LOS ANGELES Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, center, reacts as he exits during the first inning in Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Going Bats Dept:  Who has had a worse July? Joe Biden’s speech coach or the Los Angeles Angels? As of this writing (Thursday afternoon) the Halos have won two games in this seventh month of the year. They’ve lost in blowouts and walk-off nail-biters and every way in-between. The variety is nice, but the outcome isn’t.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are doing a little better, but their collapsing starting rotation is cause for worry. The Blue Crew is so far ahead in the National League West race that the second place San Diego Padres – currently seven and one-half games back – will need to sign “Shoeless Joe” Hardy in order to make up the difference.

(Literary note: “Shoeless Joe” is the character in the “Damn Yankees” musical and movie who sells his soul to the Devil to be a big league baseball star for his beloved Washington Senators).

The race isn’t the real issue. The Dodgers had a great season last year and ran away with NL West, far outpacing the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks by 16 games. They were solid favorites for the World Series, but were ambushed by those same D-backs in the playoffs, being swept in three games in the NL Division Series.

Where have you gone, Clayton Kershaw?

Working For Dad Dept: I sort of feel sorry for Bronny James, the new Laker draftee who is the son of LeBron James (also known as “Big Game James,” as am I).

I’m not feeling sorry for the “mere” reported four-year $7.9 million contract he signed, especially since he “only” made $5.9 million in NIL (name, image and likeness) money when playing hoops for USC.

My heart goes out to him because he – essentially – will be working for his dad. Oh, I know the Lakers have a new coach – JJ Redick – but LeBron has tons for influence and experience and will doubt have a lot to say about Bronny’s play, on and off the court.

I remember working on the car with my father when I was a teenager, not much younger than Bronny. My job would be to hand him tools while he labored under the Chevy or Dodge of the moment.

“Hand me The Thing,” he would say. “What Thing?” I would ask, since my psychic abilities hadn’t quite developed yet. He would let out an exasperated grunt and repeat – very usefully – “the Thing, the Thing!”

To this day I have no idea whether he was referring to a wrench, pliers, a screwdriver or a Boston Cream Pie. What I do know that working for your father is surpassed in exasperation only by working for your father-in-law (except mine, who was nice).