Sports: Dodgers make some deals

Colletti has pulled the trigger on two deals at the deadline. The biggest is moving Izturis to get Maddux. He also dealt prospects Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza in exchange for Julio Lugo.

The lineup card is going to get juggled a bit with these moves.

Maddux will take a spot in the starting rotation with Penny and Lowe.

The question is who gets moved to the bullpen: Sele, Billingsley or Hendrickson?

Sele has an older arm and got roughed up on his July 17 and 22 starts. He did two innings of relief on July 26. He is slated to start August 1 and will be watched closely. If it appears he is running out of gas he could be moved to middle relief the next go around. He would be joining Beimel, Carrara and Dessens as the middle relief to get to flame throwers Saito, Broxton and Tomko.

Billingsley walks a lot of batters so I'm guessing he won't be moved to the bullpen and the Dodgers may want to keep the youngster as a starter to continue his development.

Hendrickson is the only lefty besides Beimel so perhaps he will be moved to the bullpen and be used as a situational lefty and for middle relief.

Middle relief will be important to the Dodgers if the rotation is Penny, Lowe, Maddux, Sele and Billingsley.

Penny a hard thrower often runs up the pitch count because batters foul off his stuff for long at-bats. Maddux and Sele are older arms. Billingsley walks too many people which runs up his pitch count. Thus, with four starters who are often done by the 5th and 6th inning, middle relief that Grady Little can count on will be huge if the Dodgers are to make a run at the post-season.

As for obtaining Lugo, he will take second base where Izturis was filling in for Kent. Ramon Martinez will probably be sent to Las Vegas to make room for Lugo. If Kent comes off the DL as scheduled, I can imagine that Loney will be sent down and Kent will play first base while Lugo stays at second. The log jam occurs when Garciaparra comes off the DL. I suppose at that point Lugo will occasionally give Furcal a break and Kent a break. Given Kent's injury problems this year, when he comes back, I think Little will rest him more often than in the past.