“I try not think about what might’ve been. ‘Cuz that was then, and we have taken different roads. We can’t go back again, there’s no use givin’ in. And there’s no way to know what might’ve been” – Little Texas
(Mandatory Credit: Joe Comporeale/USA TODAY Sports)
Blame is a far more common idea in baseball than people may think. We, as fans, always look for someone, or something to blame, because we have no actual control over the game. We just sit on our couches, or in our seats at the stadium, and yell as the home plate umpire makes a bad call. That is not out of character for fans of baseball, or sports in general. A certain level of complaining is in our nature. Tuesday night, even, I was thinking, or rather critiquing, about how the Dodgers could have won had they taken advantage of the bases loaded situations when they had them.
As 2017 draws to a close, we here at Think Blue Planning Committee thought that we would take a look back at the season that was, and highlight 17 of our favorite moments, plays and happenings of the Dodgers‘ 2017 season. These are in no particular order, just what stood out to us and to you as the best parts of the season.
Every team wants to win the World Series. Every team wants to hoist the trophy in front of their home crowd and embrace the triumph that accompanies victory. The Dodgers wanted to be that team in 2017 more than anything, but they weren’t, and there’s nothing any of us can do about that now.
World Series hangovers are real. They are the downside, really the only one, of playing baseball into November. 20 teams out there ended the season a month prior, and yes, those other 10 teams wouldn’t trade the postseason for a month of extra rest, but the effects of October are noticeable. No more noticeable than they are for the two teams that made it all the way to the end. Los Angeles didn’t win, but they played seven games in the World Series. Regardless of the result, that’s enough to incite exhaustion.
The long journey for the Dodgers that began on the fields of Camelback Ranch a little over eight months ago is finally over. And although it was a season which many fans of the club will not soon forget, the Boys in Blue will soon regroup and begin yet another ambitious quest less than four months from this autumn evening.
(Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports)
For Game 7 of the 2017 World Series on Wednesday evening at Dodger Stadium, skipper Dave Roberts and the management crew of the Dodgers have decided to stick with a very familiar batting order which has consistently delivered success throughout the postseason.
(Mandatory Credit: Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire)
All season we’ve been saying, “If they don’t get to the World Series, does any of this matter?” Well, guess what, the Dodgers are in the World Series and this, all of this, matters.
Before Game 6 even began on Tuesday evening, outfielder Yasiel Puig guaranteed fans of the Dodgers that there would indeed be a Game 7 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. His promise ultimately held true, as Los Angeles held on for a 3-1 victory which tied the 2017 World Series at three games apiece.
(Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
The good news is the World Series has now shifted back to Los Angeles where the Dodgers were stellar during the regular season and have been nearly untouchable in the playoffs. The bad news is there’s no margin for error, as the Astros are just a single win away from a World Championship. On top of that, Houston is sending veteran righty Justin Verlander to the bump, who has been absolutely outstanding during the 2017 postseason.