Dodgers not in D-Backs league yet

I think it's funny that someone posted a SERIOUS poll asking which group of young offensive players is better between the Dodgers group of Martin, Loney, Ethier, Kemp, LaRoche, etc. or the D-Backs group of Reynolds, Upton, Young, Connor, Drew, etc. And I think it's even funnier that some of you actually voted for the Dodgers group.

Based strictly on what has ACTUALLY happened, based on reality and not hype or wishful thinking, there is NO possible way anyone could seriously choose the Dodgers young players over the group from Arizona. Some of you have GOT to be kidding yourself.

The difference so far between the two groups is that the Arizona players aren't just hitters, they are sluggers. They drive the ball. I'm not saying that Loney, Kemp & Ethier won't turn out to be decent players. I think they have already shown that they can hit for a nice average and be decent complimentary pieces to an offense. I'm not Dodger bashing. But come on. They haven't shown near the potential I see in Reynolds, Upton, Young, Drew and Connor. Just take a look at the leading homerun hitters so far early in the season. Do you see many of these Dodger hitters? All I see is a slew of these Arizona sluggers!! They look very impressive so far.

Let's just face facts everyone. The Dodgers have great pitching, some nice hitting prospects and a deep farm system. They are pretty average right now with potential to be good by the end of the year. But their best potential is probably next year or a couple years from now. RIGHT NOW Arizona is superior to L.A. in almost every area. Arizona is the best team in the National League and should easily win the NL West. I picked Arizona before the year, and although I'd love to see the Dodgers play better, they are playing at about what I thought - .500 baseball and middle of the NL West. I think the Dodgers will compete all year, but they just happen to be in easily the toughest division in the NL. They will probably end up with around 85-90 wins and battle Colorado for 3rd place in the division this year. And that's not bad considering what they are throwing out there in the middle of their lineup. Did any of you REALLY expect anything more than mediocrity with Jeff Kent & Andruw Jones as the "power" players in the heart of the lineup? The group of Dodger prospects are nice complimentary players, but until the Dodgers invest in at least one proven slugger to be the cornerstone in the middle of all the prospects, the Dodgers will never truly compete with the likes of Arizona.

And if the Dodgers don't start getting more from their #4 & #5 pitchers they can forget about even playing .500 ball. I expected this from Loaiza, but not from Bills. I'm shocked at how awful Billinglsey has performed so far. I hope he can turn it around because I still think he has good potential. Luckily the Dodgers do have future relief in their farm system. How long can they wait to bring Kershaw up? For now it might be time to move Kuo into the rotation because he can't be any worse than Loaiza and Billingsley.

The Dodgers are not showing the potential that they possess right now.  I sure as heck want to see then do well. I do believe that they can match up well with the D-backs but have failed to do so as of yet.

It's funny, I can't believe you actually think that way.  What you think just is completely not true.  Their players are not hitters, you are blinded by their power.  If you just check the numbers from '07, (which I will supply for you) the Dodgers players are by far a better group of players.  The Dodgers group only had 5 more at bats, so these numbers are a pretty accurate account.

Arizona:

Stephen Drew:  543 AB's, .238 BA, .313 OBP, 12 HR, 60 RBI

Justin Upton:  140 AB's, .221 BA, .283 OBP, 2 HR, 11 RBI

Mark Reynolds:  366 AB's, .279 BA, .349 OBP, 17 HR, 62 RBI

Chris Young:  589 AB's, .237 BA, .295 OBP, 32 HR, 68 RBI

Totals:  1618 AB's, .245 BA, 63 HR, 201 RBI

Los Angeles:

Matt Kemp:  292 AB's, .342 BA, .373 OBP, 10 HR, 42 RBI

Andre Ethier:  447 AB's, .284 BA, .350 OBP, 13 HR, 64 RBI

Russell Martin:  540 AB's, .293 BA, .374 OBP, 19 HR, 87 RBI

James Loney:  344 AB's, .331 BA, .381 OBP, 15 HR, 67 RBI

Totals:  1623 AB's, .307 BA, 57 HR, 260 RBI

Now reevaluate, and tell me again who is better.

First of all, let me tell you why your numbers are misleading. You took just the numbers for 2007. That was the ROOKIE year for all the D-Back players. A couple of them never even had an at-bat prior to 2006. All of the Dodger players in this comparison had several at-bats in 2006, especially Ethier & Martin.

Here are the numbers for 2006:

D-Back players: 89 games, 274 at-bats

Dodger players: 374 games, 1067 at-bats

In 2007 Martin, Ethier, Loney & Kemp were far more seasoned and experienced collectively than Drew, Upton, Reynolds & Young. They SHOULD have been more productive. The fact that the D-Back group compared as favorably as they did only proves my point. The Dodger group of "young studs" are not progressing or improving at the same rate.

You may call it blinded by power. I call it ability to score runs. Take a look at some other numbers and tell me which group looks more productive.

So far in 2008:

Ethier, Kemp, Loney & Martin: 1 homer and 10 RBI

Drew, Reynolds, Young & Upton: 14 homers and 24 RBI

Batting average is such an over-rated stat. What good is getting on base if the next guy doesn't have the ability to drive you in. When you are discussing offense, run production is the only thing that matters. And the D-Back young guys are blowing the Dodgers out of the water.

One more thing, maybe it's because they were playing at home, or maybe it's just because they care more, but when watching them sweep the Dodgers this week they just play with more passion. The Dodgers are not clutch, don't seem to care as much, and just seem to have a lifeless, punchless offense. They need a spark. The Dodgers need to trade some of their "young studs" (anyone but Martin) and get a real slugger to put some life into this team.