Before the success: there were some downers

Since 1908, no team in any season in the history of this franchise has lost 100 games. There were a few in the Brooklyn days that came close. The 09-team lost 98. In 1912 they lost 95. After 1941 the 44-team lost 91. From 45-57, the team was always above .500.

Their first year in LA, they lost 83 games. They rarely would have 2 sub .500 seasons in a row. They did accomplish that in 67-68 right after Koufax retired. From 69-91, there was only one sub-500 team, the 79 Dodgers finished 4 games under .500.

Then in 1992, under perhaps their most fiery manager excepting Leo Durocher, they lost 99 games. The 92 team would feature the leagues ROY, Eric Karros. There were stars like Brett Butler, Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry on the team, and the next ROY had a cup of coffee with the team. Karros would be the first of five ROYs in a row.

Now there were some issues, Strawberry would play in just 43 games. Rumors abounded that he had a drug and alcohol problem. LA would eventually release him in 1994 in May after he failed to show up for a game, and in 1995, Straw tested positive for cocaine and was suspended. Davis played in just 76 games and was a shadow of his former self. LA would trade him to the Tigers in 93. As a team, they hit .248/.313/.339 with 149 homers and 548 runs scored.

The starting lineup was supposed to be Scioscia C. Karros 1B, Lenny Harris 2B, Offerman SS, Davis LF, Butler CF and Strawberry in right. Because of the issues with Davis and Strawberry, Mitch Webster, Kal Daniels, Henry Rodriguez, Tom Goodwin, Billy Ashley and Stan Javier all saw time in the outfield. They had one all-star, utility man Mike Sharperson. Butler hit .309 and was the only starter with a WAR over 1.0.

The teams ERA was not that bad, 3.41. No starting pitcher had a winning record. Ramon Martinez was the only one with an ERA over 3.67 with a 4.00 mark. Pedro Astacio led all starters with a 1.98 ERA. The bullpen was a little shakier with four pitchers above 4.00. Roger McDowell, the closer was 6-10 with 14 saves. Gott had 6, Candelaria 5 and Jay Howell had 4. Tim Crews, Steve Wilson, Kip Gross and Pedro Martinez were also bullpen pieces.

Mike Piazza, who would be the 93 ROY got into 21 games and hit just .238 with a homer and 7 driven in. Sharperson was the only hitter besides Butler to hit .300. So, what went wrong? Lack of run production for one thing. Their run differential was -86. They were 10 games under .500 in the first half. They completely sank in the second half with 24-50 mark. They lost 40 one run games and won just 17.

They were 13-14 in games decided by five runs or more. They were 9-9 against the Padres and had losing records against every other team. Oddly they were 13-10 in May which gave them a 22-23 record going into June. The got to .500 on June 1st and never saw it again. What really put them behind the 8-ball was a 10-game losing streak in June. The trades they made close to the deadline traded away offensive players and basically brought nothing good in return.

It made for a long season for the fans. I remember going to a couple of games that year and actually expecting them to lose. Never really felt that way before that season. I can imagine how Lasorda must have felt watching that kind of performance day after day. Since that debacle of a season, they have lost 90 or more just once, 2005.

OKC Comets 14 – El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego) 7 – Completion of game September 17, 2026 

This game was suspended with the score of 5-5 after 4.0 innings.  OKC outscored the Yappy Dogs 9-2 over the final 5.0 innings. Instead of giving the recap of the game, I am going to report the offensive output.  Every OKC batter had at least 1 hit, 7 with at least 2 hits, and 2 with 3 hits.  OKC compiled 5 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 HR.  They also received 5 BB. 

·      Zach Ehrhard – 3-6, 3 runs, 2 doubles (28)

·      Alek Thomas – 3-3, 2 BB, 3 runs, 2 RBI, sac, triple (4)

·      James Tibbs III – 2-6, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (32)

·      Matt Gorski – 2-5, 2 runs, 5 RBI, SF, 3-run HR (5) with 2 outs

·      Hyeseong Kim – 1-6, 1 RBI, double (12)

·      Austin Gauthier – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2-run HR (6) with 2 outs

·      Noah Miller – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, solo HR (11) leading off 7th

·      Chris Newell – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI

·      Ben Rortvedt – 1-5, 1 run 

LHSP Charlie Barnes completed 4.0 innings before the game was suspended.  He allowed 5 runs (4 earned), on 7 hits, 2 BB, and 4 K.  RHRP Jonathan Hernández started the 5th inning when play resumed.  

Apparently RHRP Jake Cousins was pulled after 1 pitch in the 6th inning due to injury. RHRP Kyle Hurt relieved Cousins and pitched a scoreless inning. 

OKC pitchers walked 6 batters and struck out 11. 

Box Score 

OKC Comets 4 - El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego) 3 – 7 innings 

23-year-old RHSP Christian Romero took the mound in Game 2.  He gave up a leadoff single, a sac bunt, and 2-out RBI single.  

OKC tied the game in 3rd with an unearned run.  C Chadwick Tromp drew a leadoff BB but was forced at 2nd by RF Zach Ehrhard.  CF Alek Thomas also drew a walk.  1B James Tibbs III reached 1B on an E-3 with Ehrhard scoring. 

In the 5th, OKC took the lead.  Thomas hit a lead off double (20).  He went to third on a JTIII groundout.  3B Ryan Fitzgerald walked.  Fitzgerald stole 2nd, while Thomas scored on a WP, and Fitzgerald was out trying to get to 3rd.  SS Hyeseong Kim and LF Chris Newell walked.  Both runners scored on DH Matt Gorski’s 2 run double (6). 

In the bottom of the 5th, El Paso scored a pair of runs, 1 earned.  2 BB and a single scored one, while the 2nd was scored on a passed ball. 

The bullpen took over in the 6th. LHRP Ronan Kopp pitched a scoreless 6th with a single.  In the 7th, Kopp gave up a single.  The runner stole 2nd and 3rd. Kopp walked the next batter, who stole 2nd.  El Paso had the potential winning run on 2nd with nobody out.  Kopp struck out the next batter.  LHRP Garrett McDaniels relieved Kopp.  McDaniels IBB the first batter.  McDaniels got a strikeout and a fly out to end the game and earn his 3rd save. 

·      Alek Thomas – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 doubles (20)

·      Matt Gorski – 2-4, 2 RBI, double (6)

·      Chris Newell – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 run, double (2) 

Box Score