For the Los Angeles Dodgers so far in the 2013 season, there has not been a whole lot to complain about. The team has a winning record, some incredible players, a great manager in Don Mattingly, and a solid ownership group including Magic Johnson. Players like Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, and Dee Gordon have lead the Dodgers thus far. The team is playing well, except for one problem.
Despite a 23-21 record, the Dodgers currently sit in third place in the NL West, and are four games behind their rival, the division-leading San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are playing well, but they must do more to win the division or even to be assured of a wild card spot.
To start, Matt Kemp needs to get back to being an MVP candidate type of player. His numbers are not terrible by any stretch so far this season, but they are below his career averages, and they are not close to what they were in 2011 and 2012, when he was playing like one of the best in the league. Comparing this season so far to 2011, his best season, he is a bit down in batting average, stolen bases, and hits. A good sign is that his on-base percentage is rather high at .340. Kemp has faced injuries over the last year (SIA Profile), but he is certainly the type of player who can get right back to where he was as he gets back to 100%, and lead this team to the playoffs.
The Dodger also need ace pitcher Clayton Kerwshaw to stay healthy and pitch consistently well (SIA Profile). In Kershaw’s last start he was demolished by Arizona. He gave up seven earned runs on six hits in just 1.2 innings pitched, and he was pulled from the game at that point. Kershaw is coming off an injury and has only pitched four times this season. He has a 2-1 record and an earned-run average of 4.43. That 4.43 ERA is way above his career ERA of 2.63, so his first four starts have been unsuccessful overall compared to the two-time Cy Young winner’s past. If Kershaw can get back to the great pitching we are used to seeing from him, the Dodgers will see more success.
The last major thing that the Dodgers need is their star right-fielder Yasiel Puig to stay disciplined, on AND off the field. Puig has been the most spectacular show-stopping player in baseball since he was called up last season. He is the size of a football player, one of the fastest base runners in the league, has a rocket arm, and incredible hitting ability and power. The issue with Puig, which we all have seen, is that he tends to do whatever he wants. He shows up late to games on occasion, he bat flips like he hit a 480-foot home run, and he tags up on fly balls hit in the infield. Needless to say, Yasiel is an unpredictable, loose cannon.
If he could show control, consistency and discipline it would be very helpful for the Dodgers. A controlled Puig could turn into the best outfielder in MLB, especially with all the potential he has shown the world so far.
For the Dodgers, coming off an incredibly successful 2013 regular season that ended with a disappointing postseason causing them to come up short of their World Series goal, they are primed for World Championship success, and that is exactly where they plan to be. It is very likely that the Dodgers are going to have a good season, but it will likely take more than just good to even win their own division. If Los Angeles can bring their star players together and get them playing well, it will result in huge success this year, and possibly a World Series trophy.
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