%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201004.4%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201004.4%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23005B9E%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23989898%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23EE3B3F%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M41%2C12.5H0v137.7h41c13.6%2C0%2C25.1-5.5%2C34.4-16.4c9.3-11%2C14.1-28.4%2C14.2-52.4c-0.1-24-4.9-41.5-14.2-52.4%0A%09%09%09C66.1%2C18%2C54.6%2C12.5%2C41%2C12.5z%20M61.5%2C115.3c-4.9%2C8.5-11.7%2C12.9-20.5%2C13.2H20.8V81.4V34.3H41c8.8%2C0.3%2C15.6%2C4.4%2C20.6%2C12.4%0A%09%09%09c5%2C8%2C7.5%2C19.6%2C7.5%2C34.6C68.9%2C95.5%2C66.4%2C106.8%2C61.5%2C115.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M146%2C47.3c-14.5%2C0.4-25.2%2C6.4-32.2%2C17.9c-5.1%2C8.8-7.7%2C20.4-7.8%2C34.7c0.1%2C13.8%2C2.7%2C25.1%2C7.8%2C33.9%0A%09%09%09c6.8%2C11.9%2C17.5%2C18.2%2C32.2%2C18.9c14.6-0.7%2C25.4-7%2C32.2-18.9c5.1-8.8%2C7.7-20.1%2C7.8-33.9c-0.1-14.4-2.7-26-7.8-34.7%0A%09%09%09C171.2%2C53.6%2C160.5%2C47.7%2C146%2C47.3z%20M162.5%2C119.2c-3.5%2C7.8-9.1%2C11.7-16.7%2C11.7c-6.9%2C0-12.4-3.9-16.3-11.7%0A%09%09%09c-2.4-5.5-3.5-11.9-3.5-19.1c0-7.7%2C1.2-14.3%2C3.5-19.7c3.4-7.8%2C8.8-11.7%2C16.3-11.7c7.7%2C0%2C13.3%2C3.9%2C16.7%2C11.7%0A%09%09%09c2.4%2C5.5%2C3.5%2C12.1%2C3.5%2C19.7C166%2C107.4%2C164.8%2C113.7%2C162.5%2C119.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M260.4%2C54.5c-4.2-4.7-10.2-7.1-18.1-7.2c-26.4%2C0.5-39.6%2C18.6-39.6%2C54.3c0%2C34.1%2C13.1%2C51.2%2C39.2%2C51.2%0A%09%09%09c6.8%2C0%2C13-2%2C18.4-6v3.5h20.8v-140l-20.8%2C10.9V54.5z%20M260%2C123.7c-4.8%2C6.6-10.9%2C9.8-18.2%2C9.7c-12.3-0.1-18.5-10.8-18.6-32.1%0A%09%09%09c0-21.1%2C6.4-32.1%2C19.2-32.9c8%2C0%2C13.9%2C3.4%2C17.7%2C10.1V123.7z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M359.5%2C54.5c-4.2-4.7-10.2-7.1-18.1-7.2c-26.4%2C0.5-39.6%2C18.6-39.6%2C54.3c0%2C34.1%2C13.1%2C51.2%2C39.2%2C51.2%0A%09%09%09c6.8%2C0%2C13-2%2C18.4-6c0.4%2C16.9-7.3%2C28.6-23%2C35.1l8.6%2C18.1c22.5-8.6%2C34.2-26.4%2C35.1-53.2V48.1h-20.8V54.5z%20M359.1%2C123.7%0A%09%09%09c-4.8%2C6.6-10.9%2C9.8-18.2%2C9.7c-12.3-0.1-18.5-10.8-18.6-32.1c0-21.1%2C6.4-32.1%2C19.2-32.9c8%2C0%2C13.9%2C3.4%2C17.7%2C10.1V123.7z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M465.9%2C61.7c-7-9.6-16.3-14.4-28-14.4c-12.4%2C0-22.1%2C5.2-29.1%2C15.5c-7%2C10.3-10.5%2C22.6-10.5%2C36.7%0A%09%09%09c0%2C17.1%2C3.6%2C30.3%2C10.9%2C39.5c7.3%2C9.2%2C16.8%2C13.8%2C28.7%2C13.8c16.9-0.4%2C28.6-8.3%2C35.1-23.6l-18.6-8c-3.9%2C7-9.6%2C10.3-16.9%2C10.1%0A%09%09%09c-5.2%2C0.1-9.5-1.9-12.8-6.1c-3.3-4.2-4.9-9.5-4.9-15.9h56.5C476.4%2C87.1%2C472.9%2C71.3%2C465.9%2C61.7z%20M419.5%2C89%0A%09%09%09c-0.3-5.2%2C1.3-10.1%2C4.7-14.7c3.4-4.6%2C8-6.8%2C13.7-6.7c5.4%2C0%2C9.6%2C2.1%2C12.9%2C6.4c3.2%2C4.2%2C4.7%2C9.2%2C4.6%2C15H419.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M515.9%2C55.5v-7.4h-21v102.2h21.2V87.6c0.5-12.6%2C5.2-19%2C13.9-19.3c4.1-0.1%2C8%2C1.8%2C12%2C6l6.9-19.9%0A%09%09%09c-5.1-4.5-11-6.8-17.7-7C524.5%2C47.3%2C519.4%2C50%2C515.9%2C55.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M598.1%2C86.3c-6.5-2.6-10.6-4.6-12.3-6c-1.6-1.4-2.4-3.2-2.3-5.3c0.1-2.5%2C1.1-4.4%2C3-5.9%0A%09%09%09c1.9-1.4%2C4.5-2.2%2C7.8-2.2c8%2C0.3%2C15.2%2C3.5%2C21.6%2C9.7l13.1-13.8c-9.3-10.3-21-15.6-35.1-15.8c-9.3%2C0-16.8%2C2.9-22.5%2C8.7%0A%09%09%09c-5.7%2C5.8-8.3%2C12.1-7.9%2C18.8c0%2C6.7%2C2.2%2C12.6%2C6.7%2C17.7c4.4%2C5.1%2C11.5%2C9.3%2C21.2%2C12.7c6.7%2C2.7%2C11.5%2C5.5%2C14.5%2C8.2%0A%09%09%09c3%2C2.7%2C4.4%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C8.8c0.1%2C3.2-1.4%2C5.8-4.6%2C7.9c-3.2%2C2.1-7.1%2C3.1-11.7%2C3c-6.4-0.1-13.6-3.5-21.6-10.1l-13.7%2C14.4%0A%09%09%09c10.7%2C10.1%2C22.5%2C15.3%2C35.3%2C15.4c11.3-0.1%2C20.1-2.9%2C26.5-8.3c6.4-5.4%2C9.7-12.5%2C9.8-21.3c0-10-3-17.9-9.1-23.6%0A%09%09%09C615%2C93.7%2C607.4%2C89.3%2C598.1%2C86.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22775.5%2C85.1%20758.4%2C12.5%20738.2%2C12.5%20721.5%2C85.1%20711.3%2C12.5%20690.1%2C12.5%20709.5%2C150.3%20728%2C150.3%20%0A%09%09%09748.2%2C61.9%20769%2C150.3%20787.4%2C150.3%20806.9%2C12.5%20785.7%2C12.5%20%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M883.5%2C56.4c-7-6.1-15.6-9.1-25.8-9.1c-12.4%2C0.4-23.4%2C4.1-32.8%2C11.1L835.3%2C75c6.8-5.2%2C14.5-7.7%2C23-7.4%0A%09%09%09c9.9%2C1%2C14.8%2C6.4%2C14.5%2C16.4c-5.2-1.5-10.9-2.3-16.9-2.3c-10.9-0.1-19.5%2C3.2-25.8%2C10c-6.3%2C6.8-9.5%2C15.2-9.5%2C25.2%0A%09%09%09c0%2C11.6%2C3.4%2C20.5%2C10.3%2C26.6c6.9%2C6.1%2C15.5%2C9.2%2C26%2C9.4c6.3-0.1%2C12-2.1%2C17.1-6v3.3h20.2V83C894%2C71.4%2C890.5%2C62.5%2C883.5%2C56.4z%0A%09%09%09%20M872.2%2C127c-5%2C5.1-10.3%2C7.6-15.9%2C7.6c-5.2%2C0-9.4-1.8-12.5-5.5c-3.1-3.7-4.6-7.6-4.6-11.7c-0.1-4%2C1.3-7.5%2C4.3-10.7%0A%09%09%09c3-3.2%2C6.8-4.7%2C11.4-4.7c5.8%2C0%2C11.5%2C0.8%2C17.3%2C2.5V127z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22980.9%2C49.7%20955.6%2C120.2%20929.3%2C49.7%20906.7%2C49.7%20943.6%2C150.3%20924.4%2C199.8%20947.5%2C199.8%201004.4%2C49.7%20%09%09%0A%09%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Dodgers Eliminated, Who Should You Root For?
October 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman
Howie Kendrick(47) and third base coach Ro Roenicke (48) following the 3-2 loss against New York Mets in game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne-Kamin Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
This is a bittersweet post because it’s much easier to root for the Dodgers to win the World Series. Last night, the Dodgers clinched their 27th consecutive not-World Series win. Boooo. We could go on and on about where things went wrong and what could have been done and what can be done next year. And we will. But for now, baseball lives on as four teams are vying for the World Series.
If you’re a normal person, you probably are just carrying on with your life. If you’re addicted to baseball, you still need some sort of fix. There are four teams left, and we as Dodger fans can probably find something to like about each of them.
Next: Root for the Team That Beat the Dodgers?
Sep 18, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets third baseman
Juan Uribe(2) smiles after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
New York Mets
The Mets just eliminated the Dodgers. They crushed our dreams. This does not bode well.
There is a silver lining in losing to the team that won the championship though. In a series as close as the NLDS was, it could be argued that had a couple bounces gone the Dodgers’ way, the Dodgers would be moving on to face the Cubs. That makes it bittersweet. If the Mets win the World Series, at least the Dodgers were eliminated by the champion. On the other hand, it could lead to a lot more bitterness, because in an illogical way that means the Dodgers were THAT MUCH closer to winning it all.
The Mets, for the most part, are a likable bunch. Their pitching is incredible and the possibility of World Series MVP Bartolo Colon is very appealing. Mets fans, however. Ugh. It starts with Ron Darling, who pitched for nine years with the Mets, has been in the Mets broadcast booth and was in the booth for TBS. Unsurprisingly, his bias was not very well hidden. There’s bad apples in every fanbase, but Mets fans kind of started driving me crazy after Slideghazi. The slide was dirty and it was very unfortunate that Ruben Tejada got hurt, but immediately using it as an excuse to why they lost that game/possibly series is such a cop out. They still had chances to get out of that inning with the game tied, they had chances to take the lead. No one play or call ever decides a game.
The main reason to root for the Mets is that it was the landing destination for Juan Uribe. If you didn’t fall in love with Uribe over the last couple years, please hand in your Dodger fan card when you exit.
Next: Root for Back to the Future II?
Oct 10, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) looks on in the dugout during the first inning in game two of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are so fun, man.
I’ve never actively been on the “fire Mattingly” bandwagon. If there was a better coaching candidate out there, I would absolutely be cool with the Dodgers parting ways with Mattingly, but right now there isn’t.
Last year there was. In the offseason, Joe Maddon was available. It was quite the logical fit. Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman was the GM in Tampa for much of Maddon’s tenure there. Maddon also has a home in Long Beach, so him coming to coach in LA seemed like a solid fit. Except the new front office decided to stick with Mattingly. Had they gone the other way and brought in Maddon, I would have been elated. They didn’t and he went to the Cubs.
I’m not sure if this is an argument for or against the Cubs. The Cubs going all the way could be an ugly reminder of what could have been for the Dodgers. The Cubs are one of the best teams in baseball, and it’s not all because of their manager. They brought up three players this season that would have been the top prospect on damn near every team in baseball (Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber) and Jake Arrieta turned into 2014-Clayton Kershaw. They won 97 games and finished in third place in their division, yet they’re the only team from the NL Central still standing.
A Cubs World Series win this year also was predicted in 1989 by Back to the Future II. It seemed laughable back then and it seemed laughable in April, but here we are and they have a 25 percent chance of winning it. That’s wacky. The Cubs winning their first World Series since 1908 would be something.
Next: Root for the Almost Dodgers?
Oct 9, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals players Jarrod Dyson (1) , Lorenzo Cain (6) and Paulo Orlando (16) celebrate after defeating the Houston Astros in game two of the ALDS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Royals
The AL is a lot more appealing to root for since the Dodgers didn’t play either of these teams this year. They never hurt us. If you squint your eyes hard enough, the Royals look EXACTLY like the Dodgers. I’m sold.
A vote for the Royals is a vote for chaos, because there is no reason for Ned Yost to be managing in back-to-back World Series’. I’m all for a well-executed sac bunt here and there, but Yost manages runners-on situations like someone that doesn’t really know how to play video games so they just press a random button on the controller and it ends up bunting.
The team is likable enough, depending on your feelings on Yordano Ventura. He seems like one of those pitchers every fanbase would want on their team, but hate on opposing teams. Their bullpen is also exactly what the Dodgers tried to do with theirs, except it worked for the Royals. None of them are high-priced, most are home grown and they even have a failed-starter-turned-reliever. They have had Joe Blanton and Joba Chamberlain pitch for them, which in my eyes are two demerits. Their outfield is incredible, with Jarrod Dyson, Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon basically eliminating any balls falling in play.
Much like the Mets, the fanbase is what deters me from the Royals. There was a point where Mike Trout was the only non-Royal that was going to be voted into the All-Star game. Omar Infante was slated to start in the All-Star game.
Next: Root for Canada?
Oct 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher David Price (14) throws against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning in game four of the ALDS at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays’ President of Baseball Ops is Paul Beeston, and he announced he would be retiring at the end of this season. GM Alex Anthopolous is up for review after this season. Unlike the Dodgers, the Blue Jays front office pretty much HAD to win this season.
They were 53-51 at the trade deadline, six games behind the Yankees. Saying that they went for it is a drastic understatement. They already had a lineup full of mashers (Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson). They went out and got Troy Tulowitzki. Their pitching was suspect, so they were just planning on outscoring everyone. Then they went out and got David Price. They traded top prospects and pretty much gutted their farm, but they set the new standard for “going for it”.
It paid off nicely, as they won the division and survived a crazy series against the Texas Rangers. They’re lovable. Marcus Stroman is incredible. Munenori Kawasaki is the best kind of drunk. Most importantly, they have Russell Martin. If David Wright is Captain America, Martin is Captain Canada. Dodger fans should have a soft spot for Martin, as he’s seemingly the only former Dodger catcher that doesn’t hate the Dodgers.
Next: My Rankings
Oct 14, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) reacts after hitting a three run home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in game five of the ALDS at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
My Rankings
Usually, when teams are hatable enough, the end of the Dodger season is the end of my baseball watching. Since the Giants and Cardinals can’t hurt us anymore, maybe I’ll keep watching.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Kansas City Royals
4. New York Mets.
Overall, the Blue Jays winning the World Series would be my favorite story. They went all out and won. Kawasaki would have the best post-series interview ever and probably be hungover for a week after. Marco Estrada and Tulowitzki went to my college. Keep bat-flipping Joey Bats. Win MVP Donaldson. Win WS MVP Price, and then come to the Dodgers.
Cubs, you guys were close. But unlike the Blue Jays, the Cubs are going to be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. #TheyAreGood
Royals, it’s not you, it’s your fanbase. Stop stuffing the All-Star Ballots, and maybe you’ll be more likable. Also stop head hunting, Yordano.
Mets, sorry, but I really don’t want to live with the “win for Ruben” narrative for the whole offseason. Zack Greinke has way better hair than Jacob deGrom. Sorry, Bartolo and Uribe.