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| Don Mattingly of the Dodgers. Photo Credit:Christian Petersen/Getty Images |
The Dodgers have been a team that is the definition of an enigma so far this baseball season. The series just completed against the White Sox, showcased why Los Angeles is just an average 31-30 so far more than two months into the season. Manager Don Mattingly’s frustration was palpable after the latest loss on Wednesday against Chicago.
By: Michael Hanley
In a session with the local media following Wednesday night’s loss, Mattingly has some very pointed words for his ballclub that continues to drag its feet. From Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles:
When asked about the White Sox starter John Denk’s, Mattingly replied:
"Obviously, (ChiSox starter John) Danks was good tonight,"
Another reporter followed that question up by asking whether the Dodgers hitters helped Danks out with impatient at-bats, the Dodgers skipper said:
"He was just better than us tonight,"
Another follow up question was asked by a media member pertaining to did umpire Kerwin Danley's big strike zone play a part?
Mattingly answered "No, I thought he was just better than us tonight."
When pressed further with another “better than us” question, Mattingly replied back strongly:
”I mean, I really think you should talk to them. I'm tired of answering the questions, honestly."
When a reporter wanted Mattingly to explain his club’s poor 13-19 record at home, Mattingly had some choice words directed at his ballclub:
"Well, home, away, whatever, I don't know that that's got anything to do with it," Mattingly said. "It's just being basically s----. We're just not that good."
You can understand the frustration Mattingly has with this Dodgers squad. A team that is overflowing with talent from Puig, Gonzalez, Ramirez to Kemp and Either being unable to string together any sort of winning streak and pull this season out of neutral so far. Every time you think Los Angeles is on the verge of breaking out of their doldrums, they then play a couple of lackluster games full of errors and bad at bats that cost them losses against second division teams they should be beating up on.
Injuries have been apart of the story for this uneven season so far for the Dodgers but still no excuse for them to being six games under .500 at home. They have more than enough skilled players to overcome the injuries and still play good, solid baseball until guys come back into the lineup.
Its been the little things that have doomed the boys of summer. The inability to play a clean game in the infield has been an achilles heel for them with the amount of errors they have already committed.The 24 errors that the Dodger have committed have them tied 24th in the majors, a number that has cost them a good amount of losses. The fundamentals of the game always come back to haunt teams that are not fully alert and now focused enough to make the simple plays that lead to outs. Giving up those extra outs simply gives opponents another chance to score runs,which has been happening to the Dodgers.
Its still early enough in the season that the Dodgers can make a turnaround and live up to the expectations they had for themselves but that has to start happening soon as they are now a season high eight games back of the first place San Francisco Giants. They cannot afford to slip behind too many more games especially with the Giants looking and playing like if not the best team in baseball, one of the best teams. They need to have their players outside of Gonzalez and Puig to pick up the production. There are too many nights when the Dodgers are scratching and clawing just to get hits and any runners on base let alone drive runs in.
Los Angeles is at a crossroads of sorts and must get inspired to play better baseball or face a long season full of questions and frustration as their rival Giants continue their march toward October in part at their expense.
