Dodgers Offense

The calendar said it was Cinco de Mayo but early on at Dodger Stadium it seemed more like the movie "Groundhog Day." Twenty-four hours after Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw was routed for seven runs in the second inning by the Milwaukee Brewers, Wednesday starter Chad Billingsley was tagged for four runs in the first inning by the Brewers. And just as Kershaw and the Dodgers dug themselves a hole from which they couldn't escape, the early lead surrendered by Billingsley also proved too much for the Dodgers, who lost, 11-3.

The Dodgers are poised to reached the playoffs for the third time in the last four years, but how prepared are they for the postseason, which begins in three weeks? Not surprisingly, the answer pivots on the effectiveness of the Dodgers' recently expanded lineup of starting pitchers. Hiroki Kuroda was effective again Wednesday as the right-hander held the Pittsburgh Pirates to one run in six innings, and home runs by Matt Kemp and Ronnie Belliard powered the Dodgers past the Pirates, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium.

A timely rally, Jered Weaver's ongoing brilliance and 24 hours in July may have saved the Angels' season.… Until their sixth-inning uprising Wednesday night, Howie Kendrick & Co. appeared destined for dusting in the American League West by the stampeding Texas Rangers.… Now it looks like a race.… Weaver's an ace in spades.… Repeatedly stranded Dodgers baserunners who are said to be in "scoring position" have come...

It can be said of the Dodger offense that what you see is what you get. That's a chilling prospect for a pitching staff that faces disk damage if it has to carry the offense through a long summer. However, the cold reality is that given the large and inflexible contracts handcuffing General Manager Dan Evans and management's rigid determination--for now, at least--to avoid expanding a $102-million payroll, it's unlikely the Dodgers will be adding a proven run producer any time soon.

The Dodgers completed their 19-game, season-opening stretch against National League West opponents Sunday with a 5-0 loss to the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Coming out on the short end of a shutout for the fourth time, however, did not dissuade the Dodgers from believing they will contend for their first division title since 1995.

Dodger Manager Bill Russell, whose calm temperament has been his trademark during these troubling times, found himself seething Friday night, struggling to control his anger. He kept his office door shut for nearly 20 minutes after the Dodgers' 4-2 loss to the Florida Marlins in front of 40,151 at Pro Player Stadium. He paced the clubhouse. He walked in and out of the trainer's room. He was constantly on the move, afraid that he would say something regrettable if he stayed still.

A theme recurred Sunday afternoon, the idea that a pitcher should not have to throw a shutout every time just to stay in the game. This theme was sounded earlier in the trip when pitcher Tim Belcher was overheard muttering to himself, "Don't be afraid to score any runs." Sunday, after the Expos beat the Dodgers, 3-1, it came up again, this time without the sarcasm or bite. Mike Morgan, the starter and loser, was just stating facts, sorry as they were. "We needed a shutout to win, and I can't throw a shutout every time," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Tom Lasorda had seen enough. The Dodger manager raced from the third-base coaching box to confront plate umpire Mike Winters after Eddie Murray struck out swinging to end the sixth inning in Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Braves. "All I wanted to do was talk to him," Lasorda said. But Winters didn't want to talk to Lasorda. Winters ejected Lasorda, who first moved in close to Winters at the plate, then continued to rage at third-base umpire Bob Engel. The confrontation concluded with Lasorda making a gesture at Engel with his right hand as he walked to the dugout.

Is a little sneak preview too much to ask? Because, honestly, this can't be it. The Dodgers offense has been struggling to produce all season, yet now with that new super middle of the order, it's actually gotten worse (3.3 runs per game with Adrian Gonzalez vs. 4.0 before). The Dodgers can't manufacture runs, and at the moment, can't play long ball, either. They are at the bottom of most every offensive statistic, unless you get excited about sacrifice hits. Yet despite being second in that category - just one back of Milwaukee!

In search of offense, a continuing story … Look at the Dodgers rotation and you probably figure that should be the team weakness. A bunch of .500-looking pitchers, currently minus ace Clayton Kershaw. But the Dodgers' rotation has a collective 3.54 ERA, third lowest in baseball. Lower than the Giants, Cardinals, Brewers and Phillies. They keep them in games. The problem has continued to be a horrifically disappointing offense. It is there where they continue to hover among the lower five teams in baseball in most every significant category: runs and RBI (26 th )