Los Angeles Sports Roundup - January
By Peyton Schultze
The intense battle of Los Angeles between the Lakers and Clippers has been one of the most interesting things to watch not only in the city, but in the NBA, this year (via Variety).
Hello there, and welcome to the newest edition of Los Angeles Sports Roundup. During this monthly series, we’ll dive into some of the biggest news in the world of sports, all of which surround the teams found within the Los Angeles community. From professional sports to college competition, this series will vary in its coverage from month to month so that it can evolve with the ever-so-changing landscape.
There has been an abundance of action over the course of the last few weeks in Los Angeles, especially in professional sports. Whether it is the ongoing controversy surrounding the Dodgers’ front-office decision-making, the fantastic play from the Lakers and Clippers, the curiosity surrounding the offseason for football in Los Angeles, or the poor production from both of the city’s hockey teams, there has been plenty of news surrounding LA’s finest home teams.
With that being said and without further ado, here’s the January 2020 Edition of our coverage of sports news within the Los Angeles community.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Seemingly reeling from a quiet offseason and the fallout from the Houston Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal, the Dodgers are struggling to inspire a new hope in their championship-hungry fanbase as they creep closer and closer toward Spring Training in Arizona (via WTOP News).
Blue Burns
After another year of playoff destruction, it’s been a brutal offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Amid constant rumors of a possible star joining the team via trade, only to be let down by a lack of progress among those trade talks, fans of the Boys in Blue are becoming increasingly impatient with the team’s front office decision making. A lack of activity in free agency has also been a major cause for concern that has followed the organization like a shadow, as superstar players such as Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon simply skipped over the Dodgers’ lucrative offers in favor of other preferred destinations. After years of trying to get over the top during the season, it appears the Dodgers’ troubles have once again followed them into the offseason as they look to improve their team for next season.
To add on top of that, the recent news regarding the sign-stealing scandals from the Dodgers’ 2017 and 2018 World Series opponents has only triggered Dodger fans even more. With the recent firing of the Houston Astros’ manager and general manager (and potential punishments on the horizon for Alex Cora, the recently fired Red Sox manager) after the MLB concluded that there was evidence that the Astros did, in fact, cheat, many have called for the last two World Series winners to have their titles stripped. While it is certainly unlikely at this point, these punishments handed down by Major League Baseball just go to show just how untimely the situation came around for the Dodgers, as the team was, and still is, in a hot pursuit to end a long-running championship drought that fans desperately wanted to see. Now, with the controversy capturing national headlines, this situation has become as serious as any baseball matter in recent memory and the league is looking to recover from one of the worst scandals in their own illustrious history.
Whether it is on-the-field or off-the-field matters including the Dodgers, fans will ultimately be unhappy unless they are convinced otherwise that this team can finally capture a World Series title after years of playoff misery. And the next steps for the organization only get stickier from here on out, whether that means pushing for more punishments for the Astros and Red Sox, giving up young assets to acquire a star via trade, or standing pat to develop their younger players such as Gavin Lux and Dustin May. With the amount of noise surrounding the Dodgers and their fans right now (or lack thereof), it may be now or never for Andrew Friedman and Co. to make a big time move for a talent such as Mookie Betts or Kris Bryant as Spring Training looms on the horizon.
But even with that being said, how do the Dodgers get past this swirling cheating controversy at this point, two years after that devastating World Series loss in Game 7? Well, Dodger fans must get over the notion that the title could somehow be transferred to the club, even with the Astros facing even more discipline if faced with backlash from the public. At this point, the Dodgers are prohibited from commenting on the situation from the MLB, and we may not hear much from the team until Spring Training rolls around. But what has happened in the past has simply happened, and the Dodgers can only move forward from here. It is clear that the scandal has wide-ranging effects that have potential to determine the longtime legacies of players such as Clayton Kershaw and Yu Darvish, but what the players do in the future after the 2017 World Series could be even more impactful than what happened then. In the present-day and in the near future, the Dodgers remain the clear favorite to represent the NL in the World Series with a loaded roster, plenty of experience, and a vengeance that could become obvious after last year’s loss to the Nationals. With that mindset at the forefront, it is clear that the Astros probably robbed the Dodgers of their first World Series win since 1988, and the Red Sox may have even done so last year as well. But how the Dodgers respond from this controversy will go a long way toward their overall legacy over the past decade, which could end up being much sweeter if the Dodgers are finally able to end up on top in October.
Los Angeles Lakers
Boasting two bona fide MVP candidates in Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers are cruising toward the top seed in the Western Conference (via UpNewsInfo).
Academy Achievements
Blue skies and sunshine define the daily landscape of Los Angeles. They also define the state of the 2019-2020 Los Angeles Lakers on their chase to the 17th championship in franchise history.
After a blistering start to the season that currently shows the team holding onto the second best record in the NBA, the Lakers remain a true title contender in the league with many reasons to believe that this could be the team that hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. However, despite a red-hot stretch in the new year, the Lakers will still face plenty of competition around the league that are looking to take down the league’s glamour franchise.
Although LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the obvious headliners for the Purple and Gold, one of the most notable stories that has followed the Lakers in January has been the increased play of their supporting cast. This is a major headline as big games versus Western Conference foes loom on the horizon for the Lakers, as they will certainly need some of their key role players to play a major part on both sides of the ball if the Lakers want to capture the top seed in the conference. Two key players that have really stepped up their games in recent weeks are young forward Kyle Kuzma and sharpshooter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Forming a much tighter connection with LeBron in recent weeks (who also leads the league in assists per game at 10.7), both players have shot much better from the field with an increased level of confidence that has made a significant difference on the floor during the Lakers’ recent winning streak. After a rough stretch to begin the season for both players, including plenty of mockery on social media platforms from fans of the sport, the improved play from both role players is something that the coaching staff can definitely build upon in the coming weeks.
Despite their recent success, the Purple and Gold are about to enter one of the toughest parts of the regular season schedule in the coming weeks with their annual Grammy road trip and plenty of budding contenders on their upcoming slate. However, with how well the Lakers have played since their disappointing Christmas Day outing versus the rival Clippers, there is certainly plenty of hope among the Laker faithful that the good times can continue to roll. It’ll be exciting to watch the Lake Show compete against some of the league’s best as the games become more and more important in the coming months as the team turns their focus toward preparing for a potentially grueling postseason run through the gauntlet known as the NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers seem to be developing together as the season moves along, but they have not quite hit their potential yet as a unit in the tight Western Conference (via Flipboard).
Holding Down the Fort
Outside of two meaningful wins against their Los Angeles foes, the Clippers have once again fallen somewhat under-the-radar in the Western Conference. Sitting at 5th in the West with a nice 27-13 record, the Clippers are trying to find their groove together as they look to build a club that can make an appearance in this year’s NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Even with the Clippers good-but-not-great start, Los Angeles has the major benefit of sitting tight in the middle of the conference. As of today, the Clippers sit fifth in the West, but realistically are only .5 games out of second place in the conference among the Nuggets, Jazz, and Rockets. Depending on if one is a Clipper fan or not, they could have two takeaways for this start to the season. On one hand, the Clippers have not been at full health for most of the season, and the combination of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George has not played quite enough minutes on the floor together to make them the clear favorite in the West. But they also have two huge wins against the Lakers in front of a primetime audience, which is a huge deal based on how competitive both teams expect to be in this year’s title hunt. On the other hand, this is a team that has been completely mediocre on the road and looks like they are trudging along in the regular season, much like the 2018-2019 Toronto Raptors, in hopes of some much-needed rest and full health by the time the playoffs roll around. Both routes would prove to be at least somewhat true, and it appears the real truth of this year’s Clippers probably lies somewhere in between. It is clear that Doc Rivers’ Clippers are one of the top three threats to win the title this year alongside the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, but we may not see the best version of the team until crunch time rolls around in mid-April.
With that being said, it is hard to ignore how productive the team has still been. Despite their road record, the Clippers’ 17 wins at home are tops in the West, and they are tied with Miami for the second most home wins in the entire league. For a fanbase that has been often considered nonexistent in a city full of Laker fans, it is impressive how well the Clippers have been playing at Staples Center all year long. In addition, the Clippers’ two top stars have put together big seasons while on the floor, with Leonard ranking near the top of the league with 25.8 points per game. If Leonard and George can also continue to get top-level help from studs such as Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, and Montrezl Harrell, the Clippers have a chance to be the league’s toughest out late in the season with such a deep supporting cast around their best players.
Los Angeles isn’t quite where they thought they could be as the midseason approaches, but they are still exactly where they need to be at this point in time. The Clippers appear to be a team that will be ready for all that it takes in the Western Conference playoffs in April, which is why their depth and health will be attributes that separate them from the rest of the pack in the NBA.
Los Angeles Rams / Los Angeles Chargers
After a very disappointing season in 2019, the third place Los Angeles Rams will face plenty of tough decisions in the upcoming offseason (via Flipboard).
Up in the Air
A season ago, football in Los Angeles was thriving after years of downtime with both of the Rams and Chargers making playoff appearances. However, after extremely disappointing seasons from both squads, both organizations face tons of controversy heading into an offseason that could decide the future of both clubs.
The Rams were expected to contend in the NFC once again after a Super Bowl appearance against the New England Patriots a season ago, but lofty expectations and a plethora of underperforming play on-the-field limited Los Angeles from making the playoffs. Now, after clearing falling behind consistent contenders in the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West, the Rams face plenty of coaching and personnel decisions that will determine how next year’s team will truly fare. Los Angeles kicked off their offseason with a bang when they cut ties with veteran defensive coordinator Wade Philips, which was a major surprise after a few seasons of solid success on defense. Now, after shifting around their coaching staff, head coach Sean McVay must figure out what really went wrong on offense this season and invest in some valuable assets in free agency despite a limited amount of cap space. One of the Rams’ major problems this season was on their offensive line, where they faced a significant drop-off in production from the season before. The team will definitely look toward the draft or free agency to improve that important unit, but may struggle to do so with a lack of top draft picks and available financial space to sign marquee free agents. In addition, with cornerback Jalen Ramsey likely to sign a long-term deal that would make him the highest paid defensive back in the sport, the Rams will have their backs against the wall with so much uncertainty on how to get better and tons of money invested into their star players such as Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and Aaron Donald. It looks like it may a tough climb back to relevancy in the NFC for the Rams, and it will be interesting to see what approach they take in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the Chargers may face more trouble than the Rams in the upcoming offseason after an even more disappointing season. After finishing second in the AFC West behind the Chiefs and making a Divisional Round appearance a season ago, many thought that the Chargers had a shot to take another step forward under head coach Anthony Lynn. Instead, the Bolts took about five steps backward, finishing dead last in the AFC West and failing to capture a single win against a divisional opponent. After their lack of success this season, it is clear that the Chargers’ front office may be forced to take some extreme measures in order to bring the team back toward any sort of relevance. The Chargers’ main issue to address this offseason will be at the quarterback position, where veteran signal caller Philip Rivers nearly fell of a cliff in terms of his play in 2019. With Rivers aging quickly and with an expiring contract that will be in effect at the start of the new league year, it looks like the Chargers may cut ties with their best quarterback in franchise history. Like the Rams, this could force the Chargers to turn in two possible directions: the draft or free agency. In this year’s draft, it seems very likely that top quarterback prospect Joe Burrow will go first overall to the Bengals, but it is anyone’s guess which other quarterbacks will fall in the draft after him. Two names that make a ton of sense for Los Angeles are Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa is an especially interesting case after putting together a phenomenal career at Alabama, but injuries have been a major concern for scouts across the country that could affect his stock. Otherwise, the Bolts could opt to take a unique route at the position by pursuing Tom Brady in free agency. Brady has been rumored to leave New England in the coming offseason for months now, and it would not be a major surprise if Brady was interested in returning to his home state to finish his illustrious career. The Chargers have plenty of question marks to address, but it should surely be an exciting time for fans who want to see what the future of the team holds.
The last major story that follows both teams in the offseason will be the progress of the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Reportedly way over budget at this point in time, the new stadium is around 85% complete and should be ready to open in time for next year for the Rams and Chargers according to an article from Heavy.com. At this point in time, fans have only seen concept art of what the facility is expected to look like in the future, and it will be interesting to see if the stadium proves to be the breathtaking spectacle that many people think it will be. With construction still in progress and plenty of unique features soon to be leaked to the public, it should be very interesting to see how this project develops and how fans react to the newest stadium in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Kings / Anaheim Ducks
After a down year a season ago, it has been an especially disappointing start to the regular season for the Los Angeles Kings (via Las Vegas Review-Journal).
Flailing Expectations and the End of an Era
If the 2010’s were the decade of dominance for hockey in Los Angeles, the start of the 2020’s may show quite a different side to the story. With both of the Kings and Ducks sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, it has been nothing but bottom of the barrel play from both squads so far this year.
For the Los Angeles Kings, many fans hoped that last season may have just been an outlier. Especially with the return of star players such as Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty, and Dustin Brown, there was a least some kind of hope of a return to the postseason for the Kings in the new year. However, with an odd mix of young and old players, Los Angeles has struggled mightily and currently sits at 14th in the West. One of the Kings’ main problems this year has been their lack of goal scoring, which ranks 28th in the league with only 118 thus far. With their lone All-Star in Kopitar standing out as the only notable performer on offense, it has been a huge struggle for the Kings to generate any sort of effective offense to compete with some of the best teams in the West such as St. Louis and Colorado. However, what has been even more concerning for the Kings this season has been the slow decline of their goalie in veteran Jonathan Quick. With the rest of the Kings’ defense at least playing somewhat solid on the back end as led by Doughty, Quick’s lack of ability to limit elite offenses has led to unhappy fans continuously leaving the Staples Center early. Although Quick is a former Stanley Cup hero for the Kings, it is clear that the former superstar goalie is no longer the best version of himself on the back end in allowing 3.01 goals per game with a .895 save percentage.
Meanwhile down in Anaheim, many of the same issues have plagued the Ducks all season long. Just like Los Angeles, the Ducks’ fanbase assumed that last year may have been somewhat of abnormality in the standings with plenty of solid players still across the board, even in a very competitive Western Conference. However, the previous hope seems all but lost at this point in the season, as the Ducks rank right in back of the Kings in the playoff picture with the 15th spot in the West. With the second worst offense in the NHL with only 111 goals, the Ducks’ lack of ability to score has also been their biggest problem this year. After losing their alternate captain and former stud Corey Perry to the Dallas Stars in the offseason, the Ducks have truly lacked a leader at the top that can push them through tough times. With longtime veteran Ryan Getzlaf really providing the only kind of spark on offense for the Ducks, it has been a real struggle for Anaheim in all parts of the game. One of the only bright sides for the Ducks has been a solid defense backed by goalie John Gibson, who is once again putting up a solid stat line with only 2.96 GAA. With the youngster Gibson planning to be in Anaheim for the long run, the Ducks can at least bank on the hope that turning around their offensive production can get them back near the top of the Pacific Division and the conference itself.
For both teams, these disturbing trends may signal the end of an era for some longtime players after a decade of relevance in the NHL. If the absurd amount of losing continues for both of the hockey teams in Los Angeles, rapid transformation could soon be underway in both organizations in the very near future.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The massive signing of a former World Series hero in Anthony Rendon could be a great move for the Angels in their pursuit to get back into the postseason in the tough AL West (via The Halo Way / MLB Blogs).
Hope on the Horizon
Although not quite as notable as the attractive signing of Gerrit Cole to the Yankees, the Angels’ signing of Anthony Rendon has potential to be one of the most impactful free agents signings in recent memory.
Adding Rendon to an already solid lineup full of studs such as Mike Trout, Justin Upton, Shohei Ohtani, and rookie Jo Adell has a great chance to make the Angels a contender in the AL, but this signing goes much deeper than that. Instead of backing down from acquiring another All-Star free agent after the somewhat poor signings of Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols, it is notable that Angels’ owner Arte Moreno decided to once again go all-in on Rendon so that the club can contend for a World Series right now. Part of this surely has to do with Anaheim holding on to future Hall of Famer Mike Trout, who needs a stronger supporting cast to add to his already illustrious resume. With only postseason success missing from Trout’s display case, it is clear that the Angels are trying to do all that they can to put Trout and themselves in the best position to win now with a generational talent on their payroll. It is also clear that the Angels may be in the middle of an organizational transformation with Maddon now at the helm, who is a polished former World Series champion with the Cubs. Especially in a market that compete with big-market organizations like the Lakers and Dodgers, the Angels are trying to make a big splash in the country’s second largest sports market to remain relevant in the overall sports landscape in the city. With several stars now on the roster and plenty of expectations heading into next season, all eyes will be on Anaheim next year at Angel Stadium in the first years of Maddon and Rendon.
Regardless, it is too early to predict just how Rendon’s contract will play out in Anaheim. However, what can be said is that the signing makes perfect sense on paper and gives even more firepower to what is expected to be on the best offenses in the Major Leagues. With the best player in baseball still roaming in the outfield and Maddon now leading the charge as their new manager, the Angels have plenty of hope heading into this year’s Spring Training after the signing of the All-Star third baseman, which should be a major concern for other AL contenders such as the Yankees, Astros, Red Sox, and Twins.