Los Angeles Dodgers: Matt Kemp's Injury Is Just a Blip on the Radar Screen

In Rocky, Rocky Balboa proved his toughness and grit against an opponent that was supposed to be superior to he in the ring. Rocky would go on to fight Apollo Creed to a draw.

In Rocky II, Balboa would go on to defeat the champion Creed and solidify himself as the Champion of the World.

Right now, losers of five straight games, the Los Angeles Dodgers are akin to Balboa in Rocky. They are reeling and have been taking a serious beating at the hands of their National League competition.

Sure, Matt Kemp is out along with Ted Lilly, Juan Uribe and Juan Rivera. 

So what?

This Dodgers team is capable of great things, regardless of injury.

Andre Ethier is having a career year. Tonight's box score notwithstanding, he is leading the league in RBI. We are not even halfway through the season and he's on pace for 130 runs driven in.

He is having his best season at the plate to boot with a .324/.379/.563/.941 batting line that eclipses even his finest of seasons.

That translates into a better performance than his top-10 finish for the NL MVP in 2009 or either of his All-Star years in 2010 or 2011.

Bobby Abreu has seemingly found a fountain of youth somewhere.

He is batting .318 for the good guys with 26 hits in just 32 games. I would classify that as pretty good for a 38-year-old ballplayer whom many thought was done.

As a team the Dodgers own the second-best batting average in the National League at .272 behind only the St. Louis Cardinals' .277.

That said, the Dodgers pitching staff owns the third-best ERA in the National League at 3.31 behind only the Nationals' 3.01 and the Pirates' 3.21.

In other words, yes, the team has taken some serious punches from Apollo Creed right now. However, we need Mickey to cut us so we can see and get back in the ring.

Five losses hurts, but this team is too good to stay down for the count.

Cue Bill Conti and blast Gonna Fly Now because this team is going to reel it in, dig deep and persevere until the cavalry can return.