Puzzle Dodgers

    On paper, the Dodgers have a terrific team this season.
    "We're gonna pour money into this team," Magic declared when the new ownership took over. "We're gonna pour money into the fan experience."
    And they did. The team looks great, on paper at least, and the 50+ year old Dodger Stadium gleams.
    In reality, though, the Dodgers are last in the National League West.
    They don't hit, especially with runners in scoring position. The starting pitchers do fine but the relief pitchers can't get the outs they need to get. The defense has committed more errors than any other team in the major leagues.
    I was taught that pitching and defense were the two basic building blocks on which you built a team. The hitting would come around. Pitching and defense would keep you in there until it did. Hitters were always slow starters, but once they found their grooves you were fine, as long as you had good pitching and defense.
    Dodgers have good starting pitching, but these days that just means six or seven innings. The game lasts nine, so that means going to the bullpen for the last two or three innings.
    For the record, I don't agree with that, but that's the way it is these days. The manager tells the starting pitcher "You give me seven innings, and then I'm gonna go batter by batter."
    That kind of micromanagement only works if you have good pitchers in your bullpen. The Dodgers don't seem to have that.
    Good players, on paper at least, but ineffective pitching and poor defense.
    So what's missing?
    Good coaching. I've said that before. But in fairness to the coaches, they don't play the game; the players do. And when they play it badly we fans don't enjoy the experience.
    Leadership. By a player on the team. Someone who steps up and says "Hey, guys" and the other players look up and listen.
    Dodgers don't have anyone they would call Captain.
    That might just be what they need.

Dodgers Have the Players They Need; Do They Have the Coaches?

    The new Dodgers management has built a team that can win. But have they built a coaching staff that can help the players win?
    I went to the game last night, April 16. Windy night, wind blowing left to right. And cold. Nothing's going out tonight. But the Dodgers swing for the fences. Ten high fly balls to the outfield, only one with a chance to go out. It was caught, just like all the others. Not one line drive up the middle. Just four hits in all: a bouncer up the third base line, a bouncer between second and shortstop, a blooper into shallow left-center and a low line drive up the first base line.
    Good hits, those four, but not enough to win ballgames.
    Dodgers' primary hitting coach is Mark McGwire. Yes, the Mark McGwire who intentionally swung for the fences and surpassed Roger Maris' record of 61 homeruns in a single season.
    Steroid Mark McGwire.
    Steroids weren't illegal when he set his record, so his record stands. But they are now. So maybe hitters should go back to the tried and true way to hit: line drives up the middle. But is McGwire telling them that? He relied on performance enhancing drugs. Can he coach in an era that doesn't allow their use?
    And the Dodgers had to go to the bullpen early when starter Chris Capuano injured his leg covering first base. And the Dodger relief pitchers don't seem to know how to take charge of the game.
    Dodger pitching coach Rick Honeycutt didn't always seem to know that either. He nibbled around the strike zone, throwing balls, until he had to throw a strike and then the batter hit it.
    Same thing last night.
    Padres received one walk, one hit-by-pitch and got ten hits off the Dodger relief corps.
    Can Honeycutt really coach in the modern era?
    Just wondering....
   

Sunshine

Sunshine

This morning as I sat in my backyard reading, a balloon the color of sunshine came over the back fence, blown by the breeze. It settled close to the ground and nodded hello to the tiny flowers of the same color that grew in the uncut grass.

It felt magical.

The balloon played with the flowers for some minutes and then jumped back on the breeze and rode it up and over the wall on the south side of the yard.

Moments later, I heard the little girl who lives next door squeal with delight.