With everything that the Dodgers are going through right now, any positive exposure they get is certainly welcome. They had three players represent them in the All Star Game on Tuesday, and they all did their part to contribute to a 5-1 win for the N.L.. According to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, Ethier understood that this was an important statement for the Dodgers to make.
"This was a chance to show that there's still good, quality baseball being played [in Los Angeles]," said Ethier, who made his All-Star debut just two miles from the house in which he grew up. "There are quality players. And we're going to find our way again, find our way back to the top of the NL West."
Matt Kemp echoed those sentiments.
"It was a good day for the Dodgers," said Kemp, who played six innings in center field, singling and scoring on a fourth-inning home run by most valuable player Prince Fielder. "Whatever happens off the field we can't really control. Everybody knows we go out there every day and try to play as hard as we can.
This isn't a great time for the Dodgers organization, but the cupboard isn't completely bare. There are talented players in Los Angeles, and Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw helped remind the league of that.