Dodgers 2017: the making of a World Series season

The Dodgers won a league-high 104 games this year and at one point Sports Illustrated called them the best baseball team ever.

Within days of the magazine's publication, the team that went 43-7 in mid-summer fell from the stratosphere with a thud, playing .500 ball in August and September, at one point losing 15 of 16.

They finished on a high note, winning eight of 10, but the Dodger faithful still wondered which team would show up in the playoffs - the red-hot boys of summer or the doldrum Dodgers of August and September.

Arizona found out quickly and convincingly in the NLDS, getting swept in three games and wondering what happened to the team they had beaten six times a row and held an 11-8 season record over?

"Next Man Up" would be a good calling cry for these Dodgers.

Adrian Gonzalez went down early and rookie Cody Bellinger showed up to hit 39 homers and play a stingy defense at first base. Andrew Toles went down with a season-ending injury and Chris Taylor emerged as a centerfielder and rally starting leadoff man. Yasmani Grandal struggled at the plate and Austin Barnes won the full time catching job by the time the playoffs came around.

The Dodgers lost Corey Seager for the NLCS and Charlie Culberson was summoned from Oklahoma City to fill in. Culberson and Taylor platooned at short and the Dodgers didn't miss a beat.

Then there's Enrique "Kike" Hernadez. A versatile utility player, Hernandez got the start in Game Five and crushed three homers to lead the Dodgers to an 11-1 route.

Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig and Taylor have wielded the hottest bats but the role players have stepped up, providing punch all through the lineup.

Then there's Kenta Maeda. A starter all season, Maeda was shipped to the bullpen for the playoffs and has emerged as a shut down middle reliever. Maeda, Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen, with spot help from Tony Cingrani, Tony Watson, Josh Fields and Brock Stewart didn't allow the Cubs to score in five games.

The starters, led by Clayton Kershaw, have pitched well, aided by the fact they didn't have to go longer than five or six frames with Maeda, Morrow and Jansen waiting in the wings. Manager Dave Roberts has had a short hook with his starters due to the fact his pen has been so dominant.

Yu Darvish, Rich Hill and Alex Wood have all pitched well, giving the Dodgers starting pitching depth they have not seen in years. No longer does Kershaw have to pitch on limited rest and carry the weight of the pitching staff on his shoulders.

These Dodgers are deep.

Houston will be a formidable opponent, no doubt, but these Dodgers should seriously contend
for the team's first title since 1988.