Los Angeles gathers in Arizona for the 2021 pursuit

The Dodgers opened spring ball in Arizona yesterday with a 2-1 win over Oakland as spring training 2021 got underway.

After winning it all in 2020's abbreviated season, Los Angeles signed Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to bolster a rotation that already boasts Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and is welcoming back David Price, who sat out the pandemic season.

In other words, the Dodgers were already loaded at starting pitching and signed the best pitcher on the market. 

Of course, LA had to do something splashy after San Diego signed Blake Snell and Yu Darvish to join Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger. Clevinger is still on the injured list after Tommy John surgery and is not expected back in 2021.  

San Diego was not at full strength in the 2020 playoffs with Clevinger and Lamet injured, but San Diego is primed to give the Dodgers a serious run for the money in 2021.

Remember, the Dodgers' path back to the Series will not be easy. San Diego looms as a threat to LA's hold on the NL West and Atlanta, which had Los Angeles down 3-1 in the NLCS, figures to be hungry in 2021.

The Dodgers' core lineup is intact from the championship run but role players Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez have moved on via free agency as well as pitchers Alex Wood, Jake McGee, and Pedro Baez. The Dodgers finally re-signed Justin Turner at third base and will give Gavin Lux another shot at second base and Edwin Rios some playing time at third. Chris Taylor will fill the gaps and will start at second if Lux is not ready for the big show. Max Muncy figures to get most of the starts at first base. Infielder Zach McKinstry will also get the chance to fill in where Kike Hernandez was used last year.

In the outfield, the Dodgers are set with A.J. Pollock, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts expected to get most of the starts. 

Will Smith and Austin Barnes will share time behind the plate but many expect Keibert Ruiz to get some long looks at the backstop position.

In the pen, which shined in the postseason, the Dodgers added Cory Knebel and Tommy Kahnle to a pen that already boasts Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Scott Alexander, Joe Kelly, Victor Gonzalez, and Mitch White. 

What could be pivotal for Los Angeles is if Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy can rebound from sub-par regular seasons a year ago. Bellinger followed his MVP season in 2019 with a .239 batting average in 2020 and Muncy hit a dismal .192 for the season. 

If Bellinger and Muncy bounce back, LA's potent lineup could be even better.

Dodgers end 32-year drought by winning the World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers became World Series champs for the first time in 32 years last night, downing the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to take the Series in six games, 4-2.

I watched the game with Ann at my side. She realized that this game was going to be an emotional journey for me. My brother Micheal and nephews Jesse, Chris, and John were keeping in touch via text message. Jesse stopped in Las Vegas on his way back to Salt Lake to catch the game.

At one point, Adam, Mike's grandson in Seattle, chimed in with a supporting text, "We got this grandpa."

Tampa Bay started with their ace, Blake Snell, who shut down Los Angeles for the first five frames, holding the Dodgers to a pair of hits. When No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes singled to center, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled Snell from the game.

We had heard all Series about Tampa Bay's "high leverage" relief pitchers and how Cash was eager to turn the game over to his pen. Look, it worked all year. Tampa Bay had the best record in the American League and vanquished New York and Houston to get to the Series.

But on this night, Cash and all the sabermetrics and stat-crunching was wrong. Snell was dealing and the Dodgers had no answers to his pitches. 

After the game, several Dodgers admitted that they sighed in relief when Snell left the game. Mookie Betts wasted no time in capitalizing on the pitching change, greeting Nick Anderson with a lined double down the left-field line, setting up a second and third situation with one out.

Anderson then threw a wild pitch, allowing Barnes to score and knot the game at 1-1. LA went up 2-1 when World Series MVP Corey Seager grounded sharply to first baseman Ji-Man Choi who tried to nab Betts at the plate. Betts got a great jump on the ball and beat the throw to home.

Betts added an insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth inning for the final 3-1 score.

Though Tampa Bay's bullpen got a lot of ink, it was the Dodgers' pen that came through in crunch time. With Tampa Bay up 1-0 in the second after a Randy Arozarena homer in the first, Kevin Kermaier doubled and Choi walked, putting runners on first and second with two outs. 

LA Manager Dave Roberts pulled starter Tony Gonsolin and brought in Dylan Floro to face Arozarena. Arozarena, who set postseason records for his hitting, went down on three Floro changeups to quell the rally.

In the third and fourth innings, Roberts called on little-used Alex Wood, the former starter, to keep the Dodgers in the game. Wood pitched two strong innings of no-hit ball, striking out three in the process.

In the fifth inning, Roberts brought in Pedro Baez and Victor Gonzalez. Baez got two outs and gave up one hit. Gonzalez finished the fifth and pitched the sixth inning, giving up no hits and striking out three.

Brusdar Graterol got two outs in the seventh and gave up one hit. Graterol handed the ball to Julio Urias with two outs in the seventh and the Dodgers' southpaw took LA the rest of the way home, recording seven outs, four of them strikeouts. Urias fanned Willy Adames on a 97-mph fastball on the inside corner to start the celebration.

Here are my takeaways:

• Clayton Kershaw, much-maligned for postseason failures, got the monkey off his back with two strong World Series victories and a 4-1 record and 2.93 ERA in the playoffs. Kershaw's postseason numbers would probably be much better if Houston didn't cheat in 2017 and the Dodgers not used him on short rest out of necessity repeated times. The best pitcher of his generation is now a champion.
• Mookie Betts is worth all the money LA is paying him. He didn't have a standout Series at the plate but his defense and base-running were difference makers.
• Corey Seager proved that when he is healthy he is one of the best hitters in the game. After major injuries in the last few years, Seager was phenomenal. Named the NLCS and World Series MVP, Seager was the foundation of a potent LA offense.
• Julio Urias emerged as a star. Urias started two games in the postseason and made four relief appearances. In 23 innings of work, he struck out 29 batters, posted a 1.17 ERA, and notched a perfect 4-0 record.
• Walker Buehler is now the ace of the staff. Buehler went 2-0 in the postseason, pitched 25 innings, posted a 1.80 ERA, and struck out 39 batters. 
• Rookies Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Victor Gonzalez pitched in high-pressure situations and will be major contributors in the years to come.
• Though struggling in the 60-game sprint after an MVP season in 2019, Cody Bellinger had some timely hits in the playoffs and should rebound nicely in 2021.
• Austin Barnes, known for his defense, hit .320 in the postseason.
• Joc Pederson, who had a dismal regular season, hit .382 with two homers and eight RBI coming off the bench in the postseason.
• Max Muncy, another Dodger who had an off-year, hit .318 in the Series with a homer and five walks.
• Justin Turner hit .320 in the Series with two dingers.

It took 32 years, but the championship trophy now resides in the City of Angels.

 

Dodgers on the cusp of first title since 1988

 After Saturday night's ninth-inning collapse, Dodgers' fans had to wonder if the baseball gods had one more dose of cruelty in store for us.

With a chance to go up 3-1 in the Series evaporating into the Texas night, the Dodgers called on Clayton Kershaw on Sunday to summon up one more winning outing -- and he did.

The future Hall of Famer acknowledged afterward that he didn't have his slider that was so devastating in Game One but he gutted it out, holding the Rays to two runs on five hits and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work.

A pivotal point in the game came in the bottom of the fourth when Manny Margot tried to steal home but Kershaw cut him down at the plate by firing to Austin Barnes. First baseman Max Muncy alerted Kershaw to the attempted steal and he stepped off the rubber and tossed to Barnes, who put down the tag in a bang-bang play.

The Dodgers' got things going with two runs in the first inning off Tyler Glasnow when Mookie Betts stroked a double to left and Corey Seager slashed a single to right. Bellinger then singled to right to make the score 2-0. The Dodgers increased the lead to 3-0 in the second inning when Joc Pederson powered an oppo homer to left-center.

Tampa Bay fought back, as they always do, on a Kevin Kiermaer single, Yandy Diaz triple to right, and a single up the middle by Randy Arozarena.  

LA's pen turned in a shutdown performance as Dustin May, Victor Gonzalez, and Blake Treinen pitched the final 3.1 innings. 

Treinan supplanted Kenley Jansen in the closer role and rookies May and Gonzalez pitched like they were back in Triple-A, shutting down the Rays to preserve a critical win in Game 5.

The Dodgers have an off-day today before Game Six on Tuesday. Tony Gonsolin takes the hill Tuesday against Game Two winner Blake Snell, who held LA to two runs on two hits over 4.2 innings in Tampa Bay's 6-4 win.

Should there be a Game Seven, LA's Walker Buehler will pair off against Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton in a rematch of Game Three when Buehler held the Rays to one run on three hits over six innings and the Dodgers battered Morton for five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

Buehler puts stamp on Series, Mexican-born Urias takes the hill

In last night's Game Three of the World Series, LA's Walker Buehler fired a three-hitter through six innings with 10 strikeouts and the Dodgers' potent bats came alive against Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton for a decisive 6-2 win and a 2-1 edge in the Series.

Morton came into the game with a 5-0 record in the postseason and an infinitesimal 0.70 ERA. Morton is Tampa Bay's stopper but Justin Turner greeted him with a bomb to left field in the first inning and the LA hitting machine revved up in the third and fourth innings to put the game out of reach.

Max Muncy cracked a two-run single in the third frame, Austin Barnes executed a squeeze bunt in the fourth, and Mookie Betts drove in another run with a single up the middle against Tampa Bay's four-man outfield.

Barnes then added a solo home run in the fifth inning to round out LA's scoring.

Buehler was dominant, clocking the upper 90s on the radar gun and controlling the strike zone. Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Kenley Jansen closed out the game and only a Randy Arozarena solo shot off Jansen spoiled a clean slate for the bullpen.

But Jansen, who almost lost his closer job earlier in the postseason, looked like his old self while closing the game in the ninth.

Tonight, the Dodgers throw Julio Urias, the pride of Culiacan Rosales, against a bullpen game for the Rays. 

Urias, who has worked both as a starter and reliever this year, is 4-0 in the postseason with a 0.56 ERA. He has worked 16 innings in the postseason, most recently three innings of shutout ball in Game Seven against Atlanta in the NLCS.

A win tonight would give the Dodgers a commanding 3-1 lead in the Series with Clayton Kershaw scheduled to go in Game Five tomorrow night. A Tampa Bay win would even the series at 2-2.

Urias will be the second Mexican-born Dodgers' pitcher to start a World Series game. Fernando Valenzuela started and won in the 1981 Series. He was on the 1988 roster but did not pitch due to injury. Urias pitched three innings in relief in the 2018 Series. Viva La Raza. 

Rays sting Dodgers in Game Two

Lining up the 2020 World Series, it was billed as Tampa Bay's shutdown pitching against LA's potent batting.

Last night, we saw some of that pitching. Blake Snell no-hit the Dodgers into the fifth inning before surrendering a two-run dinger to Chris Taylor.

Will Smith added a solo shot in the sixth inning and Corey Seager went yard in the eighth as LA pulled to within two at 6-4.

Tampa Bay relievers Nick Anderson, Peter Fairbanks, Aaron Loup, and Diego Castillo showcased the Rays' deep pen and shut down LA's comeback. 

Here are my takeaways:

• Tampa Bay does have the edge in pitching, both with starters and relievers.
• The Dodgers have the bats. They scored eight runs in Game One and four runs in Game Two.
• Friday's Game Three, Walker Buehler vs. Charlie Morton, should be a good one. Morton is 3-0 in the postseason with an 0.57 ERA and Buehler is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA.
• Tampa Bay got some timely hitting against a depleted LA pitching staff in Game Two. Dustin May got lit up for three runs on four hits in an inning of work and Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe came out of a deep slump with two homers.

The winner of the World Series will wear the crown because of depth. Either LA's deep batting order or Tampa Bay's deep rotation and bullpen will be the determining factors.

The Dodgers, who do not strike out often, whiffed 15 times in Game Two, nine of those coming against Snell. 

Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Max Muncy, and Cody Bellinger went a combined 1-for-13 in Game Two. That will have to change if LA hopes to win Game Three.

Text messages make the Series a family affair

During last night's Game One of the World Series, I watched baseball while Ann sat next to me and watched some television on her laptop, headphones attached. 

But we were not alone. My brother and my three nephews in Utah were right there with me as we group texted throughout the game. Oh, how baseball brings families together.

Every time there was a big play in the game, my phone would ding with a comment from Michael, Jesse, Chris, or John. Granted, some of the messages veered off the topic of baseball, but watching with my extended family made the experience that much richer.

Now, to the game.

Clayton Kershaw was vintage Kershaw. Two hits over six innings, eight strikeouts, and 19 swings and misses. He controlled the game with a mix of sliders, curves, and fastball that clocked in at 93 mph. He is not going quietly into the night.

Going into last night's game, the question was this: What would prevail, LA's stout batting order, or Tampa Bay's stellar pitching? Well, for Game One the answer was clearly LA's bats, powering the Dodgers to an 8-3 win and drawing first blood in the Series.

Cody Bellinger followed his Game Seven game-winning dinger in the NLCS with a two-run blast in the fourth, Mookie Betts added a solo shot in the sixth, and Justin Turner, Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Chris Taylor all contributed clutch RBI.

The Dodgers showcased power and the ability to play small ball, with Betts stealing two bases and joining Cory Seager in a double steal. 

Tampa Bay starter Tyler Glasnow's hard cheese was impressive, but his lack of control (six walks) was his downfall. The Dodgers are grinders. They make pitchers work and do not often offer on pitches out of the strike zone. Seager had a quiet night, walking three times, but that kept the pressure on the Rays.

Tampa Bay's bullpen, advertised as a strength, surrendered two runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. LA's Dylan Floro was tagged for two runs on two hits but Victor Gonzalez, Pedro Baez, and Joe Kelly turned in three innings of shutout ball to close the ledger. Gonzalez turned a fantastic double play on a line drive that quelled a Tampa Bay rally in the seventh.

On to Game Two.

Musings about the World Series

 The Dodgers open the World Series tonight against Tampa Bay and Dodgers' fans are anxious.

Losing the World Series in 2017 and 2018 will do that to you. 

The 2020 version of the Dodgers has been called the best in LA history. But a series loss against the Rays would mean this year's version did not live up to expectations.

Look, every sports team wants to win the championship every year. They start training camp with the hope of holding the trophy at the end of the year. Sadly, only one team gets to live that dream.

Tampa Bay is formidable. The experts say their pitching, both starters, and relievers, is the best in baseball. Starters Charlie Morton, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow are dealers. The pen is equally talented.

On the other side, LA's pitching has been a little spotty. Clayton Kershaw is showing his 32 years, Walker Buehler has blister issues, and Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May have yet to find the control they need on their pitches. Only Julio Urias has shined in these playoffs.

Where the Dodgers have an edge, at least statistically, is at the plate. The Dodgers have the deeper bats with Cory Seager, Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Will Smith, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and AJ Pollock all capable of crushing it.

What the Dodgers have going for them is Big Mo, momentum. While the Rays held off Houston after squandering a 3-0 lead, the Dodgers stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to win three in a row to take the National League pennant. 

Then there's the hunger factor. The Dodgers, trophy-less for 32 years, got to the big show in 2017 and 2018 only to come up empty. They have to be starving for a title after getting so close. 

However it goes, the Series is taking me back to the early sixties when my mom, Teresa Marin Fierro, used to take me and some buddies to Dodgers' games at Chavez Ravine where we got seats in the left-field pavilion for 75 cents and my mom and my aunt cheered on LA while sipping on tall ones.

My love for baseball was inherited. My mom loved the Dodgers and though I lost her 35 years ago, we still share that passion. 

Baseball can be a time machine.

Tonight, and for a few more nights, I will once again be 10 years old, sitting in the left-field bleachers and cheering for my team. 

I will celebrate the victories and mourn the losses. I will be a fan. And for a few hours, I will not think about pandemics and elections and our family pet who is seriously ill. 

Such is the beauty of baseball.