Who else do the Dodgers have to beat in order to gain RESPECT?

I was in my car on Monday, thinking about the recent series with the Angels. After losing the first game by a Juan Rivera home run, the Dodgers took the next two games in convincing fashion. This team has been doing that a lot lately. Any other year, the Dodgers would probably get swept by their freeway series rivals. Not this year. This is definitely a special team.

Despite having the best record in the majors, the Dodgers still don't get that much credit from a lot of people, especially from sports radio guys. There are a lot of haters on there. Those same guys are saying that the Dodgers were playing nobodies, or the NL West sucks. Despite winning series against the Rangers, Phillies, Mets, Marlins, and Angels, some people are still thinking that this team is not for real. Might I remind the pessimist that they won all of those aforementioned series without Manny Ramirez. All of them, except the Mets series, were on the road. Yes, they are a good road team!

Doesn't it seem whenever the Dodgers go out there, they seem like they are the Underdog? Despite succeeding without Manny, the Dodgers are still a team that is not at full-strength. The Dodgers have played with no excuse since the suspension. They seem like they have a point to prove: This team is bigger than Manny.

Despite the Rockies and Padres achieving amazing winning streaks, the Dodgers have just winning series left and right. No, they have not been sweeping people, but they have been winning those rubber games. Despite not scoring that many runs recently, the pitching staff has kept them close. Despite not hitting many homers, the Dodgers are still one of the top teams in offense. There are a lot of "despite" statements you can think of for this team. But one thing I don't want people to think is that this team is playing nobodies. Because, that is not true. The NL West is a Jekyll and Hyde division, yet the Dodgers have remained constant.

Now, who do they have to beat in order to get the sports media lovin'? Crushing the NL Central in the coming few weeks? Then will they get respect? Well, I don't really care who respects them or not. I respect them. And if the Dodgers do go to the World Series this year, this storybook year will be complete.

I always think about my favorite baseball movie whenever I think of the Dodgers. Major League. It has been over 20 years since the Gibson homer. I was three years old back then. Since that time, every team in the NL West has made it to the World Series except the Dodgers. How fitting would it be, that with this team, that they would make it there. In the words of Jake Taylor: "Well then I guess there's only one thing left to do.Win the whole (expletive) thing!"