`BIG' SERIES MEANS SO LITTLE.Byline: STEVE DILBECK There it was, a perfect window into what might have been. A sad reminder of all the plans and hopes and work and expectations gone wildly astray. This was supposed to be the big showdown, the thrilling climax to an exciting pennant Pennant A continuation pattern in technical analysis formed when there is a large movement in a stock, the flagpole, followed by a consolidation period with converging trendlines, the pennant, followed by a breakout movement in the same direction as the initial large movement, the drive. Dodgers vs. Padres
Not to be confused with San Diego Padres. , battling six times in the final 23 games of the year with the division title on the line. The Dodgers have been talking about and waiting for Friday's series opener against Padres for months. When it finally came, it arrived with all the electricity of a game in late April. The big showdown turned into the big letdown. Empty seats in the stands, uninspired play on the field, an unfinished sense to the season's final month. So much waiting for so little. The Padres entered the weekend series with a seven-game lead over the Dodgers and Giants - despite being a lone game over .500. The Dodgers continue to believe this can still be done, leaving them either masters of rhetoric or really competitive little buggers. This big series has arrived so deflated de·flate v. de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing, de·flates v.tr. 1. a. To release contained air or gas from. b. To collapse by releasing contained air or gas. 2. , so completely lacking in drama, so distant from what was expected, as to be almost unrecognizable. ``I think we understand what the landscape is and the ramifications ramifications npl → Auswirkungen pl of the results of this series and how it pertains to the rest of our season,'' said Dodgers manager Jim Tracy
To continue believing the division can be taken, shy of serious self-delusion, the Dodgers pretty much came in needing to sweep the three-game series. It's a difficult and unwanted prospect that, before the game, Tracy tried his best to downplay. Not that he really had much choice. ``Do you almost have to sweep the series?'' he asked. `I'm focusing on the game we have to play tonight. ``You take it from day to day and see what it looks like.'' It looks like nothing but trouble. Like time to play taps, lower the flag and focus on next season. Somebody has to win the National League West and advance to the playoffs. It's in the rules. If they stumble in with a losing record, they'll just have to play with slightly red faces. ``It's been kind of quiet in our division,'' Padres manager Bruce Bochy
Very little talk, and what there has been, has been unflattering. It's not like it's been an inspiring division, but then neither is it like any of the contenders have managed anything even resembling health at any point in the season. Bochy said there will be no apologies for winning the West, regardless of the record. ``Everything that those guys (the Dodgers) have been through - that we've been through, the Giants - we've all just been riddled with injuries all year,'' he said. ``You do the best you can. Use your young players. ``I don't think any other division has gone through what this one has.'' And none that limped in with such a morbid pennant race. Asked before Friday's opener if this remained a big showdown series, Tracy paused and took a long breath before answering. ``It does from the standpoint, we're obviously tied for second place,'' he said. ``The distance we have to reconcile before the season's end Season's End are a British band based in Hampshire. They describe themselves as playing Progressive symphonic metal[1], although they are often tagged as a gothic metal band by reviewers and reference sources[2][3]. is fairly significant. ``The fact remains we have six games left with this team between now and the season's end.'' The fact remains the Dodgers are hovering around 14 games below .500. That they are so weakened offensively, that Tuesday night Tracy batted Jason Phillips Jason Phillips can refer to:
cleanup position, cleanup and then pinch hit for him in the eighth. That in the opener of this big series, they went into the sixth inning before Jeff Kent Jeffrey Franklin Kent (born March 7, 1968 in Bellflower, California) is a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and a former MVP winner. Early career mustered their first hit against Woody Williams “Gregory Williams” redirects here. For the Australian rules footballer, see Greg Williams.
That when rookie D.J. Houlton gave up his first run on a homer to Ramon Hernandez in the fourth inning, the crowd booed. The crowds have continued to flock to Dodger Stadium • • [ , at least in the official count that totals tickets sold. The Dodgers lead the NL at 45,500 per game, though Friday's would-be showdown left a stadium spotted with empty seats. The Padres, in just their second year at Petco Park, have averaged 35,300, though Bochy said it's dropped late in the season. ``We haven't been drawing well,'' he said. ``We're getting like 23,000. Everybody's trying to put their finger on it. ``Maybe they're looking at the team and seeing it struggle. We had a matchup of (Roger) Clemens vs. (Jake) Peavy and didn't sell out.'' Not a lot has sold well in the NL West this season, including those big September series between the Dodgers and Padres. |
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