What is Wrong with the Los Angeles Dodgers?

Los Angeles Dodgers

Matt Kemp

The Los Angeles Dodgers are full of talent.  On paper, they look like World Series champions, and before the season, some thought we would be calling them such at the end of the year.  Just looking at their roster almost makes you smile, with Matt Kemp, who I believe is the best all-around player in the Majors, Andre Ethier, ace starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Zack Greinke it goes on and on.  But instead of tearing it up, they are in last place in the American League West, with one less win and one more loss than the dreadful San Diego Padres.  What could possibly be wrong?  This season looked so promising, and it has turned into nothing short of a nightmare.



Adrian Gonzalez

Clayton Kershaw

Hanley Ramirez

Los Angeles has lost 9 of their last 11 games.  One of the most important stats in baseball is On Base Percentage (OBP).  It is also one of the very few areas where the Los Angeles Dodgers have excelled this season.  The Dodgers have the third best OBP in Major League Baseball.  But aside from that, they haven't done much.  Their 11th in batting average, 27th in slugging percentage, and, the biggest shocker to me, 28th in runs.  HOW can you be 28th in the bigs in runs when you are third in OBP?  Scoring runs is a direct result of getting on base, and their one of the best at getting on base, but they still can't score any runs.  But outside the numbers, the Dodgers have been spending boldly to try to get that deep-in-the-postseason caliber team.  First, they grabbed star shortstop Hanley Ramirez from the Miami Marlins mid-season last year.  Then, a little later in the season, they made the blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox, grabbing power hitting first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, former all-star starting pitcher Josh Beckett, and speedy outfielder Carl Crawford.  The Dodgers lost nothing in that trade but some minor leaguers and lots of cash.  They have all of these weapons, and they STILL can't do any better than last place in the AL West.  Its just unreal, I can't understand it.

Andre Ethier

Whatever the problem is with the Dodgers, its really bad.  The beginning of 2013 for the Los Angeles Dodgers is something to forget.  If they have a complete turnaround, they could probably still make some noise, but it is not likely.  If only they could hold onto all their weapons for next season, when everybody will once again start 0-0.