Commitment to Excellence
By Peyton Schultze
After Corey Seager’s two home runs led the way for the offense, the Dodgers clinched the NL West for the seventh consecutive season (via Flipboard).
After a year full of dominant pitching performances, ridiculous late inning comebacks, a surplus of walk off wins, and one MVP caliber year for their starting right fielder, the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West for the seventh consecutive year. The Boys in Blue were able to cruise to an easy 7-3 road win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, led by two Corey Seager home runs and seven scoreless innings from Walker Buehler. Leading the Arizona Diamondbacks by 17.5 games in the NL West and the Braves by 3.5 games for the best record in the National League, the Dodgers now turn their full attention to October baseball, where their next chance at their first World Series championship since 1988 awaits.
With seven straight division titles and a National League dominance that has been unmatched since the Braves’ run throughout the ‘90s and early 2000’s, it is very easy to take these Dodgers for granted. For all their playoff miscues over the past six seasons, there has always been hope on the other side for the Dodgers. Credit this to an ownership group that is willing to do whatever it takes or pay any cost. Credit this to a coaching staff that has put the Dodgers in a great position to win every game. Credit this to every Cody Bellinger or Max Muncy, to every Juan Uribe, Pedro Baez, Skip Schumaker, or even Yasiel Puig. Even more, credit this to every Dodger fan that has filled up all 56,000 seats at Chavez Ravine night in and night out, witnessing some of the greatest moments in Dodgers’ history. Dodger fans are truly witnessing baseball history before their own eyes, and it is time to recognize not only how far the Dodgers have come, but where they may soon be: hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy in late October.
A season for the ages from Cody Bellinger has propelled the Dodgers near the top of the league once again (via True Blue LA).
As all Dodger fans know, there is a common phrase that is mentioned before each and every game at Dodger Stadium as popularized by the great Vin Scully.
It’s Time for Dodger Baseball.
This year, that same phrase has once again been announced before a loud crowd each night, whether they are there to get a ball signed by Corey Seager, to watch Clayton Kershaw throw another gem, or even just chow down on a few Dodger dogs in the right field pavilion. The Dodgers have seen many changes over the past seven seasons, none more significant than the changing of the guard in terms of their ownership and front office. From Frank McCourt to Stan Kasten and from Ned Colletti to Andrew Friedman, the big names at the top of the organization has seen a major shift in this new era of Dodger baseball. Yet what has followed has been as smooth as possible, led by an ownership group that is committed to winning and putting out a good product on the field as much as any organization in sports. Even with this new transition, fans have showed up to the ballpark on a nightly occurrence, from the everyday fan at Chavez Ravine, to the far-away fan in cities like Philadelphia or Atlanta, to the dedicated group of Dodger supporters known as Pantone 294 traveling anywhere in the country from Denver to Boston, ready to witness what could possibly be another win for the Dodgers.
Even their roster has had a ton of massive change, from the loss of favorite players (Zack Grienke and Chase Utley) to the loss of not-so-favorite players (Manny Machado and Yu Darvish). Yet the organization has been able to constantly funnel in a new wave of excellent players despite some personnel changes, finding gems such as Matt Beaty or Chris Taylor, or even bona fide stars in Walker Buehler or Max Muncy. In addition, even the old-school and marvelous Dodger Stadium has changed, turning a once-run down stadium into one of sport’s most beautiful venues that families and friends can go to enjoy a game at on any given day. Dodger Stadium looks like it’ll change even more in the coming offseason, with a brand-new look in center field including an imposing Sandy Koufax statue to sit alongside #42 at the new center field gate to welcome visitors to the 2020 MLB All-Star Game. What will not change, however, is how many fans show up at each and every home game, ready to watch one of the sports’ most prolific organizations take the field for all 81 home games.
A steady core of players, featuring both towering superstars and clutch role players, has made the Dodgers a contender year in and year out (via Dodgers).
Yet despite all the change, and even with the past postseason struggles, here they are again: in position to get back and finally capture that elusive world championship. The 2019 Dodgers have been defined by one precise word: resilient. With comeback wins aplenty and a never-say-die attitude that flows through players and fans alike, the Dodgers never seem completely out of any game. Even their poorest moments of the season (a shaky series versus the Yankees and a recent cold stretch by their starting pitchers) have been responded with fire and fury, both offensively and on the mound. The Boys in Blue are better served for the postseason now more than ever, with plenty of experience and a different approach to the game than before. There is no better example than this adaptability that has defined this team than their face of the franchise in Clayton Kershaw. As fiery and competitive as any player in recent memory, the future Hall of Famer has been forced to make changes on the fly with a diminished fastball and a home run rate that ranks near the top of his career. Yet what has the experienced lefty responded with? Nothing short of a spectacular season, with a top ten ERA in baseball and an approach to the game that will lengthen his career in the long run, as well as his time in Dodger Blue. Kershaw defines what these Dodgers truly are at their finest moments: simply ready to compete and adapt to whatever challenges or tasks may be in front of them at all times.
It’s Time for Dodger Baseball.
As for Dave Roberts and the rest of the 2019 Dodgers, it has been nothing short of a magical season. Highlighted by feats such as an MVP season from Cody Bellinger, a solid year from Hyun-Jin Ryu, and back-to-back-to-back walk off home runs by three different rookies in three straight home games, these Dodgers have had a year for the ages that they hope translates into October for the first time since 1988. Remarkable moments that have defined this season include:
The emergence of “The Fresh Prince”, catcher Will Smith
The power production of Justin Turner in 2019
Max Muncy’s splash down in San Francisco
Multiple walk off wins for the ages
Dominance on the mound from flamethrower Walker Buehler
An awesome home run derby from Joc Pederson
Even so, it is important to look back and realize what the Los Angeles Dodgers have been over the past seven seasons, and will likely continue to be each and every year for the foreseeable future. Each year, whether it has come down to an early September clinch or having to play a 163rd regular season game to decide the division, the Dodgers have stood at the top of the NL West and gave themselves a chance at a postseason run. Let that sink in for a moment.
While they have not reached their ultimate goal yet, there have been plenty of huge plays and gigantic moments that will live on in Dodger lore for decades. Who could forget Clayton Kershaw breathtaking Game 5 save against the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS? Or what about Kike Hernandez’s three home runs on the road against the Cubs to send the Dodgers to the World Series? Or what about at the very beginning of this run, when Juan Uribe changed the NLDS with a go-ahead home run against the Braves? And of course, Dodger fans will never forget where they were when Justin Turner launched a walk off home run off John Lackey in the 2017 NLCS on the anniversary of Kirk Gibson’s Game 1 home run in the 1988 World Series. Names have come and gone, but the memories of this team will last a lifetime.
A prolific offense with timely hitting and big time power will give the Dodgers a shot against any team in October (via Dodger Blogs).
While the Dodgers have built themselves up to be a contender for years to come, there’s a huge sense of urgency to win this season in comparison to the prior seasons of success. From Justin Turner to Chris Taylor, and from Rich Hill to Joe Kelly, the Dodgers will need every single contributor within the organization to step up for the next month and a half. If they fail to do so, the Dodgers could find themselves in playoff defeat once again and be known as the baseball version of the Buffalo Bills. If they do, however, the Dodgers could be World Champions for the first time in 31 years, finally taking the weight off the shoulders of players and fans alike from one of sports’ best organizations.
It’s been a long ride for these Dodgers, and it is certainly a journey without a clear end. Whether that period ends next month in postseason defeat or if it continues into upcoming seasons, it has been one great ride after another for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But for now, it’s time to sit back, relax and watch what the 2019 Dodgers have up their sleeve from now until the end of October, when the autumn wind of fall flows through the halls of Chavez Ravine.
It’s Time for Dodger Baseball.