Dodgers Diaries

Did Sunday’s game feel almost exactly like Saturday’s? Certainly the appearance of Russell Martin in a day game after a night game (why, oh why must he play so often, Joe?) contributed.  So did the anemic Dodger offense, which put up just two runs on five hits. 

  Hiroki Kuroda looked little different than Eric Milton, allowing runs one at a time on singles, before giving up a big extra-base hit to put the Dodgers in a 4-0 hole.  Like Milton, Kuroda then rebounded to retire the next eight batters in a row.  But the offense couldn’t do anything against Garret Olson (who?) and his career 6.40 ERA.

  It’s as if the whole Manny Ramirez thing has reminded the Dodgers to stop hitting.  Remember the whole “you can’t bench Juan Pierre and his .395 average” controversy?  Since June 1, Pierre is hitting .257, and his OBP is .285. 

  Andre Ethier, the guy who some thought should sit instead of Pierre upon Manny’s return, hasn’t been much better.  He’s hitting all of .272 in June, though his OBP of .340 is somewhat more respectable. Orlando Hudson’s numbers have fallen, though they were so much higher than anyone expected; right now, (.303/.371/.438) they’re still higher than his career averages.

  The Dodgers still own baseball’s best record, but they don’t look like the best team in the league right now.  They may be the best in the NL, but after losing two of three to both the Mariners and the White Sox, they would appear to be whipping boys for whichever American League team makes it all the way.

  Then again, the Dodgers have always been lousy at interleague play. Since it began, the Dodgers have compiled a 99-110 record against the junior circuit.  That’s a slightly worse winning percentage than the NL overall.  In 2009, the Dodgers split their 18 interleague games right down the middle, 9-9, for a .500 average.  The NL overall went 114-137 (.454).  So in a glass half-full sense, perhaps they’ve made progress.

  The Dodgers won’t play another American League foe again this year unless they make the World Series.  That’s both a comfort and a motivator. --- John Rosenthal.