NL West stretch run: Dodgers picking up the pieces from distastrous weekend

Trading for Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake and Greg Maddux didn't solve all the problems of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers had 13 hits but didn't score on Monday in Philadelphia as the surging Phillies finished off a four-game sweep that put Los Angeles three games behind Arizona.

As the Los Angeles Times pointed out on Tuesday: The Dodgers' record without Ramirez is 54-54. Their record with him is now 11-10. And he seemed to bring his lack of hustle with him to L.A.

Ramirez might be the greatest hitter I've ever seen in person, a savant with a Louisville Slugger. There's nobody like him when he's in a groove. But any team that wants to pay him $20 million has got to be ready for a downside. He has five-tool talent, but his brain isn't wired for baserunning and fielding, and you have to wonder if he even cares sometimes. It's like it's just something to do between at-bats. Runners will take extra bases and he won't slide hard - both instances happened late in Sunday's loss to Philadelphia. And that might hurt the Dodgers down the stretch.

Terry Francona gave up on Ramirez in July, and he's Joe Torre's challenge now.

On to the NL West race. All this week, we're taking a look at each of the six division races and handicapping them for the stretch run:

• Why the Dodgers will win: Their schedule is cupcake city the rest of the way, even though most are on the road. They play the Nationals and Pirates this week and face no teams that are 10 games over .500 the rest of the way. (The Diamondbacks have eight games remaining against St. Louis, but not too bad.) They have veterans in key spots, a steady hand in Torre, who has been in the playoffs for 13 consecutive years.
• Why the Diamondbacks will win: Better pitching. It always seems to come to that. Brandon Webb (19-4), Dan Haren (14-6), Randy Johnson (10-9) at the top and a much more solid bullpen. And they don't have the pressure that the Dodgers face. The deal for Ramirez created that.
• Key series: We might know a lot more about this race after the next two weekends. Aug 29-31, Dodgers at Diamondbacks; Sept. 5-7, Diamondbacks at Dodgers.
• Pick to win it: Diamondbacks.

Tomorrow: AL East.