Dodgers continue to struggle against quality opponents

LOS ANGELES — As the Dodgers headed up the 5 Freeway with their tails between their legs after being swept by the Padres, perceptive fans are noticing a trend that does not bode well for the rest of the year. The Dodgers have been aces at pummeling rotten teams, but once the level of competition is upped a bit, they can’t seem to bring out quality performances in those key games. Let’s take a look at the stats and you’ll see what I mean pretty quickly.

Dodgers dominate also-rans

First, the Dodgers dominance against inferior opponents. The Dodgers have benefitted from being in the same division as the Rockies and Diamondbacks, as they have piled up a lot of wins against just these two teams. They’re 7-0 versus the hapless D’backs and 6-1 versus the Rockies. That’s a 13-1 record without having to leave the division. Plus, they swept the Pirates in their one meeting they had this year, and they did the same against the Nats. They won two of three from the Rangers, Marlins, and Phillies. They’ve played two series versus the Mariners and gone 3-1 versus them. They’ve had bad luck against both the Reds and the Angels, losing two of three in both series. None of these teams (except maybe the Phillies and Reds) figure to be in the playoff mix this year. That’s a 30-9 record against these teams.

Struggles against contenders

Now let’s look at the flip side: the record against teams that will likely be vying for a playoff spot in September. Of course, the most painful one is the 3-7 record against the Padres, but others are not that great either. 0-3 versus the incoming Cubbies. 1-3 versus Milwaukee. 1-2 against Atlanta. A decent 1-1 split in Houston against the Astros*. The only playoff contending teams that the Dodgers have a winning record against are the Cardinals, the Giants, and the A’s.

The Dodgers went 2-1 in a nice home series against the Cards (who may not make the playoffs at all) earlier this month, but there is cause for concern with the other two teams. The A’s were the second team the Dodgers played this year and the Dodgers caught them when they were in the middle of a bad start. In fact, as soon as the A’s finished with the Dodgers they reeled off thirteen straight wins and got back in the thick of the American League race. It will be anybody’s guess how the Dodgers would stack up against this new improved version of the Athletics.

Giants are the key opponent right now

The Giants, who come into town next week are another matter altogether. Right now the Dodgers record is 4-3 against them, but they’ve lost three straight. And lost those three at Dodger Stadium. Plus, though the Dodgers have been close a couple of times, they are still looking up at the Giants in the standings. The Giants’ starting pitching remains good, and their hitting is much better than expected. The Giants are for real, people.

Conclusion

So, that makes a 14-21 record versus contenders. Of course, you’re supposed to have a better record against the bad teams (that’s why they call those teams bad, after all), but 14-21 against playoff-bound teams is not going to cut it going forward. They’ve got to prove that they can show up to the stadium ready to play every night, and get in the ring with the big boys of the National League. If they can’t, their reign as World Series champs might be a short one.