Everyone Seems to Have Forgotten the Dodgers

In the last few weeks we’ve had the build-up to the Masters, the same for the Kentucky Derby and now the Lakers are pretty much occupying everyone’s interest. Well, at least for two more games.

Lots to write about, and I haven’t even gotten around to the always-exciting NHL playoffs and checking to see how our Kings and Mighty Ducks are doing.

There is so much going on at this time of year that the Dodgers tend to get overlooked, but I was thrilled to see in the morning standings that the guys are sitting in first place in the National League West.

I know how much I look forward to every August -- when there’s nothing else to write about -- other than the Choking Dogs.

And as you know, you can’t really refer to a team like the Dodgers as the Choking Dogs if they’re not in contention with the opportunity to gag, so that’s why I’m always pulling for the Dodgers to do well at this time of year.

I mention this because it seems some folks don’t understand how we operate around here. Take Richard E. Lewis, who wrote: “Dear Smart Mouth.”

For some reason, even when e-mail like this isn’t specifically addressed to me, the newspaper takes it for granted that it was intended for Page 2.

“Dear Smart Mouth, Since you have all the answers, I was wondering how you explain the Dodgers’ play so far this year?”

I get this kind of e-mail all the time, of course, because I’m a sports expert. And I like to help people who seem stumped by the unfathomable, so I informed Mr. Lewis the Dodger success to date is pure luck and will eventually run out.

I’d say some time in early September -- like the last three Septembers.

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I KNOW this for a fact because the Dodgers clearly haven’t put any stock into their hot start either. Like me, management must consider its first-place standing a fluke, eventually expecting a collapse.

If management really thought the team’s success had something to do with skill, or getting the most out of its talent with the possibility of it being sustained, I’m sure it would reward miracle worker Jim Tracy with a new contract.

You know me, I’ve always thought of Tracy as more magician than manager, nicknaming him the Micro Manager because of all his maneuvers, somehow, some way getting the best out of his slugs with smoke, mirrors and the Grabowskis of the world.

Tracy has never really had the chance to attack a 162-game season with a roster of major league pitchers and batters, and this year, in addition to dealing with his father’s serious illness, he goes to work knowing most folks expect the team’s new owner and new GM to fire him at season’s end.

But once again Tracy has his team exceeding expectations, and as weak as the West looks, there’s a big bone sitting there for the Choking Dogs.

Just imagine if the Dodgers had done something more than luck into Milton Bradley the day before the season began -- is there any team in the West capable of hanging with the Dodgers with a Vlad Guerrero in their lineup?

There’s not much more that can be done until the trading deadline, although I wonder how the Dodgers might react if management showed some financial confidence in Tracy by giving him a new contract.

Add one more hitter later on, and the Choking Dogs might even be in position to pull off a Mickelson. That would certainly make my year.

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TNT’S CHARLES BARKLEY said at halftime that the Lakers “have no answer for” Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.

So much for Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

“Unless Gary Payton has gotten younger since Sunday,” said Barkley, and as for Duncan, “He’s the best basketball player in the world.”

I just wonder, though, if the Spurs have an answer for Devean George?

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IT’LL BE interesting to see who hangs around in the playoffs longer, former Clippers Michael Olowokandi (playing for Minnesota) and Lamar Odom (playing for Miami) or the Lakers’ four Hall of Famers.

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ON THE James Brown radio show, Brown asked “Monday Night Football” broadcaster Al Michaels about the change from Lisa Guerrero to Michele Tafoya. Michaels said, “Lisa did a good job, there’s no question about it,” which made everything he said after that pretty much unbelievable.

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ALYSSE MINKOFF, writing for ESPN.com, spent an evening at Staples Center and a Laker game recently with former California Gov. Gray Davis. Some people will do anything to get into a Laker game.

Davis, who resides in L.A., offered his opinion on whether the NFL will ever return to town.

“I don’t think we’ll ever see another football team here. The NFL keeps claiming they’re going to come here. It may happen. It could also rain beer. I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.”

I’m not sure if he was referring to the return of the NFL, or it raining beer soon.

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THE ANGELS passed out red beads to everyone coming to Wednesday night’s game, a toy for the kids, if you will, which had the Angel emblem on one side and “Drink Cuervo Responsibly” on the other. Never too early, I guess, to remind the kids to start drinking -- responsibly, of course.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Tito Agena:

“The best part about the Dodgers’ success is not that they’re winning close games, or Adrian Beltre and Cesar Izturis are off to great starts ... the best part about their winning is that it’s keeping your asinine Dodger comments to yourself.”

Only way I know to Think Blue.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.