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A call to arms Dodgers bolster bullpen with Trombley, Mulholland
Updated: Tuesday July 31, 2001 8:57 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Looking to shore up their bullpen, the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers acquired veterans Mike Trombley and Terry Mulholland shortly before Tuesday's trade deadline. Trombley, a 34-year-old right-hander, came from the Baltimore Orioles for a pair of minor leaguers -- right-hander Kris Foster and catcher Geronimo Gil. Mulholland, a 38-year-old left-hander, was picked up from Pittsburgh for right-hander Mike Fetters and minor league left-hander Adrian Burnside. "We've been saying all along that we were going to try to address the depth of our relief corps, so hopefully, we did that," interim general manager Dave Wallace said. "The risk is that we gave up a couple of guys like a Burnside and a Foster. "But you have to give to get, so we've got two pretty good guys and two pretty experienced guys. So hopefully, that'll help." Trombley, 3-4 with a 3.46 ERA and six saves in 50 games for the Orioles, and Mulholland, 0-0 with a 3.72 ERA in one start and 21 relief appearances for the Pirates, are scheduled to report to their new team Wednesday. "I'm happy about playing for the Dodgers, I hope I can help," Trombley said from Baltimore. "I know they're playing great ball, and hopefully I can do my share." Trombley learned of the trade a few minutes after the 4 o'clock trade deadline. "I'm not in shock, but it's a surprise to me," he said. The Dodgers, who entered Tuesday night's game against Cincinnati having won 13 of 16 games to take a 1 1/2-game lead in the NL West, acquired right-hander James Baldwin, a starter, from the Chicago White Sox last week for three minor leaguers.
Baldwin was impressive in his Los Angeles debut, allowing two runs in eight innings of a 3-2 loss to Colorado on Sunday. Matt Herges (8-8), perhaps overworked recently as a setup man in the Los Angeles bullpen, was the loser in that game. "Trombley's a guy that hopefully helps Matty Herges get to Jeff Shaw -- and even close once in a while," Wallace said. "So hopefully, we addressed some things that we were looking at. "I think Terry brings flexibility and experience. He's a left-hander who can do some things for you. He can come in a ballgame in relief and start a game here and there." Mulholland is in the process of completing a rehabilitation assignment for a broken left index finger. It's uncertain as to how long it will be until he's ready to pitch for the Dodgers. Mulholland and 44-year-old Jesse Orosco give the Dodgers two left-handed veterans in the bullpen. It's likely left-hander Jeff Williams will be sent to the minors when Mulholland's ready to pitch. "We're fine with it," Orosco said of the trades. "It adds versatility to the bullpen." Referring to Fetters, one of the most popular players in the Los Angeles clubhouse, Orosco said: "I'm bummed I lost my buddy." The 36-year-old Fetters was 2-1 with one save and a 6.07 ERA in 34 relief appearances for the Dodgers this season. He made the team as a non-roster player last year, and went 6-2 with five saves and a 3.24 ERA in 51 games. He has appeared in 507 games in 13 big-league seasons. Trombley has a career record of 37-42 with a 4.06 ERA and 44 saves, including a career-high 24 for Minnesota two years ago. Mulholland has also pitched for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves. He has a 112-124 record with six saves and in 491 games -- 308 of them starts -- during his 15-year career. Burnside, 24, was 4-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 12 starts and one relief appearance with Class AA Jacksonville this season. A native of Australia, he originally signed with the Dodgers as a free agent six years ago. Foster, 26, was 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA and 19 saves in 38 games while splitting time with Double-A Jacksonville and Class AAA Las Vegas this season. Gil, 25, hit .295 with nine homers and 40 RBIs in 82 games at Las Vegas. Manager Jim Tracy said the deals give the Dodgers "two more chips to play with." "With the two acquisitions we've made today, we've made our team stronger," Tracy said. "We didn't just acquire two guys -- we did a lot of homework about their character and how they would fit in to this clubhouse. These guys are going to add to it. "Mike Fetters very definitely was a big part of the chemistry of this club, but in order to obtain the left-hander that we got, it was a situation where we just weren't going to be able to get the guy for nothing."
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