Major League Baseball

Like the Dodgers or not, the numbers don't lie

Published Sep. 4, 2009 12:33 p.m. ET

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We've heard hosannas about the Philadelphia and St. Louis rotations. We've followed the wild card race closely enough to ask whether Colorado or San Francisco has the better utility infielder. (Let me guess: You prefer Omar Quintanilla to Ryan Rohlinger.)




And then there are the Dodgers, who lead the National League with 80 victories, who are in first place by six games, but whose popularity has declined steadily since June. Dismissed and disparaged, generally on account of their rotation, they are perceived by some as the fifth-sexiest entry in a postseason that has room for four.

But did you happen to check the league-wide statistics on Thursday morning?

Care to guess where the Dodgers ranked in batting average?

First, at .273.

Care to guess where the Dodgers ranked in ERA?

First, at 3.49.

I'm not about to declare that Joe Torre will win one for the thumb in early November. But he could, and it's time we remind ourselves of that. Despite a 14-15 record in August, the Dodgers are a very good team with October experience and a genuine chance to win at least one more postseason series than it did last year.

Jon Garland made his Dodgers debut on Thursday against his former Arizona teammates, allowing two earned runs in seven innings. He struck out six, tying his second-hardest total of the season. He earned the victory in a 4-2 win.

I assume Garland's outing spread good cheer at Chavez Ravine and Granada Hills, the Southern California town where he grew up. The folks there probably smiled as Vin Scully told them that a guy they know had just retired 14 consecutive hitters.

I know, I know. Jon Garland is not Cliff Lee. He's right-handed and has one fewer Cy Young Award. By that, I mean that he has zero.

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