Dodgers: ESPN Insider Still Thinks LA Ends Up as the Best Team in Baseball
Before first pitch against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, the Dodgers were three and half games behind the first place San Francisco Giants. Through, Tuesday, the Dodgers archival has been seated atop the division for a staggering 90 days this year.
Despite the Giants’ dominance this year, ESPN Baseball Tonight host Karl Ravech still expects the Dodgers to win the division. Not only that, he expects them to finish with the best record in the bigs. Ravech appeared on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday.
“There’s skepticism in the fact that the Giants are leading the NL West because the names are not the Dodgers names and they’re not the Padres names. Their [Giants players] track records aren’t great.”
Newly acquired Kris Bryant joins Buster Posey as a headliner, but the rest of the Giants top performers are significantly less proven. First baseman Darin Ruf (.968 OPS) was playing in the KBO as recently as 2019. LaMonte Wade Jr. (141 wRC+) has fewer than 100 MLB games under his belt. Starter Kevin Gausman owns a lifetime 4.04 ERA.
Ravech reiterated that the Dodgers’ impressive roster, when compared to the Giants, will power them to a ninth straight division title.
“I’m certain they’re gonna end up [the best team in baseball]. I go back to the skepticism of [the Giants roster vs Dodgers roster]. You can go around the Dodgers team and for the most part, everyone one of their names would be favored in a ‘let’s go through position by position’. With the exception of Posey, it’s generally going to favor the Dodgers.”
It’s early August. The Giants might be winning with “smoke and mirrors”, but they’re still winning.
The Dodgers cannot sit around and wait for the Giants to start dropping games. The Dodgers need to start beating quality opponents and continue to man-handling weaker competition.
A team can’t win on talent and name recognition alone.
NEXT: Max Scherzer Talks About Joining a Talented LA Team, Hugging Albert Pujols
Has he actually watched the Dodgers play this year? Based on what evidence does he pick Dodgers? One day after Roberts tells them it’s time to turn it on, they lay another egg on the field.
Tim, exactly right. I saw little to no urgency from this offense again and putting Bellinger ahead of Pollock was 1 of the reasons why. Bellinger struck out again when Dodgers had a chance to get RISP in. This insider is WAY off base here.
Every manager tries to put a struggling hitter ahead of a hot hitter. AJ followed Cody. Think about it.
Joe, all I’m saying is somehow Pollock is to hot of a hitter now to be batting 8th right in front of the pitcher. It obviously didn’t help too much as Cody came up late in game with RISP and struck out. I can’t wait to see what takes place when Trea Turner comes. I believe you also suggested a visit to the AZ site for Bellinger because Dodgers cannot afford to remove either CT3 or Pollock from the lineup just so they can keep Bellinger’s defense in CF or RF.
I have said the Dodger are the best team in baseball, but when they lose games scoring no runs and little hit I go into a deep depression. Especially at home with the ASStros. I am going down a few step and on press on for a division title. I was unable to see any slow motion with them striking out I would like to know why this is happening. Kinda like can’t see the baseball or the pitcher is to great. The Dodger need to do more homework.
Karl is correct as long as the Dodgers get everyone healthy and playing regularly. Tough year with all the injuries, Bauer, etc. Still only 4 games out in loss column. We’ll catch the gnats!
Bottom line here is Dodgers cannot wait for or expect too much in the way of power or run production from Bellinger, as it takes at least a year or more to fully heal after shoulder surgery.
Well then if, espn says that, they must be just as delusional as Roberts
Delusional Ravech is just a show host and knows just as much as you and me or even less. He’s just basing this on name recognition and projected production. Yeah on paper the Dodgers roster looks impressive, but the Giants are in first w/ lesser names and not letting up. They got stronger w/ Bryant and along w/ their regulars coming off IL, it is going to be a challenge for the Dodgers, The Giants have been in first for almost a month, and the Dodgers have not gained any ground even when the Giants lose. W/ both teams’ position players in place, the eye test tells me the difference is clutch run production, bench support, and BP to the Giants. I’m a Dodger man but folks don’t get caught up w/ a show host’s hype. We have challenges to overcome ASAP.
Keep Roberts as manger.. be lucky if we are a wild card