The Dodgers lost the first three games of their series with the Cardinals. They then proceeded to go 3-4 for the week, including winning two of three over the .500, third-place Braves.
And yet, the Dodgers retain the #1 slot in the meaningless ESPN Power Rankings. The Dodgers have been #1 for 12 straight weeks. Hooray!
I suppose the Sunday ESPN game, in which the Dodgers romped 9-1, had a big impact on the voter(s)' opinions. Glad we started that Sunday game before Bristol CT bedtimes!
Look, I know we've got a league-leading run differential of +107, and I know that we've got the best record in the majors. I'm a Dodger fan, and I don't like to focus on the negative.
Yet, with Manny Ramirez slumping (5-for-29 last week), Chad Billingsley having difficulties going beyond five innings, Randy Wolf continuing to get no run support, Russell Martin MIA (except when he's making errant pickoff throws to first), Casey Blake injuring himself working out, Rafael Furcal improving his batting but still down at a .330ish OBP (sub-par for a leadoff hitter, and the lowest OBP in our starting eight), and Jason Schmidt being our best pinch-hitting option off the bench--this team isn't really deserving of a #1 role, in my mind. Not that I give a crap about the Power Rankings, but still, ESPN guys--you can do better than just phoning it in each week for the West Coast teams.
(Fox Sports, by the way, also has the Dodgers first.)
3 comments:
Both rankings are accompanied by negative comments.
Journalistic integrity! Huzzah!
I don't think bay area websites watch west coast games either. On Yahoo sports' MLB page early this morning, under the pic of Joe and Ausmus, there was a link to last night's game story that said Braun crushes Kershaw. It was later changed to Hoffman holds off Ramirez
yawn.
polls and opinions of sports analysts and writers dont matter.
u can be ranked number 1 all season and get ousted in the first round like the cubs last year.
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