Missed it by that much

Maxwell Smart said it best: "Missed it by that much."

The Dodgers fell short in the National League Championship Series, falling to the anointed Chicago Cubs four games to two despite taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Clayton Kershaw was beaten handily in Game Six, adding to his post-season woes.

Kershaw pitched well in the playoffs, but couldn't muster another masterful performance to force a Game Seven.

In 2018 it will be 30 years since the Dodgers won the World Series. Much has been said of Chicago's and Cleveland's lifetime droughts - but 30 years is nothing to shake a stick at.

But I am the eternal optimist.

The Dodgers have the resources to add players and have won four straight NL West crowns. This year they made it to baseball's version of the Final Four. Not a bad year.

Dave Roberts guided his team to a divisional crown and NLDS title despite having the most players on the DL during the season.

The Dodgers have a strong crop of young players who will only get better. It was a fun ride.

I watched some of the playoffs in Tallahassee while we were fleeing from a hurricane. My granddaughter Daphne (see picture) wore her hat and later we bought her a Dodger blue dress.

How can the future not be bright?

Dodgers advance with dramatic win over Nats

Last night's 4-3 win over the Nationals sent the Dodgers to Chicago and a berth in the National League Championship Series starting Saturday. The winner of the NLCS advances to the World Series.

Getting there was a wild ride.

Joc Pederson hit a solo opposite field homer off of Max Scherzer, Justin Turner continued wielding a hot bat with a two run triple, Kenley Jansen threw 50 plus pitches in relief and ace Clayton Kershaw came out of the bullpen to record the final two outs when Jansen finally ran out of gas in the ninth.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled all the rabbits out of his hat and was grabbing for mice and squirrels to find a way to get the Dodgers past a dangerous Washington club.

I watched Game Five in Eden, Utah, high in the mountains above Ogden Canyon and was sitting on the edge of my seat.

I saw Game One in Tallahassee, Florida on Friday on the run from Hurricane Matthew. The Dodgers posted a 4-3 win to open the series. Our apartment in Jacksonville survived without damage and we headed to Utah on Saturday. I watched Game Two here in Eden on Sunday as the Nats evened the series at 1-1 with a 5-2 win.

We watched Game Three here in Eden on Monday and my brother and I agonized when the Nats administered an 8-3 whipping and took a 2-1 edge in the series. Nachos and quesadillas eased the pain.

We went to  his house in Kaysville for Game Four on Tuesday and watched the Dodgers post a 6-5 win to even the series at 2-2. Dominos pizza was part of the celebration.

Last night, Ann made sub sandwiches for the game and she fell asleep in the seventh inning. She woke up in the ninth when the Dodgers clinched it.

All in all, it's been a good week to be a Dodgers fan.

Dodgers face tall order tonight in DC

The Dodgers face a tall order tonight in Washington, D.C. in the deciding Game Five of the National League Division Series (NLDS).

They send Rich Hill to the mound on three days rest against Max Scherzer, the probable Cy Young winner with a 20-win season under his belt.

The Dodgers did beat Scherzer in Game One, with Corey Seager and Justin Turner taking him deep.

Scherzer is susceptible to the long ball and the Dodgers have feasted on right handers this year.

But let's go back to Hill. A late season acquisition from Oakland, Hill is 12-5 on the season and 3-2 since joining the Dodgers. He worked through a blister issue and has had some flashes of brilliance since donning Dodger blue.

With Hill going on three days rest, the Dodgers hope to get 3-4 good inning out of Hill and then turn the ball over to 20-year old Julio Urias. Urias would face the toughest assignment of his young career in facing a potent Nationals lineup at home.

The game figures to be decided in the bullpens, where Washington's lefties have pretty much had their way with L.A.'s left-handed dominated lineup.

Dave Roberts and Dusty Baker will be moving the chess pieces to earn the NLDS crown and advance to a Saturday date with Chicago in the NLCS.