The Times reported today that the Dodgers are thinking of pitching Kevin Brown out of the bullpen. I have thought for weeks that this was the logical place for him to go - even before the bullpen became so unreliable. Brown's question right now is not his talent, but his endurance. Even if he can't pitch on back-to-back days, he can be a reliable force in the bullpen and give the others some clearly needed rest.
The proposed alternatives aren't as good. Moving Daal to the bullpen takes away one of the rotation's more consistent starters, and Ishii always has trouble in his first inning of work - it seems like a recipe for disaster to move him to the bullpen, unless in a mop-up role. I'd like to know why Ishii always walks people in the first inning, but no one seems to know.
While I think the Dodgers should be conservative in trades with other organizations, they need to be dynamic within the organization. Be willing to change peoples' roles. Let Brown ease back into the majors; make the best use of his current abilities. Then, if it appears he has the strength, move him into the rotation. By then, perhaps, we'll have a clearer idea of whom Brown would replace as a starter.