Dodger fans waiting patiently for their beloved Dodgers to go on another 42-8 run this season need to come to grips with the realization that such a run will, in all likelihood, never happen again. That historic run, which began almost a year ago, was the first time that a team had done so in 71 years and has been done only three times in the 145-year history of the game. And while anything is possible in the greatest game in the world, the chances of repeating such a feat are astronomical.

Although there are a variety of reasons that led to the Dodgers playing .840 baseball for over two months (primarily the emergence of Yasiel Puig and the return of a healthy Hanley Ramirez from the DL), many Dodger fans and even baseball experts cite the epic June 11 benches-clearing brawl with the (then) first place Arizona Diamondbacks as the turning point for the (then) last place Dodgers. It was exactly ten days after that brawl (for which five players, both managers and one coach were suspended and four additional players fined) that the Dodgers began their historic run. And while it is unlikely that the Dodgers will be involved in a brawl of this magnitude again anytime soon, it is possible that something might ignite a spark that will turn things around for the Dodgers this season.

Many credit last season’s epic brawl with the Dbacks as the turning point of the Dodgers 2013 season.
(Photo credit – Gary A. Vasquez)

Enter Josh Beckett.

While the cause of a team’s sudden turnaround is always subject to debate, it is hard to argue that something as significant as Beckett’s no-hitter last Sunday certainly might do the trick. It’s not that the Dodgers are awful or are playing all that horribly, it’s just that they could and should be playing a lot better than they have been for the first one-third of the 2014 season – especially when they have some of the best players that money can buy.

Could Josh Beckett’s no-hitter on May 25 have the same impact on the Dodgers that last season’s brawl did? (Photo credit – Matt Slocum)

As of this morning the Dodgers find themselves in second place in the NL West 4.5 games behind the division-leading Giants and not in last place 9.5 games behind the Diamondbacks, as they were on June 21, 2013. And while it remains to be seen whether or not Beckett’s no-hitter will have the same turning point effect on the Dodgers that last year’s brawl did, it’s as good of a starting point as any and the timing couldn’t be better.

Thus far in the 2014 season the Dodgers have yet to put together a winning streak of more than three games, of which they have accomplished only three times through their first 53 games. With Beckett’s no-hit win on Sunday and with their two wins over the Reds on Monday and Tuesday nights (and with Clayton Kershaw on the mound tonight), the Dodgers have a golden opportunity to win four straight for the first time this season.

To put the importance of winning streaks into perspective, during their historic 42-8 run in 2013 the Dodgers had winning streaks of six games, four games, five games, six games, four games, five games and ended the run on a 10-game winning streak – their longest since 2006. And with the Giants playing exceptionally well right now (.635), the Dodgers must, absolutely must start stringing together wins for any hopes of returning to the postseason.

As there always seems to be, there is yet another monkey wrench in the cog for the Dodgers. With two of their key players already on the disabled list (Juan Uribe and A.J. Ellis), the Dodgers lost left fielder Carl Crawford last night to a severely sprained left ankle just as Crawford was (finally) healthy and was beginning to heat up. And while the Dodgers have Scott Van Slyke and Matt Kemp available to replace Crawford for what will undoubtedly be an extended period of time, they will be without Crawford’s returning speed and his warming bat.

You don’t have to be a doctor to know that Crawford’s sprained left ankle is serious – one quick look at this photo is all you need to see to realize it. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNetLA)

Even though the Dodgers have 22-year-old top outfield prospect Joc Pederson tearing it up at Triple-A Albuquerque right now, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti has repeatedly said that Pederson needs to play every day and that the Dodgers want Pederson to spend at least one full season at the Triple-A level before bringing him up.

After a very successful spring training with the Dodgers, Joc Pederson is having an outstanding season thus far in Triple-A, hitting .347 with 15 home runs. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Will Josh Beckett’s no-hitter be the turning point for the Dodgers in 2014?

We will find out soon enough – beginning tonight.