Despite winning a league-leading 111 games, the Dodgers will find themselves watching the World Series rather than playing in it, having lost yesterday’s game to the Padres, and bowing out of the NLDS. With the 2022 season now behind them, the Dodgers’ front office will be tasked with configuring the team’s 2023 roster.
Nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw returned to the Dodgers this past offseason on a one-year, $17MM contract with incentives, and, as MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk wrote in September, the southpaw is leaning towards playing in the 2023 season.
Following yesterday’s game, Kershaw announced a similar intent, telling reporters that “as of right now, I’d say I’ll play again,” per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. However, the lefty added that “we’ll see what happens. Going home and being around and being a full-time dad changes your perspective on things,” per Ardaya.
Now a veteran of 15 Major League seasons, Kershaw has been a Dodger his entire career. However, the lefty was heavily courted by his hometown Rangers during the 2021 off-season, a team that will once again look to add pitching in the off-season. Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reported that the Rangers were “willing to give Kershaw more years, more money” in addition to the chance to “play home games 20 minutes from his house in Dallas.”
The Dodgers have more control over what happens with Cody Bellinger. With one year of arbitration eligibility remaining, the Dodgers will be forced to make a difficult decision regarding the 2019 NL MVP.
Bellinger and the Dodgers avoided arbitration this past offseason, agreeing to a one-year, $17MM contract before the lockout. However, the lefty has yet to perform at a similar level to his 2019 magical season. This past season Bellinger slashed .210/.265/.389 with 19 homers in 504 at-bats, improving upon his 2021 season, in which he posted a .165/.240/.302 line, but nowhere close to his .305/.406/.629 2019 season.
When asked about Bellinger, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts replied that “it’s difficult” and that he has given Bellinger “a lot of leash because he’s earned it,” per Ardaya. Importantly, as predicted by Matt Swartz’s model, Bellinger is expected to earn $18.1MM in arbitration this winter. It will be hard for any team, regardless of payroll size, to justify paying that sum to a player who has hit a collective .203/.272/.376 over the past three seasons.
If the Dodgers opt to cut Bellinger, there will likely be plenty of suitors for the 27-year-old, who slashed .278/.369/.559 throughout his first three Major League seasons.
14-year veteran Justin Turner finds himself in a similar situation to Bellinger, with the Dodgers holding a $16MM option, with a $2MM buyout, on the third baseman. Turner had a slow start to his season, slashing .256/.331/.403 over the first half before finding his grove and hitting .319/.386/.503 over the second half. However, the veteran, who will be 38-years-old next season, ended the season flat, going 4 for 24 over his last seven games and 2 for 13 against the Padres.
With the Dodgers opening the 2022 season with an all-time-high $310.6MM payroll and paying nearly $47M in luxury tax, the front office may be forced to shed Turner’s contract in an attempt to re-sign other free agents.
Switching to Dodgers’ free agents, a pair of All-Stars in Trea Turner and Tyler Anderson join the previously mentioned Clayton Kershaw.
Trea Turner is coming off his second All-Star appearance in as many years, slashing .298/.343/.466. It is a notch down from his 2021 season, where the righty posted a collective .328/.375/.536 between the Dodgers and Nationals but it should not affect his stock as a premier shortstop amongst a robust shortstop class, including Dansby Swanson and, potentially, Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts, pending opt-outs.
Turner recently suffered a Grade 2 sprain in his right ring finger, but had negative x-rays and felt healthy enough to play in the critical Game 4 of the NLDS. He will likely be healthy for Spring Training.
Lefty Tyler Anderson broke out during the 2022 season after spending his prior six seasons with four different Major League Teams. The southpaw pitched to a sparkling 2.57 ERA in 178 2/3 innings while excelling at limiting hard hits (98th percentile in Average Exit Velocity and 98th percentile in HardHit%) and limiting walks (4.8%).
With Walker Buehler recently undergoing his second Tommy John surgery and Dustin May recently returning from his Tommy John surgery, in addition to Kershaw potentially leaving, the Dodgers will be on the hunt for quality starters this offseason.
Bellinger still a strong enough defensive OF to rebuild his game, with a ceiling at this point probably closer to that of Andrew Benintendi than the crazy-high ceiling Bellinger appeared to have set for himself in 2019.
Bellinger seems to me a perfect CF project for the Rays, but would TB offer even half that arbitration number per year for 1-2 years to see whether Bellinger can recover?
Mike Fiers destroyed that poor man’s career
The jays should be all over Bellinger. Even without the bat he would be valuable to them given Springer needs to spend very little time in CF
Bellinger is one of the poster children for the ’19 juiced ball season. It’s partially what’s wrong with the arb system where an early phenomenal career year sets up raise after raise even when the player should be getting a salary reduction. Now a team has to again overpay or cut a player who is still desirable just not at the arb price. Most talk about the young pre-arb player not getting his true worth. It can work both ways. Teams should be allowed to offer less and the arbitrator should seriously consider it in a situation like this. If Bellinger is happy in LA, hopefully both sides agree on a compromise. My fear is the union would work to prevent a compromise as compared to forcing the Dodgers to choose arb under the current system or a release.
They have the mechanism to agree to a lesser number. It doesn’t have to go to a hearing.
If you want a glove first/bat second Center Fielder than they should just re-sign JBJ and save about $10 million
JBj isn’t going to hit nearly as many homers Bellinger. There’s a decent chance Bellinger regains some form while zimmer or JBJ aren’t even close to average mlb players. It’s a decent gamble given they lack a big lefty bat and need that CF d and no other player fits that description who will be available.
JBJ is horrible and shouldn’t be paid above league minimum.
Trade Bellinger to the Rays for a prospect or two, promise to pay a bulk of the salary…easy peasy. The Dodgers have so much money they won’t even notice eighteen million missing lol…and a new environment, with little pressure, might do him good. Heck, he’s Babe Ruth compared to who the Rays played most of this year!
If no one is willing to take Bellinger unless the Dodgers eat “a bulk of the salary” they’ll just non-tender him.
while it is pretty unusual in baseball i really could see them tendering him to trade him, because he as a player does have value even relative to the massive salary, because of his defensive floor, age, and still-high offensive ceiling, especially when you look at many of the other ‘center field’ers guys have been putting in the middle of their outfields, but the dodgers have given him three years to figure it out again and quite recently did not win a championship, so the urgency is ever faster in blue LA well see what they do
They will angle for Judge.
No one is trading for him with that salary.
Isn’t Bellinger Arbitration eligible for another year? So you sign him to $18.1 million & retain $12 million? Who should go back to the Dodgers? 1 or 2 Low A prospects? The Rays are better off spending their cash on other players to address their needs (than on a rental).
“He’s Babe Ruth compared to who the Rays played most of this year!”
Please, he’s barely Quinton McCracken compared to who the Rays played most of this year
18 million with their luxury tax is over 30 million. Not even an option for mid level prospects.
Not how it works. An acquiring team only has to pay him $18m. If they want to pay him that they’re not going to just wait for the Dodgers to non-tender hum because they would be banking on Bellinger signing with them specifically.
Nobody is paying him 18 mil. It’s not even a consideration. If
Then they will non-tender him.
Not a Dodgers fan, but there’s just something about a 111-win team losing to a 80-something-win team in a very short series that feels unjust. I guess that’s the beauty of playoff baseball though; anything can happen.
A 111 win team should be able to man handle an 89 win team in a best of 5 especially when they won every single regular season series against them. Padres just wanted it more
New to baseball, Gmen?
Except during the regular season, TA would have pitched at least into the 6th
inning yet it doesn’t even seem to be an option during playoffs.
I get that not letting a SP face hitters a 3rd time around is generally backed up by good data and I’m not against using data to make prudent decisions.
But how much data is there indicating that usually excellent RPs like Vespa and Almonte aren’t effective when pitching in 3-4 games in 5 days?
It was time for little brother to beat big brother. I’ll now reluctantly root for the Friars.
Welcome to Post-season Baseball folks
Each series is a coin toss.
The hardest thing in sports is to hit 100 mph pitch after sitting out for a week. Do you ever notice that when players are injured and they come back after a week or so they are real crappy for about a week before they get back into it? What did she do is have another playoff team so everybody is active all the way to the end no byes
Or 2 less playoff teams?
No, that worked fine so Manfred will have none of that.
More revenue
Of course coming back from an injury is a different matter as there might be a lingering effect on performance and / or the recovery time may not include baseball activities while downtime can still be used for conditioning and working on or simulating the game experience
That’s what Manfred wants.
I honestly think that Doc can’t manage very well in the postseason. One would think the Dodgers would outplay the Friars, even while acknowledging the randomness that permeates the playoffs. I would’ve kept Anderson in the game for a few more innings last night. Roberts always seem to mismanage his pitching staff when it matters the most.
Yea he does last year vs the Braves he used relievers to start games and starters in relief. Kinda like the dodgers over think every decision
Bochy may somehow have overcome the randomness of playoff series. Mere mortals can’t.
I, for one, expected a team without a bye to win it all. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, but 3/4 of the teams on byes could be knocked out just like that. Yes, baseball is random. But also, baseball players aren’t meant to have a week off at a time.
On a short series who knows. Even the best teams lose a series to the bad teams let alone another playoff team.
Baseball is a lot more random than basketball or football. There are more matchups. Less frequency of elite players influencing the game. The ones that do influence the game more (starting pitchers) can have an off game or get pulled after the fifth inning if you’re a Dodger. You can’t just out-physical a less talented team like you can in football or basketball.
That is not how it works in baseball.
If the Yankees lose to the Guardians, MLB will have to take a serious look at restructuring the current playoff system. MLB players have daily routines to maintain the incredible timing it takes to play at that level. When you give teams four or five days off awaiting Wild Card Series results, you take that ability to stay sharp away from them.
In baseball, the more teams allowed into the postseason means “upsets” are likely. Unfortunately, that diminishes both the regular season and the postseason.
Except it also allows teams that do not have the ability to spend like the Dodgers or Mets a more fair chance at winning a title.
If “upsets” are “unfortunate” – then I guess there shouldn’t be a post-season at all. Just declare the team with the best regular season record the champion and call it a day. Fun! (And just so much more “fortunate”.)
Yes, but the “title” is meaningless, really, after 162 games have been played. The same was true last season when Atlanta (88 wins) was clearly not the best team in baseball. Or even in the NL.
Manfred and his greedy owners have destroyed the legitimacy of the World Series. Look, I’m a Giants fan and pleased as punch that LA lost, but they are clearly the best team in the NL.
In the post-season the Dodgers were clearly NOT the best team in the NL. They won the 1st game, then lost 3 in a row. They didn’t even make it a 5 game series! Some teams are better at October baseball than others. That’s just the way it is – and that’s what makes things interesting.
The playoffs are not about who “won” the regular season.
My point, if you re-read my post, is that these watered-down playoffs are nothing more than short series for the benefit of the owners ($$$$). The best teams are determined over 162 games, not by chance encounters.
And, yes, the Dodgers are the best team in the NL.
“And, yes, the Dodgers are the best team in the NL”
Nope. They WERE the best team in the NL – during regular season play.
Also, one could argue that “watered-down” competition should make things that much easier for the “best (regular season) team” to just steam-roll such undeserving lesser opponents…on their way to their inevitable WS trophy…lol. 🙂
Or have less playoff teams. It’s a freaking 162 game season. The season performance should be more important if you’re going to play that many games. This is obviously driven by money so you’ll never see MLB revert back to less playoff teams. They love this randomness because it creates excitement. Like the NCAA basketball tournament. They love the Cinderella stories.
I hear you. But I figured they like it when the “big” teams go deep into the playoffs. Inherently more revenue in those instances. Bigger Markets= MORE EXPENSIVE ad buys/revenue.
Yes, agreed if they had a preference they’d have the big market teams win but how do you create a rule that does that? There is still more money in additional rounds of playoffs. And the anyone can win it brings more eyeballs to the screen than the NBA only a few teams realistically have a chance.
Yeah. Agree.. I think “extended” series (game 5’s and 7’s) are probably just as important/lucrative to them.
Agreed on extending the series. To be honest I’m not sure if Dodgers come back against Padres. But theoretically the larger the sample size the better the odds of better team winning.
Dodgers had too many pitching injuries over the season. They got some guys back just in time but they got burned by Gonsolin, Treinen and Kahnle being rusty. May didn’t even pitch but took a roster spot. Gonzalez and Duffy didn’t even pitch the entire season. Analytics doesn’t measure the human element very well. You’re not getting the same Gonsolin or Treinen after long layoffs. That’s not in the model.
Yep. Yep to all of that!!!!!
And of course the most obvious was not having their best pitcher Walker Buehler. He’s the #1 type dominant pitcher that the Dodgers didn’t have. Urias was fine in game 1 but not dominant like Buehler can be if he brings his A game.
Indeed. Not having a STRONG start by Walker, Cat Man, or May just put them too deep in the hole.
Anything can happen in a short series. But stick to your beliefs if you love cheap champions.
Pete, didn’t really understand your comment or whom it was in response to.
TRUMBO JUMBO — It was to goob. Sorry for the confusion. He/or she thinks the 162-game schedule is just the precursor to the real Champions, those teams that make it through a bunch of short series. HE/or she and I disagree.
2 years ago, when the Dodgers won the World Series, the Padres lost their top 2 starters right when the playoffs started. Nobody gave them any pity. “They should have had more depth” was all anyone would say. There are no excuses come playoffs.
Javia, agreed. No excuses come playoffs. Yes sir 100%
Years ago the pennant winners played each other in the WS. American League vs National League. No playoffs. Just 7 games to see which team was the best. That was as close to “justice” as there is. Playoffs ruined baseball along with free agency IMO
BarelyBreathin, I am aware good sir…The good O’l days.
In 2022, the Dodgers were the best team in the NL. Just not last week. Small sample size makes anything possible. It doesn’t make the Padres better than the Dodgers, or the Mets for that matter. They’re not.
You seriously think the team that you watched the last three games against the Padres is just so superior?
Does anyone ever consider that teams are finding themselves a little bit in the regular season? You’ve got trade deadline additions to mix in, injuries to deal with, guys getting called up. All happening throughout the 162 games.
Is it really that hard to comprehend that some teams will build up to playing their best ball at the end? Hell some teams might actually be using some of the 162 games to try out guys in new spots to see what works (oh dear)
Steve and socal, you are both correct…Both things can be and are indeed true.
MLB literally gave your team a free pass to the second round. I guess I’m confused on how them trying to generate revenue so utterly suppressed your team that got a free trip to round two. And then managed a single victory.
Are you wanting some kind of trophy for the teams that just win one playoff game? Do you feel that is sufficient to crown them? Just the one win?
99, Who are you replying to?
So just hand them the obligatory participation trophy
No, goob, they still are. Just like the Astros are the best team in the AL even if they lose to CLE/NYY. The best team doesn’t usually win the title in baseball. And winning the World Series declares a champion, not the best team.
If that ends up benefiting the Mariners, so be it. I’d rather they be champions than the best team.
@Pete’sview
“cheap champions”??
Sorry Pete – that’s lame.
Isn’t that a manager’s job? Playoff baseball is different than the regular season. I don’t know if having a few extra days off have much to do with it. 95% of the players have a minimum 3 day break at the all star game.
notagain27;
Why?
Because the large market teams didn’t win?
The Astros didn’t have that “problem”.
Because Division winners had long layoffs disrupting player’s routines. These layoffs sometimes happens during the AL & NL championships where one team wins four straight and has to wait for their WS opponent to be determined because of 7th game or weather delays. Detroit had to wait six days for Cardinals to win their pennant and played like a summer league team.
The Score had a article with statistics on this very topic of layoffs between series. Staleness happens after the All Star break happens to teams every year. They just aren’t playing in a win or go home atmosphere.
notagain27;
These are professionals making tens of millions of dollars a year…
and the Yankees won the first game back. So what’s your point?.
As a Braves fan, I don’t think the bye should be an excuse. I do agree we need to stop letting so many teams in. I think it does the regular season a disservice.
Baseball is not like other sports. You really do need to rely on a large sample size to know who is best, which is why the best model is to make the postseason more restrictive to the teams who have earned it.
The 4 team model with division winners and 1 WC was the sweet spot in my opinion. They need to go back to it but they never will because of money.
I think it’s interesting to look at the 2001 PS. There was a WC, but no byes. Every team played a best of 5-game division series, then a best of 7 league championship series, winners going to the WS.
The 95 win Yankees beat the 102 win A’s, then beat the 116 win M’s, before losing to the 92 win D’backs. Only the 88 win Braves, who beat the 93 win Astros, and the 91 win Indians, who fell to the M’s, had a worse record than the WS winning D’backs.
So I think no matter what MLB does in terms of the PS brackets, there will always be teams with huge regular seasons falling to win it all. That’s just baseball.
Tad, spot on. Look at what the Angels did in 02…WC Spot…Somehow beat the Yankees in the ALDS….Miraculously came back in game 7 (Thanks to Adam Kennedy’s 3 Homer Game) of the ALCS vs Twins….The squeaked by SF to take it in game 7…..No such thing as buying a title. 162 games. As many as 20+ post season games….Anything can happen in baseball. Just ask the Dodgers after last night.
Agreed. 2001 Mariners came to mind when reading previous comments. The best regular season team does not win or even make it to the WS a lot of the time. Extended playoffs or not. The crap about the Dodgers getting cheated somehow by being given a bye is BS.
There are certain managers that have a better knowledge of preparing their squads and making the right moves in a short series. Obviously Tito is a master. Roberts will never be in his class.
@notagain four days is the threshold? Every year MLB takes 3 days off for the all star game, so 3 is acceptable? It’s having that 4th or 5th day off that is the Yankees Kryptonite? ……..so last year the season ended on Sunday Oct 3. 2021, WC games were Tues the 5th and wed the 6th, Braves didnt begin the Division series until Friday Oct 8. The Braves had the ability to stay sharp not playing Mon-Thurs last year. The season this year ended on Wednesday and the Yankees Guardians began on Tuesday. Thurs-Mon without a game……and there are always long gaps for teams when ex one LCS goes 4 and the other goes 7. It’s not the format, the Yankees just aren’t playing well enough to win. That’s baseball.
The entire 2nd half has been kryptonite for the Yankees … lmao
WampumWalloper;
Didn’t the Yankees win the first game back?
Are there any stats demonstrating that players are rusty after the All Star Break, which is a similar length?
If not, this is just whining by fans of teams that couldn’t get the job done when it counted.
I already said above the bye shouldn’t be an excuse, but those of you citing the All Star break are putting up a weak argument.
Reason being is that everyone gets that break. So everyone is on even footing in terms of being rusty. You’re not comparing apples to apples with the playoff example where some teams are active playing and staying fresh while others are sitting watching.
Like I said though, the bye shouldn’t be an excuse. But let’s not get carried away with this All Star break example like it has any weight in the discussion since everyone is paused.
There are at least some stats you could look at for the first couple of games after the All-Star Break that could still tell you if players are rusty, where it would not matter if the other team was also rusty.
Like the percentage of first-pitch strikes thrown by pitchers, or the amount that hitters chase balls outside the zone or swing and miss at balls in the zone, or the rate of fielding errors.
Rust can certainly be a factor for long layoffs — like for Strider or Gonsolin. But if a team gets rusty after just 5 days, their manager and coaches are doing a bad job at keeping them ready.
And rust is a poor excuse after the first game or two back. Dodgers and Braves both lost games 3 and 4 which should have been plenty of time to get back in the swing of things.
Who determined that two games is enough to wear off rust? Treinen didn’t pitch almost the entire season. Similar for Kahnle. Gonsolin not much last few months. Almonte also back from injury.
Hitters were getting ABs on off days but those ABs are not the same. Not the same type of pitchers or game scenarios.
At the end of the day they made the decision to put those pitchers on playoff roster and the Dodger hitting was not good. Not excuses but definitely factors.
I don’t get it either, but this troll has been repeating it for months.
Ignore that comment; it was supposed to go below regarding the Los Karens troll.
TradeRumors commenting on the iPhone app is so buggy as to be almost unusable.
I don’t hear any players complaining about having too much time off. The bye is supposed to be a luxury and it helps set up your pitching/bullpen…gives guys a little rest who have been playing banged up for months.
Fair point. The Dodgers also didn’t look like they were playing very good baseball the last week/week and a half. Some players slumping at the plate. Part of that is that the games were meaningless at that point. Combine that with the break and then having some pitchers coming back from long injuries like Kahnle, Gonsolin, Treinen and May. That was not a good recipe.
“If the Yankees lose to the Guardians, MLB will have to take a serious look at restructuring the current playoff system.”
If the Yankees lose to the Guardians, notagain27, I’d put more of the blame on Cashman and Boone than on the playoff structure. Tonight, with everything on the line, this is the subheading to a report on the CBS site:
“Oswaldo Cabrera will take over at shortstop for New York, moving switch-hitting veteran Aaron Hicks to left field”
Instead of playing Peraza at short, as they should have from the first game of the series, and Cabrera in the outfield where he’s been stellar, they’re playing Cabrera at short, where he hasn’t played in a month and a half, and giving Hicks a start — Hicks, who owns the worst Win Probability Added and the worst Clutch rating on the entire team — and I mean all 20 position players who’ve had at-bats, including Gallo.
Manager Dave Roberts should Have let Tyler Anderson continue to Pitch another couple of innings he was pitching a gem Dave Roberts matchups out of the Bullpen didn’t pan out Sometimes you got to go with the hot hand Which cost them the game last night
@Homer. Wasn’t Roberts call
Friedman and Robert’s both need to go
Not just yanking Anderson, but not starting the lefties in the outfield. You win 111 games during the season then get too smart for your own good and change what got you there? Stupid moves all around.
No sympathy for the Dodgers. At least they had a best out of 5. In the 2015 season the Pirates won 98 games. And lost the one game shoot out. And went home.
Oh you didn’t baseball playoffs are a crapshoot?
Every division winner in the NL has been eliminated while each division winner in the AL is still playing. There is nothing unjust about a 111 win team losing in a short series when that team is managed by one of the all time worst postseason managers in the game
Sooooo much whining over the format.
If Aaron Judge or Mookie Betts had turned an ankle on the last day of the season would these big market teams like the days off then?
How about if Gerrit Cole or Max Fried popped a positive COVID test and had to sit out days? Would you like the days off then?
It sure didn’t seem to slow down the Astros much?
Besides the Braves biggest problem was their pitching, and rest is supposed to be good for the pitching right?
Give me a break, people need to quit acting like winning more games than the next playoff team gets you some sort of front of the line pass to the World Series, go win your way to a trophy and STFU.
Trea Turner soon to be a Tiger.
Giants.
I see Kershaw going to the Rangers on a 2 to 3 year deal. He’s already got the HOF numbers with the 3 Cy Young’s and he’s getting close to the magic 3000k mark (unless of course your blacklisted like Schilling).
lol
Merc, I just don’t see it. He is treated better than royalty with the Dodgers…That’s all he has ever known…To get used to a new team, learn their system…I just don’t think he would want to do that. If he wants to chase stats the Dodgers will give him the opportunity. Maybe he does have 3 years left, but they are not going to let him scamper off to another team if he has that much left in the tank. If he thinks he can win the WS next year with the Dodgers he’ll stay.
The difference is with Rangers – after at least 81 games or more he can go home to his family – at his family home.
That is the key to him saying “family” on his interviews – its weighing on him. This is likely weighing on the marriage too, where the compromise to carry on maybe Rangers.
Like you said he is treated as royalty, which he will be with Rangers too.
infact he will have a familiar face with Seager
I guess I have seen much stranger things in baseball and I wouldn’t be SHOCKED if he wanted to play a year or two there for the above mentioned reasons. If he can TASTE another ring with LA though then he might be even harder pressed. That’s the only reason Brady is playing still right? For another ring? Kershaws best chance is with the Dodgers. They are gonna be out for blood next year.. If he goes to Texas, I will be very suprised but not shocked.
If he would rather spend time with his family than play ball he would just retire.
You dont see reality, Kershaw’s going to end up a 1-teamer no matter what you think.
You honestly think 1-teamer and drive to play another season is the difference maker? its money and family….he gave LAD that bonus time. Now its about him, and his family — the more he mentions it the more I think he will either retire (as you say 1team) or play for Rangers on a modified program that allows him to stay more with family and his family home
Where does Kershaw live in the off season? Where does his family live? I still have a feeling if he plays he would be a Dodger and his whole career is with one team.
Lou, Indeed. The man might want to hang up the spikes. I’m sure we will know sooner than later. A month tops. But of course he is a lifetime Dodger. I think he still feels good and has more in the tank, but probably has over 150 mil in the bank and might just want to be a full time family man. We shall see.
They live in Texas off season .
He lives in the Dallas area.
Wonder if we will see the finale of Braves vs. Dodgers NLCS in the next 5 years. Seemed like we were destined for it this season…Jansen vs. Freeman in game 7. Nope. Both teams got destroyed by inferior teams.
This person changes usernames like others do underwear.
Funny, I didn’t see Braves mentioned anywhere in the article neither.
If Mr. Dansby is in the article, you sure as heck better believe I’ll be there. The Braves cannot **** themselves over 2 years in a row…can they?!
More tired ramblings from this bored clown. Classic case of another dumb person who needs attention 24 hours a day. Look at me. Look at me.
“The Braves cannot **** themselves over 2 years in a row…can they?!”
Considering how many times they’ve been in the postseason in the last 30 years with only two rings to show for it, I would say Yes. Yes, they can.
Braves choking in the playoffs is the norm for them. Last year was the anomaly.
Technically, all perennial postseason teams are considered to be chokers given we rarely have a back to back winner. Sox and Giants are the only teams in recent memory whom had some success with winning multiple rings in a short period of time.
and why is a Mets fan even coming here talking trash? I thought the Mets were guaranteed division champs? What happen? The Mets just wasted the years of two of their biggest reasons why they are even in a conversation for a title.
Changing your underwear is generally a good thing though…unless you free ball it. In that case you don’t need underwear.
They weren’t inferior this week – when it mattered most.
Win 4 championships in 147 years and now your guaranteeing NLCS births for the next five years. There is just as good of a chance the Braves finish third in their division over the next five years.
There isn’t a lot of things better when watching the Dodgers in the playoffs than watching Dave Roberts overmanage. Dave thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room and that’s troubling. Consistently pulling the starters after five innings and juggling the bullpen didn’t work out so well. Seeing his blank stare in the ninth inning during last night game was so enjoyable
Dave Roberts is a blind man driving a Ferrari. The common theme of every Dodgers early exit in recent years is him. As a Yankees fan I see plenty of similarities between Roberts and Boone
It’s debatable, I realize, but with each successive postseason screw-up by managers like Roberts and Boone, I’m inclined to think there’s truth in the assertion that October managing is a different animal. These guys compile enviable W-L records during the regular season but choke in the postseason with moves that seem indefensible.
Throw Cora onto that list
Dave Roberts is an embarrassingly bad manager. The Dodgers have had the best team in baseball now for 6 consecutive years. Roberts has one World Championship to show for it. He should be fired, but probably won’t be.
Most teams would be happy winning a championship 1 out of 6 times. Hell there are teams who have never won it
So they should just accept failure?
Anyone who loses to Bob Melvin absolutely deserves to be fired.
Melvin is the most embarrassing playoff manager of all-time.
60 game regular season covid championship tho…. a far inferior feat
If you enjoy observing others’ failures more than “a lot of things,” hope you stay up to date on your cancer screenings as that kind of malignant thinking isn’t so good for your own health.
Hey Paddy
Someone’s failure is someone else’s success.
It isn’t all negative now is it?
Keep a positive thought bro
Losing to an extremely bad manager in Bob Melvin really should put the nail in Robert’s time with LA.
Bob Melvin is easily a top 5 manager. Your A’s will be searching a long time for an adequate replacement
My “If Kershaw signs with the Rangers I’ll renounce everything and delete my account but if he doesn’t everyone has to give up saying ‘Player X will sign with Team Y because he’s from there/went to college there/lives there in the offseason’ FOREVER” offer is still on the table.
Gonna be honest with you I don’t think anyone cares if you delete your account or not. Your only other post on this thread was “lol”.
Why I agree in general with your post, I will take some exception. No commenter should ever state categorically what any player will do. So while no should say player X will sign with team Y, they should also never say that player X will sign with whomever offers the most money.
Not all players are the same. There are some players, a small minority no doubt, that will sign with team Y for the reason that he wants that geographical location.
Tony gwynn took far less money to stay home several times. it absolutely does happen on occasion
And Kershaw won’t even have to take less money to stay in LA. They can afford to outbid everyone in a way the ’90s Padres could not.
@tad2b13 And Kershaw isn’t one. He was never going to sign with the Rangers.
I agree that the writers and commenters on here constantly linking Kershaw to the Rangers is stupid but why propose a bet that you know the other side will never accept?
Re-sign Anderson
Non-tender Bellinger. He’s not $18 million+ player anymore.
Jettison both Turners. Justin is at the end of his career and Trea can be replaced. I would rather have Correa in T. Turner’s spot actually.
Kershaw can stay or go. If he wants 2 year/$40 million deal or some similar, then he can stay. If he wants $30 million+, then thank him for the memories and wish him well with the Rangers. Now that the Dodgers are off Price’s contract, they can afford to sign any SP including deGrom….
Correa? Seriously?
“We want Correa” – said no Dodgers fan ever. Also I would think JT would agree to a home town discount after his buyout is exercised. His glove still plays and bat off the bench with leadership would be helpful
T.Turner’s game is primarily based on his legs. I think his game will fall off the cliff first before Correa’s. Being brittle aside, Correa is stronger defender and much more clutch hitter than T. Turner, imo……
Both T.Turner and Correa will demand long term contract to sign with Dodgers. I am just saying that if I had to choose, then I would choose Correa. He’s 2 years younger than Turner, too.
Would Belli sign a 3 year extension? Make it team friendly. He gets a chance at a ring and stays with his LA home. How much would it take? Load it up with incentives or options? He plays 1B/OF. Could be 4th OF or to get someone some rest or so they can DH Freeman or Betts in case someones a little beat up? 3 years 30/32 million? Taylor was horrible look what they over paid for him! Who else is in the OF thats proven? Thompson?
If Texas signs Bochy to manage their team, it will send a message to the players that the Rangers are serious about October Baseball. Players, like Kershaw that might be on the fence about where to sign will hear that message loud and clear.
It might send a message but the Texas rangers simply don’t have enough talent to play in October.
They’re light years behind Houston. Seattle is way better too.
If anything the Dodgers might get Bochy to manage them next year
How long is Roberts signed?
I promise you Clayton Kershaw is not “on the fence” about where to sign.
How would you know? You know what he’s thinking? The guy lives in Dallas area.
Yes and Gerrit Cole lives in the Anaheim area and Patrick Corbin lives in Yankee country and Madison Bumgarner lives in Braves country. Who cares?
Kershaw is gonna be a one-uniform guy. Full stop.
So beautiful to see this team die yet again. Been telling y’all *all season* they would choke when it mattered.
They’re probably the biggest failures in pro sports. All those meaningless regular season wins…all that pointless hype…all those overrated stars…
The window is closing fast, if it’s not already closed. Their young prospects are mediocre at best. Those Freeman & Betts deals won’t age well either.
There isn’t an accurate thought in your entire analysis.
It’s starts by calling the regular season wins that got them into the playoffs with a bye and home field advantage “meaningless” and somehow gets even less accurate from there.
Keep crying, Cody. They’re abject failures. Can’t win when it counts. How’d that bye & homefield advantage work out? Nobody will care about those regular season games against a weak division. Choking is in this team’s DNA.
Its 3 games in 1 season, shut up Cop lol
SD is also an extremely good team. Soto/Machado legit HOF elite talents in their primes…just a F/dumb hater troll comment, someone had to lose!
Dodgers
Only
Do
Good
Every
Regular
Season
Maury Ahram ;
Please put my post back!
Sam what happened?
Maury didn’t want to be talked down to in a multiple paragraph soliloquy!
Maury probably already muted Samuel in a preventative strike.
TrumboJumbo;
The post was out there showing. I went back to look at it 15 minutes later. Gone.
Nothing explosive. This happens here sometimes with the younger writers. People that have had it done to them think it’s a form of censorship. Maybe. Or just a technical screw-up….of which there have been quite a few the last month or so…..but I never lost a post that was already displayed Other people that had it happen to them think it’s personal. Who knows.
Point was…..
Forget Baseball Ops. People that oversee the Dodgers operations have to be wondering about only one WS championship 10 consecutive post-season appearances…and that in a shortened season. Most of those 10 seasons the Dodgers were considered the best team in MLB. Am sure it’s already been discussed. Now people outside of Baseball Ops are very probably going to look into this and possibly take some action. The Dodgers take in a lot of money…..but they also spend a lot of money.
Rough series for Los Karens. But America wins when Los Karens lose and are eliminated!!!
Facts!
Is Los “Karens” a reference to the woman running for mayor here??? Karen Bass?? I don’t get it…
I don’t get it either, but this troll has been repeating it for months.
Right wings gotta just go offline forever, smh no one even knows what theyre talking about ever, like sorry clown I dont watch fox news ever, i refuse to let an australian rupert murdoch decide my thoughts for me lol
I don’t get it either. Glad I’m not alone.
Dodgers have some serious soul searching to do. 106 wins in 2019. 106 wins in 2021. 111 wins in 2022. One playoff series win to show for it. They get slightly extra credit for ending the Giants season last year, but that’s not enough. This team is perennially underachievers. Their 2018 team that started 16-26 showed more guts than this club that cruised all season long
I would not call them underachievers. That’s much too kind. I think “ chokers” describes them better. Roberts can’t get them over the hump. They need to move on from him with a new voice.
Its 100% Dave Roberts being bad at managing
They’re going down the same path the 90s Braves did. I did some research and they have something in common, because there is 1 man, who was in the FO with both teams. His first name starts with an ‘S’ and last name starts with a ‘K’. Can anyone take a wild guess? Seriously, get rid of Stan Kasten. His whole philosophy contributes to choking. Sustained success is all he cares about.
One word…PADRES!
I felt the Dodgers management over managed again tha post season as they do every post season.
Cody Bellenger won’t be offered arbitration but he probably will be a Dodger next season. Still, I think 2023 will be a different look Dodgers.
At this point, a change of scenery might be best for Bellinger.
Doesn’t matter what the roster looks like as long as they keep Roberts. Everyone knows he’s going to make the wrong decision on when and who to use in the bullpen. The nerds still haven’t figured out how to use their arms.
As the F do you lose to Bob Melvin, the worst playoff manager of all time, Mr. “3-7 in clinch games” smh
They’ll always have that fake championship.
Vesia….not Vespa
Yeah, but Vespas can go a long way.
Dave Roberts lost to Bob Melvin, thats…..bad. Dodgers cannot let him continue on here….
So glad see the dodgers loose after Dave Roberts made his World Series champion guarantee.
Glad to see freeman strike out to end series after all the drama that he caused when leaving Atlanta. Now nobody can say if Atlanta would have had freeman season still be going on.
I am a Braves fan but I like that different fans bases get some excitement with deep post seasons runs.
So glad to see the Braves choke without Freeman!
Bellinger should go to Colorado. They need a great defensive CF and he could probably get to 40 HR & 20 SB, even if he hits in the low .200’s.
With bigger bases next season he could possibly be a 40/40 man in Colorado
Since every single MLB professional and baseball fan knows that the playoffs are always about who’s got the hot hand in a short series of games, I think Robert’s comment was just plain ridiculous. I don’t know how an MLB manager could be so arrogant – or so clueless – that he’d ever make such a statement. That’s just not how baseball works.
Hindsight says if Roberts was going to make such an asinine guarantee he should have immediately took a leave of absence to at least give the Dodgers a fighting a chance
A captain has to set a goal. That’s it. I don’t think of of his guarantee.
Rsox, he got over confident/overzealous and made a very unwise remark. You of course should never say such crap because it could, and normally does come back to bite you in the fanny…Ice cold bats though…Maybe the BYE really did eff them up I don’t know. Can’t blame Dave for dead bats.
It’s biting him in the @$$ as we speak.
Roberts keeps failing in the playoffs. I wonder if he’ll be back next year. This should have been the year for the Dodgers to win. Oh, well, win 162 next year and then fail again.
I don’t put that much blame on Roberts. It’s the Dodger’s lack of hitting that derailed their season. Roberts tried to keep the team afloat with their strong bullpen, but it was bound to have struggles after being relied on for so long.
How did the Dodgers win 111 games? Yes #1 thru #3 in their lineup are truly dynamic, but what happens thereafter ?? A bunch of guys hitting the Mendoza line. Furthermore, everyone knows in the postseason you need some horses, or at least two, total stalwarts. Okay the Dodgers had Urias and Kershaw, I suppose? Gonsolin should never have been given a start, with his lack of recent work. I saw a thin rotation. And finally the bullpen fiasco, with closer by committee and no formal roles. Lots of no-names. Who was their shutdown reliever supposed to be? Treinen? Evan Phillips? You need more than that. I am at a loss that nobody seemed to see this early exit coming.
Took the words right out of my mouth. That lineup is far from special and the BP is an ensemble group.
Just a quick tally in my head and I’d say more than half of baseball is actively losing games to rebuild or have absolutely no interest in competing. Just showing up these days with an intention to compete gets you 80 wins. So big win totals in the regular season don’t mean as much anymore.
Agree with a lot you said. The Dodgers’ pitching was thinner than most expected. Heaney was pitching out of pen and not stretched out enough. Gonsolin not ready due to injury same for Treinen. May in the same boat. Kahnle rusty from not pitching much entire season. Even Almonte coming back from injury. How do you have so many pitchers in the same coming back from injury category and trust all those guys?
All the more reasons to go longer with your starting pitchers. Bullpen actually pitched well given circumstances and being overused and relied upon. Like I said before analytics apparently does not measure human element very well.
Hitting was overrated and relied way too much in top 3, and Mookie disappeared. Too many feast and famine performances. Rather have consistent 4-5 run production than getting runs in bunches then going dry.
I would rather have many guys that could close then just one closer. Kimbrel just didn’t have it this year, and was kinda surprised that the Dodgers didn’t fix the situation during the year. It hurt to have Gonsolin get injured as he deserved to get the recognition for his turnaround this season. Injuries won, and Dodgers lost.
To all of those comments about Roberts losing it, the Dodgers/Braves/YouNameYourTeam choking, just remember:
1) There are THIRTY (30) teams in the US major leagues. If ..and not saying it’s deserved, but IF, every team won once, it’d take 30 years for the last team to win it. A World Series appearance, let alone a win is not some sort of birthright, no matter how good a team is, how much talent it has, or even how much money they spend.
2) Baseball is a TEAM sport, which means how and when a team comes together, determines their success on any give day, week, or year. The whole of a baseball game and series, is complex. No one thing, one person, or one play, was “make or break” for either LAD or SDP’s. (Fortunately, GM’s and owners don’t listen to the “throw the bums out” perennially unhappy fans..)
3) What happened to the Dodgers may be a little bit revenge (Padres fan here), maybe some part destiny, but really, it’s just the beauty and sorrow of baseball. (The Padres were a healthier team than the Dodgers, and that matters a lot in short series post season.) The best team DID beat the Dodgers, during that given series. We all know how the Dodgers/Pads fared throughout the season, but this (playoffs) isn’t that (season). The Dodgers in 2022 were a historically good team, and the Dodger’s organization, is the class of the major leagues. There are many good teams and organizations, and I think the Pads deserve some mention, but the Dodgers, and a couple other organizations, just seem to get more done with less, while having all the $Billions they need to get where they need to go. (Really, folks think that paying a $50M luxury tax will bother the Dodgers? You’re nuts. Similarly, I think Seidler and the other Padre owners have decided that to catch the Dodger’s investment ($Billions more over the past 30 years, that the Pads), they’ll have to just pay the luxury penalties for a while. The worst part of the luxury penalties, the reason will funded teams want to avoid it, are the draft prospects they lose, IMHO.)
Compliments to the Dodgers and their fans, for a great 2022 season. If you ignore what happened before the post season, you’re doing your team organization and players a disservice. They’ll be back again, they’ll be competitive, and they MAY be one of 30 other teams in the running in 2023.
Enjoy your offseason, folks. (We Padre fans have a little while longer to go; Go Padres, beat Philadelphia!!)
Good post. I will say though that the Dodger’s absolutely would mind a $50M luxury tax. But, to your point, it’s not the money that would be the problem. With that large a tax penalty, there would be a loss of draft picks, which would bother them greatly.
This is a good take. I don’t think the Dodgers lost because of bad management. That’s just too facile an explanation. I think they lost because the Padres played better baseball. Clearly, the Padres under performed during the regular season, but they started to show just how good they are in recent weeks. As for the Dodgers, quite the opposite. They ended the season cold and that carried into the NLDS. I’m disappointed the Dodgers lost, but I don’t think they have anyone to blame but themselves. Hat tip to the Padres.
Teams “get hot” when the FO gets the proper players on the post-season roster; the manager puts them in roles they can succeed in; the coaches prepare them; and the players execute.
This is “random” only to those that think the MLB playoffs are like throwing dice up against the wall.
Dodgers had murderer’s row this year. They didn’t execute.
W. Dills Smith actually had a baby girl yesterday, got flown back to SD on one of the Dodgers multiple company helicopters…I thought it was a good Omen…Rain and all…I was wrong.
The Padres were not that far off from Dodgers. The big difference is Suarez (Dodger killer), and we’re better during the playoffs at getting hits. I think overall the Dodgers should have won the series in four. However, it was a shock how cold the Dodgers bats got. I could see it happening one or two games. It was just surprising. The Padres earned it, and hopefully from all of this the NL West will get more attention then the east coast teams. Good luck Padres
Bellinger will be a Yankee.
Everyone will.
Gallo 2.0
Yes MLB screwed the pooch, the original idea was the wild card was supposed to represent the “division” of other teams regardless of divisions. Now you have 2 extra teams that represent what merit over 162 games? This from a Padre fan ( not that I’m unhappy they won)
Yep, agreed. I haven’t automatically “kneejerk” rejected every report they’ve been making, I have real problems, for example, understanding how their new rule on 3 maximum throw overs to 1st base, before an automatic balk is called, is going to work in the real world. Steal’s are going to way WAY up next year, along with pitch-outs and other devices for preventing base stealing.
But back on point, I think 1 wild card per league made perfect sense, i.e. one for the NL and one for the AL. There will always be stronger divisions where the pennant winner wins, for example, 106 games, where the loser wins maybe 104 games, and the highest number of wins for pennant winners in the other divisions is maybe 101 wins. That doesn’t present the most competitive teams during the playoffs. Having 16 wild card teams (exaggeration) simply minimizes the value of regular season wins. By all means, stronger teams should try to win “just enough” to get into the playoffs, while keeping their players healthy, so that they can complete for a month at the end of the season, where it really counts. That’s essentially the system now in place.
The MLB front office should get out of rules and policy for a 100+ year old game. It doesn’t need to be changed to attract fans. They just need to provide better support for youth baseball, which would create more baseball fans, plus, keep ticket prices at a middle class level, so kids parents can actually afford to take ’em to a ball game a couple of times a year. And, bottom line, keeping ticket prices lower means attacking runaway salaries. It’s not like a guy is going to quit baseball to maybe work at a tire center, because his team offered “only” a 4 year, $80M contract, The MLBPA is essentially a cartel, the same as the MLB. The only people who suffer in a cartel situation are the consumers – every time.
Money is not a factor with the Dodgers. They should only make decisions on how to keep the team top notch. They should be in the WS! I do not know who should take the heat. From a BB perspective both Bellinger and J Turner should be let go. They can get someone better from the farm or a. Free Agent, Kershaw should only come back for a big pay cut or walk. He is only the 3rd or 4 th best starter. He is royalty but treating him better then better players sets a bag example that performance does not count.
. Anderson should be resigned; he is worth a decent salary… He is only 1 season away from his former Ham and Egger status but has earned his keep for now. Trea Turner great, but not better than the other free agent SS available. He is worth paying for with only a modest raise based on his age. Do I pass my test as a novice administrative dreamer to the GM?
I think the Dodgers keep Justin Turner around for another year. See if they can get a more team friendly contract with easy to reach incentives. He is a good ball club leader, and still pretty good for DH/3B. Bellinger I am done with him. He needs to go unless there is a way to get him under contract for under 10 mil. I would think there are better options in minors. I would keep Trea, but depends on his contract ask. I like his speed, and has good hitting/power to lengthen the lineup. I would try to focus on getting better bench players this offseason, and get a top line starter. Maybe Carlos Rodon?
Bellinger needs a change of team.
The interesting factor that many forget is that the Dodgers decided to stay put at the trade deadline. At that point Buehler was out but the hope was that he would be ready for the postseason. They also had Treinen, Duffy and May hurt and hoping both could help in postseason. May and Treinen made it back in time for the postseason but both were a fraction of themselves. Duffy never pitched. The only real acquisition was Gallo and that was a Hail Mary turnaround hope.
Hope is never a great strategy and that was the strategy.
On one hand I can understand Friedman’s thinking. He didn’t want to lose too many prospects as the Dodgers have been lacking lately in developing MLB stars from the farm. No more Buehler, Seager, Bellinger and Kershaws. More like the Lux of the world. So, Friedman decided that it was good enough to stay put and hope injured players came back. Some never did, and the ones that returned were not factors in the Padre series.
They won 111 games. Their line up is stacked. They got beat this past week. No viable excuse. The Padres beat them.
The price for acquisitions were high, and there wasn’t a huge need for a position player or starting pitching at that moment. I agreed with standing pat as the Dodgers were well balanced. Gallo was a decent risk for that pop, but he ended up not showing much in the way of baseball IQ.
The Dodgers did not do very well in the injury risk management profile. Let’s face it they gambled with Buehler, May, Treinen and Duffy, and they lost. The rationale was that they would be available for the postseason. Only two made it and both were not really ready, which was my fear. Add the injury to Gonsolin, who didn’t pitch much in the last few months.
I typically don’t like the Dodgers doing much at the trade deadline, but I think of all years this was the year to do something given the uncertainties with the pitching staff. At that point you’re already down your best starter and reliever and two starting pitchers, and that assumed that no one else went down which is a big assumption with Heaney and Kershaw in the rotation.
Gallo was underwhelming. That was a desperation move. Yes, didn’t give up much but realistically it was going to be really difficult to get him changed over a couple of months. Dodgers could have used a frontline starter and a better left handed bat.
Just pointing out a forgotten key part of the season. The Padres made the big moves at the deadline. It didn’t initially pay off but it certainly strengthened their team. The Dodgers stay put and relied on the hope of players coming back from injuries. They didn’t strengthen their team and looked like a weaker team with more holes than a 111 win team should look like.
Before they even played a game this season, their manager declared they would win the WS. So obviously they didn’t need to make any kind of big add at the trade deadline – because they were already bullet-proof from the jump…….oops.
Met fan here. Dodgers remain the envy of MLB, the last few games against the Padres notwithstanding. They will continue to win 100+ the next few years. They had major injury issues with the rotation this year (eg Buehler, Kershaw) and the back end of the bullpen was inconsistent. If the Dodgers can sign deGrom and Diaz, they will be formidable. Perhaps bring in Bogaerts. And yeah, let Bellinget walk. Dave Roberts is not the problem!!
The Dodgers are good at finding a way to lose.
Just accept the loss instead of coming up with excuses or finding ways to improve the Dodgers WS chances by reformatting the playoffs.
@ Delbert Finnigan
This!
After being a Padres fan since the beginning I can honestly say that the dodgers have always been better than us. However, there have been times when we have broken out from under their shadow and whipped their butts. If you watched the games this past week you witnessed it. We have bragging rights for at least a year. We earned them. Nobody can say different. And not just that, we have a good shot at going to the World Series and even winning it. Go Padres. Remember Tony Gwynn.
Direct quotes:
“We will win the World Series in 2022”
Dave Roberts
“The Padres have been hot for a week. We’ve been hot for 7 months.”
Freddie Freeman
“The Padres will,lose to their daddy’s. The Dodgers have been their daddy’s for years”
David Big Papi Ortiz
They will think again before they open their big mouths.
Trade Gonsolin, don’t resign Bellinger, or J. Turner, get some better clutch right-handed hitters and figure out your right-handed starting pitching. J. Turner has historically been clutch in the playoffs but the last 2 years hit .100 (5 for 50). Taylor, and Mookie didn’t do much and no better than Trayce Thompson in the playoffs.
Between Gonsolin, Buehler, and May they’ve had 0 right handed starters that have been effective or available. I said it before but Gonsolin wilts under the bright lights and they can’t wait around for him to figure it out (he’s like a better version of Ross Stripling – good in the regular season but you cant trust him to do anything for you in the playoffs).
Coming off an injury yes but what if he was fine (and why was he even starting if not ready) and just mental. He has a career 2.50 ERA but a career 9.20 ERA in the playoffs. You can trade him for value – he’s under team control until 2027 and most rebuilding teams would love a good stable regular season quality starter. The Dodgers seemingly are always overloaded with lefty starters and need healthy available right-handed starters to neutralize some of the opposing righty hitters. I don’t necessarily think that signing Judge or deGrom is the answer but proven playoff performers is what I think they need to focus on more.
Gonsolin’s career postseason stats:
8 appearances, 9.20 ERA, 14 IP, 18 H, 15 runs, 6 HR, 11 BB
Injury or not, he’s the Carmelo Anthony of Dodger pitchers, great in regular season, but stinks in the playoffs. That’s not going to cut it, maybe he can figure it out on another team but I don’t think they can wait around.
Great, Halos will gladly take him!!!
Dodger fans whining about the new playoff format! BREAKING NEWS: ALL 30 teams KNEW the format, going in to the season! Face the facts…you got OUTCOACHED and OUTPLAYED…Padres BEAT LA!!
#EnjoyTheWorldSeriesFromHome
#PadresTookOutTheTrash
I wonder if San Diego fans know how to chant anything other than “Beat LA” – should be interesting.
San Diego were clutch this series, deserve to advance.
Unfortunately, Padres fans have been so consumed with LA over the years, and are so excited right now, they’ve almost forgotten there’s still an NLCS and World Series to go, before they achieve anything noteworthy.
I have to ask. Are you a Dodgers fan?
Cam;
There is the fact that LA took their NBA and NFL teams.
Expanded playoffs, extra days off due to the bye round, etc… Give people reasons to be pissed or to complain and they will gladly do it.
Say all you want about the Doyers and Atlanta but, hold up wait a minute…the TrashTro’s took care of business? They swept that mess, soo what had happened?
Little brother finally lands the haymaker, so celebrate him. Does that make him bigger, better than big brother…no, but big brother better start watching his a@$!
Champions get cocky. Next thing you know a street brawler from Philly puts you on the mat and the 10 count comes! We’ll see what happens in the bright lights of the Big Apple tomorrow!
Last night the champagne and Budweiser didn’t look watered down to me. So maybe check your drink cause it’s old and needs refilled or should I say, ya old and need to move forward!
Love it, “Roids”! Nicely stated!!!
You have a way with words, good stuff +1
When you start to read the third paragraph in this comment, the theme from “Rocky” should start playing in the background.
Maybe the simplest way to show that the playoffs are an unpredictable crapshoot is to mention Trent Grisham.
During the regular season, this was his stat line: .184/.284/.341/.625 with 17 HR
This is his line so far this postseason: .381/.519/.810/1.329 with 3 HR
Guys are allowed to get hot. Remember Rosario for Atlanta in last year’s NLCS ?? Hasn’t done squat since then and was mediocre prior to that. I think players breaking out like that makes the playoffs fun and exciting…not just a “crapshoot”
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just observing the nature of the postseason. Unexpected heroes are commonplace. If a player can, in a sense, redeem his season in October, good for him.
But this also speaks to our criticism of managers to a degree. Is there any way an opposing manager can prepare for an unlikely breakout performance from a player who’s been mediocre all season long?
Maverick to Goose…it’s Grishtober, the Post Season is here and this sh!+ is wild!
Yeah, as a manager you just can’t take anything or anyone for granted. There shouldn’t be any “easy outs.” You can’t ease up on the bottom of the order. You can’t have that mentality in the postseason. Anybody at anytime can whup ya, and you just have to be constantly on-point and executing (or I should say the players/pitchers need to be most of all obvs.)
Clayton Kershaw was never going to sign with the Rangers.