Post Game GAB: 9/2/12: My Many Opinions...

It was a struggle, but at least the Boys in Blue fought for it. And they won. FINALLY. Not all things are easy. And just because you throw a lot of money at something doesn't mean you can buy it. 

Oh, sure it helps, and I would be more bitter if the owners weren't spending some cash. But it takes time to come together. All this should have been done earlier this season, in anticipation of September. It frustrates me how in April and May when we were doing so well, no one realized that April and May would someday turn into June and July and then that would turn into August and September. Here's how it played out today: Matt Kemp's home run in the second inning was just what the Dodgers needed to get get them fired up. It absolutely had to be Kemp. He is there GUY. He is their "Mr. Big." 




Yes, yes, Arizona answered back loudly with a home run in the third and then another later. One thing leads to another, next thing you know it's 4-3 Arizona. Ninth inning: enter Bobby Abreu just called back up from Triple A assignment. HE strikes out. Shocker. OPINION ALERT: There is a REASON Abreu wasn't playing on a daily basis with the Angels. Why do you think they gave him to us?  (Of course, the Angels aren't doing so hot right now either heehee). But then Mark Ellis singles, Victorino walks (he is actually very good at that which makes him patient- so at least he's good for something-) OPINION ALERT: I am thinking the Victorino experiment has run its course...we can find other guys who can walk just as easily and still actually get on base sometimes by making contact with the ball, can't we? Now Gonzalez comes to the plate. As he falls behind in the count, I'm thinkin' "Yep. Here we go again..." But then he proves me wrong and smacks a two run double, winning the game with a sweet walk off.  I don't mind being proven wrong like that. Excellent! It was just what the Dodgers and their fans needed. 


But I can't help but wonder why why why WHY???!!! Mattingly keeps flirting with luck and fate? Guerra was brought into the game at one point... Abreu in the ninth.... REALLY?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?? (not sure what Bette Davis is thinking here but this is how I looked today as I pondered certain management moves...)



Ugh. OPINION ALERT: *New Girls, pay attention* Here is what I would do: call up the September boys (many teams often call up Triple A players in September for a chance to prove themselves especially when the team isn't doing so great and it no longer matters- but often the teams will wait till closer to the end of the month)... oof, where was I? Oh yes, I'd call up the September candidates WHO STAND A CHANCE OF MAKING SOMETHING HAPPEN! Leave the weaker herd in the pasture (ie. Abreu and Guerra), and call up the younger guys who are standing out and WHO WANT TO BE THERE. THEY CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Rookies are funny that way: they can't go the long haul over too long a period of time because they still have things to learn, but bring up a few who are fired up and ready to go when the veterans aren't cutting it, and you might stand a chance. (Cookies rhymes with cookies and that's where my mind is right now...)

Let Abreu and Guerra and Victorino and Gonzalez even simply sit there and think about what they have done - or haven't been doing. Where is my bitterness coming from in the wake of this glorious walk-off double you wonder? Gonzalez said in some interview after the game that "an opportunity presented itself." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! How many men have we been leaving on base in the last umpteen games? The Dodgers have had squandered more opportunities in the last two months than I care to recall.  So if that's the attitude they are playing with, "waiting for an opportunity...," whether an-at bat, a base stealing opportunity, a bunt opportunity, a scoring opportunity, an RBI opportunity, some special golden ticket opportunity, then that makes me sad.
GIRL TALK: Sometimes we have to create our own opportunities, right. Or at least recognize them when they are staring us in the face. Ah, Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn...

I digress... If the Dodgers keep waiting for the "opportunities" that THEY think are worthy enough to be called opportunities, then we'll never make it to the playoffs. I say call up some fresh Triple A blood NOW, let them power us to the playoffs THEN start sticking a few of the veterans back in after they remember what it feels like to be young again and NOT look a gift opportunity in the mouth.  Otherwise, this win today is gonna be the biggest win of 2012 and we can place it on the shelf next to the 1988 world series and say "Look Ma, an opportunity presented itself!" Get it together Boys. There is still much work to do. Would I have rather had them lose today? Of course not. But the comment made by Gonzalez later stewed me. 

It just struck me the wrong way. So this is where my seething after a much needed win is coming from. Yes, I am glad they won. I just wish they had seized many other opportunities that have presented themselves- especially since there have been PLENTY of them since the big Boston trade. Plenty.
Dodgers win. We are 4 and a half back in the west.  GO BLUE!
Game time tomorrow: 5:10pm PDT. We play the Padres. Surely we can beat them, right? Oh and dollar Dodger dogs. Happy Labor Day tomorrow! See you at the Ravine!
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