Halx

Written to that hack of an analyst, Ryne Sandberg:

I would like to comment that your rankings and predictions need some serious work. Do you hate the Dodgers or something? They are the best team in baseball, have been proving it for the last two weeks, yet not only did you predict them to fall 1-2 against the Padres over the weekend, you resisted giving them the top spot in the power rankings for this week. However, teams continue to appear high on your list that haven't shown an ounce of the 'potential' that they are ranked on.

Let's break it down, ok? The Dodgers have the best pitching staff in baseball, not including the three amazing pitchers they have on the DL. (I hope they ship Dreyfort to some Dominican little league team in exchange for their starter.) Their bats have been amazing. I didn't even think they'd score a run this year, but they LEAD THE LEAGUE in run production. If that doesn't count for your "power" rankings, I don't know what does. (Wait, yes I do.. speculation, but see Padres prediction above.) Their defense is a little ridiculous, but the very fact that it's only hurt them once is a testament to the strength of the aforementioned pitching and hitting.

GIVE THE DODGERS SOME LOVE!

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kutulu

Enjoy it while it lasts. 149 games to go, plenty of time for the Bums to fall flat on their faces. AZ really should have swept the Dodgers and SF sucks. Izturis, Bradley, Kent, and Valentin are all playing WAYYYY above their heads (especially Valentin with his career .776 OPS). All in all, it's the middle of April.

I think that the Marlins have a MUCH better rotation than the Dodgers. Overall, the best NL teams are in the East.

Three amazing pitchers on the DL? Gagne is, Penny is a solid #2, but Alveraz is barely ordinary.

Halx

All I need to say about the hitting... 2002 Angels.

Now, Alvarez is a lot better than you're giving him credit for. He was the best long reliever in the game last year and the year before. The times he made his starts were all quality. He's become a much better pitcher over the years.

I'm saying his now as our starting pitcher gets injured and the replacement long reliever gets slaughtered by.. the Brewers.. ugh.

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dylanmarsh

Derek Lowe will be the death of this team before the season is out. He doesn't have Schilling or Pedro to hide his lack of talent. Beware the Paranoid Android!

kutulu

We'll see about Lowe. He might do really well in the NL West. However, his career numbers show that without the heroic postseason performance last year he's an average pitcher. The postseason allowed DePo to forget that he sucked all last season. He's done really well so far.

I can't believe you are serious about Alvaraz. He had a 4.03 ERA last year. Respectable, not great and a great 2003 season. He's 35 now and

Philangicality

Lowe is the man... Weaver's commin back to his days as a Tiger... Odalis is the shit... Penny will eventually dominate... Erickson's not bad for an old man... Gagne hasn't even seen the field... Brazoban could be a dominating closer even if they didn't have Gagne... we only need Jose Lima back

kutulu

Great series. I know the DBacks won't keep this up so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

guy44

The Dodgers are many things. The team employing the best pitching staff in baseball, however, they are not. Don't let Dodger Stadium, early success at an unsustainable level, and small-sample-size infused performances cloud you judgement.

That said, I do think that the Dodgers are by far the best team in the West and, considering the Cubs' almost plague-like series of injuries (I mean, Nomar for most of the season, Walker for weeks, Prior for a couple weeks, Fox for the whole season, Borowski for 6 weeks, ARam's tender groin...its like G-d hates them or something), the Dodgers look like the second best team in the NL right now after the Cards.

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sgn43

Hee Seop Choi hit a grand slam...


in other news: Hell has frozen over and Beelzebub is handing out cherry and grape sno-cones.




heh...I'm happy when the guy doesn't strike out, but to knock in 4? that was fantastic.

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Spartak

I've been enjoying the ChiSox lately, I wish more teams were built like them.

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dylanmarsh

Do you mean win 17 games in April and only 45 the rest of the season?

Spartak

Nah I mean not winning the WS for longer than 86 years but not bitching about it every time.

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dylanmarsh

Well, when a team chooses to throw a World Series for money, they really don't have much room to bitch about not winning thereafter.

RickB

Back to the Dodgers...

Well, the Dodgers have now gone through a slight slump and seem to have recovered satisfactorily. Valentin was hot and then cooled but now he is out, probably for most of the season, so third base is an issue. Looks like they are going to try a platoon for awhile but they seem open to a trade if the platoon doesn't work out. I know people are saying that they should have kept Beltre but I'm not sure that that wouldn't have tied up more money than would have been good for the Dodgers. Beltre isn't exactly setting the world on fire up in Seattle either.

Bradley (and his lack of attitude) have been a welcome sight this year. He's being very team oriented so that can only help the chemistry of the team. JD Drew started out terribly but now seems to have picked things up a bit. Left field is waiting on Werth to come back, the current platoon there is ok but not great.

Isturis and Kent are doing fine. Kent will probably cool off some but with pick ups in other area, it should balance out nicely. Choi at first seems like maybe he just needed to get comfortable with playing everyday at this level. Maybe DePodesta was right about him? Time will tell. Phillips seems to be doing alright behind the plate and with the bat as well.

Pitching. Well, the pitching probably looked a little better than they were because of the Dodgers hot start at the plate. But I do think they have a very good pitching staff, once all of them are healthy. Penny, Weaver and Perez are all looking good and Dodger stadium will be very good to Lowe. The bullpen is solid.

So I see the Dodgers winning the West, not in a cake walk but I think they'll come out on top.

tooth

Go Cardinals!

kutulu

lol, Rolen is out 4-6 weeks.

soccerchamp76

It's alright, we took 3 of 4 from you guys. Although we will miss Rolen, we have a lot of other guys that can support him.

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doodlebird

i don't peek into titled sports too often, but here goes...

seems as though the dodgers fans have been quiet.

i think the entire NL west is a bit weak this year. honestly, as a lifelong fan of the Reds (some good years, some bad...) i've pretty much hated every team in that division with the exception of the 81 dodgers and the 84 padres. and tony gwynn. dodger blue against the east and central is sub .500 - (8-10).

i think the cards are the team to beat in the NL again. it would seem that with their 3,4,5 hitters, then don't need to have a great pitching staff, but they do. and getting to play all those games vs. other NL central teams has to be a dream come true. they might run into trouble in the post season when they have to face another team with talent.

and i totally don't give a shit about the AL, but how can not love the rangers and the white sox??

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kutulu

The Cards are in a great situation right now. They should easily breeze to the playoffs.

Man that series this weekend against the Dodgers sucked. I'm so pissed at Russ Ortiz.