Dodgers: Three New Year’s Resolutions for the Blue

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after allowing a sixth inning home run to Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

Finish the job in 2019

The Dodgers have gone to two straight World Series and both have led to the equivalent of participation trophies with National League champions rings.  Getting back to a third straight World Series will be far from easy with the National League improving this off-season.  The Nationals are beefing up their roster without Harper, the young Braves are only getting better, and the Cubs are still going to be there in the end.

The NL West won’t be a three team race in 2019 but the Colorado Rockies are going to prove to be the toughest NL West foe in 2019.  The Dodgers should have little trouble winning their seventh straight division title but by now that only feels like the inevitable.  The Dodgers goal for 2019 remains World Series title or bust.  It’s now been over 30 years since the Dodgers were World Series champions.

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In order to finish the job in 2019 they will need Clayton Kershaw to finally pitch well in October.  His Octobers have been littered with inconsistency.  Some good starts mixed in with bad starts.  He was ineffective in the World Series although his first start was doomed from the start by bad defense.  With better defense maybe the Dodgers pull out a win in game one but that is something we’ll never know.

The offense has to get hot and stay hot the next time they win the World Series.  The Red Sox dominated behind Chris Sale and David Price while the offense was reduced to a shell of itself.  The offense has to learn to manufacture runs when the long ball is not working and find any way it can to scrape across runs.

dark. Next. Dodger bullpen is shaping up nicely for 2019

Then there is the bullpen.  Dave Roberts has to give his starters a longer leash in the playoffs, particularly Rich Hill who routinely seems to get pulled too early in World Series starts even when he has found his groove.  Kenley Jansen should only see one inning saves which is now made a reality by the addition of Joe Kelly.  The Dodgers are not done finalizing their roster for 2019, but whomever they add they need to go big in order to finally get over the hump.