The next 17 days the Dodgers play out a brutal schedule without a day off. They start off today with ten consecutive days on the road, only to return home and play another seven without a break. All this added to the fact that their NL West rivals all have at least one day off. Some having as many as three rest days during this same stretch.
We can complain that this is not really fair, but we all know that the schedule evens out over the 162 game marathon they each play. It's a tough road ahead, but at least they’ll face some weak opponents, right? Au contraire my friend. Here goes:
We can complain that this is not really fair, but we all know that the schedule evens out over the 162 game marathon they each play. It's a tough road ahead, but at least they’ll face some weak opponents, right? Au contraire my friend. Here goes:
This afternoon, in Manny Machado's Dodger debut, the Blue Crew faces the Brew Crew. That will be three games at Milwaukee, a resurgent team with a 55-43 record. Add to that they're a hungry team for a victory after being swept in five games at Pittsburgh prior to the break.
This initial series will be followed by three games at East Division leading Philadelphia, where former Dodger Director of Player Development, Gabe Kapler, has the young Phils playing their best baseball in years. And just when you think the Dodgers would catch a break, they Dodgers fly into Atlanta for four games against a Braves club that is 1/2 game behind the Phillies. They don't call it Hotlanta for nothing too. Humidity in Georgia is expected to be aroung 80%.
The team returns home for a short stretch against the Brewers again for three and then the 2017 World Series rematch against the Astros, another three game series. The Houston series is bound to receive a nationally televised game and inevitable national attention as well.
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| Phillie manager Gabe Kapler (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland) |
This initial series will be followed by three games at East Division leading Philadelphia, where former Dodger Director of Player Development, Gabe Kapler, has the young Phils playing their best baseball in years. And just when you think the Dodgers would catch a break, they Dodgers fly into Atlanta for four games against a Braves club that is 1/2 game behind the Phillies. They don't call it Hotlanta for nothing too. Humidity in Georgia is expected to be aroung 80%.
The team returns home for a short stretch against the Brewers again for three and then the 2017 World Series rematch against the Astros, another three game series. The Houston series is bound to receive a nationally televised game and inevitable national attention as well.
That’s seventeen games against first and second place clubs with a combined .623 winning percentage. Not ideally what we wanted coming out of the All Star break, but there are two ways to look at this.
1) There is the potential of being buried.
2) There is the opportunity to make a statement.
Let’s hope for the latter.
2) There is the opportunity to make a statement.
Let’s hope for the latter.
Manny Machados arrival couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
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