Dodgers Go For Series Win in Road Trip Finale

As you can tell from my lazy recaps lately, I’ve been somewhat apathetic with Dodger Baseball of late. I love our boys in blue, but it’s just hard to detail every game when they are not winning, and far out of first place. It’s hard to be positive when there is little to look forward to, other than more Jamie Romak at-bats. What I’ve realized from the club’s mediocre play this season, is that the Dodgers are an average club in 2014. I’m still seeing a ton of people clinging to hope that the club will go on another miracle run like in 2013. Unfortunately that’s probably not going to happen.

Look at the intensity on his face,-Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers Lineup-6-12-14

Gordon 2B

Turner 3B

Puig RF

Gonzalez 1B

Kemp LF

Ethier CF

Federowicz C

Rojas SS

Greinke P

Zack Greinke-8-2 vs. Alfredo Simon-8-3

They’re not terrible, but they’re not good either. They’re merely average. Hey if you want to still believe that this club is a World Series contender, more power to you. That’s great, and you are certainly welcome to believe. I want to believe, but then reality comes crashing down. That normally happens when the Dodgers play a Baseball game.

No argument can prove the Dodgers are a championship caliber club. No amount of meaningless advanced stat, or individual talent means the Dodgers are anything but an average club. They may have the best road record in the majors, but they are terrible at home. Evidence by their 13-19 record. If a club is great on the road, and dreadful at home, it evens out to be….AN AVERAGE CLUB!

A lot of Dodgers are having good individual seasons, but the club is still not winning consistently. Club chemistry has been a primary problem of late. So don’t yell at me when the Dodgers go 3-4 on the next home stand. Not like I have control over the mediocre play.  The true test will be when they return to Dodger Stadium.

But it’s not just their mediocre record, average is around on the Dodgers this year. You can find average performances around every corner at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers middle of the order bats, Gonzalez, Kemp, Hanley, all batting around .245,- .250. Average.

The Dodgers are 5-5 in their last ten games. There’s some more average for you. Lot’s of average. 3-8 in extra inning games, below average actually.

The Dodgers do play well on the road though, and a win this Thursday morning would give them three out of four over Cincinnati and a 5-2 trip. However a loss would mean more mediocrity with a series split and four of seven. Blah.

The Dodgers will have to face another tough pitcher, and who knows what their lineup will look like. Hanley Ramirez will probably not be playing with his sore shoulder. That means more of Miguel Rojas.

Anyone know what happened to Adrian Gonzalez? He’s been in the worst slump of his career, and I’ve never seen him like this. I have no idea what’s wrong with him right now, but he better figure it out.

The Dodgers will give the ball to Zack Greinke to get a series win. Greinke is looking for his ninth win again, and is having a fantastic season.

Greinke is 8-2 with a 2.62 ERA in thirteen starts. He’s whiffed 89 and walked just 17, and has been generally awesome every time he takes the mound. There’s one free agent signing that worked out well for the Dodgers.

Alfedo Simon-Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

But Greinke normally pitches pretty well against the Reds. In his career he’s 5-1 with a 2.73 ERA in nine starts. He’s never lost at Great American Ballpark, posting a 4-0 record, and 2.65 ERA in five starts. The Reds are batting .207 against Greinke with six home runs, and .593 OPS. The Dodgers as always better watch Joey Votto. The guy is hitting .381 with three home runs off Greinke.

The Reds will counter with Alfredo Simon. The 6’6 right hander is 8-3 with a 3.15 ERA. He’s been good, but only 45 whiffs in 74.1 innings, means he pitches to contact a lot.

Simon has made one start against the Dodgers in three games. He’s 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA. The Dodgers are just 6 for 26 against Simon. That’s a .231 average, with one home run.

You know I may change my tune if the Dodgers could win more than three games in a row. Win four in a row, and I may believe again. The Dodgers are 7.5 back of first place, and 1.5 back in the wild card race. Even 7.5 can be made up, but not by playing average baseball.

The Dodgers need to inspire some confidence in us before we start sprouting off more platitudes. Give us something Dodgers. Please. We all want to believe.

They do need this win today, so start with that. Please don’t mail this one in today Dodgers. After the game the Dodgers will fly home to begin a six game home stand against the Snakes. So grab some coffee, wake up with some folgers in your cup, and Dodger Baseball. We’ll see you after the game. Go Blue!

Game time – 9:30 AM