May 15th, 2017 at 10:59 am 
by Ron Cervenka If you were to ask former MLB manager and current Dodgers broadcaster and baseball analyst Kevin Kennedy when it is officially no longer “still early” in a baseball season, his pat answer would be “Forty games into the season.” And while my personal “still early” threshold actually expires before the first pitch on Opening Day (because a win or loss in April is no less important than a win or loss in September), Tuesday night’s game between the Dodgers and the NL West fourth-place San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park will be the 40th game of the season for the Dodgers, thereby – in Kevin Kennedy’s words – finally bringing an end to the misconception that “it’s still early.”
Former MLB manager and current Dodgers broadcaster Kevin Kennedy has long professed that it is no longer “still early” at the 40-game mark of a baseball season. The Dodgers reach that mark on Tuesday evening against the Giants at AT&T Park.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
With game number 39 set for tonight against The Hated Ones, the 22-16 (.579) Dodgers are in second place in the NL West 1.5 games behind the division-leading 24-15 (.615) Colorado Rockies and 1.5 games ahead of the 21-18 (.538) third-place Arizona Diamondbacks. And while it is probably safe to say that no one expected the Rockies with their 24-year franchise-history mark of 1,784 – 2,042 (.466) to actually be leading the division at the 40-game mark, it is also probably safe to say that no one expected the Giants to be one game out of last place with their dismal 15-24 (.385) record at this point of the season either.
Whenever someone mentions that the Rockies are leading the NL West, the knee-jerk reaction is often “That’s because half of their games are played in the thin air of Coors Field” If you are among those of this belief, I’ve got some bad news for you. The Rockies are currently 13-10 (.565) at home and (wait for it…) 11-5 (.687) on the road. If one were to accept the age-old belief that a team must play at least .500 ball on the road and no less than .600 ball at home to win their respective division, the Colorado Rockies – a team that virtually no one expected to finish the season above .500 or above third place in the division – then they must also accept that the Rockies are playing well above everyone’s expectations and will soon wake up and realize that they are the Rockies.
By contrast, the Dodgers are currently an excellent 13-6 (.684) at home but are 9-10 (.473) on the road. In other words, they are doing exactly what they need to do in the friendly confines of Dodger Stadium but are below where they need to be when away from Blue Heaven on Earth; fortunately not by much. But where things get a bit dicey is that even though the Dodgers are 2-2 against the Giants at AT&T Park thus far this season, they traditionally do not fair well against their fiercest rivals there. To make matters worse, in their three meetings thus far at Dodger Stadium this season, the Giants won two of them. In other words, the standings always seem to go out the window when these two bitter rivals square off against one another.
The silver lining to all of this – if you can call it that – is that while the Dodgers and Giants are duking it out against one another at AT&T over the next three days, the Rockies begin a three-game interleague series against the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins at Target Field, so the Dodgers might get a little help. Then again, there’s that 11-5 road record thing with the Rocs.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers can only control what they can control, and they most certainly can control their own destiny against the Giants over the next three days. They are also in an excellent position to leave the City by the Bay on Wednesday afternoon atop the National League West
…right where they belong.
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(Author’s Note: Among the anticipated sell-out crowd of 41,915 at AT&T Park tonight will be approximately 700 members of the Dodgers fan-based Pantone 294 group. There is zero doubt that if/when they do their famous Dodgers player roll call, it will probably generate a likely unpopular reaction from Giants fans, and how can you not absolutely love that).
The Pantone 294 invade San Francisco.
(Photo courtesy of @Pantone294 – Click on image to view video clip) in SF
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To “the knee-jerk reaction” folks: The air density does not increase when the visiting team is batting. Both teams play under the same conditions.
I live even higher (7000 ft.). You just deal with it.
Has anybody tracked the Dodgers’ record when Pantone 294 has a large group there? It seems to me they do right well.
A poor early season record does allow more time to gain ground. It also allows more time for that team with the good early season record to extend their lead.
When you’re trailing you have to play better than those ahead of you. When you’re leading you only have to play as good as those chasing.
As I’ve said before: A game won in April is a game that doesn’t have to be won in September.
I reckon that’s enough.
Here is Kevin Kennedy’s response to the article:
Words of wisdom. We miss KK.
He will be doing the games this weekend on the radio with Rick.
As for getting the kinks worked out and settling into a new season after Spring Training, the 40 game benchmark has some merit. But the importance of a win in April vs. a win in September is not diminished simply because a new season has begun. Sure, the urgency may not be as apparent early on, but the good teams know how to stay balanced and keep their eye on the prize. Stay focused, team.
As for the Rockies, their starting rotation and Greg Holland are getting it done… right now. Overall, their stats are averaging out in the top 8 to 10 of all MLB teams which speaks for consistency… but I just don’t see it holding up during a long season for them.
I’m stymied about the Dodgers inability to settle on a lineup role for Yasiel Puig. He’s consistently batting 8th against right-handers, with no protection behind him, and is sitting on most days when a left-hander is pitching. I could be wrong, but it appears the team isn’t comfortable moving him a few spots down in the order… or even, with Toles now out, using Puig in a leadoff role, especially since Yasiel seems to be working on being a more selective hitter. Management seems to be unwilling to commit to buying-in when it comes to Puig.
I think they have settled on a lineup role…he’s inherited Joc’s #8 spot, where he has been thriving. They have tried him in both the 4 and 5 spots, mainly against lefties, without much success. Yasiel has started 36 games so far, but if he doesn’t start hitting LHP (.434 OPS!) he may be sitting more against them. I would certainly consider letting him bat leadoff instead of Joc, though.
Seems my perception was a bit off. A little research uncovered the following:
Puig has batted 4th, 7th and 8th, nine (9) times each, equaling about three quarters of his total starts. Tonight marks only the 7th time he’s batted in the #5 hole. He’s batted 3rd once and 6th three times.
What’s weird is that Puig’s stats appear to go against the grain; on average he’s favored toward the bottom of the lineup against right-handed pitchers, where he is excelling this year (.284), and conversely, placed in the middle of the lineup where he’s struggling against lefties (.171).