Dodgers Fifth in Runs Saved Above Average

Starter Chad Billingsley and reliever Hong-Chih Kuo finished 1-2 on the Dodgers Runs Scored Above Average (RSAA) charts in 2008. Derek Lowe, Cory Wade and Joe Beimel are also in double numbers. The Dodgers staff finished in fifth place behind four others in the National League.

The listings underscores manager Joe Torre's comments about the exceptional value he has had in left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo and how important it would be to have him in the series against the Philadelphia Phillies, a predominantly left-handed hitting team.

All four N.L. playoff teams are represnted in the top five. The Cubs led the league with 98 RSAA, topping the Diamondbacks (95), Phillies (87), Brewers (87) and Dodgers (41).

Ryan Dempster (35) and Rich Harden (21) led the Cubs. Brandon Webb (33) and Dan Haren (30), top the DBacks list with four others with 10 or more, while the Phillies have five pitchers in double numbers, including Cole Hamels (34) and Brad Lidge (19). After C.C. Sabathia (37) and Ben Sheets (25) the Brewers drop off quickly. Billingsley (18), Kuo (16), Lowe (16), Wade (13) and Beimel (10), are the top-rated Los Angeles pitchers.

Checking the leader board, it can be seen how tough it will be to select a Cy Young Award winner from among them.

2008 Runs Saved Above Average:

 LEADERS
1    Tim Lincecum 	44   
2    Johan Santana   	42   
3    C.C. Sabathia   	37   
4    Ryan Dempster      35   
5    Cole Hamels       	34   
6    Brandon Webb       33   
7    Dan Haren          30   
8    Edinson Volquez    26   
9    Ben Sheets        	25   
10   Rich Harden       	21   

 Sabathia's RSAA above is just with the 
Brewers. He had 44 including the Indians.

 WORST
1    Brandon Backe     	-31   
2    Tom Gorzelanny    	-30   
3    Josh Fogg          -28   
T4   Greg Reynolds    	-25   
T4   Brad Penny         -25   
6    Ian Snell          -24   
T7   Kevin Correia      -20   
T7   Andrew Miller      -20   
9    Mark Hendrickson   -19   
T10  Jo-Jo Reyes      	-18   
T10  Kyle Kendrick     	-18   
T10  Pedro Martinez   	-18   

TEAM TOTALS
1    Cubs             	98   
2    Diamondbacks    	95   
3    Phillies          	87   
4    Brewers            57   
5    Dodgers          	41   
6    Mets               13   
7    Giants              1   
8    Astros              0   
9    Cardinals         	-4   
10   Braves             -8   
11   Reds               -21   
12   Rockies            -34   
13   Marlins            -45   
14   Nationals          -51   
15   Padres            	-85   
16   Pirates        	-163   

    TEAM BY TEAM--

 DODGERS
Chad Billingsley     18
Hong-Chih Kuo        16
Derek Lowe           16
Cory Wade            13
Joe Beimel           10
Takashi Saito         8
Jonathan Broxton      6
Chan Ho Park          6
Hiroki Kuroda         4
James McDonald        3
Eric Stults           2
Tanyon Sturtze        1
Ramon Troncoso       -1
Yhency Brazoban      -1
Brian Falkenborg     -3
Jason Johnson        -4
Clayton Kershaw      -4
Scott Elbert         -5
Esteban Loaiza       -5
Greg Maddux          -5
Scott Proctor        -9
Brad Penny          -25

 DIAMONDBACKS
Brandon Webb         33
Danny Haren          30
Chad Qualls          15
Randy Johnson        14
Juan Cruz            11
Max Scherzer         10
Doug Davis            4
Tony Pena             2
Yusmeiro Petit        2
Wilfredo Ledezma      2
Billy Buckner         2
Leo Rosales           1
Jailen Peguero        0
Connor Robertson      0
Brandon Medders       0
Brandon Lyon         -1
Doug Slaten          -1
Jon Rauch            -5
Edgar Gonzalez       -8
Micah Owings        -16

 BRAVES
Tim Hudson           19
Jair Jurrjens        15
Jorge Campillo        9
Jeff Bennett          8
Buddy Carlyle         6
John Smoltz           6
Will Ohman            5
Manny Acosta          5
Jorge Julio           5
Phil Stockman         4
Rafael Soriano        3
Peter Moylan          2
Julian Tavarez        2
Vladimir Nunez        2
Jeff Ridgway          1
Mike Gonzalez         0
Francisley Bueno     -1
James Parr           -1
Chris Resop          -3
Mike Hampton         -4
Matt DeSalvo         -6
Tom Glavine          -8
Elmer Dessens        -8
Royce Ring          -10
Blaine Boyer        -12
Charlie Morton      -14
Chuck James         -15
Jo-Jo Reyes         -18

 CUBS
Ryan Dempster        35
Rich Harden          21
Carlos Marmol        17
Carlos Zambrano      12
Ted Lilly             9
Kerry Wood            9
Jeff Samardzija       7
Michael Wuertz        4
Sean Marshall         4
Jon Lieber            2
Randy Wells           2
Neal Cotts            1
Rich Hill             1
Sean Gallagher        0
Chad Fox              0
Angel Guzman         -1
Jason Marquis        -1
Carmen Pignatiello   -1
Jose Ascanio         -2
Scott Eyre           -3
Chad Gaudin          -5
Kevin Hart           -6
Bobby Howry          -7

 REDS
Edinson Volquez      26
Jeremy Affeldt        9
Francisco Cordero     9
Dave Weathers         9
Jared Burton          8
Bill Bray             8
Nick Masset           5
Ramon Ramirez         5
Kent Mercker          2
Jon Adkins            1
Mike Lincoln          0
Daniel Herrera       -2
Josh Roenicke        -2
Daryl Thompson       -4
Todd Coffey          -4
Adam Pettyjohn       -7
Aaron Harang         -8
Bronson Arroyo       -8
Johnny Cueto         -8
Gary Majewski        -9
Matt Belisle         -9
Homer Bailey        -14
Josh Fogg           -28

 ROCKIES
Taylor Buchholz      18
Aaron Cook           14
Ubaldo Jimenez       13
Brian Fuentes        13
Jason Grilli         11
Alberto Arias         3
Ryan Speier           3
Juan Morillo          1
Jose Capellan         0
Manuel Corpas         0
Valerio De los Santo -1
Glendon Rusch        -2
Kip Wells            -2
Matt Herges          -3
Luis Vizcaino        -4
Jason Hirsh          -4
Micah Bowie          -4
Franklin Morales     -5
Steven Register      -5
Josh Newman          -5
Jorge De La Rosa     -5
Cedrick Bowers       -7
Jeff Francis         -7
Mark Redman         -15
Livan Hernandez     -16
Greg Reynolds       -25

 MARLINS
Ricky Nolasco        15
Joe Nelson           13
Chris Volstad        12
Kevin Gregg           6
Matt Lindstrom        6
Arthur Rhodes         5
Josh Johnson          5
Doug Waechter         3
Jesus Delgado         0
Logan Kensing         0
Justin Miller         0
Scott Olsen          -1
Renyel Pinto         -2
Lee Gardner          -5
Rick VandenHurk      -6
Anibal Sanchez       -8
Taylor Tankersley    -8
Burke Badenhop      -10
Eulogio de la Cruz  -14
Ryan Tucker         -17
Mark Hendrickson    -19
Andrew Miller       -20

 ASTROS
Roy Oswalt           20
Geoff Geary          13
Wandy Rodriguez      13
LaTroy Hawkins        9
Jose Valverde         8
Randy Wolf            7
Doug Brocail          4
Tim Byrdak            3
Chris Sampson         2
Chad Paronto          0
Alberto Arias        -2
Oscar Villarreal     -3
Brian Moehler        -3
Jack Cassel          -4
Wesley Wright        -4
Fernando Nieve       -5
Shawn Chacon         -6
Runelvys Hernandez   -9
Dave Borkowski      -12
Brandon Backe       -31

 BREWERS
C.C. Sabathia        37
Ben Sheets           25
Brian Shouse          8
Salomon Torres        7
Yovani Gallardo       6
Todd Coffey           3
Mark DiFelice         3
Mitch Stetter         3
Carlos Villanueva     2
Seth McClung          2
David Bush            1
Guillermo Mota        1
Tim Dillard           0
Zach Jackson          0
Manny Parra          -3
Julian Tavarez       -4
David Riske          -5
Eric Gagne           -6
Derrick Turnbow      -8
Jeff Suppan         -15

 METS
Johan Santana        42
Mike Pelfrey         10
Billy Wagner         10
Scott Schoeneweis     5
Joe Smith             4
Brian Stokes          2
Pedro Feliciano       1
John Maine            0
Ricardo Rincon        0
Bobby Parnell        -1
Brandon Knight       -1
Oliver Perez         -1
Duaner Sanchez       -1
Matt Wise            -2
Claudio Vargas       -2
Nelson Figueroa      -2
Tony Armas Jr.       -3
Luis Ayala           -3
Carlos Muniz         -3
Eddie Kunz           -3
Jonathon Niese       -5
Jorge Sosa           -7
Aaron Heilman        -9
Pedro Martinez      -18

 PHILLIES
Cole Hamels          34
Brad Lidge           19
Jamie Moyer          16
Chad Durbin          15
Ryan Madson          13
J.C. Romero          11
Clay Condrey          9
Rudy Seanez           4
Scott Eyre            4
J.A. Happ             3
Joe Blanton           2
Andrew Carpenter      0
Tom Gordon           -2
Les Walrond          -2
R.J. Swindle         -2
Brett Myers          -3
Adam Eaton          -16
Kyle Kendrick       -18

 PIRATES
John Grabow          10
Paul Maholm           9
Matt Capps            6
Damaso Marte          3
Ty Taubenheim         1
T.J. Beam             0
Jeff Karstens         0
Romulo Sanchez        0
Jesse Chavez         -4
Sean Burnett         -4
Evan Meek            -4
Jason Davis          -5
Tyler Yates          -5
Ross Ohlendorf       -6
Craig Hansen         -6
Jimmy Barthmaier     -7
Marino Salas         -8
Denny Bautista       -9
Phil Dumatrait      -10
Yoslan Herrera      -12
Franquelis Osoria   -13
Matt Morris         -14
Zach Duke           -15
John Van Benschoten -16
Ian Snell           -24
Tom Gorzelanny      -30

 PADRES
Jake Peavy           20
Mike Adams           10
Josh Geer             4
Heath Bell            3
Justin Hampson        3
Brett Tomko           2
Trevor Hoffman        1
Scott Patterson       1
Kevin Cameron         0
Brian Falkenborg      0
Chris Young          -1
Jared Wells          -1
Greg Maddux          -2
Cla Meredith         -2
Chad Reineke         -2
Enrique Gonzalez     -3
Carlos Guevara       -3
Wilfredo Ledezma     -4
Michael Ekstrom      -4
Sean Henn            -4
Shawn Estes          -4
Glendon Rusch        -5
Charlie Haeger       -6
Clay Hensley         -6
Josh Banks           -8
Cha Seung Baek       -9
Bryan Corey         -10
Justin Germano      -10
Wade LeBlanc        -10
Dirk Hayhurst       -11
Randy Wolf          -11
Joe Thatcher        -13

 GIANTS
Tim Lincecum         44
Matt Cain            15
Sergio Romo           9
Keiichi Yabu          6
Merkin Valdez         5
Alex Hinshaw          4
Billy Sadler          2
Erick Threets         1
Tyler Walker         -1
Osiris Matos         -1
Geno Espineli        -1
Vinnie Chulk         -2
Brian Wilson         -2
Jack Taschner        -3
Matt Palmer          -6
Patrick Misch        -8
Jonathan Sanchez    -11
Barry Zito          -15
Brad Hennessey      -15
Kevin Correia       -20

 CARDINALS
Adam Wainwright      14
Russ Springer        10
Todd Wellemeyer      10
Kyle Lohse            9
Ryan Franklin         6
Jason Motte           4
Chris Carpenter       4
Chris Perez           3
Josh Kinney           3
Kyle McClellan        1
Braden Looper         1
Aaron Miles           0
Mark Mulder          -1
Anthony Reyes        -1
Mark Worrell         -2
Randy Flores         -3
Jamie Garcia         -3
Ron Villone          -3
Kelvin Jimenez       -4
Brad Thompson        -7
Jason Isringhausen   -7
Mike Parisi         -10
Mitch Boggs         -12
Joel Pineiro        -16

 NATIONALS
Steven Shell         12
John Lannan           9
Jon Rauch             7
Michael Hinckley      7
Joel Hanrahan         4
Saul Rivera           4
Garrett Mock          1
Chad Cordero          1
Tyler Clippard        0
Odalis Perez          0
Jesus Colome          0
Chris Schroder       -1
Ray King             -1
Shairon Martis       -3
Charlie Manning      -4
Brian Sanches        -4
Marco Estrada        -5
Levale Speigner      -6
Michael O'Connor     -9
Luis Ayala           -9
Matt Chico          -10
Shawn Hill          -10
Collin Balester     -10
Tim Redding         -12
Jay Bergmann        -12