Last season the NL West Champion Dodgers relied heavily on their bullpen to give them relief, but after leading the NL in runs allowed in 2009, the Dodger bullpen just can’t seem to put it together this year. What gives?

In seven games the pen has allowed 15 earned runs in just 17 and 1/3 innings (a whopping ERA of 7.79), which is a big part of the reason why the Dodgers are just 3-4. The bullpen collapsed twice on the road against the Florida Marlins last weekend losing both those games in the late innings, and they were flirting with collapse again this afternoon before winning the home opener.

The answer isn’t as easy as one might think. In 2009 the same crew finished second in the major leagues in wins (37), first in bullpen ERA (3.14), WHIP (1.26), opponent batting average (.230) and opponent OPS (.656). For a team who’s starting pitchers averaged just 5.7 innings (worst among playoff teams), the bullpen was absolutely the most important part of the Dodgers’ success.

Only this year, they aren’t succeeding.

Even in today’s 9-5 win over Arizona the bullpen still allowed three runs. When they were up 9-2 and about to wrap it up early, Ramon Ortiz came into the game in the seventh. After retiring the first two batters he faced, things quickly turned ugly when Mark Reynolds hit a two-run home-run over the left field fence. That wasn’t the end of it. Then second baseman Kelly Johnson pulled the game within grand-slam-distance when he hit an RBI single to center.

Jeff Weaver and Ramon Troncoso looked OK, but at no point did either one of them look like they were in complete control. Weaver allowed one run when he came into a sixth-inning jam to relieve starter Clayton Kershaw, and set-up man Troncoso struggled with his control early on, consistently falling behind batters before eventually securing the eighth.

And it doesn’t end there. George Sherill has been the very definition of the bullpen’s misadventures this season retiring only one of the five batters he’s faced and sporting a mind-boggling ERA of 22.50. Neither Ortiz has an ERA of under 5.00 either, and not mention last year’s standout Ronald Belisario who currently isn’t on the roster because he ran into a little trouble getting a visa in the off-season.

If things keep going this way the Dodgers might want to consider bringing in Jose Canseco as their new set-up man.

It’s not all bad, though. Jonathan Broxton continues to be solid out of the Dodger pen, which is something you really need from your closer. Brox has yet to allow a run and has given up only one hit in three appearances including today’s one-two-three ninth against the Diamondbacks. Sweet relief!

I’ll be the first to admit: being a Dodger reliever isn’t the easiest job in the world (even if you do have a visa). Dodger starters seem to have a tough time lasting more than five innings, which means they’re going to get a lot of work. For instance, Jeff Weaver has been called on in every game this season except for one.

But when you are called on out of the pen, we do expect to get some relief. After all, that’s why you get paid the big bucks. If not, it’s going to be a long season. And I really don’t want to see Jose Canseco’s noodle arm anytime soon.

The Dodgers bullpen collapsed again this weekend as L.A. dropped another three-game series to the Florida Marlins falling to 2-4.

Traditionally, the Dodgers have owned the Marlins on the road, but this weekend Jorge Cantu torched our bullpen and sparked a Marlin comeback in back-to-back games to take the series.

After hitting the game-winning sacrifice fly Saturday night, Cantu hit a three-run homer in the fourth yesterday to pull the Marlins within a run, and then he added a two-run go-ahead double in the seventh to help Florida pull away. When the weekend was over, Cantu racked up seven RBI in the series and again the Dodgers bullpen (that was so stellar last year) folded.

Saturday night’s game winning sacrifice fly came off Dodger reliever George Sherill whose late-inning struggles have become perplexing–perhaps more perplexing than Torre’s decision to go with Sherill in the first place. Meanwhile, closer Jonathan Broxton watched in the bullpen as Sherill gave up three runs in the ninth Saturday (two of them earned) and lost the ballgame.

For a reliever that was so good down the stretch last season, Sherill was equally as bad in the playoffs and his struggles have continued into spring training and the regular season. So far Sherill has retired only one of the five batters he’s faced with an E.R.A of 22.50. Ouch.

Jonathan Broxton has only allowed one hit in one-and-two-thirds innings of work. He also has three strikeouts. Note to Torre: stick with what works.

Dodger slugger Andre Ethier missed most of the series with a sore left ankle, but he managed to come off the bench and hit a two-run pinch-hit single in the eighth Saturday night. However, Ethier ended a potential Dodger comeback in Sunday’s contest when he grounded out with runners at the corners. Kemp and Loney also also couldn’t come through in the ninth after L.A. led off the inning with a walk and a single.  All in all, the Dodgers ended the game with 16 men left on base.

For the most part,  Charlie Haeger was very impressive Sunday in his first start of the season throwing a career-high 12 strikeouts. Catcher A.J. Ellis (who was just called up Sunday) did have a tough time catching the knuckleballer allowing three-wild pitches, two of them coming on third strikes allowing runners to reach base.  Ellis was brought up after an injury to placed veteran catcher Brad Ausms on the DL.

The Dodgers hope to rebound with their home-opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks late Tuesday afternoon which will kick off the first of six straight games at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw has the task of slowing down one of the hottest teams in baseball right now (Arizona almost broke a MLB record with 13 runs in the fourth inning yesterday), and also avoiding L.A.’s first 2-5 start since 1998.

The Dodgers should feel more comfortable at home. They are 98-64 at Chavez Ravine since the beginning of the 2008 season. The Chicago Cubs are the only NL team with more home victories over that time span.