Matt Kemp looks like this after too many plate appearances this season. Here he walks off the field after a strikeout. Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Orioles swept the Dodgers on Saturday, extending the Los Angeles losing streak to six games. The Dodgers now sit six games out of first place, three games under .500. That was not the plan for this rather expensive team.

Dodgers fans should not worry that much yet, however:

The Los Angeles hitters do an excellent job of getting on base. They are not producing much power, but neither are their opponents. The seven point edge held by the opposition in slugging should not be enough to over come the 24 point edge in OBP held by the Dodgers offense. Somehow, despite the LA hitters and pitchers doing their jobs well, Don Mattingly‘s team has been outscored by 21 runs!

The difference is situational:

The Dodgers low OBP with runners in scoring position means they can’t sustain rallies. The low BA and slugging means they can’t move runners any distance. Dodgers pitchers allow enough walks to keep rallies going, and just enough hits to give up runs.

A look at how the Dodgers lineup is actually performing gives a clue as to what is going on. The one and two hitters are getting on base at a tremendous clip, but the number three hitter, Matt Kemp, is doing little to bring them around (he’s hit into four double plays so far). The four and five hitters are serving as great table setters for the bottom of the lineup, but the six, seven, and eight slots are all hitting under .200! Kemp finding his stroke and Hanley Ramirez returning to the lineup should help. Simple regression of RISP to the mean should help. Right now, however, they are suffering from an extreme spread of talent in their lineup compounded by a dose of bad luck.