Dodger Spirits Not Dampened

Less than a week into his first season, Davey Johnson faced a situation no Dodger manager had seen at Dodger Stadium since April 19-21, 1988: a rainout.

The Dodgers’ major league-leading streak of 856 home games without a rainout ended at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, when persistent showers showed no signs of abating. No makeup date was announced for the 15th rainout in Dodger Stadium’s 38 seasons, but it will probably be played as part of a doubleheader on July 21 or 22, the Colorado Rockies’ next and last visit.

As the large Sunday afternoon crowd filed out, Johnson found the proverbial silver lining behind the rain clouds. The Dodgers’ 5-1 start is their best since 1988, the year they last had a home rainout--and the year of their last World Series triumph.

Omens, anyone?

“That wasn’t a bad year to copy,” Johnson said, smiling.

Said center fielder Devon White, whose sore quadriceps benefited from the rainout: “I don’t think it’s a bad time for a rainout. Basically, we’ve been playing good ball, but I don’t think a rainout is going to stop us.”

It didn’t stop Johnson from reflecting on the good things he saw during the homestand. He didn’t mind that no sooner did he settle into his new home, he had to leave for a seven-game trip that begins today in Arizona.

“I packed my suitcase, took out the garbage, took my wife to the airport. I’m home now,” he said. “I feel at home and I’m going on the road, but I feel like this is home.”

Good results from a pregame blood pressure test attested to his contentment. Of course, a week of good pitching, 10 home runs and solid defensive effort will keep any manager healthy and happy.

Among his few concerns coming into the season was how the bullpen would perform. So far, the relievers are 2-0 with a 3.24 earned-run average and nine strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Closer Jeff Shaw is three for three in save opportunities. “The bullpen has been doing an outstanding job,” Shaw said. “The starting pitchers, middle relief, everyone, it’s been a good mix.”

Johnson agreed. “You never know how the bullpen is going to react once the bell rings, but I felt pretty good about a couple of left-handers, including [Onan] Masaoka,” he said. “The big thing for me was how the bullpen was going to fare and they did good.

“The bench has been productive, also. I’m happy with the everyday group of guys. We missed our MVP, [Todd] Hollandsworth [who has a strained right hamstring] during the spring, but the overall performance for the first homestand has been good.”

If there’s a question, it’s the team’s reliance on home runs for much of its offense. The Dodgers were third in the National League in home runs after six games, but they left 55 runners on base. They batted .175 with runners in scoring position, .167 with runners on third and were 0 for 7 with the bases loaded. Only Raul Mondesi, who is three for eight with a home run and three runs batted in with runners in scoring position, and White, who is two for seven with two RBIs with runners in scoring position, came through in the clutch.

If Johnson is worried, his blood pressure isn’t showing it.

“We’ve been up against some pretty good pitchers,” he said. “We’ve manufactured some guys into run-scoring position but you’ve still got to drive them in. . . . We’ve been pretty good about getting people into scoring position, but it’s not quite there. There’s nothing I’ve been disappointed in because I think we’re doing great on all fronts.”