Hello,
I have hit this over and over again, but bear with me one more time. The frustrating consistent Dodgers failed to score enough runs to win last night. In fact, they didn't score any runs. Once San Francisco scored their 4th run that game was over. That continues a terrible trend ever since the big trade. Not only do the Dodgers have a losing record since the trade but their offense has shriveled. In the last 10 games, the Dodgers have scored a total of 25 runs. That averages out to 2.5 runs per game. I'm sure that the Dodgers ownership didn't pay over a quarter of a billion dollars to bring in Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Joe Blanton, Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, Carl Crawford etc. just to barely have a chance of making the playoffs. Surprisingly the Dodgers are 1.5 games out of the NL Wild Card race. But they are clearly done. A team that can't score can't make the playoffs.
The Pirates had a chance to increase their playoff chances with a 3 game series against the Cubs, a team that's going nowhere. The Pirates were welcoming the Cubs to beautiful PNC Park for the 3 game series. How did the Pirates react to this good forturne? They completely melted down and were swept at home. The Pirates scored 7 runs in those three games, almost making the inept Dodgers offense look acceptable. The Pirates now travel to Cincinnati to play the team destroying the NL Central. The Reds lead second place St. Louis by 8.5 games. They lead Pittsburgh by 11.5 games. Right now Pittsburgh is only 5 games above .500. Although they are only 2.5 games back in the NL Wild Card their main concern should be to make sure they finish above .500.
Lastly and leastly comes the Boston Red Sox. The players are clearly making their feeling about Bobby Valentine well known by their play. They've lost 4 in a row and 11 of 12. I'm hoping with their heated rivals coming into town, the Yankees, that bile will propel them enough to grab a victory or two. Since Boston won't make the playoffs, how great would it be for them to prevent the Yankees from doing the same thing? But once a team shuts down for a season, which they clearly have done, it's very hard to get motivated again.
Let's not pretend that Valentine should be back next season. He's had the same corrosive effect on the Dodgers that the McCourts had on the Dodgers.
Thank goodness for the Atlanta Braves and how well they've been playing. At this rate though they'll be several games ahead of the second NL wild card team by the end of the season. Is that really the most fair system to have the two wild card teams play each other in a one game playoff. That system seems to reward the team that gets hot at the right time and not reward that team that has been excellent all season. Of course St Louis got hot at the right team last season and rode that all the way to a World Series victory. That seems like a punishment for a team that might be far ahead of the other wild card team.
themusicaddict
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