Slow Start

  The Dodgers are off to a slow start this season. I know the off-season commentators had them picked to finish out of the running, but I had higher hopes.
  I'm a Dodger fan, I admit, and I know that colors my thinking.
  But I thought they would hit and pitch better than they are right now.
  Ethier has hit in 29 straight games right now, and that's wonderful. And Kemp has hit in six straight. But not too many of those hits have resulted in runs. Some of the other guys are doing okay, but nobody's tearing it up.
  Fielding has been pretty good. Some nice catches in the outfield (Ethier, Kemp, Gwynn, especially), good infield play by Carroll and Uribe....
  But the pitching, frankly, has not been of the quality that we fans were promised before the season.
  Starting pitching has been okay. Not stellar, but okay. Kershaw might become the next Koufax, but he's not there yet. And Billingsley is working his way to becoming a good reliable starter. It would be nice to think of them as a latter-day duo similar to Koufax and Drysdale.
  But that's just my fan-self talking.
  The big problem the Dodgers have right now is the bullpen.
  Nominal closer Jonathan Broxton misses the plate too often, walking too many and thereby allowing opponent runs.
  And the Dodgers don't have anyone in their bullpen who's any better. Dodger bullpen Earned Run Average is around 5.5!  Five-and-a-half runs for every inning pitched!
  Dodgers lost 4 - 1 tonight to the Cubs, giving up three runs in the 9th; Broxton walked two and they both scored.
He got the save last night, but tonight he couldn't find the strike zone. He got the loss. I feel bad for him, but at this level, getting as much money as he makes, he needs to do better. I'm sure he feels the same way.
  And I wonder what the Dodgers are going to do?
  hahahahahahahahaha! The real grinding season sets in!