If the Dodgers feel like making up ground on the two teams ahead of them in the NL West, whom happen to be their biggest rivals, now is as good a time as any.  The Blue Crew currently sit 7 games back of NL West leader San Diego and 3.5 games back of the Wild-Card leading Giants of San Francisco.  They’ll have a chance to inflict direct damage on their competitors beginning tonight as they stroll into the bay for a three game set.  After that, the Padres head to Chavez Ravine for four.
Tonight won’t exactly be easy.  The Dodgers [...]

The Dodgers finally got their bat.  Unfortunately, his name is not Prince Fielder, Dan Uggla, Jose Bautista, or Adam Dunn. Ladies and gentleman, meet your new left fielder, Scott Podsednik .
The Dodgers sent minor league catcher Lucas May (Triple A) and pitcher Elisaul Pimentel (low-A) in exchange for the 34 year old speed demon.  Before you ask whether they really missed Juan Pierre that badly, it’s worth noting that Podsednik has had a fantastic year for the Royals.  Despite the lack of name recognition for the journeyman outfielder, Ned Colletti deserves credit for casting a wide net in his search for [...]

In today’s version of “The Dodgers’ Desperate Hunt for A Fifth Starter,” the newest name bandied about the rumor mill is Cubs lefty Ted Lilly.  They have been after Roy Oswalt, but the number of complications in a potential deal involving the Houston ace make a match between the Astros and Dodgers extremely unlikely.
Oswalt has a partial no-trade clause and he has been vocal about staying close to his home in the Midwest.  He is owed 15 million in 2011 and has expressed a desire to have his 2012 club option for 16 million picked up immediately by his new [...]

With the trade deadline right around the corner, the Dodgers still remain idle spectators to everyone else in the league. The question of will they or won’t they make a deal this season is driving most fans crazy right now, especially since the team could certainly benefit from the services of let’s say, Roy Oswalt. The Astros’ asking price of Oswalt, which is deemed as an arm and a leg, could be too expensive for the Dodgers. Still, the front office should be doing everything within their power(s) to make this team better for a run at the post-season.
At 53-46, [...]

A mere 5 days remain before the July trade deadline for baseball and the Dodgers haven’t done squat.  Their freeway neighbor Angels have already made two significant moves in acquiring SP Dan Haren and IF Alberto Callaspo, despite sitting 7 games back of Texas in their hunt for a Red October.
Will the Dodgers strike?

Few things to discuss today in the Lair.  First off, a big tip of the hat to Hiroki Kuroda and his 8 innings of shutout baseball on Thursday night to defeat the Mets 2-0.  I told you guys not to panic about his brief struggles!  What’s interesting is with the trade deadline only a week away and the Dodgers rumored to be after practically every starting pitcher on the market, they instead were gifted with three dominant performances in a row by Kershaw, Billingsley, and Kuroda.  Coupled with the dominant return of Vicente Padilla from the DL, the Blue Crew [...]

How badly needed was that??  Chad Billingsley delivered the team’s FIRST complete game by a starting pitcher in 2010 and single-handedly put a tally in the victory column upon defeating the Giants 1-0 at Dodger Stadium.
It was the first time all season the Dodgers didn’t have to use their bullpen.
It was the first shutout thrown by a Dodgers pitcher since May of 2009 (Eric Stults? Really?).
It was the first time Billingsley went 9 innings since July 30, 2008 (he shutout the Giants 4-0, at least he knows what opponent to bring the A-stuff against).
Amazingly, it was the fourth 1-0 game [...]

(Carlos Santana made his major league debut in 2010 and is already an offensive monster at the catcher position with a .438 OBP and 32:20 walk to strikeout ratio in merely 120 AB)
The Dodgers are on the prowl.  At a point when people were starting to wonder what the direction of the team was, it is becoming clearer that they won’t settle for 4th place without a fight.  The Dodgers are dead serious about upgrading the talent on the 25 man roster and are willing to overpay in minor league talent in exchange for salary relief.  As a whole, there [...]

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who are in fourth-place in the NL West, have placed OF Manny Ramirez on the 15-day DL with a strained calf. Ramirez, who is in his last year of the two-year deal he signed in 2009, was hitting .317/.409/.516 with 8 home runs and 39 RBIs. The Dodgers, who entered Tuesday 5.5 games behind the San Diego Padres, will know more about Ramirez’s injury within the next week or so. Ramirez’s response to the treatment will be closely monitored and will be the determining factor as to whether or not he will make a quick return.
In [...]

(“You want to help the team out, bro?”)
The sad tale of Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers took another ugly turn when the outfielder had to leave after the top of the first inning on Friday against St. Louis.  He will undergo an MRI on his calf today, so hopefully we have some good news regarding his availability.  The Lair will keep you posted.