The Thrill Is Gone

Ya know that feeling when you first meet someone you're crazy about and everything just clicks? The chemistry is amazing, the physical aspects are in sane and it's obviously a relationship that's made in heaven and is going to last forever? Then, a few months pass and the novelty wears off. But it's more than that. The chemistry you thought was so amazing isn't so amazing anymore. The excitement wears off. The sexiness wears off. You start disovering flaws in each other that you may or may not be able to tolerate. There are other people you meet you're attracted to. Basically, it's over. But you continue for a few months more just because it takes you a while to realize it. This, I believe is the best way to describe the Dodgers 2009 season. The thrill is gone and so is the talent and success. When you're losing at home in September to the deadbeat Dads to pitchers named LeBlanc and Stauffer, you're not exactly going anywhere anymore. The Dodgers are going somewhere. They're going down. But the official break-up won't happen until the Fall.

I see another likely loss today in Phoenix to Max Scherzer who shut them down the other night. Joe Torre doesn't seem to be too alarmed, telling everyone not to panic. Meanwhile, his team simply can't hit. Especially with runners in scoring position. KABC radio guys like Suchon and Levine and Dodger TV guys like Lyons and Monday and Collins continue to point to the Dodgers' great team ERA in August or to the fact they're still tied for the best record in the NL. I say, who cares? There's obviously something wrong, so instead of pointing to all the things that are right and then deciding the patient must be healthy, let's try to find the problem and fix it before the funeral. Or at least try to diagnose it. Here. I'll do it. The team stinks. They're a mediocre, undisciplined, fundamentally unsound team that had no business playing as well as they did in April, May and June. They have no ace, an overused bullpen, a shaky closer, only 3 bats, little power, a slugger off the juice, little speed, sporadic focus and no heart. On top of all that, they have a cheapskate owner who refuses to pay for the pitcher and first baseman they need to actually win anything. At least we learned a couple of important things. One of them being that of the five guys who were considered the future of the franchise, only 2 of them, it appears, will pan out: Ethier and Kemp. Loney and Martin, however, will not. On the fence about Billingsley. Martin has 39 RBIs on September 7th with 2 home runs. He can't throw out opposing base stealers to save his life and does a poor job blocking balls and a medicore job calling pitches. His skills have diminished a little each of the last 4 seasons and he seems like he's even lost some of that impressive determination that so endeared him to the fans. I think Martin's career may have already reached it's acme. He could be done. He could very well wind up being one of those catchers that ends up splitting time in Washington or KC. Maybe as soon as next year. Loney is a mess. Only 9 home runs, he hasn't a clue what he's going to do when he gets to home plate. He's been in a 2 and half month slump with only occasional signs of climbing out of it. He's been getting some singles lately, but you need more power from your right corner infielder. It seems like he's in a fog out there. Between Loney, Martin and Orlando Hudson, they have got to lead the league in DP's grounded into by a trio. They're like those planes that collect water from nearby lakes to drop on wildfires. They douse the flames. They're rally killers supreme. And has anyone noticed how often Hudson strikes out looking? Don't be fooled by that .289 batting average. That's left over from the first half of the season. He's no longer aggressive at the plate and seems to have a poor knowledge of the strike zone. Personally, I think the O Dog's season ended a couple of months early. I like that he's gregarious and fun. I don't like that he's inconsistent and weak. I say let him sign elsewhere after the season and make the job Blake DeWItt's to lose. (Whatever you do, do NOT give the job to Florida's Dan Uggla, as I've heard rumored. He may have some power, but he's a butcher with the glove and he's hitting .249 with a ton of K's. However, I wouldn't mind seeing Brandon Phillips in a Dodger uniform.) Chad Billingsley, projected to be the team's ace, is a huge disappointment. He seems to just give up. You have to really question his heart at this point. I don't see him becoming the dominant pitcher the Dodgers and the fans envisioned.

Rafael Furcal's skills, both offensively and defensively are ebbing daily and Casey Blake has been a huge disappointment in the 2nd half. So, basically, we're talking about 3 bats comprising the entire Dodgers attack: Kemp, Ethier and a deflated Manny. Oh yeah, and Juan Pierre sitting on the bench with no position to play and Jim Thome, nothing more than a glorified onch hitter whom we borrowed for a month. Thome's lifetime BA as a pinch hitter is below the Mendoza line.

But we have Padilla, Garland and a hot Randy Wolf. Yippee! IF we make the playoffs, and I still have some doubts, a rotation that includes Wolf, Kershaw, Billingsley, Garland, Kuroda or Padilla will be no match for the mighty rotations of the Cardinals, Phillies or Giants, should they make it. If, miraculously, the Dodgers finish with the best record in the NL, they'll likely play the Phillies in the first round. Or, if the Wild Card comes out of the West, they'll still draw the Phillies, assuming the Cardinals will finish with a better record. When this happens, Cliff Lee, in spite of his recent struggles, will shut down a weak Dodger offense in Game 1 with a smile on his face, and if the powerful Phils' attack puts a charge into Wolf or Kershw for just one inning, that'll likely be all they'll need to shut down the Blue. Game 2 will be more of the same with Cole Hamels. Hamels isn't as good as he was last year, you say? He's better than Tim Stauffer and Wade LeBlanc and the Dodgers can't hit those guys, so what makes you think they can hit Lee, Hamels or Happ? Phillies in 3. If the Dodgers have to play the Cards in the 1st round, it's going to be even worse. I'd like to say Cards in 2, but they make you play at least 3 games in the first round.

Is there any way possible that this team can somehow revert to their early season form? That Casey Blake can start hitting again? That they can start coming from behind again? That Manny can return to his prior greatness? That Loney can drive in runs again? It sure doesn't look that way right now. Joe Torre seems as complacent as his team and his ownership and I guess that's how he manages. No yelling, no tirades, no tantrums, no threats. Just, 'I know we're a great team and we'll start playing winning again.' Well, Joe, that approach may have worked for those well-paid superstar-studded Yankee teams of the late '90's but they're not working here. If you won't do it, let the fiery Larry Bowa do it, but someone has to light a fire under their asses. Do you hear me, Joe? Does anyone out there hear me? THEY'RE GONNA LOSE! DO SOMETHING FOR CHRIST'S SAKES!

But, alas, those plaintive cries will fall on deaf ears. Or even if they're heeded, there's little or nothing anyone can do because the not-so-great team is playing exactly how they're supposed to play. Not so great.