Every year, the Dodgers go through tough stretches, and many fans lose their minds and spew forth vomit about the Dodgers. It happens like this every year. Then I come back and try to explain that baseball is a game of streaks and adjustments to which some dumbasses always reply, “Well, you just love Friedman.” Well, maybe you should, too. The Dodgers have been the best team in baseball over the last 10 years… by a wide margin. They have won two World Series (should have been three, but for the cheating Asstericks).
However, every time the Dodgers go through a losing streak or encounter some problems, many fans jump on the bandwagon and head to Crazytown. They did it last year, and they are doing it this year, and… SECRETLY DOWN DEEP, these morons believe they are smarter than Andrew Friedman. If left alone, they would offer advice to a brain surgeon on how to perform brain surgery. I have run them off by the dozens. They are insane, pathetic little men (maybe they are dominated by their wives and this gives them an outlet to feel like they know something… but they don’t know Jack!).
Least we forget, here’s how improbable the Texas Rangers’ 2023 and the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series wins were—especially in light of their season records and injuries:
2023 Texas Rangers: An Unexpected Rise
Record & Regular Season
- The Rangers entered the postseason as the fifth seed (Wild Card), having finished behind the Astros in the AL West despite having identical records; the Astros held the tiebreaker.
- Remarkably, this came just two seasons after a 102-loss campaign, which underscores the improbability of their 2023 title journey.
Injuries & Comebacks
- Injuries to key pitchers plagued them: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jon Gray all missed significant time.
- Despite those losses, they supplemented their roster by adding Aroldis Chapman, Chris Stratton, Jordan Montgomery, and Max Scherzer.
- Manager Bruce Bochy emphasized the team’s resilience—“What their bodies lacked… they made up for with an attitude”
Postseason Performance
- The Rangers were outhit overall by the Diamondbacks 47–38, yet out-homered them 8–3, with MVP Corey Seager belting three of those homers.
- They set records: Homer streak in 16 straight postseason games, plus a stunning 11–0 road record in the playoffs.
- The clincher was a 5–0 victory in Game 5—their first World Series title in franchise history, achieved through sheer grit and timely offense.
Bottom line: A Wild Card team battered by injuries, yet fueled by offensive power and mental toughness. Their title run stands as one of the most improbable in recent memory.
2024 Los Angeles Dodgers: Dominance Amid Adversity
Record & Expectations
- The Dodgers still secured the best win-loss record in MLB in 2024 and won the NL West, even though they fell short of 100 wins for the first full season since 2018.
- This was all despite a star-studded off-season—including landing Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow—highlighting how championship expectations were high, yet not guaranteed.
Injury Toll
- Their injuries were staggering: players missed a combined 2,158 days, the most ever for a World Series champion in the past decade.
- Multiple starters and relievers—including Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Clayton Kershaw, and others—were on the injured list starting from Spring Training.
- By October, only three traditional starting pitchers remained healthy: Jack Flaherty, Yamamoto, and Walker Buehler.
- Yet the Dodgers overcame this by leaning on mid-season additions like Flaherty and Tommy Edman, plus invaluable performances by players like Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman (who played through a severe ankle sprain and broken rib cartilage).
World Series Victory
- The Dodgers secured the 2024 World Series over the Yankees in five games—cementing their depth and adaptability amid heavy injury challenges.
- Game 2 saw Ohtani leave with a shoulder injury, but the team held strong behind Yamamoto’s stellar pitching and a barrage of homers (Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Edman).
Bottom line: A team built for dominance, yet derailed by injuries. Their championship was a testament to roster depth, strategic midseason moves, and player heroes.
Baseball is a game of streaks and adjustments. Sometimes overly talented teams have a difficult time getting up for lesser opponents. It’s just human nature! The Dodgers are still in first place by 2 1/2 games, with four weeks of the season left to go. I think Michael Conforto should be gone, but for some reason, they have kept him. I am not going to pretend that I know more than Andrew Friedman. I am just going to enjoy the ride. This team is deep, players are coming back, and they are a hot street away from running the table on anyone in baseball.
It’s been over a week since my shoulder replacement surgery, and I’m still struggling with the Dragon software. Most of the time, it doesn’t understand what I’m saying. However, I’m still working on training it, so here we are. I was reading the new issue of Baseball America, and the Milwaukee Brewers are ranked number one in farm systems, the Pirates are second, the Detroit Tigers are third, the Minnesota Twins are fourth, the Boston Red Sox are fifth, the Seattle Mariners are sixth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are seventh. The San Diego Padres are 30th, so their future doesn’t look bright. They went all-in this year, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to do well after losing Jason Adam, one of their best relief pitchers. The Dodgers are still getting players back. We’ll see what happens, but I like our chances. So does Vegas.
Some people are picking Kyle Schwaber to win the MVP. I think there are two chances: slim and none… he’s more than one war difference behind. I think the season could end right now for Ohtani, and he still would win, but I’ve been wrong before.
In the latest issue of Baseball America, it lists the best tools in the Arizona complex league, and it is interesting to note that Chase Harlan, third base, and Emil Morales at shortstop are listed in the top 10.
Discussion (20)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Ladies and Gentlemen , I give you the Los Angeles Doormats. 17 innings of shutout ball by the Pirates. Still, this team will improve. It can’t be much worse than this. It’s going to take a lot of players getting their mojo back at the same time tho.
Weirdest PH sub I can remember. A dude who cannot hit his way out of a wet paper bag?
Okay Doc
wonder what Doc and rvs were talking about? hitting i guess! or lack there of
If they can’t hit Ramirez after Skenes, then they can’t ever hit! 😉
Congrats Mark. I’m glad it’s going well. My knee replacement is going well too. I have had 3 doctors who have told me I need a shoulder replacement but I am reluctant to have it. Your outcome gives me reasons to be optimistic if I do. I am getting my other knee done next year.
BTW, I am out of the sling for a few hours a day and back on the keyboard!
The Dodgers announced that they have selected the contract of catcher Ben Rortvedt, a move that was previously reported. In corresponding moves, they optioned infielder Alex Freeland and designated right-hander Alexis Díaz for assignment.
I was going to mention something earlier, but I had to get my 8-day surgery checkup today. I am doing amazingly well. They told me again that the ball and socket replacement was the largest stock one. Anything larger would have been custom. Translation: “You have big bones.”
Anyway, what I was going to mention was that some fans are still pining for Ryan Ward or James (gasp) Outman. Of course, they are likely the same ones who thought Hunter Feduccia was a savior.
BTW, Feduccia is hitting .137 with a .246 OB% and a .442 OPS in the 2nd half.
James “Out”man is hitting .143 with a .236 OB% and a .461 OPS in the 2nd half.
Just for shits and giggles (and because they gave me so much flack) Miguel Vargas in the second half- .283 BA/.369 OB%, .841 OPS. I think I told you so. But, progress is not linear!
Anyone could have had Ryan Ward for nothing. No one took him. Nuff said!
“Roki Sasaki Unlikely to Return to Dodgers This Season as Struggles Continue”.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are likely going to bring up a catcher to Pittsburgh in case Will Smith goes on the injured list with a right hand contusion, according to manager Dave Roberts.Roberts’ remarks indicate the Dodgers will likely bring up a minor league catcher as part of the taxi squad for the time being. One likely candidate is Ben Rortvedt, who the Dodgers acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline.
6:40 PM ET
Dodgers (78-61)
Pirates (63-77)
SP Blake Snell L
3-3 2.41 ERA
SP Paul Skenes R
9-9 2.05 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
RF T. Hernandez R
LF M. Conforto L
CF Andy Pages R
2B Hyeseong Kim L
3B Miguel Rojas R
C D. Rushing L
49% Rain
65° Wind 8 mph Out
If the way that the Dodgers have been playing recently was a short term issue it would be easier to write it off as a bad streak or a slump. But the Dodgers’ offense has been inconsistent at best since the middle of May. And the bullpen has been bad for quite a while. None of the off-season bullpen acquisitions have been successful, nor have the offensive personnel.
Since 7/1 they are 25-29. It’s not a short-term deal – it’s been months. And it’s all too often that they just aren’t playing fundamentally sound baseball. Yesterday they load the bases twice, once with no outs, and score zero runs. Too many baserunning errors, too many fielding blunders, too many bullpen implosions.
Last year, the Dodgers won because they played really well in these areas – the Yankees beat themselves over and over again. This year, the Dodgers are sloppy and don’t take advantage of their opportunities.
My observations don’t mean my head is up my ass Mark. If so, then it means that Dodgers’ commentators who also say that they don’t look like a championship team, like Joe Davis, Orel Hersheiser, et al, must have the same anatomic abnormalities.
Gracias, Mark, for pointing out that Baseball America grades the Dodgers farm system as seventh best in the game.
Not bad, but also not close to the No. 1 ranking granted by the scribes at MLB. com.
So whom should we trust?
My sense is that the nerds at Baseball America take this stuff more seriously, while the scribes at MLB.com offer a more impressionistic assessment,
At any rate, the disparity underscores the highly subjective nature of these ratings exercises. It’s even more subjective on individual players, as when we were led to believe that top prospect Gavin Lux might be an all-star caliber SS. (I don’t mean to bash Gavin but the ratings fetish.)
Anyway, the Dodgers seem to have a lot of exciting prospects on the way. Or should we call them suspects? At any rate, there’s so much, I think, that AF shouldn’t be so shy when big talents are on the market.
The pitching is looking up, especially the starters.
But the offense and defense are maddeningly inconsistent. And Roberts seems awfully slow to make adjustments.
Why hasn’t Kim started any games since his return? We’ve seen Conforto and Freeland out there, but Kim has come off the bench.
Getting Max back should provide a serious boost to the offense. Edman will solidify the defense.
I assume that Freeland and Justin Dean will be optioned to OKC.
I trusted AF’s alleged genius on the Conforto signing, but yikes… Not only were there several other free agent outfielders on the market–including Bader, Pham and Laureano–but Conforto’s contract effectively blocked in-house options such as Outman and Ryan Ward.
Can Ward, who is 27, hit big-league pitching? We’ll never know if he isn’t given the chance.
He sure has done the job in OKC, with a .950 OPS, 32 HRs and 115 RBI in 129 games. Somebody around here will say, “Oh, but Ward wasn’t taken in the Rule 5 draft, so he’s clearly just a minor leaguer.” But
All considered, I’d have rather seen either Outman and Ward (or both) scuffling for the major-league minimum than Conforto scuffling for $17 million. And if the OF was still a problem at midseason, maybe AF could have swung that deal for Steven Kwan.
Well said Mark.
No one in the NL is playing LIGHTS out. And even if they were, come October its a whole new ball game.
I got confidence in these guys, when the lights are the brightest we will shine.
What team wants to see this rotation lined up in a playoff series???
Game 1: Snell
Game 2: Yamamoto
Game3: Ohtani
Game 4: Kershaw
Game 5: Glasnow
Shuffle those cards however you want, that matches up with ANYONE. Does it mean we will win, NO, but it gives us a damn good shot and in the postseason, thats all you can ask for…
Best is yet to come…
i’m sure every fan base goes through a case of “panic” periodically. i’m not panicking, just frustrated! the dodgers have been leaving runners stranded at a blistering pace for a while now! bases loaded and nothing? of course we’re not as smart as AF! But we do see the lack of urgency with this team. Sure Doc will make the occasional “we got to be better “. speech “” from time to time, doesn’t seem to be helping. No one can control injuries. But can’t some of this be attributed to the hitting approach? Pages swung at a ball 2 feet off the plate last night. it would have been ball 4 and tied the game. Shouldn’t someone say something? Freeland can’t seem to distinguish a ball from a pitch right down the middle. Conforto? he can’t! Kike? ain’t that time of the season yet. Dalton? i would love to see him play more! i know , where? I believe he’s a potential allstar in the future! Teo? troubling. …. Now i do believe they will be much better when healthy. i do believe that the Loa Angeles Dodgers can repeat! i don’t expect them to win the division by 12 games every year. i do expect them to play fundamentally sound baseball. i was one who begged for Teo to resign! i still believe he can help win another title. i also believe he needs to play left field! Andy Pages has the ability and the cannon of an arm to be a top 3 right fielder in baseball. Everyone needs to chill on Mookie going back to the outfield. ain’t happening! Wouldn’t have an everyday ss then! … The starting staff is almost at full strength. the bullpen? i’m not going to lie, i’m concerned. yates cannot and should not be trusted in high leverage situations. Trienan is not bulletproof either. Scott? the ability is there, but mentally he’s a question mark. Kopech? so much raw ability. will he harness it? Casparius, Dryer, wrobleski, Banda? they have been more than expected. but a 1 run lead in the ninth who gets the ball? My oh my wouldn’t it be something if there was someway to give the ball to ohtani in the ninth? … So no, i don’t know more than AF! I’m not a big league manager like Dave Roberts! And YES i get pissed about games like last night! why shouldn’t we? But tonight at 6:40 EST i”ll be watching! Paul Skeenes and the minor league pirates. (just kidding lol). One last thing. the owner (s) of the pirates should be ashamed of themselves! With the pitching they have, and have traded away, there’s no reason to be a last place team in that division! They should be embarrassed !
It used to be that some of of the Dodger games I muted with the voices of Jessica Mendez , Eric Karros and Stephen Nelson, now the recent Dodger games are unwatchable with their shitty play. I really don’t know that when Muncy and Edman return off the IL, that things will be much different. It’s an aging team that is boring to watch.AF and BG will have their work cut out for them in the offseason to get more athletic and younger ,much younger.
All true or mostly true. But let’s admit, there’s no way we win the world series with an outfield of Conforto, Pages, Teo.
Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote a song about last night’s game. It’s called That Smell.
It smelled all the way down here in Panama.
I’ll take that bet
We might not win 90 games.