No one likes to see any player land on the disabled list, but it’s hard to argue that sometimes it is the best thing for both the player and for the team. Not only does it remove the temptation for a manager to run a guy out there who isn’t 100%, but it allows the ailing player to (hopefully) get back to 100%.

Over the course of ten days the Dodgers lost pitchers Paul Maholm, Chris Perez, Paco Rodriguez, Josh Beckett and shortstop Hanley Ramirez to the disabled list. Under normal circumstances this would be devastating and would knock most teams out of playoff contention. Not only has it not knocked the Dodgers out of playoff contention, it appears that it has actually made them better.

Even though Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti did not go out and get the top tier starting pitcher that Dodger fans were hoping for (such as David Price, Jon Lester or Cole Hamels), he did pick up 2012 Gold Glove second baseman Darwin Barney, who had been designated for assignment by the NL Central last place Cubs. The cost for Barney was relatively inexpensive – two low-level minor league players to be named later and/or cash consideration. After acquiring Barney, the 28-year-old Portland, OR native was promptly sent to Triple-A Albuquerque and Colletti made no additional moves before the deadline.

…or so it seemed.

Recently acquired utility infielder Darwin Barney showed exactly why he won the 2012 NL Gold Glove award at second base when he made this spectacular catch while running backwards for the first out of the ninth inning in Tuesday’s 4-2 win over the Braves. It was just one of several outstanding defensive plays made by Barney in his Dodgers debut.
(Video Capture courtesy of SportsNetLA)

Little did Dodger fans know, Colletti was just getting started.

Every Dodger fan knew that the Dodgers were in desperate need of back-of-the-rotation help and help in their struggling bullpen – stay for Brandon League, J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen and more recently Brian Wilson. And while most Dodger fans felt snubbed by Colletti’s inaction prior the trade deadline, the wheels were already in motion for acquiring starting pitchers Roberto Hernandez (aka: Fausto Carmona) from the Phillies and Kevin Correia from the Twins.

Colletti’s intention was to use Hernandez as his number five starter (because of the sudden re-emergence of Dan Haren as his number four starter) and move Correia into the Dodgers bullpen as their long reliever/spot starter in place of the injured Paul Maholm. Colletti’s plan came to fruition when he was able to acquire Hernandez and Correia off of waivers on August 7 and August 9 respectively – again for low-level minor leaguers to be named later or cash.

Although Hernandez was coming off a mediocre 6-8, 3.87 ERA season with the Phillies, he was actually their second best starting pitcher behind only Cole Hamels 6-6, 2.37. After being acquired by the Dodgers on August 7, Hernandez was immediately put into action on August 8 to fill Beckett’s spot in the rotation. Even though Hernandez did not figure in the decision in the eventual 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, he pitched great, allowing only two runs on three hits while striking out five and walking none in six innings of work. (He also picked up a base hit).

To give his top three starters an extra day off during their current 20 games in 20 days stretch without a day off, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly used Correia, who was 5-13, 4.94 ERA with the Twins, to start in Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves and he, too, pitched great, allowing only one run on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in six innings pitched. (He also had two hits and scored a run). Correia picked up the eventual 6-2 win over the Braves with bullpen help from Brian Wilson, Jamey Wright and Carlos Frias (who had been called up from Triple-A to replace DL-bound Chris Perez).

On Tuesday night Mattingly opted to give first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and second baseman Dee Gordon, both left-handed hitters, the night off against Braves left-hander Mike Minor. Scott Van Slyke filled in for AGon and Barney, who was called up when Hanley Ramirez went on the DL, for Gordon. Although Van Slyke didn’t fair so well (1 for 4 with two strikeouts and an error at first base), Barney was absolutely brilliant on both sides of the ball. Barney went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate and made three absolutely impossible plays on defense. That being said, there is little risk of Barney supplanting Gordon at second base on an everyday basis, but don’t be surprised to see Barney start at second whenever the Dodgers face a left-handed starting pitcher.

Although it is probably safe to say that Colletti isn’t finished making moves before the August 31 waiver trade deadline, it appears that the players that have been lost to the DL (including and unfortunately Hanley Ramirez) is actually helping the Dodgers in their stretch run.

It is addition by subtraction.