Don't let Los Angeles Dodgers get away with it.
They failed. They failed. They were supposed to start the World Series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, but they were not sent home by Atlanta Braves.
Advertisement
They were able to return as World Series champions because it was completely set up.
The Dodgers are the most payrolled team in baseball. Their payroll for the first season was $241 million. That's about $40 million more than the New York Yankees.
Therefore, the Dodgers have that nickname.
The Dodgers had the most talented roster on paper. To give them an even greater advantage, the Dodgers traded before the deadline and added payroll with Trea Turner and Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals.
This was supposed to help them win for the ninth consecutive National League West division, turn away the San Francisco Giants, and eventually do what no NL team has done since 1975-1976 Cincinnati Reds: become champions in baseball.
This would have been a significant accomplishment for this franchise.
Everyone involved was aware that any less would have been disappointing and unacceptable.
Join the Braves.
The choking-like a-dog franchise is well-known.
Their history is littered with dubious moments, including when they fell on the big stage in front of the bright lights.
Advertisement
It is almost impossible to list all of their failures on the internet. The past is not a good enough example. The Braves lost the very best-of-7 National League Championship Series by 3-1 to the Dodgers last year. They then lost the final three games and were forced to go home, rather than to the World Series.
Advertisement
The Dodgers were to be able to win over the Braves with a hamburger and fries.
The Braves roster was not as star-studded or impressive as it could have been. Ronald Acua Jr. was their best player and was unavailable due to injury in July.
Advertisement
The Braves were also 14th in team payroll, which is almost $100 million more than the boys in blue.
Cake, cake, cake.
So, at least that's what most Dodgers fans believed.
The Braves outperformed the Dodgers, but they were still the better team. This series could have ended in four games if the Braves hadn't won Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.
Advertisement
The Dodgers won the game after rallying from 5-2 down in the eighth. They also pulled with a 2-1 series lead. Most people thought Atlanta would fail. But the Dodgers had changed the momentum.
The Braves were more skilled, pitched better, and had timely hits.
Advertisement
It was impossible for the Dodgers to do it.
Most Dodger apologists will use injury cards to excuse the Dodgers from losing.
Advertisement
It is not worth it.
Yes, there were injuries to the Dodgers, with Justin Turner and Max Muncey missing from their lineup. Scherzer was also scratched for Game 6. Scherzer was expected to pitch a gem, forcing a Game 7.
Advertisement
He couldn't pitch because he had a dead right arm.
Walker Buehler took over after a short rest. Although he did not pitch a great game he gave the Dodgers the chance to win by allowing them to stay around.
Advertisement
The Dodgers were down 4-2 in seventh inning. They had it all. They had runners on second- and third, and there were no outs.
Everyone thought that a Braves meltdown was imminent. One hit and the Dodgers were back in operation, alive.
Advertisement
The Dodgers also had three solid bats to fight the Braves' leaking bullpen.
The Dodgers failed to seize the moment and instead wilted under the heat lamp like a fast-food hamburger.
Advertisement
Enter lefty Tyler Matzek.
He caught Albert Pujols swinging.
He spotted Steven Souza.
To end the threat of an inning, he struck out Mookie Betts swinging with pure gasoline.
Advertisement
The Dodgers lost. Saturday night. The NLCS.
Despite everything that went wrong, it was still there for you to take.
This is why the injury excuse does not work.
Three reasons the Dodgers lost the series were that they did not pitch well, Dave Roberts, their manager, was negligent with his staff and the Dodgers failed get hits with runners in scoring positions.
Advertisement
The Dodgers managed just five hits in Game 6's loss to the 5-2 Los Angeles Dodgers.
In Atlanta, the Braves defeated the Dodgers in games 1 and 2. Hallo. Clutch hitting. The Dodgers' only sign of life was in Game 5, when they won 11-2. That was it.
Advertisement
If a Dodger fan wants to sell you the injury bug theory then tell them to save it. It's not something anyone wants to hear.
