Who Are the Ten WORST Bums for the Los Angeles Dodgers?

In the days of the old Brooklyn Dodgers, fans affectionately called the team “Dem Bums,” until they finally won a World Series in 1955. Then there were no more cries of “Wait ‘til next year!” But since the Dodgers came west in 1958, a Dodger bum is just that – a player who either didn’t earn his salary, caused trouble or showed a lack of appreciation for the organization (or a little of all three).

Most of the players on this "Bums List" were signed as free agents by the Dodgers, though not all of them. However, all of these players came with at least great potential – and then, in the vernacular, stunk up the joint.

Therefore, you won’t find on this list pinch hitters, utility infielders or crafty veterans trying to tack on one more season. Few people expect much from such players. Nor will you find any young players that came up from the Minor Leagues for a short time and then disappeared. There are way too many of those players to be put on any such list. And they aren't bums either, because everybody can't play Major League Baseball. Furthermore, out of respect for the departed, no deceased players are on this list.

Now here’s the countdown for the Ten WORST Bums for the Los Angeles Dodgers:

10. Jonathan Broxton threw a pitch that seemed to equate with his 6-foot-4, 300-lb frame: a 100-mph heater on which few hitters could lay wood. Oh, yeah, and he also threw a slider. A very average bender. Then, in July 2008, when Broxton became the Dodgers’ closer, he impressed just about everyone, especially when he tossed that unhittable blazing fastball. Nevertheless, even with his best pitch, Broxton blew two critical saves – one in each series - against those fightin’ Phils in the 2008 and 2009 NLCS. (Many Dodger fans probably haven’t forgiven closer Tom Niedenfuer for losing two games when the Dodgers played the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 NLCS.)

Anyway, JB pitched in the All-Star Game in 2010, saving the game – barely – but he was never the same afterwards. Why? He lost his fastball. In 2011, elbow trouble plagued JB throughout most of the season, after which he became a free agent. Simply put, Jonathan Broxton was a one-trick pony who came up lame!

9. The Dodgers signed free agent J. D. Drew to a five-year $55 million contract after the 2004 season. Unfortunately, Drew spent most of the 2005 season on the disabled list, prompting some folks to label him “D.L.” Drew. That year he hit a tepid .286 with 15 home runs and 36 RBIs. The following year, now healthy, he hit .283 with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. These weren’t stellar stats, but at least the Dodgers were getting a decent return on their investment and hoped for lots more in the next three seasons. (Remember, almost all free agent money these days is guaranteed.)

But, during the off season, Drew took advantage of an “opt-out” clause in his contract and became a free agent, eventually signing with the Boston Red Sox. Some gratitude! If the Dodgers haven’t given you enough money, Mr. Drew, then by all means get the heck out of La-La Land!

8. Russell Martin began his major league career with the Dodgers in May 2006, showing an impressive combination of defense, power and speed. Then during the 2007 season Martin was Mr. Everything for the Dodgers – as a catcher at least, but he was no Mike Piazza! In that year, Martin made the starting lineup of the All-Star team; he batted .293, hit 19 home runs, knocked in 87 and stole 21 bases. Wow! Even Piazza didn’t steal bases! Unfortunately, Martin’s production dropped steadily thereafter, until 2010 when he hit an impotent .248, with five homers and 26 ribbies. These stats aren’t even mediocre, though he was injured the last part of the season.

After the conclusion of the 2010 season, Martin signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees, and in January 2011 Martin said in an interview that his last two seasons he had been bothered by “distractions” and just hadn’t been trying very hard, resulting in diminished returns for Dodger Blue. (Martin refused to elaborate about these distractions, saying they were personal matters.) Well, Russell Martin, now that you’ve defected to those Damn Yankees, your nickname is Russell “Our Not So Favorite Martin.”

7. Manny Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers in July 2008 and quickly endeared himself with fans of Big Blue, providing plenty of homerun pop, ribbies and batting average, and leading them to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). Dodger fans soon labeled him “Mannywood,” and a section in the left field bleachers was named after him. Yes, Dodger fans certainly loved Manny in those halcyon days! Then, after the end of the 2008 season, Manny signed a two-year $45 million contract. At the beginning of the 2009 season, Manny began the season looking fairly good, though he no longer seemed the phenomenal slugger from the year before. Then in May 2009 “Mannywood” was suspended for 50 games for taking performance enhancing drugs.

After the suspension, Manny continued playing moderately OK, ending the season at .290 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs. But again, the Dodgers were defeated in the NLCS. In 2010, Manny became a singles and doubles hitter, hitting only 8 homeruns, and he landed on the disabled list three times with leg injuries. Clearly, Mannywood was now past his prime. Maybe more “juice” could have helped him! At any rate, on August 30, 2010 the Dodgers traded Manny Ramirez to the Chicago White Sox, ending the short era of Mannywood. If Manny had led the Dodgers to the World Series, perhaps he wouldn’t have ended up on this list.

6. Darren Dreifort had one of the greatest sliders of all time and a 95-mph fastball. When he started pitching for the Dodgers in 1994, he was a short reliever, and then in 1999 they moved him to the starting rotation, a move they probably never should have made. As a starter, Dreifort never won more than 13 games a season, and never had an ERA below 4.00. Nevertheless, apparently seeing unhittable sliders in their minds’ eyes, before the 2001 season the Dodgers signed Dreifort to a five-year $55 million free-agent contract.

Then Dreifort started having injury trouble, including two Tommy John elbow surgeries, as well as hip, shoulder and knee trouble. Whew! You’d think the guy had fought in Iraq! During that entire contract, he never won more than four games in any season and didn’t even pitch in two out of five of those seasons. If the Dodgers had kept Dreifort as a reliever, maybe his body would have held up better. Maybe. As for Darren Dreifort’s nickname, Don Drysdale was known as Big D and Don Sutton was Little D. Therefore, forevermore, Darren Dreifort will be nicknamed The Big Dump.

5. Jason Schmidt will almost certainly go down in Dodger history as one of the worst free agent signings of all time, and that list includes lots of stinkers, let me tell you! After the end of the 2006 season, this hard-throwing, right handed, starting pitcher signed a three-year, $47 million dollar contract. During the 2007 season, his record was 1 and 4 with a 6.31 ERA. A dismal return on the Dodgers’ investment, right? Schmidt almost certainly would have done better if his shoulder hadn’t given him trouble. In fact, during the 2008 season, Schmidt didn’t pitch at all!

Two operations later and numerous rehabs in the minors and Jason Schmidt finally made it back to the majors in 2009. He compiled a 2 and 2 record with an ERA of 5.60. As slow as Jason’s fastball was – 85 to 87 mph - he might as well have been throwing with Martha Stewart’s arm! Think about this: Three wins in three years at $47 million dollars! So far, I haven’t found a nickname that equates with the Dodgers’ profound disappointment in this player.

4. Andruw Jones, who could be called Mr. Whiff, because in 2008 he struck out more times then he got base hits or walks, as well as batting an abysmal .158 with 3 homers and 14 RBIs in 209 at-bats. Such a spectacular fiasco has never been seen during the age of free agency. Naturally, the Dodgers expected more after signing Jones to a two-year contract at $36 million, and the “boo birds” at Dodger Stadium serenaded Andruw every chance they got. What the Dodgers received for their money was a slow-afoot, Pillsbury doughboy who couldn’t hit his shoe size. Andruw Jones is yet another baseball player who lost his pop in his early 30s. There have been quite a few of those. Remember Eric Karros and Will Clark? But at least those guys contributed in other ways.

In fairness to Jones, he did have some knee trouble, which probably affected his performance. Anyhow, Dodger fans must wish Mr. Whiff had stung somebody other than the Dodgers for 36 million smackers. Ouch! (The Dodgers released Andruw Jones on January 15, 2009.)

3. After being traded to the Dodgers late in the 1998 season,left-handed starting pitcher Carlos Perez pitched well enough to impress Dodger management, and the following off season the Dodgers signed him to a three-year $24 million contract. Unfortunately, as bad luck or bad baseball juju would have it, by the next season the 29-year-old pitcher had lost at least 5 mph on his fastball. Consequently in 1999, Carlos posted a limp-wristed 2 and 10 record with a 7.47 ERA, the highest ERA that year among starting pitchers in the National League.

The next year, Carlos continued to appall Dodger management and fans, throwing a 5 and 8 record with a 5.56 ERA, giving up 192 hits in 144 innings! In spring training the following season, the Dodgers had seen enough and sent Carlos packing, while taking up the yin-yang the final $8 million on his contract.

2. Milton Bradley is a switch-hitting outfielder with power and the ability to hit for a high batting average, as well as good defensive ability and base-stealing speed – a five-tool player according to some analysts. The Dodgers made a trade for Milton at the beginning of the 2004 season, quite possibly smacking their lips. But they soon learned why the Cleveland Indians had grown tired of him. Milton has a very bad temper and an outspoken nature. (Milton had had an altercation with Cleveland’s manager, prompting his exit). His first year with the Dodgers, Milton put up some decent numbers – 19 home runs and 67 RBIs and a .267 batting average. However, in 2005, because of injuries, Milton’s at-bats dropped precipitously and so did his numbers. But his bad behavior paved the way for his departure. During a ballgame at Dodger Stadium, Milton, while playing right field, got into an altercation with a fan who had thrown a water bottle at him. The game had to be stopped and Milton led from the field while yelling at the fan. Milton was suspended for the final five games of the season.

The following year, fellow player Jeff Kent scolded Milton for making a base running blunder. Then Milton told the press that Kent didn’t relate well with African-American players. Later, Kent told management that either he goes or I go. So at the end of the season the Dodgers kept Kent and traded Milton. Seemingly, when Milton wasn’t injured he was getting into trouble, and one time one situation was the result of the other. During the 2007 season, while playing with the San Diego Padres, Milton seriously injured his knee while . . . arguing with an umpire! So, what’s Milton Bradley’s nickname? Milton Bummer, of course.

1. Darryl Strawberry was the so-called Straw that Stirs (the offense). Eventually the Dodgers would learn the inaccuracy of that nickname. The Dodgers signed Strawberry as a free agent after the 1990 season. The contract: five years at $22 million. At the time, this was a monster deal. Strawberry was regarded as one of the greatest sluggers in baseball, having hit at least 26 home runs per year while playing eight seasons for the New York Mets. Many thought he would surely make it to the Hall of Fame. His first year with L.A., Strawberry hit 28 homers and knocked in 99 runs. Nothing great but certainly acceptable production. Then the next two seasons Strawberry battled a back injury which eventually required surgery. He hit only five home runs each of those two seasons.

Then, during spring training in 1994, Strawberry seemed physically fit and ready to bat clean-up for the Dodgers with a lineup that featured young Dodger sluggers Mike Piazza and Eric Karros. Alas, this never happened because Strawberry suddenly departed. It soon became known that Strawberry was addicted to cocaine. Now the Dodgers knew what he was doing with that darn straw. The Dodgers promptly released him, and in early 1995 Strawberry was suspended from baseball for cocaine use. Like nobody before or since, Darryl Strawberry screwed the Dodgers! (He also screwed the San Francisco Giants, but who cares about them?)

Okay, there’s the list of the Ten WORST Dodger Bums. Of course, there’ll be adjustments to this list in the coming years. If you think anybody else should be here, please let me know.