So this is what rock bottom feels like....

Dodgers mount a come back and fall short. Dodgers outhit their opponent and still lose. Dodgers starter keeps the game winnable, Dodgers bullpen blows game. Adrian Gonzalez fights through injury to contribute and its still not enough. 2/3 of the outfield gets hits and steals bases while Andre Ethier just gets to be plain terrible.

No matter how many times we've seen this team have various positives , there's always been a charcoal lining in 2013. In the month of May there has been only one unavoidable truth: The Dodgers lose.

It's like watching a sad movie you've seen before. You know it's gonna suck soon but you sacrifice your well being to see the entire thing through. You sit in front of your TV for hours while the few happy parts entertain you and remind you why you love this movie, all the while distracting you from the inevitable unhappy conclusion that you somehow forgot about completely.

The Dodgers 21st loss of the season was their 8th consecutive heartbreak of the month. An all too familiar result for a franchise that has lost any semblance of home field advantage in 2013. Their 7-12 home record at Chavez Ravine is the 3rd worst in the entire MLB and is the only home record in their division below .555. In a division that has annually become a tightly contested dog fight, the Dodgers (13-21) have already put themselves at the back of the pack and on a leash. 2nd best On Base Percentage in the sport, 2nd lowest run total... alot of bark, no bite.

In a year where the front office was curiously mum on the status of Don Mattingly, they have become even more non committal as the mounting losses have shaken the confidence of everyone including the man himself during his unsettling post game interviews. While president Stan Kasten refuses to show his cards, I cant help but think hes already made up his mind to keep things the way they are. If it didnt look as if Mattingly was on the hot seat after last season, he sure must be now. When it comes to Donnie Baseball the prevailing sentiment is that he's a pretty calm guy that doesn't lose his cool when things get tough (MVP's tend to be that way). Most notably, players love to play for him. But considering they haven't ever been a team with the clutch gene or one that has gotten even remotely close to playoff contention since he took the reigns, it's a curious sentiment...

Jon Heyman put it perfectly when he tweeted:

#dodgers players love donnie baseball, but have funny way of showing it. team cant hit w/ risp. 7 straights Ls. down 5-3.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) May 11, 2013

After this tweet, AJ Ellis did his AJ-thing and had an RBI single in the 8th inning, but like we've all come to expect was stranded at 3rd base when Dee Gordon grounded out to end the threat, and essentially the Dodgers evening. And on an night where all the emotional debris floats to the surface of our collective Dodger-conscious, the exhale comes a little easier knowing that it can't get much worse.

And now you're thinking ...

"Oh really Reis? It's always darkest before the dawn?! Thats all you've got for us!? The most pessimistic Dodger fan on twitter is gonna conclude his once-a-month blog post with the 'hey it has to get better' mantra?!!??!!??"

You'll be happy to know that this 8-game losing streak has only strengthened my jaded thoughts to new heights. This year's combination of health issues, lack of clutchness, and head scratching roster management has left me both angry and happy at the same time. A bizarre malaise of numbness and frustration that allows me to turn on Dodger games each night to cap my day with a torturous act of self loathing.

As anyone who follows me knows, I'm still concerned with whether Don Mattingly is the guy who can get this team to the promise land based upon his unsuccessful albeit brief run as dodgers skipper. The front office has painstakingly clung to the "let's see what he can do with a healthy roster", while the court of public opinion is that eventually this falls on the players.

Regardless of what or who is to blame... (I say it's the depth issues brought on by Ned Colletti's apparent lack for long term vision) the point is that the sad movie has played 8 nights in a row. I haven't been able to turn it off and it's getting to the point where I'm not even noticing the good parts anymore (yea... I had to be informed by Vin Scully Matt Kemp has a 9-game hitting streak going on).

Well respected sports psychologist and good friend Dr. Kenneth Hartline tweeted a nice little uplifting note my way this evening:

 Which brings me to my final point... This is rock bottom. It's not as cold as I'd though it'd be... Wait never mind. Booze gives a false sense of warmth.

"A Whole New Blue"

"A whole new blue"...  The official slogan of the 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers. One that I began to think hard about in the last 6 months, as the billboard campaign littered the skyline of the LA footprint. As if the term "whole" is supposed to somewhat imply we are going to see an entirely diffent entity arrive on their Monday afternoon opening game. Wouldn't "all in" or "its go time" be more fitting? Forgive me if I won't be counted among the dizzying masses who have become entirely enamored by the facelifts that the Dodgers have received both throughout their stadium as well as on their roster.

The might of the "whole new blue" check book is pretty incredible. Stan Kasten and his band of merry men have spent the last calendar year going about their financial business with the type of moral hazard that only Gordon Gecko could dream of. The scary (yet plausible) thought of this "whole new blue" roster not having a chemistry capable of winning baseball games is almost immediately greeted with the notion that this franchise has no qualms with absorbing bloated contracts of any underachieving stars, if it means making a trade. And the whole new blue will stay new. The budding young Cuban named Yasiel Puig tore through spring training, batting over .500 and making the big check the Dodgers wrote last year seem like a bargain. Adding depth to a team that has three all-star outfielders. Unfortunately they are the same three guys that make ALOT of money and each have struggled staying healthy in the past few seasons. If healthy, big things could come fast. If not healthy or just plain not productive, this outfield could give the front office a lot of thinking to do. At which point the whole new blue way of spending will have to be launched into full effect. And we might still be going through the same mind numbing time we had during the stretch run of 2012.

Dodger stadium is still the 3rd oldest stadium in MLB, but according to some of the more recent tweets of players like Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez, you can't tell from the inside. I spent an entire summer in the old dodgers clubhouse (2011) and I can tell you for a certainty that even the reported $100 million spent on all of the stadium's 2013 upgrades had to have been spent very wisely to open up the square footage for the type of amenities they claim to have installed. Think of the nicest gym or sports club you've seen and then imagine trying to fit it into the cupboard under the stairs that Harry Potter lived in. The franchise did a decent job of documenting the excavation and construction with a few clips and pics throughout the winter but they could have honestly just contracted the work out to one of those reality home makeover shows. Getting the job done just under the wire of opening day (The paint is reportedly still drying in the visitors clubhouse). The kind of work that was done in the last few months to have that place ready for a "whole new blue" living standard should have warranted a camera crew!

Speaking of reality TV, the biggest concern for this "whole new blue" roster is that the LA media  could fuel the fire that may ignite from a less than stellar start. Remember what happened when the Miami Marlins put together their expensive team, on a fresh new field, in a shiny new house? It was a season full of speculation and doubt, with the athletes, management and front office "pressing" at every step. Eventually it turned into a total circus and that was in only the 16th largest media market. Not to mention their coach was not in the final year of his contract as Don Mattingly is. Try imagining that same exact scenario playing out in the #2 market in the country (where some paparazzi drive nicer cars than a lot of us) but with TMZ.

If I say any more then you might just think I'm feeling pessimistic about this "whole new blue" season... In fact I'm not feeling so at all. I actually feel that (with the exception of Hanley Ramirez's wrist injury in the WBC) this Dodgers franchise finally has a roster that doesn't have a glaring weakness that jumps off the page and screams "This team won't make the playoffs!" The type of "blue" that we all got very used to feeling, seeing and being for the last 3 seasons doesn't seem to be the tone coming out of spring training. The reality is that there's a big chance that the Dodgers pitching and power could carry them all the way into early November...

Unless it doesn't and the same franchise with the same incessant problems rears its ugly head for another season. Then we'll really be feeling "a whole new blue". And you can be sure that TMZ will be asking Mattingly about his job security.

But again... I'm not feeling pessimistic. I'm just not ready to call this an entirely different franchise quite yet. Which makes this franchises 2013 slogan slightly over optimistic. Not until all the money spent and new faces gathered have found a winning formula and chemistry that we all get to share in. Until then it's the same story with a different cast. Magic Johnson, Guggenheim group chose Stan Kasten to play the Ray Cansella role in the proverbial "field of dreams" story this past year at Chavez Ravine. Everyone said "if you build it, we will come ..." Well, the roster has been built. "It's a whole new blue." The  renovations have been built. "It's a whole new blue." And most importantly, Monday marks the start of this franchise' opportunity to ease our pain and make the last 3 years a distant memory. Then and only then will we know its a whole new blue...

The Dodger Blog is back for 2013, and appreciates all of its new and returning followers.

Dodgers Searching for 40 Wins

After a four game home stand where the Dodgers were swept at the hands of the sub .500 Milwaukee Brewers, the outlook for a 10 game road trip to Colorado, Philadelphia and Seattle seemed bleak (if not grueling). The Dodgers proceeded to drop two games to the Rockies in Denver, which meant they had lost 6 of their previous 7 games heading into a 4-game set with the Phillies. But after a dominant 4 game sweep in Citizens Bank Park, the Dodgers were showing signs of resiliency in the wake of Kemp-ocalypse Part II.

Then came the No-No. The Los Angeles Dodgers hadn't been no hit since they were blanked by Cincinnati in 1994. Try to guess who the starting CF for the Reds was that day?... Deion Sanders! It had been a long, long time since the blue crew had gone an entire game with out a hit. Lets put it this way, the Washington Nationals' phenom Bryce Harper was a 1 year old! But with the help of 6 different Mariners pitchers and a questionable out call on Dee Gordon in the 9th inning, history was made. And more importantly the fans in Seattle had something to get excited about while their hijacked basketball franchise was going to the finals with a different home crowd. It should be noted that the last two World Series championships ('88, '81) came during years where the Dodgers were on the wrong ends of no hitters. Is it a sign? Here's to hoping.

But the Dodgers, as they seem to do time and time again in 2012, picked up the pieces and salvaged a series win by taking both weekend games. So in a matter of 7 days the Dodgers were able to go from a club who had dropped 6 of its previous 7 to having won 6 of its previous seven. And last night, began their freeway series with the Anaheim Angels (I'm sorry they'll never be LA in my mind), with a chance to be the first team to 40. But unfortunately the sensational 20 year old rookie Mike Trout was doing what he's done since being called up, which was getting base hits, stealing bases, hitting home runs and scoring runs. Just enough to edge the Dodgers 3-2 in the 9th and give Kenley Jansen the loss.

But as the game came to a close on Monday evening, the rumors of an Andre Ethier extension began to trickle through the world of twitter. A deal that was made official this afternoon (Tuesday 6/12) in a press conference, is good for 5 years, 85 million dollars, and a club option for over 15 million in a 6th year (what would be 2018). Now that the Dodgers have locked down their two best position players through the rest of their prime, it will only be a matter of time before Clayton Kershaw gets his extension and free agents of all varieties start to see something brewing in Los Angeles. In the wake of new ownership having the pocketbook to buy a championship, the dominoes are starting to fall in a slow yet strategic manner.

Matt Kemp got his money and in addition to being the teams biggest cheerleader, became the biggest proponent of giving Andre his big extension. Now that the lefty slugger will surely play the rest of his meaningful games in Dodger blue. Now it might be time for Matt Kemp, to continue his vocal-ness towards signing more bats in the coming year.... Saaaay Josh Hamilton? Probably the highest paid outfield in the sport, but it would sure as heck be a spectacle to see those three guys bat in consecutive order. Time for Matt to buddy up with Josh in Kansas city next month. Then Prince might start thinking twice about playing out the rest of his days in bitter cold Detroit.

Dodgers are set for game two with the Angels tonight (Tuesday) at 7. They will be honoring former Dodgers catcher, and current Angels Manager, Mike Scioscia with a "Scioscia Bobble Head Night". The bobble head will naturally be of the young, slightly more slender Scioscia in his Dodgers catchers gear.

Dodgers Start It Off Right in Philadelphia

So we meet again... My apologies for the infrequency to what was becoming pretty frequent banter. So much was happening with this Dodgers club and so much was happening for yours truly at work, that I've just been flat out exhausted trying to keep up with it all. I know, I know... No excuses, blog like a champ.

ANYWAYS... as I'm typing the Los Angeles Kings have now taken a three games to none lead over the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup finals. While my main concern is normally getting that big trophy with all the little flags on it in Los Angeles, it will definitely be fun seeing Lord Stanley's behemoth of a silver cup hoisted around tinsel town. As a child of the 90's, the only hockey that I've ever been interested in was the roller hockey in the cultisac after gaining inspiration from Emilio Estevez and the mighty ducks on VHS. So I haven't been glued to this series but I know some are, and for that... congrats Kings fans, its allllllmost wrapped up!

Alright Dodger fans, back to what we really care about... Baseball. Or should I say injuries with a SIDE of baseball. When we last spoke, Matt Kemp was about to make his triumphant return from a hammy issue and Juan Rivera was soon to follow. Instead what we got was about 24 hours of Kemp in uniform, before an Andre Ethier double to the Left Center gap at Dodger stadium not only scored Kemp from first base, but more importantly led to the re injury of said hamstring. So now we could now be without Matt for an even LONGER stint (rumors are that he might just wait to come back after the all-star break).

Right as Matty was making his comeback, Dodger fans were feeling good about themselves with the next-best San Francisco Giants 5.5 games back. But just as quickly, Matt was gone again and the Dodgers would then lose 6 of 7 games. A stretch that saw the Dodgers, who hadn't even lost 3 in a row in 2012, lose 5 in a row. The division lead had shriveled down to 3 games going into the morning of June 4th, and with the Giants beating up on the hapless Cubs early on Monday, the Dodgers were beginning a 4-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies. With the opposing starting pitcher Worley still in the process of coming back from injury, his pitch count for game one was set at 75. The Dodgers cracked into that count early with a 2 run first inning, and 1 run 2nd.  But as Worley settled down, Kershaw's efficient start disappeared just as quickly on a Placido Polanco 2-run home run to the porch in left field.

After the Dodgers had some grief with balls and strikes called in the middle innings. Two Dodger ejections left the away team without a manager. The rest of the game was a chess match as acting manager Tim Wallach and Charlie Manuel. The tie was broken in the 9th inning as Dee Gordon's lead off triple off of Jonathan Papelbon was followed by an Elian Hererra RBI single through the left side. The Phillies manager had called the infield in to prevent the runner scoring from third, and the ball was hit hard enough between 3rd and SS to allow Gordon to walk his way to home plate. Of all the young guns who've been thrown into action in the wake of all these injuries, Hererra has done enough to keep himself in play for an everyday roll and without his mini-stint of reliability, the Dodgers might have given up their division lead altogether. His heroic diving catch in the 9th inning, preserved Kenley Jansen's save and all but ensured he'll be in the lineup tomorrow.

While Kershaw technically might still be fighting his demons with the no-decision against a Phillies team that doesn't have much power (Howard, Utley on DL), the reality is that he did enough to keep the Dodgers in position for a late game win. He was effective enough to stick around 7 full innings in a hitter friendly park like Citizen's Bank Field. The Dodgers are now 34-21 and refuse to relinquish the MLB's best record. During a very daunting stretch of 20 games in 20 days, where the Dodgers play 4 straight in Philadelphia before flying all the way to Seattle for inter league play, getting wins on days that Kershaw starts is key. So step one has been accomplished, and the Giants are kept at bay for the time being. Its important to get wins against good teams on days where the team that is chasing you (Giants) plays a bottom dweller like the Cubs. 

See you all tomorrow on twitter for game 2 as the Dodgers try to ensure, at the very least, a series split.

The Dodgers' Final Day of Kemp-ocalype

It's hard to believe that a little over 2 weeks ago, the Dodgers were "playing over their heads" and the bubble was "inevitably going to burst" when Matt Kemp's nagging hamstring issue (that caused his batting average to drop below .400) forced him on to the 15 day DL. What happened next is even HARDER to believe. "Dem Bums" decided to stage their own 2 week rendition of Major League, by going 9-4 and extending their lead in the division to 7.5 games. All along doing so with a half dozen nobodies. The best record in Major League Baseball isn't news any more. Neither is having the largest divisional lead in the MLB. But you know what is news? Tomorrow is the last day of the "Kemp-ocalypse". Assuming Kemp's 2-game rehab stint in Albuquerque goes as planned, May 28th will be the last day the Dodgers (32-15) don't have the best player in the NL at their disposal. The last day Los Angeles wont have have their biggest cheer leader in Dodger Stadium. And most importantly, Monday will (hopefully) be the last game for a while that Don Mattingly is forced to create some sort of Kemp-less game plan with a slew of rookie call ups and career backups.

For the last two weeks, it felt like we couldn't turn on our TV's, computers or phones without hearing about the Dodgers when it came to sports news. Regardless of the heliocentric east coast sports world focusing on the AL East and NL East, the Dodgers' band of under appreciated misfits refused to relinquish the title of "MLB-best". Every night it was another "nobody" taking a turn at hitting the clutch button and getting their 30 seconds of fame on Sportscenter. But now the Dodger bench players are wrapping up their Risky Business moment. It feels as if Matt Kemp left the team with a couple hundred bucks on the counter and a list of food in the fridge on May 14th. And now "Mom and Dad are almost home". Time for the kids like Jerry Sands, Scott Van Slyke, Ivan DeJesus and Elian Herrera to clean the house, take out the trash and restock the liquor cabinet. One more game without the best player in baseball (and Juan Rivera) means one more night for a few rookies to preserve the team's positive momentum until the big boy's get their jobs back.

The club's position in the standings is much better at the end of Matt's absence than we previously expected. Which is only good news now that names like Hairston, Rivera, and Kemp are trickling back into the Dodgers clubhouse. The last time the Dodgers faced the Milwaukee Brewers (19-28) was in the midst of their head turning, hot start to the season. But when Los Angeles dropped two of three at Miller Park, it caused most to question the validity of the Blue Crew's record. But now we're approaching the end of May and it's the BREW crew that is definitively having a poor first-half (5th in the NL Central, 8 games back). While the reigning NL-MVP (in question), Ryan Braun comes to town on Monday, the Dodgers just have to shore up their outfield for one more day. A day that will feel like an eternity ago on Tuesday. Serendipitously the final day of the Kemp-less Dodgers will have "One Dollar Dodger Dogs" at Dodger Stadium. So maybe even the fringe fans might be compelled to come back to Dodger Stadium prior to Matt Kemp doing so. But one thing is for certain, Dodger Stadium should be packed and rockin' on Tuesday night. That is, if we survive the final day of Kemp-ocalypse. Make sure you have the first aid kit, the ramen noodles and a flash light with fresh batteries.

Dodgers Refuse to Lose

Well... Somebody had to get to 30 wins first, and at this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be a team of destiny in 2012. They were destined for new ownership and landed the "dream team". And coming off of their hot finish in 2011, it looked as if the Dodgers were destined to get off to a much stronger start in Don Mattingly's sophomore season as manager. But 30-13 (best record in MLB) and a 7 game division lead (biggest in MLB)? I'm not sure anybody saw this coming. And for the very select (and/or crazy) few who predicted the Dodgers would be the class of Major League Baseball through the first 43 games of 2012, none of them would have predicted the Dodgers would be doing so with out the help of one of the league's best all around players.

The Dodgers were off to a hot first month, and as the calendar turned to the month of May, they began to face some adversity and attrition. Opening day starters Juan Rivera, Matt Kemp, and Juan Uribe were all on the disabled list when the defending world champs came to Dodger Stadium last weekend. Don Mattingly started to write lineup cards that looked so bad, I was forced to coin the phrase "Kemp-ocalypse". Even one of the Dodgers most reliable players in 2B Mark Ellis experienced a freak injury that almost cost him his leg (literally). The thought was that the Dodgers would HAVE to regress with the call ups of Van Slyke, Sands, Hererra, DeJesus, and Sellers combined with the miniature benchings of James Loney and Dee Gordon . But in the last week, all six have made considerable (even heroic) contributions to the club's current 6-game winning streak. Between Scott Van Slyke's 7th inning 3-run home run at Dodger stadium on Sunday to complete the sweep of the Cardinals, and Tuesday night's 2RBI double by Ivan DeJesus while trailing a run with 2 outs in the 9th inning in Arizona, the Dodgers continue to get help from various lesser known players on a daily basis.

Los Angeles has a chance to complete their second consecutive series sweep and what would be their 6th of the season. The idea of this ball club getting one of the league's best everyday players back in CF (Kemp in a week), and one of the league's best utility players in back on the bench (Hairston in a few days), makes it hard to believe that the Dodgers can't build upon their lead in the standings before the All-Star break. Somebody had to get to 30 wins first, and with the four biggest payrolls in the sport (Angels, Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox) struggling just to stay in contention, it only makes sense that a team full of triple-A regulars would help an injury riddled club storm to 17 games over .500. Everyday someone else is taking their turn being the hero. The 2012 season was set up to be a season of destiny.... so far, so good. OH, soooo good.

Dodgers sweep Rockies, Have Most Wins in Baseball

It seems as if the Dodgers plan on making the most of their long stretch of inter divisional games in the month of May. The boys in blue have taken 5 of their last 6 over the Giants and Rockies after returning home from a dismal 2-4 road trip. Not only have the last few games helped the Dodgers return to having the best record in baseball with 23 wins, But Los Angeles also owns the best home record in baseball at 15-3 and the largest division lead at 6 games. So much has happened since we last spoke...

The Dodgers had 3 players home run in the series opener on Friday night. They had three very similar swings result all in fly outs at the center field warning track on Saturday night.  But the Dodgers were able to win both games As the embattled Dodgers 3rd baseman Juan Uribe got off of the proverbial shneid on Friday night as he hit his first home run in almost an entire year and then had an important RBI single in a low-scoring 2-1 affair in which the Dodgers won on Saturday.

While last years bunch of Dodgers quickly learned that the only way they could win games was in pain stakingly low scoring affairs, this years club has proven that they can win in all types of ways. Through the first month of the season, it was the RBI machine of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier doing all the work while their supporting cast was helpful yet relatively quiet. But as the month turned to May and Matt Kemp with his nagging hamstring issues has gone cold, its been time for everyone else's close up. This most recent home stand has seen extra base hits and RBI's from Mark Ellis, James Loney, AJ Ellis, Tony Gwynn Jr, Bobby Abreu, and Juan Uribe.

Such a contribution could not have been timed any better, as Sunday's final game of the series with the Rockies saw Colorado jump out to the 3 run lead before the Dodgers had even recorded an out.  After Dodgers staert Ted Lilly had settled down and the Dodgers had cut into said lead with runs in the 1st and 2nd, Matt Kemp left the game at the end of the 3rd inning with a re-aggravated sore hammy. Right fielder Andre Ethier and Manager Don Mattingly were soon to follow after receiving consecutive ejections in the 5th inning. Despite those subtractions, the Dodgers were able to over come a 4-2 deficit, with a bases clearing 3-rbi double by Bobby Abrea batting in Kemp's slot. Another 3 runs were plated by a 3-run AJ Ellis home run to the left field pavilion. After the eventful 6 run frame, the Dodgers never looked back.

Some observations that I had to make:

• Andre Ethier gets ejected on his own themed "Tote-Bag" giveaway day because of a strikeout pitch that looked like a pretty good pitch. Even more ironic than his promotional toss out, was that it came with his mother in attendance for the mothers day festivities. He had some good words and quality expletives with the home plate umpire. Which begs the question, "does he kiss his mother with that mouth?"

• Matt Kemp's hamstring issue has been classified as sore, which was exactly what scratched him from the lineup in Chicago. I have a feeling that subliminally, Mattingly has been trying to keep Matt Kemp's games played streak (best in majors) alive for Matt's sake. It was clear how angry he was when he was asked to leave the game, after Donny spoke with the training staff. I say the Dodgers just shut him down for a few days and get him fully right, so he can get back to being the best hitter in the sport.

• AJ Ellis had his career high in RBI's on Sunday after having been moved into the 6th spot in the lineup. Mattingly says he's comfortable with AJ's bat in his more traditional 8 hole, but the guy is 3rd in all of baseball in on-base percentage. I'm thinking that everyone benefits from AJ batting 6 or 7. His numbers can hang with any catcher in baseball at this point, and while his career might not jump off the page as Mr. Sexy, he has quietly helped this club reach the best record in baseball through 34 games. He currently holds a streak of 23 games where he has reached base safely. I say good for him, the 31 year old has definitely earned it.

• Juan Rivera's ruptured hammy has led to a week of firsts for Dodgers rookie Scotty Van Slyke. In his first game appearance on Wednesday night, Scott had his first RBI in his first at-bat. On Sunday afternoon, he saw his first MLB defensive experience after Ethier's ejection. After that, he went up to the plate and got two RBI's out of his first extra base hit (double to the LC gap). I've never been a fan of platoons, but with the way Tony Gwynn has played (both his bat and glove), and the way Van Slyke has flashed his swing and arm in the last few days, I could see these two being starters based on the lefty/righty match ups.

Dodgers Happy to be Home, Rivalry Begins

After a week long, six-game road trip to Denver and Chicago, alot has changed. Matt Kemp is no longer blistering the baseball like he was in April (his average has finally dipped below .400). Clayton Kershaw can now say that he has allowed three home runs in a single game for the first time in his career (against Rockies). And  the Dodgers infield depth has taken some pretty big hits (Uribe's Wrist, Hairston Jr's Hammy). But despite all of this less-than-stellar news, the Dodgers (18-10) still boast a 4-game lead in the standings and a new addition to the bench in the form of veteran Bobby Abreu. The 38 year old former All-Star was released in late April after he had expressed some dissatisfaction with the role on the Angels to which he had been relegated.

The reality is that Abreu's bat is still strong enough to contribute somewhere in major league baseball but the franchise that he has called home for the last 4+ seasons just signed Albert Pujols and clearly wanted more youth in the outfield. The Dodgers have picked up Bobby for the veterans minimum, while the Angels will be responsible for the rest of his previous contract (9 million this year). He arrives in Dodger Stadium for the first time as a member of the home team, completely aware and more importantly at peace with his new role as a bat off the bench or an outfielder available for a spot start once a week. It isn't the big splash that new ownership has made clear is coming, but it does add legitimate left handed power to a Dodgers bench that had none.

The Dodgers now play 18 of their next 23 games at home where they hold a 10-2 record on the season. 13 of their next 16 games will be played against inter-divisional foes. An opportunity that everyone has had circled on the calendar for some time now, as the first real chance for the Dodgers to separate themselves from the pack. They're happy to be off the road, but can't take their foot off the pedal as this next stretch of games could very well define the momentum of the entire 2012 season. As new ownership has their first official day in their offices at Dodgers stadium. The entire affair will be under the watchful eyes of Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten.

Here are a few pod casts. The first is a recap of yesterday's heartbreaking loss and treacherous road trip, while the other discusses the Dodgers and Giants rivalry that resumes this evening.

listen to ‘The #Dodgers limp home from a 2-4 road trip. As they prepare for the #SFgiants at Chavez Ravine.’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘The rivalry between the #SFGiants and #Dodgers is renewed for 2012 as they begin a 3-game series at #DodgerStadium’ on Audioboo

The "Matt and Andre Show" Continues...

Another day, another Dodgers win over a less than stellar opponent. But the reality of an 11-3 start is that you still have to play those 14 games regardless of the opponent, and see where the ball falls. With the exception of back to back nights where the "play-at-the-plate" odds fell in the Milwaukee Brewer's favor, the Dodgers clawed back with a gritty low scoring win going away. The salvage game of the series wouldn't have been possible if not for the continually ridiculous offensive contribution from the 1-2 punch of Kemp and Ethier. Less than 30 hours after Javy Guerra's MLB leading 6th save in the upper midwest, Don Mattingly's Dodgers were calling upon Guerra once again to close the door. Only this time, the task took place "deep in the heart of Texas".

The Dodgers began the first half of their 6-game road trip in Houston Texas, calling upon veteran starter Ted Lilly for a quality outing. Lilly delivered and the rest of the pieces fell into the same places they have been lately. Matt Kemp put the Dodgers in front early with an opposite field 2-run home run to right field, while his bash-brother, Andre Ethier, extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the top of the 3rd inning. Jerry Hairston Jr. played stellar defense to keep the opponent at bay. Kenley Jansen threw a few good ol' country fastballs. And finally, Guerra came into close the door for another early season Dodgers win. It's a pretty iron clad game plan the Dodgers have used to get off to the most wins in the MLB, but the reality is that no team can maintain this sort of torrid pace on the backs of only two players.

Matt Kemp's production will likely have to slow down at some point and the same can be said for Andre Ethier. With Andre being in the best health we've seen in years, and Matt being, well... Matt, it's not exactly clear when this eventual break in the offensive madness might take place. But when the numbers cool down, it will take a slightly more balanced offense from the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers to sustain success through the bulk of the season. As the dog-days of summer set in, its going to take a few more working parts for the "blue crew" to make it out the other side and into October. Some well timed base hits from AJ Ellis and a little more patience at the plate from Dee Gordon and/or James Loney should be a step in the proper direction. But while Ethier and Kemp continue their historic start, those other minor deficiencies will continue to be a footnote in this better-tan-expected April.

If you had told me this past off-season that the Dodgers would be the 2nd Major League team to 11 wins and all that would take place before reigning Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw had gotten his first win of the season, I'd say you're crazy. But this is where we are. The Dodgers are still hot into late April, while Kershaw somehow still winless through 3 starts despite a respectable 2.35 ERA. Hopefully four times a charm, when the Dodgers look to win their 2nd road series of this young season. Tomorrow's first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PT. There's no reason to believe that Kemp and/or Ethier wont continue their amazing offense, but if for some reason they don't, Kershaw will definitely need a less likely hero to join the RBI party and continue the Dodgers' winning ways.

The "Walk" Off, What a Difference a Year Makes

The game was likely to be delayed, and then the rain stayed away. Once this one got underway it was about as odd a game you could ask for. In front of a weather induced "McCourt era" crowd, the Dodgers went up 4-0 and then 8-3. The newly acquired Aaron Harang and his 13 strikeouts were in line for a his first win as a Dodger, but then Kenley Jansen blew the bullpen's first save of the season, with a 2-1 meat ball to Chase Headley. Just like that Aaron Harang's career high strike outs and franchise record 9-straight K's was all for not. With the game becoming so back and forth, you could have assumed that the Dodgers would answer right back in the bottom of the 9th. What you wouldn't assume, was how the boys in blue would do so.

San Diego's fireballer Cashner came in and mixed a triple digit fast ball with a marginal curve ball to get within one out of giving his offense another chance to complete the comeback win. But instead the Dodger's used a pair of all-stars outfielders and a pair of right-side infielders to string 4 straight walks together for the win. When mark Ellis induced a walk that brought newly awarded Silver Slugger Matt Kemp to homeplate, you though that Matt might return the favor with a 2-run game ending homerun. But when Matt drew another walk, the game was in the hands of a guy who thought he would have the night off. James Loney came up to the plate and followed the trend of waiting out Cashner's unoriginal mix of pitches.

The famous Scully quote "aaand look who's coming to the plate" quickly came to my head at the same time True Blue LA's Eric Stephen was quoting the same thing on my twitter feed. The Dodgers home opener hero was stepping to the plate, and the Padres called for a lefty. Instead of giving Ethier a challenge, 4 straight fastballs out of the zone led to the 4th straight walk of the inning and the Dodgers "walked" off for a MLB best 7-1 record.

There seems to be something in the water cooler this season. These Dodgers have gotten off to a trend of winning close games and coming through in the clutch. Last year carried with it a depressingly jaded ho-hum feeling that matched the franchise's current state of ownership affairs. WELL!!! Its a new year, a newly reloaded roster of role players, and Mattingly has his team off to a surprising start. While the first 8 games have been against two teams that aren't predicted to make much noise this season, something is just different. Last season got to a point where you just kept thinking that the close ones would go the Dodgers' way, and it never did. Its starting to look like the things might be coming back around to bring balance to the universe. Yes, yes... It is a little early to call it a charmed season but Kemp and Ethier's turns at the plate definitely seem more timely this year.

Matt, Andre, and those other guys

The San Diego Padres' let Matt Latos get away during the past off-season, effectively leaving the Padres with out a true "ace" on their staff. But after three straight losses to begin the season, the Padres' #4 starter, Clayton Richard, gave the home crowd at Petco Park about as good of an effort they will get this season. The left-hander continued his success against the Dodgers, bringing his career record to 5-1. The Dodgers had not started a season 4-0 since the World Championship season of 1981, and with the Dodgers batting lineup only producing 4 hits, that streak will continue for at least another year.

The one bright spot on the day that ended the eternal quest for 162? The Dodgers bash brothers continued their torrid pace to begin the year. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier closed out the uneventful final game with a 2-run HR each. That makes 3 doubles, a triple, 3 home-runs and 16 RBI's between the two of them in the 4-game series. It seems Matt has shaken off the spring training rust that led to the slightly alarming strikeout rate. And it also seems as if Ethier is back to the successful early season form of 2011 (prior to the infamous pinky injury).

With the two outfielders getting off to such a positive start during the first three games of this young season, I was surprised this morning to see the batting order. Mattingly decided to wedge Juan Rivera between the two power hitters. Whether it was an attempt to stretch the lineup, have a little more balance of power in the middle, or simply have a right-hander batting cleanup on the lefty starter, it confused me that he would mess with a good thing. When you have a true 3 hitter like Kemp, and a true 4 like Ethier, their bats tend to protect each other like Manny used to do for both them a few years back. I don't care which handed pitcher is on the mound, Ethier already had a home-run off of a lefty in the pitcher friendly Petco and Juan Rivera certainly isn't Manny. I also felt it was a little early in the season to start giving Mark Ellis the courtesy "day off" when his bat was getting off to a decent start and Sellers had come into the season barely making the roster. Those moves among others seemed a little conservative on a weekend where the Dodgers could have thoroughly stepped on the Padres' throat.

With all that being said, Dodgers fans will take 3 out of 4 everyday of the week and twice on Sundays (better yet, make that on Easter Sundays). The 2012 season has gotten off to a positive start and it looks as if Kershaw's health has fortunately improved. The sellout opening day crowd will get to revere their Cy Young hero as originally planned. Between the new owner Magic Johnson and Clayton Kershaw, I'm not sure who gets the bigger standing ovation on Tuesday night. Either one is a beautiful choice, I say they ride in on a chariot pulled by Lasorda in a golf cart. Then they can hold hands like those two kids in that Hunger Games movie my girlfriend made me watch. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your Easter weekend.

As Vin would say, "Goodnight everybody."