It certainly didn’t take very long for the Dodgers to revert right back to their old ways of following a winning streak with a losing streak, did it? After winning five straight (which seems to be their limit), including a three-game sweep of the .500 Mets and starting off a four-game series against the streaky Cardinals in grand fashion, they have already given back the scant game and a half that they picked up on the Giants; this in spite of the acquisition of (occasional) superstar Hanley Ramirez.

Hanley Ramirez hit the very first pitch he saw as a Dodger off the wall for a stand-up triple on Wednesday night, but it takes more than one guy to win games. (Photo credit – Dilip Vishwanat)

It wasn’t that the Dodgers didn’t hit the ball well on Wednesday night against the Cards… they actually did (two hits by Ramirez and one each by Abreu, both Ellis’, Ethier, Cruz, and even Juan Uribe [no, really… I’m serious]), but their hits were (for the most part) untimely hits and were scattered, not consecutive.

And yet again, the Dodgers left way too many men on base (that’s that untimely hits thing), and we all know that LOB = Loss. But the real back-breaker was going 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. This is the stat that keeps teams out of the post season… this and walks by Dodger pitchers (we also all know that Walks Kill You).

I think that it’s safe to say that most of us are pretty happy with the Hanley Ramirez acquisition and he didn’t waste any time showing us why, but just as it is (was) with Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier, one guy alone cannot carry a team; it takes contributions from 1 through 8 in the line-up and a strong pitching performance by number 9 to get the job done; otherwise a night like that of Ramirez in his Dodger debut is a complete waste and means absolutely nothing at the end of the day.

And, as if on cue, the Dodger reverted back to their old ways in another manner – they squandered yet another opportunity to gain ground in the standings by once again losing when the Giants also lost (go figure). If they continue to do so (as they seemingly are doing at a record pace this season), they can kiss the post season good-bye, regardless of who they get in trade.

WAKE UP, BOYS!