In reference to 20-year-old prospect Edwin Jackson's winning debut Tuesday, the Times says in the headline of Ross Newhan's column today, "So That's Why Evans Didn't Give Away Farm."

But even in this column, Dodger general manager Dan Evans can't escape criticism from Newhan:

[Player development is] a job too long sacrificed by the Dodgers, who at some point had to pause, step back and give their system time to revive.

There are those, of course, who will maintain that the club's 2003 financial investment demanded that some of that future be sacrificed to obtain a hitter.

Considering the way Edwin Jackson pitched in his debut, however, maybe the criticism is backward.

Maybe the beleaguered Evans should be asked: Why wasn't he up sooner?

You know, I never, never would have expected to find myself in the position of chief defender of Dodger management, but there is a "They can do no right" attitude permeating the Times that needs to be, at a minimum, mitigated.

To decry the rash behavior of the Dodger management of the past, then insist that the team should have done something immediately - no holds or payroll limits barred - to save this season, future be damned, does not stand as rational reasoning.