It s Time For Some Unfinished Business

A couple of days ago, Ken Gurnick wrote this:

Corey Seager’s elbow blew out, and the Dodgers found a way. The entire starting rotation went on the disabled list, and they found a way. Kenley Jansen’s heart raced, and they found a way. They even found a way to overcome a nine-game deficit in the National League West. And on Saturday, the Dodgers found their way back to the World Series.

However, they did not come this far to JUST come this far. 

They are here to take home the World Series Trophy. This was the year of massive struggle for the Dodgers.  On August 22, they were in 3rd place in the NL West after struggling all seaon.  Since that date, they are 32-14! At the start of the season, Walker Buehler was just a rookie who had put up a terrible ERA in a “cup of coffee” September.  Matt Kemp was not a lock to make the team, in fact, many thought he would be traded or cut.  Max Muncy was a minor leaguer who was “organizational depth.”  El Gasolino was… well, el Gasolino.  Dylan Floro was nowhere, Caleb Ferguson was a prospect and Julio Urias was recovering from surgery.

Alex Wood and Kenta Maeda were starters and Ryan Madson was an “over-the-hill” reliever. David Freese, Brian Dozier and Manny Machado were starters on various other teams. The “World Series Hangover” lingered all season and was finally exorcised when the Dodgers beat the Brewers to officially win the NLCS again.

These guys did not come this far to only come this far.

They have unfinished businesss and a unyielding resolve to take what was almost theirs last year.  They won’t stop fighting, they will not fail.  They believe, they know… to a man… that this is their moment.  But, the Red Sox have two of the Top 5 hitters in baseball.  It doesn’t matter!  The Red Sox won 104 games.  It doesn’t matter! The Red Sox are hot.  It doesn’t matter! The Boys in Blue are writing this script.

On a cold Sunday afternoon, Clayton Kershaw was in the Fenway Bullpen.  He has never pitched there, but he knows he might have to pitch there two or three times in the next seven games.  He won’t be surprised by the cold.  He wants to make sure he is ready. He’s not the pitcher he was 5 or 6 years ago. It’s doesn’t matter! This is his time. He knows it could be the last time.  He is going to deliver.  He knows it.  When you “know” something, it must come into being.

The Red Sox are favored. It doesn’t matter!  Matt Kemp was exposed in the second half of the season.  It doesn’t matter!  This is his first World Series, and what an improbale route he took to get here.  Manny Machado was the SS for one of the worst teams in baseball and now he’s in the World Series! Who would have thought the Dodgers would get back to the World Series without Corey Seager.  The Astros couldn’t make it with a gimpy Carlos Corerra.

Yasmani Grandal was the goat of the Brewers series and I do not mean GOAT.  It doesn’t matter! He could be the MVP of the Series.  Stranger things have happened.  This is a team that overcame the hangover and stayed together through thick and thin to get to the pinnacle.  But the Red Sox have Chris Sale.  It doesn’t matter!  When the game is on the line… when their backs are to the wall, these guys deliver.  But, the Red Sox hit twice as good as the Dodgers with RISP.  It doesn’t matter!

This is going to be an incredible series between two storied franchises.  Never mind what the oddsmakers say.  It doesn’t matter!  These guys are here for one thing only – to win.  There as starts, journeymen, role players and opportunists, but to a man, they are all Junkyard Dogs!  Yasiel Puig guaranteed a Dodger victory and so do I.  The only thing in doubt is “How many games will it take?”  I say 5!

DODGERS ANNOUNCE WORLD SERIES ROSTER

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their 25-man roster for the 2018 World Series, which begins tonight vs. the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 8:09 p.m. ET.

The Dodgers will carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players. The roster is as follows:

Pitchers (12)                                                  Position Players (13)

LHP Scott Alexander                                    C/IF Austin Barnes

RHP Pedro Baéz                                           1B/OF Cody Bellinger (L)

RHP Walker Buehler                                    2B Brian Dozier

RHP Dylan Floro                                          IF David Freese

LHP Rich Hill                                               C Yasmani Grandal (S)

RHP Kenley Jansen                                      IF/OF Kiké Hernández

LHP Clayton Kershaw                                  OF Matt Kemp

RHP Ryan Madson                                       IF Manny Machado

RHP Kenta Maeda                                        IF Max Muncy (L)

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu                                       OF Joc Pederson (L)

LHP Julio Urías                                            OF Yasiel Puig

LHP Alex Wood                                          OF/IF Chris Taylor

3B Justin Turner

The World Series continues tomorrow night with Game 2 at 8:09 p.m. ET at Fenway Park.

The series shifts to Los Angeles later this week, with Games 3 (5:09 PT), 4 (5:09 PT) and 5 (5:09 PT, if necessary) at Dodger Stadium. Games 6 and 7 (if necessary) would be played in Boston on Tuesday, October 30 and Wednesday, October 31 at Fenway Park.