Hurricanes, babies and the Dodgers

The juxtapositions we face in our lives can be stark and startling.

Take today, for instance.

A major hurricane is coming ashore a couple of hours away on the Florida Gulf Coast with our Tallahassee in line for major wind and rain later this afternoon. Because we live in a tree paradise, we will most likely lose power in a few hours.

Meanwhile, my daughter, her husband and newest grandchild are a few miles away in a hospital because the hospital is in a lock down due to the hurricane. They may let them come home tomorrow. For now, photos sent on a smartphone will have to suffice. I look forward to that new baby smell, one of the few aromas that exceeds the leather in a new car.

And then there's the Dodgers, fresh off a 3-1 series win over the Braves, getting ready to face off against Milwaukee. The Brewers dispatched the Rockies in three straight and figure to be a hand full.

The good news for the Dodgers is that Clayton Kershaw, pitching in the second game, was masterful over eight innings and Hyun Jin-Ryu, who started the Atlanta series, was equally impressive.

Rookie Walker Buehler, the ace in waiting, had a rocky inning against the Braves in a 6-5 loss but he will be just fine against the Brewers. And then there's Kenley Jansen, who showed no ill effects of recent health issues as he shut down the Braves in the series finale.

With the bats, we started to see why Manny Machado was such a big investment. Machado hit a pair of dingers against the Braves, including a key three-run shot in the clinching Game Four. Max Muncy, David Freese, Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal had moments against Atlanta as the Dodgers seem to be peaking at the right time.

If the Dodgers can get past the Brewers, they will face either Houston or Boston in the World Series. The Astros might even be better than the team that won it all a year ago and the Red Sox just plowed through the Yankees with ease. That series will be fun to watch.

But for now, Milwaukee presents a real test.

October baseball. The playoffs. Hurricanes. New babies. This life is good.