05/13/2007 5:30 PM ET Notes: Maddux gone, not forgotten Betemit gets a Sunday start; Anderson beginning rehab By Jayson Addcox / MLB.com LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers starters are in the midst of one of the best pitching performances by a group that Grady Little has seen since becoming the Dodgers manager last season. Entering Sunday, the Dodgers pitching staff ranked first in the National League in ERA (3.25) and second in the Majors behind the Oakland A's (2.63). "Since I've been the manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, this is the best stretch I've ever had with starting pitching around here," Little said. "In the last 13 games we're averaging about 6 1/2 innings per start -- that's good. When you do that for a stretch this long, it's outstanding." Little attributed some of the success of his pitchers to the lessons they learned from veteran Greg Maddux, who was briefly with the team last season before signing with the Padres in the offseason. Little said Maddux taught a lot of the guys on the staff how to watch a game, how to analyze what opposing batters do and how to do it from the dugout. "A young pitcher can learn a lot from a veteran guy like that. A lot of guys did here, and I'm sure some of the young guys in San Diego will, too," Little said. "Sitting right there on that bench, he taught our pitchers how to sit down and watch a game." One of the players to benefit the most from Maddux and the Dodgers coaching staff, according to Little, is Brad Penny, who is 5-0 with 1.39 ERA this season. Little said Penny is pitching now, not just going out there and throwing. According to Little, Penny was just rearing back last season instead using his entire repertoire. "Last season he was just grunting and moaning on every pitch, trying to throw it 150 miles per hour," Little said. "I think now he realizes he can get as good of results with a lot less effort." Penny said he has changed a little from last season to this season but that the major thing is his curveball, which was ineffective last season. "I didn't have a curveball last year, so I had to depend on the fastball," Penny said. "But as far as I'm concerned this season, I'm more satisfied going deeper into a game than striking everybody out." Betemit back in the lineup: Third baseman Wilson Betemit was back in the starting lineup Sunday afternoon after being benched May 6 in favor of rookie Andy LaRoche. Betemit entered play 10-for-64 (.156) with two homers and nine RBIs in 29 games this season for the Dodgers. His only two homers came as a pinch-hitter against the Braves after he was demoted. Despite his struggles at the plate, Betemit has been exceptional in the field. In 26 games at third base, Betemit had committed only one error, making him one of six third basemen in the Majors with one error or less in 25 or more games. "Wilson is big part of this team," Little said. "He's had some really good plate appearances coming off the bench and he's earned the right to play today." So far this season Betemit, Ramon Martinez, Wilson Valdez, and LaRoche have all started at third base and nobody has emerged as the clear favorite to play, but Betemit doubled and scored in his first at-bat on Sunday. Anderson starts rehabilitation: Outfielder Marlon Anderson was back in the clubhouse Sunday afternoon after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips and scar tissue from his elbow on Friday morning. Anderson said he felt good and could already notice the difference in his elbow, which was still slightly swollen and covered with bandages. "It feels a whole a lot better already," Anderson said. "I'm just glad it's done and I'm ready to start rehabbing. Anderson said he did not expect to have surgery, but after he and head trainer Stan Conte reviewed the MRI results there was no other option. "We just had no idea. I mean the last thing I thought was I needed surgery again," Anderson said. "There was no decision to be made -- after we examined the MRI we had to do it." The timeline for Anderson's return was tentatively set at two months by Conte, but Anderson said he could not even think about that right now. "I just going to come in everyday and work on getting back the range of motion and stay in shape," Anderson said. "I truly, truly believe I'll back this season." Coming up: The St. Louis Cardinals come to town for a three-game series with Brett Tomko (1-3, 4.33 ERA) on the mound for the Dodgers and Brad Thompson (1-0, 4.03 ERA) for the Cardinals in Monday's opener at at 7:10 p.m. PT. --

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