Zack Greinke came off the D.L. to pitch a wonderful 5⅓ innings, and five relievers never screwed it up! Including Brandon League! Amazing.

Maybe Steve’s painting of a few years ago (featuring the Blue Bum as portrayed by our friend Joe Walters) will lead the Dodgers in the other direction, toward winning, instead of the downward spiral they had been traipsing on before.

This was a great game, though. After two consecutive sweeps — to the Giants and then the D’Backs — we won a series from the lowly Marlins and now we’ve won a series from the mighty Nats. (So nice of Bryce Harper to take himself out that first game, wasn’t it?)

That is definitely the right direction. We have Greinke back, Josh Beckett won’t be pitching for the foreseeable future (out on D.L. for that “groin tweak”) and we’re now only holding last place by one game.

We’re movin’ on up!

Boy, I was pulling for Clayton Kershaw to go all the way … again! Mainly because I was afraid someone like Brandon League would come in and screw up such a beautifully pitched game. But Kershaw missed by one batter, and Kenley Jansen got the job done. Nice!

Oh, if they could all be like Clayton! This post on Facebook by Dodgers Nation (which I believe is a Dodgers-run fan page) says it all, but it also kind of disses the other pitchers in the rotation. I’d be pretty low if I were them.

But then, I’m guilty of some pretty bad pitcher-bashing too of late. I feel kind of bad about what I said in regard to Josh Beckett’s finito-ness. He stood up and took it like a man, and I admire that. He admitted there was no good reason for why he sucks, he just does. He offered no excuses, and accepted responsibility for his failure. That’s very courageous.

When I read this back, it sounds a little hypocritical: I’m saying I shouldn’t be hating the pitchers that I hate, all the while telling you all why I hate them. Now I hate myself for that. It’s a circle of hating, and it stops now.

I’m healthy enough to pitch.”
— Josh Beckett

Dodger pitcher Josh Beckett

If that were true, why haven’t you been doing it?

Beckett turned in another meager performance last night, lasting only three innings and giving up four runs before being yanked for a “tweaked” groin muscle.

I for one am sick of this guy taking the mound. He is done. Finito. Beendet. Terminado. Lopussa. Berakhir. Doesn’t matter what language, it all means finished. Every time he pitches, the Dodgers are guaranteed to lose. (Well, to be fair, the Dodgers can lose just fine without him, too.)

Go take care of your groin, Josh! A nice, long vakay will do you good.