Remember that uncomfortable feeling whenever the Dodgers had to face a 2009 St. Louis Cardinals lineup that included guys named Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Ryan Ludwick, Troy Glaus, Mark DeRosa and David Freese? Or worse, a 2008 Philadelphia Phillies lineup that included guys like Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Jayson Werth, and the ever-hated Shane Victorino and the ever-dangerous Matt Stairs? It almost seemed that whenever these teams rolled into Dodger Stadium – or the Dodgers into Busch Stadium or Citizens Bank Park – it would be a moral victory if the Dodgers escaped with even one win instead of being swept in a three or four-game series.

Well guess what? The 2017 Dodgers are now that team.

Check this out: In Sunday’s 6-3 win over the lowly Miami Marlins – which could have easily been a double-digit win had even four of the nine runners that the Dodgers left stranded on base scored – every position player except one had at least one base hit and two had a three-hit day. That lone exception was reigning 2016 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager, who is only hitting .292 on the season and homered the night before – his seventh of the season. Heck, even Dodgers rookie phenom Cody Bellinger with his .295 batting average, team-high nine home runs and 1.015 OPS (in 95 plate appearances) had a hit to go along with his first-ever Golden Sombrero, although one of those Ks was on a severely blown strike three call by veteran home plate umpire Paul Nauert.

Dodgers May 21, 2017 lineup and box score.
(Image courtesy of MLB.com)

But wait, there’s more!

Although Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has an affinity against using the “P” word (platooning), he does it on a daily basis, and we’re talking every day here. And while having a 25-man roster – more specifically, 12 position players – of which every one of them could be an everyday starter is a great problem to have, it doesn’t always bode well for those who spend more time on the bench than on the field. That being said, it is flat out working for the defending 2016 NL Manager of the Year and the four-time consecutive NL West champion Dodgers.

In only his third game since returning from the disabled list for a herniated disk in his back, Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 at the plate on Sunday with two doubles and three RBIs.
(Photo credit – Mark J. Terrill)

But wait, there’s even more!

Although Sunday’s Dodgers lineup was in every sense of the word dangerous, it was without their best hitter on the team and the best hitter in all of baseball, 32-year-old Dodgers star third baseman Justin Turner, who left last Friday night’s game with what was later diagnosed as a “Grade 1 strained right hamstring.” And while there is no time frame for when the Long Beach, California native and unofficial team captain will return to action, equally hot-hitting utility infielder Chris Taylor (.333) is filling in exceptionally well for Turner and could easily be an everyday third baseman on any MLB team.

Simply put, although it would be nice to see a consistent everyday Dodgers lineup out there, Roberts decision to platoon his players – even if he refuses to call it that – has worked well for his team through their first 45 games, which just so happens to be exactly 27 percent of the 2017 season.

May the Force – and Fear of – the Dodgers be with you.