Editor's note: This column was submitted a few days in advance, and the writer was obviously not expecting the untimely demise of the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the Dodgers' elimination does keep the writer's perfect sports prediction record of 0-455 intact. In future, we'll leave such prognostications to professional psychics, seers, or Kreskin.
Major League Baseball regulations and television commitments require a long series of playoffs to determine a World Series champion, but really, don’t we already know that the Los Angeles Dodgers are 2022’s best team?
Canadian fans were hoping for a long playoff run by the wild-card-losing Toronto Blue Jays, but envisioning a Blue Jays’ Series win was akin to a squirrel staking a claim to being the king of the jungle.
The Dodgers are having an historically terrific season, finishing the regular 162-game schedule with 111 victories against only 51 losses — a .685 winning percentage. Even more remarkable was their runs for/against record, an MLB-leading plus 334. The Yankees were second-best, about 150 runs behind.
Larry, Curly, Mo, or any Stooge, for that matter, could manage this group of all-stars, but the job goes to Dave Roberts, who has a plethora of talent to beat opponents into submission. If he needs a pitcher, he’s got four solid starters from which to choose, including Julio Urias (17-7), Tyler Anderson (15-5), Tony Gonsolin (16-1) and future Hall of Fame Clayton Kershaw (11-3).
The aforementioned quartet all had earned-run averages under 2.60 and if by chance the starters get in trouble, a bullpen to dream of is ready to pick up the slack. Craig Kimbrell, with 22 saves, is the Dodgers’ closer.
Offensively, power hitting Freddie Freeman joined the Dodgers as a free agent this year. It was like Las Vegas getting another billion-dollar casino or Bill Gates winning the Powerball Lottery.
The Dodgers were already a juggernaut without Freeman; with him, it was unfair. It was a steamroller winning a street fight with a caterpillar, a bolt of lightning emerging victorious over a lone tree in a barren field. The former Brave and 2020 NL Most Valuable Player was second in batting average (.325), banged 21 home runs, drove in 109 and led the NL in doubles with 47.
And if Freeman had an off-night, Roberts could look to Mookie Betts (35 homers), Will Smith (24), Max Muncy (21) or Trea Turner (20) for offence.
While it would be a stunner if the Dodgers failed to advance to the World Series, the American League is much more competitive. Houston Astros won the most games, but Aaron Judge and his record-breaking 62 home runs has perhaps made 2022 the Year of the Yankees.
A Dodgers-Yankees World Series would be the first between those two teams since 1981, but they have a storied history of Fall Classic battles (1978, 1977, 1963, 1956, 1955, 1953, 1952, 1949, 1947, 1941).
Judge, a free agent after this year, might use the series to showcase his talents to the Dodgers. Even Larry, Curly or Mo wouldn’t have trouble finding a spot for him in the Dodgers’ lineup next year.
- Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “‘Clean and jerk’ is: a) a composite of two weightlifting movements; b) how baseball hard-liners view the AL and NL season home run record-holders.”
- Montreal columnist Michael Farber, on Twitter: “My wife is en route to a shelter with plans to adopt a cat. My list of suggested names: Clawed Julien, Nikolai Tabbybulin, Al Iafrate Cat, Nathan MacKitten. Guessing I'll be outvoted.”
- The Beaverton, on Twitter: “Who is faster? Connor McDavid or sponsors fleeing Hockey Canada?”
- Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “Not one touchdown was scored in an ugly 12-9 game the Colts won over Denver. How bad was the game? If this game was a Kardashian it would be Robert. If this game was customer service it would be the DMV.”
- Kaseberg again: “Aaron Judge set the non-steroid home run record with his 62nd home run. It is the greatest moment for someone called Judge since O.J. Simpson was sentenced to prison.”
- Headline at theonion.com: “Tom Brady urges Rob Gronkowski to join him for his last year of marriage”
- Steve Simmons of Sunmedia.com: “The next time you see an executive from Hockey Canada, he or she might be sitting on the sidewalk outside a restaurant, begging for spare change.”
- Eagles centre Jason Kelce, via Twitter, on the fan who ran onto the field with a pink smoke bomb on MNF: “These gender reveals sure are getting outa hand.”
- Janice Hough of leftcoastbportsbabe.com, on the MNF interloper filing a police report against Bobby Wagner, the Bronco player who flattened him: “Uh, so maybe the guy’s defence against a trespass charge is insanity?”
- Bob Molinaro of pilot online.com (Hampton, Va.): “At long last, the NFL is ditching the Pro Bowl, though I’m not clear why a skills challenge is more watch worthy than a faux football game. But in honour of Tom Brady, let’s hope we get to see quarterbacks compete in a Microsoft Tablet spiking contest.”
- Nick Canepa of The San Diego Union-Tribune, on Bucs QB Tom Brady smashing tantrum: “Brady broke two tablets vs. the Saints, tying the cherished 3,500-year-old world record set by Moses.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
