“The Dodgers are World Series Champions.” Six (6) words repeated by Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke on the front page of the main section today. Plaschke also colorfully wrote, “The 31-year drought is over, the heavens have opened, and all over Los Angeles its raining blue.
I was fortunate enough to be at the games in 1988 (the last time our Dodgers won the World Series), and this time during the coronavirus pandemic my father and I watched together at his home. This year the World Series was played at a neutral field, Globe Life Field, a huge new stadium with a retractable roof, 1400 miles away in Texas, before a socially distanced crowd limited to only 11,437 fans.
We wondered at the choice of Tony Gonsolin to start the game, as we (and many others) wondered about many pitching decisions of Dodger manager, Dave “Doc” Roberts, during their most recent three (3) World Series, including losses to Houston and Boston.
We were happily surprised at the Rays Manager, Kevin Cash’s, decision to pull his ace starter Blake Snell in the sixth inning–in the middle of his two (2) hit shutout–after amazingly already striking out the first two times up, the top three (3) of the Dodgers order – Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner (more about each of them later) who were coming up next! Not only was the top of the Dodger order 0 for 6 against Snell, but all three of them struck out twice! The Dodgers then scored two runs in the sixth inning, and another on Betts’ home run in the eighth, to take a 3-1 lead with reliever, and sometimes starter, Julio Urias finishing it all off for the boys in blue.
After Gonsolin, the six (6) Dodger relievers allowed No runs over the next 7 1/3 innings!
Corey Seager was voted World Series MVP after batting 400 (going 8 for 20) with two (2) home runs and five (5) runs batted in. Seager was also MVP of the (National League Championship Series (NLCS), with a total of eight (8) home runs for the the 2020 playoffs, tied for the second most home runs ever in a single baseball postseason.
Mookie Betts was the unofficial MVP of this sixth game of the 2020 World Series with a double, head first slide home scoring the go ahead and winning run, then with his insurance home run in the eighth inning to make the final score 3-1. Some feel Betts should have been the MVP with his great fielding, base running, and timely hits, including two (2) homeruns. Others feel the Rays’ manager should be the Dodgers MVP of this sixth game.
Justin Turner, who played a stellar third base during the playoffs, was unexpectedly removed from the game at the beginning of the eighth inning without explanation until after the game when it was announced he tested positive for the coronavirus. Just another shocker for the year 2020.
Turner getting the virus in the baseball bubble near the end of the final game of this baseball playoff season raises so many questions, including what would have happened to the rest of the playoffs if this happened earlier in the series? Turner was the first known player to test positive in the baseball playoff quarantined bubble. And what would have happened if instead of Turner testing positive it was the Rays’ pitcher in the middle of a shutout? These are some interesting questions to discuss, but the bottom line is “The Dodgers are World Series Champions.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers have now won six (6) World Series titles, seven (7) total for the Dodgers counting their time in Brooklyn, NY.
And this special championship comes just 16 days after our Los Angeles Lakers won the championship of the NBA. First the Lakers, now the Dodgers – Los Angeles once again is the sports capital of the United States. Will our Los Angeles Rams be next? We invite your comments.
Meanwhile, enjoy our sports victories but please do so safely and peacefully – wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands with soap and warm water. Celebrate but don’t set cars or businesses on fire, vandalize stores, or cause injury or damage to others!
Los Angeles, lets set a good example!
CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OUR LOS ANGELES DODGERS AND LAKERS AND TO THEIR PLAYERS, OWNERS, STAFF AND TO ALL THE FANS!