Anything LA Can Do, SD Can Do Better

As the Dodgers get three hits in the first inning of tonight's game against San Diego and fail to score, I can't help but be thoroughly disappointed, not because of yet another baserunning gaffe, but at the bleak future of the Dodgers' 2010 season. The trading deadline came and passed this weekend, and there's no question the Dodgers were active. I already commented on the Scott Podsednik trade, but the Dodgers made two more trades to acquire Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot from Chicago, as well as Octavio Dotel from Pittsburgh. These were two great moves for the Dodgers, and as a fan, I'm happy with what Ned Colletti did to make the team better.

But when I saw that the Padres countered by acquiring Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick, my heart sank. The Dodgers addressed everything they needed, but with those two deals, so did the Padres. In my mind, the trades are a wash. Neither team gained an advantage over the other, and because the Padres are now eight games ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West standings, following another big Dodger losing streak that's still going for now, they continue to have the upper hand. My hat goes off to Padres general manager Jed Hoyer. Well played.

As much as I don't want to face this fact, especially given my midseason predictions, I have to: the Dodgers are in trouble. Big trouble. Vin Scully was talking about 1951 in the first inning of tonight's game...when it comes to that kind of an attempt to inspire hope in the Dodger fan base, you know things are not going well. The Padres look extremely solid right now, and at this point, it would be downright foolish to think that they are going to fade. We kept waiting for it, and waiting for it, and waiting for it. And then waited for it some more. But it never came. And now the best team in the National League West on paper is in fourth place and floundering, with the worst team on paper ruling over the division as they have for most of the season. Go figure that.

So how do the 2010 Dodgers make me look good and come back to win the division? It starts with lighting a fire under the offense. We've been struggling to score runs so much that the Padres are playing the infield in here in the second inning with runners on second and third and one out. It's almost as if the Dodgers can't buy a run, even with a $100+ million payroll. Five hits in two innings and still no runs. The pitching will be there these last two months. But then again, it always is for the Dodgers. 95 victories last season came because the Dodgers were a strong offensive team in addition to their above average pitching. Somehow, the Dodgers need more of that mojo in August and September. That's really all it's going to take for a comeback.

But all it's going to take is still eight games away.