Something surprisingly positive about Dodgers -- Tony Gwynn Jr.

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And now amid the Dodgers’ losing streak, their getting knocked out of the race with more than two months left in the season and Wednesday’s looming courtroom drama, we bring you a bit of unexpected good news:

Tony Gwynn Jr.

Did you see this coming? OK, I did not. Not after his batting average dipped below .200 by the end of May. Particularly following his .204 mark last season.

Yep, I was ready to give up on the Gwynn experiment. Ready to even call Jay Gibbons back up or give Trayvon Robinson a whirl.

Only, since June 25, Gwynn has been one of the Dodgers’ best hitters. Now maybe you think that’s not saying much since most of the team, as Tommy Lasorda famously said about Kurt Bevacqua, couldn’t hit water if it fell out of a boat.

But since June 25, Gwynn has hit .355, raising his average from .215 to .262. All while playing some outstanding defense. And adding speed to the bases.

With a sinking team that’s 14½ games out, maybe it’s a small thing, but it’s a positive thing in a Dodgers’ season in which that’s in short supply.

-- Steve Dilbeck