SO...
quite simply, and it seems odd to say in a way, but it does seem like there are always more voices when there is something to lament, than something to admire. AND, I dearly hope I am wrong--I truly, truly do--as I desperately want to see this team win, and it should have been, to continue to win, as they have done, and it would be amazing to see this team be the Dodgers of the very recent past, where they were under-achievers, and had that amazing second half...
...BUT...
I am dearly sorry--to especially myself--to say that to see this team as anything other than a complete bust, is inane; and this span of ball specifically on exhibition to any who could still manage to watch the continued demise of this team from just before the all-star game, to now, says everything you need to know about how laughable (sadly, laughable) this team is. and, even worse to me, is how the organization as a whole will seem to bear the lasting impression of this negativity linger more, than all that was positive that came before.
I honestly cannot believe how systemic this collapse seems to be, to me, in basically all facets of the game, and the proof is simply in how bad this team currently is, a year removed...well...from last year, and the years before...
I can't not think of how laughable it is to see that Turner was sat down, by this manager, just after the best that can be said about the supposed superstar of this team--and league--faced nothing but some sort of a conversation for not running out that double-play before the all-star game (besides other ‘like’ instances). and, quite simply, OF COURSE Turner should have faced this. but , so should every player. and another recent example, to quickly and simply say, was when Pedro saw similar ramifications for pimping that home run, but for others these details don’t carry the same weight.
And, I will be the first to admit that I now have a healthy dislike for Harper, so I will go out of my way to take notice of him, and to lament him, but again, as this most recent stretch of baseball from just before the all-star game, to now, is what seems to illustrate everything to me, I will think of Harper going from not running out that double-play ball, in a game that matters, to the Harper of the home run derby, supposedly showing his grit and true superstar abilities, by going all out to promote himself by swinging for those lovely soft-tossed exhibition balls, in not even a game that doesn’t matter.
And there is no fair accountability on a team that has been long-lost, so it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyways. but now, to see the ‘statement’ in sitting down Turner? and this, after the other ace of the team had such an unaspiring return to the lineup, in a statement game, to start the second half, only to see another loss, and the interaction between Stephen and Max be the lasting impression. and so the moves that this organization has made, from a rookie manager whose results are what they are, to the pitching, which is under-performing, to the offense, which is under-performing, is simply where this team seems cemented to be.
