From Contenders to Favorites

[Originally published on YurkdogRadio.com]

There’s a reason the Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez and the Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero hit cleanup in the batting order: They’re dominant hitters and they come through in the clutch.

But entering Game 3 of their respective divisional series, Manny and Vlad were both blanketed by opposing pitchers – at least by their standards. Through the first three games, Ramirez doubled once in eight plate appearances and Guerrero singled twice in six. Other than that, nothing: no home runs and no RBIs. Still, both their teams held a 2-0 advantage.

Perhaps this isn’t too much of a surprise if you consider their regular-season numbers relative to the successes that the Blue Crew and Halos each achieved. The Dodgers won the NL West and secured the league’s best record despite Manny’s modest .290 batting average, 19 home runs and 63 RBI in 104 games, while the Angels prevailed in the AL West and landed the second-most Major League wins even though Vlad played in just 100 games while batting .295 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI.

Game 3 for the Dominican sluggers, however, was a return to the norm – and a semi-needed sigh of relief for both clubs. Ramirez’s first-inning, two-out double gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, and his seventh-inning, two-out RBI single was the icing on the cake as Los Angeles swept their second straight NLDS. Meanwhile, Guerrero undoubtedly came up with his biggest hit of the year: a ninth-inning, two-out single that plated two runs, put the Angels ahead, 7-6, and ultimately marked the first time Los Angeles of Anaheim defeated Boston in a playoff series.

Before both teams swept their divisional series, the Dodgers and Angels were simply contenders. Now, they may just be the favorites.

Dodgers-Angels Headed on a World Series Collision Course?

[Originally published on YurkdogRadio.com]

On 16 occasions a World Series matchup has featured two teams from the same metropolitan area, beginning in 1906 with the Chicago teams and most recently at the start of this decade in New York.

Currently, number 17 is becoming more imminent by the day, as both the Dodgers and Angels have a 2-0 stranglehold in their respective Division Series.

The two squads have faced off 74 times – the Angels lead the all-time series, 41-33 – but never in October. Heck, this is only the third year that they have made the playoffs in the same season.

But while both teams have plenty of work cut out for them before such a series can be realized – the Dodgers may have to face the Cardinals’ Cy Young-caliber duo of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright again, and the Angels would have to contend with the Yankees’ home-field advantage should each team advance to the ALCS – the thought of a Dodgers-Angels World Series certainly is intriguing.

For starters, the Dodgers and Angels each have experienced remarkable seasons. The Dodgers lost slugger Manny Ramirez to a 50-game suspension for supposed steroid use, yet still finished with the best National League record. Meanwhile, the Angels suffered a fallen teammate in the form of pitcher Nick Adenhart who was part of a fatal car crash, yet they still went on to win 97 regular-season games, second-most among both leagues.

The Weaver brothers – Jeff and Jered – would also add some flavor to substance. Veteran Jeff has been a reliable spot-starter and long-relief pitcher for the Dodgers, while young Jered (the Game 2 ALCS winner) is an up-and-coming starting pitcher with a promising Angels future.

If that isn't enough, five Angel coaches donned Dodger blue during their playing days: manager Mike Scioscia, bench coach Ron Roenicke, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, first-base coach Alfredo Griffin and third-base coach Dino Ebel.

The off-the-field matchup is noteworthy as well. Owners Frank McCourt and Arte Moreno both resided in other states before buying the Dodgers and Angels, respectively, and both have spent considerable amounts of money to improve their ballclubs and thus generate success.

Sure we are only two games deep into postseason play, but if I were commissioner Bud Selig I just about would be on my hands and knees, begging the baseball gods for the first freeway series in Fall Classic history.

The Los Angeles Slumpers

[Originally published on YurkdogRadio.com]

The Dodgers are slumping faster than former President George W. Bush’s ratings during his second term in office.

Despite securing a playoff berth for the third time in four years last Saturday, the Blue Crew concluded their final road trip of the 2009 season with back-to-back losses in San Diego and finished the entire roadie with three wins in nine games – the last four of which they were dismally outscored, 25-7.

Andre Eithier looked like a batboy rather than the team MVP he has been for a large part of the season, as he went 1-29 on the trip. Manny Ramirez’s average dipped below .300, and the supposed slugger has belted just one homerun in his last 15 games. Jon Garland, who many thought would be the savior of a pitching that still is without a true number-one starter, lost both of his starts to teams (Pittsburgh and San Diego) that started looking forward to next season before the all-star break hit.

Earlier this week manager Joe Torre said this squad is the best at “forgetting yesterday” that he has ever managed. But as the Rockies – winners of their last four games and eight of their last 11 – come into Dodger Stadium tonight for a season-finale three-game set that will decide the NL West pennant, the only thing the Dodgers are forgetting is how to win their division.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com.