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Kershaw CXC: Kershawll the Right Moves
Chone Figgins, 2B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, LF
Scott Van Slyke, CF
Jamie Romak, RF
Miguel Rojas, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Clayton Kershaw, P
By Jon Weisman
And there it is: 9 1/2 games.
In two contests decided by the final swing Saturday, the Dodgers lost and the Giants won, pushing the Dodger 9 1/2 games back in the National League West and matching their largest deficit in the 2013 season.
In addition to this moment coming two weeks earlier this year than last, there are two key differences. One is that unlike the 2013 Diamondbacks, who were seven games over .500 at the time, the Giants are roaring: 20 games over .500, 30-11 (.731) in their past 41 games.
The other is that unlike the 2013 Dodgers, who were 12 1/2 games behind in the wild-card race when they hit rock bottom, this year’s team is only a half-game behind Washington and Miami.
There is a growing similarity between this year’s and last year’s Dodgers, however, and that’s injuries. While the hip problems that developed Saturday for Dee Gordon and Yasiel Puig might not be serious, it’s becoming harder to find Dodgers who have escaped the trainer’s room. Already, pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brian Wilson have missed significant time. So have outfielder Carl Crawford, third baseman Juan Uribe and catcher A.J. Ellis, not to mention second baseman Alex Guerrero, who you expect would be with the Dodgers by now if he weren’t still recovering from his ear bite.
Saturday could have been a rousing day for Los Angeles: a four-run, seventh-inning comeback, capped by Tim Federowicz’s three-run home run, combined with a Giants loss. Instead, the Dodgers are as far back as they’ve been in 50 weeks, and try to fight back today with only five regular starters in the nine positions of today’s lineup.
Michael Green
One of my great pleasures in life is reading Jon, and then waiting for somebody on another site to say that the manager should be fired because players are injured.
berkowit28
Who’s the 5th regular? Butera? He’s just in for the injured AJ Ellis, though that’s almost feeling regular by now. Just four regulars, including one who’s moved from his previous regular position and another who’s hitting 0 for ∞ and should be resting except there’s no one to replace him since Van Slyke is already replacing someon else.
myplane150
I have actually reached a point in this frustrating season that will help me to sleep better after the inevitable poor offense/lost chances and games that I am now sure will continue to occur, whew (run on sentence in spades)!!! The 2014 Dodgers are a 240 million $ bust. I no longer feel and confidence that this team can win. Now it is only a matter of how far back we can get from the guys in orange. They are the team we were supposed to be. I no longer have faith that any of the players can come through in the clutch. Even AGon is a disappointment up to this point. If they are able to break off a momentous streak ala last year, then I will gladly eat my words. But, this is the most underachieving, whiny, overpaid team I have ever seen and I am actually embarrassed to be seen at the moment wearing my Dodger gear in public as, I unfortunately live in said orange team country. This is from a fan since ’75. I only react this way because I have always hated the Yankees and what they have done to the payrolls of baseball. Now it is our turn to be the laughing stock of the MLB. Owners, please right this ship.
Sincerely, a blue boy drowning in orange
oldbrooklynfan
As far as catching the Giants, I’m not entertaining that thought but I think one thing the Dodgers have a shot at doing is getting to the post season via the wild card. I know it’s early and there are many other teams that have the same chance, at least there’s a chance.
Julia Game
Waiting awesome game NL again.