Editorials

Dodgers: One Year Ago Today, LA Won The 2020 World Series

A year ago today, Julio Urias threw a 97 MPH fastball to Willy Adames on an 0-2 count, and the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series. Dodger fans at home sat on pins and needles, cheering on Urias and hoping that the 32-year drought would finally end. Watch it here, it’s worth it.



The Memories

I remember watching that moment. Thankfully my wife has a video of it. I hooted and hollered with my daughter, and after a few minutes, I could not help but think of Vin Scully, after Kirk Gibson hit that legendary home run off of Dennis Eckersley. Scully said, “in a year so improbably, the impossible has happened!” I took to Twitter and paraphrased the GOAT himself.

https://twitter.com/AJontheguitar/status/1321295645035159556

It’s a little extra, but it just felt right. 2020 was a very tough year. The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. Insert your favorite platitude here, but we all know it changed everything. Kobe Bryant, Gigi, and seven others perished in January. To say that “The Lakers and Dodgers won” in 2020 for Kobe and Gigi may feel heavy-handed, but it is hard to deny its poetry and resonance.

If you looked around at the time for the numerical connections, they were everywhere.

Some of these got downright absurd.

Los Angeles sports fans continued to celebrate the titles and pay homage to our late hero, Kobe Bryant.

Our Generational Icon Finally Wins What He Deserved

After my selfish desire for a championship as a Dodger fan, the photos of Clayton Kershaw as a champion started to flood in through social media and the official Dodger channels. This was where I was overcome with emotion. Clayton Kershaw had previously never won a title despite giving the Dodgers and their fans his heart, soul, and body. Nobody had earned this title more than Kershaw, even Cody Bellinger said it to him. There was Kershaw, our champion.

https://twitter.com/AJontheguitar/status/1321610465907216384

Dodgers
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 27:Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, left, and Austin Barnes hold the Championship trophy in Game 6 of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

If that image doesn’t fill you with joy, you’re absolutely not a Dodger fan.

Final Thought

It’s perfectly acceptable to be sad or upset about the Dodgers losing in the 2021 NLCS. It was a hard-fought season that feels like ended too soon. The post-mortem on this Dodgers season will take everyone a certain amount of time. With that said, Dodger fans should do their best to celebrate the 2020 World Series Champion Dodgers as much as they can. I know I do.

NEXT: Insider Feels LA Fans are Angered Over Early Postseason Exit After 2020 Short Season Title

AJ Gonzalez

AJ is a lifelong Dodgers and Lakers fan who grew up in California. His whole family is also lifelong Dodgers fans. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two kids, his guitars, and beagle Kobe.

3 Comments

  1. I’ve been celebrating all year and I promised I wouldn’t get too upset if things didn’t work out this year because they had finally excised the stench of the Fox/McCourt years. Still sad, though, they couldn’t go back to back.

    1. I concur. It was a wonderful year, just can’t help but feel it could have been more wonderful. So close. I wrote this elsewhere, lucky for the Braves that Acuna went down prior to the trade deadline. Had it happened after it…they miss the playoffs entirely more than likely. No re-made outfield. Completely changed that team. Oh well. Such is life.

  2. Don’t know where to put this figured this was as good a spot as any.

    All I can say is boy is baseball a tough business.

    Look at AJ Preller’s job. Hires a manager with no prior MLB experience (Jayce Tingler) and watches a team which was supposed to contend for the NL title implode in the 2nd half. Have huge long term contracts to major super-stars who don’t appear to get along. Now has to find someone to babysit these two clowns. Ok so far?

    Let’s move on. Mike Rizzo Was Nats GM. He’s had a roving turnstile of managers who can’t seem to satisfy Ownership while winning 4 of 6 Division titles!

    Davey Johnson goes 98-64 (Div title) and 86-76 (2nd NL East)…thanks for playing, cya!

    Matt Williams goes 96-66 (Div title) and 83-79 (2nd NL East)…again thanks for playin, cya. Notice a pattern?

    Dusty Baker goes 95-67 (Div title) and 97-65 (Div title)…wtf? Thanks for playin cya? Geez!

    Dave Martinez goes 82-80 (2nd) and he gets to keep his job? I’m shocked 93-69 (2nd) and saves his bacon by winning the WS! This year Rizzo has a fire sale and wins 65 games pfft!

    Why do I bring this up?

    I think Dusty really got shafted! He was out of baseball for 3 years and took the Cheaters job because no others would, more than likely. I feel bad for him because I think he’s a really good guy and it’s unforgivable in my opinion to be manager of a bunch of guys who don’t belong in baseball. I know I certainly couldn’t justify it to myself if I were him.

    Anyway, ramblings on a day with no games.

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