Dodgers’ Divisional Woes Continue
A late rally sees the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a 3-game series, Monday night.
The Los Angeles Dodgers failed to hang on to a late lead Monday, falling to divisional rivals the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series.
Entering the ninth inning with a 3-1 lead, the Dodgers were undone by the Diamondbacks, who scored four runs in the final frame and went on to win the game 5-4.
The loss – the Dodgers’ third-straight overall – was the club’s fifth consecutive defeat at the hands of NL West-leading Arizona. The Dodgers are now 1-6 against the Diamondbacks this season, and just 4-16 in the last 20 meetings between the clubs.
The defeat highlighted the club’s struggles against divisional rivals this season.
The Dodgers are currently 8-20 (.286) against NL West opposition, including a 4-12 (.250) record at home and a 4-8 (.333) record on the road. The club has won just two of nine series against divisional foes, both of which came against the San Diego Padres.
At this rate, the Dodgers are on line to finish with a divisional record of 22-54!
While recording the best record within the division is no guarantee of winning the division itself – in fact, since 1998 the team finishing the NL West with the best inter-division record has won the division just one more time than those that have finished below (see table) – those teams unable to consistently beat their rivals rarely make it to the postseason.
Currently 8 1/2 games back of the Diamondbacks, the Dodgers aren’t quite out of the race yet, but unless the side manages to find a way to win out west, all that money spent over the last 12 months will be for naught.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Don Mattingley’s club though. During Monday’s 5-4 loss, rookie sensation Yasiel Puig continued to astound and amaze.
Rookie Yasiel Puig has gone 16-for-32 to start his MLB career.,
The 22-year-old outfielder went 3-for-4 at the plate and has now safely reached base in six of the eight games he has played in. He has recorded 16 hits in 32 at bats, including four homeruns and 10 RBIs. His numbers (.500 AVG, .515 OBP, .938 SLG, 1.453 OPS) are enough to get fans excited. Very excited.
The Los Angeles Times reported that more than 3,000 units of Puig-related merchandise had been sold in a four-day period. That number is higher than any other Dodger player’s merchandise in a four-day window, ever.
We may be getting ahead of ourselves but the Dodgers are presumably earmarking that revenue for when it comes to trying to keep Puig in uniform. To keep Puig in the famous Dodger Blue, the side will need to play better than it is right now, not to mention win.
Puig’s impressive MLB introduction has had a marginal impact on the MLB Futures.
According to Bovada, the Dodgers are now 14/1 to win the National League pennant (8th) and 28/1 to win the World Series (14th). Each of these represents shorter odds than were posted last week, when the team was 15/1 and 33/1 in those respective categories.
The Dodgers are still a long way off those opening day odds that saw the team second favorite – behind the Washington Nationals – in the National League.
Zack Greinke will look to lead the Dodgers to a rare win against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
The three-game series continues tonight (10:10 p.m. ET) with Zack Greinke (3-1, 3.89 ERA) taking the mound for the Dodgers (27-36, 18-19 home).
Greinke picked up the win his last time out (June 6) as the Dodgers shutout the Braves 5-0 at Chavez Ravine. The win – his first since May 15 – saw the right-hander strikeout seven as he gave up just four hits in seven full innings.
Coming off his worst career performance, Ian Kennedy (3-4, 5.72 ERA) will toe the rubber for Arizona (36-28, 19-14 road).
Kennedy gave up 10 earned runs on 13 hits in only four innings against the St. Louis Cardinals last Thursday. His already inflated ERA sky rocketed to nearly six following the outing. The right-hander was the losing pitcher in a game between the two sides earlier this season (Apr. 13). In that game –played at Chase Field in Phoenix – he gave up six earned runs on 10 hits while walking four. The Dodgers took the game 7-5; the club’s only win against Arizona so far this season.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers odds for 6/11/13 are available now.
The Dodgers (-156) opened as the favorite over the Diamondbacks (+146) on the moneyline, although most sportsbooks have reduced those numbers. With Arizona’s recent dominance over the Dodgers, bettors might want to back the underdog in this one, providing Kennedy can bounce back from that horrendous outing last week.
The over/under opened at 6 1/2 but most bookmakers have bumped it up to seven.
The Dodgers (33-27-3) have favored the over this season while Arizona (28-34-2) has favored the under. The total has gone over in three of the four games played between the two sides at Dodger Stadium this season, including Monday’s nine-run offering.
