Yeah it sure has! I figured I'd give the team a month to get settled in before I really start to rip into the team or Joe Torre for their early failures and boneheaded moves. And for a while it looked like this was going to get ugly pretty quickly. But then the Pirates showed up in L.A., and after a terrible six-game trip to Cincy and Atlanta, the Rockies showed up, and all was well again!
One of the things I noticed over the first part of April was Joe Torre couldn't settle on one set lineup. And while I think this was part of the reason for the early struggles, I kind of got the feeling that because of odd scheduling and traveling during Spring Training, Torre never really got much of a chance to see where everyone fit into the lineup, and he never really got much of a feel for everyone's strengths and weaknesses. I don't know what it was that finally clicked on in his mind, but eventually he settled on a lineup that looks something like this:
SS - Furcal
LF - Ethier/Pierre
RF - Kemp
2B - Kent
1B - Loney
C - Martin
CF - Jones
3B - Dewitt
And with this lineup, the offense, which had been struggling to score runs (the team was already hitting, just not much with runners on), started to click and gel, and the team was off and running. In just a matter of an 8-game winning streak and winning 10 of 12 games, and 11 out of 15, the Dodgers cut Arizona's lead in the division in half from 6 to 3 games. And for a while there it looked like Arizona was going to run away with the division after their red-hot start. I know Arizona is good, and I knew they were going to be good, I just didn't think it would happen so soon and so quickly.
So for now, the Dodger offense is one of the best in the league as far as runs scored and team hitting, as they rank in the Top 5 in both categories. The pitching has also been spectacular, even after three poor outings by the starters in the just concluded Mets series. And the defense has been brilliant for the most part, as well.
My only concern at this point, really, is Andruw Jones' bat. This guy has all the talent in the world, and yet for whatever reason, he can't seem to get out of this funk he's in. Now, having played baseball growing up through high school, and having been taught how to hit, I can already see what Andruw's problems are. One, his back leg keeps flying out every time he swings at a bad pitch away. And two, his hips keep opening up which is keeping him off-balanced. And because one and two are so constant and consistent with him, it has all gone to head and become a mental thing. I know for a fact, from what I've heard and read, that he's been out at the ballpark early everyday and watching video with hitting coach Mike Easler trying to fix the problems. He sees the problem. He acknowledges it. He KNOWS it's a problem. And during his sessions with Easler, and during batting practice, the guy is a monster in the hitters box. But for whatever reason, he can't seem to translate all that into the games. And thus it has all gone to his head. I know this is so cliche, but he just needs to relax, stop thinking about everything, and just go out there and play. I can't see him hitting .170 with 1 home run the rest of the season, and I'm pretty confident he'll snap out of it. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Having said all that, Rafael Furcal is having a career year. Andre Ethier is quietly having a solid season so far. Matt Kemp has quickly become the team's best hitter. Jeff Kent has been as consistent as always. James Loney has made a name for himself as an elite first baseman. Russell Martin is following up his All-Star season with another stellar start. Blake Dewitt, who wasn't even supposed to be in big league camp during Spring Training, let alone the everyday third baseman through the first month of the season, has done a solid job of holding down the fort at the hot corner until Andy Laroche and/or Nomar are ready. And when they are, how do you send Dewitt down? And then there's Juan Pierre. I'm still not much of a fan of his, especially after his boneheaded play after stealing second base the other night, but he has quietly gone out and done his job as a part-time player and hasn't complained about it once. And he's been fairly decent in left field, too. And the pitching has more or less done what it has had to do to keep the team in most of these games to allow the offense to do their thing.
So, as it turns out, it looks like the Dodgers are in this for the long haul, and as a fan, I couldn't be more thrilled with what has transpired through the first 34 games.
One of the things I noticed over the first part of April was Joe Torre couldn't settle on one set lineup. And while I think this was part of the reason for the early struggles, I kind of got the feeling that because of odd scheduling and traveling during Spring Training, Torre never really got much of a chance to see where everyone fit into the lineup, and he never really got much of a feel for everyone's strengths and weaknesses. I don't know what it was that finally clicked on in his mind, but eventually he settled on a lineup that looks something like this:
SS - Furcal
LF - Ethier/Pierre
RF - Kemp
2B - Kent
1B - Loney
C - Martin
CF - Jones
3B - Dewitt
And with this lineup, the offense, which had been struggling to score runs (the team was already hitting, just not much with runners on), started to click and gel, and the team was off and running. In just a matter of an 8-game winning streak and winning 10 of 12 games, and 11 out of 15, the Dodgers cut Arizona's lead in the division in half from 6 to 3 games. And for a while there it looked like Arizona was going to run away with the division after their red-hot start. I know Arizona is good, and I knew they were going to be good, I just didn't think it would happen so soon and so quickly.
So for now, the Dodger offense is one of the best in the league as far as runs scored and team hitting, as they rank in the Top 5 in both categories. The pitching has also been spectacular, even after three poor outings by the starters in the just concluded Mets series. And the defense has been brilliant for the most part, as well.
My only concern at this point, really, is Andruw Jones' bat. This guy has all the talent in the world, and yet for whatever reason, he can't seem to get out of this funk he's in. Now, having played baseball growing up through high school, and having been taught how to hit, I can already see what Andruw's problems are. One, his back leg keeps flying out every time he swings at a bad pitch away. And two, his hips keep opening up which is keeping him off-balanced. And because one and two are so constant and consistent with him, it has all gone to head and become a mental thing. I know for a fact, from what I've heard and read, that he's been out at the ballpark early everyday and watching video with hitting coach Mike Easler trying to fix the problems. He sees the problem. He acknowledges it. He KNOWS it's a problem. And during his sessions with Easler, and during batting practice, the guy is a monster in the hitters box. But for whatever reason, he can't seem to translate all that into the games. And thus it has all gone to his head. I know this is so cliche, but he just needs to relax, stop thinking about everything, and just go out there and play. I can't see him hitting .170 with 1 home run the rest of the season, and I'm pretty confident he'll snap out of it. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Having said all that, Rafael Furcal is having a career year. Andre Ethier is quietly having a solid season so far. Matt Kemp has quickly become the team's best hitter. Jeff Kent has been as consistent as always. James Loney has made a name for himself as an elite first baseman. Russell Martin is following up his All-Star season with another stellar start. Blake Dewitt, who wasn't even supposed to be in big league camp during Spring Training, let alone the everyday third baseman through the first month of the season, has done a solid job of holding down the fort at the hot corner until Andy Laroche and/or Nomar are ready. And when they are, how do you send Dewitt down? And then there's Juan Pierre. I'm still not much of a fan of his, especially after his boneheaded play after stealing second base the other night, but he has quietly gone out and done his job as a part-time player and hasn't complained about it once. And he's been fairly decent in left field, too. And the pitching has more or less done what it has had to do to keep the team in most of these games to allow the offense to do their thing.
So, as it turns out, it looks like the Dodgers are in this for the long haul, and as a fan, I couldn't be more thrilled with what has transpired through the first 34 games.
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