Dodger Blues

 
   Perhaps the most troubled sports franchise of 2011 is the Blue Crew from Los Angeles.  The Dodgers must have known it would be a bad year when a fan was brutally beaten after opening day.  Anyone who has been to a Dodger game know that post game parking lot fights are the norm in Chavez Ravine.  In fact a few years ago a man was KILLED in the Dodger Stadium parking lot after a Dodger - Giants game.  There was not much outcry after this incident as there has been in the 2011 version of the event.  I don't want to believe that the prior incident involved a Latino victim was a reason for this lack of coverage but its something to think about.  Either way the good out of this is that the thugs that encompass Dodger Stadium are in check and hopefully Dodger games will start to become a better family enivironment. 

     The Mc Court divorce is amazingly disastrous, reminiscent of a once glorious golfer.  At this moment the clearest issue seems to be legal malpractice suit against for the attorneys who blundered with the prenuptial agreement.  The future of the team is in doubt and there is only one man who can save this historic franchise from its ruins...Mark Cuban.  Yes, Mark Cuban.  Mark Cuban wants to own a baseball franchise and he wants to invest lots of money on it.  Any Dodger fan should be praying that Cuban buys the Dodgers.  Give Ned Colletti an unlimited piggy bank and he will create a winner.  But so long as the McCourt name stays behind the Dodgers, the franchise will suffer.  A Cuban owned Dodgers will win a title before a certain golfer with a cat like persona wins another major championship.

     Lastly, I will present my predictions for the 2011 version of the Dodgers, and its not good.  This team has baffled me for some time.  They have the talent to compete and have done so recently with back to back appearances in the NLCS in 2008 and 2009.  The confusion lies with their inconsistency.  When their pitching gets hot the offense sputters and when the bats catch fire the pitching is horrendous.  Today Chad Billingsley pitched a gem and gave up only one hit, yet the Dodgers lost 1-0.  I expect a return to the Pre-Mannywood era of numerous 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 losses.  The Dodgers will finish in the middle of the road with a slightly sub .500 record and in 3rd place of the NL West behind the Rockies and the Giants.  This will be remembered as the year that brought us Mark Cuban and that will be the only positive for this season.  So its time to fill the year with cheap PBR's at the Shortstop and many frustrating losses.