Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers will reportedly not make a change in managers before Friday's game against the Cardinals, but one wonders just how long Don Mattingly will stay at the helm.

Sunday afternoon's pitching matchup at Dodger Stadium is one of the best showdowns of the young MLB season, with Clayton Kershaw and Shelby Miller facing off.

I can't believe what I've been reading. Maybe it's the nature of the online world, but I cannot understand what exactly is wrong with a manager stating something that he believes has got to be said. Sure, you can argue that Donnie should have done this a long time ago, but that's neither here nor there. All we can look at is what needs to be done today, and I applaud this initial effort to try to steer the ship in to the right direction. After all, If a manager perceives that a player is lacking in his hustle (his grit) and he doesn't do something about it, doesn't that mean that said manager isn't doing his job? Sure, you prefer it stay in-house. I get that. You always prefer that this kind of thing stay in the clubhouse, but sometimes public admonishment is needed too. Heck, I don't even believe this was all that bad. Mattingly just stated what he thought to be obvious. He put the best team, on that given day, on the field that he believed would give the team the best chance of winning. If that means that Ethier has to sit because he hasn't been giving the kind of effort the coach believes is necessary to win, then so be it. And on some other day, Kemp might sit for the same reason. Or Carl Crawford. Or Adrian Gonzalez. Or AJ Ellis. And there is nothing wrong with that. There is no shame in it. Have we become so damn sensitive that public criticism of a millionaire ballplayers effort is construed as an insult that cannot be allowed? Get this straight. Ethier should feel no shame because of the recent comments made by Mattingly. Mattingly was not trying to insult him or publicly out him as a villain. He was signalling to Ethier that he knows he has more to give. In sports this is often called "Compete Level", but I prefer to call it "Manning Up". You experience it when you are about to take that midterm exam, or when you're at work getting prepared to give an important presentation. The test here is how the player in question responds. We'll get a good look at his mettle, and for that matter the mettle of the entire team. * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes * * Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook * * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Ramon Hernandez not only played, he hit a homer and got on base four times. You’re damned right we’re leading with a picture of him, if only just to prove he exists. On what has to be one of the oddest days in recent Dodger memory — you’ll understand that this not a statement to be taken lightly given that this is a franchise where “Russian faith-healing psychics” were part of a real news story not that long ago — we at least have this, a surprisingly unsatisfying 9-2 victory. I say that not because the rare outburst of offense wasn’t fun, because it was. Aside from Hernandez, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Nick Punto, & Scott Van Slyke each had two hits and a walk, with Van Slyke’s two doubles and two driven in a welcome payoff for Don Mattingly‘s unexpected decision to sit Andre Ethier against a righty. That righty, Wily Peralta, was bounced out of the game in the midst of a five-run second inning, and Hyun-jin Ryu was effective once again while working into the eighth inning. The fireworks might have been even more had Ryan Braun not taken a home run away from Adrian Gonzalez with a spectacular play in left field. …and yet, I’m having difficulty enjoying this, because it seems to change little. Mattingly didn’t just bench Ethier, he seemingly went into full “screw you” mode with his pre-game comments: I don’t know what happened with Ethier behind the scenes, though anyone surprised that he’s got a reputation as being difficult hasn’t been paying attention — and yes, they did try to trade him over the winter. But whether or not you agree with what Mattingly is saying, it’s hard to look at this as an organization that’s all on the same page right now. I can’t imagine what Ned Colletti’s reaction was to that, and while a 9-2 victory and taking the series is nice, I don’t really see how it changes much — and I’m still far, far from certain that Mattingly is the manager when the St. Louis series kicks off on Friday back at Dodger Stadium.

DODGERS 9, BREWERS 2 With Clayton Kershaw (worst run support in the NL) looking on enviously, the Dodgers supported Hyun-Jin Ryu with an amazing seven runs of support, tacking on two more in the ninth inning just for good measure. Ryu did his part: 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 4 Ks over 109 pitches. But the offensive support was so laughable, even 53-year-old Ramon Hernandez got a home run (Hernandez went 2-for-3). Brewers starter Wily Peralta was gone by the second inning (1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER), and the Dodgers rolled to a series victory. Other Dodgers offensive highlights, which are typically so rare so we will call out: Carl Crawford, 2-for-4 with 2 R and 2 RBI; Matt Kemp, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 1 RBI; Scott Van Slyke, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 2 RBI; Nick Punto, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 1 RBI. Not so good: Adrian Gonzalez, 0-for-5 with an RBI. Gonzalez had a tough series at Miller Park, going 1-for-13 with that single RBI; he was 2-for-23 on the roadtrip. Ronald Belisario also had a shaky two outs in the eighth, and League wasn't exactly automatic in the ninth, even with a seven-run lead (Nick Punto's fielding error didn't help any). But a win is a win; the Dodgers vault to a scant 6.5 GB division leaders Arizona and SF. Thanks, Ryu!

The Dodgers with the win improved to 23-16 all-time at Miller Park, thanks to an 9-2 victory over the Brewers to win a three-game series in Milwaukee.

Matt Kemp on Wednesday added to his pledge to help victims of tornadoes near his hometown of Midwest City, Oklahoma.

The Dodgers end their road trip on Wednesday morning against the Brewers at Miller Park.

Win or lose, this team needs a new direction and it has to start with the manager.  Most of you were excited with the team Ned put on the field (not me so much), so Ned won’t get axed mid-season.  The rest of the Dodger brass proclaimed their satisfaction with the team but declined to [...]

Mattingly sat right fielder Andre Ethier against a right-handed pitcher in Wednesday's series finale, and made comments suggesting his lineup without Ethier gave him the best chance to win.