Dodgers Lost So What?

Before game 5 with the Nats, I admit I had periods of apprehension that Nats would win.   By the time I turned on the TV, Kike had just hit his homerun. 3 runs of Strasburg in 1 plus innings.  Now I was feeling pretty positive.   But, as we all know, the Dodgers lost – –  – I was shocked, to say the least.  I was as disappointed as I could be.  Immediately, the thoughts began churning, how could we possibly lose that game?   Not now, not this year?   The Dodgers were supposed to win it all this year.  I felt crappy.   

The next morning, the sun rose like it always does here in Southern California.   I had work to do.   Still shocked and disappointed, but it wasn’t long before I remembered that my life is full of more important things than who wins and loses a game that I’m not playing in.  Nothing that I do can or could affect the outcome of the game.   Doesn’t matter if I wear my lucky socks or yell at the TV.   Mind you, baseball is an extremely important part of my life.   I’ve had a love affair with the game and the Dodgers for 60 some odd years.   I have spoken before about how much I love this game.    Additionally, in any sort of competition, I hate to lose, whether in trial or in playing a board game with my 5-year-old grandson.   If I lose in court, I realize that I can’t spend all of my time wallowing in disappointment or worrying about who was at fault.  Nope, I have to move on, because as soon as I return to the office there will be another client waiting for me because they think that I offer the best solution for them to solve their legal issues.  I also hate it when the Dodgers lose.   But, like in life, losing and failure is a big part of baseball.

As Roger Kahn so eloquently wrote:   “You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat. Losing after great striving is the story of a man, who was born to sorrow, whose sweetest songs tell of saddest thought, and who, if he is a hero, does nothing in life as becomingly as leaving it.”

The Dodgers lost . . . afterwards, the blog world has lit up with fans who have to access blame to someone.  It was Doc’s fault . . . Kershaw is a choke artist . . . so are Bellinger and Seager.   Give us their heads on a platter . . . and on and on it goes.    I don’t care to get involved in that type of discussion.   Mind you, I don’t cluck my tongue at those that do.   I come to baseball because of love.   I’m convinced it is the hardest game to play and it has so many different nuances that make it the great game it is.  I love watching it, listening to it, talking about it, writing about it and learning about it.   I do not come to it to make myself angry or distressed.  No, it brings me joy and I would never trade that joy for anger or bitterness.   It’s not worth it.

But, doggone it the Dodgers still lost.   Bummed but that’s the way it is.   Losing is part of baseball.  Having nothing really profound to say about the loss, I thought I would just share some quotes about losing and baseball, perhaps to cheer you up or maybe it’s just therapeutic for me. 

“Losing is only temporary and not all-encompassing.  You must simply study it, learn from it, and try hard not to lose the same way again.   Then you must have self-control to forget about it.”   John Wooden

“You never know what’s going to happen… And that’s the fun of it!! That’s what baseball’s all about!!”   Keiichi Arawi

“All I know is when we win a game, it’s a team win. When we lose a game, it’s a team loss.” ‑ The Bad News Bears

“Watching other teams in the World Series is like watching somebody else eat a Hot Fudge Sundae.” ‑ Joe Torre

“Winning isn’t everything to me, but it is a close second.   Losing isn’t something that I can just brush off and fake a smile to hide my frustration.   It’s that will and determination that I hope will get me where I want to go.”   Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 

“I never thought of losing, but now that it has happened, the only thing is to do it right.  That’s my obligation to all who believe in me.   We all have to take defeats in life.” Muhammad Ali after losing to Ken Norton. 

“No matter how good you are, you’re going to lose one‑third of your games. No matter how bad you are you’re going to win one‑third of your games. It’s the other third that makes the difference.”   Tommy Lasorda

“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”   Yogi Berra

“Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.”   Babe Ruth

“It is dangerous to spring to obvious conclusions about baseball or, for that matter, ballplayers. Baseball is not an obvious game.”   Roger Kahn

“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.”  Leo Durocher

“Worrying about things you can’t control is a waste both on the baseball field and in life.” Tom SawyersGHTS:

Some Additional Random Thoughts

I’m not interested in deciding whether or not Dave Roberts must be fired simply because he made some mistakes in 2 or 3 of 167 games played this year.   I don’t even understand why that discussion takes up so much of our time.   He’s not the perfect manager (who is?), but Roberts is the classic example of a gamer – someone once said “The worst part of Roberts being tagged as one of the new generation run amok is that he was the traditionalist’s ideal: a player who relished headfirst slides, who sacrificed his body for any ball in the gap and who stole the most important base in the history of baseball. He didn’t make his MLB debut until 27, didn’t have a regular starting job until 30, and was usually one of the least naturally talented players in the clubhouse. But he did have speed, determination, and personality. Like his former teammate Alex Cora, Boston’s already‑beloved manager, Roberts was the kind of player you’d add to the payroll just to have around the team.”    Moreover, Roberts became the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to division titles in each of his first four full seasons at the helm. He and Tommy Lasorda are the only rookie managers in franchise history to guide the Dodgers to a division title.  He beat out Gabe Kapler, Bud Black, Darin Erstad, and Dave Martinez, among others for the job.   Why do you want to get rid of such a man?   For whom?   Dusty Baker, Joe Torre(been there and done that and he was awful for the Dodgers), Mike Scioscia or ???   Personally, I would not mind having Doc around for a few more years. 

“A baseball manager is a necessary evil.” ‑ George ‘Sparky’ Anderson

I’ve also decided that I’m not going to lose sleep over the decisions regarding Kelly and Kershaw.   I remain a believer that baseball is a team game.  Taken in isolation, we can analyze these decisions ad nauseum.   But these decisions were not made in isolation.   Any of a hundred different events could have changed the loss into a victory.    Baseball doesn’t have its version of Eddie Feigner of the King and his Court fame.   Feigner was probably the greatest softball pitcher of all time.    For years the King would travel around the world with his catcher, first baseman, and shortstop and the 4 of them would play against full 9 player teams and routinely, if not always, beat these teams.   Feigner could pitch from second base and still strike out the players on the other teams.   He would also pitch from center field and be able to strike batters out.   The King and his Court were softball’s version of the Harlem Globetrotters, possessing incredible talent and traveling all over bringing happiness and joy to young and old alike.   Baseball has no Eddie Feigner.   It’s a game that requires all 9 players, as well as those on the bench.  

As to Seager and Bellinger, It’s not my decision, but I would hold on to them for at least another year.   They are young, good and have tremendous potential for growth.   Personally, I think Seager is better than Kris Bryant.  

“I’ve come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.”  Bob Lemon   The Dodgers seem to be doing fine on the friend front.   However, they could use a good bullpen.   That probably has to occur by acquiring players from outside the organization, as other than perhaps De Geus (who is probably a year away), the minors have no pitchers ready to help at the major league level.   I also think that it’s probably time to move on from Yimi Garcia and Dylan Floro.   I’m ambivalent about Baez, but I still hold out hope for Scott Alexander and Caleb Ferguson.  

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again.”   James Earl Jones 

“When you start the game, they don’t say ‘Work Ball!’ They say, ‘Play ball!” ‑ Willie Stargell

That’s the great thing about baseball is that there will always be another game.   Pitchers and catchers report in February and then, just as trees and flowers begin to blossom, hope springs eternal as there will be another game, and another chance to win.   You know what?   I’ll be there, loving the game and the Dodgers as much as I ever have.   Won’t you join me?  In the meantime, let’s not worry or fret over those things we can’t control.