Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Okay, Now You Can Panic

From David Schoenfield's Monday post, "Crisis Time for Dodgers" (paragraphs mine, since it was too damn hard to read):

A brutal weekend for the suddenly disintegrating Dodgers. Swept by the Giants, including two on walk-off home runs. Hanley Ramirez, just activated from the DL earlier in the weekend, landed back on it after straining a hamstring on Friday. Adrian Gonzalez didn't start any of the three games because of a stiff neck but pinch-hit on Sunday, so I guess his neck was OK for one at-bat but not four.

Meanwhile, Matt Kemp is still sitting on one home run, they've already used nine starting pitchers (rookie Matt Magill couldn't get out of the second inning on Saturday) and Sunday's lineup included Nick Punto, Juan Uribe, Luis Cruz and Dee Gordon. You're not winning anything with that group. Heck, Clayton Kershaw may ask for a trade not a contract extension.

As for Sunday's game, Matt Cain took a 4-0 lead into the eighth before tiring and walking Kemp and Uribe (who has suddenly developed the plate discipline of Ted Williams). The Giants' bullpen allowed all three of Cain's runners to score before finally closing the door on the 4-3 win. I'd say Cain finally looked like vintage Cain but, again, it wasn't much of a lineup he faced. The Dodgers are 13-17, they're second-to-last in runs scored in the National League, they're minus-27 in run differential and their best player isn't hitting. Right now, they're a bad baseball team, and showing no signs they have the talent to dig out of this.

David's got a slightly different perspective than we posted earlier. But again, injuries have kept the Dodgers from firing on even half of the cylinders we should have. Sure, last night's 9-2 whupping brings our losing streak to five games (not even the longest losing streak so far this short season!), but I don't think it's time to freak out just yet.

Oh, and we're also out of coffee.

9 comments:

Dusty Baker said...

(panics)

Fred's Brim said...

I am really tired of this

Paul said...

We can't have anyone freak out out there ok! We have to keep our composure! We've gone too far, there's too much to lose, we have to keep our composure!

BJ Killeen said...

I don't understand why they're losing. They win every game for me on MLB Ballpark Empire!

rbnlaw said...

Last night the women of the family wanted to switch from the game to watch The Voice.

I could not muster a decent argument to stay with the game.

It's going to be a loooong dry summer.

Steve Sax said...

@rbnlaw: like The Voice, sometimes these Dodgers are better watched with one's back turned

Alex Cora said...

Sax +1

BJ Killeen said...

Another one bites the dust: Hariston on DL

rbnlaw said...

Yay! Sue Falsone!

Not looking for a scapegoat here, but bloody hell with the injuries.