The Dodgers are trying to silence their critics

Bill Plaschke wrote a column in the LA Times today about how the Dodgers’ p.r. guy called the host of the Dodger Talk post-game show to demand that he push back harder with callers who were critical of the Dodgers.

That’s the Dodgers — always putting the concerns of their fans first.

Sunday, Josh Rawitch, the p.r. guy, called Bob Harvey, the host, off-air during the show and called it “an embarrassment”.

Plaschke said it best:

Do the Dodgers really consider dissent an embarrassment? And will future broadcast decisions reflect that?

And based on this, we have every reason to believe it will.

Apparently, it’s not that Harvey was saying anything factually wrong — the Dodgers just wanted him to push back whenever a fan calls in and says something negative.

Harvey is paid by KFWB, not the Dodgers. He’s not their employee. His job is to host the post-game show and moderate the fans who call in and vent.

If the fans are angry with the Dodgers, don’t they have every right to say so? Many of the fans who call in are calling from the Dodger Stadium parking lot after a game, meaning they were paying customers, giving money to the Dodgers.

Instead of being so concerned about silencing the fans, why not address some of the problems?

The Dodgers fell into a tie for third place yesterday, and are at risk of falling into fourth with two more games left at Colorado. The Dodgers have a $108 million payroll and have tons of young talent, yet are on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Do the Dodgers think that their fans shouldn’t be frustrated?

Dodger fans should be mad as hell. A high payroll, good farm system, yet their team won’t make the playoffs and the organization seems to be fine with the status quo — let their young guys develop and keep the inept Ned Colletti and Grady Little at the helm. The organization trying to silence Dodger fans is just one more reason to be angry.

Wednesday baseball preview: The wacky NL

RACE OF THE DAY: The NL East (Philadelphia at St. Louis, NY Mets at Washington)

I didn’t think this would still be a race, but the Mets have lost in five in a row, and the Phillies have won six in a row, cutting the Mets’ lead to 1.5 games.

The Phillies won an epic 14-inning game on Wednesday, using 53 players in one game. That’s ridiculous. Only 19 of them were pitchers, meaning 34 position players were used. And it was actually the team not in contention (St. Louis) that made more moves and used more players. Gotta love Tony La Russa.

Mets fans are trying to stay positive. The Mets blew a lead yesterday, losing to Washington 9-8.

ELSEWHERE:

The NL West tonight: Los Angeles at Colorado, San Francisco at Arizona, Pittsburgh at San Diego

The Dodgers are pretty much out of the NL picture now after getting swept in a doubleheader against Colorado on the same day San Diego and Arizona won. I’m sure the Dodgers will treat their general manager just like their last GM who didn’t take the team to the playoffs in his second year. Oh wait — the media and fans like Ned Colletti? Never mind then. The Rockies and Dodgers are both 4.5 games behind San Diego for the wild card and 5.5 behind Arizona for the division. It’s a two-team race now.

The NL Central: Milwaukee at Houston, Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs

The Brewers won last night and the Cubs lost, putting the teams tied for first again (though the Brewers have one fewer loss).

In shocking news, Ben Sheets is hurt again. This can’t impact the Brewers that much though, since it’s not like they’ve been relying on Sheets’ durability, and he was going to have at most two more starts during the regular season. For the Cubs, Carlos Zambrano lost yet again.

AL Home-Field advantage standings:

Boston 90-62
Cleveland 89-62
LA Angels 89-62
NY Yankees 87-64

Yeah, that’s a pretty tight race. Not nearly as exciting as a race for a playoff spot would be though.

Today: Detroit at Cleveland, Tampa Bay at LA Angels, Baltimore at NY Yankees, Boston at Toronto.