Jason Schmidt

Jason Schmidt was placed to the 60-day disabled list today to clear room on the 40-man roster for recently acquired Vicente Padilla, a move that most likely signaled the end of Schmidt's 14-year major-league career. Because the move is retroactive to Aug. 6, Schmidt will not be eligible to return in the regular season. The 36-year-old Schmidt, who is in the final year of a three-year, $47-million contract, spent most of his time with the Dodgers sidelined with shoulder problems that required him to undergo two operations.

When I didn't see the Parking Lot Attendant sitting beside the Dodgers' dugout Wednesday as he was a night earlier, I was worried maybe he couldn't afford a hotel room here. But then who figured Frank McCourt would be smarter than any of us? Not me. But apparently he knew better than to hang around for this mess -- although he did miss the Dodgers' hit. For all we know McCourt comes out the big winner, none of the games sold out in Dodger Stadium this weekend and now a pretty good reason for folks to turn out. Too soon to say if the Dodgers will show up. They already have their ticket to the playoffs, so there is no danger of this farce turning into anything all that tragic, but I'm not sure Manny Ramirez was joking when he said, "We're saving the champagne for New Year's."

Jason Schmidt said he didn't know how his shoulder would respond to the scoreless inning he pitched Monday in the Dodgers' intrasquad game. But he said the way he felt after facing four batters at Camelback Ranch was markedly different from the way he felt after he tried to pitch last year, which he spent entirely on the disabled list and ended with his second surgery in as many seasons. "Coming in tomorrow, being able to play catch, that's the bigger hurdle than anything," Schmidt said.

It's over, as if there was ever any doubt, at 4:31 p.m. Mountain time, Aug. 27. The Dodgers have won the National League West Division title. Congratulations to all. Take the next month off, Vin Scully . No reason really to watch the final 34 games, 25 coming against crummy teams a combined 150 games below .500, which explains now why the Dodgers hired broadcaster Eric Collins . With only exhibition games to be played by the Dodgers the rest of the way, at least it's a chance for Russell Martin , James Loney and Rafael Furcal to find their batting strokes.

With pitcher Jason Schmidt scheduled to make his first start in more than two years tonight, how will his infielders adjust to having him on the mound? By paying little attention to Schmidt's windup and other movements on the mound, said second baseman Orlando Hudson and third baseman Casey Blake. The veterans said they'll concentrate on the location of Schmidt's pitches against the Cincinnati Reds to possibly gain a step in the right direction once the ball is hit.

In the city that was his baseball home when he broke into the major leagues 14 years ago, Jason Schmidt experienced a rebirth of sorts Friday night. The non-waiver trade deadline passed without the Dodgers acquiring a starting pitcher, but they might have found the fifth member of their rotation in this softer-throwing version of Schmidt, who earned the victory in a 5-0 win over the Atlanta Braves by limiting his former team to a single hit over six scoreless innings.

Just before the game begins the Dodgers announce they're going to roll someone out in a wheelchair to throw the first pitch. The perfect entrance for Jason Schmidt. Turns out, it's Frank Parker, an 87-year-old Guadalcanal veteran tossing out the ceremonial first pitch. Now I know what you're thinking. What was the velocity on Parker's first pitch in comparison to Schmidt's? Well, I begin writing this with no idea how Schmidt's night is going to be. I'm guessing in 15 minutes or so, we'll know.

Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said this spring that what happened Monday night might never happen. General Manager Ned Colletti said the same. But there was Jason Schmidt, pitching in his first major league game in more than two years. Schmidt not only pitched, he overcame a nightmarish first inning to earn the win in the Dodgers' 7-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. "I had hoped to just go out there and make it respectable but I'm happy with the result," Schmidt said.

"I don't think you really expect it to happen. But you start getting there towards the end and you want it." Jason Schmidt, San Francisco Giant pitcher, after his third consecutive complete game in Monday's victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jason Schmidt was placed to the 60-day disabled list today to clear room on the 40-man roster for recently acquired Vicente Padilla, a move that most likely signaled the end of Schmidt's 14-year major-league career. Because the move is retroactive to Aug. 6, Schmidt will not be eligible to return in the regular season. The 36-year-old Schmidt, who is in the final year of a three-year, $47-million contract, spent most of his time with the Dodgers sidelined with shoulder problems that required him to undergo two operations.

Jason Schmidt hit Craig Counsell on the lower leg with a 71-mph curveball, and the Dodgers' pitcher was done. Schmidt wasn't forced from the Dodgers' 4-1 loss to Milwaukee in the fourth inning Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium because he was ejected or had exacerbated tensions between the teams. The veteran right-hander had merely lost control of a pitch -- and an inning -- that sent the Dodgers to their third defeat in their last four series.

In the city that was his baseball home when he broke into the major leagues 14 years ago, Jason Schmidt experienced a rebirth of sorts Friday night. The non-waiver trade deadline passed without the Dodgers acquiring a starting pitcher, but they might have found the fifth member of their rotation in this softer-throwing version of Schmidt, who earned the victory in a 5-0 win over the Atlanta Braves by limiting his former team to a single hit over six scoreless innings.

Joe Torre has made no secret of his desire to add a veteran starter to his pitching staff before Friday's trade deadline. Ideally it would be a guy who has thrived on baseball's biggest stages, in a World Series or an All-Star game. A guy who has competed for the Cy Young Award more than once, who has led his league in shutouts or earned-run average. A guy, say, like Toronto's Roy Halladay. Or maybe Cleveland's Cliff Lee. Torre sent a guy with that same resume to the mound Sunday.

Just before the game begins the Dodgers announce they're going to roll someone out in a wheelchair to throw the first pitch. The perfect entrance for Jason Schmidt. Turns out, it's Frank Parker, an 87-year-old Guadalcanal veteran tossing out the ceremonial first pitch. Now I know what you're thinking. What was the velocity on Parker's first pitch in comparison to Schmidt's? Well, I begin writing this with no idea how Schmidt's night is going to be. I'm guessing in 15 minutes or so, we'll know.

Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said this spring that what happened Monday night might never happen. General Manager Ned Colletti said the same. But there was Jason Schmidt, pitching in his first major league game in more than two years. Schmidt not only pitched, he overcame a nightmarish first inning to earn the win in the Dodgers' 7-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. "I had hoped to just go out there and make it respectable but I'm happy with the result," Schmidt said.

With pitcher Jason Schmidt scheduled to make his first start in more than two years tonight, how will his infielders adjust to having him on the mound? By paying little attention to Schmidt's windup and other movements on the mound, said second baseman Orlando Hudson and third baseman Casey Blake. The veterans said they'll concentrate on the location of Schmidt's pitches against the Cincinnati Reds to possibly gain a step in the right direction once the ball is hit.