A Competitive Edge

1/26 with runners in scoring position

5 runs in the last 11 games

2/15 for Adrian Gonzalez on the road trip

5/28 in the past 7 games for Hanley Ramirez

6-11 against Arizona who isnt even a playoff team!

I mean how much worse can it get.  I am so tired of seeing headline like, “Another maddening loss for the Dodgers” or “No Help” or even “Yet another shutout”.  Speaking on behalf of every Dodgers fan, lets light a fire in the clubhouse and play with a sense of urgency. I mean there’s ONLY 20 games left.

So the division  race is pretty much over with San Francisco taking a commanding 6 game lead in the NL West, but the wild card is wide open.  It looks like Atlanta is running away with the first wild card spot, but the 2nd spot is up for grabs whether it’s St. Louis, LA, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Milwaukee.

The Dodgers are 1 game back to St. Louis with a big 4 game series this upcoming weekend.  Dodgers fans, don’t give up quite yet because I’m feeling a streak is going to breakout.  Mark my words…The Dodgers will make the playoffs!  

Matt Bonfiglio

Matt@acompetitivedge.com

So in my short leave of absence alot has happened in the world of sports. The Dwightmare, OVER! Yes that means he’s a Laker.  The Dodgers pull off a historic trade with the Red Sox acquiring Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, and Carl Crawford…can you say mega-deal! Not to mention the Dodgers only gave up Loney and prospects.  In college football, Penn State doesn’t get the death penalty but nearly as bad, with fines reaching $60 Million, bowl bans, vacated wins, and the taking down of Joe Paternos statue.  In the NFL, the players involved in the bounty scandal win their appeal and are available to play this sunday.  Ya, in one months span that’s a lot. So College football has kicked off, the NFL has it’s first big weekend coming up, the race to October is in full swing, and the necessary countdown for the NBA has begun.  Man I love sports  

There’s just something different about this newly acquainted dodgers team.  Not a bad different but most certainly a good different.  For a team that is breathing down rival San Francisco for the NL West pennant, they seem pretty calm.  Could it be just plain and simple, confidence?  Could it be the new acquisitions(Ramirez, Victorino, Blanton, Choate, and League)?  Could it just be purely be having a good time?  I think it’s a little of everything because in theory they all correspond with one another.  When Hanley arrived in LA it had a Manny Ramirez like atmosphere…winning and having fun.  If you add that mentality to a team that has Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, and Clayton Kershaw it’s a recipe for success.  Not to mention ownership thats willing to do whatever it take($$$) to bring a world series to LA again.  Entering August, the Dodgers have found a long lost sense of Swag that they have been missing for the past few years.  Every other MLB team out there should be scared of the Dodgers because they are on the brink of taking off and not looking back.

The injury plague is one that can instantly take your team from title contention to completely forgotten about.  It’s something that you wish there was an “on/off” option in the menu like a video game. It’s for lack of better words “a pain in the ass”.  Your team is rolling atop the division not letting anything bring you down, until…the injury plague strikes.  Your top player has gone down due to a torn Achilles i.e., which happened while jumping in a bounce house for his sons birthday.  It merely was a freak accident which once had you as title contenders to completely out of title contention or basically forgotten about.  Just blasphemy.  Your left sitting there (as a fan) completely in shock without an explanation.  The only question that pops into your mind is, why?   Why sports gods, just why?  The best part about life though is that most injuries heal…MOST.  Unfortunately there are injuries that don’t though.  For example,  Brandon Roy forced into early retirement due to chronic knee issues.  The good old Tommy John surgery that saves some pitchers but also destroys others from once a promising career.  Injuries will always play a part in the world of sports. Its like a ticking time bomb, its only a matter of time, but hopefully not.   

I don’t know, but there is something about the 4th of July.  You have family, BBQ, and baseball…what more can you ask for.  And to end the night you get fireworks.  In my opinion summer is the best time of year bar none.  Don’t you get goose bumps every time you hear our national anthem, well I do.  Go America, Go life, Go summer.  ”Oh say can you se…”

What happened to the true and pure type competition, because thats obviously gone.  It got taken over by egos and alot more egos.  Since when does an athlete have to be arrogant and self centered, thats not the definition of competition.  Being an athlete is about having a competitive mindset, one that allows you to think you’re better then the other player.  Don’t smack talk saying your better, but show you are.  Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have a very similar mindset…and that was/is winning, pure and simple.  If Kobe gets beat, he isn’t going to try and injury or inflict pain on you, he’s going to beat you not once and not twice but countless amounts of times.  A perfect example of arrogance is Andrew Bynum in the 2011 Western Conference Semi’s.  The violent body check sending Barea to the floor…not to mention his poor exit from the court (taking off his jersey)…might I remind you.  Remember in little league when sportsmanship was the #1 priority, where’d that go?  I understand that sports are very emotional but at the same time show it on the court or field rather than on another player.  For god sake, your playing the game you love FOR A LIVING!  Most sports are a team game so act like it.  Now quit your whining about money and etc and just compete.  Thats all I ask of you

Sincerely,

Every Sports Fan

I think there is something to be said that the dodgers have four second generation players currently on their roster. Tony Gwynn Jr. Jerry Hairston Jr. Dee Gordon and Scott Van Slyke. Well is it talent or is it nepotism? I’m leaning more towards talent due to the fact that 3 of the 4 players were key in the Dodgers 6-2 win against the rival Giants. Tony Gwynn Jr. with the base clearing triple to put the dodgers up 4-2, Dee Gordon with his phenomenal defense and Scott Van Slyke with his first major league hit and RBI (first Dodger with a pinch hit RBI since 1961, Warwick against the Phillies). Definitely talent!

Its going to be awesome to see #42 throughout the league on Jackie Robinson day.  I must say though, the Dodgers will look the best in the Brooklyn uniforms.

Ozzie Guillen is one of the the most animated managers in the game to say the least.  If you are a true baseball fan, you would know that this would happen, it was only a matter of time.  Ozzie, we know you say what you want, where you want, whenever you want, but there is a line and you crossed it.  Backing Fidel Castro, when was that ever a good idea, especially in Miami where the Cuban population is roughly 60%.  Is a 5 game suspension to much? Too little? Just right?  In my opinion, it is just right.  This shows that the Miami Marlins are serious and that they have a very short rope for the veteran skipper.  What are we, barely 2 weeks into the season and he’s suspended?  Thats quite a red flag Marlins fans.  Everyone around the league was skeptical about the Ozzie Guillen move.  Now we don’t have to be skeptical BECAUSE ITS NOT GOING TO WORK.  Better luck next time Marlins fans.

Remember your first baseball game? Walking up to the ballpark, going through the turnstile, and elderly gent tearing(scanning) your ticket…you find the sign directing you to your section.  Then you walk into a long, dark tunnel.  As you come out, your eyes open wider than your mouth and your heart stands still.  Before you, the most brilliant diamond you have ever seen.  And no matter how often you’ve since walked through that tunnel, every single time you emerge and see that ball field, its your first baseball game all over again.  Baseball isbeautiful and romantic.  So close to opening day.  Im ready to sing “Take me out to the ball game” right?