Valley Of The Dodgers

After dropping their third straight game, and ten of their last fifteen, you'll have to excuse my pessimism regarding the Dodgers lead in the standings. A once commanding nine game lead has almost been cut in half, and the Dodgers no longer possess the best record in baseball. Not that having the best record signifies anything, but the bragging rights were nice.

And now, depressed and dejected (well at least I am), the Dodgers travel north to enemy territory for a crucial three game series...

While the Dodgers would like nothing more than to regain their footing by vanquishing their biggest rival, the Giants view this three-game series as an opportunity to legitimize their status as contenders.

"Obviously it's a big series, especially at the point of the season we're at right now and where we are in the standings," Giants center fielder Aaron Rowand said. "It's fun to be a part of this. Everybody looks forward to playing a Giants-Dodgers series."

No, impeding doom is not around the corner, but the doubts have grown louder and have made their presence felt during the recent stretch of games. There are those that have a stronger faith in the current situation, and their arguments are very convincing. Though in a season consisting of peaks and valleys there's no denying the Dodgers are currently in a rut. As the old adage goes however, things have to get worse before they can get better...

UPDATE: Apparently I'm not the only one with this on my mind. Sons of Steve Garvey, Dodger Blues, and Memories of Kevin Malone have thoughts about the current skid.