Beyond Baseball: Dodger Blues.

The LA Dodgers are a team full of talent but somehow remain in last place in the NL West. Last year during the trade deadline the Dodgers acquired shortstop Hanley Ramirez from the Miami Marlins to fill their shortstop needs. If you thought they were done well a few weeks later the Dodgers then traded for pitcher Josh Beckett, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, and left fielder Carl Crawford from the Boston Red Sox. Now these were all the right moves for the Dodgers to do at the time to help them get to the postseason, but somehow it back fired and the Dodgers missed the playoffs in 2012. As we know the Giants won the NL West division title and went on to win their 2nd World Series title in 3 years. During the 2012 winter meetings the Dodgers made a big splash in signing one of the big free agent pitchers on the market in Zack Greinke for 6 years/$147 million dollars. Putting Greinke right behind the games best pitcher Clayton Kershaw. With adding Greinke it would make the Dodgers pitching staff one of the best in National League with already having Clayton Kershaw, Josh Beckett, Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, and Ted Lilly. The sky's would be the limit for the Dodgers in 2013.

Zack Greinke
signing his 6 year/$147 million dollar deal

As the 2013 season was under way so were the Dodgers. They started off really slow and poor and could never really find their way back. With players already on the DL such as Crawl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez, this team was already missing big pieces to this team. They were also lacking leadership from outfielders Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. Kemp who batted over .300 last year was on a really slow start and at one point was batting .220. Ethier hasn't been much better this year. The Dodgers pitching staff has not lived up to hype as it should be. Pitcher Chad Billingsley started out the year but then was put on the DL. It appeared that he would miss the rest of the 2013 season and some part of the 2014 season due to having Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm, so he was done for the year. Josh Beckett was getting knocked around and soon found himself on the 15 day DL with a broken finger. Beckett before going on the DL was spotting an ERA of 5.19. Also their big free agent signing Zack Greinke was put on the DL after getting into a brawl fight with the San Diego Padres, Greinke popped his shoulder and would be placed on the 15 day DL. As the season has gone on center fielder Matt Kemp was placed on the 15 day DL when he pulled his hamstring. The captain of this team would be out for a month or so. So as the season started this team was already heading for rock bottom with players hurt and underperforming.

Matt Kemp hurt

In baseball it's a long season, a lot of ups and a lot of down. If it's one thing the Dodgers have done is stayed in the hunt. Yes they are in last place in the NL West but only out by 7.5 game and its the beginning of June. The Dodgers in the past few weeks have gotten a few key player back from the DL as in Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, and Hanley Ramirez. But they one big reason why this team is still within 7.5 games of the division is because of CY Young award winner Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw so far this year has been the pitcher they need and has been for the past 3 years. Now he doesn't get much run support but does his part and tries to win this team ball games that they need. When he is called to do his part, he does it well. Kershaw so far this has an ERA of 1.93 a record of 5-4 and 91 strikeouts. They have also found a little surprise player in right fielder Yasiel Puig. With Ethier having an off year and the Dodgers being short on outfielders they called Puig up. The 22 year old from Cuba has been the little spark plug the Dodgers have been looking for all year long and has helped them win a few games. Not only can Puig hit the ball, but he has speed and a good rang in the outfield. I don't know to much about this rookie but what I have seen from him so far is pretty good.

Yasiel Puig

He is a five tool player, hits for power and average, has speed, good arm, and can track down fly balls. Since he has been called up he is hitting .421, 4 HR, and 10 RBI's. Not to bad for just being called up. Puig is showing he is ready for big leagues. A few days ago the Dodgers got word on center fielder Matt Kemp that he will be making a few rehab starts down in the minors before returning to the Dodgers. The other day manager Don Mattingly was asked about Carl Crawford's injury and Mattingly characterized Crawford's hamstring as "fairly significant".

So far this year the Dodgers have 6 key players on the DL and with players going off and on the DL it been really hard to get anything really going for this team. They sit at a record of 27-33 still remaining last in the division. Arizona is leading the way in the division with the Giants and Rockies right behind them. Then you have the Padres sitting 6.0 games out and then the Dodgers at 7.5. So really with it only being June 8th, it's still anyone's division. It's all about what team gets healthy and gets hot at the right time. The Dodgers have a lot of talent on this team, maybe to much talent? But whatever it has been this team just doesn't look like a winning team right now. Yes they have had a few high moments this year, but all and all it has been a down season so far. If they can get Kemp and Crawford back heathy and have them play the way that they do they should be just fine. If they can also get back Josh Beckett heathy and pitch like the 3 time World Series champion he has been before that would be a key pitcher for them down the road. As of right now with the Dodger, is what see is what you get.