September 12th, 2020 at 10:30 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is a saying in baseball that is as old as the game itself:
“Any team can beat any other team on any given day.”
Case in point: The Dodgers recently lost their first series of the season to the National League West fourth place Colorado Rockies and dropped one of three to the NL West last place Arizona Diamondbacks.
Even though the Dodgers have been atop the National League West for nearly all of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and currently have the best record in all of baseball at 32-13, and have won seven of their last 10 games, there is another team that has been playing even better.
That team is, of course, the San Diego Padres, who have not only won eight of their last 10 games but are playing their best baseball of the season right now.
The Dodgers are not.
From a purely statistical standpoint, the Dodgers hit 16 home runs over their last 10 games and the Padres 14, with the Dodgers scoring 57 runs and the Padres 59 during that time.
(Photo credit – Kelley L. Cox)
On the other side of the ball and perhaps of greater concern, the Friars committed only four errors over their last 10 games and the Dodgers an unacceptable 16 errors; and this doesn’t include the mental errors the Dodgers have made, such as throwing to the wrong base allowing baserunners to take an extra base, and taking bad routes in the outfield allowing balls that should have been caught to drop for hits.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
But it’s the intangible things that could lead to the Dodgers not winning their eighth consecutive NL West title; things like a lack heart, hustle, and spirit; things that the Padres and exhibiting in spades right now that the Dodgers are not.
Perhaps the best (or worst) example of this was recently watching Dodgers All-Star outfielder/first baseman and reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger jogging to first base on a routine ground ball instead of running hard all the way, which could have meant a free base in the event of a bobble or errant throw. One can only hope that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts – or even more so future Hall of Famer and seven-year MLB veteran Mookie Betts – ‘splained things’ to the young four-year major leaguer.
The Dodgers currently have a 3.5-game lead over the Padres with 15 games remaining in the 2020 regular season. They also have a Magic Number of 12 to clinch their eighth consecutive division title and are all but assured a playoff berth.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is they are being seriously outplayed on both sides of the ball by the hard-charging Padres right now and still have three games against them this coming week at Petco Park in San Diego.
In other words, the Dodgers entire 2020 season all comes down to this.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
“The Dodgers just lost two games to the National League West last place Arizona Diamondbacks.”
They did?
“In other words, the Dodgers entire 2020 season all comes down to this.”
It does?
All my best, Ron … just that sometimes you surprise me 🙂 Hope you’re doing well amid all these 2020 challenges.
GREAT to hear from you, my friend! I am indeed ‘coping.’ I hope you and your family are also doing well.
There is little doubt that the Dodgers are still the best team in all of baseball, but the Padres would love nothing more than to rain on their parade.
As noted, it is the lack of execution on seemingly routine plays that trouble me the most. I fully expect their insanely powerful bats to heat up, but the Padres are playing exceptionally well right now.
I do indeed believe that the upcoming series in San Diego could decide who the division winners will be.
Stay safe, brother.
You too!
What I found even more alarming is how many times have I seen baserunners run us out of potential big innings! In Thursday’s loss to the D-backs, with 1st and 3rd and Mookie up, how do you try to double steal with Mookie at the plate! Kike, also should have tagged.on the fly ball to Varsho, instead of his bluff! That ball was deep enough for him to score, but I think Kike likes to put on a show, a little too much! Kike was also the victim in the failed double steal! It’s not just Kike, too many times this shortened season we have been careless on the basepaths, trying to take an extra base, running us out of potential big innings!!! Hopefully, we can clean that up! Looking everywhere for news on D May, nothing!!! Hope that means he’s ok!!! Let’s beat up those cheating Asterisks, today and tomorrow!!!
LET’S GO DODGERS!!!
The Dodgers have to win this weekend without the help from the Giants, who I think have been playing a lot better lately and could’ve possibly beat the high flying Padres.
It’s going to be tough, but these bums could do it.