .294 17 2 5 1 0 0 1 0
Season .231 26 2 6 1 0 0 1 0
R Martin, C BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .348 23 5 8 1 0 2 3 1
Season .308 201 38 62 14 1 7 40 9
R Martinez, SS BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .000 8 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
Season .153 59 2 9 2 0 0 7 1
Juan Pierre, CF BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .208 24 1 5 0 0 0 0 1
Season .269 249 34 67 8 2 0 13 18
O Saenz, 1B BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .200 10 2 2 0 0 0 1 0
Season .208 48 6 10 3 0 2 7 0
Pitchers
Joe Beimel ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 1.1 0 0 0 0
Season 3.46 1 1 1 31 26 19 0 10 10
C Billingsley ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1.2 1 0 1 3
Last 7 Games 0.00 1 0 0 3 5 2 0 1 8
Season 3.38 4 0 0 21 32 28 1 12 39
Y Brazoban ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
Last 7 Games 40.50 0 0 0 3 0.2 3 0 2 2
Season 16.20 0 0 0 4 1.2 3 0 3 5
J Broxton ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 108.00 0 1 0 1 0.1 5 0 2 1
Last 7 Games 19.29 0 1 1 3 2.1 7 0 3 3
Season 4.15 2 2 1 30 30.1 30 0 15 35
M Hendrickson ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1
Last 7 Games 7.84 0 2 0 3 10.1 17 3 3 8
Season 4.09 2 3 0 12 55 53 8 17 40
Hong-Chih Kuo ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 1.50 0 0 0 1 6 1 0 4 8
Last 7 Games 2.84 0 1 0 3 12.2 4 0 6 11
Season 4.85 0 1 0 4 13 7 0 7 11
Derek Lowe ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 4.70 1 0 0 1 7.2 3 2 1 6
Last 7 Games 2.18 2 0 0 3 20.2 10 2 6 16
Season 3.44 6 5 0 13 86.1 79 4 30 58
Brad Penny ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 6.00 0 0 0 1 6 9 2 2 4
Last 7 Games 1.86 2 0 0 3 19.1 19 2 5 12
Season 2.37 7 1 0 12 76 69 2 25 47
Takashi Saito ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 1 0 0 1
Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 2 3 3 1 0 0 5
Season 1.50 1 0 16 23 24 16 3 2 30
Jason Schmidt ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 6 1 0 3 4
Last 7 Games 6.00 0 2 0 3 12 15 3 5 12
Season 4.76 1 2 0 4 17 18 3 8 17
Rudy Seanez ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 6.75 0 1 0 1 1.1 1 0 0 2
Last 7 Games 4.91 0 1 0 3 3.2 2 1 1 7
Season 3.03 2 1 0 24 29.2 32 3 8 29
Brett Tomko ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 4
Last 7 Games 1.80 0 0 0 3 5 6 1 0 8
Season 5.47 1 5 0 14 51 60 6 20 44
Randy Wolf ERA W L Sv G IP H HR BB K
Last Game 9.00 0 1 0 1 5 8 0 3 6
Last 7 Games 5.06 1 1 0 3 16 18 1 7 14
Season 4.03 7 4 0 13 76 75 7 24 80