CLAYTON KERSHAW GETS HIS RING!!!
We can put the Kirk Gibson HR and the Orel Hershiser team celebration into the Smithsonian, because we have new LA Dodgers World Series heroes. It took the 3rd time in 4 years for the Dodgers to finally cross the Championship line. Mookie proves to be a difference maker not only for the game but for a World Series Championship team. Corey Seager ends a tremendous season and winning the NLCS MVP, tops it all with a WS MVP. Austin Barnes proves that a defensive catcher who gets a key hit (and key safety squeeze) once in a while can be such a positive force in a series, especially with the pitchers. I am so very proud of Austin Barnes. He has gone from being cast aside by so many “fans” to being a Dodger WS hero. Julio Urias proves to have ice water run through his veins as he dominates the last 2.1 perfect innings of a championship game with 4 Ks of the 7 outs. This was a team championship.
Of course not all of the news was great. Justin Turner, perhaps the backbone of this team, tests positive for COVID-19. JT says he feels great and has no symptoms. Doc was sitting next to JT for the team picture, both without masks. Prayers to JT for a quick recovery.
You have to play a full nine innings to beat the Dodgers. You can shut Mookie down for a game and 5 innings, but he is not going to let you beat him with a championship game on the line. Of course he had help from Kevin Cash. Dave Roberts was absolutely roasted for inserting Pedro Baez in with runners on base and KJ with the game on the line, and deservedly so. But Kevin Cash pulled Blake Snell, who was absolutely dealing, after Austin Barnes singled with one out in the 6th,for the Dodgers second hit on the night. Snell had thrown only 79 pitches. Snell had faced Betts, Seager, and JT twice each, and struck each of them out twice. Snell had 9 K’s in 5.1 IP. He was nasty (per Mookie) and gross (per Belli). However, as Cash has done all year, he brought in one of his best relievers, Nick Anderson, in high leverage situations, who promptly gave up a double on a 2-0 pitch to Mookie with Barnes moving up to 3rd. Austin scores on a wild pitch tying it up. Then Mookie scores on that dubious contact play on a Corey Seager ground ball to Choi trying to get Mookie at the plate.
In the 8th, Mookie leads off and sends an 0-2 86 MPH slider into the back wall of the left center bullpen for a HR and a 3-1 lead, the eventual final score.
Unsung heroes have to be the LAD bullpen. The Dodgers bullpen has caught a lot of flak throughout the last several years and especially during the 2020 playoffs, and especially Doc’s management of that bullpen. But in the two biggest games of the year, the bullpen was stellar. In games 5 and 6, the relievers pitched 12 innings, allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and chalked up16 Ks. Game 6 was especially effective with 6 relievers putting up shutout 2 hit baseball in 7.2 IP. Doc apparently made the correct call on pulling Tony Gonsolin when he did, and inserting Dylan Floro who throws three changeups to strikeout Randy Arozarena in the 2nd inning. Alex Wood throws 2 perfect innings followed by some outstanding pitching from Baez, VGon, Graterol, and especially Julio Urias. Doc deserved credit for not pulling Urias in NLCS Game 7 for 3.0 IP against Atlanta, and deserved it again for leaving Urias in for 2.1 IP in Championship game, ending it in style with a K of Mike Brosseau and Willy Adames.
The Dodgers were under the microscope with extreme pressure as soon as the season started. It was a shortened season due to the virus, and the completion of the season was always in doubt. They were targeted by all as the best and deepest team in all of MLB, and it wasn’t close. They ended the season with an MLB best 43 wins. They beat the teams with the 2nd (SD) and 3rd (ATL) best records in the NL to get to the WS, and then beat the AL #1 team to win the WS. The Dodgers proved to the Baseball World that they were the best, and this WS will mean as much as 1988, 1981, 1965, 1963, 1959, and 1955.
It was great to hear Doc say thank you to Ross Stripling. I know that it was heartfelt, and as a huge Ross Stripling fan, I was glad to hear him recognized on this special night.
Kevin Cash was an absolute class act with some tough questions asked by Ken Rosenthal. He gave the Dodgers props and he thought that as well as Snell was pitching that he did not want him to face the Dodgers for the third time. Tampa Bay was the #1 seed in the AL and got to Game 6 of the WS by doing all year what Cash did in Game 6. Kevin Cash will be second guessed for a looooooooong time on that one decision. By the way, I think Kevin Cash is a fantastic manager. He made a judgement call that absolutely backfired. I bet if he is in that situation again, Snell stays in. The Rays were a class act, led by a class manager.
And the Rays were a class team. I will enjoy watching Randy Arozarena for years to come. Willy Adames may have to move over for Wander Franco, but both will be fun to watch. I hope Charlie Morton comes back for another run. Blake Snell will win another CY and Tyler Glasnow will grow from this WS. Manuel Margot has found a home in Tampa. The Tampa Bay Rays are legit and I am so happy that such a classy organization can make it to the WS and give the Dodgers are real fight. The best team won in 2020.
Maybe now we can give AF props as a great baseball executive. It has been said so many times that he cannot be called great because he has not won the final game of a baseball season. Now he has. Doc will continue to catch a lot of s***, but he is now the manager of a WS Champion. A lot of negative baggage can now be jettisoned. I am so very happy for AF and Doc. I am also happy for Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen, for being long tenured Dodgers who have been prominent for many years for this team, persevering, and winning a championship.
Corey Seager won the WS MVP, but it could have gone to Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Max Muncy, Austin Barnes, Joc Pederson…It was truly a team championship
Bobby, I am sorry you missed the WS, but I am so glad you get to spend today in LA. My son and daughter in law were hoarse when they called home.
In the coming days, we can and will digest the season, and look to 2021 and the future. This may have been the final game in a LAD uniform for JT, Joc, Kike’, Baez, Treinen, Wood, and McGee, but for now, I only want to think of them as World Champions. But…
As Doc proclaimed, THIS IS OUR YEAR!!!
Most days my favorite Rock Band is Freddie Mercury and Queen, and I needed to play the following all the while writing this post. To be followed by Randy Newman and I Love LA.
Discussion (121)
Disagree, not disagreeable
https://dodgersway.com/2020/10/28/dodgers-max-muncy-trolls-rob-manfred-instagram/?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email
MLB will investigate. Will they do anything?
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/justin-turner-celebrates-with-dodgers-after-positive-covid-test-four-lingering-question-as-mlb-investigates/
One person was not mentioned that should be. Caleb Ferguson before he went down was an important piece in the Dodger pen and they missed him in the playoffs. He will not be a part of the team next season since it is a 12-18 month recovery time.
About Turner,,, I pretty much guess this will be my opinion only, but here goes. Most of the last week, no one has been wearing masks in the dugout except the coaches. Players have been mingling for quite a while without them. So, Turner gets taken out in the 8th because of a positive test and is immediately isolated from the team. Tell me what difference his going back on the field makes when the entire team has been exposed for a couple of hours. All of these players and many of us have been cooped up for the better part of 9 months. The team had been following the protocols ever since the season started. And not one single case on the roster. And now, in the 8th inning there is one? Sounds pretty fishy to me. How come his is the only one? And if he has 3 tests after this that are negative, that means the positive one was wrong. So crucifying the guy before all the facts are in is nuts. Now, he did defy MLB security people who told him to not go on the field. Ok, that was not a good thing to do. But the man has been part of and the heart of the team for quite a while. I doubt in the same situation that I would have just sat there and watched myself. Here it is, the teams biggest moment since he has been a member, and he has to stay on the sidelines? What about allowing all those non players on the field for the celebration? Had they been tested? There are a lot of questions as to how the whole thing was handled. I for one am sick of all of this crap. I am not free if I am a prisoner where I live. We have restrictions here in my building, and most of the residents pay heed to them. I do not go into any of the community area’s or too a store without a mask. But if I am just out and about, I don’t wear it. There have been some positive test through out the majors over the season, and as of yet, not one of those players has been hospitalized as a result that I have seen. Lets get the whole story before we all lose our heads anyway. JT is a free agent now.
Dodgers are…
Best team in the office
Best team in the standing
best team in the stadium
I think that unlike other teams that have won the world series and do not return to the final, some do not even qualify for the playoffs, the Dodgers will continue to grow and be a better team than before.
I thought this season would only have value if the Dodgers or Yankees won it, because of the past and because of what happened with the Houston shits, but after enjoying these last series, I DEFINITELY say that no matter the number of games, Dodgers deserve to be champions!
Turner was in the dugout, celebrating, talking to, rubbing shoulders with his teammates and then on the field for the whole game until the eighth inning. Tell me, what difference did it make that he came out to be with them again after the game? If he was positive and with his teammates for eight innings what more could he have done? I suppose there were more people on the field after the game, but wouldn’t they be at risk just being with their mates and children because of their previous contact with JT?
I just don’t see the uproar about JT coming out, except that he may have defied the rule makers. He certainly deserved to be a part of the celebration. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is the victim of a false positive.
Congrats to all the Dodgers, especially for the players who got so close in ’17 and ’18. I’m happy for all the loyal fans who had to wait so-o-o long for another WS title. I’ve been a Dodgers fan since before they won their first WS in ’55. The Dodgers won 6 WS titles from ’55 thru ’88. That’s 33 years, so 32 years without a title is a long time. I think that they’ll win a couple more in the next few years. It was great to see Urias pitch so well in the series. It was also great to see Seager (my favorite Dodger) win the WS MVP award.
Happy WS win to all Dodgers fans!
A very gratifying World Championship, and congratulations to everyone on the team who contributed to it, which essentially is every player. And to all the millions of Dodgers fans who have waited so long for this. I was driving much of the day, and heard so many very happy people call into the various radio shows. And how about the fans who flew to Texas to give us a virtual home game crowd!
Well, I guess I will not get to criticize Roberts any more for a while or at least many fans will ignore it. It is somewhat amusing that Cash is getting blasted for doing exactly what Roberts did with Hill in two straight World Series, both times resulting in losses. Roberts handled things well in the last game, though I thought that the move to Urias was obvious, and then Urias got through 1.3 innings with only twelve pitches or so, so of course you leave him in as long as he is getting everyone out. But since we’ve seen him go to Jansen or someone else in such situations, we must applaud him for not doing it. He was as always gracious and likeable on the postgames shows. I do not think that he was brilliant in the playoffs, but after losing Game 4 to the Braves and Game 4 to the Rays, he changed his appoach, at least for that game. There may be a lesson there.
Betts was the big difference this year for me. He did not have a great playoffs with the bat, but he got the two key hits last night, and was great on the basepaths and the outfield in all the games. i’ll repeat what I said last night, that his shoestring catch and throw In NLCS Game 5, down 2-0, and looking as if we were about to lose the series in humiliating 4-1, fashion, seemed to wake up the team, and was the kind of play that we have not gotten very often in big playoff games. Betts was indeed a difference maker.
Seager was great, and we have to sign him. We also have to sign Buehler. We can debate about the rest of them. I am hoping that this is not a once in three decades great moment, but that we can join some other franchises in winning multiple titles in a short period. That should be the goal here. That’s how the Yankees approach it, and the Lakers and the Patriots, Seahawks, and Alabama football. I would like to think that our ownership is driven to win many title, not just rest on the one, as I think that we did for many of the seasons, with of course several different owners, since 1988. Can we win it again next year? Well, we are the early favorites, but that is almost reflexive of the oddsmakers. We will have challenges from San Diego, Atlanta, St. Louis, at least, in our leaague, and then Rays, Yankees, Astros and others will be strong teams.
I had mixed feelings about starting this season, I did not know if it would be feasible, and then when teams had to shut down and quarantine, it looked like like a mess. But we got through it, the playoffs were as good as in any regular long season, and I have not heard anyone scoff at the title as aberrational. We earned it, and it was great to watch all of it.
I am sure that I will have some quibbles about what we do or do not do in the offseason, but that is part of being a fan, I hope. I have enjoyed the almost always polite and insightful analysis provided by everyone here.
My initial WS thoughts
Urias – came of age
Mookie – worth every penny
Kershaw – so happy for you
Seager – a healthy Cory is really, really good
Roberts – became a complete manager this post season
Season 43 – 17 .717
Post Season 13 – 5 .722
There is NO asterisk
There are so many more but that is my initial day after impressions of this series
No slight to the rest of the players as this was a team win
Hearing that Justin Turner defied instructions to stay off the field during the celebration last night. I don’t have a whole lot of facts, but if it turns out he was in defiance and a risk to everyone around him, then I would be in favor of harsh penalties against him, and totally opposed to any attempt by the Dodgers to re-sign him. But as I said above, for now I am withholding judgment until we get full disclosure.
If it turns out that Turner was in defiance, then it takes some of the lustre off of this championship for me, and completely changes how I look at Turner.
STB – interesting thoughts about Doc reaching out to Cash.
I’ve wondered how Doc’s relationship with AJ Hinch is these days?
If I remember correctly. he had Hinch stay st his place during the WS home games because of their enduring friendship!
What transpired must have put a little pressure on that relationship lol.
BTW – and thanks for asking earlier – I’m a 54 year old English man who fell in love with Baseball and the Dodgers back in the summer of 88 when I visited California with my girlfriend.
Being a big sports fan and particularly Cricket, I wanted to see Baseball for myself.
Sitting there in the warm glow of a June evening at Chavez Ravine, I was totally smitten (not with her unfortunately, she went when we got home).
We lost 10-4 with Don Sutton pitching for LA.
Loved it so much that I went back for more two nights later to see Fernando pitch a complete game in an 11-1 victory.
I was hooked.
To cut a very long story short – that trip changed my life. Arrived home and decided at 22 that I needed to see more of the world so within a year i was off.
Bought a round the world ticket and ended up being away for 2 years.
Spent most of the first year in Australia, via a few parts of SE Asia, but the second was always gonna be spent in LA.
Got a job in a Youth Hostel in Venice Beach and headed down to Dodger Stadium as often as I could.
Ramon Martinez was my favourite.
So here we are 32 years later, and I’m watching the games live in the UK every day, and talking to friends on a Blog. Who says technology is a bad thing…..
Especially a great day for me so far. I have been congratulated by a lot of people who really dislike the Dodgers. The manger here is a big Rockies fan, and she sent me a couple of messages on Facebook..much as it pains me to say this, congratulations on the Dodgers winning. That felt good, along with my best friend from Cali calling me right after the last out. He absolutely hates the Dodgers. Simply because he was living in Brooklyn when they moved. He is more of a football fan anyway, so I reminded him how awful his Giants are this season. Lakers and Dodgers both win. Great time to be an Angelino. The manager here also said she was mad because she thinks the Rockies will trade Arenado to the Dodgers….I doubt that will happen. Winning the west next year is not going to be easy. I think the Padres are much improved and they will probably add some pieces this winter. I do feel sorry for JT who is being roasted on almost every media outlet for showing up on the field for the photo session sans mask. I am of the mind that his test is most likely a false positive. It happens so often anymore. And it seems weird that he would be the ONLY player to test positive.
Great Dodger win! What an extremely talented and deep team.
I was one of those who said AF cannot be considered with the greats without a World Series win. I stand by that but I am ready to elevate him now with this World Series win. The Dodgers from top to bottom check all the boxes for the best organization. AF has been the main cog in making this the model franchise and the envy of all the baseball world. The transition to the young guns was a visionary move that paid off. The future staff headed by buehler, urias, and May should be dominate for years to come
Manager doc Roberts certainly pushed the right buttons to win a World Series. I think to keep it together when kershaw could not go in his scheduled start was huge. It seemed the planning for game 6 with the pitching was exceptional. The use of Barnes and urias was just critical to the Dodgers winning. I agree with his confidence in May and Gonsolin even if Gonsolin did not hit his stride.
The players
Most of us felt our bullpen was so much better than past years and yesterday’s game was evidence that it was true. The bullpen did a better job than the “stable”. I was particularly impressed with wood who just mowed them down. He was so aggressive and confident. Floro took Superman down with 3 pitches. Gonzalez was just fantastic the whole series. Baez used properly is an asset. Bazooka a great addition. Urias was just the star we had hoped for. He started the year ho hum but finished like “wow” . He smelled victory and went for the jugular.
And if you feel defense doesn’t matter tell mookie Betts that. How about the great receiving of Barnes. If bellinger had been in cf game 5 there probably wouldn’t have been game 6. Turner played a great 3rd base. Seager was automatic. When our defense wasn’t good it cost us. Tampa d was stellar. That Wendell at third made some very difficult plays look routine. I don’t want to make this any longer so I won’t talk about our offense in this post.
Wow. What a great ride this season has been. Congratulations to the Dodgers and Dodger Nation. I’m so happy for the players and management especially CK, KJ and JT. If you would have told me after I watched the last game in Spring Training against the Brewers that we would get some semblance of a season in, I would have said “no way”. I’m so glad we got it in through the work and sacrifice of so many.
* In so many ways this was a perfect storm for the Dodgers despite all the weirdness of 2020. We put the best team I can remember on the field. We had only one season ending injury, the one to Fergy. We got through with no cases of covid, until last night, due to dedication and discipline from all parties to follow the protocals. We had surprising rookies rise to the challenge and veterans come through. It was a remarkable journey.
* Is it possible that JT’s results are a false-positive? Many here know more than I about the testing. Did he have just one test with results twice? Nick Saban had a failed test but subsequently had 3 daily tests came back negative and according to SEC rule he was allowed to coach that Saturday. Do we know more about JT’s results?
* I’m on record as hating the “contact play”. I still do. That is of course unless Mookie Betts is the runner on 3rd.
* Can the media now shut up about CK’s post season history. It was never as bad as they portrayed it anyway.
* I want to take exception to Watford Dodger’s comment “I wonder how David Price is feeling today?”. I said it in the beginning of this season and I will say it again, NO player should be criticized for the personal decision to opt out. With the information available at that time, each player had to decide what was best for him and his family and should never be criticized for their decision. Would Price have made any difference in the outcome? Didn’t we win it?
* Cash will now be a whipping boy like Grady Little, Doc and others based on his removing Snell. I still think it is amazing the dedication to analytics organizations have. The commitment to moves not based on the manager’s eyes and the pitcher’s heart are replaced by probability. I do know the probability was extremely high that the Dodgers were running to the bat-rack when Snell left the game.
* The decision to use ‘Bubble Venues” for the playoffs proved to be brilliant. If Manfred had a hand in it, he finally got one right.
* with respect to Seager and CK, Urias was my playoffs MVP. He eliminated all need for an 7th, 8th and 9th inning closer against the Braves and the Rays.
* This site has become very fun for me. I love offering what I can to the mix. I want to especially thanks Jeff for what he’s done and leaving this site better than he found it. I really enjoy the information and conversations by folks like Mark, Badger, Bear, DBM, Cassidy,BulldogsandPenguins, tedraymond, singing the blue, Idahoal, Quaz, Bum and all of the rest of you who contribute your knowledge and opinions on Dodger Baseball.
Let’s enjoy this ride. And then get back this winter to the 2021 team and repeating as Champions. It is always interesting and will be again. I’m heading back to Phoenix for the winter soon and it should be a blast this Spring Training. Let’s all hope and pray things are closer to normal and Camelback Ranch is full of happy fans.
How many is spent after the financial losses that teams took we be very interesting this offseason.
Julio was signed by Dodgers when he was 15 years of age. Dodgers did a lot for him and it’s likely he feels he has something owed to the franchise. If Borass fills his head with negativity towards the Dodgers then he wouldn’t deserve being one. I’m sure the franchise will be more than fair with him.
Shout out to Dylan Floro and Victor Gonzalez. Julio needs a nickname. Probably not going to happen with Boris being his agent but I’d try and sign Julio long term as well. Seager, Buehler, Urias. Get er done. Congratulations Dodgers.
Truth-Middleton is a very nice place. Small town and yet close to Boise. I live in Meridian, Idaho. Suburb of Boise. When this coved virus is over we need to have a cup of coffee.
After my beloved Colts and Peyton Manning finally won a Super Bowl, Jim Irsay gave Edgerrin James a Super Bowl ring since he had meant so much to the franchise and was a big part of their run toward a championship. I hope Mark Walter, Stan Kasten, and Andrew Friedman decide to do the same for every member of the 2017 team that was cheated out of a ring. Off the top of my head guys like Ethier, Hill, Morrow, Maeda, Puig, Darvish, Fields, Grandal and others who were part of this eight year run and were denied the moment they deserved.
And bring back Joctober!
2020-2021 offseason Calendar:
October 28 – Free agency officially begins. Options to be exercised or declined. Can negotiate only with current team for five days.
November 1 – Qualifying Offers must be made by 4:00 PM (CT) – $18.9MM
November 2 – Free agents are open to negotiate and sign with any other team.
November 3 – AL and NL Gold Glove Awards announced.
November 9 – AL and NL Rookie of Year announced.
November 10 – AL and NL Manager of Year announced.
November 11 – AL and NL Cy Young winners announced.
November 12 – AL and NL winners announced.
November 20 – Teams must finalize their 40 man rosters.
December 2 – Deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players.
December 6 – Winter Meetings scheduled for Dallas, TX. Extremely likely that these meetings will be virtual.
December 10 – Rule 5 Draft.
January 15 – International free agent signings begin, ending December 15, 2021. Same time for 21-22.
January 15 – Deadline for arbitration figures to be submitted.
February 27 – First ST games
April 1 – 2021 MLB Season to begin
What a beautiful day in the neighborhood!! Dodgers won the 2020 World Series! Has such a beautiful ring to it, doesn’t it. So much to say about last night, but AC summarized it so well, as he always does.
When Floro came in and struck out Arozarena on 3 pitches it seemed to set the game back in order and I just knew it was only a matter of time.
Wonderful to see the young pitchers come through like they did. Urias in particular was majestic. He exhibited Fernando Valenzuela cool. Think about it, we have Buehler, Urias, Gonsolin, May, Graterol, Gonzalez, Ferguson, Gray, White, for years to come, and then there is Bobby Miller, Clayton Beeter, Landon Knack, Michael Grove, Jimmy Lewis and others just a little further down the pipeline.
It’s great to be a Dodger fan!!
To Manny Machado………….HOW BOUT THEM DODGERS?
Dee Strange – Gordon’s 2021 team option was not picked up. Instead, Dee will get a $1MM buyout. Dee is only 32 so some team is going to take a chance for a Dee Strange-Gordon bounce back year.
Houston Mitchell made an interesting comment about the 1988 team vs all of the previous teams he followed. “And then of course there was the magical 1988 season, a team that probably didn’t have the level of talent those other teams I listed had (1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, coming close in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985), but seemed to know how to win.”
I think that is what makes the 2020 team so special…they knew how to win. For the postseason, the Dodgers offensive numbers:
Overall – .254/.349/.465/.814 – 101 runs
2 outs – .308/.431/.565/.996 – 59 runs
RISP – .268/.372/.450/.822
RISP w/2 outs – .345/.471/.560/1.031
Nearly 60% of the LAD runs were scored with 2 outs!!! Throughout the postseason, as the situation required more clutch, the Dodger hitters provided that clutch. How many years has the complaint about the Dodgers been that they cannot hit in the clutch RISP…forget RISP w/2 outs?
It wasn’t just one player who clutched up:
RISP (by AB):
Smith (23 AB) – .304/.385/.522/.906
Muncy (18 AB) – .389/.593/.778/1.370
JT (18 AB) – .111/.190/.111/.302
Belli (16 AB) – .375/.500/.688/1.188
Corey (15 AB) – .400/.500/.667/1.167
Mookie (13 AB) – .308/.286/.462/.747
The above does not include Joc who came to bat only 5 times with RISP, and boy did he deliver: .600/.667/1.200/1.867
RISP w/2 outs) (Top 6 by OPS):
Joc – 3-3 – 1.000/1.000/2.000/3.000 (7 RBI)
Max – 6-11 – .545/.722/1.091/1.813 (11 RBI)
Belli – 4-8 – .500/.636/.750/1.386 (5 RBI)
Fresh Prince – 5-15 – .333/.412/.667/1.078 (9 RBI)
Corey – 2-5 – .400/.500/.400/.900 (5 RBI)
Mookie – 3-8 – .375/.375/.500/.875 (8 RBI)
If there was any doubt about Joc showing up for October, it was absolutely demolished by the 2020 postseason. Maybe it took 4 years for the players to actually believe they could win, but believe they did in 2020. The best team in MLB won the World Series.
As Doc is sipping his favorite wine this winter and kicking back for some well deserved relaxation, he’ll have a smile on his face, knowing he’s the manager of the World Champions and knowing exactly what Kevin Cash will be going through all off-season as he hears about what a bone-headed move he made.
I have no doubt that Doc will give Cash a call, tell him he knows exactly what that feels like, and to keep his head up because that feeling doesn’t last forever.
A few thoughts about the game last night and the post season in general:
1) When nobody else was able to touch Blake Snell (not Mookie, not Cory, not JT, …), Austin Barnes came through with a key hit. This is not the first time this has happened at a key moment in the post season. Anybody remember game 5 of the 2018 NLDS when Austin drove in a run to keep Kersh in the game.
2) Have we just found our Josh Hader? Let Urias start throughout the regular season, but come winning time, perhaps he is best used exactly as he was this post season with 2-3 inning saves to shut the door on a close game. No need for a closer. No need for a set-up guy. Just bring in Julio. He seems to really excel in that role. Can’t do that every day, but over a 7 game series, you could employ that strategy as many as three times.
3) I was struck by how many different players had major contributions to this championship run. Truly a team effort. Well done Dodgers.
Great ending to a great season!
Game 6 was the ultimate team effort to get a win against a dominant starting pitcher. The Dodgers shutting out the Rays for the last 8 2/3 innings of the game by using 7 different pitchers was fantastic. Especially when you consider that all of the pitchers used by the Dodgers were unheralded and lower paid players. For game 6, we didn’t even use our studs Kershaw and Buehler, or the high paid relievers Treinen, Jansen, or Kelly. Great performances by all 7 pitchers in game 6, and credit to Roberts for using them wisely, and Friedman for building such a deep roster.
All the players deserved this championship, but it is especially sweet for Clayton Kershaw. He has been the best pitcher in baseball for a decade, and an absolute team player. He was not always at his best in the postseason, but he never backed down. He took on the opponents ace, pitched deep into games to protect bullpen, pitched on short rest, and came out of bullpen if called upon. And after the devastating loss in game 4 on Saturday, he gutted out a win in pivotal game 5. Congrats to Clayton, the hall of famer and great humanitarian!
I do wish that Stripling, Maeda, Hill, Ryu, Freese, and the other contributors from prior years could be a part of this team, as they deserved a championship, especially in 2017. By the way, Ross Stripling had a podcast on Big Swing where he talked about his trade, the shock, the whirlwind process, and his continued support for the Dodgers. https://play.acast.com/s/big-swing-podcast/rossisback-thefeelingofgettingtraded
And thanks to Mark, Jeff and all of the writers for producing this site. Great content and a great forum to express opinions and even disagree without hatred. Great season, and spring training is just around the corner!
Congrats Dodgers!
Thanks to all the participated in this blog. You all made this season more fun with all your comments some really off the wall, but all good reading.
As I was watching the celebration the thought ran through my mind, “I wonder what Joc, Kiki and the other free agents were thinking?” Great win I am only sorry that Cash will be roasted for his decision.
My son was at the game and we were texting and he sent videos of the events. When Cash made the pitching change I texted him, “that’s a Roberts move.” Several of you had the same reaction.
Roberts is still a class act, all the way.
Never do what your opponent wishes for you to do. I don’t think any of the Dodgers wanted to see Snell continue on! But maybe Mookie, Seager or Turner would have put a ball in play that inning! If Roberts has made that call…….. we’ll we know
I am so happy for the Dodgers and congratulate them for winning the World Series. Wow, it still makes my head spin and I am thankful to see another WS victory in my lifetime. So many memories and plays from this playoff series, a truly team effort from Corey winning a deserved MVP to the stellar bullpen efforts to the many, many defensive and offensive plays.
I was thrilled about Floro striking out Arozarena, Woods coming through when we needed him, Urias on short notice, just awesome. The whole team contributed to this well-deserved win, most have already been mentioned here. So congrats Dodgers. I am so proud of you and proud to be a fan and part of this daily blog that means a lot to me.
I will also add a few thoughts:
By wishing Justin Turner well.
By thanking Mark, 2D2, DC, AC and Bear for keeping me focused and sane every day reading their thoughts, summaries and analysis.
By telling Bobby that I am glad he did not make that plane trip for the seventh game. Also, Bobby, I am having my cardboard cutout shipped and will keep it as a souvenir.
Love you all.
DODGER PRESS RELEASE
WORLD CHAMPION DODGERS TO HOLD CELEBRATION AT LATER DATE
LOS ANGELES – The World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers today issued the following statement:
This season was everything we believed it could be. It was just missing one thing: The best fans in baseball. While the wait for a World Championship is finally over, a celebration worthy of our great fans and the City of Los Angeles will unfortunately have to wait until it is safe to do so. We can’t wait to celebrate together!
The Dodger Stadium team stores will be closed today as World Series Championship merchandise is received. The Top of the Park store and Left Field Plaza store at Dodger Stadium will re-open tomorrow from 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Starting Friday, the Left Field Plaza store will be open daily from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. while the Dodger Stadium Vote Center is open.
Great playoff run.
Apparently Justin Turner’s Monday test came back inconclusive, which is not all that unusual. A second test came back positive. It could be a false positive, know a few people who have had that happen.
I remember sitting in my living room 32 years ago and watching Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run spark a Dodger World Series championship in 1988. Never, in my wildest imagination, did I believe the Dodgers would go this long between titles.
Cory Seager certainly deserved the MVP. Had an incredible run.
Yes, Blake Snell was dealing, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have come apart an inning later. Seen that happen a few times.
Winning this year was great for the entire Dodger organization, especially Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner. It was a tough road with four rounds of playoffs. An amazing comeback against Atlanta.
I’m guessing the Dodgers bring back Justin. How can they not?
Thanks to Mark for creating this site and thanks to Jeff for keeping it going.
Feels great that the Dodgers are world champs. This really should be 2 championships in the last four years, but 2017 will live in infamy.
I was actually happy the score wound up being what it was and the Dodgers didn’t blow it out in the final innings. Playoff baseball is about stories and pivotal events. I can’t think of another sport where there is so much consistent drama and tension.
Having the score as it was allows everyone to talk about the decision to pull Snell. The game could actually still be going on had the Dodgers been shut down in that inning.
I think what is ironic is that analytics were supposed to free baseball minds from the sclerotic thinking that dictated that strategic and tactical decisions were to be made in traditional ways. “This is how we do things.” The analytics nerds were disruptors. Sometimes you need disruption.
I think the Snell decision is a case where there is so much adherence and faith in the analytics based “process” that it takes away real time flexibility. It makes the decision making formulaic – and predictable. “Trust the process” they say. Ok, well statistically it is true that a lineup is more successful against a starting pitcher when they see him for the third time, and it makes statistical sense to pull him and put in a fresh pitcher who has a different look to keep the opposing lineup off balance.
I think one of the biggest flaws with relying so much on analytics is what makes analytics valuable – they are the accumulation of data points over a long period of time. This makes them useful in identifying trends and increasing probability of outcomes marginally. What they don’t do is reflect real time variability in performance. Everyone has good days and bad days. Pitchers arms get tired. Players get a year older. Some days a player is on. Other days he’s not.
A manager needs to be able to recognize real time performance or how a player is trending over the last few games and make adjustments to “The Process” as needed. I think in Snell’s case there was a lot of pressure and incentive to stick with the plan and do what has worked over the last year. The formula was to use Snell twice through the order, then go with Anderson, which is a formula that had consistently worked. If Cash deviates from the script and Snell gets lit up, then he has to answer the criticism of why he suddenly altered a process that had worked all year and was backed by “science.”
But there were mitigating factors:
– Snell had mentioned in an interview that he had finally, when the playoffs began, started to really feel good and had regained his form prior to his injury and was feeling like his Cy Young Award winning self from 2018.
– Anderson, despite being good all year, had not been good in the playoffs. Small sample size or not, a manager needs to look at the short term performance of players and assess why they aren’t performing and make an adjustment in their usage. Sometimes it’s good to stick with a guy if the fundamentals are still good. Doc put May back in there after his poor performances and was rewarded with a great performance by May. They did their due diligence and identified a problem with May – he was too amped up, which effected his pitches – corrected the problem and put him back in the game in a position to succeed.
– Snell was particularly sharp last night. Sometimes you just have to ride the hot hand, especially if there are still some sequencing options or the hitters haven’t shown an ability to adapt. Doc rode the hot hand in keeping Urias in rather than going with Treinan or, God forbid, Kenley.
I think Doc made a similar mistake with Hill a couple of years ago, but I think he made the right call to pull Urias when he did in his last game. Urias started out pounding the zone, but you could tell he was losing a little command in the 4th and 5th innings. Urias is good for about 3-5 innings. Hopefully the Dodgers can work on this and develop him a little more for the starting role.
I think Doc has done and outstanding job in this post season, and I’ve criticized him before. Even Baez was an ok move if Baez just has confidence in this changeup and actually throws it. Kenley in the 9th was a good move if Kenley pitches like he did the night before.
Managers are geniuses when their players execute. They’re goats when they don’t.
FINALLY!
How’s this for the little things making a big difference. The Rays pitching staff 5 H, 2 BB, 11 SO, 1 HR, 3 ER and 1 WP. the Dodgers staff 5 H, 2 BB, 16 SO, 1 HR, 1 R, 0 WP. People can roast Cash for pulling Snell but if Anderson doesn’t throw one in the dirt or Zunino blocks it do we even score? I don’t think there was a contact play on when Betts scored. I think a superstar athlete read what he saw and made a play that maybe Bellinger is the only other player on the team could make. If Barnes is still on third he doesn’t go or is out at home. How many times have we seen failure to execute being the deciding factor.
Ok LADT nation. We all have to go back and reread all the comments from October 16th and see how silly most of us are. No one more than me. Good thing we’re the fans and not n charge of Dodger baseball! Fans can afford to be stupid!
AC, believe me, I’m soooooo happy that I am NOT on a plane to Dallas right now! Of course, who knows if there would even be a game 7 today, as I’m sure we’ll hear of several more positive tests on the Dodgers, I’m sure on the Rays, and maybe even an ump?
This is 2020, so none of this should shock anybody
Now, I need to go win the lottery so I can buy up lots of Lakers and Dodgers championship gear
Congratulations to all Dodgers. This was a complete team effort. Doc did a great job of managing this game.
1. He let Gonzo pitch more than one inning.
2. He used Baez to start an inning.
3. He let a hot pitcher, Urias, finish the game.
4. He started Barnes at catcher.
5. He used basically the same line up through out the play offs.
When Cash pulled the starting pitcher, I said, that is a Doc move in past play offs. Doc has learned from his mistakes. That is all you can ask of any person.
I believe there will be more WS champions for the Dodgers. This team does not have many weaknesses.
Even Boras should know now is the time to negotiate a Seager extension.
Corey Seager absolutely deserves the World Series MVP, but the Dodgers are not World Champions without Mookie Betts. IMO, the best ever Dodgers trade.
Yesterday I commented before the game that it would really be fitting if Barnes turned out to be the hero since so many of us were ready to get rid of him earlier in the year.
Well……………………………if he doesn’t get that hit off of Snell, he might still be pitching. So in my mind, Barnes is the one who turned that game around. A true hero!
Wow, that was quick…
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30206627/los-angeles-dodgers-favored-repeat-world-series-champs-2021
Thank you Doc for not putting in Jansen for some sort of redemption. It’s about time you woke up.
Urias is my MVP!!
Just read the Rosenthal Athletic piece regarding Turner and though questions certainly do arise I think Friedman made a good point with this . … “But I think from our standpoint, I think the people who were around him were the people that would be in the contact tracing web anyway”. It is interesting that MLB was able to contain any spread through the season and in the middle of the last game this odd event happens. As for the picture, Turner has his mask in his hand so he was wearing it and everyone there obviously had already been exposed. Let’s hope this just fades into nothing.
When do we start talking about free agent signings and ridonkulous trades? Mark. The floor is yours.
Floro was clutch in the second inning. Two on, Arozarena at bat and he throws 3 perfect changeups to strike him out. The momentum changed right there.
It’s great that the Dodgers could win before the band gets broken up this winter.
Does anyone else but Mookie score on that ground out? His baseball acumen is off the charts. Can see why AF has coveted him since 2018.
Finally:
I’d like to thank Jeff D for handling this blog this season. Wish you the very best on your new adventure. To all the other writers, thank you for all the great articles. And last but not least, Mark, thanks for hosting this blog. Not sure of its future but if this is the end it was a glorious way to go out. Glad you don’t need immediate surgery.
To everyone, stay well and stay safe!
Congratulations to the Dodgers and everyone here who eats, drinks, breathes Dodgers as I do. We don’t all agree on many things, but our love for the Dodgers is strong. This was a well deserved championship from a freight-train of a team.
I’m so glad this is over. What a roller coaster ride of a series! So many lead changes. The Rays did not look like the 21st offense in baseball! It was very fitting that Cash Robertsed the Snell call and the post game show legends absolutely roasted him for it. The Rays remind me of the Dodgers of years past with too many platoons and a manager who can’t read the field in front of him, instead relying on his iPad to make decisions as ours has the propensity to do. But, for a night our guy was successful blending old school baseball with the new age.
Mookie is the spark that starts the engine, but Corey Seager put on a show! Clayton was less dominate and more gritty finally shaking the monkey off his back. Urias grew up before our eyes and Bueller established himself as THE BIG GAME PITCHER on the staff.
I am so looking forward to a repeat or a three peat with this team. The pitching staff is going to be incredible next year. Kershaw still has more in the tank, as does Price. Bueller and Urias are just getting started. No bullpen games next postseason, just a parade of horses, a hand full of aces.
Andrew doesn’t need to do too much this offseason. He did his big work by landing Mookie. Now, he just needs to figure out how to bring JT back and get some help for the pen. It will be sad to see Kike, Joc, Petey and some of the others move on, but it will be exciting to see some of the new kids start to grow up during next season.
I was really freaking out when Doc pulled Woody. It worked out well enough but man, he looked like he could have gone 5. Good job Doc, for not screwing it up. I sure hope he’s learning and this wasn’t just an aberration cuz it looks like he’s gonna be here a while longer …sadly.
Dodgers win, nothing more to add.
When someone tests positive for COVID-19, the results are sent by e-mail to the player, team, and MLB.
The results evidently came in during the game. The team and MLB knew it and JT was pulled immediately.
Like my Doctor told me: “85% of the people infected wore masks.” Masks help immensely, but there are lots of other ways you can accidentally get infected. There is nothing sinister here. Stuff happens!
Congrats Guys!!!
That was awesome
I love the Clayton Kershaw quote: “We won the World Series. I don’t care about legacy, I don’t care about what happened last year…I don’t care at all. We won the World Series. The 2020 Dodgers won the World Series. Who cares about all that other stuff? It’s just pointless, doesn’t matter. We won, it’s great.”
I agree, Mark, class throughout the organization. I wonder what Farhan Zaidi is thinking right now. Of course, he saw his opportunity in SF, but it isn’t easy to win a WS, as AF knows. I was impressed that AF actually apologized to Dodger fans for the fact that “it took so long.” You get the sense that he actually cares. Not at all arrogant. In fact, the opposite.
On the other hand, there is Manfred, an empty suit if there ever was one. When you lack integrity, people know it. If he was surprised by the boos, he is even more clueless than I thought.
Since Jeff will have more free time soon, I suggest that we nominate him as the new Commissioner. If he can moderate this blog, he can easily handle some cheating players and egomaniac owners!
Of course, we all remember the Kirk Gibson Home Run, but lest we forget, here is the last time the Dodgers clinched the World Series:
During the regular season, the Dodgers put up a 3.02 ERA as a team, which was #1 in baseball.
Their reliever ERA was 2nd to the A’s at 2.74.
In the Postseason, the Dodgers had a 3.42 ERA as a staff and their bullpen ERA was 3.64.
It gets tougher in the World Series as the Dodgers team ERA was 3.52, while the Rays was 5.54, and ultimately, the Dodgers had a better Bullpen ERA than the Rays. However, in the Postseason, it’s hard to sort out starters and relievers.
The key stat to me is the fact that the Rays gave up two more runs a game than the Dodgers. Yesterday was one of the best bullpen games EVER! 9 IP, 5 Hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 16 Strikeouts!
Julio Urias was pitching on short rest but showed why he is a top-of-the-rotation starter. I was even impressed with Tony Gonsolin, who gave up the only run. In 1.2 IP he struck out 4.
We may say Goodbye to some players this offseason, but there is also a chance we keep some players. I love how Doc mentioned Ross Stripling. I am betting the Dodgers vote him a share and a ring! What class acts – throughout the organization!
A few thoughts.
I wonder how David Price is feeling today?
I wonder how our recently departed players, such as Rich Hill, Ryu, Maeda and David Freese and of course Ross Stripling feel?
Happiness for their old friends, or bitterness they’d been moved on?
Julio looks very different without his glasses.
I wonder which day of the week Manfred sobers up?
I wanted to thank you, Jeff, and also Mark and all of the other contributors and commentators at LADT! What a fun and exciting ride! You guys made a big contribution to my mental state by giving us so much daily enjoyment for the past several months. It was the best antidote to the Covid blues I could imagine.
The ending last night was storybook, couldn’t have been scripted better. So many great stories this year: CK shaking off his demons, Urias emerging as a formidable pitcher, Barnes stepping up at the plate and being that stablizing presence behind the plate, the bullpen getting its act together in the end, Cory returning to his rookie year form, JT and Joc as Masters of October, Buehler lights out, Fresh Prince, Muncy, Kike, and Belli showing their stuff when it counted, and of course, Mookie!
And Doc showing us that he can make good in-game decisions, with the help of the players who executed. Hearing Doc’s speech made me realize what a class act he is. He went out of his way to single out Jansen, who had to give up the closer role, and Strip, who isn’t even on the team anymore. Doc didn’t have to do that. No wonder the players love him. And kudos also to the Rays, who are also a classy organization, and gave us the pleasure of dispensing with the Astericks. No asterick for this Dodgers world championship. They won it under the most difficult circumstances imaginable.
Now we have something to enjoy until next year, when we will start criticizing and second-guessing everything and everyone, but all in the right spirit.
Go Blue!
Here is a thought for all of you to ponder:
Did the Dodgers know that JT had gotten a positive test back but withheld it till nearing the end of the game? Something doesn’t sit right with me how this unfolded. I would think that whoever gets tested would get the result back before a game, not during. Now we’ll see if others were infected by this odd turn of events.
Within the WS bubble (is it really a bubble?), do the players venture out of their accommodations for meals, walks, bars? If you protect yourselves as you should, how do you get it, especially a savvy guy like JT?
Okay for Queen to sing that song, but I hope no Dodgers do what some guys did in 81 and make a record of them singing it. Congrats to the entire team. To Dave Roberts who in my eyes redeemed himself this post season. To the much maligned, AF, who many times I have said exactly what Jeff said the the story. You have not achieved anything unless you win that last game of the year. To the Dodger bullpen which recieved more flak this year than a group of B=17 bombers over Berlin. When the chips were down, they did a fantastic job. To Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, rookies who at times have looked as seasoned as the rest of the vets. To Julio Urias, who when the season started I questioned his not attacking hitters. Tonight he went for the jugular. To CK, who has been ripped for years for now winning the big one. His game 5 performance was a gritty as they come. To Joc, Kike, Rios, Barnes, Beaty, Pollock, Taylor, all the guys who made huge contributions at times during the season. Edwin’s extra inning blast that beat the Cheeto’s is one of the best memory’s of a season that was like no other in MLB history. To Ross Stripling, who at the beginning of the season won 3 games and pitched well. He had some bad moments, but Ross was the quintessential team player. He always placed the needs of the team over his own. His debut against the Giants in SF when he pitched 7 plus no hit innings will always be a great memory. To Belli and Muncy who went through very trying seasons, were blasted by many, myself included, and yet did not let that affect their play when the chips were down. Muncy turned it around in the series, and Belli had a memorable homer in the NLCS. The team was under more pressure than most of us have ever faced. And I would be remiss to not mention the leadership and professionalism of Justin Turner. I have enjoyed his play from the first day he joined the team. And finally, to Mookie Betts. Mookie was all that was advertised and more. And I expect him to be better over the next few years. When fans are finally allowed back at Dodger Stadium, you can bet he is going to hear cheers as loud if not louder than anything he experienced in Boston. And to all the folks here on LADT who have shared this roller coaster ride with me. You guys are a great bunch…and so is our lady., DBM. As fans I have a lot of respect for all of you. You have accepted me as a contributor to the site, and I appreciate that more than you know. We might not always agree on everything, but we all love the same team. To Jeff, and Mark, 2D2, your great writing has inspired me to do the best I can. Harold, all of your articles are so informative. I can finally get a good nights sleep.
Great win, great series.
Really glad that this group was able to win it all before its broken up. Wish Ross could have been a part of it. Always like him.
Icing on the cake was Manfred getting just about booed off the stage and visibly shaken.
Would have gone with Kershaw for the MVP myself.
I’m especially happy for all the Dodger players who had a rough time this season and took a lot of fan abuse, Barnes being top of the list, Woody, Muncy, etc. , and came through in the end. Here’s to the Dodgers being even better next year!
Congratulations everyone, and especially to you Jeff for stepping up and keeping this place, that we all enjoy so much, going. Having other Dodger fans to share every season with makes supporting the team so much better for me.
You are actually 1/1 or Batting .1000 as our leader here. That can’t be beaten.
What a Rollercoaster. I couldn’t quite believe it when Cash pulled Snell. Poor fella, that’s gonna haunt him.
A real team effort that, and if you were watching that as a supporter of any other MLB team, I would imagine that you’d be rather worried that the Dodgers may only be getting started.
As it turned out, I think the NL was stronger than the AL this season.
Atlanta or possibly the Padres would have given Tampa a run for their money.
2020 may have been a strange year, but winning the WS this year was not diminished by Covid. No one can argue that wasn’t a proper season ultimately won by the best team.