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The Los Angels Dodgers played their 13th game in a row Sunday night and finished the 10-game home stand 4-6. They took Monday off to travel to Minnesota before starting a 16-games-in-16-days stretch that will see them play the first nine games on the road, where they are 8-6. After Minnesota it will be on to Florida then to Washington DC, a 3-game series against each opponent. That’s going to be exhausting just in travel miles alone.

The Dodgers return with a 4-game home stand against the hated San Francisco Giants before finishing the 29-in-30 against the easier Marlins. This portion of the schedule will be a test of mental resolve for the pitchers as much as a physical strain on their bodies – because the season doesn’t let up any time soon.

Josh Beckett DodgersJosh Beckett pitched an eight-inning gem last Friday night against the Rockies. Neither Dodgers management nor fans can hope for this kind of output from him or other starters regularly. Remember, last year they only averaged six-innings a game – but quality starts – after extra-inning games and tough battles with East Coast powerhouses (like the Phillies) – will work wonders in easing the stress placed upon a work-in-progress bullpen and it’s closer. I sincerely hope Hyun-Jin Ryu gets two starts during the road trip because he needs the confidence boost. He’s 3-0 away but 0-2 at Chavez Ravine.

This season the Dodgers are on pace for closer Kenley Jansen to appear in 110 games. That would break a Dodgers record held by Mike Marshall since 1974 – back when pitchers consistently would go seven to eight innings. in 2013, Jansen appeared in 75 games (4-3, 1.88 ERA, 28 saves) after replacing a struggling Brandon League.

The LA Dodgers won’t see back-to-back days off again until mid-July. The activity in the bullpen will only ease up if and when the starters begin to turn in quality starts. Clayton Kershaw is hoping for a quick minor league rehab so he can rejoin the team. Beckett and Co. haven’t exactly been mailing it in but the reality is the bullpen is going to need some rest. If not, Mattingly is going to have to become very creative in using the farm arms he has in the minors to help put Jansen in the best closing situation possible.

The team and fans figured the starting pitchers would bring in at least two-thirds of the victories this season. They have 12 as of last Sunday night. That multiplies out to 72 wins this season or 10 more than in 2013. The bullpen has 2 wins so far, which multiplies out to 12 Ws or 18 less than last year. Eighty-four wins would have won the NL West last season, but that was last season. I expect the Giants to reach 85-ish too.

The penultimate series of the season against the hated NoCal rival will be for the pennant come September. Whether the Dodgers have a fresh arm for that engagement remains to be seen.

(Continued here)

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