The Los Angeles Dodgers took care of business last night against he Atlanta Braves to win their third pennant in the last four seasons. Corey Seager took home NLCS MVP honors, but it was Enrique Hernandez and Cody Bellinger coming up with big home runs in the sixth and seventh innings to seal the win. Our 2020 World Series matchup is now set, as the Tampa Bay Rays will take on the Dodgers, beginning with a pair of Dodgers’ home games (at Globe Life Field in Texas) on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Odd at it sounds, it’s rare to see each league’s top seed make it to the World Series in the same season. This year’s match-up achieves even rarer air, however. The Rays and Dodgers boast the highest combined regular-season winning percentage of any World Series contenders all-time, per Stats by STATS. There is, of course, the short season caveat, but the 2020 World Series nonetheless pits two sterling contenders against one another in what should/could be a real barnburner.
In one corner, we have the small market Rays. Run by the finest wunderkinds MLB can offer, this era of Rays baseball has been known for three things: innovation, ridiculously strong farm systems, and a front office of baseball wizards who have thrice been poached by large market clubs (Astros, Red Sox, Dodgers). The best of the Rays prospect pool remains on the farm (Wander Franco), but less-heralded stars like Brandon Lowe, Randy Arozarena, Ji-Man Choi, Diego Castillo, Nick Anderson, Joey Wendle, Pete Fairbanks, and others have led the Rays to the World Series. Lest you think they’re merely a ragtag group of underdogs, remember that Tyler Glasnow, Charlie Morton, and Blake Snell make up a surprisingly star-studded rotation for these “measly” Rays.
With manager Kevin Cash pulling the strings, Tampa finished 12th in runs scored during the regular season, 9th in wRC+, and 9th in batter fWAR. Arozarena, Choi, and somehow, Mike Zunino have steered the ship for the offense in the postseason thus far. They’ll look to get more from Lowe at the top of the order, and rest easy in knowing they don’t need to outscore the world forever, they just need to outscore the Dodgers in 4 games. The pitching should help in that regard, as their 3.56 team ERA was third in the majors.
The Dodgers, of course, boast a 3.02 team ERA during the regular season, the top mark in the majors. They also hit more home runs and scored more runs than any other team in the majors over the 60-game season. After coming back from a 3-1 NLCS deficit, they’ve now checked the ’faced adversity’ box as well. Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger lead a star-studded offense, while Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler should be ready to start the first two games of the series. With rest days built in, the Dodgers’ ace duo should be more available to the Dodgers than at any other time this postseason.
And of course, there’s Andrew Friedman, the architect of these Dodgers who came to run a large market behemoth with the restraint and attention-to-detail he used to run the Rays. There aren’t gimmicks here, it’s just process building and sound decision-making. The philosophy works, and now we can sit back and enjoy the show as Friedman’s old team takes on his new one.
Let’s keep this simple, baseball fans: who is going to win the World Series? (Poll link for app users)
The Los Angeles Dodgers win this in 5 games. Maybe 6
Should be a good series. I think the Rays have the better defense/pitching and the Dodgers have the better offense. Will the Rays offense come through? Will the Dodgers pitching come through?
Rays all the way
Rays in 6, Kevin Cash will simply outmanage Dave Roberts
absolutely. you would think roberts would learn after all of his mistakes but i guess not
99% of the time I would agree with you but Roberts left Urias in for the final 3 innings in game 7. He’s never done that before so maybe things will change and he’ll start trusting his pitchers. Either way it should be a great series.
You would think Andrew Friedman would have fired Dave Roberts already for not implementing his game plan.
Oh, wait.
Im stunned the Giants fan picked the Dodgers to lose. Roberts maanged a terrific series after game 4. Cash running to his bullpen at the first sign of trouble is going to hurt them.
Cash running to his bullpen is laughable. Roberts has a room on the mound.
The Braves ran themselves into a couple losses. Had that not happened it would have been the other way around
Didn’t cash just almost out manage away a 3-1 lead?
Assuming either of these managers are going to win this is beyond dumb
Plz Tampa u can literally fire Dave roberts by winning
Rays.
I’m not sure, but man it’s hard to watch because that new Texas Rangers stadium is ugly. Outside and inside. Looks like they are playing in a gray dingy warehouse. It’s a shame because the Ballpark in Arlington was one of the nicest parks in baseball. Beautiful open skies, old school rafters, nice grass field, etc.
Rays should be right at home then with the dump they play in
Yeah it really has no character.
Agreed. I took a tour and said UGH.
Considering the Braves basically gave the game away (at the end of the day, fundamentals matter, especially when teams are essentially equal), you’d think Rays.
But the Dodgers have more toys, and sometimes, the team with the most toys wins. I’m thinkin’ this is one of those times. LA in 6.
bobtillman: I agree with everything you said except for the last line. I think the Rays will win in 7. My reasoning is I think the Rays will be more aggressive on the base path (taking the extra base) & forcing the issue. All of the pressure is on the Dodgers to win it.
How did the Braves give the game away when all they had were 3 hits? Pitching, defense and timely hitting won the game for the Dodgers
They ran into two unnecessary outs. Instead of second and third with one out, it was man on first with two out. Those two base runners could have made the difference. They were just trying to do too much.
Key words are “could have”
All hypothetical. The results are what they are
You asked “How did the Braves give the game away?” He answered “They ran into two unnecessary outs.” That could change the results. Then you moved the goalposts. He answered the question. You moved the goalposts.
For you to say you gave the game away because of a single play
You have to have more direct evidence than THEY COULD HAVE SCORED
The Braves could have scored with the bases juiced and no one out against Buehler. But didn’t. Stop assuming things are going to happen as you want. In the playoffs! That’s just laughable. The playoffs are all about dealing with whatever happens. Dodgers did that better Than atl. Stop whining you gave the game away when they barely made any noise all day
The guy stated a hypothetical questioning a move that killed a potential rally. And it did. Hypotheticals are a perfectly legitimate part of discussion. What if? is a perfectly legitimate part of discussion. And I’m not a Braves fan, but I can understand where he’s coming from. Not hard at all. We’ve ALL been there, you included.
On average there’s a 33.7% chance that no runs will score with men on 2nd and 3rd with one out. There’s a 66.3 chance at least one run will score, and about a 40% chance at least two runs will score.
Sure it’s a hypothetical, but it’s not far fetched to believe that the Braves would have scored at least one run.
With two outs and a man on first, the chances of scoring drop to 12.5%.
@Mo
The statement was that the Braves gave the game away. Running into two “unnecessary” outs doesn’t give a game away. You still have 25 other outs to work with. Say the Braves scored instead. Whose to say the Dodgers wouldn’t have answered with the way they were working counts all night?
“What if” Mookie didn’t rob Freeman of a home run?
Again, the end result is what it is. The Braves lost the game. They didn’t give it away. The Dodgers has better pitching, defense and timely hits.
Hypotheticals can also be very moot and pointless parts of discussion
Ok say a run scores
That doesn’t mean the Braves automatically win
You put way too much weight into one play. Just because it was your last big chance doesn’t mean you magically win if you score a run. THATS the ridiculous part
Note that I’m not the one who said they gave the game away, but when one team gives away two highly avoidable outs in a close game, those egregious mistakes can potentially impact the outcome. It’s not like the defense simply made a great play to get two close outs. Two players made bad mistakes on the basepaths.
If you want to say hypotheticals are meaningless and the end result is all that matters, then no one should be upset with what the Astros did. There’s no proof they wouldn’t have hit exactly the same way whether they had the trashcans or not.
“You put way too much weight into one play. Just because it was your last big chance doesn’t mean you magically win if you score a run. THATS the ridiculous part.”
I don’t recall saying that, but OK.
Bham, guess I was replying moreso to the “gave game away” At top and thought you had said first comment. Plus the Many Braves fans in many threads claiming they gave series away from that one play. I shoulda aimed my replies better, my bad
It frustrates me when people say that stuff too. You can give away an out, which they did, but the slate starts clean from that point.
On paper the Dodgers are the better team. But throw in management and intangibles and I gotta go with the Rays.
LA can hit more than Tampa. That will decide it imo.
Dodgers also give up fewer runs. In fact run differential is more than 2:1 in favor of the Dodgers. In seven games who knows how much that matters. I’m thinking the Rays having one extra day of rest might be a factor. Why MLB scheduled these games to give the AL team that advantage I can’t imagine, but they did. So we’ll see if it makes any difference.
I agree about the day of rest, but run differential is suspect when there are no common opponents. FWIW, Tampa played against more playoff teams during the regular season than L.A. did.
SRS disagrees with you. It says the Dodgers played the tougher schedule. You might throw out run differential if it was close (especially in a series) but in this case it isn’t even close.
When teams only played teams in their own area, it’s really how to take Strength of Schedule seriously.
The extra day was because the AL team has to travel, while the NL team stays in Arlington.
Good point. Still an extra rest day even if it’s taken up in travel.
The Dodgers have been playing at Globe Life the entire playoffs (not including wild card). They should know that park inside out now after 10 straight games there. The AL teams have played there before but I think it’s still an edge for the Dodgers.
It’s a new ballpark, so Tampa hasn’t played there yet. Advantage: Dodgers.
@blue skies
But there’s always a day difference between AL & NL right from the start of the wild card game (as was) through the NLDSs/NLCS to the world series. I have an inkling (God knows why?) that this might have something to do with programming as many games as possible on consecutive rather than concurrent evenings…..
Sincerely yours,
Mildly cynical of London N7
Yes, and arguably Tampa had a tougher schedule than the Dodgers. Have to factor that in. It’s been a weird year,all-around, and a weird season, all around.
Arguably, but not actually. SRS, which includes Strength of Schedule:
Ray: 0.9
Dodgers: 2.2
The myth of the awe-inspiring ALE persists, but it doesn’t kill all facts.
Do people actually look things up or pull this stuff out of there butt? Martevious clearly just fabricated his own narrative lol
Love how the vote is 50/50 at the moment. Hope it’s an equally close series
As much as it kills me to say it, I’m giving the edge to the Dodgers. The Rays just do not have enough left handed starting pitching to neutralize the Dodger hitters.
When the Dodgers faced the Red Sox, they were just completely out managed by Cora and Cora’s ability to go with lefty after lefty. Regardless of how good Glasnow and Morton are, having Snell as the lone lefty is going to hurt. the one good thing is the World Series actually has days off so maybe the Rays can throw Snell on short rest three times in a long series but even still, their bullpen has only one solo left hander.
I want the Rays to win, but I’m going Dodgers. The Rays were built to beat right handed hitters and the Yankees and Astros are both right handed heavy teams, I think the Dodgers win in 5.
You’re right that the Dodgers are still much better against righties, but the Dodgers are more balanced against lefties versus previous years. They still platoon Pederson away and Pollock has done well against lefties. Muncy is neutral. Turner mixed last two years. Bellinger is definitely weaker versus lefties. But Seager though weaker against lefties was decent this year. Betts and Smith have had reverse splits so the Dodgers in general still better against righties. We will see. I’m liking the way Smith and Seager are swinging the bats. A key will be how Bellinger fares. He looked extremely lost at the plate at times against the Braves but you saw what he can do when he gets comfortable at the plate when he launched the game winning HR. The big 3 lefty bats (Bellinger, Muncy and Pederson) for the Dodgers had a very down year but showed some flashes in the playoffs.
@trendysayings(pham) above
Snap. Game 7s are a particular luxury. You want to see them decided on homers, great defence and not errors. Guess we know why the Dodgers won last night….
I would just like to start by saying that game 7 last night between the dodgers and rays was one of the best games I have watched in a long time. right up with game 6 of last years ALCS. seeing how clutch the Dodgers were in that last series with clutch man Will Smith and Corey Seager just launching bombs left and right I would pick the Dodgers who are riding much more momentum.
Dodgers and Braves.
Dodgers. Wasnt expecting them to not start Kershaw.
We will probably see Kershaw once this entire series as Dodgers aren’t comfortable putting him out there in big games (saw that last night).
Given his track record I dont blame them.
They play Kershaw theyll lose
They dont play him it will increase their chances of winning.
Kershaw starts game 5, if that.
But rays have something the Braves didn’t. Speed. They need to be aggressive on the base paths and gets runs across. Rays finished 6th in SBs this year. Atlanta finished 18th.
Rays hope to win they need to use that to their advantage and force bad throws from Smith
Smith has only caught .143 when guys go during this post season. Regular season he only caught .227.
If a pitcher sees their catcher can’t stop guys itll get in their head more.
@ Marvels above…
Good point well made…
I don’t think they’re as good on the paths as the 2015 Royals (feel free to flame and disagree) but the Royals got into everyone’s head in that 2014-5 window.
In fact I have to big-up the Royals and snuffling Neddy Ost because they ripped that opportunity by the throat. Of the teams in the 2020 WS I feel the Rays are the more likely team to do the ripping.
Hahahahaha. Yeah. They didn’t use him last night because it was a big game. Not because game 1 started in 2 days and every other starter had thrown in the last 24 hours, including 3 in that game already
Your narratives suck. Do better
Kershaw pitched Game 4, so he only had 2 days of rest. If he pitched at all it would have been to a few batters or 1 inning at most, less than the equivalent of a bullpen session but higher leverage. I’m sure Roberts was looking for the ideal matchup situation to get him in there. Sure, I’d think that the Nationals playoff game played a factor but I don’t think Roberts is scared to use Kershaw in a big game situation. He actually pitched better than his stat line in game 4. He had only given up 1 run in 5 innings. 6th inning starts off with an Acuna weakly hit high chopper infield single plus Kike error. Nothing you can do about that. Freeman follows up with a double. It was hit hard but Muncy just stared at it and then dove late. A better first baseman like Bellinger makes that play. He hung a curveball to Ozuna to drive him out of the game. He pitched well outside of two pitches against Ozuna.
The only way kershaw was getting into last night was if it got to a point where Kenley came in and he struggled. THEN maybe we saw kershaw.
Other than buehler, who pitched G6, every other starter threw in G7. He wasn’t using kershaw unless he had to
Dodgers just tapped Kershaw to start Game 1. Should be interesting
Looks like fans want rays
No one wants la
I like both teams, but I want the Rays because they’ve never won a WS, and their windows are smaller. L.A. is a perennial contender. They’ll get theirs eventually.
That’s what everybody thought about the Braves in the 90’s, and despite all that talent they only won 1 World Series. Dodgers should win 2 or 3 in the next 4 years given that roster
I live in Orlando so my heart says Rays, but I like the Dodgers too and will be quite fine with them winning. I am just glad the range of possibilities does not include the Yankees, Astros, or Braves.
(I am a Mets fan).
Rays in 5
The Rays just seem like a team of destiny.
Anyone who can get past the Yankees and Astros will win 100%. Rays all the way!
The Dodgers had to get past two teams that were better than either the Yankees or the Astros. You could look it up.
I did look it up. The Yankees went 2-2 against the Braves, so small sample size, but hard to make the claim the Braves are definitively better team. The Astros however went 1-3 against the Dodgers and 0-3 against the Padres, so right on there.
The problem with the Yankees is they are so streaky they might have swept the Dodgers in 4 or gotten swept in 4, You never know which Yankees team you get on any given night, which is why (as I predicted ahead of the season) that the shortened schedule actually hurt them more than it helped (which everyone said it would because players could get healthy).
As I said in June, the Yankees are a team built for a 162 game schedule, which is also why they never seem to be able to survive a postseason. They are constructed to win a marathon and not a sprint.
Then you saw this?
Padres: .617 +84
Yankees: .550 +45
Braves: .583 +60
Astros: .483 +4
I think that is the problem with the shortened season, great GM’s start with a team that can win a marathon and then at the trade deadline add what they need to win in the post season.
@Blue Skies LA
Yeah, but that comes with the caveat of who else is in your division (and) in a shortened season.
The Yanks & the Blue Jays made the play offs.
Houston knew with a week left that they were safe and could rest and recharge – they weren’t going to top the A’s, they weren’t going to get overtaken by the Mariners/Angels. They were able to effectively tank that last week. How long did the Yanks take to ensure fitness for Judge & Stanton? No worries, they’re finishing 2nd and aren’t going to overtake the Rays.
But yes, in simple terms the Pads & Braves are better than what the Rays have been up against. But in simple terms the Braves barely had a pitcher past puberty. In simple terms the Dodgers feel unable to pitch their “ace” in Kershaw….
Do the Dodgers have a greater fear of failure (other than Betts) because they’ve been perennial losers?
In a series anything can happen of course but I was responding to the assertion that the Rays faced tougher opposition in the playoffs than the Dodgers. I don’t see any evidence to support that idea but I can find quite a bit to refute it.
FWIW, I’m not at all interested in voting in this poll. I’d only be voting my heart and my hunches, neither of which will be worth a second thought when the two teams meet.
The Yankees, Astros and Dodgers were the largest WS favorites before the season started. Not perfect but that is probably a better indicator of a teams true talent than a team’s record in an unbalanced shortened schedule where you only had to finish top 2 in your division.
So how someone felt about the teams before they started play is a better indicator than their performance over 60 games? Hard to know what to make of that theory.
SRS takes the difficultly of the schedule into account, and by that measurement the Dodgers were the best team in baseball this year, and it wasn’t even very close. And before you say it, I know what that means for the postseason. I am simply responding to the argument that the Rays faced more difficult opposition to reach the World Series. I don’t see any basis for that argument except for how some felt and before any games were played.
Not exactly what I meant. More like veteran teams like the Yankees and Astros probably never felt the same sense of urgency in trying to get the most wins knowing that 8 teams were going to make it. Also with the shorter season it doesn’t take much to skew the results. As an example, I don’t think anybody actually believes the Marlins are really that good of a team, but over 60 games they were able to get in.
Not trying to take anything away from the Dodgers, I’m a Rays fan and thought the Dodgers were the best team in baseball before the season, during the season and once the playoffs started. Now the fun part is they have to play the games and the Rays are definitely a deserving team and very capable of knocking off anybody, including the Dodgers.
The 98ers are coming for the Dodgers next and I’m looking forward to mounting their heads on the wall next to the Jays, Yankees and Astros.
The Marlins only squeaked in. I never heard anybody say they thought the team was better than mediocre and they were statistically lucky to end with a winning record given their minus run differential. I don’t know how you bottle urgency but after 32 years some will be on tap from the LA team. Anyway it seems my point stands. It is certainly not evident that “any team that can beat the Yankees and Astros” is a sure World Series winner.
I will agree with that. The Dodgers have been the favorites to win every step of the way and should be. They’re the best team on paper and were the best team during the season. As a Rays fan, it was the team I wanted to play though. Same as I wanted to beat the Yankees and Astros. I was hoping your game seven went 20 innings though but still want to win by beating the best. I say good luck but truly I hope you implode this series.
You mean me, personally? Who’s going to clean that up?
Its almost like the Dodgers are better than both those teams and the Padres/Braves are no slotuches.
You invented a word here, and I like it.
Fan of neither team, but I suspect this will be L.A.’s year. Dodgers in six.
Rays have an annoying habit of finding ways to win. Of beating the odds and coming up with the big hit or big play when they need it.
Dodgers are a well rounded team, and I expect this to go the full seven, with the final game hinging on one hit or one defensive play, or one strikeout.
Results at 50/50. Curious what happens when you take LA and Rays fans out what the remainder would be.
I’m just happy that I don’t have to root against the Astros.
Damn straight. The Astros making the World Series this year would have been a crime against humanity. I tip my hat to the Rays for bumping them off.
I think this huge ballpark will affect the Rays who have relied on the HR to manufacture runs. Braves saw many runs taken off the board against the best outfield in the league. Dodgers have been playing in Arlington since the NLDS and have the advantage here. Dodgers in 6.
If you think the Dodgers are going to be facing a poor defensive OF with the Rays you are either lying to yourself or uninformed. Kiermaier, Margot and Arozorena are all CF capable with both Kiermaier and Margot top 10 CF in UZR and DRS over the past 3 years.
Braves defense wasn’t the issue dodgers hit balls over the fence, your kidding yourself to think kiermaier is saving any of their homeruns.
Pretty sure he was looking only at offensive angle. SD and LA have been flying compared to Tx this postseason
Both teams have insane outfield defense and it should be a treat to watch both
Want the rays to win, but I think the dodgers will win it in the end. Dodgers have the pitching and the clutch hitting
The Indians……but probably not in my lifetime. 🙁
With all of the flukiness of the shortened season and the expanded playoffs, we still got the two best teams to the WS. It’s gonna be fun. Usually when the Braves lose in the playoffs, I turn off baseball until the spring. I’ll be watching this one.
The way that Kevin Cash moves around his clock of bullpen arms is amazing. Rays win in 7. It’ll be another battle, and even though I don’t “like” either of the team, I’ll be a Rays fan next week. Would’ve been Braves, but you know….
choke
let’s go Tampa Bay rays you know dodgers go out and essentially buy and trade for anyone cuz they’re the new evil empire while the Tampa Bay rays have done it right consistently draft well and develop the players and losing all the good players they do they’re still one of the best farm systems in baseball that front office has been amazing with the limitations they have so I want the rays to win it.
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. The Dodgers have one of the best if not the best farm systems in baseball and have developed most of their talent. That is common knowledge.
Well they do buy their team in the sense that they have a high payroll. Just like the Yankees and RS pre-’20.
Hey bumpy93, it’s a good idea to use punctuation in your comments. Yes, even though it’s a comment section on a free sports rumors site, punctuation is very helpful. It helps give your readers natural pauses between your ideas. If you want people to read your comment, and I would think that you do, you should want to make it easier for them to read! Thanks for coming to my punctuation TED Talk. I’ll see you guys next time! Goodnight!
thank y lol
Easy enough to read as is. No biggie.
Are you bumpy, Mo? Lmao
Are you an idiot? I don’t care much how people write as long as I can understand it. I find it unusual when people complain about grammar, punctuation and spelling on a comment board. And I do find it amusing when people laugh at their own “jokes.”
I find it amusing when idiots pump talking points that applied 8 years ago and pretend it still applies today. Hey, that’s you Mo!
@bumpy93 might want to go check recent rookies of the year! Seager and bellinger just recently won it to go along with mike piazza, mondesi, Nomo, hollandsworth in the 90’s. They are one of the best at developing talent and outside of polluck, betts, turner, and chris Taylor the entire roster is homegrown.
A.J. Pollock is their biggest free agent splash on this team. Everything else is from trading prospects for difference makers, developing castoffs and homegrown talent.
Dodgers buy their team, which is why they have Machado, Rendon, Harper, Cole, Strasburg…
All Betts are off?
Two great teams that really stormed and labored their way in.
I’m choosing the Rays based on the recent history of the Dodgers ability to get to the big dance but not getting laid in the end.
Should be a terrific series.
*side note. As a White Sox fan and if somehow Dave Roberts is let go, I hope Rick Hahn calls immediately.
Dodgers in 5. Kershaw gets the only loss for L.A.
We got to witness the chaos of the Wild Card round and still wound up with the two best teams playing for the title. That’s outstanding. I’ve got Dodgers in 5 or 6 on the strength of that lineup.
It won’t be the wretched assbros. Can’t wait til next year for those scumbags to hear it from actual live fans.
I got dodgers in 5 maybe 6 if rays bullpen can shut the door on dodgers hitting a few games. The dodgers played much better teams in the playoffs padres/Braves top 2/3 offenses in league and just came from a 3-1 deficit. Rays have an okay lineup, okay starters and a great bullpen something that been pretty taxed of late. Dodgers line up and starters are much better and deeper but it’s 2020 anything can happen. Let’s play ball!
Rays as long as they don’t hand over free wins to the overachievers.
Rays are better fundamentally, have a better manager than the Braves. So hopefully, they take care of the Dodgers once and for all.
Let it go man. Braves and padres are much better than rays. Dodgers in 5 or 6
Soroka’shealingankle is one bitter Braves fan that seems to be falling apart.
People already jumping on the Padres bandwagon after one shortened season. Sorry folks. This is not basketball. Tatis is not going to carry the whole team. Ask Trout!
Maybe if that were true but it was NOT just tatis carrying the team. Machado, cronenworth, hosmer, Grisham, and myers all had huge years. Missing there top 2 pitchers hurt them in playoffs, had they been there they would have been tough and are arguably a more well rounded team over the Braves. Lamet, clev, Davies > fried, Anderson. Also worth mention they were without Yates all season who was arguably one of the best closers in the game.
Apples and oranges, I’m no Pads fan but that org is so much better run than the Angels it’s not even funny. Padres will make the postseason so much more often than the Angels in the next few years bc Tatis has a good core of players around him whereas the Angels have Trout and Rendon and little else.
You forgot Soroka. He and Fried are the better than any pitcher on the Padres.
He was left of because he missed the whole season. I still disagree however think the padres will be real contenders for a long time. Add a bauer this off season yikes!
Obviously the rays are great team. But god the AL is so weak. Rays could still win but this offense is bad. If it wasn’t for Andy they wouldn’t have anyone that scares me. Lowe and meadows are good don’t get me wrong. But you got guys like Kiermaier Margot renfroe and even Phillips getting everyday at bats
The Rays have always understood that a run saved is just as valuable as a run scored. It’s been that way for the past 13 years and fans still can’t figure out why they’re always looking up at the Rays in the standings. All of the guys you mentioned are plus defenders with Kiermaier elite. That’s not by accident. It’s the same reason the Cardinals ran out Ozzie Smith or Molina every day.
therealryan, Mets fans don’t understand the concept of defense.
That’s why we want a CF and realmuto??? Ik you hater he Mets so it’s going to suck when they do good next year when the finally have a owner who isn’t a clown.
No I Ik that. Defense helps a lot. But others team have good offense and good defense (Dodgers, Braves). That rays lineup has no business being the WS. Obviously they made it bc of their pitching but let’s face it. They don’t make it in the NL.
This is one of the closest splits I’ve ever seen on an MLBTR poll
Whoever it is, I hope they enjoy their 1/3 scale trophy
Fifty years from now, the flag will still be flying and no one will remember it wasn’t a full season. until Covid-70 hits.
As a Rays fan, I promise if they win it will be enjoyed just as much as if they played a 162 game schedule.
Everyone’s played the same season, and while only 60 games, there were other obstacles besides a longer schedule to overcome. Plus each team had to win 2 more games than usual just to get here, then also negotiate the DS and CS with no off days.
Besides, Dodgers and Rays were very good teams last year, both made the playoffs. These aren’t fluke teams, they had historically good 60 game stretches befitting of expectations. In fact, go through the standings and find me a team that you think wildly overachieved or underachieved. Outside of the Marlins, there weren’t really any surprises.
I might have a problem with an individual setting a record, like highest BA for a season, but this is the season we have, and whoever wins the championship deserves to be respected as the champion. If anything, this was a harder season than most, with the expanded, no-day-off format.
If the Dodgers do the smart thing and leave Kenley Jansen off the roster, then they will win in 6. If the Dodgers upper management gets involved and demands that Jansen, is the closer, Reys in 7.
Right, as if that’s going to happen. I’m as worried as anybody about Jansen and he did have that NLDS meltdown but he also pitched three clean innings in the NLCS.
Thankfully, message board fans don’t set the rosters. I am not worried about Jansen or anyone else on this Dodgers team. Top to bottom, an outstanding organization and team.
I’d be lying if I said that Jansen inspires a lot of confidence, but I am reassured by management’s decision to play it as it lays in each game and not feel obligated to use him in every closing situation.
I trust Kenley Jansen more than guys like Joe Kelly or Jake McGee. Dodgers will need him. Yeah, the velocity is down and performance more up and down, but Joe Kelly becomes a one-pitch pitcher too often to trust. Until he is more consistent with his command it’s hard to trust him even with a 100 mph fastball. McGee was having a good year but he faded badly into the playoffs and that has carried over in the few playoff appearances. At this point even Scott Alexander may be more useful. Kolarek has also not looked sharp. Decisions, decisions.
Two off days during the World Series makes it less stressful. The wildcard is Victor Gonzalez, who has impressed since his callup. With Ferguson out, he is the top lefty bullpen option. We might also see Urias out of the pen if the situation presents itself. All those bullpen innings Urias has pitched these last two years are paying off. Also, the days off would come after games two and five. That makes it possible for Buehler to perhaps provide an inning if they’re trying to close it out in five games. Maybe a longshot, but I think he would be fantastic in that role. Remember how Boston did it with Sale?
Dodgers in 7. Every game is tight. But Dodgers squeeze out a 2-1 in a nail bitter of a finish.
I want the Rays to win. However I think the Dodgers win in 6. Joe Carter style. Corey Seager walk off 2-run home run. I’ve never seen a walk off homerun to win the world series.
I saw one in 1988, the only World Series-clinching home run to happen in a Game 1.
I was only 3 when that happened. And tbh I don’t remember watdging the Joe Carter walk off.
I picked the Rays because I feel like it’s David vs Goliath kind of fight and I want the small guy to win. But I feel like the Dodgers will win almost each game in very close scores and finish 4-1.
The number of people who want the dodgers to lose so their team can hire Dave Roberts is hilarious
Fact! Widely regarded as a terrible manager that teams would lineup to have!
Tatsumaki, people in baseball respect Roberts. Their opinions mean more than dorks who watch games from their couch while guzzling beer after beer.
Win or lose this World Series, Roberts will be the manager. I’ve been a Dodgers fan since 1968. Roberts is the team’s best manager during these last 53 years and it’s not even close. Alston was sleeping in the dugout by the time I started following the team. Lasorda would have been long gone by ’88 had Bowie Kuhn not gifted him a playoff berth in ’81. Even then, it took Kirk Gibson to transform Lasorda’s losing culture into a winning one. Tommy’s boys were awful in 86-87, and in the years following the ’88 title. Lasorda’s main “contribution” in the 90s was pushing for the Pedro and Konerko trades. Terrible baseball man who ran a sloppy ship.
You are so correct in soo many ways Cey Hey
Roberts is an A on everything just a D with the bullpen – Just tighten up the phone lines between him and the pen and keep this guy for the next 15 years please!
Loved his speech last night, I noticed Mookie was really happy he included social justice in his speech afterwards and it all flows so genuine from Roberts.
Am baffled so many Dodger fans want him gone, enjoyed your post
I think the single-most misunderstood thing about Roberts is the way he operates within the management structure of the Dodgers. When things go wrong many misinformed fans automatically blame Roberts, when in reality game planning is FO office down, not the other way around.
No comment on why I think some of those fans might want him gone. Maybe it’s just the nature of fans, as Braves fans are calling for the heads of Snitker and Anthopoulos. I get their disappointment as I’ve been there. But if I’m a Braves fan, I am thrilled with the big picture. They nearly got to the World Series despite their best pitcher missing virtually the entire season. Well-run organization, wildly talented nucleus. AA made brilliant moves bringing in Donaldson and Ozuna for a year each. And instead of trading Anderson for Realmuto, he signs d’Arnaud for a two-year deal a year later. They are set to rule that division for quite a while.
As for the Dodgers pen, we fans have the benefit of results. Sometimes the right move doesn’t work out. Some folks wanted Roberts to throw Jansen out with the bathwater, but Doc wouldn’t do it. Without Doc’s faith in Kenley, it’s conceivable the Dodgers don’t win this series. As for last night, I was ecstatic to have Urias available for three innings. Doc deserves credit. Btw, this has been the worst baserunning season I can remember. I like Swanson, but were he and Riley thinking? If that doesn’t happen, both fan bases are talking a completely different game today.
BlueSkies, excellent point. And that planning is not a bad thing as Friedman and Roberts have the same goal. It’s understandable how some fans miss the old days when the field manager had complete control. Yet’s it’s also understandable that teams would use more data if it’s available. The trick is finding a happy medium between cold numbers and gut instincts. To me, it makes the modern game more interesting. It’s all different. Growing up, I never heard about pitch counts in MLB. Now it is on the screen, and it is valuable info. So much better than the old days when managers would try nurse a struggling starter through the fifth so he can qualify for the win.
I don’t know that it’s good, bad, or indifferent, only that it is different. It’s a data war out there now whether we like it or not. Managers function as implementers of the FO plan, and as the heads of the HR department as much as anything else. It’s simplistic to headhunt the manager of a team like the Dodgers when something goes wrong, knowing how much they have invested in analytics under Friedman, and knowing that Friedman hires everybody, including the manager. When something goes wrong or right Friedman should wear it at least as much as Roberts. But you can’t say that around here.
I’m just waiting for Manfred & MLB to implement a second World Series (July and October) each season to maximize revenue potential.
To be fair, that wouldn’t be any more ridiculous than having 16 of 30 teams making the postseason.
Manfred: “Maybe instead of a mid-season WS, we get all the great players from each league and face them off in a one game, winner take all, match up.”
Mind…blown
People make fun of Manfred, but he is the first commissioner in MLB history to implement changes for the sake of improving the game. The extra-inning rule is genius. I also like the three-batter minimum. More strategy in both cases. Best of all is the expanded playoffs, which will change how teams are built and the sport is marketed. No more gutted rosters and crappy five-year plans. Still early, but Manfred has a chance to one day be viewed as the best commissioner the game has ever seen. Granted the bar is low, with the worst one, Landis, also being the first. Keep an open mind and give this guy a chance. He is actually trying to move the game we love into the 21st century.
Cey Hey, there is nothing ‘genius’ about expanding the postseason. It waters everything down and sends a bad message to teams that they can spend less on salary and still have a shot.
We don’t typically see more than a handful of teams tanking and/or rebuilding at time, and while that should be addressed, we could see 20-25 teams aiming low for postseason contention.
That would be worse, in my opinion.
Better yet…. two All-Star games as well.
I think the Dodgers bats wake up and they take it in 6-
Expecting a big series from Mookie with the bat, WS MVP
Kershaw wins 2 games including the clincher
That 1-2-3 in the batting order is a dream. If you think about it, Betts is the first real leadoff hitter that Roberts has had. In the past, he made do with the likes of Taylor and Pederson. Good players, just not leadoff hitters. Remember the people who wanted the Dodgers to “upgrade” at SS by trading for Lindor? It’s as if they forgot what a fully healthy Seager is capable of. Corey’s best years are in front of him. As for the WS, I like Muncy to be the beneficiary of that 1-2-3 in the order. The 15 walks are encouraging. He let it slip out early in the season that he actually broke the finger. I can see him smashing a big blow or two against those gas-throwers in the Rays bullpen. Max likes the heat.
Max was having great abs- He layed off about 6 pitches in the last 2 games that were clearly balls and called strikes. Has to be frustrating (they were in big situations) but shows the insanely good eye- Id like to see him be more agggresive early in the ab sometimes but you have to value a guy whoes gonna see 20+ pitches from the other teams staff per game
I Myself was actually one of those people critical of Seager and yes I did say Lindor was better as well but not worth the trade prospects or extra money to do a deal- My biggest Q has always been health w Seager. Im worried in going for the extension this off-season especially with this timing – Id be more comfortable with a 5 year higher AAV than an 8 yr deal I must say if it does happen. Im completely Ok with riding out next year as well with him and circling back to the wagons when he actually hits the Fa market for 22
I’m encouraged by what Seager has done with his body regarding his diet, etc. Let’s hope that bodes well for his future health. Re future contracts, we are lucky to have Friedman managing the payroll. He’s so good at it, using some of those small-market principles from his Tampa Bay days with the additional leeway of a major market. He tends to not waste money. Btw, in the just-completed round, the Dodgers had 10 draft picks and four amateur free agents on their active roster. The Rays had five and two (plus Alvarado as an international FA). Yes, the Dodgers have a higher payroll. But they aren’t trying to buy a championship with their checkbook as some people suggest. The Dodgers invest in scouting, drafting, and player development. They don’t just draft, trade, and sign guys, but have an actual plan for those guys when they arrive (with Muncy, Taylor, and Turner being prime examples). That’s why Wood and Nelson chose the Dodgers as their next destination. It’s a model most other teams can afford, one would think.
I have been pro Corey for longer than most. I was always on the Lindor to LA didn’t make sense field. I thought a healthy Corey would show what he did once again in 16. And he did
He’s only 26. I’d be willing to go 7/28M. He could get a 10 year deal in free agency with a repeat of 2020 next year. We will see
Crazy thought but turner is getting older and his dzr has regressed what if dodgers did something unthinkable like trading muncy! Then moving seager over to third resigning turner to play first and adding lindy to the short stop position? Pipe dream maybe but who knows
I’m not high on lux personally and think something centered around him could get it done.
Why? Max was on pace for another 35 homerun season, 3 in a row, and his OBP+power kept him productive in the lineup. There’s a reasonable chance that his average was going to get to respectable levels in a full 162 given the quality of his ABs
Lindor wasn’t very good last year
I’d rather have Max at 3B, JT at 1B if you are worried about his D, and Seager at SS than use Muncy+likely multiple prospects to get lindor.
Honestly with the DH looming, JT May just slide nicely into the DH for 2-3 years. I guess you could move Corey to 3B and get a SS (especially w/ next year’s free agent crop). But taking Muncy Out is a big subtraction, right after they extended him
True story, I think it was a bridge deal only buying out his arb years though which it expires after next season correct?
Lindor ops + in a “bad” year was still slightly above average in a bad lineup. I think adding him to the dodgers lineup potentially form a young foundation of stars for the next 4/5 years easily.
Again I’m only saying slide seager over to preserve him because the bat is so valuable as seen this postseason. I think muncy will get expensive after his bridge deal and dodgers might look to shop him as he is already 30. Does muncy rate as a good defender at 3rd?
Rays in 8.
I don’t like your pick, but I like your style. Shine balls, no batting gloves, heavy woolen trousers, and triples hit off the Beechnut sign 420 feet out in right center.
Dodgers have the advantage as well they just played 7 at globe life field. I still want rhe Rays to win.
Actually it was 10 games.
Pretty cool that the NBA Final and World Series had LA and Florida teams.
I think the Dodgers win…probably 6 or 7 games.
Some of you guys talking up the page about the Braves having runners on 2nd and 3rd none out, and then the Braves handing the Dodgers 2 unnecessary outs on a platter haven’t got a clue, in these games it’s about momentum. The Braves killed their own momentum right there, one run, one inning in a winner take all is all it takes-you can’t afford mistakes like that, it was poor fundamental baseball, Dodgers did not do a thing to get those outs. The Braves handed that huge momentum swing right to the Dodgers. These are facts that are up for debate, so stop trying to rationalise that poor fundamental base running play by the Braves. If the Braves score there it’s a much further climb up the mountain for the Dodgers, plus it is momentum for the Braves and not for the Dodgers, just like when Betts made a play 2 inches off the ground, just like when Betts climbed the wall like a kangaroo twice to rob extra bases or a home run, and just like when Ozuna did not tag up and score a run killing the Braves momentum. If you don’t understand this then you’ve got no understanding of baseball-period.
The poll says it’s 50-50
Well that settles it then!
This is a fun match up. I like both teams but the Dodgers have alot of winning karma going their way after the Astros cheated their way past the Dodgers in 2017. Both teams deserve to win but I’m going to say the Dodgers win it in 6 games
Ray’s Sweep