Not Much of A Generational Gap After All

I was perusing across the web last night, trying to get that awful game outta my mind, and came across some interesting pieces. Most of them were of the same things we write and speak of on here. However, it wasn’t until I scrolled down to someone’s comment that I got to thinking, this is interesting. What I’m referring to is the fact that someone brought up the fact that another crop of youngsters are about ready to step in for the veterans, again, and yet, this team has stayed in some sort of a limbo, where they’ve yet to know what they have in certain players (Loney), and know what they get in others (Kemp). Then there’s the enigma that is Broxton, and Martin, two Dodgers who became integral parts of this team when they first came up way back in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

With the likes of De La Rosa, Guerra, Jansen, Federowicz, Sands, Gordon, Lindblom, Elbert, Eovaldi, Sellers, De Jesus Jr., Van Slyke, etc., being ready to claim their place in Dodger lore, what can we say about our first core group of the new Millennium.? Most have matured and hit their peak, some have yet to find it, some have found a need to re-invent themselves, and yet, all are under 31. The only lack of minor league talent seems to be 3B, as again, we have used the old adage of signing players instead of developing them in order to fix our problems.

My rambling is such as to not only draw concern for this group but also to say, in a way, what would of been. Had Broxton not imploded, had he had a coach force him to lose the weight, had Martin eased up on his workload, had he not stepped the way he did when running home. What would of been in those playoffs, had Broxton not given up that bomb to Matt Stairs or the hit by Rollins. Would we have made it to the World Series?

What I can’t argue is the fact that had we won both Game 4’s, we’d of been tied up at 2 a piece, and from there, who’s to say we wouldn’t of won the next two. So many ifs, but with the 1st core, we accomplished so much, if even overachieving, with grit and determination. What can we do with this bunch. Dee looks to be a demon on the basepaths, Guerra and Jansen look deadly in the pen, Sands in hitting, Elbert is finally pitching well, and others should come along.

In essence, I write this not only to ask for some thoughts on what would of been, but also of what will be of this group, and can they jell together in time to see Loney, Billz and Ethier produce like they were intended to, not too long ago.