I have read and re-read the comments related to ESPN's "mock" draft as related to their preference to start a Major League Ballclub.  Their was anger and venom, and much passion.  Some of this anger and venom was based on stats, some was based on a percieved slight, and some was based on a whim.  While I do not consider myself a stat geek (I am not fully consumed with today's sabermetric value of a ballplayer), I tend to value more esoteric characteristics of any player or sport.  While we are all fans, there is definately multiple groups on this site.  Some have played baseball at some level, some have not.  Some have been life long fans, some are relatively new to the "Bleed Dodger Blue" culture.  Some have experienced Dodger Stadium in all its glory, some have experienced it only recently, and still others have never experienced the joys of a "Dodger" dog at all.  But we are all fans.

What many seem to have missed is that the Dodgers are not very good at the moment.  This does not condone an "expert's" misguided opinion of the Dodgers ability (or more accurately to those not in the know, our inability) to play baseball, it is who we are at the moment.  The good teams get the press, the bad teams, not so much.  Unless it is for something not related to the play on the field, and those stories have been beaten to death.

I think, instead, this should be used as a management tool by Mattingly.  I am the first to dismiss all of the touchy-feely bullshit in today's society. That being said, I have personal experience with a boss who said I couldn't or wouldn't amount to anything, as I am sure most of us have.  This is an opportunity for Mattingly to show us what he is worth.  Go to Kershaw and tell him that Lincecum, Price, Johnson, et al are better than he is.  Tell Kemp that he's an afterthought for all of the so-called experts.  Tell all of the other players that nobody believes in them, but that he (Mattingy) does.

I don't pretend to know what goes on behind closed doors (Eric keeps that stuff pretty close to the vest, so much so, his nickname should be Tressel), but where others see the Dodgers as less than "players" in this years NL West race, I see an opportunity for them to come together as a team and take control of the division and make all of the naysayers pay the price that ESPN so kindly placed on our heads.