2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season

In 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to improve their record from 2005. The team switched General Managers from Paul DePodesta to Ned Colletti, and hired Grady Little as the new manager. The Dodgers were able to win 88 games. In the National League Western Division, the Dodgers won the wild card, but in the first round of the playoffs lost in three straight games against the Mets.

Offseason

• December 13, 2005: Acquired Andre Ethier from the Oakland Athletics for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez
• January 4, 2006: Acquired Jae Seo and Tim Hamulack from the New York Mets for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll
• January 14, 2006: Acquired Danys Baez and Lance Carter from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany

Regular season

Season standings

Season summary

After a season battling injuries to team leaders Jeff Kent and all-star Nomar Garciaparra, the Dodgers were able to produce with several young rookies such as Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, James Loney, Chad Billingsley, and Jonathan Broxton. Key reliever Yhency Brazoban was sidelined with Tommy John Surgery, and closer Eric Gagné was sidelined with a back injury. However, rookie pitcher Takashi Saito took over the closing role and instantly became one of the game's best closers, ending the season with 24 saves in just half of the season.

Los Angeles had a very streaky season in 2006. After they started just 12–17, the Dodgers went on to win 15 of their next 18 games to improve to 27-20. They were 46-42 at the all-star break, two games back of the San Diego Padres in a tough division (all five teams in the N.L. West were .500 or better at the all-star break). Two Dodger players, Nomar Garciaparra, and Brad Penny, were selected to play in the All-Star Game.

After the all-star break, the Dodgers lost 13 of their first 14 games. As a result, their record dropped to 47–55, and they were in last place in the N.L. West, 7½ games out of first place. Los Angeles would bounce back from this losing streak to win 17 out of their next 18 games, the first time the Dodgers did so since 1899. At the end of this winning stretch, Los Angeles was in first place with a record of 64–56. During this stretch, the Dodgers acquired Wilson Betemit from the Atlanta Braves, Julio Lugo from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and pitcher Greg Maddux from the Chicago Cubs. Maddux proved to be the biggest transition for the Dodgers, as he provided the Dodgers' starting rotation with a veteran arm and pitching depth.

The highlight of the 2006 season for Los Angeles was on September 18, against the San Diego Padres. Coming into the four-game series, Los Angeles held a half game lead in the N.L. West over San Diego with two and a half weeks left in the season. Los Angeles won the first game of the series 3–1 after a strong pitching performance by Maddux, extending the Dodgers' lead to a 1½ games over San Diego. The second game of the series was an 11–2 rout in favor of San Diego, trimming the Dodgers lead back to a half game. The third game of the series was a pitchers' duel between San Diego's Chris Young and the Dodgers Derek Lowe. San Diego scored first after Russell Branyan hit a solo home run to make it 1-0. Russell Martin tied the game at 1-1 with a solo home run of his own in the 7th. But San Diego won the game 2-1 when Khalil Greene scored on Terrmel Sledge's single. San Diego's victory gave them a half game lead over the Dodgers in the N.L. West.

The last game of the series on September 18 was a rocky start for the Dodgers. Brad Penny gave up four runs in the first inning, giving San Diego a 4-0 lead. Los Angeles slowly climbed back into the game, and tied the score 4-4 in the third inning. Neither team scored again until San Diego scored two in the top of the 8th to take a 6-4 lead. The Dodgers would cut San Diego's lead to one run after Wilson Betemit drove in Marlon Anderson with an RBI single. San Diego scored three runs in the top of the 9th and appeared to have broken the game wide open with a 9-5 lead. With a four-run lead, San Diego elected to bring in Jon Adkins to pitch the 9th instead of closer Trevor Hoffman, who at the time was just three saves shy of tying the all-time record. Jeff Kent and J. D. Drew hit back-to-back home runs off of Adkins to close the lead to 9–7 with nobody out. San Diego then elected to bring Hoffman in to finish the game. Hoffman however, gave up back-to-back home runs to Martin and Anderson on the first two pitches Hoffman threw, tying the score at 9–9. It was only the fourth time a team hit four consecutive home runs in an inning, and the first time since the Minnesota Twins did so in 1964. San Diego scored a run in the top of the 10th on Josh Bard's RBI single to take a 10-9 lead. But after Kenny Lofton walked, Nomar Garciaparra hit the game-winning two-run walk off home run. The Dodgers' 11–10 victory gave them a half game lead over San Diego with just two weeks left in the season.

San Diego and Los Angeles finished the season tied for first place in the N.L. West at 88–74. San Diego however, was awarded the division title because they had won 13 of 18 games from Los Angeles during the regular season, giving the Dodgers the wild card spot.

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

• April 24, 2006: Acquired Ben Kozlowski from the Cincinnati Reds for Cody Ross
• June 6, 2006: 2006 Major League Baseball Draft notable picks:

Round 1: Clayton Kershaw

Round 14: Alex White (did not sign)^[1]

• June 27, 2006: Acquired Mark Hendrickson, Toby Hall and cash from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Jae Seo, Dioner Navarro and Justin Ruggiano
• July 23, 2006: Acquired B.J. LaMura from the Chicago White Sox for Sandy Alomar Jr.^[2]
• July 25, 2006: Acquired Elmer Dessens from the Kansas City Royals for Odalis Perez, Blake Johnson, Julio Pimentel and cash
• July 28, 2006: Acquired Wilson Betemit from the Atlanta Braves for Danys Baez, Willy Aybar and cash
• July 31, 2006: Acquired Greg Maddux and cash from the Chicago Cubs for Cesar Izturis
• July 31, 2006: Acquired Julio Lugo from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza
• August 31, 2006: Acquired Marlon Anderson from the Washington Nationals with cash for Jhonny Nunez

Roster

Starting Pitchers stats

Relief Pitchers stats

Batting Stats

2006 National League Division Series

Upon entering the playoffs, they were swept at Shea Stadium. Reliever Joe Beimel cut his hand on glass at a bar while drinking. Beimel told his teammates, he did it in his hotel room but then later revealed the truth. Beimel was sidelined during all of the Division Series.

Game 1, October 4

Shea Stadium, Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York

Game 2, October 5

Shea Stadium, Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York

Game 3, October 7

Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California

2006 Awards

• 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
  • Brad Penny starting pitcher
  • Nomar Garciaparra reserve
• MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
  • Nomar Garciaparra
• Gold Glove Award
  • Greg Maddux
• Pitcher of the Month
  • Derek Lowe (August 2006)
• Branch Rickey Award
  • Tommy Lasorda

Farm system

References

External links

• 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers uniform
• Los Angeles Dodgers official web site
• Baseball-Reference season page
• Baseball Almanac season page