MLB Team Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been in the news this season for all non-sporting reasons. The ownership issue coupled with the financial crunch has taken a toll on the on-field performance of the Dodgers.
Their situation can be judged by the fact that they are placed fourth in the National League West Division with a win-loss record of 41-51, just slightly better than the last place San Diego Padres who are 40-52 for the season.
Even with such a lowly record, three Dodgers managed to make it to the National League All-Star side and play an important part in the 5-1 win over the American League All-Stars. Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw have been the only source of inspiration
for the dispirited bullpen.
Matt Kemp leads the batting statistics for the Dodgers. His batting average of .313, 22 home-runs, 67 RBIs and 103 hits are at the top in the Dodgers batting line-up. Kemp has a slugging percentage of .584 and can look to further improve his personal record
as the Dodgers do not seem to have a chance of finishing at the top.
Clayton Kershaw’s improvement from last season and his subsequent performance this season rightly earned him his first All-Star selection this year. Kershaw threw a perfect inning for the National League also striking-out David Ortiz in the process. He is
now looked upon as the indisputable ace sensation for the Dodgers and promises more trips to the All-Star in his career.
This season, Kershaw has a win-loss record of 9-4, the best in the Dodgers’ pitching staff. The highlight of this season, however, is his number of strike-outs which are escalating rapidly. In 130.2 innings pitched, Kershaw has amassed 147 strike-outs. This
number is astounding for the fact that half of this season is yet to play and at this rate this tally would go way past the 200 mark. Kershaw’s ERA has been equally impressive at 3.03.
With such an exceptional talent in their ranks, Dodgers should have been among the top teams of the Majors. Their hard luck, however, comes from their batting. Since June 12, Los Angeles has not won a game in which their pitchers have allowed more than two
runs. This needs a serious improvement!
Andre Ethier has been another vigorous player for the Dodgers. He has the second-highest runs for the Dodgers at 45 and is just one-hit behind Matt Kemp who leads with 103. Ethier was a reserve at the All-Star Game last-year and ended up playing this year
when Shane Victorino had to pull out due to injury. Ethier takes pride in the fact that the National League has won both times he has been associated with the team. The Dodgers would wish his good fortune works for them too!
The Dodgers are due to play next with the Arizona Diamondbacks followed by the San Francisco Giants, both on the road. With both teams ranked second and first respectively in the NL West, the Dodgers would want their pitchers to restrict them to under two-runs
so that they have a slight chance of giving them a fight.
Kershaw is expected to start in the first game against the Diamondbacks and the last game against the Giants. The Dodgers should use Kershaw cunningly because he is their only fire-power.
With a shallow chance this season, the Dodgers should now focus on the next season and use the current season to test the talent in their bull-pen. They might not want to overplay and injure some of their key players because the top notch is a distant possibility
this season.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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