Nose Dive

Don’t break your nose. And if you do, and it doesn’t look like you’re a prize fighter from the 40's whose last name is Wysocki or Polanski afterwards, don’t bother getting it repaired. It hurts like a mofo. As for me, I couldn’t breathe out of it anymore, so that’s my excuse for being in the discomfort I’m in now. Having broken my nose a few times, I never thought a nose can cause this much pain, but I’m on Day 3 of post-op Vicodin and my eyes look like that of a panda’s.

What hurts almost as much as my nose is being a Dodger fan. They looked awful in their victory over Colorado on Thursday, barely touching Jorge De la Rosa, one of the worst starting pitchers in the Majors, in my opinion. They were lucky to pull out a victory in that one, but in yesterday’s opener in the band box that is Citizens Bank Park in Philly, they lost before they even took the field. They just looked listless and casual, like the Dodgers so often look this time of year, even with Manny, Blake and Maddux. Maybe it’s the uniforms, but it seems no matter who wears it, they eventually become complacent and stop hitting. I was wrong. I thought the Dodgers may have the talent now to run away with this thing, but they’re just not hungry enough. Charlie Steiner, who we all know I revere like I revere the silicone rods currently taking up residence in my nostrils, mentioned before the game that, following an upset to the awful Nats, (every loss to Washington is an upset) the Phillies were an angry team and they might just take it out on the Dodgers. Well, they sure as hell did. They made Greg Maddux look more like the patient than the doctor, a horrendous “Debut Part II.” You may remember that in the Dodger’s playoff drive in ’06, they acquired Maddux before the July 31st non-waiver deadline and he pitched 6 scoreless innings in his debut. They decided not to pursue a contract for Greg after the ‘06 season (a mistake). Well, the second time around, he was as hittable as I’ve ever seen him and Torre took way too long getting him off the bump and back in the safety of the dugout. My question is this: When were the Dodgers ever an angry team? What does it take to get that uniform pissed off enough to want to go out and destroy someone and maybe win a pennant along the way? No, for that traditional blue and white uniform with the red numbers, complacency is king. Everyone, with the exception of Loney yesterday against philly, has just stopped hitting. And recently, Loney wasn't hitting much either and still isn't doing much against lefties. Casey Blake, Nomar and Russell Martin are officially terrible. That’s a 3rd of their lineup right there. They have got to stop swinging at first pitched and work the counts but it’s as if they seem to refuse. As if they want to let the opposing pitcher off the hook.

They got lucky that the Snakes dropped a tough one to the Fish but today the Blue are going against Cole Hamels, the Phils’ace and, even with the young and, lately, effective Kershaw going, I don’t like their chances. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but the Dodgers stink in day games this year. Torre finally came out and said, for anyone to take them seriously, they have to get to at least 10 games over .500. Well, thanks for that, Joe, but they haven’t been more than 5 games over .500 at any point this season. Bottom line is, they’re just not that good a team. They need more power directly in front of and behind Manny and their plate discipline sucks ass. Now their fielding has gone South. Leaky boat. At 2 games behind the Dbacks, they’re no better off in the standings than they were the day they got Manny and 3 weeks have passed. Time is running thin and if they fall to 3 back today or tomorrow, that could be it as far as I’m concerned. With the great Brandon Webb and Dan Haren fronting the Snakes’ staff, I just don’t seen them going on any sustained losing streaks. Especially since the Dbacks have the best record in baseball against teams within their own division. They're something like 33 -16 against the West while the Dodgers record against the awful teams in the West is under .500! They needed to beat teams like the Giants and the Rockies and they didn't. When you’re in a pennant race, you simply have to beat the weaker teams. No excuses. Now they have to win the next 3 in Philly before going to DC to face the minor league they have over there. Then, both the Dbacks and the Dodgers, with about a month left in the campaign, will play mostly teams in their own division and, based on the numbers, it doesn't look good for the Blue. How about finding something to get mad about? Like my posts, for one. Here’s some incentive: You guys suck.

Why, during the US/Argentina game in the Olympics men’s basketball semifinals, was I stuck watching ping pong and field hockey? Why couldn’t they show the game live? Who woulda’ thought South Korea would become the baseball powerhouse they’ve become. What a disgrace for the Americans to go home with Bronze. Outside of the game where they beat up on the Chinese, they looked like the Dodgers out there. Just going through the motions with nothing to play for. Should be different with “USA” on your uniforms. Major League players in 2016?