Dodgers claim they're still buyers, but is a comeback actually possible?

OK, close your eyes hard and just for a moment imagine the Dodgers coming back. I said close your eyes. Now try harder.

Here's the question the Dodgers have to ask: Can it still happen?

Well, sure. It's happened before. It is exceedingly rare, but it's happened. It could happen now, too.

This would require, of course, that the Dodgers believe it can. That they still have fight left, which they claim to possess.

"I think so," said outfielder Reed Johnson. "You can feel it in the dugout before the game. Guys definitely haven't rolled over."

The Dodgers won Thursday on Johnson's first home run of the season. Probably not the template for a great stretch run.

Still, they have to find ways to win, and different people have to be able to contribute. Yet despite the Ted Lilly shutout, the Dodgers remained 12 games back of the Padres in the National League West.

That is a serious amount of games to overcome when the calendar reads Aug. 20.

"There's still a lot of excitement in this dugout, we just can't strike the match," said manager Joe Torre. "We can’t get anything going at this point."

If they do, there's no guarantee the Padres come back to them or the four teams ahead of them for the wild card will disappear.

For now, though, the Dodgers march on, believing they can still find the magic. Torre said despite the standings, the Dodgers are making no plans to become sellers at the Aug. 31 trading deadline for players who have cleared waivers.

"We're not talking that way now," he said. "We're obviously feeling the squeeze at this point and time, because we're running out of games. But we're not thinking in terms of jumping ship."

Falling further back might yet alter their thinking, but for now the Dodgers can take comfort in the knowledge of some great comebacks in the past:

-- The 1964 St. Louis Cardinals were 11 games back on Aug. 23, and with the Phillies' infamous collapse, went 27-11 down the stretch. They came back to win the pennant and the World Series.

-- In 1969, the Amazin' Mets were 10 games out on Aug. 13, finished 38-11 and went onto win it all.

-- The 1978 Yankees were nine back on Aug. 13, finished 38-11 and captured the World Series.

-- As the Angels could tell you, they were up on the 1995 Mariners by 11½ games on Aug. 24. It was some collapse by the Angels, but the Mariners did finish 25-11 to capture the division.

So, see, it's not impossible. Not completely.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Comments

[Nick]

85 or 90 wins takes you to the playoffs. I don't see these Dodgers playing .600 ball...I just can't.

[Since '58]

Sure, anything is possible. But it's highly improbable. We'd need a replay of '08.
The likelihood of Manny replicating his arrival is not going to happen. Blake is two years older, and looks like it at bat. Ethier, Kemp and Loney have two more years of experience, but it's not showing. Martin isn't playing and was a shell of his former self when he went down. He wasn't throwing out runners, even back then. Where's the bull pen? Not the same as '08. Starting pitching may have improved a bit, but that's about it. We'd also need the the Padres to crash, but everybody has been waiting for that all year.
So yeah, it could happen. I'll keep looking up at the sky to see if I can see any pigs flying by, too.

[nedisfrankspuppet]

The Dodgers are only a .500 ball club and will finish in 4th place in the NL West. The acquisition of Lilly, Theriot and Podsednik has helped and I applaud their contributions as well as the inspired play of Jamie Carroll, Reed Johnson and the starting pitching of late.

But 12 games back! Come on now. It's over and the club will still draw 3.7 million fans by season's end because of all the loyal game day walk-ups. (The season ticket holders have stopped coming to games, if you hadn't already noticed but those empty seats still count.) This team is a joke.

It's time to restock the farm. Sell off pieces of this forgetable team that can bring something, anything in the way of prospects. Get rid of Broxton, Kemp, Kuroda, Lilly, Pods, Ryan the Riot for young talent now. It's too late to get anything of value for Manny, J Mart, Belisario, Sherrill or Furcal.

Keep Bills, Kershaw, Loney, Kuo, Ethier. Build around them for 2011. Try to field a new competitive team by 2012. Hopefully by then we will have a new owner, new GM, and new manager. I'm just sayin'

[bob cuomo]

There also was the amazing New York Giants' 1951 comeback...and we all know what happened after they trailed the Brooklyn Dodgers by 13 1/2 games on Aug. 11. So yes, it certainly is possible. Still, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for these Dodgers to overcome the Padres. I just don't think they're good enough to pull it off.

[Done AsAFanUntilMcCourtCollettiTorreRussellMartinAreGone]

What a waste of an article. Zero chance L.A. can win 80% of the remaining games. Zero. They need to be sellers, but this organization is just too stubborn & short-sighted.

[These Dodgers Suck!!]

* forgetaboutit!!!
(ask Joe to translate)

[These Dodgers Suck!!]

But seriously ,,, in all of the cases you've mentioned Steve, the team (note: singular) that they were chasing - absolutely collapsed!

So yes, if the Dodgers could get the Padres to stop winning 4 out of every five games - then sure, its possible.

(why cant I write these words without laughing?)

[Chumpy Kemp]

Seeing as how Kemp the chump is hitting 1.000 against air recently -- even though he's the guy who should be carrying the team on his back with his talent -- the Dodgers really don't have any shot at all.

Seems that Lilly aside, once you put on Dodger laundry, you turn into pudding.

Having said that, I'm convinced that Kemp is really Andruw Jones with a better physique.

[Dodger Tony]

The key to this article is the supposition that the OTHER teams will participate in a historic Dodger comeback. To have one team falter is one thing, but to have four teams falter is something quite different. The good news is that two of the four are from within the division, in which the Dodgers still play a significant amount of games. It is the Cards and the Phillies that cause give me pause, especially as the Phillies continue to play wonderful baseball and get healthy. The West is lost, it would appear. The Dodgers, however, have shown absolutely no penchant for putting together a run of any significance. However, with Manny back, even a substandard Manny, that could be a major catalyst. It is definitely not too late.

[R.I.P]

Is the divorce judge OK with this?

[Bobby Thomson]

Give me a break.

[N.P.Krohn]

This definitely doesn't appear to be the Dodger's year. But the beauty in baseball is that in a year of improbabilities, impossibilities can happen. It seems so many franchises have had great Sept. comebacks the Dodgers never have. We've stumbled down the stretch and taken first place back in the final weeks but never have we been down so long and stormed down the last 40 to make the playoffs. With the way our team is pitching why not us? Why not this year? We need a right handed bat! I'd be happy if Manny came back as a pinch hitter or played the first 5 inns. Blake really shouldn't be starting against RHP. Looking around the losers in both leagues there are some guys who probably cleared waivers. Wiggington? V.Wells? J. Lopez? C.Lee? C.Ross? How bout the Tiger who can play C,3B,and the Outfield? If I'm grasping at straws it's only cus i need a drink.

[OldBrooklynFan]

No it's not impossible but is it probable? For one thing we need the Padres and the Giants to collapses. and hope Jim Tracy doesn't think it's 2009, again. I wouldn't get my hopes up to high, until the gap closes, that's if it does.
The offense has to start hitting more often, a lot more often with RISP and the bullpen has to get back to where it has been over the last few years. Actually the starting pitching is better than it has been in a while.
But we need some help from the three teams ahead of us.

[labeldude]

Any excuse for Ned to keep adding on worthless PVLs and keeping the ones he's already got.

[theseDawgsCantHunt]

soooooooo sad that the entire organiza-shun suffers from such serious denial......these "dawgs" just can't hunt, it's just that plain & simple......indeed, w/so much of the season still remaining, it says here that they'll finish FAR more games back than their current dozen....

butt what is truly tragic though is that the team's offense/hitting flat-out suX, & hitting-coach, "donnie-beezball," ought 2b held accountable & FIRED!!!

yet, astonishingly, he'll very likley "earn" a promotion & be named "Field-Manager," if senile-old-coot (torre) retires, as looX 2b the case???

what a totally dys-funk-shunal organiza-shun!!!!!!

[Eric]

Is it time for the laker's yet? I mean we can only take so much of this 500 team. Its time to move on to a real team and watch the greatness unfold before our eyes! Playoffs>conference Finals> and ultimately another world championship! Enough of this joke of a team, its underachieving ways have driven all L. A and Dodger fans absolutely nuts. Now I don't even want to talk about the Angels, wow another disaster.