The Dodgers Finished the 2022 regular season with their 111th win, a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the regular season finale on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Freddie Freeman hit two home runs among four Dodger’s dingers as the Dodgers (111-51) not only broke the franchise record in wins, but finished with the second best regular season in National League history. There is no doubt that the Dodgers had an excellent regular season and were a terrific club this year. But is their season a failure if they don’t win it all?
There’s been some talk over here about this very topic. There are some people who believe that if the Dodgers don’t win the World Series then their accomplishments this summer mean nothing. There are also some people that believe the Dodgers were the best team in baseball regardless of whether they win the championship or not, and even if they don’t win a ring their season was still very successful.
It’s a tough question. There are no easy answers to this. You could point out that there are valid arguments on both sides. My opinion is that the whole point of playing any sport is to win as many championships as possible. The World Series is what every player aspires to achieve from the Major Leagues on down to the little leagues. All players dream of not only playing in the fall classic but winning it. As a little boy I dreamt of seeing the Dodgers clinching the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
for the record, I don’t think the 2022 Dodgers season is a failure if they don’t win a title. I do think it would be disappointing and annoying. Let’s say the Dodgers are knocked out in the playoffs, or lose the World Series, does that mean they are still the best team?
The Playoffs and World Series are all about playing under pressure. The postseason games are played under tremendous pressure. The regular season games do not carry the same significance as games in October do. Not to say regular season games are not important. Every game is important and the Dodgers and all MLB teams should always try to win every game by putting their best players on the field every day. However the postseason is so much harder to get through then games in April, May or June. The MLB playoffs are the ultimate sports pressure cooker.
sure there are other factors that play. For instance there is some luck involved as there is in any sport. There are injuries and there is other small sample size results. In order to get through the playoffs and win the World Series you have to have a lot of determination, toughness and chemistry. These are things that can’t be quantified by stats or numbers or formulas. The 1988 Dodgers weren’t the most talented team but they won the championship because they never gave up. You have to be relentless to do it, and those 88 Dodgers certainly were.
The World Series is the pinnacle of baseball success. It’s the reason why players hang on years after their prime. It’s the reason why little kids dream before bed time. It’s the reason why players come back too early from injuries and why entire cities shut down for a week at the end of October. This is what it is all about and another journey begins on October 11. Yet it doesn’t mean what the Dodgers did this regular season isn’t outstanding. I mean 111 wins, my word.
Nice way to finish the season. Now, the long wait for NLDS. I hope the Dodgers do not take their next opponent too lightly. NYM are scary and seem to have the edge mentally. SD would love nothing more than to eliminate the Dodgers.
Well, Jeff McNeil played chicken and sat out the final game to lock up NL Batting Crown. Poor Freddie gave it a run, but came up a penny short… too little too late. Boils down to DR resting him after they clinched. DR cooled off a hot Freeman. At least Freddie and Trea both collected 100 RBI.
My negative takes on October:
Dodgers’ pitching is sketchy. Too many tired or recovering arms.
Pitchers prone to give up dingers.
Can bullpen survive?
Kimbrel and Gallo stink.
Top of lineup has been sputtering.
Muncy a .197 DH?
Basically three “Mendozas” in the lineup. Gallo, Belli-flop, and injured Muncy.
Too many RISP/LOB.
Sloppy defense lately.
CT3 and Lux battling injuries.
5-day rest between end of season and NLDS could do more harm than good.
Inter-squad games? Dodgers do not need any practice beating themselves.
Positives?:
Belli showing signs of waking up offensively.
Urias!
Kershaw!
Phillips!
Mookie! My pick for NLDS MVP.
Go Dodgers!
Freddie was so close! Like one point off. Too bad he couldn’t win it. Would have been nice to see.
Scott wrote,
My opinion is that the whole point of playing any sport is to win as many championships as possible.
I would reply:
The whole point of a baseball organization is to be in position to win as many championships as possible, because winning them is almost totally luck.
Funny you believe in hard facts and data, yet also believe in an intangible thing called luck.
I respectfully disagree with your opinion that the postseason is mostly based on luck just because there are less games than the regular season.
Because there are fewer games (as few as four) there is a greater chance for luck to influencer than over 160 games.
How is luck intangible? It’s unpredictable, but it’s easy to define. Find the players who vastly out-perform. Isolate the plays that are near unique. it’s much easier to find in the playoffs.
i found this, it’s what I should have said.
https://harvardsportsanalysis.org/2013/09/undeserving-champions-examining-variance-in-the-postseason/
Its an interesting read. And yes there have been questionable champions in all four sports. There’s always going to be some kind of variance, but all 30 teams play under the same rules.
The problem in the system is the divisional play. Like for instance how fair is it that a 101 win team like the Mets has to play in the first round and their only reward is getting a few home games against an 89-win team like the Padres. I believe if all the teams were put in one division in each league and seeded solely on record while playing a balanced schedule, that it would produce less variance. I think you can agree with me on that right?
But to all of that I say tough. If you want to win it all, play better then the other team.
Because you can’t touch or hold luck. You also can’t touch or hold or see chemistry, toughness, performing under pressure or all the other skills it takes to win the World Series.
Oh, I believe in the “clutch” factor. But I think clutchness, chemisty and toughness are much more and better represented in a 160 game schedule than in four games.
So, Scott.
From your perspective, the Phillies are a better 2022 team than St. Louis.
Right?
as of this moment, yes because they won.
To be fair Bluto, every team in the postseason is good.