2007 Los Angeles Dodgers

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2007 Los Angeles Dodgers

Major league affiliations

National League (Since 1890)
- Western Division (Since 1969)

Location

Dodger Stadium (Since 1962)
Los Angeles, California (Since 1958)

2007 Information

Owner(s)

Frank McCourt

Manager(s)

Grady Little

Local television

FSN Prime Ticket
KCAL

Local radio

KFWB
KWKW

Baseball-Reference

2007 Los Angeles Dodgers

[edit] 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers / Franchise: Los Angeles Dodgers / BR Team Page

Record: 82-80, Finished 4th in NL Western Division (2007 NL)

[edit] History, Comments, Contributions

Although hopes were high for the 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2006 Dodgers had finished second in their division, the 2007 Dodgers ended up barely over .500 in fourth place.

The Dodgers in April had cast their lot with old players, sending youngsters James Loney and Matt Kemp to the minors. Eventually, both came back up and were the top hitters on the team, with Loney posting a .331/.381/.538 line in 96 games and Kemp going .342/.373/.521 in 98 games. Meanwhile, veteran Nomar Garciaparra had an Adjusted OPS+ that was well below average, and the Adjusted OPS+ of veteran Luis Gonzalez was barely above the league average. Another veteran, Jeff Kent, did quite well, though, slugging .500. The end of the year was marked by dissension, as veterans Kent, Gonzalez and pitcher Derek Lowe used the press to accuse unnamed youngsters of taking up too much space on the team, while Loney replied that Kent was only a team leader in his own eyes and that it was the youngsters who had been most productive down the stretch.

Brad Penny dominated the pitching staff, going 16-4, while reliever Takashi Saito at age 37 had 39 saves. The pitchers, however, had an average age of 31.1, close to the oldest in the league.

The 2007 Dodgers became the first Dodgers team in 41 years to suffer three shutouts in a row, doing so from August 5 through August 8 (they did not play on the 6th). Brandon Webb, in the midst of the longest shutout streak in 19 years, tossed the first gem, followed by a combined effort by the Reds, with Bronson Arroyo working into the 7th and 3 relievers finishing up. Aaron Harang completed the series of goose eggs. The last time the men in Blue had been shut out three straight games was in the 1966 World Series.