No doubt, the Dodgers are underachieving. Dodger fans
everywhere groan at the sight of yet another extra innings loss to an inferior
team (like the Arizona Diamondbacks, which I painfully witnessed live).
But don’t throw away their season on the sole premise of a
slummy April. Here are some reasons to remain optimistic about the rest of the
2014 Doyers:
Based on the preseason expectations of pundits, analysts and
fans, the Dodgers had no option but to underachieve. The over/under on their
season was +95 wins and a WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP. To expect dominance so
early in the season is a ludicrous notion for anyone who knows or follows the
game of baseball at any level.
Despite an injury to the reigning Cy Young award winner
(Clayton Kershaw, for all those ignorant of baseball), the pitching hasn’t been
that bad. Greinke has stepped up and shown that he could be the ace on just
about any other team in the big leagues, and the other guys have done well to
keep us close while our boy gets healthy.
A few pleasant surprises so far:
Juan ‘King Kong’ Uribe has been a monster at the dish.
Hitting well over .300 and seemingly going yard every time I stream the Dodgers
on my laptop (get that TV deal done, guys). Uribe is playing like the best
7-hitter in baseball right now, and we’re going to need that veteran leadership
in October.
Dee ‘flash’ Gordon has developed into his full potential.
Leading the league in Stolen Bases (or damn close to it), and providing a spark
at the top of the lineup for our mashers at 2-5. When the rest of the team gets
hot, boy it will be something to watch.
Some concerns going forward:
The Pen. This needs to be fixed. Jansen, Perez, and Wilson
have all been unreliable. Just a thought, how about we trade one of the two
potential all stars on our bench for a blue-chip closer?
Catcher play. AJ Ellis does his job when he is healthy, but
Olivo and Fed are just scary bad behind the plate. A team without a backstop
won’t even win the division, let alone a World Series title.
Final Word:
Our beloved Puig is just now starting to heat up, which
could mean a) his first ever all-star game (after being snubbed for Freeman
last year) and b) endless marketing opportunities in Los Angeles. This is only
good for the Dodgers as a team and an organization. The popularity creates a
certain buzz that is palpable throughout the city, even as far as my station in
West LA.
Hang tight Dodger lovers: The Boys in Blue are going to
catch fire sooner than you think.
No comments:
Post a Comment