“It’s deja vu all over again”, once said the legendary Hall-of-Fame-catcher Yogi Berra, known for his quotes. He could not have described the end of the 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers season better. Many things look like they did a year ago – once again they are empty-handed after a World Series trip.
If one looks at the corresponding follow-up report from the previous year on the Dodgers, one notices findings such as ‘on paper the Dodgers were better staffed in total’, as well as ‘questionable decisions’ regarding the bullpen management of manager Dave Roberts. And at the very end, the text concluded with a relatively optimistic conclusion due to the good age structure of the team with many promising youngsters.
We are even talking about Walker Buehler, who would soon be in rotation. Buehler was ultimately the only bright spot for the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series. His performance in Game 3 was breathtakingly good and was only overshadowed by the fact that the match lasted 7:20 hours – 7:20 long hours that felt like it, in the middle of the night!
But this conclusion one year later is not intended to underline the author’s visionary abilities, but rather to show how little has actually happened in Hollywood. In principle, the same findings still prevail as in 2017.
One of the points of criticism last year was the use of Closer Kenley Jansen, who was uncharacteristically often supposed to pitch two innings. And so had his problems. In 2018 this was again demanded of him. Both in game 3 and in game 4, to be exact. Both times he gave home runs and guided tours.
This year also saw some strange personnel decisions. Probably the most serious question is why Roberts in three out of five games left his perhaps best player – next to Manny Machado – sitting outside. We are talking about Cody Bellinger, who as a left-handed batter against the left-handed Red Sox mostly sat on the bench.
Of course Bellinger only beat .226 against Leftys in 2018, but we’re talking about the World Series, so it’s not advisable to leave such a player out. Especially not if the alternative doesn’t get anything on the chain – Kike Hernandez did two hits in the whole series!
The bottom line is that these are small things, considering how historically the Red Sox acted well, especially with two outs and runners in scoring position. Surely the best team in the league has won, and deserved to win.
Nevertheless, the Dodgers are now faced with numerous question marks.
The biggest one is undoubtedly the future of star pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who once again went through a changeable postseason. His contract, which runs until 2020, contains an exit clause this winter. He would still be entitled to a guaranteed 65 million dollars, but the free market could easily top this sum.
Kershaw himself was still holding back on his future: “I haven’t made a decision yet. We have three days to talk about this. My family, the agents and the Dodgers. And then we’ll see what happens.”
In addition, Dodger decision-makers must decide how and whether to proceed with Manager Roberts. His original three-year contract ends, but he still has a club option for 2019. Nobody knows for sure whether it will be drawn. On the one hand, L.A. won with him three times in a row the NL West – six times in a row in total – and twice the NL Pennant. The very big litter, however, was missing.
“My plan is to manage the Dodgers,” Roberts made his intention clear. “I love the city, I love the organization and everything that goes with it.” Roberts added: “And I love the high expectations. And that’s the way it should be. I can always get better.”
In addition to Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Yasmani Grandal, Brian Dozier, Ryan Madson and, of course, Machado could also be other big names in the team. They all become free agents. But Machado in particular, who joined the team in the course of the season, should be safe.
Not only because of his sometimes questionable behavior or his extremely manageable World Series (.390 OPS), but also and above all because Corey Seager returns from his elbow injury and will claim the place of the shortstop again.
But all the others will remain under team control for years to come, which is why last year’s conclusion is also a good one: the future remains bright in Los Angeles. Also because the competition in the National League at the top does not seem to be as high-calibre as in the American League with the Red Sox, Astros and Yankees.
But first it’s time to lick wounds once again, because as Roberts so appropriately put it: “This time it hurts us all.” Certainly a little more than 2017, these Dodgers are the first team since the Texas Rangers 2010 and 2011 to lose the Classic twice in a row.
The shape curve of the Rangers then went rapidly downhill. On paper, in any case, the Dodgers are much better positioned to prevent this. They will attack again – even at the risk of experiencing a deja vu. Again.
This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.