Dodgers Open A New Season ‘Not Trying To Avenge Another World Series’

Pedro Moura has a beauty of a 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers season preview over at The Athletic. Now, this article might not hold within it exactly what you expect it to. No, the Dodgers clubhouse is not saying all the right things. In fact, they’re taking quite the opposite approach.

While some might expect to hear quotes like ‘third time is a charm’ and ‘this is our year’, the Dodgers’ players are taking a different stance.

“We’re just as good if not better than last year, and that doesn’t even necessarily matter. It’s a different season. Who gives a shit?” The 2019 Dodgers know the challenge in front of them. It comes in the form of people like Eric Lauer. https://t.co/basybDXbgM

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) March 26, 2019

For example, let’s look at what David Freese said about the season to come:

“What’s the point?” Freese asked the Dodgers. “We control, as much as we can, what we think about, what we say and what we’re focused on. But we’re all human, and we will revert back to thoughts, to feelings, to actions, sometimes that we’re not proud of. If you keep turning that up, you’re gonna get exhausted.”

Moreover, the veteran didn’t stop there.

“What’s the point in even dwelling on this stuff? And I’m even talking to myself, because I dwell on stuff all the time,” Freese said. “We’re just as good if not better than last year, and that doesn’t even necessarily matter. It’s a different season. Who gives a shit?”

First, I kind of like it. How can you not? The Dodgers are not putting added pressure on themselves. Indeed – they’re going to let the chips fall where they may – playing with house money. And what does that mean? A team that feels it has nothing to lose can be a very dangerous ball club.

Perhaps the most meaningful quote in the bunch was from Rich Hill.

“Playing game 163, you realize that it’s not gonna just happen again,” said Rich Hill, the team’s eldest player at 39. “But how did we get to game 163? I think you have to look at the beginning of the season. Last year’s mindset was definitely skewed because of the World Series hangover, where guys hadn’t been in that position before. Now, everybody’s been in that position. You understand the goal is not to avenge a World Series but it’s to be as consistent as we can without saying, ‘Oh, it’s just gonna happen again.”

Nevertheless, never say never in baseball. That said, the Dodgers have a really nice approach towards making a third consecutive World Series appearance. What do you think about what Freese and Hill said, and do you share the same feeling that Los Angeles is playing with house money in 2019? Let us know in the comments!