Dodgers: Comparing Gavin Lux with Ghosts of Playoffs’ Past

Now that the Dodgers are unbearably close to game one of the 2019 NLDS, fans, front office, team, and everyone alike cannot wait to get this show on the road.

For a team such as the Dodgers who’ve come this close to winning back-to-back World Series Rings over the past two seasons, everyone associated with the Dodgers is bitting their nails or doing whatever it is that people do when they’re nervous.

Another World Series… no, I’ll rephrase that… Anything short of a World Series Championship for the Dodgers will simply not work.

Therefore, to comfort our nerves, we’ll compare past Dodger teams to our current team in an attempt to discern our strengths and correct our weaknesses.

Let’s start with the one position that has had arguably the most turnover during the last two seasons: Second base.

2018’s Playoff Troupe at Second-

Remember last year’s platoon at second? Kiké Hernandez, Max Muncy, Brian Dozier, Chase Utley, Austin Barnes, Kobe Bean Bryant, and Logan Forsythe, all played (okay, not Kobe but you see where I’m going) second base last season. It was, at best, not optimal.

Perhaps in direct contrast with Doc Roberts’ mad lineup recipes we’ve all grown (whether willingly or not) accustom to, I argue that successful championship teams need consistency.

It’s hard to expect a high level of play when players are forced to master five different positions on any given night.

The platoon at second last year was a perfect example of how not to run an infield.

I’d like to think that most of the switches at second were necessity-based. Injuries do and always will play a part in every team’s success and failure- yet I can’t help but wonder how the Dodgers would’ve operated last season with a bit more consistency throughout the lineup and on the diamond.

2019’s Second Base Iteration-

This year we’ve been fortunate enough to play only about three regulars at second thus far.

Max Muncy, who has done an excellent job playing the keystone this season; Kiké Hernandez, who made plays at second I still can’t believe I saw; and lastly, our young hero, Gavin Lux.

I’m going to compare that 2018 platoon with one player: Gavin Lux, who also happens to be my sole nomination to play second base going into this year’s playoffs.