WHAT???????????? GET THE %$&# OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aaaaaaaaand Jason Schmidt's back on the 60-day DL:

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090616&content_id=5358902&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la

As Schmidt's contract ends after this season, this probably signals the end of his Dodger career. For those who aren't aware of the gory details, here's a timeline of relevant Dodgers/Schmidt events from the last few years:


July 31, 2006: In the middle of a pennant race, the Dodgers trade for Greg Maddux to bolster their starting rotation. Maddux turns back the clock to 1995 (6-3, 3.30 ERA) and helps them reach the playoffs.

November 9, 2006: Agent Scott Boras goes behind Dodger GM Ned Colletti's back and gets J.D. Drew to exercise his player option and opt out of his contract. Colletti throws a hissy fit and declares that he'll never deal with Boras clients again--Maddux included.

December 6, 2006: With Maddux no longer an option, Colletti gives Jason Schmidt a three-year contract for $47 million. (Schmidt, at the time: 33 years old. Long history of injuries. Very hated player in Los Angeles as he'd owned the Dodgers during his six years as a Giant. Forty-seven million. Yeah, this one never really had a chance at turning out well.)

April 4, 2007: Jason Schmidt makes his first start as a Dodger, going five innings while giving up one run as Los Angeles beats Milwaukee. Schmidt gets credited with the victory: his first and last as a Dodger.

April 18, 2007: After two straight shaky starts, an MRI reveals that Schmidt has an inflamed bursa sac and he hits the DL...not for the last time as a Dodger.

June 5, 2007: Schmidt comes off the DL and delivers his best start in a Dodger uni, pitching six innings and giving up only one hit. He gets a no-decision in LA's 1-0 loss to San Diego. Despite the loss, Grady Little says after the game in reference to Schmidt's start: "'If there is such a thing as a moral victory, it's what happened tonight for the Los Angeles Dodgers. We'll reap the benefits of that all year long.'"

June 16, 2007: Schmidt gets rocked for the second straight start, surrendering three runs in four-plus innings innings to the Angels. The Dodgers later note that Schmidt's fastball velocity is down significantly from early April.

June 18, 2007: Schmidt hits the DL for the second time.

June 21, 2007: Schmidt undergoes right shoulder surgery and is shelved for the season. At this point in his Dodger career, he has made six starts and is 1-4 with a 6.31 ERA.

October 1, 2007: The Dodgers finish the season 82-80, eight games out of first place. Thanks to Schmidt's injury and the resulting gaping hole it left in the starting rotation, the Dodgers had been forced to acquire David Wells and Esteban Loaiza in August, both of whom did more to hurt the team than help it. Those three pitchers combined to go 6-9 with a 6.31 ERA for the Dodgers in 2007...as Greg Maddux went 14-11, 4.22 in 34 completely healthy starts for the Dodgers' division rival, the San Diego Padres.

March 30, 2008: The day before the 2008 season starts, Jason Schmidt is one of four Dodgers placed on the DL, as his right shoulder still has not healed following surgery.

May 11, 2008: Schmidt appears in an actual game for the first time since June 2007, pitching one scoreless inning for Single-A Great Lakes. He keeps pitching in the minors for the next few months, having to be shut down for extended stretches several times due to fatigue.

September 28, 2008: The Dodgers' regular season ends with Schmidt failing to reach the majors. His final minor league line for 2008: 0-1, 5.55 ERA in 9 starts, with his fastball velocity dropping to the low 80s. At this point, he has gone a year and a half without pitching in the majors, yet has made something like $24 million in that time span.

December 10, 2008: The LA Times reports that Ned Colletti and Frank McCourt knew that Jason Schmidt had shoulder problems when they originally signed him to the $47-million contract. Read that sentence again.

February 14, 2009: On the first day of spring training, Schmidt declares that he's ready to go out and grab the Dodgers' open fifth starter job, saying about his arm, "'Now, it feels better than it did. There are still a lot of unknowns. But it's definitely night and day from last year.'"

March 16, 2009: Joe Torre declares Schmidt to be out of the running for the #5 starter job, citing decreased velocity and stamina as the reasons why.

April 5, 2009: On the eve of the 2009 season, Schmidt is again placed on the DL.

May 12, 2009: After a month of "extended spring training," Schmidt makes his 2009 season debut...at Class A ball, throwing five innings and striking out six while giving up one run. After his successful start, Joe Torre says, "'He's continuing to build momentum.'"

May 26, 2009: The Dodgers halt Schmidt's rehab assignment because of right shoulder irritation.

June 17, 2009: The Dodgers transfer Schmidt to the 60-day DL, effectively ending his season and his Dodger career.


So, to recap, here are some relevant stats related to Schmidt and his Dodger tenure:
- 47 million dollars earned/stolen
- 6.31 ERA
- 1 win
- 6 starts made, none after June 16, 2007
- 4 DL stints
- 3 minor league rehab assignments halted because of decreased stamina and velocity
- 10 million Dodger fans who have developed ulcers and other stress-related illnesses because of this saga
- 1 very clear reason why Ned Colletti is a ginormous dumbass