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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

The Dodgers' Season Is Over

It's been obvious for some time that the Dodgers weren't going anywhere, and while the Dodgers seemed to come alive for the last week or two, ultimately, they've got to win the games, and especially, they have to beat the bad teams. Losing both ends of a doubleheader to the team immediately beneath you in the standings isn't a good way to do that with only a couple weeks to go in the season. The second loss — incredibly, by Takashi Saito, who took his first loss of the season — was just the most humiliating part. It recalled, in a sad way, his humbling performance in last year's 4+1 game in which he gave up the go-ahead run to the Padres. This, I assure you, is a September 18 the Dodgers will want to forget as soon as they can. I'm calling it: the Dodgers' season is over. Time to start playing the kids (no, really, Grady).

I wish I could say I was saddened by it. The Dodgers seem determined to do the wrong things every time, whether it's signing and playing too many veterans or failing to recognize when certain players just don't have it anymore (I'm talkin' to you, Olmedo Saenz). We got a couple good weeks, and a fine early start, but this team just didn't have the stamina to finish the job. Let's hope Ned learns from his mistakes in 2008.

Update: It was the first time the Dodgers lost a doubleheader since a July 22, 1999, coincidentally against the Rockies, only this time at home, dropping the first game 4-1 behind Chan Ho Park, who took the loss despite a quality start and nine strikeouts. The Dodgers fell in the second game 12-11, with Jamie Arnold making only his second career start in an emergency appearance. Arnold gave up four runs in the first inning, allowing Neifi Perez to reach on a wild pitch and in fact allowing two runs to score before he even recorded his first out, and then gave up a two-run jack to journeyman Jeff Barry.

The Dodgers started the day in fourth place in the realigned NL West, and ended in last place, 8.5 games back of the Giants. They eventually finished third, at 77-85, but it was a harbinger of the mediocrity to come.

Update 2: For reference, the last time the Dodgers won both ends of a doubleheader, they were playing the Cubs on April 28, 2002, beating Chicago on the road 5-4 (W: Kaz Ishii (5-0), L: Juan Cruz (0-5)) and 4-1 (W: Andy Ashby (2-0), L: J. Bere (1-3)).

Update 3: Feedback, most of it predictable, from around the Dodgers blogosphere:

Game 1: Rockies 3, Dodgers 1: RecapYahoo Box
Game 2: Rockies 9, Dodgers 8: RecapYahoo Box

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Comments:
The AL is a done deal too except for playoff seedings.

But Dodgers aside, great races in the NL!

You seee the Snakes have the best record in the NL? WOW! The Brewers are back in first and can the Phillies rteally knock out the Mets?
 
I know. I wouldn't mind seeing the Snakes go to their eventual death in the AL; the Mets are playing badly at a very bad time; it reminds me of last year's squad that started having bad outings and injuries just before the postseason, only to get squished by a healthier Cardinals squad.
 
.....injuries just before the postseason, only to get squished by a healthier Cardinals squad.

hmmm -seems there was a series for the Mets just after the regular season and right before the Cards "squished" them, that the Mets did OK. ;-) i even suggested during one game of the series you rename the site "9-4-2 double play" after the Drew-Kent incident.
 
Heh, you're right!
 

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