We all know that baseball is a team sport. Or sure, there are times – many, in fact – when a position player or pitcher will have an incredible game that leads their team to victory, but by and large it takes a combined team effort to be successful over the long haul of a 162-game season and into the postseason.

But by the same token, the addition of a key player at precisely the right moment can have a huge impact on a team. One need look no further that what the addition of Manny Ramirez did for the Dodgers at the July 31 trade deadline in 2008 to prove this. Ramirez almost single-handedly carried the Dodgers into the postseason that year.

Over the past two seasons the Dodgers have had bullpen issues … serious bullpen issues. In fact, there are many who place the blame for Dodgers inability to get beyond the first round of the playoffs squarely on the shoulders of the Dodgers bullpen, where there has been a continuing glaring hole between the starters and closer Kenley Jansen going on three seasons now.

It’s not that the back end of the bullpen is bad, it’s that they are terribly inconsistent. At times they will go as many as 20 innings without allowing a run. But then they’ll get hammered and the losses begin to pile up – usually at the worst possible time, such as when their division rivals also lose and an opportunity to gain ground on them is lost forever.

On May 7, 2016, the Dodgers claimed 32-year-old right-handed reliever Casey Fien off of waivers from the Minnesota Twins. The Santa Rosa, California native had spent the better part of seven of the last eight seasons in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers (two seasons) and Twins (five seasons) before being placed on waivers. His career record was 17-16 with a 4.05 ERA when the Dodgers acquired him.

Could Casey Fien prove to be one of the biggest acquisitions by the Dodgers this season?
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As we all also know, baseball is a “what have you done for me lately” sport, and if what Fien has done in his first three innings in a Dodger uniform is any indication, he may very well be that guy – the guy who brings a much-needed spark and a measure of consistency to an otherwise inconsistent Dodgers bullpen.

In his three innings of relief since joining the Dodgers, Fien has faced a total of 10 opposing batters. Of those 10 batters he has struck out seven of them while allowing only one hit – a two-out single to Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward in the eighth inning of Wednesday night’s 2-1 loss to the defending NL Central champions. Aside from Heyward, Fien has allowed exactly zero other baserunners and has yet to allow a run – earned or otherwise.

While it is both risky and foolish to evaluate a guy based on only three innings of one-hit relief, it’s hard for Dodger fans not to be excited about what they are seeing in Fien.

Is Casey Fien that guy … the guy who will spark a change in Dave Roberts’ and Rick Honeycutt’s inconsistent and oft-criticized bullpen?

Stay tuned…