Another sad offensive effort

Here we go again.

It seems like everytime the Dodgers go to Atlanta, they suck. No matter who's playing on each team, they look like they are not even in the Braves' league. Today, they proved once again that they are not.

Despite putting the first batter on base in 7 of the 9 innings, the Dodgers could only score 1 lousy freakin' run. 1. That's it. It's unreal the different amount of ways that they can turn something positive into a negative so quickly. But that's our Dodgers for ya.

Seriously, just think about that for a second. If you were told before the game that your team would get the initial runner on base 7 times, wouldn't you think they'd have at least a few runs scored? Nope, not the Dodgers! That would be the easy way to do things. They like to do things the hard way. Grounding into 3 double plays while leaving 16 total men on base (5 to end the inning) is a recipe for a big, fat L. That's what they deserve.

I know I know I know, it's only April, but excuse me if it's "Deja vu all over again" for me. It seems like every damn year the Dodgers get really good pitching, but are let down time and time again by a pathetic offense. Looks like the same old typical Dodger BS again this year.

Chad Billingsley gets the loss, but I can't blame him. He struck out 9 before the floodgates were opened in the 5th. He was constantly having to make perfect pitches, because God forbid his team score some runs for him. So pretty much, the only way he was going to win was to be... well, perfect. He was for awhile, but ran into too much trouble eventually. Don't blame him for this loss, blame the team surrounding him.

Rafeal Furcal (2-4) and Andruw Jones (1-1, HR, 2 BB, RBI) were the only positives in this game. Nomar Garciaparra started at 3rd and for some strange reason hit #6, and responded with an 0-4 and an error. Great game! Russell Martin got the day off, and his backup Gary Bennett proved why he is a backup with an 0-2 before being lifted late in the game.

Here's the bottom line: blame Joe Torre, blame Ned Colletti, blame the coaches, blame the entire Dodgers' organization if you want. It's the responsibility of the players that are put on the field to produce, and right now they are not. That's why unless something drastic changes, they will continue to be mediocre, a letdown, and not even sniff the playoffs.

Hiroki Kuroda starts tomorrow against some guy on the Braves I've never heard of. Then again, the last 2 games the Braves have thrown nobodies up there and won. Think the Dodgers have 1 good game in them before going to Cincinnati? We shall see...