Timm's Two Cents

Are the Dodgers charmed, lucky, or do they just suck a little less than everyone else in the NL West?  

Consider this:

• You never heard of Elian Herrera or Luis Cruz before this season. Now they're starters. 

• Tony Gwynn has played in twice as many games as Matt Kemp.

• Number two starter Ted Lilly and his 3.14 ERA has made eight appearances.

• The Dodgers hit .212 during the month of June.

• Juan Uribe and James Loney are as bad as we knew they would be - and continue to get regular playing time.

• The team's starting short stop and spark plug under performs at times, dazzles us at others, and is now going to miss 6-8 weeks with a bum thumb.

• Adam Kennedy plays nearly every day.

• Andre Ethier, who led the National League in RBIs for most of the season, hasn't driven in a run since June 13th and is currently on the DL.

• The Dodgers rank 28th in MLB in slugging percentage at .363.

• Matt Guerrier, Javy Guerra, and Todd Coffey were supposed to anchor the bullpen - all three have been significantly injured.

• A proven run producer chose to play for the Marlins over the Dodgers. (OK, there were some family concerns and a no-trade list that played a factor here but still, the Dodgers were snubbed by Carlos Lee any way you slice it.)

• Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera are the new Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier.

• James Loney, batting .398 in his lifetime at Chase Field, couldn't manage to drive in a run with the bases loaded and one out Friday night.

...and they're still in first place.  Crazy game, eh?