Winning Streak Mania

I would say it's time to clone Russell Martin except he's really a one-of-a-kind. I'd like to think that in the inning break after Dewitt made his two errors Martin pulled Dewitt aside and gave him defensive pointers. Was Dewitt psyched out by the great third base Russell played? Did he realize he wasn't worthy to man the position after Martin's brilliance? Russell could probably play anywhere in the field he wanted to. I bet Russell could play a passable center field if he really needed to. He's pretty fast and I think he'd get some great jumps on fly balls. Wouldn't it be great if he could get his "mental days off" by replacing meek hitting Andruw Jones? Of course, even on the days when he's not supposed to catch at all he always finds himself back behind the plate. The other positions on the diamond may woo Martin but in the end they will always be left heartbroken; catching is his true love.

What about pitching? What kind of pitcher would Russell be? He'd be a little wild, but that's okay. He's got a live arm, and sometimes the throws get a little away from him. I see him as a reliever type. Maybe Chan Ho Park is in the game, and Park is really struggling, allowed a few base runners ( in other words a typical Park appearance ), and Russell goes to the mound and tells Park, "Okay, you're done. I'll take the ball and finish it from here. You carry the gear back into the dugout and give it to Bennett, and tell him if he allows a passed ball on any of my wicked curveballs I'll kick his ass after the game."

When your favorite team is going well the best thing to do is assume they will always play that well. It's like the approach hitters are supposed to take at the plate: look for the fastball and adjust to the curveball if it comes. The wins are the fastballs. Look for the wins and adjust to the losses when they come. Be happy while you can. Why let reality get in the way of dreaming about the Dodgers winning every remaining game they play while scoring in double figures? Why think about how unlikely it is that the Dodgers will within a week overtake the Snakes and make them slither around in Dodger dust as is right and proper? Delusion is more fun.

Speaking of the Snakes Micah Owings allowed two home runs today and took the loss. That seems suitable karma for him hitting a pinch hit home run, which is kind of perverted and against the natural order of the baseball universe. Pitchers aren't supposed to be called into games specifically to hit home runs. I hope he learns his lesson. That entire team is due for a squashing anyway. They've got a bunch of strikeout prone hitters over there who aren't going to continue scoring this much. I bet Russell Martin could strike out Mark Reynolds right now, without even warming up. Hell, I bet even Chan Ho Park could strike out Reynolds. Right now the Dodgers can do no wrong, none that lasts, anyway. Everyone on the team is forgiven! Dewitt for his errors, Jones for his strikeouts, Park for his ridiculously bad pitching that somehow gets the job done but is sure to soon blow up in the Dodger's faces, Sweeney for his utter lack of hits, and even Juan Pierre for being so Pierric. Enjoy it while it lasts.