The Dodgers sure aren't performing like they want to play ball next month

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I've been feeling as uninspired as the Dodgers' performance this week.

To be frank, I'm pissed with this team. There is absolutely no excuse for the performance its had this week.

I'm not one to normally go off and rant, but it seemed a little appropriate here. The Dodgers made this huge blockbuster deal (in August, no less) and they can't even beat the likes of the Rockies or Diamondbacks.

I get it, playing in Colorado sucks. I piss and moan about it all the time when the Dodgers go there. But this was not only a last-place Rockies' team, but one of the worst, most depleted teams in baseball.

If you need further proof of that, Jeff Francis shut the Dodgers out for five innings on Monday.

Yes, that Jeff Francis.

That was the beginning of this (so far) horrific week. They were never in the game on Tuesday before barely escaping with a win on Wednesday -- a game that was 10-1 at one time (final was 10-8).

Let me just get the scoreboard watching out of the way: the Giants got the Astros this week and swept that series. Houston probably should have won at least one of the games, but had a chance to win two. Then, miraculously, the Cubs took the first game of the three-game series on Friday. However, they lost today's affair 5-2.

Point being, the Dodgers weren't going to get help from other teams, so taking down teams like the Rockies and Diamondbacks were of the utmost importance. The Dodgers have games remaining against Cinicnnati, Washington and St. Louis -- all playoff-contending squads. The Giants don't.

The Dodgers have lost nine straight games to Arizona and trail the season series 10-4. That is completely unacceptable. I know Arizona won the division last year, but they aren't the same team (even though they are). This is even more depressing knowing Justin Upton owns a .759 OPS this season.

The Dodgers have been hit by injuries. Matt Kemp missed a couple games this week and Chad Billingsley went back on the disabled list. But that's no excuse to lose games to mediocre-to-bad teams.

Believe it or not, the Dodgers are closer to Atlanta in the wild card race (1.5 games) than they are San Francisco in the division race (4.5 games). It always seemed like it was division or bust. So, I guess that's the silver lining in the whole situation.

There is just far too much talent on this roster (injuries notwithstanding) for them to be this far behind the Giants and playing like absolute crap.

Manager Don Mattingly held a closed-door meeting earlier this week because of the team's piss-poor performance. It didn't help.

Let's just hope the Dodgers make the playoffs and, preferably, don't have to play in the one-game wild card affair. Otherwise, this could be a long winter.

The future is bright, but the present is rather dim at this point.

Photo credit: Mad Peruvian Media, Flickr