Dodgers Have Market on Frustration

Forget the big talk, high hopes and everything else once associated with the supposedly new-and-improved Dodgers.

Simply getting through the season has become their goal, and they moved another step closer Thursday afternoon during a 7-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium.

It was more bad business as usual for the Dodgers, who lost three of four to the road-ready Reds. The major leagues’ top road team went ahead for good with a four-run sixth inning against starter Darren Dreifort, remaining upbeat and confident because of their recent strong run.

The Reds (58-42) hit two home runs in the inning, the key blast being a one-out, three-run shot by catcher Eddie Taubensee. The Reds improved to 24-8 in their last four trips and are a major league-best 34-15 away from Cinergy Field.

They kept the heat on the Houston Astros in the National League Central race, playing baseball as it was meant to be throughout the series. Timely hitting and solid pitching were the keys, and a few good breaks helped too.

The Dodgers are in a different state.

They continue to struggle no matter where they play, acknowledging they are seriously flawed, frustrated and finished. Breaking up the team seemingly isn’t an option at this point because other teams don’t want the Dodgers’ problems, of which there are many.

But there are games to be played. The schedule must be completed, no matter how painful that is for the Dodgers and their fans.

“Everybody sees what’s going on,” left fielder Gary Sheffield said. “You can’t hide it because it’s out there in the open.

“Everybody still is trying to do their jobs, and you have to do that because we’re professionals. But you have to deal with the reality.”

The reality is that it appears the Dodgers will remain on the sidelines as Saturday’s non-waiver trading deadline passes. General Manager Kevin Malone has said it is unlikely the Dodgers will make a major deal because teams want their young starting pitchers, and the Dodgers want them too.

Not that the Dodgers (45-57) are a big move away from a major turnaround. Or even several major moves, players said.

“Is any big trade going to help us right now?” reliever Pedro Borbon said. “Look at what [is going on]. There are so many. . . . When was the last time you heard of a trade changing everything and pushing a team to the playoffs? That just doesn’t happen too much.

“At this time of the year, you can’t just expect to make a trade and have everything work. Sometimes making trades won’t give you the answer. Sometimes you build a team that you think is going to win, and it loses, but you just have to live with it until the team improves. Right now, [losing] is what we’re living with.”

On Thursday before a crowd of 32,758, the Dodgers learned to live with another loss.

Dreifort (8-10) cruised through the first five innings, striking out five and taking a 2-1 lead into the sixth.

Two pitches changed everything.

Dmitri Young hit Dreifort’s first pitch of the inning for his sixth homer, tying the score, 2-2. One out and four batters later, Taubensee hit his 10th homer of the season to give the Reds a 5-2 lead. Taubensee hit a ninth-inning, two-out, two-run, pinch-hit double Monday against closer Jeff Shaw that tied the game. The Reds won in 10 innings, 5-3.

“The first pitch was right down the middle, home run,” Dreifort said of the sixth inning. “The second pitch was right down the middle, home run. The whole season has been particularly frustrating, not just this one game.”

Dreifort is among the pitchers teams have inquired about. The Dodgers, however, are reluctant to trade him, Ismael Valdes or Chan Ho Park unless they are overwhelmed. So far, that has not occurred, and Malone said he doesn’t want to shake things up simply to shake things up.

“It’s not that simple,” said first baseman Eric Karros, who hit his team-leading 24th homer in the sixth. “If it was that simple, you would make changes every year and solve problems.”