Just over a month ago, Don Mattingly proclaimed that the goal for the Dodgers was to reach .500 by the All Star Break. At the time, June 10, the team was eight games under. On their journey back to break-even they fell as far as 12 games under .500.
The Dodgers are on quite the tear, winning 16 of 19 games, launching them back into the race in the NL West and getting their record to 46-45. It is the first time since April 13 that they are over .500.
So what happens now? They are going to hit a cold streak eventually, and it could happen just as suddenly as their winning streak.
Yasiel Puig has had a small slump since hitting the wall in Coor's field, Matt Kemp is on the DL again, Carl Crawford only has bunts for hits in seven games since returning from the disabled list, and the bullpen is never a sure bet for solid relief.
Not to come out and be all negative, but if this team does hit a dry stretch they will fall back under .500.
The only disheartening thing about this winning streak is that the journey to the top of the division is far from over. The recent surge did not give them a commanding lead in the West, it just put them in the middle of the race.
The positive side of things is that the Dodgers are a .500 ballclub that is performing like a playoff contender. It just really shows how far they had fallen that winning 16 of 19 has them at 46-45.
At one point last week they had lost two games in three days, but bounced back with their current five-game winning streak. They are bound to lose.
But if they can continue to bounce back from those losses without hitting the eight or six game losing streaks they suffered earlier this season, they are going to be leading this division soon.
The Dodgers are lucky to be playing the NL West because it helped maximize the effectiveness of their hot streak as noted by Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com
After June 21 loss, Dodgers were in last place, 9.5 GB. Since then they have gained 7.5 on Colorado, 8 on Arizona, 11.5 on SF, 12 on SD — Eric Stephen (@truebluela) July 11, 2013
In last 19 days, Dodgers are 15-3. Rest of NL West is a combined 20-50 — Eric Stephen (@truebluela) July 11, 2013
It has been quite the ride watching the Dodgers the last month, I almost wish the All Star Break was not three days away. But as Mattingly said on Thursday, "we are playing good, and a couple days off, it that cools you off then you're not that good."
The Dodgers have three more games against the Rockies before the break, and then after four days off they will have the chance to prove if they are "that good" against the Washington Nationals.
