24

Well, the All Star Game is manana and the Dodgers find themselves in 1st place, 7 games ahead of the Giants and 24 games over .500. I'm greatly pleased about this. But ... and there's always a but, isn't there? And there's an enormous "but" regarding this Dodger team and their shot at a World Series.

To put it simply, if the Dodgers don't acquire Roy Halladay (as Bill Shaikin brilliantly pled for in yesterday's LA Times) or someone as impacting as a Halladay - perhaps a resurgent Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt, a healthy Peavy or Eric Bedard - they have no chance of advancing to the Fall Classic. According to MLB.com and their network, the Giants and Phillies are extremely interested in Halladay and are frontrunners to procure his services. This would be death for the Blue, 7 game lead or no. Frankly, I don't think the Dodgers have the prospects the Jays would demand in return for the great Doc Halladay. Also, the Giants are rumored to be pursuing the heavy hitting Nick Johnson from the lowly Nats. This bat will greatly improve their lineup.

Other contending teams seem to recognize the urgency for help. The question is, do Ned Colletti and Frank McCourt? Billingsley has been awful in 4 out of his last 5 starts. Wolf has been Wolf. Solid, but not great. Kershaw has been outstanding - thank God for that - but he still can't pitch them into the 7th inning. Kuroda is terrible. Like, the "done" kind of terrible. He may be knocked out of the rotation. They have no 5th starter. THEY NEED STARTING PITCHING NOW! And they need bullpen guys. Broxton's toe thing? Not sure I buy it. Troncoso's been tough, but Mota stinks. Leach isn't ready. Belisario's been hurting.

The All Star Game was fun until they started this whole winning league getting home field advantage in the World Series thing. I absolutely hate it.

Tried listening to Charlie Steiner call the game on the radio the other day. I'd have a better idea of what was going on in the game if there was no announcer at all. He's such a nice guy and he's so damn awful.

I wish Eric Collins - their new TV guy in games east of the Rockies - actually knew something about baseball.

Pitching. Still and all, they're 24 over 500 at the break.