per dbb... The Dodgers still have 32 exhibition games to sort out their roster, but manager Don Mattingly said that Korean import Hyun-Jin Ryu was "just OK" in Friday's start, adding... "He is a competitor for one of the five (starting) spots. Nobody's guaranteed anything in those spots. He controls his own destiny and we'll see where it goes." Of course, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are guaranteed two of those spots if they remain healthy. Josh Beckett will probably get a third. If Chad Billingsley is healthy, it's hard to imagine him not being in the rotation. So, maybe the Dodgers are considering opening the season with Ryu in the bullpen, leaving Chris Capuano (who allowed two earned runs, three total, in the third inning Saturday), Ted Lilly and Aaron Harang to compete for the fifth spot. http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/n...notebook_id=42206440&vkey=notebook_la&c_id=la
So be it. I wanted him to be the man but if he can be a force in the pen, that would work too. He is only owed like 2.5 this year. If he can get 5 or 6 outs and learn to become a better MLB caliber starter, all the better. This also allows us to move one of Lilly or Cappy to rotation.
If the Korean Andruw Jones clone can't hack it then send him to the pen, it's the right thing to do and I like Don's attitude. Cap and Harrang would be two of the best #5's in the league, no loss really if this guy ain't ready.
Four of the [starting] slots are expected to go to Kershaw, Greinke, Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett. That leaves Ryu, Ted Lilly, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang battling for the final spot. http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/greinke-ryu-lilly
Ryu wont be a reliever... They just need him to get used to the system and the balls... I do think that they need to get him on the same schedule than everyone else, including the bp sessions...
