The Diamond Fan

After getting off to a hot start, the Dodgers have been scuffling since the All Star break, having gone 18-18 since then after winning 56 of 88 before the break to build a seven game division lead. There are several reasons for the decline; hitting is weaker overall (.012 worse OPS), let be significant OPS declines by Manny Ramirez, James Loney, Casey Blake and Juan Pierre. The bullpen is showing signs of fatigue. Most importantly, the starting rotation, a strength early on, has been beset by injuries and inconsistency.

That’s why the pitching performances in the last two games against the Cubs has been so encouraging. Randy Wolf has really stepped up in his last two starts, both on the mound and with the bat, and has become (for now) the team’s most reliable starter. And Charlie Haeger has been a revelation in his first two starts with his knuckleball delivery. Now we just need a few things to fall in place:

• Kuroda to make a complete recovery from his scary injury.
• Billingsley’s hammy not acting up.
• Kershaw getting a both of a break (backing off his starts a day of two or skipping a turn) to keep him fresh and able to go deeper into games

If Haeger can keep baffling NL hitters with the knuckler and Padilla at least be effective enough to keep us in the games he starts and eat up some innings, I think the rotation will straighten itself out. The lead has shrunk to the point that we now have a pennant race, but the Dodgers should be able to retain control. And once the playoffs starts, A healthy Billingsley-Kershaw-Wolf-Kuroda rotation looks pretty good.