OK, Dodger fans. It’s starting to look like there might be hope. Sure, the team’s payroll may be $216 million — more than the gross domestic product of the Marshall Islands. Having shelled out that type of investment, last place
OK, Dodger fans. It’s starting to look like there might be hope.
Sure, the team’s payroll may be $216 million — more than the gross domestic product of the Marshall Islands. Having shelled out that type of investment, last place in the National League West was not the return the new Dodgers ownership and long-suffering LA fans expected.
But that’s where the Dodgers currently reside — six games under .500 and 7.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. Manager Don Mattingly has been on the hot seat for his team’s poor performance, though Donny Baseball seems just as troubled by L.A.’s output as the fans and media alike.
With about 100 games left on the schedule, there is still enough time for an underachieving team to get its act together and push toward contention.
Enter the phenom.
Rookie right fielder Yasiel Puig, 22, was called up on June 3 and proceeded to record two hits and fire a direct strike from the warning track to first base for the game’s final out in his debut.
Puig, a 2012 defector of Cuba, has since blasted four home runs in his first 19 at-bats as a major leaguer, driving in 10 runs in the process as the Dodgers (27-33) have won four of the five games since his promotion.
He’s something of a freak, showcasing a physique that more resembles a running back than an outfielder. At 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 215 pounds, Puig’s initial comparison is to the previously incomparable Bo Jackson. He’s probably not the same natural athlete that Jackson was and he doesn’t have Jackson’s pure speed, but his brute strength, rifle arm and knowledge of the game make him an extremely rare and valuable commodity.
Even in baseball, there are times where one player’s injection can turn a team’s fortune. Belief is such an important component of all individual and team sports, so an upgrade in the confidence department can be even more valuable than a change in scheme or philosophy. The Dodgers have been one of the worst teams in baseball at putting runs together, scoring the fourth-fewest runs (215) in the majors. While they’re not exactly tearing the cover off the ball with Puig around — L.A. has scored 20 runs in his five appearances — having increased offensive potential in the lineup allows pitchers to approach the game differently. Without the pressure to hold opponents to one or two runs, the Dodgers’ staff can simply trust their stuff.
His addition has energized the dugout and his charisma has now made the Dodgers appointment viewing. Up to this point, most fans were scheduling appointments specifically so they would miss L.A.’s snoozers. No more.
The NL West is a four-team race, with the D-Backs, Rockies, San Francisco Giants and, now, Dodgers all still in the mix. It was tough to make that claim a week ago, but that’s how much one talented player can shift the balance of power.
• ‘My Thoughts Exactly’ appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays in The Garden Island. Email David Simon your comments or questions to dsimon@thegardenisland.com. Follow David on Twitter @SimonTGI
