Penny for your Thoughts

Brad Penny is a bad man.

Highlights of watching Monday's win against Arizona included: watching him hit 101 mph on his way to eight 4-hit innings, watching him scowl ferociously at Micah Owings for hitting him in the elbow, watching him hit a double to trigger a four-run inning, and, most importantly, watching him maintain his composure after a call didn't go his way in the first.

The thing is, enthusiasm for his dominance this season would be tempered by knowledge of what happened last year (similar first half dominance followed by 6.25 second half ERA and removal from playoff rotation), if it weren't for what happened last year.

You see, it is so obvious that Penny has learned from his issues last season (both emotional and physical), that he gives observers no choice but to trust his ability to overcome adversity. When Stephen Drew walked in the bottom of the first on what probably should have been strike three and the second out, Penny gave brief indication that he disagreed with the call by beginning his turn towards first as he always does after strikeouts. Orlando Hudson followed with a single to right, and a smilar situation with two on and one out after a questionable call last season might have led to trouble for Penny and the Dodgers.

But not this year. He got Chad Tracy to ground into a double play, thanks to an awesome turn from Jeff Kent and Rafael Furcal, showed his appreciation with a pumped up reaction, and rolled to his 10th win from there.

Luis Gonzalez, who is also making me feel stupid for doubting him his whole career, compared Penny to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, and for good reason. A lot of his numbers will be comparable if he plays long enough, including playoff success, and he has clearly shown the ability to lift his teammates with his mere presence on the mound.