The Boys of Summer, what an amazing 2020 year you had! I know, a lot of people think because it was only a 60 game season, that the championship, somehow is not legitimate. I’ll say that is a pile of dung, this was quite possibly the toughest year on all of sports, every player and every team. The conditions and protocols for every player, coach and staff, has to wear on you, not to mention the constant testing. Then after the first round, stuck in the so called bubble for close to a month in Texas. Dodger blue deserves every piece of that beautiful trophy! Not to mention, NLDS 5 straight game and 7 straight in NLCS with no off days.
Yes I’m just a little bit biased, being a Dodger fan for 50 plus years, may have something to due with that. Back to the boys, the best regular season record of all MLB teams in 2020. Then a 2 game sweep of the Brewers in wild card round, two very good games against a very good team. The Dodgers pitching staff was nails, all year long, but especially tough in the post season! Now the Padres, this SD team has so much talent and are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come, if not for their starting pitching issues, this series could have easily gone 5 game. Give the Pads credit, they never gave up, but ultimately blue prevailed, with another sweep 3- 0. The Atlanta Braves, what a team! They fought the Dodgers tooth and nail for seven games, this series was one of the best playoff battles of all time! Both teams battling to the very end, with great pitching, defense and timely hitting, an instant classic. If not for some amazing defensive plays and huge hits by the Dodgers, the Brave could have been hoisting the trophy. Now on to the Tampa Bay Rays ( I always liked the Devil Rays, a manta not a ray of sunshine, really) another great team, with excellent pitching, great defense and tremendous hitting, with power. Some great strategies, by both teams, as far as starting pitchers and relief pitchers were used, but in the end, sometimes it’s not about analytics, it’s about what you see on the field and that feeling you get in your gut. Dave Roberts has taken a lot of heat over the years, especially during the playoffs. but this year Dave and his staff did an amazing job of handling the pitching staff, with analytics and the ole gut feeling, roll the dice and let it ride baby!
What a year, what a team, what a ride! I’m so happy for Kershaw, Jansen and Turner, These three have been great players for the Dodgers and MLB for many years, they are very much deserving of this Los Angeles Dodgers championship! Austin Barnes was huge, behind the dish and with the stick, Corey Seager awesome day in and day out, all year long. Mookie Betts WOW, so happy you are in LA, Julio Urais what a force on the bump, keep it flowing brother, Belli, Joc, Max, CT, Kike, Willy, AJ the list goes on and on, I thank you all for this amazing ride.
Finally, a quick shout out to the Boston Red Sox, in the coming years, give the Dodgers a call, when you want to move your great players, I’m sure the boys in blue, can work something out!
