Jason Schmidt Gets His First Win for the Dodgers In Nearly 2 Years

Sports Betting News - July 21st, 2009 - Written by Ryan Smith

Jason Schmidt the highest paid pitcher on the Dodgers team and the second highest paid player on the Dodger team behind out fielder Manny Ramirez, got his first win last night in nearly two years against the Cincinnati Reds. Schmidt who spent the last two years recovering from injuries, displayed last night why the Dodgers offered him so much money in 2006 to leave the San Francisco Giants and join the Dodgers franchise. Things didn't work out so well for Schmidt and the Dodgers after that deal, Schmidt won only one game in his first season with the Dodgers, he played in only 6 games total that yea,r posting a record of 1-4 and finished with an ERA of 6.31 in those 6 games.

Not pretty for any pitcher at any level not to mention he went on to get injured that year. Well until last night, the 2007 season was the last time Schmidt had even pitched in a MLB game. Schmidt was awarded one of the largest contracts to date for any MLB pitcher and finally got a chance to prove why he won such a lucrative contract in 2006 last night against the Reds. Schmidt is scheduled to make just over 15 million dollars at the end of the 2009 season and showed his loyalty by pitching 5 innings in a winning effort against the Reds.

The Night started off rough for the returning Dodgers pitcher. Though the game was at home in LA, Schmidt looked as if he was on the road in the first inning allowing 3 hits and 3 runs, one run came on a Russell Martin throwing error if that makes Schmidt feel any better. Schmidt calmed down in the later innings giving up no runs over the next 4 innings pitched and only 2 hits in that span. Though Schmidt is know to be a strike out pitcher (251 K's in 2004) he didn't seem to have that one pitch to close out at bats with. All signs to be expected for a guy who has not played in a real MLB game in over two years. Schmidt finished the game with only 2 strike outs and walked 3 batters in 5 innings.

Schmidt got the win in the game with a final score of 7-5 and that's all that matters in the long run. The Dodgers play in a weak division the NL west, and that should play to Schmidt's advantage as the rest of the season progresses on. Schmidt should soon begin to pick up more velocity on his fastball and find that strikeout pitch to use on 2 strike counts. The return of Jason Schmidt only makes the Dodgers who are all ready the best team in baseball that much better. The Dodgers should cost through the rest of the regular season and win their respective division with out competition.