Before the recent 4 game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers, there were many who speculated that this series could well be a preview to the pending National League title games.
Of course the Pirates and the Braves could also enter into that picture. Pittsburg currently leads the Cards by 4 games and are the winningest team in MLB with 70 wins against 44 loses and a .614 win percentage. Atlanta is so far out in front in the NL East that their winning that division is already a foregone conclusion.
But it is the Dodgers who continue to defy the odds after climbing all the way from the cellar to the top of the NL West and pulling 5.5 games out in front of the second place Arizona Diamondbacks. Even with Hanley Ramirez on the bench for the entire series against the Cards, the Dodgers managed to win 3 of the 4 games.
Although the Cardinals ended the Dodgers’ long winning streak on the road at 16, Los Angeles came right back behind the pitching of rookie South Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and the hitting of catcher A.J. Ellis to win the final game of the series.
But, as good as Ryu has been, he is not the best pitcher that the Dodgers have in the bullpen. Their lineup of Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw ranks among the tops in Major League Baseball and their recent acquisition of ace closer Brian Wilson can only strengthen an already strong pitching lineup.
The Dodgers had the second best record in MLB during the month of July. The best went to the Tampa Bay Rays who are also on a tear and moving up into serious competition to the Red Sox in the American League East.
The Rays travel to Los Angeles for a critical 3 games series with the Dodgers where baseball fans will get a good look at two of the hottest teams in baseball at the beginning of August.
Oddsmakers gave the edge to the Rays for the opening game of the series at -120… most likely on the strength of the pitching of David Price and his record against the Dodgers this year.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have the run-away favorite for rookie of the year in young Cuban sensation Yasil Puig who continues to amaze and entertain fans with his consistent hitting and his fluid fielding which is reminiscent of Roberto Clemente… high praise indeed.
