The Dodgers clinched their ninth National League West division title in ten years with a 4-0 win over the Dbacks in the desert on Tuesday night. The Dodgers did it behind another dominant Clayton Kershaw start and home runs from Joey Gallo and Freddie Freeman. Kershaw tossed seven shutout innings allowing just two hits while looking nearly flawless. While the Dodgers had a very good season last year, they didn’t win anything. The 2022 boys are having a historically great season and I think it’s important to honor that.
In 2021 while knocking the Giants out of the playoffs was almost as good as winning the division, they didn’t win the division, pennant or World Series. This season the Dodgers are back on top of the NL West clinching it earlier than ever on September 13. The Dodgers are now 98-43 and 55 games above .500. The club is on pace to win around 112 games and should have home field advantage throughout the playoffs and World Series, should they get that far.
And I think they should. After all the Dodgers have the best pitching staff in baseball allowing the fewest runs. They have the deepest and strongest lineup, scoring the most runs of anyone in MLB. The Dodgers have a ton of come from behind wins and have set numerous records during what will be the greatest regular season Dodgers team of all time.
None of that will mean anything unless they win it all. The Dodgers know this, which is why their celebration at Chase Field was quiet and professional. They put on the hats, posed for some photos, and shook hands before spraying champagne respectfully in the clubhouse. There was no jumping in the pool like they did in 2013. Kershaw is the only Dodger remaining from that season.
There’s still plenty of work left to do for the boys in blue. It’s time for the Dodgers to win the World Series again and prove to everyone that they can win a championship in a non-covid year. It’s time for the Dodgers to win another championship, preferably in front of the home crowd. It’s time for the Dodgers to win another World Series and shove the beginnings of a Dodgers Dynasty down the baseball world’s throats. This is just the first step. The Dodgers are National League West division champs yet again, and it never gets old.
Dodgers clinch the NL west | 09/13/2022
Craig Kimbrel gets Christian Walker to line out for the final out, sealing the Dodgers win and the NL west division title
Dear @Dodgers fans, your NL West Champs! 🙌🍾🍾 pic.twitter.com/zls6CikXGi
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 14, 2022
Yes, Scott. It never gets old.
Kershaw dominated tonight. Just what we needed to see.
Three big homers, but still short to Barnes” 353 footer though.
Pedal to the Metal until they get home field throughout
Respectfully, I hate this mentality:
None of that will mean anything unless they win it all. The Dodgers know this, which is why their celebration at Chase Field was quiet and professional.
It’s obvious the Dodgers have the best team this year, their performance in the Friedman reign has been historic.
They probably won’t win it all and it shouldn’t matter if they don’t.
You do want to see another title right?
That’s what this is all about Bluto, winning championships. That is what matters most. Yes they’ve been historically great, but winning rings is the most important.
Of course I’d like to see another title, but I’m not going to really care if they don’t.
It’s so much luck. Does anyone think the Braves were the best team last year? Of course not.
I’m amazed you think like this. Winning the regular season doesn’t mean anything. The best team imo is the one that wins the world series. So yes the Braves were the best team last year. There is very little luck involved. Its called talent, fortitude, toughness. The 88 Dodgers had it. The Dodgers had it again in 2020. Is there some luck involved? Sure maybe a smidge. But to say every championship is just decided purely by luck demeans what it means to be champions.
Could not disagree more.
If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were joking with that.
I don’t know a single person who thinks the Braves were the best team last year.
You don’t think winning 106+ games is more indicative of skill and performance than winning 11 games?
This is an interesting headline, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/32459742/2021-mlb-playoffs-how-atlanta-braves-stunned-baseball-reach-world-series
I’d say it’s 60% luck.
Look at the Braves! What fortitude did it take to barely make the playoffs?
Eddie Rosario was a key player. Will Smith was their closer. They are not then nor now epitomes of talent.
Players got hot. The Dodgers were exhausted and drained. Luck and serendipity.
Good luck consider them the best team! They were better than the Giants? No way, they just won more playoff games.
Nobody thinks the 1988 Dodgers were a better, more talented team than the A’s, do they?
Bluto,
You know I respect your opinions, but I think here we can agree to disagree.
The Dodgers were exhausted and drained
You don’t think the Braves were exhausted and drained as well? Everyone has to win 11 games to hoist the trophy. You kind of proved my point here. The Braves had more fortitude than the Dodgers did last year.
Yes there are other factors that play into it. Home field, excessive travel (traveling from LA to SF to Atlanta is hard and tiring) injuries etc. But the postseason is all about pressure and performing under pressure. The Dodgers couldn’t get to the finish line last year although they were very close. The Braves did. Many games in the regular season don’t have that pressure that the playoffs do. The postseason is just a completely different animal.
How much luck factors in? Ok sure a little bit does and yes there is some small sample randomness. But the great teams overcome this. The 88 Dodgers did it. The 2020 Dodgers did it. The 2021 Braves did it too. There’s a different between the team that wins the most games in the regular season and the team that wins the World Series, sure but it takes a lot of toughness to get all the way through the “tournament”.
I wouldn’t say they “barely” made the playoffs. They had a poor start due to injuries and played very well in the second half. Didn’t the 2000 Yankees “only win 87 games”? So by your logic they were lucky?
106 wins… So What?
NL West title…. So What?
Home Field Advantage throughout NL pennant race… So What?
Run Differential +321… So What?
Dodgers cannot win the close ones, and literally give away games with feast or famine offense (too many RISP and LOB), sloppy defensive play, Kimbrel’s inadequacies, Magic 8-Ball rotation, and overworked, shorthanded relief. A pitching staff “picking a number” in the crowded the training room or in the waiting room of Kerlan-Jobe. Dodger woes will only be magnified in short best of 5 or 7 series’s against tougher playoff ready opponents. Winning the Weak NL West is no guarantee that they are ready for the challenges of October or worthy of their “Best Team in Baseball” accolades.
A target is on their backs, and all teams are looking to upset the Dodgers.
Could be a disappointing 2022 October Playoff Season. Cross your fingers and hope for the best. As fans, that’s all we can do.
It’s only disappointing if you are disappointed. I’ve loved this season and look forward to the playoffs.
Dodgers are and have been the best team, I still take the field over the Dodgers to win the series.
These are great times to be a Dodger fan, revel in them
Just a lovely and great conversation about how great and amazing the Dodgers are and have been on this podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-athletic-baseball-show-a-show-about-mlb/id1558220009?i=1000580891839
I have seen enough. Andrew Heany should be the full time closer for this postseason. In fact I think we should lock him up now as a closer. The HR issue is an issue, but as a closer, that can be dealt with.
What a prime opportunity for one of the relievers to rise to the occasion, take the ball and run with it! Walk into DR’s office and say, “I am your MAN!”. A high profile closer would be a career/life changing opportunity with guaranteed 7-8 digit paycheck. Much more than what a middle reliever gets.
107 wins? Think of how many wins they would have had with a decent closer. Kimbrel alone has 5 blown saves…. Poor Urias has suffered a few of them. If Urias loses CyYoung, it could end up being based on his win/loss record, and he will be able to thank Kimbrel for that.
For now, closer by committee will have to work. Dodgers have some pretty good arms that they can count on. Much better options than Kimbrel, for sure. Yes, I have had enough of Craig Kimbrel.
Anyone is better than Kimbrel
Scott,
Not only do I consider your point silly, but I don’t think fortitude and toughness mean what you think they do. Unless you are taking serious poetic license
Then what do you think they mean? And why do you discount them? You don’t think it takes toughness to win a World Series?
I think it takes way more fortitude (as I take it to mean, poise in difficult times) or “toughness” (i think i understand how you are using it) to win 110 games over a long, laborious season. WAAAAAAAAY MORE. Than to win 11-14 games in the playoffs.
Way more. You have to be mentally tough, physically tough and emotionally tough.
This isn’t even really up for debate is it? Last time I checked 14 was less than 10% of 160. Performance over 160 games more indicative of character, skill, talent and any other objective or subjective measure then.
I say again, the Braves one with Eddie Rosario getting lucky (he’s a NEGATIVE 1.6 WAR this year, with an OPS+ below 70.) and with Will Smith as their closer (a NEGATIVE .6 war, as a closer!)
You’re forgetting about all of the other very good players on the Braves roster. But since you don’t believe in the World Series or championships, why not just eliminate all that and crown the Dodgers champions after today’s game?
It gets harder and harder to tell if you are serious or joking? I’m assuming joking.
I’m not forgetting about the other Braves. Why would you think that? I’m simply highlighting how luck-driven, prone to hot streaks and generally fluky the playoffs are and always will be.
In the latest FanGraphs podcast they spoke about how great and unprecedented this year has been for the Dodgers.
They basically won 110 games with a ludicrous amount of adversity:
No Bauer. Limited Buehler. Underperforming former MVP, Bellinger. Underperforming Muncy. Closer stinking.
Everybody should revel in how great this season has been. I know I am/have/will.
Who isn’t reveling? They’re fantastic. They won 111 games. I haven’t said otherwise. They are the team to beat. No question this season has been excellent.
You mention one player that got hot from the Braves as if that proves the playoffs and World Series are all luck based. Sorry but that’s kind of strange to me.
IMHO, screw the numbers (WAR, RISP, K’s, etc.)
Face it, the Dodgers lack stable pitching and offense…. And what is up with their recent defensive woes? Sure, they have multi-million dollar roster, and an exceptional run differential, but they lack the Fighting Spirit required to reach the ultimate goal. Fighting Spirit and intestinal fortitude are impossible to measure.
Other than Urias, Dodgers pitching staff squirrelly. Injuries have prevented them from obtaining any type of consistency…. Dodger offensive shortcomings only add to poor pitching performance. Without any early offensive support, the starting pitching staff are pressed to be perfect until the offense finally breaks out of their funk, many times any offensive pulse is too little too late. Poor Urias may end up losing Cy Young, due to Dodgers’ lackluster offensive performance.
Waiting for Belli-flop, Gallo, and Muncy to wake up offensively is like watching a pot of water to come to a boil. Almost a guaranteed 9 automatic outs. Then, if the top of the order each go 0-4, forget it.
The relievers have done a terrific job, but they might just run out of gas come October playoff time. There is no sense wasting time about how much Kimbrel’s inadequacies have crippled the Dodgers.
Looks like the Dodgers will be playing the Mets in the NLDS. I think they would be better off playing the Braves. If SD manages to get past the Mets, the Dodgers better hope the Padres are spent, physically and emotionally from the Wild Card series. I’m sure the Pads would like nothing more than to eliminate the Dodgers. Hummm….Fighting Spirit and intestinal fortitude? I think the Pads would have the edge, especially if the get past the Mets.
I don’t even think Obi-wan Kenobi could help. It is all up to the players, at this point.
They won 110 games.
The above post makes my point. Dont worry what could go wrong in a luck filled playoff. Revel in what has gone right in an arduous and highly successful season
That said, the call to ignore the objective was pretty moronic
I understand that you don’t believe in championships and that you struggle to accept things that can’t be quanitfied by stats or numbers.
Its ok Bluto, don’t bother watching the playoffs or World Series. There should be plenty of housewives reruns on during October. We’ll let you know how the Dodgers do this fall.
Who said I thought watching the playoffs was a bother?
Are you really not understanding anything?
My point is that winning in the playoffs and winning the World Series will be quite nice. But not doing so doesn’t invalidate how great of a success this year has been.
Please don’t try changing other people’s arguments or being snide, Scott. It makes you look stupid and doesn’t help further conversation.
Never said it invalidated anything. There is no question that the Dodgers have had an excellent season even if they don’t win the World Series.
What I’m disagreeing with you about is that according to you, the World Series doesn’t mean much and that the postseason is mostly based on luck and fluky happenstance.
One could argue that your comments are snide. Its hard to tell if anyone is being snide via text/message. I never changed your argument. I agree with half of your argument, that this season is successful regardless of a World Series championship. I would appreciate you not resorting to insults though and telling me that I look stupid because I disagree with you on something.
Can we agree on that?
So when you wrote (directly above mind you):
I’m amazed you think like this. Winning the regular season doesn’t mean anything. The
You were not invalidating it?
And you were agreeing “with half of argument, what this season is successful regardless of a World Series championship” WHEN you wrote (again, directly above):
That’s what this is all about Bluto, winning championships.
Not only are you changing my argument (again, I never said the World Series didn’t matter, nor did I say I wouldn’t watch the playoffs) but you’re changing your position.
Let me ask you this:
Let’s say the Mets squeak by the Wild Card series, but against the Dodgers DeGrom and Scherzer just pitch to the utter-top of their collective games? No-hitter, near no-hitters, perfect games… Whatever. They are basically unbeatable.
Then they are a better team than the Dodgers? Because two (2!) of their players had a good four games total? Those four games will be a better indicator of overall team talent? Of their collective offensive and defensive skills? Because two pitchers had two good games??!?!???!?
That’s because it is all about winning championships Bluto. That’s why a lot of players hang on for years after their primes. That’s what little kids dream about when they suit up for their little league games. Winning the World Series and the trophy that you devalue when you talk about “luck”, and “fluke”.
Yup, that’s what it’s all about. What do you think Tommy Lasorda would say about this if he were still alive today? Better yet why don’t you ask Orel Hershiser if the 88 Dodgers were “Lucky”. But I never said the season would be a failure if the Dodgers don’t win the World Series,it would just be very disappointing and annoying.
And guess what, if the scenario you described with Degrom and Scherzer and the Mets happened then yes the Mets would be the better team, you god damn right. Postseason is all about playing under pressure and only the best teams can do it. Doesn’t take away that the Dodgers had a historically excellent regular season though. You see I can carry two opposing thoughts in my head at the same time and have two, yes two conflicting opinions at once.
But do you think you can be a little nicer to me?