Ballpark Banter- Sunday Synopsis

* The Los Angeles Dodgers got three more hits Sunday than they did on Saturday, but John Lackey was going to make sure the Angels didn't come out on the short end of a good ball game on this afternoon. Lackey put the Angels on his back and pitched them to a 1-0 victory over the Dodgers to salvage the final game of a three-game series, one night after losing even though the staff no-hit the Dodgers.

Lackey was nothing short of dominant, and only a couple of hiccups could keep him from his complete game shutout-- closer Frankie Rodriguez came on to get the final out via a James Loney 4-3 ground out. Lackey struck out 9 over his 8 2/3 innings and continued his dominance after returning to the Angel rotation in May. Lackey has pitched like a true ace this season, and to verify is this astounding stat-- Lackey has pitched seven or more innings in all 9 of his starts this season, with Sunday's gem lowering his ERA to 1.44. Not only does the guy compete from first pitch to last and give the Halos a chance to win every time he takes the ball, he does what an ace should do and eat up innings. Rodriguez already has 32 saves this season, and the only downfall of Sunday was that they couldn't get him an extra days rest. It was too be worried about, though, since he did not pitch in either of the prior two games.


* The Dodgers fumbled away a great pitching performance of their own on Sunday, but that had more to do with John Lackey than the Dodgers' recent offensive woes. Derek Lowe was outstanding Sunday, allowing one run over seven innings, proving that he could pitch with the rivals' best. His best just wasn't quite good enough on a day when there was no room for error.

The Dodgers just look lost at the plate right now. From top to bottom, there haven't been many quality at-bats and that probably isn't a surprise considering the number in the runs column recently. With a lot of young players on the roster, inconsistencies and growing pains are to be expected. But at some point, this Dodgers team needs to start showing that they are making progress and that they can actually scratch the surface of their vast potential. They are capable of so much, but yet aren't even sniffing the path to finding it.

Runs are at a premium right now, making at-bats with runners in scoring position even more important. So with a runner on third and two outs, and especially with Lackey so on you know you will only get so many chances, you can't swing at a 2-0 curve ball and roll it over to first base to end the threat. In games like that, there may not be another runner to get to third base. Struggles can be endured when a plan of attack is at least trying to be executed. It would be one thing to ground out on a 2-0 fast ball that you take a good hack at. Fine. But swinging at a great pitcher's pitch ahead in the count is just unacceptable for championship clubs.


* The Detroit Tigers completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, and they are suddenly streaking after winning 7 of their last 9, remaining 5 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox. It took half of the season, but this immensely talented Tigers club that we penciled in to break all kinds of records in spring training is suddenly finding its groove, although sending Magglio Ordonez to the disabled list for the next fifteen days isn't going to help their cause.

The Tigers are starting to swing the bats like we knew they could. Curtis Granderson has found himself and is the table-setter that they need, and Gary Sheffield has reemerged as a capable power threat. Once Miguel Cabrera hits like he is being paid too, which will come because he is too talented to have an off season (even by his standards), they are going to be right on top of the White Sox heading down the stretch.

Kenny Rogers came up with a big game on Sunday, and Justin Verlander is showing signs that his early-season funk is behind him, and Detroit needs him to pitch like the Cy Young-caliber pitcher we all know he can be. The bullpen is revamped with Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney rounding back into shape, providing support for closer Todd Jones. The wild card is still Dontrelle Willis, and if he figures out his command issues and becomes anything like his old self when he helped the Florida Marlins win a World Championship, this team will overcome the White Sox down the stretch, not because Chicago will falter, but because they will go head to head enough times and Detroit will have too much firepower the improved White Sox, a club I love to watch.

But again, there are a ton of "ifs" in every post season story, and that is why baseball continues to put the chalk on the lines and the umpires roll a baseball out to the mound and "Play Ball" is bellowed. Great stuff, and lucky for us, we are only halfway home.