The National League West refuses to let the Dodgers go
To the downtrodden, to those devoid of optimism, to all those who have witnessed the 2011 Dodgers and decided they’ll check back next season, hope is offered: a totally mediocre National League West.
That’s right, despite ownership chaos and injured players and an inept offense, the Dodgers entered Saturday night just six games out of first and with two-thirds of the season left.
The division refuses to let them go.
"Considering how we’ve hit and how hurt we’ve been, to be six out -- that’s a gift," said general manager Ned Colletti.
If the Dodgers were in the N.L. East, they’d be 9 ½ back of the Phillies and battling the mighty Washington Nationals for last place.
But they are in the West, where the division-leading Giants just lost star catcher Buster Posey possibly for the season, and the Rockies have lost left-hander Jorge De La Rosa for the year.
"To be where we’re at, as banged up as we’ve been, I think we’re fortunate to be where we are," Colletti said. "Sometimes you take the good fortune that you have and turn it into something even better. I still have a ton of confidence in where we’re at."
His confidence is based on how well the starting pitching has performed (3.69 earned-run average) and how many Dodgers have spent time on the disabled list. Slowly, the injured are returning. Slowly, their thinking goes, they will work themselves back into the division race.
Either that, or stay where they are and let the division fall back to them.
"It’s a matter of us just getting hot," said Manager Don Mattingly. "Getting a streak and putting something together. If you look at us and we put any kind of normal offense up, we’re winning two out of three. It’s the way we’ve pitched.
"If this lineup was pretty much together the whole year, and we put any semblance of four runs a day, or close to it, we could be winning every series. I mean, our pitching has been tremendous."
And if Frank McCourt hadn't made a financial mess of the Dodgers, Major League Baseball didn’t suddenly have an office down the hall.
Mattingly actually takes hope from how the Giants won the division last season. The Giants were 40-39 on July 2, and then finished 52-31. Mattingly still views the Giants as the division favorite.
"They have the same club they had last year," Mattingly said. "They struggled to put runs up last year. They were just like us early in the year last year. They’d get one run, one run. Then all of a sudden they caught a little streak. With that pitching, they caught a little offense, and it’s difficult.
"They’re world champions. They got the pitching. They’re still together, and they seem to find a way. So I think they’re the club you have to look at."
In the N.L. West, hope springs eternal.
"If we get healthy, we got a shot," Colletti said.
ALSO:
Confirmed: Frank McCourt meets May 31 payroll
Navarro's pinch-hit single in ninth gives Dodgers 3-2 victory
-- Steve Dilbeck
Photo: Dioner Navarro is hugged by Matt Kemp after driving in the winning run in the ninth inning against the Florida Marlins at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire
The Dodgers Winning the Weak West? Wishful thinking, folks. The Giants losing Buster Posey, probably for the season, has theoretically "leveled the playing field" somewhat, but only so that the Snakes and Rox can catch up and give them some trouble. The Dodgers aren't good enough to make any serious run at it.
Of course as usual I'll be thrilled to be wrong.
Posted by: K | 05/28/2011 at 08:35 PM
The NL least...These guys are drinking some funky kool aid. The next 19 games are against teams with winning records, the future doesnt quite look as good as Neddie and Donnie baseball see it thru their rose tinted glasses.
Posted by: too funny | 05/28/2011 at 10:15 PM
Delusions of grandeur in la la land. This team is bad and just because they play in a horrible division does not mean they have a chance to get back in the race. The Dodgers have way to many problems from top to bottom starting with the deadbeat owner. Hopefully MLB will be able to interfere and get this once proud franchise back on track but as far as this year goes I think we can honestly say it's gonna be a lost cause.
Posted by: Nor Cal True Blue | 05/28/2011 at 10:57 PM
If the pitching has been that good, then they have several more wins that the bullpen blew. These two will say anything to get a couple butts in the seats, be them human or canine. If anyone expects Furcal, Blake and Uribe to do anything, you're in for a huge disappointment.
.
This is exactly what I fear though, being close enough at the trade deadline to where Ned trades away what's left of the farm for more mediocre washed up crap ready to lead us to 4th place.
Posted by: Labeldude | 05/29/2011 at 07:04 AM
There's one problem here. The Dodgers are a terrible team. Their pitching is inconsistent and their hitting is nonexistent. It's really a shame McCourt made payroll, because if every player's salary was $1, they'd be overpaid.
Posted by: Chumpy Kemp | 05/29/2011 at 08:21 AM
Whatever drugs Ned's taking, I want some.
Posted by: Dodger BooHoo | 05/29/2011 at 09:57 AM
The most interesting thing about this team is whether they can make payroll or not. That and when will MLB take the team away from scum McCourt and sell it to someone that can actually afford to run it.
Posted by: McCourt blows | 05/29/2011 at 12:56 PM
And lookit Arizona now in 1st, which last year tied the Dodgers for 4th, and look who's in 4th, as predicted by many. Tho no one predicted equally crappy Arizona for any success. The D-Backs apparently have a really good rookie manager, another former DODGER, a teammate of MIKE SCIOSCIA, who knows how to set a spark underneath his team. No further comment necessary.
While the Dodgers are waiting for the NL West to come down to them, and gift them a playoff spot, the talk of a loser, Arizona disagrees.
"Considering how we’ve hit and how hurt we’ve been, to be six out -- that’s a gift," said general manager Ned Colletti, not adding, "and if we had an owner who didn't blow, a GM who knew what he was doing, and a manager named Kirk Gibson, WE might be in 1st!"
Posted by: Native Angeleno | 05/29/2011 at 04:07 PM
This is your chance DODGERS - you need to take control of your destiny.
Posted by: E.W. | 05/30/2011 at 04:53 PM