Cue the avatars, the Dodgers are playing the field

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

And the adventure continues.

No, not on Pandora. We don’t need 3-D glasses to bring this picture into a more dazzling focus.

It’s the Dodgers on the field and on the mound. Whoa, what could possibly happen next? Come on, now, they do keep it exciting.

Matt Kemp may be the best offensive show in baseball at the moment, but in center field he’s currently a shipwreck. I’ve seen Little Leaguers roam center with more confidence.

Blake DeWitt may be a mini-adventure at second, but he continues to get a pass as he learns a new position. For now, anyway.

But it’s not just the errors the Dodgers continue to make -- though 17 errors in 15 games is becoming a growing concern -- it’s the plays they don’t make that are killing them.

The seventh inning Thursday was its own private circus. They should have put a big top over the Great American Ball Park. Dusty Baker could be ringmaster, since he can tell umpires what to do.

First, DeWitt makes one of his best defensive plays of the season, barehanding a Chris Dickerson bunt and throwing him out on the run.

But then with runners on first and second, Brandon Phillips lines out to DeWitt, who had a chance at an inning-ending double play.

But his throw was wide and pulled James Loney, who was a tad late covering, away from the bag. The yips were about to become contagious.

Scott Rolen followed with a drive to deep left-center. Left fielder Reed Johnson appeared to have a bead on it, but was called off by Kemp. Because they’ve already run into each other once this season, Johnson wisely backed off.

But for some reason Kemp slowed down as he approached the warning track. Then tried to leap to pull in what should have been a catchable ball. Somehow, awkwardly, he missed it. If he doesn’t slow down, he doesn’t have to leap.

They can’t take Gold Gloves back, can they?

This was hardly the first time Kemp has looked unsteady defensively this season. He has been so electric offensively, his mysterious defense hasn’t received scant attention.

Vicente Padilla, who did pitch better, joined the fielding problems. He was credited with one error on an errant throw and maybe should have had a second for that odd, back-handed attempt at a Loney toss in the first, which led to the Reds’ first run.

Then there was the bullpen. So much for Hong-Chih Kuo and Ronald Belisario making this immediate impact. Or for George Sherrill having turned things around.

After Garret Anderson’s pinch-hit, two-run homer in the top of the seventh had given the Dodgers a 5-4 lead, Kuo made his first appearance of the season in the bottom of the inning.

Let’s just say he wasn’t sharp. He got one out, gave up a walk and a hit, and after 12 pitches was gone. Both runners scored.

Belisario, pitching for the second consecutive day after being activated Wednesday, gave up two runs on three hits and two walks, though he could have escaped unscathed if either DeWitt or Kemp make plays.

Sherrill continued his curious case, taking over in the eighth, and after getting one out, allowing a walk and a single. Manager Joe Torre, perhaps running out of patience, lifted him for Ramon Troncoso, working his 10th game.

It made for an unsightly 8-5 loss, the Dodgers again unable to climb over the .500 mark. Another game they could have won, but then that wouldn’t nearly be so adventurous.

__ Steve Dilbeck