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After I declared the Dodger season over last week, they go and make me look like a complete asshole by winning the next four games in convincing fashion. But thanks to the Giants, I didn’t look like a complete asshole.
As the Dodgers won game after game, the Giants tanked game after game against the wild card leading Padres. With each win instead of inching closer to the postseason, they were merely jogging on a treadmill of mediocrity.
I guess all that winning for nothing took a lot out of the Dodgers. Yesterday in a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies, they tanked both games 3-1 and 9-8. Now they are 4 ½ games out the wild card race and look to make my seemingly premature prediction look remarkably accurate.
Exactly one year ago the Dodgers had the most remarkable comeback in recent history. Right now the only comeback in the minds of the Blue Crew are returning to the golf courses across the land.
Since this season is done, let’s take a look at next season for a little bit. It looks like Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp will be starting in the outfield next season. Juan Pierre unfortunately will still be here thanks to the brilliant move by general manager Ned Colletti of signing Pierre to a 5-year $45 million contract.
The infield looks a little more muddled. James Loney will stay at first and Rafael Furcal at shortstop. I doubt Jeff Kent will be back leaving Tony Abreu at second. As for third base, now that’s a kicker.
If the Dodgers want any chance of going anywhere next season, they will sign Alex Rodriguez to whatever he wants. He provides the power hitting the Dodgers so sorely need, and he is a good fielder. People can say Kemp and Loney are capable of providing all the power the Dodgers need, but they have yet to prove this for an entire season. They’re young and still have a lot to learn, particularly Kemp with not running through signs.
A-Rod will provide the team with a veteran presence that’s not completely over-the-hill. If A-Rod is not a Dodger next season, the Dodgers will go further towards nowhere.
AP Photo by David Zalubowski
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Great post, and I feel your pain. Have heart though because the future is still bright. As bad as the Pierre deal seems, the worst off-season pick-up was Jason Schmidt. Granted, the free agent pitching market was thin last year but throwing away $47M for a washed-up power pitcher who can't break 90 on the gun set the club back more than wasting $45M on a slap-hitting centerfielder. The Dodgers are power-deficient, but Kemp and Ethier didn't a full season, and we're now finding out that Loney does indeed have some pop in his bat. For A-Rod to opt out of his deal now, he'd have to almost be sure that he would get a more lucrative deal than the record-smashing one he signed back with Texas. I don't think the Dodgers can afford $25M+/year nor do I think they should attempt to dedicate such a large percentage of the payroll to one player. The NL West is a pitcher's division and the Dodgers pitching will be a huge question mark next season. If I'm not mistaken, Derek Lowe's contract is up this season so that leaves us with Brad Penny, Chad Billingsley, and a bunch of stiffs. The FA pitching market is supposed to be worse off this year, and there aren't any reinforcements coming from the farm system as our top prospects are still 1-2 years away.