Hard Nosed Tommy

The Los Angeles Dodgers are still one of the premier teams in Major League Baseball. Whether it's the Brooklyn days or the West Coast since the late 50s, they have put their mark on success. For the longest period, there was stability in part of having a 40 year period of not hiring manager after manager. The second of which is the late Tommy Lasorda. Even with bad seasons, they stuck through from 1977 through the mid part of 1996.

As I write this, by the time I could understand baseball in the late 90s, he was no longer manager. I have to look at stuff that other generations saw. Lasorda was a hard nosed manager. After the Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds stopped being that dominant, the Dodgers became the big team to follow in the National League. Some World Series stops, but not able to win it until 1981. One more in 88, a couple handfuls of playoff appearances. Leading the way for an organization. He kind of reminds me of Bill Parcells and not taking any crap, not letting the media swoop in at times. But Lasorda has the credit of getting a mascot ejected from a game in Montreal back in 1989.

Lasorda seemed like the type of guy with pride. A big face for the Dodgers, Some charitable moments. Being the first big sports face for Sega when the Genesis launched in 1989. You don't see managers stay with a team for 20 years. The closest guy I can think is Bobby Cox, one of the biggest managers when he took over for the Atlanta Braves from 1991 through 2010. Very fitting for Vin Scully, legendary Dodger broadcaster, to do Lasorda's obituary. I don't have too much else to say. Baseball lost some legends legends last year. Tom Seaver, Charley Pride, Bob Gibson. There's a few more, but these were guys from an earlier era. The best anyone can do is remember the legacies they carried. Lasorda is no different. Los Angeles and the Dodgers will be wearing pride on their sleeves when the 2021 baseball season comes this spring.

Los Angeles Bound: World Series

To get what they deserved has got to be truly special. The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers won a World Series was back in 1988. Two opportunities were lost in 2017 and 18 in controversial Series from alleged cheaters (though a lot will say Houston and Boston cheated). To get it all in 2020, it has to be a sigh of relief and hope to keep continuing hopefully a big dynasty.

A lot of what makes the Dodgers dangerous is through their bats. You can think Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Corey Seager. It was able to survive the Tampa Bay Rays' unorthodox approach to pitching. Teams do rely a lot on their bullpens, but they were able to beat them up after guys like Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow were done for the night. Their own bullpen held their own and starters like Walker Buehler gave what the team needed. It creates a long lasting legacy for Clayton Kershaw.

Tampa is not a team in theory you think can go all the way. They do have some bats and their pitching is decent. You look at this year and their reliance on the bullpen to bail them out was going to bite them. The pulling of Snell in Game 6 this past Tuesday is going to be looked at as one of the biggest blunders in MLB postseason history. Up there with Russ Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, and Zack Greinke. It proved costly and is one of the examples of why analytics are hurting the sport. When you anger someone like Tim Kurkjian, you know your ripping is coming swiftly. We don't see pitcher duels anymore, regular and postseason. It's become such a rarity. Overall, I feel Tampa has damaged baseball in many ways and you have to blame both Joe Maddon and Kevin Cash.

On a more serious note, the way Justin Turner handled himself in that game is very careless. There was question on whether he tested positive for the virus and it turned out he did. The Dodgers were told to remove him and they didn't. He celebrated the series clinching win with them and people are outraged. Yes, it's something to celebrate winning a championship, but you endanger 10 thousand plus people in Texas. This isn't me defending the Dodgers, but I can see them giving a big fuck you to Rob Manfred and MLB. Basically, revenge for the way the season was and their handling of the Houston Astros cheating scandal.

Where 2021 brings us, I'm not sure. But I would hope MLB formulates a better plan or possibly a better commissioner. I don't think Manfred is suitable anymore to be run a league.