The 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers: Great Expectations
“In the history of the Dodgers, nothing has ever come easy”. – Vin Scully
“Nothing gold can stay” – Robert Frost, 1874-1963
A few weeks ago I touched on the idea of a World Series Hangover and what it means for Dodgers fans. Last year’s season-long party had ended so suddenly and on such a sour note in Game 7 that as this new season began, we all longed to recreate that same magic and relive the truly magical moments that made last season so unique, so one-of-a-kind.
It has since occurred to me that expecting this year’s team to perform exactly like last year’s squad is the core of the issue we are now experiencing as fans during this mainly uninspiring start to the 2018 campaign. Last season was exactly that, one-of-a-kind, and no matter how similar the roster looks, and how many of the same guys have returned, it is still a new team, a new year. Life, as one learns the older one gets, changes even when you don’t want it to.
Thankfully, we have a choice on how we react to those changes, and baseball is no different.
None among us is wrong for having such high hopes, such impossible expectations for this year’s team after what they treated us to last year, for we are only human. It’s possible that we may never see a team like the 2017 Dodgers again in our lifetime; they were that good, regardless of how Game 7 ended. We all wanted the good times to stay forever, even though in our hearts we know that “nothing gold can stay”.
Dodgers baseball, in the good times, is the straw that stirs the drink among us fans, and there is no better place to be. Everyone (except for those infamously known as Fraudman Twitter) is happy, love is in the air, and life is good. With April’s results so far, by contrast, the unrest among fans is palpable, and exceedingly so with the devastating news about Corey Seager. I suggest that this is the time to start letting last year go and have faith that the organization will make the best use of its depth in time to treat us to a whole new set of memories.
I have come to believe that challenging times define us, in life and in baseball, and friends, it is my belief that those glory days will come again, but with a different, currently unknown look. While having had the privilege of witnessing “Absolute Madness!!”, and “The Dodgers have done it again!” type moments last season, now is the time to open our hearts to the possibility of new memories, catchphrases and friendships to light our summer nights. I choose to believe, and hope you will join me.
As time marches on and life around us goes on, I’m still grateful for the great distraction of Dodgers baseball and how it has come to feel like home. And when the day arrives that all of these hopes and dreams for the team come together, whenever that may be, I like to think that we will all have made it there together…moment after moment, memory after memory.
Cody Bellinger Benched For a Lack of Hustle
Actually this was predictable when management decided not to replenish the bullpen. Not resigning Marrow was a brainless move.
My biggest issue with this year’s team is that the front office did virtually nothing to improve it, while other top treads did. And Dave Roberts caught lightening in a bottle his first two years as manager. He had nothing to do but fill out a line-up card, and with several players having career years–Taylor, Bellinger, Puig, Wood, Morrow, for examples–and having Seager and Turner having great back-to-back seasons, and Kershaw being Kershaw, it was easy for him. Now, he has a horrible bullpen that he seems unable to figure out how best to use it (and the front office thinking they could just put anyone there and get the same results as in 2016 and 2017), hitters seemingly willing to just stand there takkng strikes with runners in scoring position, starting pitching that aren’t allowed to pitch to the opposition a third time through the line-up (over-taxing the poor performing bullpen), spending $48M on a pitcher who can’t figure out how to toughen up his fingers and is sure to spend time on the DL every xeason, and the appearance of the players having a “I don’t really care”attitude is killing them. But, hey, they are under the luxury tax, maybe can re-sign Kershaw and sign some free agents during the off-season, and Dodger Stadium will again see 3+ million people pass through the turnstiles–the owners are making money and that’s all that seems to matter. Oh, and Roberts will be lucky to make it to the 2019 season, if he even survives the current season.
“April is the cruelest month.” – T.S. Eliot
What Eliot wrote about the weather is also true for the Dodgers and their fans this year. I will go farther: the season is lost, barring a miracle.
I really thought the Dodgers would “Win for Vin” this year, since they failed the year he retired and on the 30th anniversary of that improbable 1988 championship.
La Sorda and Koufax deserve to see another championship before their time runs out, and so do I, who has been bleeding Dodger Blue since 1955.
“The saddest words of tongue or pen are these: it might have been.”