LA Sports Hub’s May Musings: Baseball’s two tales

It’s May and here are some things to ponder as you wait for spring to turn to summer in the LA sports landscape.

It’s been a rough few days for Dodgers fans, they better hope things turn around fast. Certainly, Lakers fans must be happy no they didn’t make the playoffs but if they want to be in the Paul George sweepstakes it couldn’t have gone better. The LA Sports landscape is interesting.

Angels fans are probably happy, they have a two-man MVP race going on and a potential Rookie of the Year/CY Young combo all while the team is rolling.

Let’s see how the month ends up but here’s how I see things in the LA Sports landscape after a week in.

Dodger Blues

April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, then why does it feel like Dodgers fans are getting weeds. They just had the longest road trip of a season and went 3-7, despite taking two wins from the first place Arizona Diamondbacks and then starting a three-game series with San Diego Padres by no-hitting them, the Dodgers dropped the last two games and come home having to face the Diamondbacks again.

It hasn’t just been crappy because of the games, a few days after losing their best hitter Corey Seager for the season due to Tommy John Surgery of the elbow. They lost Clayton Kershaw for an indeterminate amount of time due to bicep tendinitis. I guess when it rains is pours.

The Dodgers lost further pitching depth when their best starter this season Hyng-Jin Ryu tore a groin muscle and is probably done until after the All-Star game. By then the Dodgers may be something they haven’t been in a long time, sellers.

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Paul George come on down!

If the price is right, Paul George may be coming home to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. After losing a a six game series to the Utah Jazz, George’s Oklahoma City Thunder days may be over. After he the series was over he made all the right comments stating:

"“It was a lot to be happy about: the fans, the city, the organization,” George said. “Everything has been unbelievable. It’s too soon. I’d love to remain a Thunder, but that’s what this summer is for. We’ll address that in the summer.”"

Athletes say things all the time it would be dumb of George to immediately dismiss a chance to stay with OKC when they can offer him a max contract. Then again is George worth it when OKC won one more game than last year with George, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony together.

This one won’t be resolved until July, but if I’m the Lakers let George stay in OKC where he can play for more first round exits.

Angels on fire

The Los Angeles Angels (listen I don’t want to hear it, I know they’re in Anaheim but Arte wants me to say Los Angeles…ok!), are in first place in a pretty tough AL West. 3.5 games separate for teams, but early season performances are keeping the Angels up.

The Angels probably have two contenders for MVP, and a combo CY Young/Rookie of the Year in Mike Trout and Shoei Ohtani. Trout leads the league in Wins Above Replacement, total bases, and on base percentage while factoring in the top 10 in home runs, batting average, and hits. He is proving once again why he is the best player in baseball.

Meanwhile, Ohtani really is the modern Babe Ruth pitching every five day and slugging on his days off. Ohtani sits just behind Trout in OPS and slugging percentage all while hitting .339 and is second as a starter in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.9.

Next: Mike Trout is on pace to make history

He is as advertised and is probably the best player for what his contract is worth, a measly 545K. It’s a long season but if these two guys stay on fire Angels fans can invest in playoff tickets.