[PilotMan]

July Recap


We're seeing a running theme here so far. LA had a record of 15-13, 2 games above .500, and the best we've had this year is 3 above .500. This team just isn't good enough to be better than that. The good news is that we're only 4 games behind the Padres. The Reds and the Padres are going back in forth, and we just need a little run to close that gap. Our current record is 55-46.


The front office didn't make any moves, one way, or the other to the team. So these are the guys that have to get us to the end. All three, Niedenfeur, Murphy and Eck are going to be back at roughly the same time, the middle of September, when we'll have 2 weeks left of the season. Now, it'll be too late if we aren't in it by then, which means that we have to do it without them. I'm much less worried about the bullpen than I am the rotation. Our starters have been really up and down all year long. We need some real consistency, and we need it now.


Rick Rhoden was our pitcher of the Month for July. He had a 4-1 record with a 1.40 ERA. He allowed 24 hits in 45 innings and each month he's gotten better. Valenzuela is doing well too, but after than neither Denny, Tanana, nor Beattie is regularly good enough to help this team get where they need to go. I wish that Lasorda would move Pena or Reuss up. Both guys are doing really well this year and should have the chance over any of the others.


Batter of the month for July was Nettles. Finally, he finally did something. Nettles' avg for July was .282 and he hit 5 HR's. Marshall found his power stroke and crushed 9 homers to take the team lead, but that .299 OBP isn't doing us any favors.


Dwight Evans had the worst month of any for his time here. Evans batted .216 and only had 1 HR for the entire month.


The team scored more runs in July and have moved up to 3^rd in runs scored, but they are still a lowly 7^th in average. 2^nd in OBP and 3^rd in HR's. The pitching has gone the other way. 6^th in runs against, and 7^th in starter ERA. The bullpen is strong at #2 and defensively, we're in 8^th.


I thought that July might be the make or break month, but we're still hanging around. August is where it'll be.


In the National League, no surprise that the Expos have the best record in baseball. They're still in a race for the division though, as the Cardinals are only 3 back, and the Mets are 5.5 back. In the AL the Yankees and world champion Blue Jays are tied for first and the Red Sox are 5 back, but it's really going to come down to the Yankees or Jays, just like last year. In the West things have gotten nuts. There are 4 teams, all of which have a better record than both the Yankees and Jays. All of which are over .600 winning percentage. Right now it's Seattle in front, with the White Sox and Royals a half game back, then the 2-time winners, the Twins 1.5 back. Even the Angels, winners of 6 in a row, are only 4.5 back. Every race is still for the taking.