Just like that, the 2022 campaign has come to a close. Where did the time go?
Is it just me, or does it seem like it was just last week we were all staying up until midnight to see if the lockout would be over? It seems like just the other day I was getting the Twitter notification that the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman.
Remember the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium? That was nearly three months ago.
Time has flown by. During the speedy months, the Dodgers put together a pretty good season. How good? Well, one of the best we’ve ever seen. They won 111 games, the most in franchise history and the second most in National League history. Their run differential of +334 was the best since the 1939 New York Yankees.
This will likely be the greatest Dodgers team of our lifetime. It was a season we’ll never forget. The fun is just beginning.
Next Tuesday, the Dodgers will kick off yet another postseason run. It will be their 10th straight season in the playoffs. Although this run they are on is unprecedented, LA has only one title to show for it. If you ask anyone outside of Los Angeles, they’ll say it’s not a legitimate title.
It’s time for the Dodgers to shut those people up.
This postseason run seems different than in previous years. You could make the case this is one of the greatest teams in baseball history. The expectations are higher than they’ve ever been. At the beginning of the season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went on the Dan Patrick Show and guaranteed a World Series title.
The Dodgers had one of the best offenses in all of baseball. Their bullpen was the best. Their starting rotation was the best. Overall, their team was the best. They have to win it all.
Unfortunately, failing to win it all this year will wipe out LA’s historic 2022 campaign for many people. All the wins. All the records. None if it will matter if the Dodgers fail to win the World Series.
It honestly feels like there are two outcomes this October. The first outcome is that the Dodgers win it all and go down as arguably the greatest team in baseball history. The second outcome is that they fail to win and will be remembered as one of the biggest busts in baseball history.
Two vastly different outcomes, all riding on what happens over the next four weeks.
Sadly, that’s just the reality of today’s game. Everything seems contingent on what you do in the postseason, which I can understand. I get why people would view the season as a failure if they come up short. Personally, I hate that mindset that nothing matters in the regular season. Of course it matters. We should appreciate and enjoy everything that happened this year.
If you’re one of those people, then at least use the next few days to soak up everything this team did this season. I truly don’t think people realize we witnessed history in 2022. I know the Dodgers are likely going to be good again next season and the year after that, but we will likely never see the Dodgers surpass 111 wins again in our lifetime.
The Dodgers are off until Tuesday. They’ll face either the Mets or Padres in the NLDS. The next few days will be very calm and stress-free. Make sure to enjoy these days!
I’m excited to see what the Dodgers accomplish this October. I believe this team has what it takes to win it all. The next few weeks are going to be very nerve-wracking and stressful… but that’s what makes being a fan so beautiful.
“First tournament is over,” Freddie Freeman said on SNLA after the final game. “Now the big tournament starts. Nobody cares what your numbers were or how many wins you had starting Tuesday. First one to 11.”
Hang on for the ride, because the fun is just beginning.
