At the beginning of the 2010 season, hopes and dreams in Dodgertown were filled with very high expectations.
Not only did the Los Angeles Dodgers expect to return to the playoffs, but many thought that this could also be the year that the Blue Crew would return to the World Series for the first time in over 20 years.
However, with just over one-quarter of the season remaining, Los Angeles has been on a turbulent roller coaster ride and finds itself in an almost impossible position to even make a run at the wild card spot in the playoffs.
Critics around baseball seem to argue that the dozens of injuries throughout the course of the season were keys to the demise of the Dodgers in 2010. However, one of the crucial ingredients to a triumphant squad is the team's ability to overcome injuries. Looking back at past World Series champions, roster depth was among the critical elements of success.
Besides the speculation as to whether manager Joe Torre will return for yet another season, the torrid divorce proceedings between team owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie have also been credited for the poor play of the Boys in Blue. Yet logically these factors should by no means have an effect on the way the players perform on the field.
Some players just have substandard seasons—plain and simple. But it's more than coincidental that at least a half-dozen Dodgers players have seen a downward spiral during the 2010 campaign.
One area that has slipped under the radar of being blamed for the lackluster play of Los Angeles is the coaching—most specifically the pitching and the batting coaching specialists.
The following frames show six Dodgers who have been negatively affected by their own management, as well as offer commentary on how each player's season has been damaged.
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