Dodgers still waiting for their offense to awaken after 7-2 loss to Padres
Brother, can you spare some offense? Just a tiny little speck of offense?
Even the most optimistic of Dodgers fans did not expect the team to be an offensive force this season. Neither did the most negative expect them to rely heavily on opposing defenses going all Keystone Kops on them in order to generate any run production.
Alas, nine games in and the Dodgers' offense has mostly played as though it still was in Arizona, trotting out for another meaningless spring game.
Their offensive struggles continued Sunday against the Padres and right-hander Aaron Harang, who last year on a good Reds team was 6-7 with a 5.32 earned-run average.
Harang held the Dodgers to three hits in his six-plus innings. The Dodgers mustered one more hit the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, the offensively inept Padres hit three home runs on the way to an easy 7-2 victory. The Padres had hit a total of three home runs in their first seven games.
This offensive deluge by the Padres came against a so-so John Ely, a very human-looking Kenley Jansen and a his-days-could-be-numbered Lance Cormier.
The Dodgers were fortunate not to be shut out. They scored a run in the first inning on a little come-backer to side of the mound and once in the seventh on a throwing error by Harang.
Too many Dodgers are simply off to slow starts: Juan Uribe is batting .111, James Loney .143, Rafael Furcal .208, Rod Barajas .222, Aaron Miles .143 and Marcus Thames .182.
Loney bouncing into a game-ending double play Sunday was symbolic.
Ely filled in for injured Jon Garland, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up four runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out five and then probably packed his bags to be sent back to triple-A Albuquerque. Garland made a rehab start for the Inland Empire 66ers on Sunday, giving up three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Fear not, optimists. The Dodgers now head to San Francisco, where the Giants' offensive catalyst -- Aubrey Huff -- is still trying to master right field.
-- Steve Dilbeck
Photo: Dodgers starting pitcher John Ely is tagged out at third base by San Diego's Jorge Cantu during a steal attempt in the fifth inning Sunday at Petco Park. Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel / US Presswire
It is the fans who need awakening. This team is BORING.
Stay at home with Vin. Say a prayer for Bryan Stow and his family.
Posted by: skyharbor | 04/10/2011 at 05:09 PM
The individual hitting numbers of Mssrs. Loney, Uribe, Furcal, Barajas and Thames (not to be confused with the British tributary of the same name) will no doubt increase, if only enough to make Mendoza envious. The real issues are the fact that the team is hitting its normal .150 with RISP (good to know some things haven't changed), their starters have given up 11 homeruns, and their OPB must be somewhere near middle earth. All that being said, this is an interesting team, though, and they play a style of baseball that I frankly enjoy (and don't call me Frankly). Matt Kemp wreaking June Havoc on the base paths, Tony Gwynn Jr. holding down the fort in left field while adding to the "let's manufacture runs" philosophy of these group of hitless wonders. The pitching, when they are in the games, has been solid, they remain competitive except in the Lilly SF pollaxing, Bills in Colorado and today's Elymania, which was on course until the guy came apart after being deeked by Headly behind the plate (you could also say the same thing about Lilly last week after the balk call at first). OVERALL, at 5-4, you know....I mean...they easily could be 1 and 8, right? Muted expectations lead to serenity. Plus, they seem to be focused exclusively on baseball, not on peripherals. That is always a good thing in rebuilding. If we take two of three in SF, beyond my wildest dreams.
Posted by: Dodger Tony | 04/10/2011 at 05:41 PM
This is generally what happens the 6th year of having an incompetent boob as your GM.
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Then of course there's Donnie "I'm Not Worried About The Hitting" Mattingly. As I recall, he said the same thing the second half of last year too. In retrospect, last year's second half team was a juggernaut compared to this mess.
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I guarantee the staff will end up losing a majority of the time it only gives up 3-4 runs in a game.
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Hey Neddy, here's a tip from your Uncle Labeldude - be a seller at the trade deadline, not a buyer. Cut your loses with these PVLs and get at least some talent back into the farm and start over. I surmize though that Neddy will trade Sands and Lee so he can get Dotel back to shore up the bully when Brox implodes.
Posted by: Labeldude | 04/10/2011 at 05:45 PM
Does anyone else NOT look forward to more of "16Blows" (aka "1900") commentary? We should start charging this freelance hotpot internet space, because it clogs up fine LATimes writing with all the garbage he puts at the bottom.
Please go away, 16 aka 1900.
Honestly.
You have nothing special to say, but consider yourself clever - but your crude (may I add inappropriate?) name decidely speaks otherwise.
Posted by: DodgerFanIn415 | 04/10/2011 at 05:54 PM
People besides Colletti/Mattingly are surprised that this team blows? Seriously?
Newsflash: THIS TEAM SUCKS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
Posted by: FormerLifelongDodgerFan | 04/10/2011 at 06:14 PM
Mattingley needs to go back to New York. McCourt needs to go back to Boston. Ely needs to go back to the minors. As long as these fools are at Dodger stadium you can bank on empty seats.
Posted by: Steve Wimer | 04/10/2011 at 06:18 PM
I'd say Ely did his job and it wasn't bad. If he pitched like that for the Yankees he probably would've won. But you just have to pitch better with this lack of support from the Dodger offense.
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 04/10/2011 at 06:23 PM
dudgers may - emphasis 'MAY' - have won one, or (if we're being generous) two games in 2011 where said wasn't handed to them on an silver platt'E'r - 1-8 or 2-7 the literal summit their own level Peter Principle incompetence.
It would be swell if was attributable the 'daring do' base-paths part & parcel addition expertise Davey Lopes.
It would be nice.
It would not be apropos.
Watching kemp in 2011, he has been left out to dry several times already this season - only reason he survived the rabbit's foot in his pocket & the largesse courtesy the opposition, moreso any new found baseball 'awareness' his.
We might give a nod toward his 15 lbs. lightness of being as in less a man than he was last season. Like him, the speedy newcomer gwynn like kemp is as yet perfect bag to bag. Alas, be the rest the punchless lineup that also lags behind station to station.
Beyond kemp & gwynn (the latter a platoon player), dudgers have succeeded just 50% of the time, otherwise. True, there is more to being aggressive than just stolen bases and yeah it's still early, but that works both ways.
Last year through nine games, the dudgers were at 82% on 9 of 11 attempts: furcal had already stolen 4 of 5, loney had already stolen 3 bases in as many attempts & kemp was 2 of 3. This year they're at 11 of 13 or 85% but gywnn has 3 of those & kemp 6 while the rest of the team is just 2 of 4.
Success is success? Maybe. That said, through nine games this years team is 5-4 compared to last season's 4-5, this with better starting pitching, a deeper bullpen and more speed to (hopefully) offset less hitting.
They've scored less than half as many runs 2011 to 2010, have committed about half as many errors & have allowed 14 fewer runs to score. Success = a one game improvement; keep up that pace & challenge in the NL West if you're luck holds.
Of note, the opposition committed 15 errors in nine games 2010... in 2011 opponents have committed 9 - which just goes to show that range is under-appreciated. To wit, subtract the defensive wizardry of 'Aubrey the Giant' (who has 0 errors in 2011 'officially') and those 'half as many' dudger runs 2011 as 2010 is closer to a three quarters less.
The prosecution rests its case against the dudgers... opposition defense does too.
Posted by: 16blows | 04/10/2011 at 06:38 PM
We note 'his' first 414 prototypes were 'also' unsuccessful...
: )
Posted by: 16blows | 04/10/2011 at 06:40 PM
Does anyone really care about this joke that McCrap has assembled? Paying hard earned $$$ to him so he can buy more mansions, keep his sons on the payroll, evade taxes, pay his lawyers, pay his psychic, raid charities, and not put any real $$$ into putting together a true major league team in the second biggest market in the country that leads MLB in attendance yet is last in stadium security. What do you expect from a creep like McCourt--you get what you deserve--a team that will compete with Pittsburgh and lead the league in comatose customers.
Posted by: KoufaxFan | 04/10/2011 at 06:46 PM
Remember the No Head Ned trade: it was Juan Pierre for Ely & John Link (where the heck is he now?). Ely is crap as in Frank McCrap.
Posted by: KoufaxFan | 04/10/2011 at 06:52 PM
I care and I'm fuming at the mess. And I will for the next 153 games. Dadburnit this horrible front office.
The team is more than boring. Its bad. Real bad.
And Kemp is playing a lot of prospects our way right now. Can't wait to deal him July 31 and see what's under our Christmas tree. Hey flanders, its coming, OK? Try not to mess this one up.
Point on Ely winning with a team that really has an offense might just be exactly right. Crazy thing is, Harang had one last year and couldn't win - amazing how the 2011 Dodgers can cure the ills of others. Bet LaRussa won't have to hear it from his beat guys this coming weekend - Dodgers will be pitching back end of rotation, stadium should be half empty for all 9 innings and not just first two and last two. Just what his team needs.
Maybe I'll be wrong - sure hope so. Maybe all the guys hitting in the .100s will break out big-time. Maybe.
But all evidence is to the contrary. (sigh)
Posted by: alanw19 | 04/10/2011 at 07:16 PM
YEAH! what the Former Lifelong Dodger Fan said .... !
Posted by: These Dodgers Suck! | 04/10/2011 at 09:26 PM
Loney is loony!!!!
call Sands up from the 'Topes -- YESTERDAY!!!!
Posted by: OneRhymesWithDone&IsLoneyestNumber | 04/10/2011 at 09:34 PM
Everyone realizes that if MLB approves the Fox TV deal, and it's hard to see how they can not approve it unless they are planning to 86 McCourtCo and want the team free and clear of any TV deals for the next owner. If free and clear the team might be worth more to the next owner to get an even sweeter deal for the TV rights from Fox.
But if the deal is approve then mid-season McCourtCo can go out and buy anyone he wants to give the team the bat they need. It also fits the team business plan in only paying the guy to the push to the finish in a division where nobody save the Rockies look like a real MLB team.
Add Pujols to the Kemp mix and the team looks completely different. Kemp-Pujols -Ethier is kinda scary if Ethier ever starts to hit again.
Of course this is all dreaming on my part and will never happen. Looks like I've seen the last WS winner from the Dodgers in my lifetime, bummer.
Posted by: grumpy3b | 04/10/2011 at 11:19 PM
This team is not only bad, but it is boring! I'm losing all interest, and I've been a fan through thick and thin going back to the Koufax and Drysdale years. The McCourts have ruined the Dodgers and if he gets the money from Fox, he'll only buy more houses for himself, he won't put the money into the team, why should he? He still makes a profit as long as stupid fans keep going to the stadium to watch this mess. I say McCourt has ruined the Dodgers, so let us fans ruin him, don't go, stay home and if you have to watch, there's always Vinny, the last jewel left over from the real Dodgers.
Posted by: McCourt blows | 04/11/2011 at 06:38 AM
I am not surprised by any of the performances up to now. The only exception I would make is that we'd have one or two homeruns which would make it, what, 4 or 5?
We can only hope that it will get better, but it won't. Loney will finally fizzle out and be dealt for bupkis, leaving only Ethier and Kemp as our only bargaining chips.
Pull up a chair and spend some time with this excuse for a ball club. If the Fox deal goes through, does anybody REALLY think Frankie Boy will spend money on players and rehabbing a worn out unfixable stadium ? I thought so.
Posted by: Since '58 | 04/11/2011 at 04:04 PM