July 30th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Dodger fans are a fickle bunch. They’re jubilant when their beloved team wins, upset when they do not and downright nasty when they lose a game that they should have won. Dodger fans also need a crutch. They need that one thing during the course of a grueling 162-game season that screams out at them saying “This is it! … This is the turning point of the season!”
In 2013 it was a benches-clearing brawl with the Arizona Diamondbacks – two, actually – at Dodger Stadium on June 11 that created disdain, hatred even, for guys named Ian Kennedy, Chip Hale, Turner Ward (although he has since been forgiven and is now the Dodgers hitting coach) and even one of the greatest former Dodgers of all time – Kirk Gibson. But it did something else. It brought about a change in the Dodgers and their fans. It lit their fuse. It kicked them in the butt. It was the turning point of the season and a short 10 days later the Dodgers would embark on a historic 42-8 run that lasted from June 22 through August 17 en route to their first of three consecutive NL West titles.
Whether or not the epic brawl between the Dodgers and Dbacks on June 11, 2013 was the turning point of the season is subject to personal opinion. But the 42-8 run that they went on a little over a week later certainly wasn’t.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
But what do the players themselves think? Do they buy into this whole one single game or one single incident that can actually turn a season around – an actual turning point? Although an answer to the affirmative would be a feel-good answer and would be exactly what fans and the media wants to hear, the cold hard truth is that, for the most part, they do not.
A bit harsh you say? Well… yeah, it sort of is. But the thing to keep in mind is that while such a single event can be a motivator and a momentum changer at that very moment, it also brings to mind the famous (and timeless) quote by Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver: “Momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starting pitcher.” In other words, as soon as that one game is in the books, regardless of what happened, tomorrow is a brand new day for every team.
But baseball isn’t quite that simple. In no way am I suggesting that the great Earl Weaver was wrong – not even a little bit; in fact, he is absolutely correct in his assessment. We all know that on any given day any team can beat any other team. But when you get right down to the brass tacks, baseball players – from Little Leaguers to the major leaguers – are also baseball fans just like you and me. As such and even though they may not come right out and say it, they, too, believe that there can be – and usually is – a single turning point in a season for them; they’ve just been conditioned not to think that way and most certainly not talk that way even if they themselves believe it.
After Friday night’s incredible, absolutely remarkable come-from-behind 9-7 win over the NL West last-place Arizona Diamondbacks (go figure), Dodgers manager Dave Roberts came about as close to acknowledging that one single game can make a difference in the outcome of the season as you will ever hear.
“Every win is a big one, but arguably that’s the best win of the year,” Roberts said. “I guess my memory might be a little short.”
If the Dodgers go on to win the NL West for a franchise record-setting fourth consecutive time, it will be hard to argue that Chase Utley’s dramatic seventh-inning two-run home run wasn’t the turning point of the season for the Dodgers. (Photo credit – Jae C. Hong)
And then there’s social media, Twitter, to be more precise:
And then there are The Hated Ones to the north who, thanks to an incredible bases loaded 3-3-5 triple play turned by the Washington Nationals, lost their 11th game since the All-Star break (against two wins) and have seen their 6.5-game lead over the Dodgers at the break dwindle to a mere 1.0-game lead with their 4-1 loss to the Nats on Friday night while the Dodgers were beating the Dbacks. And though the Giants will get their star right fielder Hunter Pence back from the disabled list on Saturday, the so-called baseball experts who had all but handed the Giants their World Series rings have disappeared into the woodwork.
But all that aside, if there is indeed such a thing as a turning point in a season, it’s hard to argue that Friday night’s exciting game wasn’t it.
…until the next one, that is.
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A great win, no doubt. Coming back after surrendering 7 runs in the 7th was a true sign of a championship caliber club. For me though, the turning point of the season was when Kershaw went on the disabled list. Something clicked in for these guys at that point. Of course the Giants coming back to earth has helped a lot too, (and the fact that coincided with Kershaw going down has played a role). But the vets came through, Turner heated up, Grandal had a hot streak, and sparkplug cameos by guys like Toles and Taylor played a part. Now it looks like Joc is hitting stride.
This ball club held on close enough to the Giants, even when playing mediocre and abysmal offensively with runners on base. They could have been buried. I’ve got to hand it to their character. Now is thier chance to step on the accelerator as the Giants hit the toughest part of their schedule. I like their chances.
I totally agree with Evan. I said at the time that this was when championship teams step up to the plate. Well, they have.
This time the BP failed, so the bats picked it up. BP wasn’t really as bad as the box score looked, except for the walks. Only Goldy really hit it hard. Otherwise it was bloops that found grass. As Vin says, “It looks like a line drive in the box score.”
Yes it was unusual to see the offense actually pick up the bullpen for a change and I did get the feeling that it could be a sign of things to come. I was watching on “gameday” and saw the Giants had the bases loaded and nobody out. I was shock to see it all disappear without a run scoring.
It’s hard to believe everything went our way last night. Well the next two months will tell the story.
A great streak no doubt and much better than expected as was the Giants losing streak. I don’t know if there was/is a turning point but certain events just seem to instill a confidence in teams. Believing they can do it is just so important.
For me I try to stay on an even keel and not get down when things don’t go so well or get too high when good things happen. It’s a long season.
Go Dodgers!
For me, I’d have to say that started their winning ways on June 17th when Justin Turner went 3 for 5 and drove in all three Dodgers runs, including his walkoff single in the bottom of the 10th inning.
The Dodgers rolled off six in a row before losing three in Pittsburgh, the final loss being the day Kershaw hurt himself. Since that time the Dodgers have gone 17-9 and have gained back most of the games they trailed the Giants by. And with 9 games, head-to-head against the Giants, the Dodgers still have control of their own destiny. Nice to have help, but it’s even nicer when you know your play can directly affect the division lead.
And yet, wouldn’t it be worth it to have Kershaw back in the picture?